Economics & Environment: The Green Energy Debate Amid Japan's Nuclear Crisis

Anti-nuclear protest in Germany
Image from guim.co.uk

To nuke or not to nuke?

The nuclear crisis in Japan has raised concerns worldwide as to whether is still a safe solution to the growing demands of energy consumption in the world. Anti-nuclear movements are voicing out their their choices of energy all around the world, namely in Japan, Germany, South Korean, Taiwan, India, Wales, and the U.S.. Interests in the data of Clean / Green / Renewable Energy begins to rise. Some look at the rankings of the green energy investment by countries to find that China has overtaken Germany and USA in 2009 and still leading in the race in 2010, others are looking into the investment environment and opportunities in the green energy sector in the next 10 years or more. Looking at the current development of the energy trend, it appears to me that there is no other possible solution other than moving forward in the direction of cleaner, greener energy sources.

A man walked past a solar power plant in Liaoning Province. China ranked number one in clean energy investment in 2009. (Associated Press/File 2009)

China has great visions and years ago the country has already foreseen the huge growth in demand of energy and begun to invest billions of dollars in greener energy plants and utilities.

Through the words of Mr Cheng Li in the video, "China does not have a choice", it is obvious that China will continue to lead the world in green energy investment. Following the nuclear crisis in Fukushima, Japan, Reuters' today's report titled "China may double solar goal after Japan nuclear leak: report" may well be true.

A vast fan-shaped compound in China has officially taken the title of "largest solar-powered office building in the world". Located in Dezhou in the Shangdong Province in northwest China, the 75,000 square meter structure is a multi-use building and features exhibition centers, scientific research facilities, meeting and training facilities, and a hotel – all of which run on solar power
Image from inhabitat

Then of course, there are opposing opinions, saying that green energy itself is land-space and material demanding, inefficient, extortionate, unreliable, impractical, and un-storable. Nonetheless, in my opinions, no single green energy source can satisfy the huge demand for power and the problems of global warming, the same goes to like coal , crude oil and natural gas alone. When the sun doesn't sun, when the wind doesn't blow, there are still hydroelectric and biomass that will always work. And let's not forget the new generations of green energy such as tidal, wave, geothermal and microgeneration.

I believe that our planet Earth actually has all it is needed for anyone of us to live comfortably and healthily, it is just a matter of human effort to make use of these green resources. If human failed to use the most precious gift that God gives them -- the brain, then they would continue burning fossil fuels and suffer from the consequences of their stupidity.

Just today, an article reveals a solar leaf that is developed by an MIT professor, which could be quite an impact in the changing the way we use energy in the future.

Which is the energy I buy most? Maybe a little recap will help.


Resources:

Anti-nuclear protest in Tokyo as Japan's crisis deepens @Socialist Workers Online
http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=24353

Germany stages anti-nuclear marches after Fukushima @ BBC News
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12872339

South Korean Environmentalists Hold Anti-Nuclear Power Rally @ NTDTV
http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_asia/2011-03-28/south-korean-environmentalists-hold-anti-nuclear-power-rally.html

Cold comfort for anti-nuclear Taiwanese @ Asia Times Online
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/MC29Ad02.html

Dozens of anti-nuclear protesters march in Indian capital @ The Canadian Press
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iAeKMm1arQ8H4Z9tBJftubCrmXRA?docId=6359332

Anti-nuclear campaigners to protest against Anglesey power station @ Wales Online
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/03/28/anti-nuclear-campaigners-to-protest-against-anglesey-power-station-91466-28413745/

Japan Crisis Could Rekindle U.S. Antinuclear Movement @ The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/19/science/earth/19antinuke.html?_r=1

Clean Energy Investment Is Up, but U.S. Lags @ The New York Times
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/29/clean-energy-investment-is-up-but-u-s-lags/?partner=rss&emc=rss

China Wins 2010 Clean Energy Race With $54.4 Billion in Funding @ Fast Company
http://www.fastcompany.com/1743133/china-clobbers-the-competition-in-this-years-clean-energy-race-with-544-billion-in-funding

China Goes Green @ ABC News
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/china-green-12165930

China may double solar goal after Japan nuclear leak: report @ Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/30/us-china-photovoltaic-idUSTRE72T0F120110330

The Green Energy Economy Reconsidered @ Forbes

http://www.forbes.com/2011/03/28/green-energy-economics-opinions-jerry-taylor-peter-van-doren.html

Hydroelectric Power @ Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroelectric_power

Biomass energy @ Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomass_energy

Tidal Power @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_power

Wave Power @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wave_power

Geothermal Power @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_power

Microgeneration  @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microgeneration

Fossil Fuels @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil_fuels

MIT Professor Develops Solar Leaf, Could Lead to Cheaper, Cleaner Energy @ getSolar.com
http://www.getsolar.com/News/Solar-Energy-Facts/General/MIT-Professor-Develops-Solar-Leaf-Could-Lead-to-Cheaper-Cleaner-Energy---800473433

Investment: Electric Cars vs Future -- Part 3 @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2009/10/investment-electric-cars-vs-future-part_30.html

Message: Heck of a Week!

Haven't found anything interesting today, so I will just write about what happened to me last week. Hopefully, you won't find it too boring.

I was working on my assignments and term papers for my Master's degree as the deadlines are pushing in. There were classes to attend and classes to teach, I feel like my liver has been suffering a little too much, so much so that taking a shower would mean almost time for bed which was like 2-3am. Fortunately, I have finally completed all of them on Sunday and other than light-workload spell-cum-grammar checking, I shall be free this weekend to do something I have missed and really enjoyed! What will that be? I'll keep that as a secret for now. You post an entry about it if it turns out really enjoyable.

Last Friday night, I went to my 'canteen' -- Tai Hing (Mongkok cheap branch) to have dinner and met these 4 Israeli who needed help with their meal orders and so I did a cameo for the restaurant as the 10-minute waiter and placed orders for them as well as recommended the goose drumsticks and suckling pigs. It was really fun and meaningful to have helped them and they really loved the food! This is what truly matters! They told me that they are on a 10-day trip and it was their 5th day, I bid them goodbye after that and went to teach my evening class. Coincidently, I went to Jordan the next day and I ran into them again!!! They were walking down Nathan Road and going into camera shops for some money-draining actions! I kindly reminded them to be careful in those shops as they often mark up the price once they know you were foreigners and they immediately told me they had experienced a 60% premium price, they also knew about Fortress and Broadway but they said they found bargaining down from 60% exciting and would like to practise more, so I left them with my wishes and went to teach my afternoon lessons.

Saturday night was Earth Hour 2011, and after having Indian dinner with my sis at Aladin Mess in Causeway Bay, we went across to Time Square to wait for the lights-out. Strangely, there was no sign of any off-light shows, so we hurried to World Trade Centre behind Sogo and when the saw the huge screen saying that the time was 8:32pm, which means the Earth Hour had already begun, everywhere was still glowing with light bulbs like day time!

Once again, I was disappointed. I was expecting not-so-many Hong Kong people would switch off their lights and not to join in since the experience in Tsim Sha Tsui last year but I wasn't expecting ZERO difference! On the bus home looking back at the Victoria Harbour, it was darKER in Central and Tsim Sha Tsui, but it was not dark at all.

When will most Hong Kong people care about climate change? Earth Hour Hong Kong wasn't promoting enough, TVs didn't show any ads and the government didn't help.

Today, I donated some money to Red Cross to the needy in Japan and some to OPS for saving the ocean. Let's hope that both Japan and the oceans can be saved.


Resources:
Food and Restaurant: Tai Hing @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2010/05/food-and-restaurant-tai-hing.html

Event: Earth Hour 2011 this Saturday!!!! @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2011/03/event-earth-hour-2011-this-saturday.html

Environment: Earth Hour 2010 (add-ons) @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2010/02/environment-earth-hour-2010-add-ons.html

Hong Kong Earth Hour 2011 @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFGa2sFfGqw

Documentary: The Cove @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2011/01/documentary-cove.html

Event: Earth Hour 2011 this Saturday!!!!

See you there!

Image from Earth Hour

26th March, 8:30pm

Resources:
Environment: Earth Hour 2011 @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2011/03/environment-earth-hour-2011.html

Similes & Song: Everything At Once -- Lenka

Image from rojak

Wow!! New Age, new songs! Recently, Lenka releases a new album Two and there is a song called "Everything at once". The lyrics of the song are flooded with similes!

Image from tnellen

Simile is a very important part of  movies and songs and of course, in spoken and written English, as an English speaker, one must learn at least some of the more common ones.


I hope you still remember what similes are. If not, here is the definition from Cambridge Dictionary,


similes
noun [C or U]
(the use of) an expression comparing one thing with another, always including the words `as' or `like'

And of course, I like the definition from Wikipedia better,

A simile is a figure of speech that indirectly compares two different things by employing the words "like", "as", or "than".^[1] Even though similes and metaphors are both forms of comparison, similes indirectly compare the two ideas and allow them to remain distinct in spite of their similarities, whereas metaphors compare two things directly.

Image from Kai Power

And here are the common formulas,

1. verb (phrase) + like+ noun (phrase)
2. verb (phrase) + (as) + adjective + as + noun (phrase)

Any examples?

Let's check out the lyrics of the song then!

Lyrics:

As sly as a fox, as strong as an ox
As fast as a hare, as brave as a bear
As free as a bird, as neat as a word
As quiet as a mouse, as big as a house

All I wanna be, all I wanna be, oh
All I wanna be is everything

As mean as a wolf, as sharp as a tooth
As deep as a bite, as dark as the night
As sweet as a song, as right as a wrong
As long as a road, as ugly as a toad

As pretty as a picture hanging from a fixture
Strong like a family, strong as I wanna be
Bright as day, as light as play
As hard as nails, as grand as a whale

All I wanna be, all I wanna be, oh
All I wanna be is everything

As warm as the, the sun, as silly as fun
As cool as a tree, as scary as the sea
As hot as fire, cold as ice
Sweet as sugar and everything nice

As old as time, as straight as a line
As royal as a queen, as buzzed as a bee
Stealth as a tiger, smooth as a glide
Pure as a melody, pure as I wanna be

All I wanna be, all I wanna be, oh
All I wanna be is everything

I have a website here which will offer you a list of similes. Hope you enjoy learning them!!!

Have a nice weekend!

Resources:

Lenka Official Website
http://www.lenkamusic.com/us/home

Everything at once @ Sing365
http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Everything-At-Once-lyrics-Lenka/EC2A49E74482BA564825783E0007E112

Everything At Once by Lenka w/ lyrics @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbrwlqYVwCE&feature=player_embedded

Simile @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simile

Similes @Said What
http://www.saidwhat.co.uk/spoon/similes.php

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/simile#simile__3

Technology: Apple iPad 2 VS Motorola Xoom

Image from myblogsg

Speculating in Apple products is a risky business because you don't know when it will be officially released, but that ironically, is also the reason for the existence of such business. Like the Chinese saying, "when there is risk, there is opportunity".

But situation can change within a day, while some gray market dealers are still thinking that the gray market iPad 2 can be sold at double price on the 14th March, a day later after the official Apple announcement of sale of iPad 2 in Hong Kong in April, the price has immediately cut down fiercely.

Maybe you are thinking about "To Buy, or Not To Buy", well, I ran into a great review of the Apple iPad 2 and Motorola Xoom earlier on, maybe that can help you a bit.

Enjoy the listening practice!

Vocabulary:
speculate -- (vb)[I] to buy and sell in the hope that the value of what you buy will increase and that it can then be sold at a higher price in order to make a profit

Resources:


Vocabulary: Parallel Import / Grey Product @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2009/06/vocabulary-parallel-import-grey-product.html

iPad 2 Already Selling For Twice The Price On Hong Kong Gray Market @ Business Insider
http://www.businessinsider.com/ipad-2s-hong-kong-gray-market-2011-3


iPad 2 on sale in Hong Kong, Singapore in April @ The Sydney Morning Herald
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/ipad-2-on-sale-in-hong-kong-singapore-in-april-20110323-1c5dx.html

Apple iPad 2 and Motorola Xoom: Tested, Rated, Compared (Video) @ PC Magazine
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2381812,00.asp

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/speculate_2

Vocabulary: @ Hong Kong Flower Show 2011

I know it is a little too many songs in 2 weeks, but that is because I'm feeling particularly down and I need some time to recover, so a few nice songs can definitely "soothe the burn, ease the pain" a little. 

I went to the Hong Kong Flower Show 2011 alone yesterday and took some pictures, hoping that will cheer myself up a little. Did it work? Of course not, but I could use a little distraction.

Apart from that, like I always say, as long as you pay attention, there is always something to learn. To be easy on myself and easy on you, I'm just going to introduce a few flower names.

First, something edible, the cabbages, located near the main entrance.

A close-up of Cabbage, I like the water droplets on the leaves

Cabbages in groups. Yummy!

Then comes the orchids,  reminds me of a restaurant name in Hong Kong every time I go to watch movies at the UA Cinema. Never tried that restaurant though.

Don't have enough zoom, need a new lens

Then another plant reminds me of Chinese dessert, the Green Bean Soup, called Rue, They have beautiful little small flowers. They smell SO SO good!

Rue

There were more herbs, such as Parsley, Peppermint and Basil,

Parsley

Peppermint

Basil

Another flower which we have talked about is the Chrysanthemum, or simply, mum. Mum's tea anyone?

Chrysanthemum

The sunflowers are not looking that good already, and it was hard to pick one that still looked all right.

One in-good-shape Sunflower

The others were just wilting.

Wilting Sunflowers

There was something new to see, like the King Protea, the National Flower of South Africa. 

King Protea

And the Dancing Grass /  Telegraph Plant, Codariocalyx motorius, "a tropical Asian shrub...is widely distributed throughout Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam... It produces small purple flowers. "

"Dancing Grass" / Telegraph Plant 

How does it dance? Let's take a look!

The tulips were definitely the plant of the show and it was packed with photographers with lenses longer than my leg.

Tulips

The orange ones had gradient colours.

And the red ones were so red that they looked almost fake,

The yellow ones were warm,

The pink ones were gentle.

Anyway, the one flower that I was chasing for, was my favourite flower, the Sweet Osmanthus, Osmanthus fragrans. Like the name, they smell so sweet! And the most exciting of all, they actually bear fruits!!! I couldn't resist and took one home to plant! Shhhh!!! Don't tell anyone!

Osmanthus with fruits

The last one, is a picture of my dinner last night, it is beanstalk and Chinese kale,

Beanstalk and Kale

Many of these flowers have actually been mentioned before, so please refer to the links below for more revisions, and if you want to see all the pictures, you can visit my Facebook album.

Vocabulary:
distraction -- (n) [C or U] something that prevents someone from concentrating on what they are doing
edible -- (adj) suitable or safe for eating
wilt --(vb)[I] (of a plant) to become weak and begin to bend towards the ground, or (of a person) to become weaker, tired or less confident

Resources:

 Hong Kong Flower Show 2011

http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/green/hkfs/2011/en/index.php

Vocabulary: Chinese New Year Flowers and Plants @ Locky's English Playground

http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2010/02/vocabulary-chinese-new-year-flowers-and.html

Herbs: Rue / Ruta in Green Bean Sweet Soup @ Locky's English Playground

http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2010/08/herbs-rue-ruta-in-green-bean-sweet-soup.html

Spice: Thai Basils @ Locky's English Playground

http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2010/04/spice-thai-basils.html

King Protea @ Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_protea

Dancing Grass @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVBTqh37TGM&feature=related

Dancing Grass @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codariocalyx_motorius

Osmanthus @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmanthus_fragrans

Chinese Kale @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kai-lan

All pictures on my Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=569470411&aid=347712

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/distraction
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/edible
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/wilt