Category Archives: Materials & Metals

Canada’s dead trees to build ‘plyscrapers’

Posted on 4 October, 2014 by

Climate change warmed up Canada’s winters for so long that pine beetles destroyed billions of trees across Canada’s vast forests. Those trees are dead or dying. They will release billions of tons of CO2 when they rot. What to do with … Continue reading →

Posted in Industrial Ecosystems, Materials & Metals, New Urbanism | Leave a comment

But coal is ESSENTIAL for the Australian economy?

Posted on 20 March, 2014 by

Not so fast! 1. overall mining is about 9% of our GDP but that GDP comes at the cost of other GDP. (See below). 2. Fossil fuels are only part of that 9% GDP as the rest is opals and … Continue reading →

Posted in Coal, Economics, Materials & Metals | Leave a comment

ABC’s Landline says Australia needs Hemp food!

Posted on 10 February, 2014 by

ABC’s Landline: We need hemp food in Australia! 1/3rd the water to grow lucen Hempcrete soaks up CO2 as it dries and petrifies Aboriginals are building hemp housing Was the world’s most common fabric material until the cotton gin was … Continue reading →

Posted in Biofuels, Food & Farming, Materials & Metals, Soil, Water | Leave a comment

Steel without coal?

Posted on 1 March, 2011 by

Hi all, it is not just that coal fires the steel — everyone knows that. It’s that coking coal is an ingredient in steel. Professor Barry Brook has started a discussion on whether hydrogen can replace this ingredient in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Materials & Metals | Leave a comment

Observations: The coming shortage of helium

Posted on 2 July, 2010 by

Oh yeah, peak helium! I’m going to have to add this to my ‘peak metals’ page which can also cover other industrial resources like helium gas. The coming shortage of helium By Mariette DiChristina e-mail print comment 0diggsdigg LINDAU, Germany—Quick: … Continue reading →

Posted in Materials & Metals | Leave a comment