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April 11th: EcoGeek Podcasting

2007-04-11 · Hank · watch on YouTube · Science & nature · news analysis

In place of a day-in-the-life video, Hank trials a green-technology news podcast for EcoGeek (Second Life floods, sponge-made silicon, a non-toxic LED, an electric motorcycle record, Sydney's lights-off hour) and asks for opinions.

What is said

00:00:00 — Hank shows what he does via green-tech news instead of a day-in-the-life; Second Life floods staged by global-warming activists

  • ★★ Since John's day-in-the-writer's-life video showed that watching someone type isn't very interesting, Hank shows what he does by discussing the biggest current green-technology issues. (playful) — 00:00:10 · EcoGeek
  • ★★ Hank reports that Second Life residents saw floodwaters rise in virtual Tokyo, London and the Netherlands, caused by global-warming activists who, he jokes, lamely asked permission first. (playful) — 00:00:10 · climate change
  • ★★ Hank says the solar power industry buys more silicon than the microprocessor industry. — 00:00:10

00:00:55 — Solar industry buys more silicon than chipmakers; marine sponges make silicon without toxins (UCSB); what matters in lighting; CFL mercury; the Luxeon Rebel LED

  • ★★ Making silicon is hard, dangerous and toxic, but marine sponges, among the only organisms able to turn aqueous into crystalline silicon, do it cleanly; UC Santa Barbara scientists are studying how, with some success. — 00:00:55
  • ★★ Hank lists what matters in lighting: brightness, size, energy use and toxic inputs, later adding price; compact fluorescents did well until the mercury. — 00:00:55
  • ★★ Hank reports that 'Felix Electronics' has produced the 'Luxion Rebel', a tiny, very bright LED using little electricity and no toxic substances, but it is not cheap. — 00:00:55

00:01:43 — The LED's price; reusing CD spindles (Flickr); A123 Systems electric motorcycle speed record

  • ★ Hank admits he has a lot of 'these' (apparently CD spindles, shown on screen), much plastic for little gain, and points to a Flickr picture of someone's ingenious reuse of CD spindles. (playful) — 00:01:43
  • ★★ Hank reports that an A123 Systems electric motorcycle on lithium-ion batteries again broke the electric-motorcycle speed record using 10 cents of electricity, peaking at 156 mph, quarter mile in 9 seconds. — 00:01:43

00:02:12 — Motorcycle figures; Sydney turns off its lights for an hour, Kyoto jab; EcoGeek.org plug; asks John what he thought

  • ★★ Hank reports that the city of Sydney turned off all its lights for an hour last week, saving amounts of carbon that 'sound very big, lots of tons'. — 00:02:12
  • ★★ Hank calls Sydney's lights-off hour mostly a photo op letting Australia claim to act while refusing to sign the Kyoto Protocol, adding that Americans can't talk. (playful) — 00:02:12 · Australia, United States
  • ★ Hank points viewers to EcoGeek.org for details on these stories and more green-technology news. — 00:02:12 · EcoGeek

00:02:58 — Hank is thinking about an EcoGeek podcast and wants opinions; sign-off

  • ★★★ Hank asks John what he thought: he is thinking about doing a podcast for EcoGeek, is trying it out, and appreciates any opinions. (hedged) — 00:02:58 · EcoGeek

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