people power

Do you know why Amnesty International, the non-governmental organization that campaigns for human rights for all and fights injustice in the world, was formed? It was founded because one man appealed for justice for individuals sent to prison for simply having expressed their opinions. Other individuals or groups have also acted on a small scale […]

Roots of Happiness

Words are the strongest form of communication humans have and they carry deep meaning. Just as certain words convey happiness and can be uplifting, others can cause sadness, anger, embarrassment, anxiety, fear, helplessness, or solitude. Finding “light in the deepest, darkest corners” of the English language, lexicographer and etymologist Susie Dent highlights 100 happy words […]

 Here’s one solution to a pressing problem facing the world: the lack of access to modern energy services. This young man, Jeremiah Thoronka, has developed a device that uses energy generated by pressure, heat and vibrations to create affordable and clean electricity. His company, Optim Energy, uses the energy that an object naturally has as […]

Smøla Wind Farm

Countries in the European Union in 2020 produced more energy using renewable sources than using traditional fossil fuels, according to an annual report from Ember and Agora Energiewende. These two organizations started tracking the EU power sector in 2015, finding year-on-year gains from the start: renewables accounted for 38% of electricity delivered in 2020, while […]

Photo: Phoenix Solar AG

Passed is the time when the economists and politicians told us renewable energy was too expensive to pursue. Renewables, such as wind, solar and hydroelectric systems that generate electricity with no associated air pollution emissions, now appear as a cheap, and clean, alternative to traditional fossil fuels. Even Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, is […]

“Access to information, light and basic energy in a humanitarian crisis can be just as essential as food, water, medical supplies and shelter.” Thus starts Social Entrepreneur Kristine Pearson‘s blog post on the World Economic Forum’s Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship blog.  Kristine is Chief Executive of Lifeline Energy, whose mission is to improve “the […]