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UCSD Physics 12
In the NewsIn the News
Selection of clipsSelection of clips
UCSD Physics 12
Spring 2013 2
Stocking UpStocking Up
• For the last month or so, I’ve been sitting on a For the last month or so, I’ve been sitting on a number of articles that caught my eye, worth number of articles that caught my eye, worth sharing with classsharing with class– most from New York Times
• Today, we’ll run through some of theseToday, we’ll run through some of these– picking out highlights
UCSD Physics 12
ArticlesArticles
• Climate Desk: Why Do Conservatives Like to Waste Climate Desk: Why Do Conservatives Like to Waste Energy?Energy?– http://climatedesk.org/2013/04/why-do-conservatives-like-to-wast
e-energy/
• NYT Sunday Review: Life after Oil and GasNYT Sunday Review: Life after Oil and Gas– http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/24/sunday-review/life-after-oil-
and-gas.html?src=rechp&_r=0
• NYT: Europe Faces Energy CrisisNYT: Europe Faces Energy Crisis– http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/18/business/energy-environment
/18iht-green18.html?src=rechp
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UCSD Physics 12
More ArticlesMore Articles
• NYT: Revisiting the Facts on FrackingNYT: Revisiting the Facts on Fracking– http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/opinion/global/revisiting-the-
facts-on-fracking.html?src=rechp&_r=1&
• NYT Sunday Dialogue: Gas Drilling and Our Energy NYT Sunday Dialogue: Gas Drilling and Our Energy FutureFuture– http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/21/opinion/sunday/sunday-
dialogue-gas-drilling-and-our-energy-future.html?src=rechp&_r=1&pagewanted=all&
• NYT Sunday Review: The Dark Side of Energy NYT Sunday Review: The Dark Side of Energy IndependenceIndependence– http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/28/opinion/sunday/the-dark-
side-of-energy-independence.html?hp&_r=1&pagewanted=all&
Spring 2013 4
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What Have You Conserved For Me Lately?What Have You Conserved For Me Lately?
• Climate Desk articleClimate Desk article– reports on academic study published in Proc. Nat’l.
Acad. Sci.
– “one recent study found that giving Republican households feedback on their power use actually encourages them to use more energy.”
– “Why do conservatives, who should have a natural inclination toward conservation, have a beef with energy efficiency? It could be tied to the political polarization of the climate change debate.”
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UCSD Physics 12
Conservatives Gag on Green LabelConservatives Gag on Green Label
Spring 2013 6
liberal: negative index conservative: positive index
label is only net positive for liberal end
UCSD Physics 12
Life After Oil and GasLife After Oil and Gas
• NYT: 2013-03-23; RosenthalNYT: 2013-03-23; Rosenthal– “Thirteen countries got more than 30 percent of their
electricity from renewable energy in 2011”– “many of the European countries that have led the way in
adopting renewables had little fossil fuel of their own, so electricity costs were already high.”
– article reports blueprint for New York State to get all electricity from wind, solar, and hydro
– skeptics say it’s too costly as yet– proponents say payback in < 20 years, esp. if carbon tax– “Sounds good on paper, but even Europe is struggling a bit
with its renewable ambitions at the moment.”
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UCSD Physics 12
Europe Faces a Crisis in Energy CostsEurope Faces a Crisis in Energy Costs
• NYT: 2013-04-17; ReedNYT: 2013-04-17; Reed– Up to 23% renewable electricity; up from 13% in 2002
– But costs are up nearly 20%• and during persistent economic downturn
– Spain slashing backing of solar/wind
– Steel production down 30%
– New car sales lowest since 1995
– Manufacturing moving to cheaper energy markets
Spring 2013 8
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Revisiting the Facts on FrackingRevisiting the Facts on Fracking
• “…“…use a highly speculative estimate of the gas use a highly speculative estimate of the gas supply in the Marcellus shale of Eastern America supply in the Marcellus shale of Eastern America that prevailed for years at the U.S. Energy that prevailed for years at the U.S. Energy Department. Using actual results from drilled Department. Using actual results from drilled wells, in 2011 U.S. government geologists slashed wells, in 2011 U.S. government geologists slashed the Energy Department figures by about two-the Energy Department figures by about two-thirds.”thirds.”
• controversy over leakage rates of fracking sitescontroversy over leakage rates of fracking sites
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Gas Drilling and Our Energy FutureGas Drilling and Our Energy Future
• NYT Letters: 2013-04-20NYT Letters: 2013-04-20– lighting kitchen faucet
– assurances ring hollow; exempt from Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act
– fugitive methane may make climate change worse
– reports of groundwater contamination widespread
– “We can decide not to allow fracking, but we can’t ignore the choices that confront us. Would we rather have fracking, or level a mountaintop for the coal?”
• I call that a false choice
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UCSD Physics 12
Dark Side of Energy IndependenceDark Side of Energy Independence
• NYT: 2013-04-27; Alter and FishmanNYT: 2013-04-27; Alter and Fishman– “By some estimates, the United States is on track to
overtake Saudi Arabia as the world’s largest oil producer as early as 2017, start exporting more oil and gas than it imports by 2025, and achieve full energy self-sufficiency by 2030.”
– enthusiasts extrapolate recent uptick and take their pants off and dance around for joy, imagining a glorious future of the U.S. as an oil exporter
– point of article is that U.S. energy independence will cause some problems in other parts of world from which we can’t realistically isolate ourselves
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AnnouncementsAnnouncements
• HW due todayHW due today• Quiz due by 11:59 PM tonightQuiz due by 11:59 PM tonight• Midterm MondayMidterm Monday
– bring red half-sheet scan-tron and #2 pencil
– calculator okay (not vital)
– study guide online
– front page formulas online
– transmitter questions and answers online
– on TED can review HW solutions and Quizzes• quiz questions via gradebook:grade:calculated-grade
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