107 Search Results for "mexico"

• Scientists Mimic Chloroplasts Scientists Mimic Chloroplasts - Meaning Solar Cells That Fix Themselves

  • From: ashleysoon
  • Description:

    It would seem that mimicking nature would be among the easiest things to do for science.  After all, it's right there, in front of us, happening for millions of years.

    Take plants, for instance.   Every day they absorb sunlight and turn it into energy but our solar technology is bordering on laughable and, if solar lobbyists get there way and it gets more subsidies and even mandates, criminal.   
    
    The issue science has is that the sun's rays are highly destructive to man-made materials and that leads to a gradual degradation of many systems developed to harness it.
    
    Plants don't suffer the same way because they constantly break down their light-capturing molecules and reassemble them from scratch, so the basic structures that capture the sun's energy are, in effect, always brand new.  Casual observers might see a leaf as a static photocell but it is recycling its proteins about every 45 minutes.
    
    Maybe we can do it too.   A group writing in Nature Chemistry say they have created a set of self-assembling molecules that can turn sunlight into electricity, in that the molecules can be repeatedly broken down and then reassembled quickly, just by adding or removing an additional solution. 
    
    What they discovered is that in the molecules used for photosynthesis in plants, the reactive form of oxygen produced by sunlight causes the proteins to fail in a very precise way. As Michael Strano, the Charles and Hilda Roddey Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT, describes it, the oxygen "unsnaps a tether that keeps the protein together," but the same proteins are quickly reassembled to restart the process.

    

    This action all takes place inside tiny capsules called chloroplasts that reside inside every plant cell — and which is where photosynthesis happens. The chloroplast is "an amazing machine," Strano says. "They are remarkable engines that consume carbon dioxide and use light to produce glucose," a chemical that provides energy for metabolism.
    
    To imitate that process, Strano and his team, supported by grants from the MIT Energy Initiative and the Department of Energy, produced synthetic molecules called phospholipids that form discs; these discs provide structural support for other molecules that actually respond to light, in structures called reaction centers, which release electrons when struck by particles of light. The discs, carrying the reaction centers, are in a solution where they attach themselves spontaneously to carbon nanotubes — wire-like hollow tubes of carbon atoms that are a few billionths of a meter thick yet stronger than steel and capable of conducting electricity a thousand times better than copper. The nanotubes hold the phospholipid discs in a uniform alignment so that the reaction centers can all be exposed to sunlight at once, and they also act as wires to collect and channel the flow of electrons knocked loose by the reactive molecules.
    
    The system Strano's team produced is made up of seven different compounds, including the carbon nanotubes, the phospholipids, and the proteins that make up the reaction centers, which under the right conditions spontaneously assemble themselves into a light-harvesting structure that produces an electric current. Strano says he believes this sets a record for the complexity of a self-assembling system. When a surfactant — similar in principle to the chemicals that BP has sprayed into the Gulf of Mexico to break apart oil — is added to the mix, the seven components all come apart and form a soupy solution. Then, when the researchers removed the surfactant by pushing the solution through a membrane, the compounds spontaneously assembled once again into a perfectly formed, rejuvenated photocell.
    
    "We're basically imitating tricks that nature has discovered over millions of years" — in particular, "reversibility, the ability to break apart and reassemble," Strano says. The team, which included postdoctoral researcher Moon-Ho Ham and graduate student Ardemis Boghossian, came up with the system based on a theoretical analysis, but then decided to build a prototype cell to test it out. They ran the cell through repeated cycles of assembly and disassembly over a 14-hour period, with no loss of efficiency.
    
    Strano says that in devising novel systems for generating electricity from light, researchers don't often study how the systems change over time. For conventional silicon-based photovoltaic cells, there is little degradation, but with many new systems being developed — either for lower cost, higher efficiency, flexibility or other improved characteristics — the degradation can be very significant. "Often people see, over 60 hours, the efficiency falling to 10 percent of what you initially saw," he says.
    
    The individual reactions of these new molecular structures in converting sunlight are about 40 percent efficient, or about double the efficiency of today's best commercial solar cells. Theoretically, the efficiency of the structures could be close to 100 percent, he says. But in the initial work, the concentration of the structures in the solution was low, so the overall efficiency of the device — the amount of electricity produced for a given surface area — was very low. They are working now to find ways to greatly increase the concentration.
    
    Citation: Moon-Ho Ham, Jong Hyun Choi, Ardemis A. Boghossian, Esther S. Jeng, Rachel A. Graff, Daniel A. Heller, Alice C. Chang, Aidas Mattis, Timothy H. Bayburt, Yelena V. Grinkova, Adam S. Zeiger, Krystyn J. Van Vliet, Erik K. Hobbie, Stephen G. Sligar, Colin A. Wraight&Michael S. Strano, 'Photoelectrochemical complexes for solar energy conversion that chemically and autonomously regenerate', Nature Chemistry (2010) doi:10.1038/nchem.822

    Source: http://www.science20.com/news_articles/scientists_mimic_chloroplasts_meaning_solar_cells_fix_themselves

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• Shopping Organic as Part of a Shopping Organic as Part of a Bigger Picture

  • From: SmartLifeways
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    A recent article on AOL discussed whether buying organic was really worthwhile. It also spoke of a back lash against organic as stories come out about companies being labeled organic that really are not, and also doubts if organic means healthier. I see shopping organic as an important aspect of living sustainably for what it provides on many levels, not just the likelihood that I am getting more nutrients in my food. Buying organic is an important choice in speaking out about what real, clean food is and how commercial agriculture, and the food coming from it, is creating more and more problems relating to health and the environment. In my opinion we should be calling for stricter labeling so that when we see organic or non-GMO we can rest assured that this is what we are really getting.

    When you shop locally at farmers markets you can ask your farmer what they use on their crops. Often family farms don’t use chemicals because they do not want to expose themselves, their family and their community to the toxic chemicals involved in conventional farming, and they are committed to providing the public chemical free produce. Often produce at a farmers market may not be labeled organic because of the red tape and added expense for certification but if you ask you may find that the produce is not sprayed, or rarely sprayed compared to conventional produce. Getting to know who is growing the food that you put in your body gives you the opportunity to make choices for your health, and the health of the environment.

    The debate should not be just about whether the food has a higher nutritional value, but what is in it as a result of chemical use. Just one example is the chemical herbicide atrazine, which is commonly used on corn and other crops. This herbicide has been banned in Switzerland, the home country of its maker Syngenta, and was banned in the EU in 2004 because of its persistent groundwater contamination. Both Germany and Italy banned its use in 1990 and their crops have not suffered, one of Syngenta’s arguments for its continued use. Here is a link to a report published by the Land Stewardship Projectabout Syngenta and atrazine if you would like to learn more, Section 4 -The Impact of Syngenta’s Atrazine on our Health and Environment, What the Syngenta Corporation Doesn’t Want You to Know about Atrazine may shock you.

    I recently was in Hawaii and driving by fields of corn on Kauai I saw that Syngenta’s presence was quite strong. I was so upset to learn about what was being grown on the island paradise. But back to the issue of chemicals. Over 76 million pounds of atrazine is used annually in the US and it is one of the most commonly detected pesticides in US ground water and also rainwater. Many scientists continue to warn about the health and environmental hazards of atrazine. This herbicide is a known “endocrine disruptor” which means that it changes the hormone activity in both humans and animals, and it has been linked to cancers, birth defects and low sperm levels in men (in fact in male frogs the herbicide actually turns testosterone into estrogen literally castrating them), yet it is allowed to be used in the US. You can read more about it here. Atrazine is only one of many herbicides commonly used, not to mention pesticides and fungicides also allowed in commercial agriculture. By choosing organic you not only don’t put these harmful chemicals in your body, but you also support farmers who don’t use them and support a cleaner environment and water supply.

    Another good reason to shop organic is to avoid genetically modified food. Since there is no requirement to label products that contain GMO’s, which I believe there should be, the only way to be sure that you are not eating them is to shop organic or products labeled non-GMO. The non-GMO Project is a great resource to learn more. There is a lot of controversy around food that has been genetically modified but one of the most popular reasons for modifying seeds is to produce a plant that is resistant to the application of chemicals used to kill pests whether they are insects or weeds, so what often happens is even more chemicals are used on GMO’s since they have been modified to withstand the onslaught of chemicals and of course these chemicals wind up in your mouth and in the environment.

    What is now happening is the chemical companies producing the herbicides and pesticides are creating the seeds that are used to grow our food. Plus many of these same companies also have connections to pharmaceutical companies, so once you get sick from the food they are producing they have the medicine to supposedly make you better…sort of a scary scenario in my opinion, especially since clean, natural food helps to keep us healthy in the first place. Herbicide resistant plants account for 80% of GE crops now being grown and the second most common crops that have been engineered produce their own pesticide. I don’t know about you but there is something creepy about eating something that has been genetically changed to produce a pesticide…that means that what I am eating has made its own pesticide. If this is all a bit alarming to you you will find a non-GMO shopping guide here. Buying organic or looking for a non-GMO label on the food that you buy is your best protection.

    Another good reason to shop organic is to support businesses that have made a commitment to either growing or producing organic products or using only organic in their prepared food. I recently have met a number of owners and employees from such companies and they really are committed to bringing us the best sustainably produced food available. Today there are so many types of companies from Strauss Dairy, Third Street Chai and Pacific Natural Foods that are creating truly sustainable businesses beyond just giving us organic products. I will be writing more about each of these companies in the future to share with you their stories about how they have created businesses that are part of a bigger picture of sustainability and prove that it is possible to create and maintain a profitable business that really cares. Supporting such companies sends a loud message to big-agriculture and the mega-food corporations that we don’t want food that has been tampered with, that harms eco-systems and our health.

    So if you hear or read that organic really isn’t any better than conventionally produced food remember there is more at issue here than just the vitamin and mineral content of food. The footprint that each bite we take (and I have not even mentioned the huge amount of petrochemicals used in conventional agriculture) leaves behind is also crucial to a sustainable future as well as our health. Keep the bigger picture in mind and you will know that shopping organic is beneficial for you, your family and the planet.

    Source: http://smartlifeways.com/shopping-organic-as-part-of-a-bigger-picture/

     

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• Are We Finally Taking More Ste Are We Finally Taking More Steps for Clean Energy?

  • From: SmartLifeways
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    By michelle victoriaPublished: April 30, 2010Posted in: Changing Habits, Sustainable EnergyTags: alternative energy, clean energy, getting greener, health, wind-power

    It was reported this week that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is approving the first offshore wind farm in America, the Cape Wind Project off the coast from Cape Cod. America is far behind both Europe and China in utilizing the energy potential from offshore wind plants and hopefully we are now getting on board this clean source of energy.

    Opponents argue that such wind farms can harm fish and birds, but are these opponents considering the constant threat to wildlife from offshore oil rigs? Right now in the Gulf of Mexico an estimated 42,000 gallons of oil are leaking daily after the explosion of the rig Deepwater Horizon that left 11 people missing and presumed dead. The oil slick has a circumference of about 600 miles and covers about 28,600 sq miles. As of Wednesday the slick was about 20 miles off the coast of Louisiana. If we want to talk about harming fish and birds this is really devastating and the long term effects will be significant even once it stops leaking. Now there is talk about setting it on fire to stop it from spreading, which will do additional harm to the environment, although it could wind up saving birds since the oil will burn up. It is time to take a realistic look at the constant danger that offshore oil rigs pose, realize that wind farms offer a much better alternative, and utilize the wind as an inexhaustible resource.

    In the world of energy development everything has a downside but some of the alternatives are so much less harmful than what we have been using for decades and it is time for a change. Interior Secretary Salazar said the project would create 1,000 construction jobs and produce the energy equivalent to that of a medium-sized coal-fired power plant. He said it would reduce carbon emissions by the equivalent of 175,000 cars. These are only some of the facts that make a wind farm a much more attractive alternative to coal and oil.

    One of the stumbling blocks I believe to more offshore wind development is the “not in my backyard” mentality that often plagues America. Much of the mining and refining of coal, and even the coal plants, are in less economically advantaged parts of the country and the people living in these areas have been subjected to the pollution created from the use of coal in providing much of America’s electricity. Unfortunately this scenario exists in many fields, the poor are paying the costs with their health, their environment, their traditional way of life and often their lives to give the rest of the country so-called cheap energy. But this is not cheap energy, it comes with a huge price tag for local residents and the clean up of polluted areas comes from tax dollars, not the profits of the companies-so in the end we all pay. Usually coastal areas are occupied by the more affluent who have been able to use their influence to stop this and other projects from being considered. Even the late Senator Kennedy opposed the Cape WInd project…the view from his home would have overlooked the project, could this have been the real reason for his opposition?

    It is time to recognize that we need to really move into the 21st century and take advantage of all of the great technology that already exists to provide for our needs in a more sustainable way. Let’s support clean energy and the movement away from fossil fuels, this is something that effects all of us. Let your representatives and the President know that you support offshore wind projects, solar and other green, alternative energy projects rather than increasing offshore oil production as recently proposed.

    source: http://smartlifeways.com/are-we-finally-taking-more-steps-for-clean-energy/

     

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• Ride Your Bike to Support Clim Ride Your Bike to Support Climate and Energy Solutions.

  • From: SmartLifeways
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    I have been seeing so many people on bikes in Los Angeles, ok, mainly down by the beach in Venice, Santa Monica and Marina del Rey but in other parts of town too. I am thrilled whenever I can take a bike to shop or go wherever I am headed, and here in LA I find it pretty easy and even more convenient at times. It sure saves on parking time.

    I just read about Climate Ride, which is a fund raising bike ride to support climate and energy solutions. There will be two rides, one in Northern California this September and then one in June from New York to Washington DC. Both sound like they will be beautiful rides.

    Each evening riders will be able to hear speakers so it will be a climate and energy conference on wheels, a fundraiser and an opportunity to show many communities, and hopefully beyond, the importance of looking for and utilizing new energy solutions that do not harm the environment, people and animals.

    The web site has lots of good information, including how to train for the ride. So if you ride or if this could motivate you to ride, check it out. I am tempted to bring SmartLifeways back east in June for the ride-maybe I will see you there.

     

    source: http://smartlifeways.com/ride-your-bike-to-support-climate-and-energy-solutions/

     

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• Farmers Market Inspired Eggpla Farmers Market Inspired Eggplant, Zucchini and Potato

  • From: SmartLifeways
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    Once again necessity sparked my creativity and luckily something delicious came out of it. I was getting ready to head back to Santa Fe and wanted to finish off what I had in the fridge….all bought at Saturday’s Playa Vista farmers market (This was my first time there and I really liked it. It’s small but you can get everything that you need from fish toChocovivo’s amazing chocolates, and of course beautiful produce) so there was no way it was going to wind up in the compost pile.

    Since it is eggplant season, here’s another idea to share with you

    This is what I used quantity wise and there was plenty for two for a big main course (with some leftovers) or as a side dish for 4-6. This could be served as a warm or cold salad, or as something on the side.

    1/2 of a good size classic purple eggplant. You could certainly use any kind and many farmers markets have a great variety right now so you could try some different varieties. Japanese or Chinese varieties will cook quicker.

    

    I cut the eggplant into cubes, but it could also be sliced.

    1 zucchini roughly sliced

    2 cooked (boiled) potatoes. I used two amazing red fingerlings from Weiser Family  Farms. They are so delicious-consider yourself fortunate if you are in the L.A. area and can get them. You can use your favorite variety of fingerlings or Yukons or just about any kind. I had boiled a few to have them ready to use for who knows what so they were ready to go. I just chopped them roughly.

    Small piece of leek-maybe two inches long (remember this was what was left in the fridge). You could use leek, shallot or any kind of onion.

    Fresh cilantro and fresh mint

    Dried spices: Whole Foods Pondicherry Curry Powder (not sure why but I really like this one), fennel seeds, turmeric, cayenne, cinnamon

    Shredded coconut-optional

    Saute onion in olive oil for a few minutes, add eggplant.

    On top of the eggplant I used the following seasonings:

    Salt

    Whole Foods Pondicherry Curry Powder- i used enough to lightly cover the eggplant

    Fennel seeds

    Tumeric

    Cayenne-beware and use to your flavor and heat bearing abilities

    Cinnamon

    Allow eggplant to cook for 10-15 minutes. toss often with tongs over medium heat. You may need to add a bit more oil.

    

    Time to add the zucchini when the eggplant is almost ready

    Once the eggplant is almost completely cooked add zucchini and toss every few minutes till the zucchini is almost cooked.

    Add the potato, the chopped herbs and coconut. Cover and allow to just sit on top of other vegies for a few minutes to warm and then toss well.

    This is also a great filling for making wraps, or putting inside of a pita and could be served warm or cold.

    It’s also tasty with a yogurt sauce made from plain yogurt, chopped cucumbers, salt, dill, and chopped garlic.

    You could also use other types of squash. Be creative when you are out shopping and maybe try something that you usually don’t buy. Every fruit and vegetable provides different nutrients, antioxidants and phytochemicals that we need to enjoy good health. And we get more of those essential elements when they are pesticide free & organic and really fresh like you find at a farmers market.

     

    source: http://smartlifeways.com/eggplant-zucchini-and-potato/

     

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• Drilling ban in Gulf of Mexico Drilling ban in Gulf of Mexico would cost 23,000 jobs

  • From: arboinks
  • Description:

     

    

    CAPTION

    By Chuck Cook, AP

     

    About 23,247 jobs would be lost during a six-month deepwater drilling ban in the Gulf of Mexico, according to a memo from the top U.S. drilling regulator.

    "There is no question that the imposition of a suspension on deep-water drilling activity will have a significant negative economic impact on direct and indirect employment in the oil and gas industry, as well as other secondary economic consequences," Michael Bromwich said in a July 10 memo to Interior Secretary Kenneth Salazar, Bloomberg News reports.

    Salazar issued a moratorium in June, but it was struck down by a federal judge in New Orleans. The Obama administration issued a new drilling ban on July 12 -- two days after the memo -- that stressed safety concerns.

    Bromwich also estimated that the ban would lead to a $10.2 billion reduction in industry spending in 2011, and a 4.4% drop in production next year, Bloomberg reports. The decline would cost state and federal governments roughly $170 million in royalties and $522 million in taxes in 2011, according toBloomberg.

    (Posted by Jessica Durando)

    Source: http://content.usatoday.com/

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• Green homes are the place to b Green homes are the place to be

  • From: yiehk21
  • Description:

     

    

    ECO-tastic: The Hamilton home, a new construction, is just one of many houses on the WNC Green Building... [More]

    At the time of the inaugural Southern Energy and Environment Expo, green technology was still a fledgling industry. Sustainable living was widely considered the stuff of hippies living on communes; hybrid cars were still viewed as concept-vehicles.

    Times have changed in the past decade, however. The S.E.E. Expo, billed as the South's largest and longest-running sustainable-technology and green-building event, returns this weekend, and interest is as strong (if not stronger) than ever.

    In the expo’s early days, the Hendersonville-based Environmental and Conservation Organization used to host the Clean Air Car Fair. "It was a nice way to allow people to sit in the cars and smell that new green-energy car smell," says David Weintraub, the ECO’s executive director. "In those days, there wasn't a Prius in every parking lot."

    Eventually, hybrid technology became a widely understood concept, the car fair folded into the expo as workshops and displays, and ECO's organizers decided that it was time to move on to other horizons. These days, ECO’s major goal is to see solar panels and recycled flooring become as ubiquitous as the Prius.

    They moved on from cars to homes, in short.

    "Green homes are a critical part of the picture," says Weintraub. "Looking in the paper every day at what's happened in the Gulf of Mexico, we can see what havoc cheap oil and dirty fossil fuels have wrought on our air and water."

    ECO hopes to instill the impression that having a green home is not necessarily out of reach for the ordinary consumer. That's why the organization is hosting the third annual Green Home Tour on Saturday, Aug. 21, in conjunction with the S.E.E. Expo. (To learn more about the expo, please refer to the event preview by Green Scene reporter Susan Andrew elsewhere in this issue.)

    The self-guided Green Home Tour features five local homes that feature solar and geothermal utilities, as well as green "finishes" (think recycled flooring, tiles and countertops). ECO will also host a workshop for ticket-buying tour participants on Saturday, offering hands-on practical experience for those interested in solar-outfitting their own home.

    Weintraub says that the workshop focuses on how solar power works, as well as its actual financial impact. People are often surprised, he says, just how little money it takes to go solar. "Costs to outfit a home with solar technology have gone down substantially over the years," says Weintraub. "There are now some great federal and state incentives for those who go solar and geothermal," he says.

    Adding even further to the value of going solar, says Weintraub, is the view that it’s “very much like having an insurance policy." As fossil fuels become harder to find, they'll surely become more expensive, he explains. Outfitting a home to run on renewable energy helps to protect its owners against the financial and energy shocks of the future.

    One of the stops on the tour, the Hamilton home, is outfitted with solar panels, giving people a chance to see what a newly built solar-powered house looks like. The Hamilton house, says Weintraub, is a good example of how a home can be green from concept to construction.

    In contrast, the Woodruff home is an updated older home, located in the heart of Asheville. "They say the greenest home of all is the home that's already there," says Weintraub. "The Woodruff home is an example of a brown home that's been turned green." The 60-year-old house has been newly renovated with solar panels, bamboo flooring and other green features.

    If a new construction or full remodel seems out of reach, Weintraub says that the Green Tour is fine for those who want to take baby steps down the path toward going green — or simply engage in a little harmless voyeurism. "This is a great opportunity to go to the homes and see firsthand what local home owners have done," he says. "These aren't mega-mansions, these aren't big major developers who are building these homes, for the most part. These are local folks who have turned their brown home green, or who have decided to build from the get-go using all-green features."

    Weintraub hopes that tour attendees will ask themselves what they can do to make their own homes greener. "Not everyone's going to have the funds to invest in solar or geothermal, but here are some good examples of how, slowly but surely, many of these homes… got to the point where they're truly green."
    For more information about the tour, go to http://www.eco-wnc.org. Tickets are $15 per person (or $13 for those carpooling with three or more people).

    Source : http://www.mountainx.com/garden/2010/081810green-homes-are-the-place-to-be

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• Mexico Unveils Gigantic Green Mexico Unveils Gigantic Green Roofed Volcano Soccer Stadium

  • From: yiehk21
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    Photo by Mexsport

    Designboom tells us that last week, the city of Guadalajara opened a new volcano-like soccer stadium that is veritably exploding with green features! Created for the popular Chivas team by French architects Jean-Marie Massaud and Daniel Pouzet, the eco-friendly stadium features a volcano-evoking exterior that captures rainwater and processes it through wetlands for use in watering the pitch. All lighting is energy efficient, and the parking garage features natural ventilation.

    

    In a way, it seems our ability to create buildings that blend in with their surroundings is the ultimate test of our willingness to accept that we are part of nature. And, in Mexico — as in Italy — blending in means looking volcanic.

    The stadium, which hosted its first match at the end of July, consists of a white membrane — intended to look like a cloud hovering atop the volcano — and grassy sloped sides. It seats 45,000 and tucks away 8,500 parking spaces under the hillside, which will be open as public parkland when there’s no match on. (As grass and trees grow in, it will be a little more appealing than it is now.)

    One can reach it by bus, and car ingress and egress is carefully designed to avoid congestion as much as one can in urban Mexico.

    
    Read more: Mexico Unveils Gigantic Green Roofed Volcano Soccer Stadium | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World
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• Polar Ice Cap Is Gone, Kids Ca Polar Ice Cap Is Gone, Kids Can’t Go Outside, Nebraska is a Desert? Poll Finds That Still Wouldn’t Convince Many Americans of G

  • From: ashleysoon
  • Description:

    

    KNOXVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new national poll of green consumers found that belief in global warming is declining, and even the worst nightmare scenarios would not change people’s minds or behaviors.

    “Many Americans aren’t trying to save the Earth when they buy a green cleaning product, they’re trying to save their children from dangerous chemicals.”

    The poll, one of four annual surveys conducted by Shelton Group, surveyed 1,098 Americans who at least occasionally buy green products and found only about half believe climate change is occurring and caused by human beings.

    Asked whether they agreed with the statement, “Global warming or climate change is occurring and it is primarily caused by human activity,” 52% of green consumers agreed, compared to 49% of U.S. consumers overall. That’s down significantly from a year ago when 58% of all U.S. consumers agreed.

    Respondents who disagreed, or were undecided, were then asked, "Which of the following scenarios would convince you that climate change is a real and immediate threat and cause you to make dramatic changes in your lifestyle? You wake up one morning and find out that…" followed by a list of nightmare scenarios. These included: The polar ice cap has completely melted, kids can no longer play outside in the summer and Nebraska is turning into a desert.

    The top two responses were: "None of these would convince me" at 27%; and "One or more of these would convince me but I would be unlikely to make changes" at 24%.

    “That means over half of those who are unconvinced about global warming are either unlikely to change their mind or unlikely to change their ways, no matter what happens,” said Suzanne Shelton, CEO of Shelton Group.

    A small number of current doubters would respond if:

    • The polar ice cap had completely melted - 15%
    • Kids should no longer go outside to play during the spring and summer due to consistently dangerous ozone/pollution levels - 15%
    • Shifting weather patterns/lack of rain was turning Nebraska into a desert -- 3%
    • There were only 20 polar bears estimated to be left living in the wild -- 2%
    • Residents of American Samoa were having to be relocated due to rising tides -- 0.6%

    “The good news is, Americans are still going green, whether they believe in global warming or not,” Shelton said.

    Last year, the annual survey found 77% of respondents were seeking green products and participating in at least some environmentally sustainable activities. This year, the survey found 84% of Americans are doing so.

    “For consumers, green isn’t about climate change – that’s too esoteric and impersonal – it’s about matters closer to home,” Shelton said. “Many Americans aren’t trying to save the Earth when they buy a green cleaning product, they’re trying to save their children from dangerous chemicals.”

    Among the survey’s other findings:

    • When asked if the recent West Virginia coal mine explosion and the Deep Water Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico have made them think more about the human and environmental costs of their energy consumption, 55% of green consumers agreed.
    • Yet despite the disasters, interest in owning or renting green or energy efficient homes has dampened. Last year, almost three-quarters of green consumers (72%) were interested in owning/renting an energy-efficient home. That number is down to 64%.
    • Interest in green homes also declined. Only 43% of green consumers said they were interested in owning/renting a green home, compared to 47% last year.
    • Asked what is the hardest thing to do to help save the environment, "Drive less" was chosen most often (16.1%), followed by "grow your own food" (15.5%) and “use public transportation if available in your area” (10.3%).

    About Shelton Group

    Shelton Group, founded in 1991 by Suzanne Shelton, is an advertising and research agency located in Knoxville, Tennessee, focused exclusively on motivating mainstream consumers to make sustainable choices. The agency conducts four proprietary consumer opinion studies annually – Eco Pulse, Energy Pulse®, Utility Pulse and Green Living Pulse.

    Learn more at www.sheltongroupinc.com

     

    August 05, 2010 09:02 AM Eastern Daylight Time 

    Original Source: http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100805005207&newsLang=en

    Photo: http://www.google.com.ph/imglanding?q=global%20warming%20myth&imgurl=http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/ATA/25581BP~Simpsons-Say-Global-Warming-Is-A-Myth-Posters.jpg&imgrefurl=http://picsdigger.com/keyword/global%2520warming%2520posters/&usg=__as-Lutr6BP2K0ajKei_4UT6rf2k=&h=284&w=400&sz=49&hl=en&itbs=1&tbnid=bWwlrWNEWoVwAM:&tbnh=88&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dglobal%2Bwarming%2Bmyth%26hl%3Den%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1&start=2#tbnid=bWwlrWNEWoVwAM&start=6

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• From Alaska to Argentina in an From Alaska to Argentina in an Electric Sports Car

  • From: yiehk21
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    Austin, Tex.--They get pulled over quite a bit.

    

    That's the word form Alex Schey, the project manager of Racing Green Endurance, a group that is driving an electric sports car called the SRZero 16,000 miles from Alaska to Argentina.

    "So far, we've been stopped by cops 15 times," he said. "They just want to take pictures."

    The group--which grew out of work conducted by Schey and others at Imperial College London--designed the car to help make consumers aware that electric cars can be both functional and stylish. Besides posting their own blog and conducting interviews, the drivers are being followed by a team filming a documentary that may air on BBC News in the future. When they finish in a few weeks, the group will then sit down, study the results and attempt to incubate a start-up, possibly around the battery management system or the battery pack designed for the car. We met up with them in Austin at NI Week, a conference sponsored by test and measurement giant National Instruments. (NI supplied hardware for the battery management system; Racing Green Endurance created the software.)

    "In the past, everyone had these perceived ideas that electric cars were boring and slow and had funny names," he said.

    The SRZero contains a 54 kilowatt hour lithium ion phosphate battery, which is more than double the size of the battery of the Nissan Leaf and a single kilowatt hour larger than the battery in the Tesla Roadster, and can drive 350 miles on a charge. They body of the car is a modified Radical SR8, one of the fastest gas-burning cars in the world.

    While it can go farther than the Tesla Roadster on a single charge, the maiden version of the SRZero going to Argentina doesn't accelerate like it, or even like a regular high-end sports car. It takes six to seven seconds to go from zero to 60 miles per hour. But that's because the group deliberately left out the gearbox. The motor right now connects to the wheels directly. When they finish the drive, a fixed gear gearbox will be added that will allow the car to go from zero to 60 in three seconds.

    "This smashes the Tesla in terms of range and it will smash the Tesla in acceleration," he joked.

    After Texas, the group will head to Mexico, Guatemala, the Central American chain, Colombia and other South American nations.

     Source : http://www.greentechmedia.com/

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• How You Can Make A Green Diffe How You Can Make A Green Difference For The World With A Garden

  • From: yiehk21
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    Shawna Coronado digging in the garden she built for the community in Warrenville, IL, a suburb of Chicago.

    A garden is more than a garden. This realization came in 2006 when I began removing grass from the shared easement property behind my fence on Batavia Road in Warrenville where I decided to plant a new garden. Since my back fence faces a very public street, bike route, and biking path, I thought I might cheer a few people up if I put a garden around the back entry gate. Little did I know that this garden installation would inspire a transformation in my life of such magnitude that it would touch people around the globe.

    When I contacted the City of Warrenville to ask if I could plant on city easement property, the individuals I spoke to had never heard the question before. They were surprised, but the answer was "yes," as long as I did not plant a tree or a large bush that the city would have to maintain.

    One day while removing the sod in the easement area, I was surprised when I looked up to see a little man standing in front of the garden staring at the progress. Without even a hello, he said, "Hey! You can't plant anything here!"

    

    A view of Shawna Coronado's garden from the shady side where a park bench and creative planters sit.

    Raising an eyebrow and putting my hands on my hips, I smiled and said, "Why not?"

    "Well, it's just crazy to do it -- 'cause no one has done it before and the city won't let ya! Besides, you can't see this from your house, so why build it?"

    With that statement, I realized why this exercise in sweat equity was really important to me, and replied, "This is not for me; it is for the community." Returning to my task, I put my back into it, and so began my journey.

    That first year, by the time I had finished planting the small area around my back gate, I began to experience something amazing. Neighbors I had never met before came out to speak with me whenever I was laboring in the garden. They smiled, hugged me, asked about my life and my family - complete strangers. Soon, the garden-behind-the-fence became a personal refuge of sorts. When I needed it, I knew I could always go behind-the-fence and get hugs and acceptance. Although I had been living a greener lifestyle and gardening for my health for years, the discovery of touching community was one of the most powerful things that ever happened to me. With the garden's community inspiration pushing me, I began writing a book.

    That winter, away from the garden, I struggled with my health. A stressful sales/marketing job had me gone before dawn and back after dark every day. When my boss asked me to work more hours, I walked off the job, fearing that if I stayed, it would kill me. That spring, I down-sized into a new career making far less money, began to expand the behind-the-fence garden, and continued writing the book.

    The public response to the garden was more than amazing. Sweet neighbors left me gifts and "love letters" telling me stories of their lives and thanking me. I fell in love with these people and became addicted to my behind-the-fence passion. I had little money, so asked every friend I knew if they could donate plants from their gardens to enable me to expand.

    

    Late summer view of the community garden - filled with native and drought tolerant perennial plants as well as vegetable plants to help feed the hungry.

    In the process of building this particular garden, I learned about proven studies which show that landscaping and beautifying your community reduces crime, increases health, and builds community. Without a doubt, this garden had turned into a "community garden" which gave joy to others and improved my neighborhood.

    By 2008, I had expanded the garden to over 200 feet and stretched it behind my next door neighbors' fence line. It was, for me, a herculean accomplishment; a triumph over all the naysayers. I knew all the dogs in the neighborhood personally, waved at every car that passed, met hundreds of people - who hugged me sloppily whenever we saw each other - and that year I also published my first book, Gardening Nude. My health had improved 100 percent, my outlook on life had changed, and I had never been happier.

    Writing a newspaper column on gardening and greening began several years before I ever envisioned this behind-the-fence community garden. Because of my garden, however, I was inspired to do amazing things I never ever imagined - which went far beyond a newspaper column. Right now I make a living by touring and keynote speaking on green living, and just returned from spending two weeks in Ireland where I spoke on how doing good for others by gardening can change a community for the positive.

    This year I also traveled to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico with a television crew to discuss the world's sustainable practices. My message is that green living is healthier, and that a garden is more than a garden; it is about improving health or building community or feeding the hungry - not simply about plants.

    My websites and blogs receive thousands of views every week, and I have followers in more than twenty countries. Currently, with over 12,000 followers on Twitter, over 1,800 followers on Facebook, and over 28,400 uploaded views on YouTube, my little Warrenville garden is being seen by the world in ways I never could have imagined just a few years ago.

    Because I built this garden for my community, I learned that it is possible for one person to make a difference both in an immediate community and globally.

    Reduce crime, feed the hungry, improve health, and build community: all possible for you to do in your neighborhood like I did. Get out today and build your own garden for your neighborhood. Put on your old shoes, start drafting a landscape plan and begin to make a difference for your neighbors and for your life today.

    Remember that building a garden for your community is not about the plants; it is about making a difference for the world.

    **This post was originally published in the Village Chronicles Newspaper, but is being published simultaneously on The Casual Gardener Blog and Gardening Nude blog to show readers how one person can and has made a difference. 

    • http://www.thecasualgardener.com,
    • The Green Blog - http://www.gardeningnude.com, or
    • The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

    Published in Green Family, Help Neighbors

    Source : http://www.chicagonow.com/

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• Obama says he still supports c Obama says he still supports climate legislation

  • From: yiehk21
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    Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

    President Barack Obama, flanked by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., left, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev., gestures during his bipartisan meeting in Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington on Tuesday.

    WASHINGTON — Despite setbacks on Capitol Hill, President Barack Obama said Tuesday he still supports the need for broad climate legislation and pledged to keep pushing for it. The White House expressed fresh hope the Senate and House might strike a deal on a sweeping energy plan this year.

    Lacking the votes they need in this election year, Senate Democrats have abandoned Obama's goal of a bill that would cap the greenhouse gases blamed for global warming. Instead, Democrats hope to pass a narrower measure that responds to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and takes steps to improve energy efficiency.

    "I want to emphasize it's only the first step," Obama said in the Rose Garden after a meeting with congressional leaders of both parties. "And I intend to keep pushing for broader reform, including climate legislation."

    White House spokesman Robert Gibbs later went further, disputing the notion that a climate bill is dead for the year. He suggested that such a comprehensive bill could be negotiated between House and Senate members once, as the White House hopes, the Senate approves a scaled-back energy bill in the coming days.

    Such a bill would then have to be approved by both chambers.

    The House voted 219-212 last year for a "cap and trade" plan featuring economic incentives to reduce carbon emissions from power plants, vehicles and other sources. It remains unclear how Democrats could muster the votes in the Senate to get even a version of that bill approved.

    Republicans slammed the House bill as a "national energy tax" and jobs killer, arguing that the costs would be passed on to consumers in the form of higher electricity bills and fuel costs that would lead manufacturers to take their factories overseas.

    Read More : http://www.msnbc.msn.com/

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• As Climate Change Legislation As Climate Change Legislation Retreats, Are “Green Jobs” to Blame?

  • From: dyepoy05
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    One would think that the inauguration of a President who appeared serious about tackling climate change, a military presence in the Middle East, and a disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico would get Congress to pass some sort of climate legislation passed.  Well, now the blame game has begun, as senators and representatives scramble to save their jobs, Congress points at Obama, his Administration blames Congress, and everyone from the business lobby to environmental groups start pointing at others before they get pointed to.

    Much of the argument in favor of a climate change bill was that it would spark the growth of “green jobs,” which many folks in polls seem to support. The problem is that no one is really year on what a “green job” is.  Eighteen months ago, Obama pledged that his policies, if enacted, could create 5 million jobs over 20 years.  Now many are upset with him for not articulating what that meant, punting to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Congressional leadership to figure out instead.  But was a focus on green jobs flawed in the first place?

    Part of the problem is that unemployment is stubbornly hovering around 10 percent. The evidence suggesting that an ambitious green job plan at any level would have an effect on an unemployment rate that only took a temporary dip because of US Census jobs, which have since dried up.  Some would argue that green jobs would not make any difference as far as dealing with unemployment goes because by creating a job, say, in the clean energy sector, you are taking away a job in the traditional fuel  sector.  Others would retort that is nonsense because many clean energy technologies are labor intensive, while churning out fossil fuels like petroleum relies on batch processing that does not require as much labor.

    One issue during the debate was that those who opposed the bill were able to harp on its costs and the uncertainty that would result over passing such legislation.  The climate bill’s proponents were often caught flatfooted, too.  For example, why is it that we did not hear about the argument that the petroleum industry probably received about $12 billion in subsidies at the last count, or about $72 billion in subsidies for much of the past decade?  Or why did they not parade business leaders who would make a solid economic case for the legislation—after all, many firms and utilities have already built the cost of their carbon into their long range strategic planning?

    Michael Levi, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, argued that the green jobs argument and the banter that accompanied with it just did not resonate with citizens.  During an economic downturn, few want to hear about net job creation: people want new jobs if they are unemployed, but if they are employed, they just want to save the jobs they already hold. A net increase in jobs does not comfort workers if that means many will be lost and those workers have to start over.  The debate over climate policy also morphed into jobs policy, so the traditional left-right jobs discussion skewed the debate even further.

    Green jobs sound great.  Green jobs are wanted.  But the economic uncertainty and anger that comes with it just overwhelmed the climate bill—in the end, American voters say they want change, but they abhor uncertainty, and unfortunately, the climate bill’s supporters allowed the opposing point of view to frame the debate.  Lobbing jobs into public policy, energy, the environment, taxation, and fiscal policy turned into too messy of a hornets’ nest, and elected officials in turn swarmed away from the bill, stung.

    
    Source: http://www.triplepundit.com/2010/07/as-climate-change-legislation-retreats-are-green-jobs-to-blame/#ixzz0uwAUeCaZ

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• Mexican Scientists Design a Cu Mexican Scientists Design a Customized Solar Air Conditioner for Their Country

  • From: dyepoy05
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    Scientists at Mexico’s Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico have developed a solar powered air conditioner that is appropriate for their country’s hot and humid climate.
    
    Wilifredo Rivera, who is the head of the University’s Center for Energy Investigation, told Mexican news source Milenio.com that while other countries like Germany and Japan have developed solar air conditioning systems based on their countries needs, he and his colleagues have now designed a machine specifically intended for the climate of Mexico—and as a bonus, it’s easy to maintain. It has only a few moving parts and Rivera says that “the only thing that’s necessary is to keep the set of panels clean to best capture solar radiation.”
    
    These kinds of innovations are crucial for helping foster a green economy worldwide. In addition to sucking up dollars, air conditioners have a considerable environmental impact that really blows (Sorry, it was just too hard to resist). According to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, “energy consumption for home air conditioning accounts for almost 5% of all the electricity produced in the U.S. for all purposes at a cost to homeowners of over $15 billion. This translates to roughly 140 million tons of carbon dioxide.” Rivera’s machine will help eliminate this impact for Mexico by not using any electricity at all.
    
    The air conditioning system has two major components, an array of solar panels and a cooling system (pictured with Rivera). While most traditional air conditioners use mechanical compressors, this machine instead produces cold air by using an absorber and generator in a process known as “absorption.” If you are interested in the details, a diagram showing how absorption air conditioners work can be seen by clicking here. If you aren’t ready for something so advanced, you can learn how a regular air conditioner works in this short 1.5 minute video.
    
    Rivera admits that the system he helped make is still not yet available at a convenient size, but he thinks it can be adapted. He also says that the system would be more cost efficient than others for Mexicans, especially since Mexico is so well-endowed with sunlight—and he’s right. Mexico has the potential to be one of the top solar producers in the world. Mexico is also already a leading producer of geothermal energy and even began exporting 75 megawatts worth to California last year. In other words, full-scale development of solar and other renewable forms of energy will be a huge boost for Mexico’s economy and its people.
    
    This probably will not be the last time we will hear about Rivera and the Center for Energy Investigation. In addition to having their clean energy research results published in numerous journals, their creativity has stretched beyond air conditioning. For example, several years ago they created a solar-powered  ice machine that could produce around 22 pounds of ice per day. It was designed so that it could be made with easy to find materials, and according to one of Rivera’s research partners “could be constructed by a small business in one to two days.”

    Source: http://greenopolis.com/goblog/levi-novey/mexican-scientists-design-customized-solar-air-conditioner-their-country

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• Fragile Day Song by Wilderland Fragile Day Song by Wilderland Benefits Gulf BP Oil Spill Cleanup Efforts

  • From: yiehk21
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    The Song Fragile Day by Wilderland is going to benefit the Gulf BP oil spill cleanup efforts.

     

    The unimaginable Gulf Oil Spill has left us all with an intense combination of emotions, from sadness to anger to helplessness. How could this happen? And now that the leak has been stopped, what can we do as individuals to help fix this environmental disaster?

    

    A group of music industry veterans answers the call by coming together to release a new song called “Fragile Day” by musical duo Wilderland. The song is available for sale at iTunes ($1.98 per download) and 100% of the proceeds will benefit three important charities that are making a difference to help clean up the damage to the environment and wildlife: The Gulf Restoration Network, EarthShare and The WILD Foundation.

    Heralding from the mountains of Ashland, Oregon, Wilderland features singer-songwriters Scott Blum and Kat Sanchez. A veteran from the music industry, Blum (multimedia producer for Peter Gabriel, Soundgarden and many others) balances the exquisite vocal styling’s of Sanchez who had been a member of a wide range of local bands most of her life.

    After writing several original songs, the musicians began collaborating with renowned underground DJ and multi-instrumentalist Rara Avis (Desert Dwellers, Shaman’s Dream) to realize their musical vision. It was during these studio sessions that the Gulf Oil Spill tragedy happened which deeply affected all involved in the project. Ironically, the song “Fragile Day” was being worked on at that very moment, and when explaining the song’s lyrics to Avis, Blum realized that a powerful coincidence was afoot.

    The song includes the lyric “Fish are dimming while they’re swimming / Blackened ocean of foam” which, although written nearly two years prior, was about fish dying because of an oil spill. Credit is given to Blum’s wife Madisyn Taylor who suggested that “Fragile Day” be released immediately with all proceeds benefiting the habitat affected by the oil spill.

    “I was struck by the synchronicity of working on this song at the same time as millions of gallons of oil were gushing into the Gulf of Mexico,” songwriter Blum explains, who is also a bestselling author and co-founder of the popular spiritual website DailyOM. “I had no choice but to present the track as an offering to help the efforts of those that are leading the charge in the cleanup of this tragedy. I was also humbled by the generosity of the dozens of music professionals, artists, authors and media companies that have all come together to help make a difference by making this effort successful.”

    Also touched by the environmental tragedy, music industry superstars Toby Wright (Grammy award winning producer of Alice in Chains, Korn, 3 Doors Down, etc.) and Stephen Marcussen (mastering engineer for the Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, Seal, Cher, Paul McCartney, etc.) both contributed their expertise to this worthwhile project. Fine art photographer Roy DiTosti provided the image entitled “Blue Eggs Nest” which was used for the album cover.

    Wilderland is currently in the studio wrapping up their first album which is planned for release in 2011.

    Source: http://twilightearth.com

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• 10 ways vegetarianism can help 10 ways vegetarianism can help save the planet

  • From: yiehk21
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    If we really want to reduce the human impact on the environment, the simplest and cheapest thing anyone can do is to eat less meat. Behind most of the joints of beef or chicken on our plates is a phenomenally wasteful, land- and energy-hungry system of farming that devastates forests, pollutes oceans, rivers, seas and air, depends on oil and coal, and is significantly responsible for climate change. The way we breed animals is now recognised by the UN, scientists, economists and politicians as giving rise to many interlinked human and ecological problems, but with 1 billion people already not having enough to eat and 3 billion more mouths to feed within 50 years, the urgency to rethink our relationship with animals is extreme.

    1 Overheating the planet

    We humans eat about 230m tonnes of animals a year, twice as much as we did 30 years ago. We mostly breed four species – chickens, cows, sheep and pigs – all of which need vast amounts of food and water, emit methane and other greenhouse gases and produce mountains of physical waste.

    But how much stress does our meat-eating put on ecological systems? The answer is a lot but the figures are imprecise and disputed. In 2006, the UN calculated that the combined climate change emissions of animals bred for their meat were about 18% of the global total – more than cars, planes and all other forms of transport put together.

    The authors of the report, called Livestock's Long Shadow, did not just count the methane from the belching, farting cattle, but the gases released from the manures that they produce, the oil burned taking their carcasses to markets often thousands of miles away, the electricity needed to keep the meat cool, the gas used to cook it, the energy needed to plough and harvest the fields that grow the crops that the animals eat, even pumping the water that the cattle need.

    The figure was revised upward in 2009 by two World Bank scientists to more than 51%, but attempts to fully account for meat-eating are condemned as simplistic. Should the studies have been based on giant US factory farms, or on more sustainable breeding in Europe? Should you include all the knock-on emissions from clearing forests? What about the fertiliser used to grow the crops to feed to the animals, or the emissions from the steel needed to build the boats that transport the cattle; or the "default" emissions – the greenhouse gases that would be released by substitute activities to grow food if we were to give up meat? And is it fair to count animals used for multiple purposes, as they mostly are in developing countries, from providing draught power to shoe leather or transport, and which only become meat once they reach the end of their economic lives?

    It's an accounting nightmare but depending on how it's done, livestock's contribution to climate change can be calculated as low as 5-10% of global emissions or as high as 50%. Last year, a Food Climate Research Network report concluded that UK meat and dairy consumption was responsible for 8% of the country's total greenhouse gas emissions. But however it's counted, livestock farming ranks as one of the three greatest sources of climate changing emissions and one of the largest contributors to environmental degradation.

    2 Eating up land

    A human population expected to grow by 3 billion, a shift in developing countries to eating more meat, and global consumption on track to double in 40 years point to the mother of all food crises down the road. How much food we grow is not just limited by the amount of available land but meat-eaters need far more space than vegetarians. A Bangladeshi family living off rice, beans, vegetables and fruit may live on an acre of land or less, while the average American, who consumes around 270 pounds of meat a year, needs 20 times that.

    Nearly 30% of the available ice-free surface area of the planet is now used by livestock, or for growing food for those animals. One billion people go hungry every day, but livestock now consumes the majority of the world's crops. A Cornell University study in 1997 found that around 13m hectares of land in the US were used to grow vegetables, rice, fruit, potatoes and beans, but 302m were used for livestock. The problem is that farm animals are inefficient converters of food to flesh. Broiler chickens are the best, needing around 3.4kg to produce 1kg of flesh, but pigs need 8.4kg for that kilo.

    Other academics have calculated that if the grain fed to animals in western countries were consumed directly by people instead of animals, we could feed at least twice as many people – and possibly far more – as we do now.

    To make matters worse, our hunger to eat animals has led to overstocking of fragile lands and massive soil erosion and desertification. Overgrazing, from the downlands of southern England to the uplands of Ethiopia and mountains of Nepal, causes great loss of fertility, as well as flooding.

    But the figures must be treated with caution. Animal manures can revitalise the soil and millions of animals live on marginal land that is quite unsuitable for crops.

    But before we leap to conclusions and lump all livestock rearing together, consider this: in western countries animals are bred and reared to put on as much meat as possible in the shortest time after which they are slaughtered. But in poorer regions, cattle – especially in dry areas – are central to human life and culture and often the only source of food and income for many millions of pastoralists. The ceaseless movement of these nomadic herders over vast areas is the backbone of many African economies and, a major new study from the International Institute for Environment and Development suggests, a far more ecologically efficient method of farming than the way cattle are reared in Australia or the US.

    3 Drinking too much water

    Eat a steak or a chicken and you are effectively consuming the water that the animal has needed to live and grow. Vegetarian author John Robbins calculates it takes 60, 108, 168, and 229 pounds of water to produce one pound of potatoes, wheat, maize and rice respectively. But a pound of beef needs around 9,000 litres – or more than 20,000lbs of water. Equally, it takes nearly 1,000 litres of water to produce one litre of milk. A broiler chicken, by contrast, is far more efficient, producing the same amount of meat as a cow on just 1,500 litres.

    Pigs are some of the thirstiest animals. An average-sized north American pig farm with 80,000 pigs needs nearly 75m gallons of fresh water a year. A large one, which might have one million or more pigs, may need as much as a city.

    Farming, which uses 70% of water available to humans, is already in direct competition for water with cities. But as demand for meat increases, so there will be less available for both crops and drinking. Rich but water-stressed countries such as Saudi Arabia, Libya, the Gulf states and South Africa say it makes sense to grow food in poorer countries to conserve their water resources, and are now buying or leasing millions of hectares of Ethiopia and elsewhere to provide their food. Every cow fattened in Gambella state in southern Ethiopia and exported to Abu Dhabi or Britain is taking the pressure off water supplies back home but increasing it elsewhere.

    4 Causing deforestation

    Global agribusiness has for 30 years turned to tropical rainforests – not for their timber but for the land that can be used to graze cattle or grow palm oil and soya. Millions of hectares of trees have been felled to provide burgers for the US and more recently animal feed for farms for Europe, China and Japan.

    In its latest food report What's Feeding Our Food? Friends of the Earth estimates that around 6m hectares of forest land a year – an area equivalent to Latvia or twice the size of Belgium – and a similar acreage of peat and wetlands elsewhere, is converted to farmland a year. Of that, it says, most goes to livestock or to grow the crops to feed the cattle.

    As soya becomes the world's major crop for chicken feed, so the industry is driving cattle ranching deeper into the forests.

    5 Poisoning the earth

    Industrial-scale agriculture now dominates the western livestock and poultry industries, and a single farm can now generate as much waste as a city. A cow excretes around 40kg of manure for every kilogram of edible beef it puts on and when you have many thousands crowded into a small area the effect can be dramatic. Their manure and urine is funnelled into massive waste lagoons sometimes holding as many as 40m gallons. These cesspools often break, leak or overflow, polluting underground water supplies and rivers with nitrogen, phosphorus and nitrates.

    Tens of thousands of miles of rivers in the US, Europe and Asia are polluted each year. A single spill of millions of gallons of waste from a North Carolina pig factory lagoon in 1995 killed about 10 million fish and forced the closure of 364,000 acres of coastal wetlands to shellfishing.

    The sheer quantity of animals now being raised for humans to eat now threatens the earth's biodiversity. More than one third of the world's 825 "ecoregions" identified by conservation group WWF are said to be threatened by livestock and giant US group Conservation International reckons that 23 out of 40-odd global "biodiversity hotspots" – the places considered most valuable for life – are now seriously affected by livestock production.

    6 Spoiling the oceans

    The present oil pollution disaster in the Gulf of Mexico is not the only problem that the region faces. Most summers between 13,000-20,000 sq km of sea at the mouth of the Mississippi become a "dead zone", caused when vast quantities of excess nutrients from animal waste, factory farms, sewage, nitrogen compounds and fertiliser are swept down the mighty river. This causes algal blooms which take up all the oxygen in the water to the point where little can live.

    Nearly 400 dead zones ranging in size from one to over 70,000sq km have now been identified, from the Scandinavian fjords to the South China Sea. Animal farming is not the only culprit, but it is one of the worst.

    7 Ruining the air

    Anyone who has lived close to a large factory farm knows the smells can be extreme. Aside from greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide, cows and pigs produce many other polluting gases. Global figures are unavailable but in the US, livestock and animal feed crops are responsible for 37% of pesticide use, more than half of all the antibiotics manufactured and a third of the nitrogen and phosphorous in fresh water. Nearly two thirds of the manmade ammonia – a major contributor to acid rain – is also generated by livestock. In addition, concentrated factory farming of animals contributes to ozone pollution.

    8 Making us prone to disease

    Animal waste contains many pathogens including salmonella, E coli, cryptosporidium, and fecal coliform, which can transfer to humans through water run-off or manure or touch. In addition, millions of pounds of antibiotics is added to animal feed a year to speed the growth of cattle. But this contributes to the rise of resistant bacteria, and so makes it harder to treat human illnesses.

    9 Draining the world's oil

    The western animal farming economy is based on oil, which is why there were food riots in 23 countries when the oil price peaked in 2008. Every link in the chain of events that brings meat to the table demands electricity, from the production of the fertiliser put on the land to grow the animal feed, to pumping the water they need from the rivers or deep underground, to the fuel needed to transport the meat in giant refrigerated ships and the supermarket shelves. According to some studies, as much as one-third of all fossil fuels produced in the United States now go towards animal agriculture.

    10 Meat's costly, in many ways

    Polls suggest that 5-6% of the population eats no meat at all, with many millions of others consciously reducing the amount of meat they eat or only eating it occasionally. This is backed by new government figures which show that last year we ate 5% less meat by weight than in 2005.

    But the quantities are still staggering: according to the Vegetarian Society, the average British carnivore eats over 11,000 animals in a lifetime: 1 goose, 1 rabbit, 4 cattle, 18 pigs, 23 sheep and lambs, 28 ducks, 39 turkeys, 1,158 chickens, 3,593 shellfish and 6,182 fish.

    For this, say the vegetarians, the meat eaters get increased chances of obesity, cancers, heart diseases and other illnesses as well as a hole in the pocket. A meat diet is generally considered twice as expensive as a vegetarian one.

    Source : http://www.guardian.co.uk/

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• Air Conditioning System That W Air Conditioning System That Works With Solar Energy

  • From: ashleysoon
  • Description:

    Researchers from the Aragon School of Higher Studies (FES) developed a prototype solar air conditioning would help to combat environmental pollution by carbon dioxide, to reduce electricity use and that in a first phase would be installed in houses in the state of New Leon, to regulate temperature in buildings.

    The project coordinator, David Franco Martinez, explained that for every kilowatt-hour generated is consumed between 500 and 600 grams of CO2 into the atmosphere. “The conventional air conditioning systems consume three kilowatt-hour and 1500 grams of CO2 emitted.”With our system would be reduced by two thirds the carbon dioxide emissions.”

    Franco Martinez explained that such developments exist in other countries, however, Mexico does not occur, there is only water heater technology and research in cooling by solar energy, but not for air conditioning operating with solar energy.

    He added that such research should not be in textbooks and laboratories, must be implemented so that Mexico has its own technology and not dependent on nations that have been identified that the future of a people is to invest in science and technology.

    He said that another advantage of this research project is to train human resources capable of producing high-tech and friendly environment, which is already being developed in other countries. It is therefore important that technology is carried out in institutions of higher education are training scientists.

    DEVELOPMENT

    Franco Martinez, explained that the Solar Air Conditioning is a hybrid device that uses electricity, but most of the energy consumption will come from the sun’s rays, reducing the consumption of fossil fuel energy. This device would be used in states like Nuevo Leon, where the temperature reaches 40 degrees Celsius and could be implemented both in large buildings such as homes, taking advantage of the large solar energy collection that Mexico is due to its geographical position.
    “The absorption cooling scheme consists of a generator, a condenser, an evaporator-charge of preparing the site-an absorber and a heat exchanger. The procedure allows to circulate cold water through a coil inside the evaporator and through an air circulating fan, resulting in cooling the atmosphere, “he said.

    BENEFITS

    For every kilowatt-hours consumed are emitted between 500 and 600 grams of CO2 into the atmosphere. “The conventional air conditioning systems consume three kilowatt-hour produced 1500 grams of CO2.

    With this hybrid system, he says, will be reduced to two-thirds that amount: one kilo less than C02, and if you multiply by a hundred thousand dwellings are a hundred thousand kilograms of particulate matter into the environment.

    In addition to its environmental benefits, he adds, would lower costs in the electricity consumption for families or shopping centers using the appliance.

    He added that the initial cost may be 30 thousand dollars, which might sound a bit expensive, however, the advantage of this project is that it has a lifespan of 20 years, while the conventional is 10 years.

    Original Source: http://www.gstriatum.com/solarenergy/2010/07/air-conditioning-system-that-works-with-solar-energy/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+solarposer-energy+%28Solar+Power%29

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• Test laboratory for solar tech Test laboratory for solar technology in New Mexico

  • From: yiehk21
  • Description:

     

    

    As part of a joint venture with the VDE Institute and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Group, Fraunhofer has joined in laying the cornerstone for a new international test laboratory for photovoltaic modules. A city in one of the sunniest states in the US, Albuquerque, New Mexico, was selected to serve as the site of the new facility.

    Every second, the earth’s surface receives roughly as much energy from the sun as it would take to satisfy the energy needs of all of humankind for half a day. If researchers could succeed in harnessing this enormous potential effectively and at a reasonable cost, our energy problems would be solved. To this end, the many facets of solar energy need to be addressed. “The photovoltaics sector is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world,” remarks Prof. Hans-Jörg Bullinger, President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. “A standardized approach to quality assurance is becoming increasingly important. For this reason, we are working with testing and certification organizations such as the VDE Institute to offer a common set of services for manufacturers and installation companies. We are also networking internationally with key players in the field.” This is also how the cooperation between Fraunhofer, VDE and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Group came about. The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft partners participating in the joint venture in the US are the Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems CSE located in Cambridge, MA and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg, Germany.

    The goal is to make international testing and certification services available under one roof for photovoltaic module manufacturers in North America. As competition in the field mounts, the pressure on manufacturers to provide quality and transparent documentation for worldwide markets increases. By providing a single test that satisfies all required standards, the joint venture assists manufacturers in making a smooth entry into the global marketplace. This cuts costs to businesses while helping them speed up the introduction of their products to the market. It also eliminates the need to perform time-consuming multiple tests and certifications for each country individually. The planned test center will be equipped with the latest technology and will be kept up-to-date with the state of research in the field. This will ensure, for example, that modules based on modern thin-layer technologies or concentrator systems can be tested.
    Named the CFV Solar Test Laboratory, the new testing center will complement the activities already under way at Fraunhofer and VDE in the areas of photovoltaic testing and certification. In addition to the well-established certified testing carried out at the Fraunhofer Institute in Freiburg, cooperative testing services are offered for the Southeast Asian market at the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS). This ensures a constant level of quality for modules produced for markets in North America, Europe and Asia.

    The choice of location for the new testing center in North America was certainly well thought-out. Albuquerque, New Mexico, offers several benefits at the same time: for one, the greater Albuquerque area is already home to a large number of photovoltaic and high-tech firms. The test laboratory will also benefit from its proximity to the University of New Mexico and Sandia National Lab. The latter, a major national laboratory run by the United States government, has been working for many years to improve the reliability of photovoltaic systems and to develop testing standards for photovoltaics. And not least, the wealth of sunlight the area enjoys is also ideal for endurance testing of PV modules.
    The test center is scheduled to be commissioned in early 2011. It will be located on the grounds of the Mesa del Sol development area. The State of New Mexico, Bernalillo County and the City of Albuquerque are all sponsoring the activities as part of a local business-development program.

    http://www.fraunhofer.de/en/press/research-news/2010/06/test-laboratory-solar-technology-new-mexico.jsp

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• UN 'won't deliver' on climate UN 'won't deliver' on climate change

  • From: yiehk21
  • Description:

     

    

    THE urgent need to act on climate change means the world's major economies cannot wait for a global agreement to be struck through the UN and should now consider other options, prominent economist and Reserve Bank board member Warwick McKibbin says.

    In a paper released by the Lowy Institute yesterday, Professor McKibbin says in the wake of last year's failed Copenhagen summit the world's biggest emitting countries should agree to adopt similar carbon prices that rise over time.

    An emissions trading scheme, carbon tax or direct regulation - which would create a shadow carbon price - could be used at the national level to establish the ''standardised'' carbon price.

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    The Lowy paper, written with former Australian climate change negotiator Greg Picker and lawyer Fergus Green, recommends the Major Economies Forum, not the UN, be the body to negotiate a carbon price agreement because its 17 member countries are responsible for 80 per cent of the world's carbon emissions.

    The agreement could be then be included in any global climate change deal negotiated later through the UN.

    Observers fear UN negotiations have stalled after the last year's tumultuous Copenhagen summit where countries bickered over targets and verification.

    The Copenhagen summit also failed to adopt a hastily drawn up agreement known as the Copenhagen Accord.

    It is also unlikely the 193 member countries of the UN's climate change framework convention, any one of which can veto a deal, will adopt a comprehensive agreement at its next major meeting in Mexico this November.

    ''The sheer urgency of weaning the world off carbon means we also sorely need a framework for international climate policy that provokes immediate, progressive responses from governments, businesses and citizens, while fostering the trust and cooperation among countries that will be essential for a sufficient and fair long-term mitigation effort,'' the Lowy report says.

    ''This framework must be built from the bottom up - outside, but in parallel with, the ongoing UN process.''

    Much of the Lowy paper's proposal is similar to climate change policies devised and advocated by Professor McKibbin for a number of years.

    But he yesterday told The Age that he had been approached by Dr Picker and Mr Green to work up a new report which considered the political and institutional issues of how to implement them.

    A spokeswoman for Climate Change Minister Penny Wong yesterday rejected the Lowy paper's proposal, instead reiterating Australia's commitment to the Copenhagen Accord. ''Our efforts are best focused on implementing the pledges already made through the Copenhagen Accord, rather than spending valuable time re-negotiating the whole global framework for tackling climate change,'' she said.

    Firms targeted over emissions

    A WORLD-FIRST shareholder activist fund that will target Australia's 200 largest companies to reduce their carbon emissions will be launched today. The Climate Advocacy Fund, managed by Australian Ethical Investment, will buy shares in the companies so it can move shareholder motions and ask questions at annual meetings to increase corporate efforts to lessen business impacts on climate change. It was hoped to raise $100 million for the fund in the first year.

    Source : http://www.theage.com.au

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• The Delta Bulrush and the Gulf The Delta Bulrush and the Gulf Oil Spill

  • From: whitefeather
  • Description:

    Academy botanist Dr. Alfred Ernest Schuyler is proposing that a common plant could prove useful in cleaning up after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

    The delta bulrush, Schoenoplectus deltarum, is abundant along the outer edges of delta marshes in Louisiana. Together with other wetlands plants, the delta bulrush helps protect the coast from storm damage, removes some of the silt and pollution coming down the Missippippi River, and provides vital habitat for birds, fish, and shellfish.

    Although valuable in these respects, Dr. Schuyler believes this plant may also help in clean-up efforts for the current oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

    Research on close relatives of the delta bulrush revealed that these plants are both tolerant of pollution and help in its removal. “Bulrushes are environmental workhorses, effectively used in sewage lagoons to purify water,” Dr. Schuyler explains. “Air cavities in the stems transport oxygen to underwater portions of the plants, making the oxygen available to microbes capable of decomposing pollutants in the sewage.” Bulrushes can also help underwater microbes detoxify oil.

    In addition, these plants may be critical in the recovery of impacted wetlands. “Bulrushes are also more tolerant of oil than many other marsh plants. This suggests that the delta bulrush will persist regardless of the oil and continue to stabilize the marshes in the delta.”

    The ability of the delta bulrush itself to both tolerate oil and help in its detoxification deserves future study, but in the meantime, this plant should be treated as a useful ally against the spill. Dr. Schuyler recommends harvesting oil-coated plants to just below the oil line. “This will protect waterfowl from the oil and also will allow regrowth from their basal portions,” adding that the bulrush seeds can be removed from the harvested plants and put back into the mud.

    Check out some of the recent press coverage on Dr. Schuyler and the delta bulrush.

    Original Source: http://www.ansp.org/about/delta-bulrush.php

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