ME III: wind-powered cargo ships

· Maine Event

There is much in the news about these new wind-powered cargo ships. It turns out that using wind either totally or partially is more sustainable. Also, if they build the ships correctly, it can radically reduce ocean noise pollution which affects all kinds of ocean dwellers from whales down to lobsters. There is so much room for improvement to reduce costs, reduce pollution, reduce contributions to increased climate change, and so on. Given how much "stuff" gets moved around this could really improve things. On the scale of it, shipping isn't the worst climate change offender but every piece of transportation needs to improve. I was also reading a student's work on figuring out how to extend Amtrak and getting into the science of how to electrify the trains (turns out it is much easier than electrifying an airplane 😊). I've written about the topic of wind-powered cargo ships before but this article in NYT made me think about it again. There is a maiden voyage of a wind-powered cargo ship going from Singapore to Brazil -- carrying grain I believe. This led me to this explainer from the NRDC on oceanic noise pollution and this article talks about why we need cleaner shipping more clearly. Meanwhile, there is a hybrid-electric ferry being built for Casco Bay Lines the local (cute) ferry system to the islands here in Portland. It seems like it will be quite a bit bigger. I hope it keeps its cuteness and I hope they figure out how to keep it quiet. It is very cool to be in a place that just builds boats.

Crystal blue skies of fall and the beginning of a little red in the trees.
Murals including "cats of portland"
More color popping up around the neighborhood.
The Green Ash is one of the first to really start to turn yellow and lose their leaves. Gorgeous trees.
Starry night.

We have been working too hard to get out to the islands or anywhere else for that matter. This month we have to wedge some fun in since we are here in the land of adventure that can be found without a car.

Have a delightful evening.

Sending love, Tawnia

9 birds today. The usuals but also White-throated Sparrows, which are just beginning to show up in numbers here for fall: