Topics
5 Comments
-
Re: Sustainable Transport Guide for businesses
2010-04-03 12:41:40 UTC
This guide says not one word about the most cost-effective behavior change that many small businesses can take to reduce both their motor fuel emissions and motor fuel costs. Switch fuels.
Stop using dirty liquid petroleum-based fuels and start using much more sustainable methane-hydrogen based motor fuels. Say what? Converting light-duty fleets to compressed natural gas motor fuels gives business owners the bang for the buck; a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions at lower cost than gasoline, diesel or non-sustainable liquid biofuels. The planet is awash in cheap natural gas; use it wisely. If the business wants an even greener fleet, those NGV pickups, vans and trucks will run very nicely on renewable biomethane made from waste biomass. If the business wants to be ultra-green, blend a little renewable hydrogen, made from solar or wind electricity and water, in with the compressed natural gas and biomethane.
Change behavior and save money. Stop buying liquid hydrocarbons; start buying proven, reliable low-carbon motor fuels (methane) that create commercial pathways to eventual widespread use of zero-carbon motor fuels -- electricity and hydrogen.
David Bruderly
President
Clean Power Engineering
United States
www.bruderly.com -
Re: Webinar: Promoting Highly Fuel Efficient Automobiles
2010-03-04 11:24:58 UTC
I would like to ask why those advocates who seek more sustainable transportation do not expand their focus to also seek changing behaviors and attitudes of those executives and politicians who have rejected mass production of vehicles for the North American markets that use non-petroleum gaseous motor fuels, aka cheap and abundant natural gas. Widespread deployment of NGVs, both using compressed and liquefied forms of methane, is common in other countries. When properly designed and mass produced, NGVs are affordable and fuel stations can easily tap into readily available natural gas pipelines. Why not promote immediate and widespread use of NGVs in North America to save consumers money, reduce pollution AND reduce carbon emissions by 20% to 30%? More importantly mass production of NGVs would make distributed production of various renewable methane-hydrogen blends economically feasible. Methane-hydrogen blends can be used in current technology NGVs; no technology breakthroughs needed. A more efficient vehicle that uses liquid petroleum motor fuels, even when blended with biofuels, is still a vehicle that operates primarily on petroleum. If the political goal is to reduce dependency on oil, why do policy makers not seek to harness market forces to solve this problem? Policy that create new, more sustainable commercialization pathways to low-carbon, zero-carbon motor fuels and vehicles using natural gas would create jobs, save consumers money, make everybody more secure and be more sustainable than current policy, which merely fosters continued dependency on liquid petroleum-based motor fuels.
bruderly -
Re: Ideas needed for homeonwers to switch to CFL's
2008-10-09 14:31:00 UTC
Stuart
Do NOT downplay the mercury problem with CFLs. Simple actions do matter, but they need to be the right actions and the public must be fully informed of the risks as well as the benefits. Most importantly measures must be taken to recapture unbroken CFLs for proper recycling. Also do not ignore LEDS.
Dave Bruderly
-
Re: Power Washing An Issue? Why not clean up the source of these pollutants?
2008-07-19 20:31:36 UTC
Michael
Where do pollutants in urban storm water originate? I think we will all agree that motor vehicles and motor vehicle fuels are a major source of non-point source pollution both through wet and dry deposition. Toxics include organic by-products of combustion as well as leaks, drips and spills that contain toxic hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Rather than focus on power washing, which is a symptom of non-point source pollution, why not focus on the sources of this non-point source pollution? Petroleum fuels and the operation of automobiles are exempt from enforcement of regulations created under the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 that have significantly reduced sources of toxic pollution in the workplace and homes. Given the long list of well-documented harm caused by gasoline and diesel powered machines why should they be exempt from regulations that have been so successful in cleaning up the workplace, not to mention homes and garages? Build a case to remove this exemption and thus remove one major barrier to widespread use of cleaner, safer non-hazardous alternative fuels for motor vehicles. Clean up motor vehicles and eliminate toxic motor fuels and a major source of non-point source pollution will be eliminated.
David E. Bruderly, PE
Bruderly Engineering Associates, Inc.
920 SW 57th Drive
Gainesville, Florida 32607-3838
352-377-0932
www.cleanpowerengineering.com
http://www.bruderly.com/about.php
-
Positive Engagement
2008-01-13 02:43:09 UTC
Ramsey Hart asks about ethical behavior and positive engagement: Positive Engagement - Use Sustainability Reporting Tools
The strength of our economic and legal system is that it is founded on the concepts fairness, justice, freedom, life, liberty and individual pursuit of happiness. No where does our system endorse allowing one person to harm another just to maximize profit. That concept is NOT embedded in the Magna Carta, Constitution or the Bill of Rights. Greed is NOT good; exploitation is NOT protected behavior. These are the fundamental reasons why sustainability reporting is so effective; publication of performance indicator metrics exposes exploitive behavior to public scrutiny. So ask your mutual fund investors to require full disclosure of sustainability performance indicators / criteria and full reporting of metrics against those criteria. And if they refuse to make full disclosure of sustainability performance; then go public. The public hates cover ups even more than the public hates improper behavior. It is that simple. Regarding Corporate Exploitation -- there are no Free Markets Advocates of less government of corporate or private behavior have corrupted these basic concepts and need to be constantly reminded of the fact that "free markets" do not exist within the framework of market economics and capitalism. Somebody has to establish rules that define markets and market behavior. Those rules can be established by government or by an NGO or by the corporate entity itself. Go back and read the bible of capitalism written by Adam Smith ---"The Creation of the Wealth of Nations ..." to understand the role of rules and regulations in a market economy. These concepts have been horribly corrupted by those who seek private gain at public expense. This must stop. The legitimate role of government in a market economy is to establish rules that protect the "commons" or the public interest and to then enforce those rules fairly and with justice. The vast majority of business executives and politicians think of microeconomic theory when they start spouting off about free markets. They think macroeconomic theory is limited to government control of financial matters, such as the prime rates and money supply, and completely ignore the legitimate government role of protecting public health, safety and welfare -- and now conserving the environment. Demand Full Disclosure of Facts and Don't Back Down The way to win any debate on this topic is very simple. Expose those who resist regulation that protects the commons -- air, water, ecosystems, etc. - with facts. Then simply compare those facts against the values the other side says they believe in and follow. Obtain full disclosure and it will not be difficult to show that those who are exploiting somebody or something - labor, public resources, etc. - are not practicing the values they claim to support. Once the facts are disclosed they will either have to admit hypocrisy or change behavior. Since most people do not like to be label hypocrites they usually change behavior. Finally, be positive and attack facts, not people - but don't be afraid to point out damning facts, inconsistent logic, hypocrisy and selfish behavior. And never back down.
David E. Bruderly, PE
Bruderly Engineering Associates, Inc.
920 SW 57th Drive Gainesville,
Florida 32607-3838
352-377-0932
www.cleanpowerengineering.com
www.bruderly.com
0 Recommends
You haven't saved any recommendations.
Messaging 0 colleagues