Archive for May, 2010
A cleaning environment is one where the pollution of the past is remediated and cleaned with time to remove existing historic risk to the environment and public health. A cleaning environment implies a return of the natural endemic local ecology, and is an ideal to strive for.
We need to create a cleaning environment if our marvels of science and technology are going to be matched, and not outweighed, by many current tragedies, including human starvation in some parts of the world and extinction of other life forms. Global warming is taking place and is an increase in the Earth\’s average temperature. This, in turn, causes climate changes. Global warming also could cause droughts and disrupt agriculture.
A cleaning environment means not despoiling the remaining parts of the world which are still undeveloped. Globally, indigenous people inhabit areas with some of the highest remaining biodiversity on the planet and are actively being engaged as partners in biodiversity conservation. Issues of sustainable development, resource management and ecological restoration all include native stakeholders. Global harmony is possible, yet confrontations take place more often than meaningful dialogues for peace. Our science and technology has done much good, but if we are not careful its unimagined polluting effects will be matched, if not outweighed, by the many, including depletion of resources which is destroying the possibility for people to bring up children in a clean environment.
In some parts of the world extinction of other life-forms is growing apace. It is ironic that exploration of outer space will now only take place at the same time the earth\’s own oceans, seas, and freshwater areas while they grow increasingly polluted and their life-forms are still largely unknown and where known are probably misunderstood.
However, it is not impossible to return to a green and clean environment. Obama will soon take over the Presidency and clearly intends to take very positive action. .The world became weary that would ever Bush rein in the polluters and close the so-called grandfather loophole as the air in Texas becomes ever smoggier. Never forget though that Bush may have had his arm twisted, but he did concede that humans are causing climate change. It may have taken many a sleepless night in Bali, but his representatives did agree to draw up a post-Kyoto treaty by 2009.
In the US the general public are beginning to take on-board their profligate use of energy. Just look at recent statistics in the US for big car sales. SUV sales are down by 50%, car sales are down 50%, but small, fuel efficient cars, hybrid cars, diesel cars are up 40%.
So here we can start to shift our thinking. The US may soon start to take her place among the nations seeking a clean, or if not clean, then cleaning environment
Greenhouse emissions do not poison people, or lakes or woods, in the direct or obvious way that noxious chemicals do. But at least in the medium term, they clearly alter the earth in ways that harm the welfare of all and the poor more than the affluent.
One relatively clean energy technology cited as a possible stop-gap while renewable energy sources can be fully developed is nuclear power. It is the rich industrialized countries like France, Sweden, Japan (and many others) who are the biggest users of nuclear energy. Although new nuclear technologies reduce the problem of nuclear waste-management, and make it much more manageable, many in the west prefer to force oil-based energy use in oil-poor countries like India.
A method of cleaning technology is carbon sequestering of CO2. Carbon sequestering is obtained by chemically binding the CO2 in a material that will not dissolve in water or release CO2 with time. This eliminates the need to sequester pure CO2. IF the power generators sequester their CO2 they won’t need to buy carbon credits. Carbon credits have been called the modern day Papal indulgences for rich people. We don\’t accept hypocrisy from our preachers, they say, so I don\’t give eco-preachers an easy ride on this hypocrisy. Carbon credit administration is so bureaucratic and expensive that it is hard to justify perpetuating, on that basis alone, but in reality it will not bring us the cleaning environment we need and seek.
We talked about Nuclear energy as a part of cleaning the environment. Is it really so bad? It brings economic benefits from new jobs created to run new plants. It is like adding $500 million a year to the economy for each new plant brought on line. Nuclear currently accounts for about 20% of electricity generation in the UK. When all nuclear plants except Sizewell B in Suffolk are closed by 2020, the nuclear contribution will fall to some 4%. Many say that to burn coal would mean replacing this capacity would be a backward move and far from moving to a cleaning environment be the opposite.
Science doesn\’t reveal the best course of human actions. It gives us information that is factored into decision making. Now the decision making needs to be that of guiding the scientists away from any technologies that are not sustainable and do not promote a cleaning environment.
Charity health-care program gets cash infusion
A local medical society’s charity care program has found a way to keep operating at least through the fall. Originally, officials at the Indianapolis Medical Society, which runs Project Health, feared they would have to discontinue the program this summer.
Read more on The Indianapolis Star
Forestry Field Studies: A Manual for Science Teachers
Product Description
Why forestry field studies? As experienced teachers of scientific ecology and forestry concepts, we believe that a forest or woodlot can provide teachers and their students with the perfect laboratory for understanding some of the basic principles of environmental science and community ecology. These studies were designed and used for many years as a unit in an advanced placement environmental science course. They also could be used as a lab in a biology, botany, fo… More >>
Forestry Field Studies: A Manual for Science Teachers
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Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Raw Blue Agave, 44 Ounce Bottle
Product Description
Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Blue Agave is a natural sweetener extracted from the core of the Blue Agave plant. Organic Raw Blue Agave Nectar is perfect for everyone, including raw-food enthusiasts!. This amber nectar has a distinct and delicious flavor that genuinely enhances foods’ natural sweetness. It is certified Organic and GMO-Free, and appropriate for vegan and plant-based diets. It is stable, non-crystallizing and quick dissolving…. More >>
Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Raw Blue Agave, 44 Ounce Bottle
- Can irrigate up to 30 containers
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Deluxe Drip Irrigation Kit for Container Gardening
Product Description
The Deluxe Drip Irrigation Kit for Container Gardening represents the latest advances in micro irrigation technology. You will find all the parts you need to irrigate up to 30 individual containers in a single zone. You can easily add onto this kit if needed. This kit comes complete with everything you need to hook up to any standard water faucet or hose end. The tubing can be cut with simple scissors or utility knife.
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1 Hose Thread Backflow preventer… More >>
Deluxe Drip Irrigation Kit for Container Gardening
World Bank to help Chinese livestock farms improve waste management
The World Bank Board of Executive Directors today approved a new loan of $80 million for the People’s Republic of China for the Henan Ecological Livestock Project. The Henan Ecological Livestock Project will help some 600 medium-size livestock farms in Henan Province to adopt environmental health management practices, consequently benefiting 5,000-10,000 farmer households through sustainable …
Read more on People’s Daily
AMG talks about the production plan for the SLS, the FIA gets a new pace car — the AMG SLS, Michael Shumacher gets moved to a new position within Ferrari and his new 3 year contract, Bob Lutz leaks some more news on another Camaro, and How ‘Bout A Deal with Bob Subin Jr.Hosted by Derek DeAngelis. Fast Lane Daily is your daily source for the latest car news, car reviews and exclusive coverage of automotive events. www.FastLaneDaily.com For More car reviews, check out our other channel www.youtube.com Facebook: www.facebook.com Twitter: www.twitter.com
Sunflower seed are widely regarded as one of nature’s most potent all-in-one sources for a variety of nutrients that the body needs and is used for a wide range of health purposes with heart disease and strengthening the immune system topping the list. Is sunflower seed oil any different?
The answer is, thankfully, no! Sunflower oil retains many of the health benefits of sunflower seeds despite the pressing needed to withdraw the oil from the kernel. Sunflower oil is extremely healthy and is perfect for kitchen use due to its clean (neutral) taste (as opposed to olive oils, which has an over empowering taste that does not sit well with all dishes) and high smoke point.
There are generally two types of sunflower oil – those with a high percentage of linoleic acid and those with a high percentage oleic acid. These differ in the amount of unsaturated fats that they contain. According to the Sunflower Society, linoleic has 11% saturated fats (the bad trans fats) whereas the premium high oleic sunflower oil has just 9%.
Linoleic sunflower oil is the natural oil and the most seen/used by the end user today. However, high oleic sunflower oil is becoming more popular due to the fact that the patent for this oil has recently expired and more farmers are starting to produce this variety. It has the advantage of a higher level of monounsaturated fats which have a more pronounced impact on lowering cholesterol than its polyunsaturated cousin.
However, high oleic is still at a premium due to the fact that polyunsaturated oils are prone to oxidation during commercial usage – most notably frying. This puts most of the crop out of reach for end users, though it is available to those willing to pay a premium for the health benefits.
The majority of sunflower oil is refined industrially and warm-pressed. Cold pressing sunflower oil is becoming more prominent and is labeled “Extra Virgin”, the same as the label for premium olive oil. Cold pressed sunflower oil is considered to have a better taste than that of the refined variant, while also keeping more of its nutrients and having a higher level of monounsaturated fats.
Sunflower oil, as well as being extremely healthy, is also versatile. It is commonly used in cosmetic formulations due to its high Vitamin E level and emollient (moisturizing) properties. Most oils benefit the skin by retaining moisture, but sunflower oil is special in that it can also leave a protective layer on the skin that resists infection.
New research has shown that pre-term infants, who are more susceptible to skin disease due to under development of the skin, can benefit from the use of sunflower oil – applied directly.
The third use is as a biofuel. Though not widely used until recently, high oil prices and President Bush’s announcement to have 9% of American cars running on biofuels have spurred research into using sunflower oil as an alternative to other oils.
Biodiesel can generally be made from any vegetable oil, though it is wise to refine it and de-wax it beforehand. The problem with using sunflower oil as a biodiesel alternative is that it is priced at a premium relative to soybean and canola oils due to the demand from the food processing industry. This makes it somewhat prohibitive to be considered on a larger scale.
However, the interest that industry has shown is due to sunflower seeds producing a much higher yield of oil per acre of planted crop than the soybean and thus making it more economical, though there are still various manufacturing challenges, although this is less difficult than the price barrier.
Looking at everything that sunflower seeds are being used for and the applications still to arise from current research inspires wonder and awe – from such an unlikely source, such wealth. Imagine that it was not given any attention when taken from the America’s to the Old World. It just shows that first impressions aren’t always right – particularly in the plant kingdom.
Copyright (c) 2008 Charles Carter
Organic farming is a broad concept with extreme application. It is well appreciated on a large scale by the people as now with the help of it they can easily grow their own food. If you have a little bit of free time with you then you need not to face any kind of problem. You can prepare and serve good quality delicious food by doing organic farming at your home.
It is not true that organic farming is practiced at a small scale only. By having a trip of farming sector you can easily understand how much vast this sector actually is. This is not the case some time before. Few years back it was not a highly thriving and demanding sector but now the case has totally changed. It is now not limited to a small scale industry as day by day more corporate sectors are taking interest in this field. Large corporate farming is taking keen interest in the concept of organic farming. Continuous research is going on to find out the way by which huge fields of a single crop can be grown. No one can deny the fact that in the process of organic farming, pests are believed to be the major threat. Due to harmful impact on the biodiversity unnatural pesticides are not much preferred to use.
If you are going for the natural pesticides for controlling the pests then it is certainly an eco friendly approach but believed to be much expensive in contrast to unnatural ones. Some time before, due to expensive nature they were not much preferred in the process of organic farming. After the entrance of large scale industries with huge budget this can be achieved now very easily. Natural pesticides can be a good option when it is about the large scale organic farming but if you are going for it at your home or at a small scale in a separate piece of land then it is advisable to look for any other good option. This is because like other kinds of farming organic farming also requires the process of sowing, cultivating and harvesting. If you do not have proper arrangement of water for the purpose of irrigation then you require depending largely on the rain water. If you are concluding the process of organic farming at your home then irrigation is not a big issue but even at a small scale proper arrangement of water is very essential. If you do not have a huge budget with you then it can be a difficult work for you. You require investing a good amount on purchase of seeds, irrigation, fertilizers, harvesting, etc.
There is much debate till now on the use of unnatural pesticides in the process of organic farming. Several environmentalists and consumer protection organization have claimed that the use of unnatural pesticides not only damage the environment but also have an adverse impact on the quality of food. For killing the insects and pests these pesticides are used but they are not considered helpful after sometime. It is so because these insects as well as the pests easily get adapted to the effects of the chemicals involved in them and so these pesticides looses their worth. Sooner or later it damages the health of the final consumer who without knowing consumes a large amount of lethal chemicals and synthesized materials along with the natural food. Thus it is injurious for the health of the human being as well.
Thus there are several ways by which you can have your favorite vegetables as well as fruits and that too with the help of inorganic as well as organic farming. As there are several pros as well as cons of both it is up to you to decide the one that is best for you. You can make use of organic farming to turn your dreams into reality and the best part is it is already benefiting millions of people so you are not at all required to worry for it as well.
