Chem-E with a Conscience: A Wet Hot Icelandic Winter

I traveled to Iceland in late February this year, and I learned three important things:

1) Icelandic words are incredibly difficult to pronounce. --It took me an entire week to master "Eyjafjallajokull" -- (Ay-ya-fyeht-la-yo-kutl)

2) I don't mind the rain (no matter how INCONVENIENT), because it makes scenery vibrant.

3) If I lived in Iceland, I would have a very small carbon footprint.

Eyjafjallajokull, Iceland's famous volcano.
It was too foggy for a good shot.

The famous hot dog stand in downtown Reykjavik where former President Clinton insulted an entire country by eating a hot dog with "only ketchup"

On the surface, Iceland, covered in ice and rock, might seem like a cold and barren island with no hope for renewable energy. But, if you look deeper, you'll see that these are exactly the things that allow Iceland to be so self-sufficient.

Ice => Melting glaciers provide a steady stream of freshwater and hydropower.
Lava rock => Lava rock is rich in nutrients and leads to fertile soil.
Volcanic activity => Geothermal hotspots are everywhere on the island.

Tomato hothouse outside Reykjavik

Iceland harvests 90% of its heat from geothermal energy and obtains ~75% of its electricity from hydropower. Less than .1% comes from fossil fuels.

If you're on an island where everything is imported and expensive, use geothermal energy to power and heat greenhouses! ------------------>

The only concern in Iceland's renewable energy future is climate change. Short term impacts look positive -- improved weather, growth in hydropower from glacial melt, increased travel via opened waterways, and widened geothermal sites. However, when the glaciers have melted away, freshwater and hydropower will be limited, and newly uncovered oil fields may lead to carbon dependency. Here's hoping for some genuine Icelandic creativity!