Global Warming 101: Solutions | GlobalWarming.org

Global warming may or may not be a problem. Man may or may not be driving it. Given the uncertainties, a significant amount of global regret may apply if we divert too much of our global wealth to solving what may be a non-existent or trivial problem, especially if that diversion mires billions in poverty. On the other hand, we may also regret not doing anything if man-made global warming does turn out to be a problem. It is therefore prudent to examine what steps we can take that would prove beneficial whether or not anthropogenic global warming turns out to be a problem. These steps can be termed “no regrets” policies.

Because an unharnessed hamster is a terrible thing to waste

Every heartbeat and every fidgety movement that a person makes while sitting at a computer carries with it a small amount of energy that could potentially be scavenged. However, harvesting this biomotion is challenging because so much of it is irregular. Now, for the first time, researchers have demonstrated that a nanogenerator can be driven by irregular, low-energy biomotion, including the tapping of a human finger and a hamster's erratic running and scratching.

Enviro-Radicalism at Columbia | Saving the world by banning dining trays

...this year the precedent set by the Eco-Reps became official policy, with John Jay abolishing dining trays out of “environmental concerns,” according to an Aug. 27, 2008 Bwog article. This move goes beyond previous examples of the undemocratic nature of environmentalism at Columbia, showcasing the second major problem with green activism on campus: many “eco-friendly” schemes are ill-thought out and don’t actually do anything to help the environment.

Without trays, students are being forced to make several trips to and from their tables, turning an already crowded place into chaos and inevitably leading to more spills and broken dishes. Aside from the fact that the inconvenience alone probably outweighs the environmental benefits in the minds of many students, I find it hard to believe that John Jay is really saving water or money when it is forced to clean tables and floors instead of trays, not to mention the cost of broken dishware, the production process of which is certainly environmentally “unfriendly.”