some green facts

– Swiss Scientists have colculated that the planet  could support 6 billion-plus inhabitants only if everyone keeps  his or her power consumption level at 2000 watts per day.  current energy consumption levels in Germany are just over 4000 watts per person each day; in the united states it’s almost double that. By the end of 2011 the global population is expected to reach 7 billion. In 1987, the population was 5 billion

– china feeds its billion-plus population on less the 10% of the earth’s arable land

– In Germany there was a renewable eneregy sources act passed in 2000: EEG which requires  power companies to buy–at a premium (upwards of double the cost)–renewable energy generated by private owners. The utilities are aboliged to purchase green power from each producer for 20 years. The EEG covers wind, wolar, hydropower, biomass and geothermal. Some states like ME in the US have passed similar bills.

– because of the high demand in Europe and the US for organic, “fair trade” sugar, only 8% of the primary upper parana eco system remains from the subtropcial upper parana atlantic forest. which is said to have been one of the most biologically diverse  ecosystems in the world

-There is enough wind capacity using currently available technology in North Dakota, Kansas and Texas alone to generate 100% of the electricity used by the United States today.  The states between the Mississippi and the Rockies have enough gross capacity to triple that.

– enough sunlight falls on the earth in an hour to meet current world energy demands for a year.

~ by dabhandeddrifter on February 8, 2011.