Not to mention that ALL of our structures impacts Wind Patterns and takes energy away from the system and blocks sunlight from the "Natural" pathways it usually takes if we weren't around to build our artificial structures. Fossile Fuels is a finite resourse fast running out and become uneconomical let alone the ecological effects it has on the Earth. Tides comes primarily from gravitic interactions on a massive scale, a few tidal generators isn't going to effect it much, as not every place is suitable for this type of energy generation. Same goes for Solar, Wind and Geothermal. The ONLY feasable and clean energy source I see coming down the line is Fusion and that project is just getting started so until we have mastered that we had better find less distructfull ways to power our needs and vises as we aren't willing to give up our vises in order to supply the basic needs for more people which is why it is nessesary. We will eventually strike a balance with Nature providing all we need and want, that is if we don't wipe ourselves out first...

EDIT: One other note, if we make the Wind Turbines bigger it will limit the impact to wildlife as Bigger Blades with more advanced bearings won't need to turn as fast to produce a good amount of energy. We have a 160+ homes Wind Turbine down by the water front, and scientists have been watching to see how many birds have been killed by it, and I just read a few months ago they average 3 bird kills a year directly attributed to striking the turbines, and they were all Seagulls which are a nuicence anyway heh.

[edit on 6-7-2005 by sardion2000]

Very interesting articles, I've read through them all . I love the phase shifting wax insulation idea. When it's hot, it melts and absorbs heat, when it's cold, it hardens and releases heat.

the microcapsules are so effective at climate control that a mere inch of this plaster has the same heat absorption capability as a 10in thick timber-bricked wall.

About the Throium reactors, it definately sounds like a good idea. I doubt that it will have the efficiency of a breeder reactor which is a 10,000% increase in efficiency over conventional reactors , but if it eliminates 80% of plutonium waste then it sounds good. Thorium is more abundant than both types of uranium I believe, and it will eliminate the possibilty of terrorists attacking a plant to get the fissionable Plutonium-239 to use in a nuclear bomb. I really want to see the fusion reactor soon, but we've got to wait until we're halfway through the century (of course you know how accurate these kinds of predictions are, probably be in 2100!). I'll try to find the picture of the reactor that I found in PopSci tomorrow and post it on ImageShack so we don't turn Quest's thread into something else.