rodneylbrownjr’s Recent Comments

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  An Opt-Out System For Green Power

  Has anyone investigated whether an "opt out" system for green power would work as well as it does for 401(k) retirement plans. There is a growing movement for employers to enroll all employees in a 401(k) plan, giving them the option to withdraw if they want. Far more employees end up saving for retirement than in the traditional "opt in" system, and most employees are happy with it. The theory is that people sometimes need a "nudge" to do the things they know are right. Conservatives and liberals are embracing this scheme. Here's a popular article about it:

  http://www.slate.com/id/2191156/

  I'm not a fan of every example described in the article, but there's strong evidence that the opt-out system for 401(k) plans works very well. Could a utility use it to encourage customers to buy green power, while respecting their autonomy to opt out if they want? Has anyone tried this? I've read about a proposal to do it in Australia, but haven't heard if anyone has actually done it.On Smart Power tips on how to market clean energy posted 1 year, 4 months ago 5 Responses

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  Biodiesel Versus The Orangutan

  Biodiesel can come from environmentally disastrous sources, including palm oil. In Malaysia, the development of oil-palm plantations has been responsible for 87 per cent of deforestation between 1985 and 2000. The pace of forest destruction has accelerated in recent years. Professor Birute Galdikas believes that "The orang-utan is endangered because of habitat loss. Today the greatest threat to orang-utan habitat is the continued expansion of oil-palm plantations. Palm oil is the greatest enemy of orang-utan and their continued survival in the wild."

  Here are some sources of further information:

  http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg18825265.400&feedId=online-news_rss20

  http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/biodiversity/case_studies/palm_oil/

  http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/reports/oil_for_ape_summary.pdfOn Just because General Motors calls it green doesn't mean it is. posted 3 years, 10 months ago 8 Responses