Energy Forum of Western Pennsylvania

Is The World About To Be Running On Empty? As evidence emerges of dwindling oil reserves, the price of crude hits $135 a barrel --- In France, fishermen are blockading oil refineries. In Britain, lorry drivers are planning a day of action. In the US, the car maker Ford is to cut production... (read more)

Exerpts - “Transportation has the fastest growing carbon emissions of any economic sector and automobiles are largely to blame with more than 600 million passenger vehicles now cruising the world’s roads. ” “Today, the real task is … to create … a ‘people’s transport system.’ Addressing the climate crisis requires entirely new... (read more)

Exerpts - "The seemingly limitless reserves of petroleum that fueled the past century’s exodus from the farm are about half gone. From here on, fossil fuels — and all the everyday essentials that depend on them, like transportation and food — will grow increasingly costly. Without some miraculous new energy source, muscle... (read more)

The Boston Globe - "China’s Not Alone in Environmental Crisis" Exerpts - China is a "country choking on its own 'success,' now producing over 20 percent of global greenhouse gases" "The West has worked long and hard to transform China into what it is today: an industrial platform for the world where some... (read more)

The Guardian - "We've been suckered again by the US. So far the Bali deal is worse than Kyoto" "America will keep on wrecking climate talks as long as those with vested interests in oil and gas fund its political system" Exerpts - "In 1997 and in 2007 [the US] got the best... (read more)

9/12, 7 pm: Crude Impact -- a documentary about the interconnection between human domination of the planet – and the discovery and use of oil.  Mt. Lebanon Recreation Center, 2nd floor, Room B, 900 Cedar Boulevard, Pittsburgh, 15228      9/18, 7 pm: Transportation Innovations or Alternatives to Personal Wheels:  With gas prices... (read more)

This is one of the most interesting articles I have read regarding the future of technology and harnessing it on a small scale. Author Freeman Dyson states that "the domestication of biotechnology will dominate our lives during the next fifty years at least as much as the domestication of computers... (read more)

This is a great resource for finding disposal resources in your community. It searches by article type and zip code. Courtesy Soprano Waste Management Group (just kidding).... (read more)

This article explains itself better than any summary I could attempt. It's a tremendous opportunity for anyone who has an interest in applying video games to socially responsible issues. "New York—Microsoft and Games for Change (G4C) announced a joint commitment to explore new ways to bring together the world of digital... (read more)

I spent several hours perusing this site. I think this game is an excellent educational vehicle to reach the people who are into this sort of thing. The game is sponsored by PBS and ITVS so it has some excellent backing. I see the potential for this game to join teaching... (read more)

Doctor Botte is Director of the Electrochemical Engineering Research Lab at Ohio University. Her complete credentials are listed in the URL for this article. Dr. Botte has pioneered a usable system of recovering hydrogen that uses ammonia rather than water as the hydrogen source. Her system sucessfully addresses the problems... (read more)

Frank Sanns, Jr.a local alternative power expert, spoke at our meeting of Dec 13, 2006. Power Supply Frank has equipped his home with a 110 photovoltaic cell (PC)system using alternating current (AC). He states he prefers to use AC as the direct current (DC) system is problematic due to wire resistance, resulting... (read more)

Indigo Raffel of Conservation Consultants, Inc. (CCI), whose stated mission is "Responsible Energy Use in Homes and Other Buildings", spoke to our group on Dec 13, 2006. CCI does energy audits and consulting for homes and other buildings. It should be noted that CCI's building has a LEED (Leadership in... (read more)

Byron King, geologist, attorney, and former navy pilot, spoke to an audience of over 50 people at the Mount Lebanon Public Library on November 13, 2006. Byron, a member of Energy Forum of Western Pennsylvania, spoke about peak oil, global warming, and alternative energy sources. The program was sponsored jointly... (read more)

We showed the film End of Suburbia at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the South Hills on Friday, November 10, 2006, and had another successful outreach to the community. This time we were able to interact with the audience after the movie. We didn't have the time restrictions that we had at... (read more)

On October 25, 2006, our group, with its partner, Mount Lebanon Public Library, had its first community outreach event. We showed the DVD End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream at the Mount Lebanon Public Library in Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania.We considered the event to be... (read more)