Month: November 2006

Energuide Resurrected

- Cam Proctor

A pilot program has been announced by Ontario’s Chief Energy Conservation Officer to offer private low income home owners energy audits, education programs and upgrading or replacing ineffecient equipment and appliances. This $2.9 million initiative will target private single, semi-detached and row houses in 16 communities across the provinces. The low income housing sector was the hardest hit by the death of the Energuide program as the poor use the least amount of electricity, but pay a disproportionate amount since the price of electricity in Ontario is tied to capacity and peak consumption by large users.

If you interested in energy issues come out with the Young Environmental Proffesionals this Tuesday (Nov 28th) at the Duke of York pub to discuss the Portland Energy Center.

Chavez Helps Poor Eat

- Adam Clare

Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez has launched programs that subsidize things that poor people need using oil sales from the oil generated in Venezuela. Chavez wants to use the oil wealth for positive social change that will help the country develop. People living in poor parts of Venezuela seem to agree with Chavez. The above link points out some of the weaknesses of Chavez’s plan and at the same time shows how his plans are helping those in need.

“Drawing on billions of dollars in oil revenues, Chavez has started a long list of social programs, called “missions,” which offer everything from job training to cash assistance for single mothers.”

GoodSearch

- Adam Clare

This is a good idea that makes use of the everyday, well at least an everyday online activity. GoodSearch is a site that lets you designate a charity that you’d like to donate to and a portion of ad revenue made from your search goes to the charity you specified. It appears to allow only USA-based charities benefit for now.

From GoodSearch:

“GoodSearch is a search engine which donates 50 percent of its revenue to the charities and schools designated by its users. It’s a simple and compelling concept. You use GoodSerach exactly as you would any other search engine and it is powered by Yahoo! so you get proven search results. The money GoodSearch donates to your cause comes from its advertisers — the users and the organizations do not spend a dime!”

Wikipedia Knowledge Dump

- Adam Clare

Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia that anyone can edit has to delete entries if they aren’t good. WikiDumper.org is the place that Wikipedia articles go to die.

There are a ton of funny entries that are rightly or undeservedly removed based on your standpoint. Some examples include Satan Claus, the theory that Santa is actually the devil, and the ever special Beard Theorem that draws a connection between beard size and socialism.

A fun site that takes on what Wikipedia sheds off.

Americans Want 40mpg

- Adam Clare

A new study by the Opinion Research Corporation has found that 78% of Americans want a 40mpg fuel legislation. LeftLaneNews has the story on the survey results.

“A bipartisan 78 percent of Americans want the U.S. government to impose a 40 mile per gallon fuel-efficiency standard for vehicles sold in the United States, according to a new Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) national opinion survey. The report indicates nine out of 10 Americans expect gas prices to go up “in the near future,” with nearly half (46 percent) “definitely” expecting a resumption of higher fuel prices.”

The comments at LeftLaneNews break down into some sort of flame war proclaiming that lower mpg seems to be better. I just skimmed the comments so maybe there are some gems in their. One person made a comment mentioning that he doesn’t want the government telling him what mpg is acceptable.

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