Perhaps the recent sequester overhyped yet still expected to yield more cutbacks in and around Washington than elsewhere will wind up as the first small stepof a new age of forced austerity.
It is also an "enabler" for renewable energy, providing a source of electricity that can step in to fill the gap when thewind is not blowing or the sun is not shining.
The North African nation took a step towards supporting green efforts this past week with the deadline for construction bids linked to an unspecified number of solar and wind farms.
Most of all, there is nothing as satisfying as those moments where you step out on a dark night, thewind blowing, the rain beating down, with a long journey ahead - and decide to catch the Tube instead.