MUENCHHAUSEN

AN ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER ABOUT ENVIRONMENT,
RENEWABLE RESOURCE TECHNOLOGY,
AND RELATED TOPICS

By BOOTSTRAP PRESS, INC.
BETHESDA, MD
mailto:JJGREENBARON@CSI.COM

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AUGUST 1, 2005
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WELCOME!

The Green Baron welcomes one and all who take the time to read Muenchhausen. He aims to “tell it like it is” as much as possible, and avoid advocacy and ideological positions. There are enough of those to go around in other publications. And today, best wishes on this day of Lammas!


Wind energy in France:
See http://www.fco.gov.uk/ for extensive review of French electricity production and markets.

“CHAMPAGNE” PRESS CONFERENCE

Early last month, the Green Baron had the privilege of asking Jean-Louis Schneiter, the mayor of Reims, France, about electricity generation in France, of which approximately 78% comes from nuclear power sources, including the liquid-metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR).

Mayor Schneiter told the Green Baron that although France depends very heavily on nuclear energy. However, he pointed out that France also is trying to diversify its energy sources, especially with renewable energy where possible. For a few decades, for example, there has been a major experimental solar energy installation in the vicinity of the Pyrenees in southern France. Wind energy also is being tried.

Why was this a “Champagne” press conference? Reims is the capital of the region of France known as Champagne, whence the world-famous (and costly!) sparkling wine is produced. The Green Baron thought the subtitle would be catchy.

ENVIRONMENT POLICY IN ECUADOR

On July 29, the Green Baron had the privilege of a conversation with Rafael Correa, the Minister of Economy and Finance of Ecuador. He very frankly told the Green Baron that his country has not, until recently, had an environmental policy, but that this is changing. A Ministry of Environment has just been added as a government portfolio, and the government will, said Minister Correa, take a tougher stand on protecting the environment. Of particular concern is the archipelago of the Galapagos Islands, with its unique land and sea wildlife, and a huge attraction for eco-tourists.

Minister Correa also surprised the Green Baron by stating quite candidly that Ecuador had the second-lowest government expenditures for scientific research and development (R&D) in the Western Hemisphere (Haiti has the lowest). He said, however, that this, too, is changing, and that a large increase in R&D spending is to some. It should be mentioned that Ecuador has considerable income from sales of oil, and is, or has been a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

LAMMAS AND ARCTIC ICE

Lammas (New Lammas, actually; August 7 is Old Lammas) is the day when the days in the Northern Hemisphere become shorter more rapidly than they did in late June and through July, and when Summer begins to fade. After the summer of 2005 ends and deep cold once more pervades the Arctic, what will the latest maps show concerning the extent to which Arctic waters became open during the summer? Did some of the predictions about the Northeast Passage becoming essentially ice-free and navigable from Norway to the Bering Strait come true? The Green Baron has not yet heard anything to that effect, but stay tuned! As sports fans say, “There’s always next year!”

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The Green Baron again thanks all those who may take the time and trouble to read this “Blog” publication. He also acknowledges the help of the National Press Club in Washington, DC, for having made it possible for the Green Baron to question Mayor Schleiter, and the help of the Embassy of Ecuador for allowing the Green Baron to meet and ask questions of that country’s Minister of Economy and Finance..

WHAT IS BOOTSTRAP PRESS?

Bootstrap Press is a nonprofit organization founded in Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.A., to promote the development and management of technology and businesses based on renewable resources. We also encourage the preservation of our Earth's natural habitats and its plant and animal species. So do a lot of other organizations, and more power to them for doing so!

Bootstrap Press is different because its members believe that the development of renewable resources and the preservation of habitats and species are receiving far more lip service than the financial and technical support needed to achieve these goals. We also think they will continue to be subjects of more talk than action until someone can show how renewable resources and the diversity of biological species can be the basis for potentially profitable businesses as well as a matter of ethics. Bootstrap Press intends to provide a forum for the discussion of how to build up such business, and of related topics.

There's one more thing we should mention about Muenchhausen and Bootstrap Press. We try to present only the scientific and technical facts that are correct to the best of our knowledge, belief, and good faith. It is up to Muenchhausen's readers to draw their own conclusions and make their own judgments.

NOTE: The mention of a product or service in Muenchhausen is in no way to be regarded as an endorsement of that product or service by Muenchhausen, Bootstrap Press, the Green Baron, or any other contributor to Muenchhausen.