New for this year is their EPA-certified E-TEC environmentally friendly outboard engine.  It has the lowest reportable emissions of any outboard engine and is 300 pounds lighter and 50% quieter than any other  two-stroke engines.   With their technological advanced engine management computer making 8 million calculations per second to assure that boaters use the precise amount of fuel at any given RPM it even uses 44% less fuel than engines that use older technology.

About Evinrude:  Ever since that landmark day when Ole Evinrude paddled to fetch ice cream of his love, sparking the idea for the boat motor, Evinrude has been pushing the boundaries of what boats and marine engines can do.  From manufacturing the first detachable boat row boat engine to setting speed records and building engines and parts for the U.S. military, Evinrude has been among the most trusted names in boating.  A member of the BRP family, a name synonymous with quality and innovation, Evinrude has its sights set on providing boaters

Evinrude recently launched the ICON, a state-of-the-art digital user interface system for E-TEC outboard engines.  The new system is designed to provide boaters with convenience and ease of operation and includes gear position indicators, neutral throttle advance, synchronized engine trim, RPM tune and a unique PowerSync control for multi-engine applications.

So this week I decided to bring you some news on Technology that is being developed within and outside of the mainstream auto industry.  I interview CEO’s and even a professor about what they are doing and where they see the future of the American Auto industry.  Enjoy!

Following the EPA 511 Guideline test protocol, Blade underwent independent testing by the nation’s premier emissions testing lab, the Automotive Testing and Development Services, Inc. (ATDS).  ATDS is approved by the EPA and licensed by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) 

EPA guidelines for a fleet of five vehicles state that the fuel economy increase must average three percent to be considered a real effect. The fleet of five Bladed vehicles tested – including 4 cylinder, 6 cylinder, 8 cylinder, foreign, domestic and Hybrid vehicles – averaged a four percent increase.  This achievement is historic as it has never before been demonstrated by any aftermarket device.

TABLE 1: For each car tested, CO₂ reduction and fuel economy increases often exceeded expectations:

Vehicle Type CO₂ Emissions Reduction (up to … ) Fuel Economy Increase (up to…)

2004 Honda Civic 6% 6%

2008 Hyundai Sonata 12% 12%

2007 Ford E-250 6% 5%

2008 Pontiac G6 6% 4%

2007 Toyota Prius 6% 3%

William J. O’Brien CEO, Founder

In addition to leading Sabertec, Mr. O’Brien is a co-founder and general partner of Saber Capital. In this capacity, Mr. O’Brien oversees the selection and management of the investment firm’s portfolio companies. Mr. O’Brien served as Chairman and CEO of Octave Software, a provider of next-generation content management solutions. In addition to launching Octave’s product line, Mr. O’Brien developed its key partnerships, recruited its managers, and played an instrumental role in securing its major customers. He also led the company in a $4 million preferred round financing from Sigma Partners. Mr. O’Brien was also actively involved in the direction of Saber Capital’s Austin-based professional services firm, Neogent, Inc., which it funded in 2000 and sold to Sun Microsystems (NASDAQ: SUN) in 2006. Mr. O’Brien also holds board seats at San Jose based, Jetalon Solutions, a maker of precision, liquid chemical sensor and control systems. Since the initiation of Mr. O’Brien’s involvement, the company has increased shareholder value nearly 17x. Before co-founding Saber Capital, Mr. O’Brien spent over 12-years in the high technology industry, most recently serving as Vice President of Sales for the Americas at Vignette Corporation (NASD: VIGN). Benefiting from Mr. O’Brien’s direction, Vignette became the fastest growing enterprise software company in industry history, with annual revenues growing from $3 million to over $500 million in a three-year period.

About Sabertec

Sabertec, based in Austin, Texas, is on the vanguard of solving environmental challenges through technology, education and the inspiration of behavioral change. Sabertec products reduce fossil fuel burning engine emissions that are known contributors to global warming, as well as health consequences including cancer, strokes and respiratory diseases. Launched in 2008, Blade, www.bladeyourride.com is the company’s first consumer product available in the United States. Blade was developed utilizing Sabertec’s patent-pending impact filtration method, which is the core technology in their IDPF product. IDPF has been reducing toxic diesel particulate matter emissions on commercial bus fleets in Sao Paulo, Brazil since 2005.  www.Sabertec.org

Sabertec’s product, Blade easily attaches to the tailpipe of a car to reduce CO2 emissions and toxic particulate matter – a type of pollution that includes dust, soot, and tiny bits of solid materials suspended in the air.

President Obama has spoken about the need to increase the production of sustainable energy here in the US and reducing our dependence on foreign oil.  Although his ideals may be laudable he does not understand the infrastructure to make it happen.  Congresses legislative push to make this happen has caused numerous problems around the world included massive food shortages and riots over food.  Although it is technologically possible to retrofit automobiles to accommodate sustainable fuels such as biodiesel there are significant stumbling blocks to making it work seamlessly.  Our entire infrastructure is based on petroleum distribution.  The cars were designed to run on petroleum and the government created laws and rules that all but eliminated diesel for passenger cars in favor of gasoline.  Going from petroleum diesel to bio-diesel is not a huge jump however going from gasoline to bio-diesel creates a technological and supply rift that must be overcome before it will be viable.  Bio-diesel needs to be made from sustainable crops such as algae and stink-weed that do not affect the world food supply.

There are many who are lamenting about the economy and the end of American manufacturing — but John Fox of Innovation Fuels has taken the bear by the scruff of the neck and now produces up 950,000 barrels of biodiesel a year.  They export over 80 percent of that to Europe because our automotive diesel industry dwindled due to a lack of understanding by congress who imposed legislation that favored gasoline over diesel.

Among alternative fuels, biodiesel is growing rapidly.  Made from vegetable oils and animal fats the biodiesel is being blended with petroleum diesel fuel by Innovation Fuels into the finished product which is being sold to power diesel engines and to heat homes.  The advantage of biodiesel over full petroleum diesel is that it produces 60 percent less greenhouse gases than diesel.  Biodiesel provides a substantial reduction in exhaust emissions, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, unburned hydrocarbons and black smoke.  It is safe to say then that using biodiesel helps to protect the environment and that is good for all our health.  John Fox puts his money where his mouth is and drives a car that runs on biodiesel.  He says there is no noticeable difference when driving this vehicle because biodiesel releases the same amount of power as petroleum diesel. It also provides the same lubricating function as petroleum diesel with low sulfur. Additional benefits of using biodiesel is that it is a renewable resource that can be produced here in the United States reducing our demand on imported oil and it is safer to transport than gasoline.  This cheaper alternative can be used in any diesel engine or home heating oil burner.  There are major technological hurdles required to change our infrastructure from petroleum based vehicles to electric vehicles including the development of a clean power grid.  The research and development will depend on huge outlays of private funds and protection of the private intellectual property.  The technological development of high mileage vehicles will make the US economically competitive for decades on the international marketplace.  The US is on the threshold of a vital and transformative change and getting biodiesel and other sustainably powered vehicles into production and then on the road is the future of the American Auto Industry.

About John:

John Fox is President and Chief Executive Officer of Innovation Fuels. He has been building businesses and product offerings for the past 15 years, seven years of which have been in US energy industry. Mr. Fox started a renewable energy project development company, Homeland Energy Resources Development, Inc. in 2001, and subsequently its biodiesel division in 2005, which was merged into Innovation Fuels. He led Homeland Energy to an average 50 percent year-over-year revenue growth and managed a team that developed more than $5 million alternative fuel projects. Prior to founding Homeland Energy, Mr. Fox led the business development of a biogas technology company, the financing of an independent oil and gas company, and the product development of a Lucent Technologies company. Since 1991, Mr. Fox has served as General Partner at Renard Properties, a Mid-Atlantic real-estate development and management company. He holds a BA from Syracuse University and an MBA from Columbia Business School and is currently a member of the National Biodiesel Board, American Council on Renewable Energy, Environmental Business Association of New York State, and U.S. Green Building Council. 

About Innovation Fuels:

As a leading biodiesel manufacturer, Innovation Fuels cares about making the world a better place to live today and tomorrow. But taking care of our customers is our number one business priority. Our goal is to help you choose biodiesel as a viable, sustainable, high-performance fuel. Let us put our extensive experience in the fuel industry to work for you.

Biodiesel is the fastest growing alternative fuel. It’s clean and non-toxic so it’s good for you. It’s high-quality and easy to integrate into your operation so it’s good for your business. And it’s biodegradable and renewable so it’s good for the world. Biodiesel contains no petroleum but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel and works in any diesel engine.

Innovation Fuels…Good for You, Good for Your Business, Good for the World.

Additionally, their Servace Alloy product is used by some of the most prestigious country clubs in the nation.  They are specialty small electric vehicles that brush and roll clay tennis courts and cause no noise pollution and cost only about seventy-five cents a night to charge.  They also build mini ambulances for use in production plants and large theme parks.  Due to their size they can be used in crowded areas where a full size unit cannot operate.

In 2009 they will introduce a new mini hybrid fire truck specifically designed for the forest industry.  They are the leader in the airline industry where they design an manufacture push back tractors, belt loaders, and high lifts on both their electric and hybrid chassis.

About John:

John graduated from Forest Hill High School in West Palm Beach, Florida and went right into running his own company. John’s company manufactures (and mainstreams) diesel-hybrid and electric vehicles. Their cars, trucks, etc. are pulling US Airways passenger jets on the tarmac at some of America’s busiest airports and are on the short list to save the U.S. military billions in fuel costs by supplying them with vehicles.

About Giliberti:

Giliberti is a research, development & manufacturing company for vehicles in the airline, golf, tennis, and emergency medical services (EMS) industries.

The quality of our vehicles is the highest priority for Giliberti. We work closely with our customers to insure our products are not only the finest built, but are also serve a variety of needs and purposes.

Giliberti’’s mission will always be to develop, design and manufacture efficient, affordable, and reliable electrically powered utility vehicles to meet our customers needs. We have never lost sight of this goal and keep it at the forefront of every project we undertake. Giliberti continues to be on the cutting edge by finding new opportunities to design and develop products to meet niche market needs.

About Rick Casper:

Richard J. Kasper is the President and Chief Operating Officer, Global Electric Motorcars, LLC (GEM), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chrysler, LLC.  He was GEMs Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer until being named President and COO on December 1, 2002.

Prior to joining GEM in 1999, Richard spent 11 years with the Jack Kent Cooke organization, which included responsibilities as the Chief Financial Officer for the Los Angeles Daily News. 

Mr. Kasper received his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting at Minnesota State University ñ Moorhead (MSUM) in Moorhead, Minnesota. He was named the MSUM Business and Industry Alumni of the Year in 2002.  He is also a member of the MSUM School of Business Advisory Board. 

Richard was the Chairperson for the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) Conference in December of 2006, the EVS-23 International Conference in December 2007 and was the Chairman of the World Electric Vehicle Association (WEVA) in 2006 and 2007.  Richard is also a member of the Chamber of Commerce of Fargo Moorhead.  He has also been involved in a number of community and charitable organizations including President of the West Valley Boys and Girls Club, Chairman of the Warner Center Association, Vice-President of the San Fernando Economic Alliance, and a volunteer for a number of philanthropic events.

He and his family live in Fargo, North Dakota, the headquarters for Global Electric Motorcars, LLC.

About Global Electric Motor Cars:

Global Electric Motorcars, a Chrysler company, has been in operation for ten years. Located in Fargo, North Dakota, Global Electric Motorcars manufactured its first vehicle in April 1998, a 48-volt GEM car that accommodated two passengers and had a top speed of 20 mph. Less than two months later, a significant breakthrough occurred in the market as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) designated a new class of motor vehicle, the low-speed vehicle, also known as the Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV). The low-speed vehicle class allowed GEM cars to be driven on public roads if they met certain safety criteria such as having safety belts, headlamps, windshield wipers, and safety glass. GEM cars always come equipped with these safety features making them a benchmark in the industry.

GEM battery-electric vehicles not only represent a relatively new vehicle in an emerging market segment, but also a new and growing brand within the Chrysler family. Just like Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep®, or many of the other well-established brands in the company’s portfolio, GEM stands for innovation and leadership.

Global Electric Motorcars aims to establish its brand presence both as the maker of the top-selling NEV in the market and the purveyor of one of the smartest solutions to traffic congestion and air quality problems yet to be introduced. The solution: zero-emissions personal transportation that is well integrated with traditional alternative transportation choices such as mass transit and carpooling.

GEM models are sophisticated yet simple. They represent a new kind of personal transportation, that expands the capacity to have fun. They represent a versatile and efficient way to get the job done, as well as a clean way to do everyday work. GEM cars harness and put to work the power of silence. 

Today, Global Electric Motorcars remains committed to maintaining its leadership position in the NEV market with product improvements, innovations, and offerings. Currently, GEM cars are available in six unique models and are seen in cities, master planned communities, universities and colleges, industrial complexes, security companies, airports, and resorts throughout the world. Looking to the future, Global Electric Motorcars is strategically positioned within the Chrysler family to aid in the company’s continuing efforts and commitment to developing, producing, and selling the world’s most environmentally-friendly vehicles.

Malcom Bricklin began Visionary vehicles to design automotive products that resonate with consumers while meeting the growing consumer demand for a full range of hybrid vehicles. They are able to deliver performance and amenities normally reserved for high line vehicles at affordable prices that allow them to appeal to a wide range of consumers.

He believes that PHEVs (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles) are the future of Green   Technology and where the research and development of the auto industry should be focusing.  However, that being said there is a delay in this technology due to insufficient battery technology and manufacturing capabilities.  So what is the stop gap solution?  Hydrogen fuel-injection systems.  This technology will increase gas mileage and create cleaner exhaust output.  This technology is readily installed on new cars as well as used cars and will assist the auto industry  in business and people employed.  These systems have been retooled in professional high-profile labs and are not the internet kits that are plagued with problems.

Malcolm’s Bio:

Malcolm Bricklin is recognized as one of the automobile industry’s leading entrepreneurs, innovators and visionaries. He was the founder and Chief Executive of Subaru of America, Bricklin Vehicle Corporation, International Automobile Importers, Yugo America and now Visionary Vehicles. He has 40 years of experience in designing, engineering, manufacturing, remanufacturing, importing and marketing automobiles. Mr. Bricklin is known throughout the industry as one of the most original and imaginative automobile executives in history.

In 1968 he founded Subaru of America, Inc. During the 1970s, Mr. Bricklin founded Bricklin Motors and produced the world’s first “safety sports car,” the Bricklin SV1, which was well designed, easy-to-drive, and decades ahead of its time in terms of driver safety. In the 1980s, he formed Yugo America, Inc. With 160,000 vehicles sold during its launch phase, the Yugo quickly became the fastest selling European import in automotive history.

Today, Mr. Bricklin, fulfilling his lifelong commitment to improving the environment through innovative fuel efficient vehicles, has set his sites on delivering the first full line of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) to consumers. His innovative strategy will be the catalyst to jump start the hybrid and electric industry and transform the automobile industry as we know it.

With the growing threat of global warming and a need for the reduction, if not the elimination of automobile emissions, there is an urgent need to place new technologies within reach of the general public and to deliver these innovations without sacrificing high performance, safety or luxury.

Visionary Vehicles is an international automobile company on a mission to bring an exciting new brand of environmentally friendly, aggressively priced, beautifully styled, high-quality vehicles into North America. Visionary Vehicles will also introduce a new retail experience for its consumers, by developing destination locations to make available the very latest hybrid products and in the process it will create a revolutionary new consumer-friendly environment for its retailing facilities.

Visionary Vehicles:

Visionary Vehicles’ innovative strategies, alliances, and plans are rooted in common sense (common sense seems to be quite uncommon in the automobile business these days). They flow from an unobstructed sense of clarity and urgency regarding the critical challenges and unmet opportunities that North America faces today —- specifically, the automotive industry and its impact on the environment and the economy.

Founded by legendary automotive entrepreneur, Malcolm Bricklin, Visionary Vehicles is new and original, yet rich in relevant expertise and experience. It can research, innovate and implement without a vested interest in a particular legacy or direction. The most powerful example of this is the commitment Visionary Vehicles has made to deliver the first full… line of Plug-In Electric Hybrid Vehicles (PHEVs) to market by 2010.

· First, we believe that recent technological advances make it possible to manufacture batteries with sufficient power and range at an acceptable cost.

· Second, taking advantage of low-cost manufacturing will make this advanced, environmentally friendly technology accessible to a mass market in North America.

· Third, in addition to the incentive provided by the fuel and emissions advantages, the expected pricing advantage is intended to encourage consumers to consider a new and untested brand.

· Fourth, by contracting with existing manufacturers with facilities in place and experience in manufacturing, we expect to substantially reduce the time required to bring models to market and thus expect to     gain a first-mover advantage relative to legacy manufacturers and to have the opportunity to firmly establish our brand.

· Fifth, we do not have to invest in manufacturing facilities; ample funding is available, especially for those companies able to provide environmental benefits through the development and adaptation of advanced technologies

Malcolm Bricklin has engaged his team of automotive and technology experts in an objective, “no fault” formulation to determine the best way:

To design products that resonate exceptionally well with consumers, while meeting the growing consumer demand for a full range of hybrid vehicles, able to deliver performance and amenities normally reserved for highline vehicles, yet at prices affordable to a wide range of consumers.

To drive the establishment of a new PHEV industry within the automobile sector in order to address, not add to our environmental concerns, while decreasing our dependence on foreign oil.

Establish an organization and processes that profitably satisfies consumers, while positioning our Visionary Vehicles’ dealer partners far beyond a conventional dealership by making them the retail centers of choice for virtually every future hybrid transportation innovation

Can you manage your airflow at home from your cell phone from a distance?  It’s now possible with Trane ComfortLink II Residential Communicating System.

Trane is the world leader in air conditioning systems, services and solutions. Trane controls the comfort of the air for people in homes and many of the world’s largest and most famous commercial, industrial and institutional buildings. Trane applies its expertise in environmental technology and energy conservation to make a difference in energy efficiency around the globe.

Trane has been catering cooling systems to residential homes besides commercial. Trane has developed a new communication system which can talk to one another. Most people are not aware what’s happening behind their home.

If you have the Trane ComfortLink II fully integrated, self-configuring system, then it will verify proper installation and maintain proper airflow calibration over the whole life of the system. Your Trane heating and cooling products are now started talking to one another about how to keep your family comfortable — whether they’re in the living room or thousands of miles away.

The Trane ComfortLink II Residential Communicating System represents a breakthrough in product design and efficiency. Advanced technology has been incorporated inside. Specific air conditioning and heating system products allows components to communicate with one another so that they’re always automatically configured and calibrated to your preferred settings, constantly troubleshooting to achieve utmost efficiency.

Special technology is built into specific Trane products, allowing them to “communicate” with each other. Consumers can receive the benefits of the Trane ComfortLink II by having a complete heating and cooling system that’s perfectly matched and designed for how and where they live.

The hallmark of the Trane ComfortLink II Residential Communicating System is very ease to set-up, install and service.

You can view more ComfortLink II products here.

Randy Scott
Vice President, Product Systems Management
Trane Residential Systems

Randy Scott – A biography

Randy Scott, Vice President, Product Systems Management for Trane Residential Systems, has an extensive career in sales, marketing and business development roles with the company. Randy has twenty four years of experience in the HVAC industry.

Randy recently led the successful commercialization of several industry exclusive products including Trane CleanEffects, XV95 gas furnace, XL16c packaged unit and most recently the ComfortLink II communicating system with Charge Assist.

Randy is a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management with Honor.

Trane Inc. (NYSE: TT), previously named American Standard Companies Inc., provides systems and services that enhance the quality and comfort of the air in homes and buildings around the world. The company offers customers a broad range of energy-efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems; dehumidifying and air cleaning products; service and parts support; advanced building controls and financing solutions. Selling under both the Trane and American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning brand names, the company’s systems and services have leading positions in premium commercial, residential, institutional and industrial markets; a reputation for reliability, high quality and product innovation; and a powerful distribution network.

In 2006 the business generated annual revenues of approximately $6.8 billion with $4.9 billion coming from equipment systems and $1.9 billion from parts, services and solutions. Trane has more than 29,000 employees and 29 production facilities worldwide. For more information, visit www.trane.com.

CamelBak was the first water-bottle company to remove BPA*** from all its water bottles, offering consumers a worry-free option in plastic water bottles. This will help people stay healthy by allowing them a convenient way to consume plenty of water.

It is important to have adequate hydration during summer and during strenuous activities; the typical CamelBak user is attuned to this and the company seeks to meet their needs.

CamelBak will continue to focus on delivering the most innovative hydration products. Until last year, polycarbonate, of which BPA is an ingredient, was included in all CamelBak bottles. CamelBak opted to eliminate polycarbonate from its bottles in response to customer demand for BPA-free products, and as of April 2008 all of CamelBak water bottle products have been made BPA-free. CamelBak’s customers appreciate how the company anticipates their needs and respond quickly.

Reusable bottles are environmentally preferable to temporary plastic bottles. Temporary or disposable plastic water bottles (PET plastics) fill up landfills. CamelBak’s ‘Choose to Reuse’ program highlights this.

Here are some tips on Hydration. For more detailed information, access Hydration 101.

1. Drink early and often
2. Freeze some water in your reservoir
3. Keep the water out of your drinking tube
4. Replace your electrolytes
5. Recognize the symptoms of heat illness and get out of the sun
6. Always keep water with you to all day events

Also mentioned below are some guidelines for easy cleaning and maintaining CamelBak bottles. This will keep it germ free and can use any number of time.

1. Fill reservoir with warm water and mild soap.
2. Clean with Reservoir Brush and Delivery Tube Brush.
3. Re-fill reservoir with 1 litre of water.
4. Add one cleaning tabler.
5. Shake reservoir until tablet is dissolved.
6. Let stand 5 minutes
7. Remove water from reservoir
8. Rinse reservoir thoroughly
9. Re-fill for drinking or dry completely before storage

By following these above disinfecting guidelines you can reduce common micro organisms and build up over 99.99%. In an emergency, you can also add a table spoon of bleach after Step 3. Be sure to rinse thoroughly.

To know more about CamelBak products, click here.

Note:
***Polycarbonate contains a manmade chemical called bisphenol A (BPA), which leaches from the plastic at levels dramatically higher than previously thought. The chemical has been linked to breast and prostrate cancer, brain damage, and disruptions of the endocrine system. While there have been worries over BPA in water bottles for years, the evidence is now clear and compelling: You should ditch your polycarbonate bottles and use something free of BPA, such as stainless steel or a new, BPA-safe plastic called Tritan.

Dave Carr
Global Category Manager
CamelBak Products LLC

Dave Carr – A biography

Dave Carr is the Product Manager for the Bottle Category at CamelBak. He has been with the company for 3 years. Prior to holding this position, Dave was a senior engineer at CamelBak whose focus was on the full line of hydration products, including bottles and reservoirs. Dave comes from a previous position at San Diego-based Sola International Inc., a company that designs, manufactures and distributes a broad range of high-performance spectacle lenses.

Dave is a 1991 graduate of the Yale University School of Engineering and Applied Science, and lives in Napa, California. with his wife and daughter.

About CamelBak:

CamelBak has spent over a decade helping people to maximize their performance, comfort, and health by providing the highest quality drink delivery systems available. Originator of the hands-free hydration category, we focus on technically innovative, high-performance systems that fit your active lifestyle.

CamelBak is the originator and world leader in hands-free hydration system. The first CamelBak products proved to be very popular among mountain bikers and motocross riders, because it allowed them to drink without taking their hands off of the handlebars in technical terrain. The product began to cross over into other sports when scientific studies showed athletes drank more fluids and performed better when they were a CamelBak.

Since then, athletes from an ever-growing list of sports and activities use CamelBak hydration systems for their convenience and performance benefits. In addition to cycling, CamelBak has Hands-Free Hydration Systems for hiking, running, snowboarding and skiing. CamelBak’s state-of-the-art packs and hydration systems have benefited athletes, outdoors men and soldiers around the world.

While CamelBak has grown tremendously since the early days, one thing hasn’t changed. CamelBak still believes in the performance advantage that proper hydration delivers for just about any activity.

Related articles

• CamelBak ‘Official Water Bottle Of’ Campaign Goes Nationwide; Three New Teams Sign Up to Ditch Disposables (prweb.com)
• Pepperdine Researchers to Present First-of-Kind Water Bottle Study at American College of Sports Medicine Meeting (prweb.com)
• Some Aluminum Water Bottles Leach BPA (webmd.com)

But in the global-warming debate, definitive answers to questions about ultimate causes and effects remain elusive. Is our planet really destined for a hot future? Or are we simply experiencing a natural variation in Earth’s climate cycles that will return to “normal” in time?

Using carbon dioxide and temperature variations over the last 400,000 years – one Massachusetts-based company, has attempted to answer the question: a natural cycle or human consequence?

Tim Wormus, an an Analytics Evangelist for Spotfire has come with a sophisticated quantitative and statistical analysis and predictive modeling supported by powerful visual information technology. In fact, many of the most successful businesses in the world – including U.S. government agencies like the FAA, FDA, and homeland defense and national security – rely on analytics like a virtual crystal ball.

• People understand pictures better than data. The famous ‘hockey stick’ graph was the image that really demonstrated man-made global warming in the popular mind. This is really the key point. For most people to really understand something, they need to see it.
• Hindsight is 20/20, but this is just not good enough in a dynamic global economy. Decision makers needs to know how to predict the future so that they can take proactive actions, rather then be constantly reacting to problems and fighting fires, as the cliché goes. Analytics software, like Spotfire, is changing the speed and accuracy of decision-making and opening new doors of opportunity by applying “what-if” scenarios to real-time data.
• Technologies like Spotfire allow for the ready analysis of data from disparate or contrasting sources. If, for instance, we want to know how much a particular abatement strategy will cost, and how much it will help against global warming, it helps to be able to see those things together.
• Visual analysis allows for a fuller picture of what’s happening to CO2 emissions, warming and other associated issues. Because the data volumes are large, we tend to talk about averages. But it may be more important to look at outliers and extreme values.
• Technology innovation like that of Spotfire directly addresses other critical issues like world energy demands, healthcare quality, transportation safety decision-making, and homeland defense and national security.

Tim Wormus – A biography

Tim is an Analytics Evangelist for Spotfire, a division of TIBCO Software Inc., He is responsible for tracking and analyzing Analytics and Business Intelligence trends, as well as advocating their use and acceptance at Global 200 companies. Tim has published and lectured on analytics, including presenting an analytics tutorial at the Gartner Business Intelligence Summit and appearing on a panel with analytics guru Tom Davenport.

Spotfire is based in Somerville, Mass., Spotfire, a division of TIBCO Software Inc., is a leading provider of enterprise analytics software for next generation business intelligence. Spotfire provides an interactive, visual approach to data analysis that puts the power to ask and answer questions on demand directly into the hands of a wide range of business professionals. Spotfire customers include industry leaders among the Global 2000 such as AMD, Chevron, Merck, Pfizer, Shell, Texas Instruments, Toshiba, and Unilever.

Listen Here

My discussion with Dr. Singer shows how the global warming industry are creating more money for themselves and are pushing the facts aside. (Listen to my interview here.) It is true that very moderate warming has occurred, but much of it is due to natural causes and is therefore almost unstoppable and changes in environmental policy will just impact our economy and have little or no effect on global warming.

1. Why is global warming (GW) so much less than greenhouse (GH) models calculate?
2. Is GW natural or manmade? If natural, then GW is unstoppable and CO2 is irrelevant
3. All policies to control CO2 are then useless–but very costly
4. Economic impact of biofuels, of wind/solar, carbon sequestration
5. Cap-and-Trade raises energy costs and hurts economic growth
6. What really drives the Global Warmers?

S. Fred Singer – A biography

Dr. S. Fred Singer is Research Fellow at the Independent Institute, Professor Emeritus of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia, a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a Member of the International Academy of Astronautics.

He received his Ph.D. in physics from Princeton University. Dr. Singer has served as Vice Chairman of the National Advisory Committee on Oceans and Atmospheres; Chief Scientist for the U. S. Department of Transportation; Deputy Assistant Administrator at the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency; Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U. S. Department of the Interior; Dean of the School of Environmental and Planetary Sciences, University of Miami; (First) Director of the U. S. Weather Satellite Center; Director of the Center for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Maryland; and Research Physicist, Upper Atmospheric Rocket Program, Johns Hopkins University.

He has also been a visiting scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology; National Air and Space Museum; Lyndon Baines Johnson School for Public Affairs, University of Texas; and the Soviet Academy of Sciences Institute for Physics of the Earth. He is the recipient of the White House Special Commendation, Gold Medal Award from the U.S. Department of Commerce, (First) Science Award from the British Interplanetary Society, and Honorary Doctorate from Ohio State University.

Dr. Singer is the author or editor of fourteen books on climate science, energy, and environmental issues as well as the author of over 400 articles in scientific and public policy journals plus over 200 articles in popular publications, Dr. Singer has been featured in articles in Time, Life, and U. S. News & World Report, and he has been interviewed on Nightline, Today Show, News Hour, Nightwatch, and other national and international television programs.

Professor S. Fred Singer is the author of “Hot Talk, Cold Science: Global Warming’s Unfinished Debate,” published by the Independent Institute, a nonpartisan public-policy think-tank based in Oakland, California. He is Professor Emeritus of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia, and has served as Vice Chairman of the National Advisory Committee on Oceans and Atmospheres. He was also the first Director of the U. S. Weather Satellite Center. Prof. Singer’s latest book is “Unstoppable Global Warming: Every 1,500 Years,” cowritten with Dennis Avery.

Listen Here

Prof. White says that we may be in for an abrupt climate change, which is when the climate system shifts modes very rapidly (in a few years), by large amounts (5 to 10 degrees C annual temperature, doubling or halving of precipitation, etc.). This type of change is particularly scary, as it is unpredictable and potentially devastating.

The timing of thresholds are hard to predict. Arctic sea ice extents dropped dramatically this past year, for example. Models can predict that change, but not the exact timing.

Is there anything we can do to prepare for abrupt climate change?

The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air has a direct affect on the amount of warming our planet experiences.

• At 380 ppm CO2, we are 100 ppm above the preindustrial level.
• 100 ppm is the difference we see in ice cores over the past 1 million years between glacial periods and interglacial periods.
• The climate system has inherent inertia, and thus most of the response to this increase in greenhouse gases is yet to come.
• Increased levels of greenhouse gases will change climate. This is simple physics, and not a matter of scientific debate.
• Quantifying feedbacks are key to understanding our future. Small changes in greenhouse gases can cause warming that trigger sea ice melt that in turn trigger much more warming as blue water replaces reflective, white ice.
• Climate change from greenhouse gases is only one measure of human impacts on the planet. We make as much nitrogen fertilizer as all bacteria in the world.
• We produce as much sulfate (a cooling aerosol that is a major cloud condensing nucleus) as all phytoplankton in the ocean.
• We have power, we have the domination we’ve long sought… but now we need to accept the responsibility that comes with that power. Its time to mature and start doing that.

Have we already exceeded a level of increased greenhouse gases that will ultimately result in large increases in sea level (many meters), rainfall patterns, temperatures, and other parts of the climate system? The past would tell us yes.James White – A biography

James White is a Fellow and Interim Director of INSTAAR; Professor of Geological Sciences, Univ. of Colorado at Boulder.

James has started the INSTAAR Stable Isotope Lab in 1989. In recent years, his research has helped to show that large climate changes tend to occur in the natural system as abrupt and rapid shifts in mode probably driven by internal adjustments in the Earth climate system, rather than slow and gradual adjustments to changing external conditions, such as the amount of energy received from the sun.

His research has also helped to show that land plants are capable of removing large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, amounts that equal our input of CO2 from fossil fuel burning on short time scales. Such large changes in the uptake of CO2 by plants is a key piece in the puzzle we must solve to address future CO2 levels and climate change.

James has written following research papers and also been a contributor of number of publications

• Global scale climate and environmental dynamics.
• Carbon dioxide concentrations and climate from stable hydrogen isotopes peats and other organics.
• Climate from deuterium excess and hydrogen isotopes in ice cores.
• Isotopes in general circulation models.
• Modern carbon cycle dynamics via isotopes of carbon dioxide and methane.

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I interviewed Patrick J. Michaels, the author of Shattered Consensus: The True State of Global Warming and we got the real skinny on what’s been going on.

The observed rate of warming (since 1976) has been remarkably constant, and in recent years we’ve seen a leveling off and even a bit of cooling — but none of the climate models used to show everyone that we need to change our ways have been changed. The models are overly simplistic, in other words: they’re wrong. Even taking the climate model’s as gospel truth for the foreseeable future, our temperature rise is at the low end of rates projected by the United Nations. Just another political manipulation?

About half of the warming of the 20th century is probably a result of greenhouse gas emissions, with particular emphasis on the “second” warming, which began in the mid-1970’s. The first warming took place from 1910-1945, and was largely solar in origin, and there is substantial evidence that the sun’s cycles are playing a big part in the current changes.
Disaster scenarios such as the rapid shedding of ice from Greenland are not warranted by historical data, so Al Gore‘s got this one wrong, too.

There is no known suite of politically acceptable technologies that can significantly alter the warming trajectory of the planet.

Enforcing policies now is simply a waste of money that can better be invested in future technological development.

Once I post the interview, I’ll put a link to it here… You’ve got to listen!

Patrick Michaels
Senior Fellow in Environmental Studies
CATO Institute

Patrick Michaels – A biography

Michaels is a research professor of environmental sciences at the University of Virginia and visiting scientist with the Marshall Institute in Washington, D.C. He is a past president of the American Association of State Climatologists and was program chair for the Committee on Applied Climatology of the American Meteorological Society. Michaels is a contributing author and reviewer of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

His writing has been published in the major scientific journals, including Climate Research, Climatic Change, Geophysical Research Letters, Journal of Climate, Nature, and Science, as well as in popular serials such as the Washington Post, Washington Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Houston Chronicle, and Journal of Commerce.

He was an author of the climate “paper of the year” awarded by the Association of American Geographers in 2004. He has appeared on ABC, NPR’s “All Things Considered,” PBS, Fox News Channel, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, BBC and Voice of America. According to Nature magazine, Pat Michaels may be the most popular lecturer in the nation on the subject of global warming.

Michaels holds A.B. and S.M. degrees in biological sciences and plant ecology from the University of Chicago, and he received a Ph.D. in ecological climatology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1979.

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The move to biofuels is a good thing in moderation – too much and we could actually cause a net increase in greenhouse gas emissions. There are several concerns with biofuels. Central among them is that if we use productive lands to produce biofuels we can directly or indirectly cause increased rates of deforestation and release of stored carbon in a variety of landscapes.

And to the extent food diverted to biofuels is not replaced, because higher prices reduce demand, the world’s poorest people will bear much of the cost. That represents a greenhouse gas benefit but not an acceptable one.

Opportunities to produce environmentally beneficial biofuels come from:

• municipal or industrial waste
• agricultural wastes
• harvesting fall grass from agricultural reserve lands
• tapping into unutilized forest harvest byproducts
• Increased forest harvesting when sustainable

Biofuels do not have to be liquid fuels, in some situations it makes more sense to directly burn biofuels.

Prof. Steven Hamburg
Head of the Global Environment Program
Watson Institute for International Studies
Brown University, Box 1970
Providence, RI 02912-1970
Email: Steven_Hamburg@brown.edu

Prof. Steven Hamburg – Biography

Steven Hamburg is an ecosystem ecologist specializing in the impacts of disturbance on forest structure and function. His research activities have most recently focused on linking climate change impacts to climate change mitigation, including in the corporate sector. He has served as an advisor to both corporations and non-governmental organizations and was awarded an Environmental Merit award by the US Environmental Protection Agency for his climate change-related activities.

At Brown he is the advisor for the environmental science concentration and graduate advisor for the Center for Environmental Studies, as well as director of Watson’s Global Environment Program. He is the vice chair of the International Long-term Ecological Research Network, whose first secretariat is being established at Watson.

He has published widely including in Nature and Science and has served as a lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Hamburg came to Brown in 1995 after spending a year at Environmental Defense working on climate change-related issues and nine years at the University of Kansas, where he directed the Environmental Studies Program and served as Environmental Ombudsman. He received his graduate training at Yale University, held a post-doctoral position at Stanford University, and was a Bullard Fellow at Harvard University.

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According to Arnold Klann, the solution to this problem is sitting in your trash can.His company, BlueFire Ethanol, is in the home stretch to breaking ground on California‘s first cellulosic ethanol plant, which will produce 3.1 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year from municipal solid waste.

By locating biorefineries directly in the markets with the highest demand for ethanol, BlueFire Ethanol can utilize its technology to help cities manage landfill waste while increasing biofuels supplies — solving two problems for the price of one.

BlueFire Ethanol is also one of six ethanol companies awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Energy for another planned ethanol production facility southern California which will produce approximately 17 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year from green waste, wood waste and other cellulosic urban wastes.

BlueFire’s use of the Arkenol Process Technology differentiates BlueFire from competitors in the cellulosic ethanol field by providing them with the ability to site anywhere (landfills, MRFs, next to biomass power plants, etc) and convert anything cellulose (from rural to urban to forest waste) into useable fuels.

Arnold R. Klann
Chairman / President / CEO
http://www.bluefireethanol.com

Arnold R. Klan – Biography

Thirty years of experience in corporate management, project finance, engineering, design, construction, start-up, environmental permitting, and real estate acquisition. Mr. Klann is the Chief Executive Officer for BlueFire Ethanol and Arkenol. As cofounder of both companies, he has been responsible for the successful development or acquisition of over 610 megawatts of natural gas-fired cogeneration facilities, and been the driving force behind the research and development effort leading to the commercialization of the Arkenol technology.

Prior to founding ARK Energy, he successfully launched three businesses and managed complex teams for project development and operation. Areas of technical expertise include cogeneration development using natural gas-fired and solid fuels technologies, ocean thermal energy conversion, and offshore oil exploration design and operations.

As Vice President of Engineering and Product Development for GWF Power Systems Company, led technical commercialization, development and permitting activities for eight petroleum coke and coal-fired power plants. Specializes in frontier technology development. A.A. (electrical engineering) 1972, Lakeland College.

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