Alternative Energy Update: Companies that help solve the energy problems will be among the future Googles and Apples.

"If there is one sector you can count on, it will be alternative energy: clean energy, energy storage, energy conservation, and the smart grid. The world’s population will surpass 7 billion people this year. More importantly, the number of people considered to be middle class is growing at a rapid rate, mostly due to improving quality of living in China and South Asia. Those new middle class want motorized vehicles and air conditioning. The demand for energy will be ramping quickly.

At the same time it’s becoming more expensive to dig energy out of the ground. Dependence upon foreign supplies of oil is becoming more of concern. Coal is considered to be four letter word, and nuclear has many hurdles. Conventional solar panels and wind turbines are only expected to make a small impact in the next twenty years.

As if this isn’t enough, concern over CO2 production pressures us to limit coal burning, or at least clean up its emissions.

It’s a perfect storm. Energy demand growth + resource constraints + global warming/C02

Mankind has no option but to deal with this."
The Next Google Could Come From The Clean Energy Sector - Seeking Alpha:
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Climate Change Update: Remember, in the new era of climate change, you too may need help someday.

INSIGHTS: Climate Change Lessons From Africa: "Land degradation and poor soils are basic causes of Africa's low food production. Growing trees amid farm fields - so-called "inter-cropping" - counters these problems. Trees retain soil moisture, provide mulch (with fallen leaves), limit erosion, add coolness, and more.

Dubbed "Evergreen Agriculture" by the World Agroforestry Center, this approach is doubling crop yields in parts of Niger, Burkina Faso, Zambia and Malawi. And it's cheap: famers can grow trees by themselves.

It's in our interest to encourage such solutions. Not only because it is morally right, but because lessons learned in Africa - one of the first places climate extremes are being felt - can teach our own farmers how to cope with climate change tomorrow.

That's why it's essential to reject calls on Capitol Hill to end foreign aid. Foreign aid accounts for only one percent of the federal budget (not the 25 percent most Americans think it does).

Cutting aid will not cure our deficit, but it will deprive hungry people of the help they need to help themselves."

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