I’ve been around long enough to remember when energy wasn’t treated as a political talking point — it was understood as a basic necessity. You needed fuel to get to work, run a farm, move products, and keep the country operating. It wasn’t complicated. A strong nation needed a reliable energy supply. That lesson seems to be getting lost. Russia’s recent decision to restrict diesel exports after refinery disruptions is a reminder that energy markets are not just about economic

Do Air Purifiers Remove Radon Gas? Not reliably. A portable air purifier should not be treated as a radon mitigation system. However, a HEPA filter may capture some airborne radon decay particles, particularly particles that have attached themselves to dust and other material in the air. That said, a HEPA filter does not remove radon gas itself. An activated-carbon filter may help filter certain gases and odors, especially when the filter contains a substantial amount of carb

When I first heard the term “energy lockdown” I was surprised and uneasy. I wasn’t quite sure what such a thing would entail but I didn’t have to go very far back into my memory banks to remember another “lockdown” for our own good. I won’t continuously cover this topic, but it’s important enough for me to step outside my no-more-news bubble to warn you of what may be coming. The war in the Middle East, particularly the impassable Strait of Hormuz, is threatening global fuel

Hyperscale data centers drain aquifers, buckle power grids, and hand critics all the ammunition they need to argue that AI is extractive by design. Buildings and construction already account for 37% of global energy-related CO₂ emissions. The buildings are the problem, and the buildings are optional. There is a better way. The hyperscale problem A hyperscale data center consumes hundreds of megawatts of power, millions of gallons of water, and years of permitting before a sin

How often should you run your generator? And how long should you run it for maintenance? Here’s the practical answer… Quick answer: Run a portable generator at least twice a year, but preferably every 1 to 3 months. Let it run for about 20 minutes, long enough to reach normal operating temperature, and plug in a moderate load so you know it is actually producing power. Before starting, check the oil and fuel. After the test run, disconnect the load before shutting it down. I

A low hum emerges from within a vast, dimly lit tomb, whose occupant devours energy and water with a voracious, inhuman appetite. The beige, boxy data center is a vampire of sorts—pallid, immortal, thirsty. Sheltered from sunlight, active all night. And much like a vampire, at least according to folkloric tradition, it can only enter a place if it’s been invited inside. In states and counties across the US, lawmakers aren’t just opening the door for these metaphorical, mechan

The fresh air, picturesque vistas, and pristine bush of the Blue Mountains west of Sydney draw millions of visitors a year. Unfortunately, the Blue Mountains are also the site of a controversial investigation into water contamination with “forever chemicals”, also called PFAS. Our recent study investigated long-term PFAS contamination from two incidents, both involving petrol tanker crashes and fires. Both accidents occurred in drinking water catchments, and our study found c

Cybersecurity and national security experts have explored how EV batteries and the connected technology of electric vehicles could potentially be weaponized in other ways to cause significant disruption or mass casualties in a terrorist attack scenario, or actions by a disgruntled employee. EV batteries possess inherent hazards (flammable electrolytes, potential for explosions/fires under abuse) that could be exploited in malicious acts. The primary concern of cybersecurity a

If you had to name the most dangerous place in the Solar System, you’d probably start with the obvious suspects. The Sun, with its searing temperatures and violent eruptions, where solar flares and coronal mass ejections blast charged particles across the Solar System powerful enough to disrupt satellites, damage infrastructure, and, in extreme cases, cripple electrical grids. Maybe Earth’s sister planet and “molten hellhole” Venus, where it rains highly concentrated sulfuric

There were early signs during the third week of the U.S.-Iran conflict that EV demand was gaining traction in Asia, where the energy shock has been felt the hardest. That was followed by a separate note earlier this month confirming that EV demand was beginning to reaccelerate. Now, Goldman analysts led by Kota Yuzawa see global EV demand gaining momentum after several years of muted demand, as the fuel-price shock at the pump pushes consumers back toward EVs. Yuzawa noted th

This isn’t some distant concept or experimental feature that might show up years from now. By 2027, every new car sold in the United States could be required to actively monitor the person behind the wheel. That means watching your eyes, tracking your behavior, and constantly evaluating whether you’re alert enough to drive. For a lot of drivers, that starts to feel less like safety and more like surveillance. And the part that’s catching people off guard is how much control t

In a "triple win" for green research, scientists at the University of Cambridge have developed a new sunlight-activated reactor that uses one waste stream to tackle another – all while producing clean hydrogen, and promising to be profitable at commercial scale. According to Our World in Data, a statistical-compilation site formed in partnership with the University of Oxford, plastic production now reaches 450 million tonnes per year, a staggering increase since 1950, when on

Although conserving energy is important to any homeowner, energy conservation takes on a whole new meaning when you live off the grid....

Using the wrong extension cord can be dangerous. They can melt or overheat and cause a fire, according to the U.S. Consumer Product...

When heading out on a vacation, the last thing you want to worry about is items using up electricity while you’re not home. From small...

All homes have a main electrical service panel, a circuit breaker panel, or a fuse box in older homes. This panel receives power from the...

When you hear the phrase “fire escape” , you may think of the metal platforms and stairs mounted alongside multi-story apartment...

Thanks to Thomas’ knowledge of first aid, we’ve accumulated a fairly decent number of guides and tutorials related to medicine and basic...

Overland Expo's focus may be largely on earth-exploring giants and burly, overbuilt hardware, but the show does highlight its fair share...

With hurricanes, wildfires and nasty viruses, unfortunately emergencies are a reality these days. So could you survive off of your own...

Amap has revealed the five states with the most water systems where drinking water has been registered as above the proposed limit for...

If you're in the path of a hurricane or another natural disaster, what's the one thing you should always do? We asked survivors: Here's...

Cyberattacks against water utilities across the country are becoming more frequent and more severe, the Environmental Protection Agency...

I grew up in western Illinois and saw firsthand what happens when unfair trade and financialization runs amok. Communities that were once...

Residents of Russell Landing, Florida, a suburb near Jacksonville, are wary of real estate developers planning to build housing on the...

The way we travel has changed. The paper map that once unfolded to the size of a kitchen table now fits in our pockets. It also gives us...

The U.S. electricity grid is confronting serious challenges as it navigates the transition to alternative energy sources under President...

President Biden's move to quadruple tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles isn't meant to head off any potential national security threats...

The 2019 Venezuelan blackouts were a series of power outages that affected Venezuela from 7 March to 14 March 2019. The blackout was the...

"The closer that they live to a warehouse … the more dangerous the side effects are for them." Megawarehouses, large complexes that store...

Back when George Orwell wrote his famous novel, 1984, little did anyone realize just how true it might become. Maybe it didn’t happen in...

It’s comforting to assume that government agencies on a federal, state and local level will swoop in to provide aid and assistance in a...

Power outages are widespread and, surprisingly, are getting worse in the USA. This is due to aging infrastructure, frequent storms, and...

One of the scariest survival scenarios we face today is a potential loss of the electric grid, brought about by an EMP (electromagnetic...

The cloud is sucking up all our electricity, threatening to leave consumers in the dark. I’m not talking about storm clouds; I’m talking...

One of the first steps in preparing for disasters is figuring out which disasters your area is most likely. Americans need to worry about...

There are lots of entities out there that want you to do things, even when these things are not in your best interest. It can range from...

The dangers to our aging, fragile electrical grid are numerous. Over the last few years, many of us have focused on the risk of an EMP,...

An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) that causes the nation’s power to go out, planes to fall from the sky, and most modern technology to...

Have you ever wondered where everyone (or at least most people) will flee to when a major SHTF disaster strikes that forces people to...

Today, many people are pursuing the off grid lifestyle for a myriad of reasons. For some, the money-saving benefits are most appealing,...

Off grid living has become a trend among individuals who find the unending demands of modern life unfulfilling and inefficient. These...

Fossil fuels make up about 85% of the global energy system. However, the ever-increasing demand for energy is putting a lot of strain on...

Off-grid solar systems offer energy independence and savings amid rising electricity costs, but it's not as easy as it sounds. Here's...

There are two primary reasons home and businesses are interested in solar energy: first, the financial benefit; and, second, the...

Solar technology’s recent prevalence has seen both large organizations and individual consumers choose to integrate solar power into...

Lead acid batteries are recycled 99% of the time. In the spirit of ShrinkThatFootprint, consider reconditioning a battery that’s completely

A nine-month investigation by the Guardian and Consumer Reports found alarming levels of forever chemicals, arsenic and lead in samples...

The U.S. power grid is facing an elevated risk of shortages in the coming summer months amid a nationwide push to replace fossil fuel