Radical Ideas for Alternative Fuels and Energy Sources

I think they should harvest electricity from brains matrix-style.

How about turning North Dakota into a giant windmill farm?

Although they are fairly expensive(i think?) that does sound good. Or how about a giant pipeline from everyones toilet so we can burn the poo as energy!

I don't want a giant pipeline coming from my toilet. I'm sure there are others that feel the same.

what goes into your toilet that you dont want sent away?

Will the giant pipeline product be processed in North Dakota?

Of course cant leave North Dakota-ites(?) (Dakotans?) out

No, I'm not talking about the pipe going through N.D. I'm talking about the pipe ENDING in N.D.

the waste from the pipe shouldnt be burnt as engergy- use it for compost/mulch for indoor, mega-story greenhouses for when there's no farmland left. Use something else with no other purpose to burn as fuel.

Like homeless people?

It would be better if homeless people had a option for a free government job turning a turbine. That would make more electricity than burning them.

That's not economical, as they would consume more energy by living than they would produce by turning a turbine.

Besides, in every study that I've ever read comparing the energy produced by burning the homeless versus chaining them to a turbine it has been concluded that burning them would be more effecient in the long run. The data's there guys, you just have to look.

yeah, but how much CO2,methane and related gases do you think burning them would release?

Alright, everyone on three. 1, 2, 3 Come on baby light my fire...

Make energy through kinetic solutions, fission, fusion, fire

Having just come back from a family reunion based in North Dakota last year (her side of course) I am mortified and appaled at the attitude you all show to our midwestern breatheren, the thought of transporting all of our waste by-products to what is allready known as the "asshole of America", just seems somehow a bit redundant to me. And this speaks not at all to the age old axiom of never kicking a man when he is down.

Maybe I've just watched too much LOTR but wouldn't it be possible to generate enough electricity for the world (plus a bunch of carbon reversers) using geo-thermal energy.

I understand the technology isn't ready but wouldn't it be theorretically possible to generate unlimited power by tapping a volcano?

I realize I'm a bit behind, but Pie-Guy, WHAT THE HECK IS UP WITH YOU AND TURBINES!?! They aren't that great. I mean, if you want to grow up and become an engineer and design handicapped-person-friendly turbines, that's swell, but in the meantime WILL YOU SHUT UP ABOUT THE TURBINES!?

Thank you. I've had a long day and now I feel better because I just slammed a younger trader in front of everyone who cares to read the forums.

Milkweed, I think you're getting a little off track. It's not about turbines, it's about how best to exploit the homeless to solve our energy problems. I LIKE turning the thermostat up to 85 in the winter, down to 55 in the summer, and leaving every light in my house on 24 hours a day (using a sleep mask so I can get my rest). If we have to chain a few homeless people to turbines so that I can continue to live in comfort, then so be it.

Tell me, Mr. Cosby, how high are your electric+heating bills?

Milkweed, just so you know, ilovepie is an 11 year old autistic girl with asperger's syndrome.

Don't most of the people on the PPX have asperger's? And I thought "she" was going into 8th grade!

And Bill, how do you think the homeless people feel about NOT HAVING thermostats? Huh? Didja think about THAT?

M., wasn't there a pie-guy post on another forum about how "she" thinks all the mental people should turn turbines?

And iburngijoe posted on the forum! And his signature is almost the same as iburnEDgijoe's signature! Weird, huh?

Most of the best solutions for doing anything to "save the planet" are not going to happen. The main reason for this is that we've given governement excessive power. People as a whole are consciencious and good hearted, but can't do much that isn't restricted by government anymore. Think of what individuals could accomplish if there were fewer rules and restrictions:

We could improve air quality by planting more trees in each yard, but the city restricts where I can put them and what trees I can plant, and believe it or not, Oaks are restricted.

We could cut fewer trees by going back to using hemp for paper, fabrics, rope, etc., but the government banned hemp due to lobbyists pushing for wood pulp paper, so now we cut trees which don't renew as fast.

Each home could if they choose add something to generate electricity. There are home kits out there for solar, wind and thermal power that any home can use, but the government restricts the use of such kits and makes you jump through many hoops because lobbyists for utilities want the utilities to generate the power on the grid.

So, my solution for "Saving The World" is to stop asking the government to solve/regulate everything and have people take responsibilty for themselves and everyone do their part.

Milkweed, it's the same person... ilovepie also posted about her turbine fixation in the old forums a while back.

Milk, I would imagine that most homeless people have little to no opinion on thermostats, as they're probably a little preoccupied with finding a home in which to place thermostats.

Yes, dang it! While you sit there in your 85/55 degree home, these people HAVE NO HOME! You are truly a capitalist bastard, Bill!

Sorry about swearing in front of the "11-year old girl"

And M., don't you think that a study of the sustainability of homeless-people-powered turbines would make a creative science fair project?

Milk, are we still in sarcasm mode, or are you starting to take me seriously? I don't want you to strain yourself with all those caps is all. I mean, you are using caps lock, right? Please don't tell me you're holding down shift. Cause I mean, that's how people get carpel-tunnel (sp?).

I think the only way a study of the sustainability of homeless-people-powered turbines would make a creative science fair project is that if it included the average amount of Kilo-calories produced by burning the average homeless person, and how efficiently different turbine designs converted that into electricity.

Now that I think about it, that's a good idea to get rid of our dead...burn them to power turbines. It takes care of our remains and contributes to society.

Bill, (sniff) your care is touching. And it really isn't my business what you set your thermostat at. I'm really sorry about the outburst, comrade.

And M, how would one explain to the homeless people that they are going to be burned so that people with homes can run their AC and heat and desktop computers and coffee makers? I know that I sure as heck wouldn't like that plan.

Just think of it as incentive for them to get a job and a home.

I also wouldn't tell them...I'd go out in a van painted to look like a church van or something similar during the winter, and ask homeless people if I could take them "to get warmed up."

You can tell me all this because you are, of course, an expert on rounding up homeless people, right?

Do not go in a church van then the homeless won't want to get saved before they burn. Do not put the poo in the North Dakota area. Mount Rushmore would then stink like a rotting gut pile. Put homeless people to work building more wind generators or solar panels. Milkweed cut the swearing a little huh. Bill Cosby is a good guy anyways. Bill let me know if somebody actually attacks you on Popsci. I got your back 98.5% of the time unless the other person has a really good argument.

(hahaha, homeless...) well, my idea is to put giant wind farms out in the ocean(yes, they will be built to withstand storms...) and when the wind is not blowing, use the methane from the pockets under the ocean floors like near Calif. to make energy too.

Methane...that's a good idea. We need technology that would enable us to bottle our farts.

Who's making fun of Bill? I like Bill. He's just a capitalist, and if that's how he chooses to live, that's fine with me.

And bottling farts would be no fun.

Rotting leaves produce methane don't they?

How could bottling farts not be fun? Bottling homeless people's farts would be no fun. If you could turn turbines with the homeless, bottle their farts and burn them when they die or become injured or ill then I think there might be alot of energy potential.

Homeless people being burned for energy = Nazi-style death camps.

Actually, the death camps didn't get any energy out of the people they burned. In my idea, there would be no camp, they'd just burn the day's catch all at once.

Also, the idea of burning homeless people for energy was put forth as a jest.

I know, but I'm a little creeped out by those who are taking it too far!

Now I feel terrible. I have already started rounding up streetpeople for initial test results. Luckily I am still in the process of finding a feasible turbine. I shall feed them and set them free...

We could get the homeless people to run a wheel, hamster-style, in exchange for food and shelter. I'm sure that wouldn't count as excessive and unusual punishment.

No, but it might be cruel and unusual punishment.

A better way would be to get a bunch of stationary bicycles already wired to produce power and make them pedal away.

correct me if im wrong (as i am canadian)

but don't americans love freedom and liberty.

actually, we do... But it's hard to tell by looking at these forums.

The ultimate fuel..................

CONSERVATION + INNOVATION = RENEWABLE FUEL

This is he ultimate formula to solve ALL our energy need.... without of-course abusing homeless people...............................................................................................................................

I tried to fill my car with CONSERVATION + INNOVATION, but none of the filling stations around here had any.

I had to use homeless people instead.

I actually used unleaded gas.

(Actually, my car is a dinosaur. Unleaded mixed with ethanol makes it choke, I shudder to think what the new E85 would do to it.)

"I had to use homeless people instead.

I actually used unleaded gas."

They must live in the new side of town? No lead paint?

Did you try using photosynthesis... its on the new side of town..........................................................................................................................................................................lol

I've never heard of a car running by photosynthesis, but that's how plants produce their sugars. I'm not sure how a car could do it, as it has no chlorophyl, and from what I understand that is an important part of photosynthesis.

i've developed a concept for using the gravity of cars and trucks to produce energy. My ideas are shown at jaso888n.deviantart.com

wilsmo
I think we import a little more than 1billion dollars worth of foreign oil a day. A decent residential 3kw photo voltaic runs around $20,000. That means we could put up 50,000 residential solar systems a day in the US for what we pay for foreign oil. I think we have around 110 million residential houses in the US so it would take us about 6 years to put solar on every house in the US. Are my numbers correct?

I like the concept. I guess the water would flow back the other way to generate more electricity.

Solar cells are proven! They do supply electricity! They do not produce greenhouse gases when operated.They help combat global warming on a very fundamental level, they turn light into electricty, (which is converted into heat (from Sunlight) when it strikes most objects). Hence heat is directly Extracted from the local environment when solar panels are in use instead of creating excessive thermal radiation (heat) when petroleum products are burned. Note too that petrol use also consumes 02 as does diesel, even biodiesel. A net loss of heat is better for the environment from where the global situation stands today, however this could change in coming centuries. Enough solar panels to be effective would require a major industrialization effort that would benefit the global economy as well.

Harness free electricity.

Feel the jolt of power on your satalite feed and tap into it. It could be used to run dvd players, maybe to charge cell phones or developed even further to run tvs etc. for free.

A man in Palmerston North, New Zealand had this idea. Please devlope it and save the planet.