Jacob Oostra

I'd have a look into Fairhaven College (apart of Western Washington University) as they have a program where you can design your own degree program and they're really getting into permaculture, sustainability, along with human rights, social justice etc.

I really wanted to attend this college but couldn't really fit it into my current life situation.

Good Luck!

Thanks everyone on your replies thus far. Unno 2002, I'm definitely going to read your notes and possibly uses the techniques you posted. I just decided to go with doing a paper on Solar, and I'm going to title it the Solar Revolution, haha. I know solar is not the cure-all source to the challenges facing our times, and from what I hear the actually materials to make the panels are finite as well, plus adding in the energy to produce these solar cells, panels, arrays (net energy), it's probably not best to get our hopes too high. However, anything is better than the dirty energy produced today. I have been see some new highly advanced solar technology coming out that tends to produce more outage and requires less material which sounds like a positive, the work was being down at UC Berkely I believe as I saw it on TV.

As for the paper though, I figure solar is a safe bet for now. However, i did like some of the suggestions on lowering the funding for projects like nuclear and putting that same investment into more earthy, and local projects. I think my instructor actually suggested investigating how the government could actually do more. Umm, I'll think about this, because this seems to be a real solution, and that's what got me into permaculture in the first place....it seemed to be the only system that brought real solutions.

But when it all comes down to it, I'm also like you guys in that I believe that less demand for energy across the board, or at least  using it more consciously would solve our problems for now.  My motto is an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

Thanks again,

Bamboo Jake

Thanks guys, I saw I had a couple of typos, but you still understood what I meant. However, what I was really getting at was while thinking about magnets, specifically the Earth's magnetic field, I thought wow, what a massive power energy source that seems so clean and "safe" meaning no radiation or chemicals or what not. I'm just looking for solutions to help get the next generation grow up in a world without being dependent on fossil fuels or nuclear as the main power sources. I know it's a tough challenge, and I'm sure you all feel the same by being a permie. Let's keep trying though!

To me, with all these wacky scientist doing mind bowing experiments, and actually coming up with some interesting and innovative technology, we'd be able to harness or use forces that already are functioning in our atmosphere. I don't know, I'm just fishing for something new.

But when it comes down to it, I see how just reducing the demand of energy would be the alimate solution....An ounce or prevention is worth a pound of cure!

Thanks, just seeing if there was any real potential with magnets. Although when I think about it, I wonder if there's a way to tap into the Earth's magnetic field? Could that be considered a external force? I know that may take some sophisticated equipment, but it seems there would be some wacky scientist working this.

I cool thing I did hear about magnets though was this guy from MIT developed a magnet device that will soon replace all cords and wires in that you place a main magnet (that's probably charged by some external force) somewhere in your house or where ever, then you place this simple patch looking thing on all your electronics that receives the magnetic frequency and it charges them; wireless.

After seeing this on Ted.com, I thought about how tapping into magnetic energy sounds really interesting. The idea above with Earth's magnetic field came to me while sitting in my geology class.

Thanks for the reply...Any other idea?

Does anyone one know anything about magnetic energy or its potential?

Thanks,

Jake

Thanks guys, I appreciate the comments. I pretty much agree with everything you've mentioned. it's basically all about bringing down consumption rates. The alternative sources are going to be really hard to compete with oil. I'm thinking about just doing some research on one specific source like solar. I just thought their might be a few sources I haven't come across yet. This paper is more for the larger more main stream populations. I'm fairly aware of most of the permaculture tricks to reduce energy demand and consumption.

Does anyone one know anything about magnet energy or its potential?
Maybe I'll post a new topic on this.

Hi there, I'm doing a research paper on alternative energy sources for my Environmental Studies class at Western Washington University. I thought this would be a great place to start on getting alternative ideas to the major alternative energy sources posted all over the net like solar and wind. Are there any? I've heard some great things about magnetic electricity and bio fuels like algae, hemp, and coconut oil. So maybe just a list or or some randoms off the top of your head that I could use to support my paper. I'm trying to prove that there is valid alternatives out there.

Innovative technology and science seem to be fairly mind blowing these days, how come we can't get off the fun machined fuel by oil?