Hey, read about beer and the environment.

In 1998, [New Belgium] became the first U.S. brewery to be powered entirely by wind. It now meets all its energy needs through a combination of wind power purchased from the city and cogeneration of thermal energy from the brewing process. Brewing uses a lot of water, an average of eight barrels of water to produce a single barrel of beer; through recapture and reuse, New Belgium has cut its water use in half. In winter, induction fans pull in cool outside air to chill the beer, reducing the need for refrigeration, which can account for up to 30 percent of a brewery’s electric use. Finally, New Belgium recycles or reuses 98 percent of its waste stream–converting spent grain into cattle feed, for example. Hybrids or high-mileage diesels are used for company business.

The French presidential election has been a little crazy all along, but as Nicolas Sarkozy’s polling numbers seem to have become untouchable, storm clouds are gathering. Sarkozy’s one of the fellers that many young French rioted against a couple of years ago. Remember that? Pretty crazy. Also of some (unrelated, but interesting from an American p.o.v.) significance is that his opponent would have been the first female president of France.

Sarkozy, 52, a Hungarian immigrant’s son who wants to modernise France, enjoyed a nine-point lead over Ségolãne Royal, 53, the Socialist candidate, in one of the last polls taken before the second and final round of voting. In a desperate effort to catch up with him, Royal, the first woman to reach the second round, warned that Sarkozy would trigger “violence and brutality” and was a “dangerous” choice for France.

She was playing on her rival’s reputation as a hate figure among minorities in the suburbs because of his “zero tolerance” crackdown, as interior minister, on crime and illegal immigrants.

Oh, and check this stat:

Voting was reported brisk. According to official figures, more than 75 percent of registered voters had been to the polls by 5 p.m. local time.