Reading Roundup: Apr. 8

Reading Roundup is a regular feature of WebEchoes. It exists to limit the number of "read this" posts with minimal commentary on my part.

Water problem? What water problem? | Gristmill: The environmental news blog | Grist
Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway, mobile dialysis devices, the first insulin pump, and a few other things, has come up with a way to filter any water source, regardless of contamination.

Crude substitute: The folly of liquid coal | Gristmill: The environmental news blog | Grist
A ten minute video from the Natural Resources Defense Council showing the arguments against converting coal into liquid fuels for automobiles. Its a shame this is a known technology (developed during WWII).

NYC Council approves traffic free plan for Manhattan - AutoblogGreen
Congestion pricing coming soon to Manhattan, hope it helps...
...And the New York Legislature fails to approve the plan. Ah, politics. Some analysis, here.

PG&E Signs Massive Solar Deal With BrightSource « Earth2Tech
900MW of power in total, too bad the plants still have to be financed and built, first one unlikely to be online before 2011.

'Ahead of the Curve: Business Responds to Climate Change' | Grist
A 13 minute long documentary on how businesses and utilities are responding to climate change by changing business practices to improve efficiency. Features DuPont, GE, and other big companies.

Luxim Plasma Light Bulb Kicks Some Serious LED Butt : TreeHugger
140 lumens/watt with a single bulb capable of 30,000 lumens (a 100 watt bulb incandescent is around 800-1100 lumens as I recall)

Climate Change Is Not Caused By Cosmic Rays, According To New Research
Climate Progress » Blog Archive » Another Myth Goes Up in Smoke
2 articles that cover recent published research that should help to rebut the "its the sun causing all of the climate change" argument given by deniers.