A vast collection of information on alternative fuels and the vehicles that use them. Alternative fuels described here are those defined by the Energy Policy Act of 1992, including biodiesel, electricity, ethanol, hydrogen, natural gas, and propane. This site has more than 3,000 documents in its database, an interactive fuel station mapping system, current listings of available alternative fuel vehicles, and lots of alternative fuels information and related links.
In India, BioFuel is not of special importance for oil or energy security, but for the upliftment of the rural poor, which are neglected by the booming IT industry and urban middle class. To reduce the widening gap, Biofuel production offers chances for social and rural development amongst some of the world's poorest people, namely farmers in developing countries. By cultivating energy crops, these communities can diversify their crop portfolio, generate substantial incomes and hence increase their economic power and ultimately their food security, health and wellbeing. On the level of the state, biofuel production can cut fossil fuel imports and dependency, and thus free up funds that can be invested in social and economic development.
The ex-President of India and Eminent Scientist, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, has understood the importance of Jatropha and he advocates its plantation in every lecture. He has also planted 800 Jatropha plants in Presidential (Mogul) Gardens.
A pioneering expedition by a small, mobile NGO (Non-Government Organization) involved in environment and rural development work, starting from Hong Kong and travelling 40,000 kilometres through 26 countries in Asia and Africa to Cape Town, South Africa.
Our route will take us away from the cities and populated districts to remote and inaccessible areas (usually also the least developed and poorest areas), where we'll be studying and reporting on environmental conditions and working for local NGOs on rural development projects in local communities.
The focus will be on trees, soil and water, sustainable farming, sustainable technology, and family nutrition.
The aim is to help people fight poverty and hunger, and to help sustain the environment we all must share.
Not Optional by Jim Kunstler with Clusterfuck Nation is right on the money, so far as I can see. Enjoy -- warning, it gets a little ranty.
The topic he's writing on is collective blindness on several angles. For example, how can the people really believe we can just pull out of this misbegotten war in Iraq. Regardless of how illegal that war is, we started a total mess there and pulling out now would only make matters worse.
The other blindness is about oil. The war is for oil, despite the protestations of the Administration. The Bush Administration has taken lying to the public to a fine art, and for that I must applaud them.
It's about oil because Iraq has a huge chunk of it, and the U.S. has very little. In order to keep our standard of living, which is one of the meme's the Bush Administration keeps mouthing, we must grab the oil wherever it is.
The problem is this is a fools quest. There's not that much oil left in the world anyway, and there are plenty of alternatives. The better route is to invest in alternative energy research in a big way. Not these piddly little bits here and there the Administration has been throwing out to keep the environmentalists happy. There's a real problem here, and with the direction the Bush Administration is leading the country the only result is a kind of world described in the Mad Max movies.
