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Papers by Nicholas Lenssen
Fuel and Energy Abstracts, Mar 1, 1995
Alternatives to fossil fuels as energy resources are discussed. Energy from the sun and other ren... more Alternatives to fossil fuels as energy resources are discussed. Energy from the sun and other renewable resources are cited as the alternatives. Constructed is a practical energy scenario for the year 2030 that involves a 55-percer* cut in carbon dioxide emissions, greatly improved energy efficie and an energy production system that relies heavily on solar energy, geothermal energy, wind power. and the energy of living plants. World petroleum resoarces in the Middle East and worldwide are described. Chapters include: (1) "The Next Energy Transition"; (2) "Power from the Sun"; (3) "A Policy Agenda"; (4) "Energy and Jobs"; and (5) "Toward a Solar Economy". (KR) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
Environmental Science Technology, 1991
Sunworld, 1991
Dans la premiere partie de cet article en quatre parties, les auteurs analysent les reserves petr... more Dans la premiere partie de cet article en quatre parties, les auteurs analysent les reserves petrolieres, les emisions de CO 2 dues a la combustion des combustibles fossiles et les differentes politiques energetiques mises en œuvre par les pays developpes pour enrayer l'effet de serre. Ils situent la place des energies renouvelables, dans ce contexte
This article looks at alternative energy technology now available. The end of the fossil age is n... more This article looks at alternative energy technology now available. The end of the fossil age is now in sight. As the world lurches from one energy crisis to another, fossil fuel dependence threatens at every turn to derail the global economy or disrupt its environmental support systems. If we are to ensure a healthy and prosperous world for future generations, only a few decades remain to redirect the energy economy. The shape of a renewable energy system is beginning to emerge. What stands out is the enormous abundance and versatility of the available resources. No completely new technologies are needed to bring this transformation about, only modest, achievable advances in those already in use or under development. Vastly improved energy efficiency-along with being intrinsically important in any effort to move away from fossil fuels-is the key to making a sustainable energy-efficient technologies is as crucial to the viability of an economy based on renewable energy as the solar technologies themselves.
Electricity is indispensable to today's economics and lifestyles. Along with electricity, how... more Electricity is indispensable to today's economics and lifestyles. Along with electricity, however, the power industry generates some of the world's most serious environmental problems. The industry is the leading consumer of fossil fuels, particularly coal, the dirtiest of those fuels. Consequently, power generation accounts for nearly one-third of global emissions of carbon dioxide, the principle greenhouse gas, and produces nearly
Solar Today, Jul 1, 1995
Description/Abstract This article focuses on design changes which could-and are-incorporated into... more Description/Abstract This article focuses on design changes which could-and are-incorporated into buildings to reduce energy needs. Included are climate-sensitive design; appropriate technologies for the location; better working as well as living; challenges including building codes, education, rating and labeling, financing know-how, utility involvement, government initiatives.
State of the World, 1995
Housing and buildings have been ignored as major contributors to environmental damage when buildi... more Housing and buildings have been ignored as major contributors to environmental damage when buildings consume 16% to 50% of the worlds physical resources. About 40% of materials in the global economy are earmarked for building construction. Modern building design also does not adhere to principles of resource efficiency or climate sensitive design. Obstacles to architectural change are consumer small mindedness lack of leadership within the entire industry and fear of change in a dispersed and competitive industry. The production and transportation of building materials alone impact on the environment. Heavy processed and manufactured building materials such as copper and polyvinyl chloride for piping create tremendous environmental waste chemical releases and water and air pollution. The building of a typical house in the US generates about 7 tons of refuse. Buildings also create health hazards. Buildings are designed to be general purpose and adaptable to changes in use patterns. Current buildings have not lasted more than 20 years before being replaced. Recycling of the glass steel and concrete is possible. Wood products are being recycled into beams studs and panels. About 40% of the worlds population lives in structures made of earth or mud. New designs can be sensitive to climate and adapted to local availability of resources such as sunlight wind and rain. A Malaysian architect is designing modern high rise buildings to minimize solar gain and to use prevailing wind for ventilation. Plans are to market his ideas for adaptation to local climates in developing countries. Ecolonia Housing in the Netherlands built 101 homes with strict requirements for materials choices energy efficiency and indoor air quality. Researchers have found that healthy buildings lead to increased productivity healthier workers and a more pleasing atmosphere. Changing the construction industry will require changing cultural values and educating the industry about successful options such as Ecolonia and the ING Bank headquarters in the Netherlands as well as Canadas Advanced Houses. Governments can use their influence by changing building codes and appliance standards and promoting better design and construction in developing countries. Instead of building codes "feebate" systems could be used to charge higher fees for those structures with inefficient energy or water utilities. In the United Kingdom buildings are graded by features that are beyond code requirements. The combination of government marketing and consumer demand for better buildings can create the construction industry shifts needed for sustainable development.
Global grain harvested area shrank to 684 million hectares in 1998, a drop of more than 6 million... more Global grain harvested area shrank to 684 million hectares in 1998, a drop of more than 6 million hectares or 1 percent from 1997.1 (See Figure 1.) Since the historic high in 1981, grain harvested area has declined 48 million hectares, a 7-percent drop.2 And grain area harvested per person—at 0.12 hectares—has plummeted to half the 1950 level.3 (See Fig-ure 2.) In contrast to the rest of agricultural history, the near tripling in production since 1950 has come largely from yield increases, rather than from bringing more land under the plow. Grain harvested area indicates the acreage of land reaped each year. (Land that yields
Vital Signs 2003–2004, 2021
Vital Signs, 1992
Just as people schedule regular check-ups with their GP, our planet needs regular check-ups to ca... more Just as people schedule regular check-ups with their GP, our planet needs regular check-ups to catch issues as early as possible, before they become more serious and harder to heal. That is the much-needed service provided on a global scale by the Worldwatch Institute in this new book, "Vital Signs 2012". By taking stock of global consumption, "Vital Signs" offers the facts that need to guide our stewardship of the Earth's resources - and some of these facts are shocking. The report covers topics from obesity to ecosystem services, from grain production to nuclear power. Taken as a whole, it paints a picture of skyrocketing population, disappearing forests, and increasing consumption peppered with bright spots like growing investment in high-speed trains and other efficient transportation systems. "Vital Signs 2012" is based on Worldwatch's online project of the same name, which provides up-to-date figures on important global concerns, as well a...
Vital Signs 2003–2004, 2021
Fuel and Energy Abstracts, Mar 1, 1995
Alternatives to fossil fuels as energy resources are discussed. Energy from the sun and other ren... more Alternatives to fossil fuels as energy resources are discussed. Energy from the sun and other renewable resources are cited as the alternatives. Constructed is a practical energy scenario for the year 2030 that involves a 55-percer* cut in carbon dioxide emissions, greatly improved energy efficie and an energy production system that relies heavily on solar energy, geothermal energy, wind power. and the energy of living plants. World petroleum resoarces in the Middle East and worldwide are described. Chapters include: (1) "The Next Energy Transition"; (2) "Power from the Sun"; (3) "A Policy Agenda"; (4) "Energy and Jobs"; and (5) "Toward a Solar Economy". (KR) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
Environmental Science Technology, 1991
Sunworld, 1991
Dans la premiere partie de cet article en quatre parties, les auteurs analysent les reserves petr... more Dans la premiere partie de cet article en quatre parties, les auteurs analysent les reserves petrolieres, les emisions de CO 2 dues a la combustion des combustibles fossiles et les differentes politiques energetiques mises en œuvre par les pays developpes pour enrayer l'effet de serre. Ils situent la place des energies renouvelables, dans ce contexte
This article looks at alternative energy technology now available. The end of the fossil age is n... more This article looks at alternative energy technology now available. The end of the fossil age is now in sight. As the world lurches from one energy crisis to another, fossil fuel dependence threatens at every turn to derail the global economy or disrupt its environmental support systems. If we are to ensure a healthy and prosperous world for future generations, only a few decades remain to redirect the energy economy. The shape of a renewable energy system is beginning to emerge. What stands out is the enormous abundance and versatility of the available resources. No completely new technologies are needed to bring this transformation about, only modest, achievable advances in those already in use or under development. Vastly improved energy efficiency-along with being intrinsically important in any effort to move away from fossil fuels-is the key to making a sustainable energy-efficient technologies is as crucial to the viability of an economy based on renewable energy as the solar technologies themselves.
Electricity is indispensable to today's economics and lifestyles. Along with electricity, how... more Electricity is indispensable to today's economics and lifestyles. Along with electricity, however, the power industry generates some of the world's most serious environmental problems. The industry is the leading consumer of fossil fuels, particularly coal, the dirtiest of those fuels. Consequently, power generation accounts for nearly one-third of global emissions of carbon dioxide, the principle greenhouse gas, and produces nearly
Solar Today, Jul 1, 1995
Description/Abstract This article focuses on design changes which could-and are-incorporated into... more Description/Abstract This article focuses on design changes which could-and are-incorporated into buildings to reduce energy needs. Included are climate-sensitive design; appropriate technologies for the location; better working as well as living; challenges including building codes, education, rating and labeling, financing know-how, utility involvement, government initiatives.
State of the World, 1995
Housing and buildings have been ignored as major contributors to environmental damage when buildi... more Housing and buildings have been ignored as major contributors to environmental damage when buildings consume 16% to 50% of the worlds physical resources. About 40% of materials in the global economy are earmarked for building construction. Modern building design also does not adhere to principles of resource efficiency or climate sensitive design. Obstacles to architectural change are consumer small mindedness lack of leadership within the entire industry and fear of change in a dispersed and competitive industry. The production and transportation of building materials alone impact on the environment. Heavy processed and manufactured building materials such as copper and polyvinyl chloride for piping create tremendous environmental waste chemical releases and water and air pollution. The building of a typical house in the US generates about 7 tons of refuse. Buildings also create health hazards. Buildings are designed to be general purpose and adaptable to changes in use patterns. Current buildings have not lasted more than 20 years before being replaced. Recycling of the glass steel and concrete is possible. Wood products are being recycled into beams studs and panels. About 40% of the worlds population lives in structures made of earth or mud. New designs can be sensitive to climate and adapted to local availability of resources such as sunlight wind and rain. A Malaysian architect is designing modern high rise buildings to minimize solar gain and to use prevailing wind for ventilation. Plans are to market his ideas for adaptation to local climates in developing countries. Ecolonia Housing in the Netherlands built 101 homes with strict requirements for materials choices energy efficiency and indoor air quality. Researchers have found that healthy buildings lead to increased productivity healthier workers and a more pleasing atmosphere. Changing the construction industry will require changing cultural values and educating the industry about successful options such as Ecolonia and the ING Bank headquarters in the Netherlands as well as Canadas Advanced Houses. Governments can use their influence by changing building codes and appliance standards and promoting better design and construction in developing countries. Instead of building codes "feebate" systems could be used to charge higher fees for those structures with inefficient energy or water utilities. In the United Kingdom buildings are graded by features that are beyond code requirements. The combination of government marketing and consumer demand for better buildings can create the construction industry shifts needed for sustainable development.
Global grain harvested area shrank to 684 million hectares in 1998, a drop of more than 6 million... more Global grain harvested area shrank to 684 million hectares in 1998, a drop of more than 6 million hectares or 1 percent from 1997.1 (See Figure 1.) Since the historic high in 1981, grain harvested area has declined 48 million hectares, a 7-percent drop.2 And grain area harvested per person—at 0.12 hectares—has plummeted to half the 1950 level.3 (See Fig-ure 2.) In contrast to the rest of agricultural history, the near tripling in production since 1950 has come largely from yield increases, rather than from bringing more land under the plow. Grain harvested area indicates the acreage of land reaped each year. (Land that yields
Vital Signs 2003–2004, 2021
Vital Signs, 1992
Just as people schedule regular check-ups with their GP, our planet needs regular check-ups to ca... more Just as people schedule regular check-ups with their GP, our planet needs regular check-ups to catch issues as early as possible, before they become more serious and harder to heal. That is the much-needed service provided on a global scale by the Worldwatch Institute in this new book, "Vital Signs 2012". By taking stock of global consumption, "Vital Signs" offers the facts that need to guide our stewardship of the Earth's resources - and some of these facts are shocking. The report covers topics from obesity to ecosystem services, from grain production to nuclear power. Taken as a whole, it paints a picture of skyrocketing population, disappearing forests, and increasing consumption peppered with bright spots like growing investment in high-speed trains and other efficient transportation systems. "Vital Signs 2012" is based on Worldwatch's online project of the same name, which provides up-to-date figures on important global concerns, as well a...
Vital Signs 2003–2004, 2021