Alternative energy sources like wind power may be under threat because of the credit freeze and sudden drops in the price of oil and gas, according to the New York Times.   Despite both presidential candidates talk of increasing the use of green energy, advocates are worried that the changeover might not be so smooth and that clean power could lose support.   Companies are having a hard time raising money for projects because of high initial costs, but hopefully investors will see that the long term financial and environmental benefits of wind and solar power far out weigh the ugly costs of fossil fuels.

takepart by thanking your legislator for extending Wind Energy Tax Credits and urge them to continue to support Clean Energy.

Related:

Inconvenient Truth of the Day

Green Policies Are Good For The Economy, Too!

Don’t Let Falling Oil Prices Slow the Push For Alternative Energy

The TakePart Top 10 Weekly Roundup is a compilation of the week’s most notable stories from our entertainment-meets-social-action blogging network. Check out some of our most popular stories of the week, as well as a few TakePart blogger favorites!

Nicole Hughes:

U.S. Media Ignores Link Between Midwest Floods and Global Warming

Top 10 Houseplants for Removing Indoor Air Pollution

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Andy Kondrat:

Dubai to Build Rotating Positive Energy Tower

Bioethicist Peter Singer Tackles World Food Shortage

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Jon Popham:

Americacorps Workers Assist Flood Ravaged Town

Australians “Out-Fat” Americans

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Giulia Rozzi:

Progressive Book Club

Oprah Recommends “A New Earth”

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Gina Telaroli:

Human Rights Watch 2008 Film Festival Update

SilverDocs 2008 Update

Dubai, always reaching for the next architectural wonder, will build the world’s first rotating tower. What’s more interesting than that (though, let’s be honest - it is pretty amazing in its own right) is the fact that the tower also is built with wind turbines between every floor and solar panels on the roof, so that the building will power not only itself, but will return energy back to the grid. This makes the building a positive energy building. Pretty impressive.

Here’s a somewhat overwrought video from the architect/designer that gives some good information on how this crazy thing gets done:

I really should get myself some oil revenue. Seems like it’s a good way to be able to afford a lot of stuff.

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The TakePart Top 10 Weekly Roundup is a compilation of the week’s most notable stories from our entertainment-meets-social-action blogging network. Check out some of our most popular stories of the week, as well as a few TakePart blogger favorites!

Katie Halper:

“The First Time I Every Saw Your Face” May Be the First Time You Hear About Ewan MacColl

California’s Gay Marriage Ban Overturned & 5 Ways To Take Action

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Nicole Hughes:

“Bottlemania” Book Takes Bottled Water Industry To Task

Arnold Tells Automakers To “Stop Whining” About Tougher California Emissions Standards

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Andy Kondrat:

Department of Energy Forecasts Large Increase In Wind Power Usage

Edward Norton & Gavin Newsom Speak To Congress About Environmental Building Practices

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Jon Popham:

Spencer Tunick Strips Hundreds Naked

Lichtenstein Sculptures At Fairchild Garden In Miami

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Giulia Rozzi:

Does Being Ethical Pay?

Is the Anti-Female Genial Mutilation Campaign Offensive?

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Gina Telaroli:

A Global Look At Media On Pangea Day

Everything Cinema: Brody Takes On the Working Life of Jean-Luc Godard

The Energy Department released a report yesterday with the promising news that wind power could be able to meet 20 percent of electricity needs by 2030. This wind electricity could replace 50 percent of natural gas consumption and 18 percent of coal consumtion. Per the Washington Post,

The report said a boost in wind capacity to 20 percent of electricity generation “could potentially defer the need to build some new coal capacity, avoiding or postponing the associated carbon emissions.”

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