r - LAR ENERGY Applied Solar Energr: An Introduction, Aden and Marjorie Meinel, 1976, Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., a review Lry Frances deWinter in Solar Age, April 197 7 , back issues $2.50 from: Solar Age 200 East Main St. PorrJervis, NY IZZTI There's a rime in any movement when older participants feel that their formerly "new" or "weird" idea, like solar energy for the narion and the world, is so well-established, popular and politically accepted that it's safe to be a bit more critical of its promoters. Earlier, when there were just a handful of oftdismissed solarites mumbling about the sun's potential, such "internal dissensibn" was easily turned against us and the solar cause. But now, with solar energy an indusiry and a presidential mandate, with a large and growing national association, it is entirely appropriate to get picky about exaggerarions, incorrect basic equations and taking credit for others' earlier, patented inventions. That's what Mr. deWinter has done in a long, well-crafted and -referenced f article wirh plenty of personal feelings about ethics and values. Be sure to read it if you hoped the Meinels' book wouid be useful on optics and heat transfer. Critical reassessments are in the air, it seems. See Bill Shurcliff's review on SEIA's solar directory in this solar section , -LJ Two,excellent, inexpensive items are available from: CSPI Energy Project Center for Science in the Public Interest 17 57 S Sr., N.W. Washington, DC 20009 "Solar Economics Revisited," by Alan Okagaki & Ken Bossong, 6 pp., 1977, 40d to above address. Through a shorr series of simple steps, the homeowner thinking about installing a solar water heater can 1) determine how much such a system would cost and 2) compare that cost with electricity, natural gas and oil priccs. As a guide. cosr comparisons are done for New York, Los Angeles and St. Louis. Highly recommended as the step before you buy a detailed d:sign manual, solar heater D-I-y plans or a commercial system. "Solar Commercialization," valuable to all citizens' energy organizarions, consumer lnterest groups, environmental educators, neighborhood associations and community-city planners, outlines a series of specific program recommendations prepared for ERDA on what ERDA could do ro remove existing barriers to solar energy. The 7-pp. memo covers 1) greatly expanded public education, 2) use of Community Block Grant funds and public works programs to build and install solar units, 3) modifications of ERDA's grant-making procedures, and 4) potential for widespread solar applications to meer industrial needs. Free for a stamped, self-addressed envelope to the address above. -LJ Community-Scale Soft Energy Info Needed: The City of Berkeley, Ca., ser up an Alternative Energy Commission in Decemtrer '76 to develop a city-wide energy plan which included soft-technology approaches. The Committee for New Energy, the local lobbying group which worked to have the Commission set pp, is now seeking information on community-scale renewable energy options. If you can help, send info to, Joe Alcamo Committee for New Energy Berkeley Ecology Center 2179 Allston Way Berkeley, CA 94704 Solar Outlooft, edited by Sreven Davis, weekly, 4 pages per issue, $67 /yr. from, Observer Fublishing Co. 1054-31st St., N.W. Washington, DC 2OOO7 No other publication reports as much insider's info on trends in solar energy or does so as often. It tries to. tell what June l97Z RAIN page 15 the news means, the story behind the headlines and press releaies, and that is something no other solar publication does. If you like the wheat sifted frorn the chaff, you'11 enjoy S.O. Or get your library to subscribe. -LJ INFORMATION As information networkers we often have the experience of looking through all our various card files for someoneis phone number until a bystander innocently suggests trying the phone book. Of course! And often it works. But if it's a married woman you have to know her husband's name (though now rhar may be changing). If it's a governmenr agency ybu have ro go rhrough the agonies of switchovers and relerrals. And if it's oniy a vague feeling you have that such and such a service iJoffered somewhere in the city? county? state? federal? governmenr;you're rlally our of luck. Yet the phone book could be a useful tool-virtually everyone is listed in ir, after all. Jim Long has had quite a lot of experience in putting together directories and is beginning ro work on rhe phone companies in Oregon to put together what he is calling the Green Pages to organize and classify service agencies according to problem headings and to generally make the phone book a more usefui tool for information and referral. If you would like to keep up with the progress of this effort or would like to know more abour his ideas. he'd be glad to respond. Jim Long Washington County Community Action Organization 546 East Baseline Rd. Hillsboro, OR 97 123 503/6+8-6647 STPP iriews, monthly, free from, Science, Technology and public Policy Program Political Science Dept. Purdue University West Lafayette, IN 47907 If you're into technology assessment, you'll find this interesting and useful. A receltf issue included an article bv Denis Hayes; information on projefts, programs and conferences across the country; reviews on population, energy, environment, international development; lists of Congressional publications; selected items from pcriodicals and journals; access to new universi[y reportsfrook and f ilm rcviews; and, last but not least, poetry and cartoons. Prof. Joseph Haberer, thc ediror, scems not only to know what he's about but to also enjoy it immensely! -LJ r
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