Hilarious take on the music industry

This satirical blast at the music and broadcast industry has a strong British flavour to it, but the message universal: too many strategies are based on ridiculous research.

Environmental projects have Middle East kingdoms aiming high

Couple of interesting environmental stories originating from the Middle East that I stumbled across in the Financial Times today:

Abu Dhabi is better know for over-the-top extravagance fueled by the fact it controls about 8 percent of the world's oil reserves. It's raising the bar for skyscraper construction and in building attractions that will draw tourists around the world. But the country's leaders -- like those of neighboring Dubai -- recognize that oil will run out sometime, which is why they're trying to become tourist or financial centers. It's also why Abu Dhabi is spending $22 billion on an "eco-city" for 50,000 people called Masdar that is, as FT says, "breathtakingly ambitious." The goal is for the city to have a zero-carbon emission footprint, which means they'll need to produce their own energy and recycle the waste. Some really interesting urban-planning strategies are planned, including limits on wide and long streets, which contribute to wind speed and heat. Based on the impressive speed and scope with which Abu Dhabi has reshaped itself over the last 10 years, I wouldn't dismiss this undertaking as pie-in-the-sky sci-fi stuff.

Qatar Airlines on Monday made the first-ever scheduled airline flight with paying passengers with a jet powered by natural gas. This is cool, and opens up options for new fuel streams and more environmentally friendly travel. The story, however,  includes debate about the degree of environmental benefit natural gas has over oil. I had thought natural gas had a clear edge. Even if it's a push, natural gas opens up new possibilities in R&D that over the long haul should improve air travel. It's always a good thing when an industry can wean itself from a sole source.
NOTE: FT is a paid site, but the story links should be good for a week
 

Water conservation needs to be taken seriously

Good read in today's Wall Street Journal (here's a FREE version of story good for seven days) that highlights the seriousness of water shortages in the West. The story examines a Colorado housing development that is attempting to gain approval by ensuring regulators it will require homeowners to live within pre-determined "water budgets" that are at least half that in surrounding developments.

We as a society continue to build and build and build larger and larger homes, but with droughts magnifying existing water shortages, we simply have to get smarter about what a "dream home" of the future looks like. That will require sacrifices on what's really important in our quality of life

Water- and energy-efficient appliances are great, but we've got to tackle the issue of whether we really need large yards covered with immaculate gree grass and water-intensive landscaping. This story points out that in the West, up to 70 percent of a household's water consumption goes to "outdoor irrigation" vs. the U.S. average of 32 percent.If you go back East, many homes are filled with natural grass and dandilions. Pools remain a luxury in many places.

I can understand why skeptics question whether the developer in this Colorado case is serious about requiring homeowners to live within water budgets (the issue came up recently in our own backyard with the heated discussion over Tejon Mountain Village, which was approved despite concerns about water-supply projections). But at least it's a first step toward recognizing that we have a serious problem on our hands.

We may actually be at a tipping point in California when it comes to the expectation finely manicured lawns without a hint of brown or weeds are a right, not a privilege.  Trust me, it's not going to be too long before we have major restrictions on home water use in California followed by a big push toward xeroscapes (drought-tolerant gardens). It's already starting to take root in cities on the coast, like Santa Barbara, that seem to be mired in ongoing droughtlike conditions.