How We Slept Through the Climate Alarm
Until the end of the 20th Century, most scientists thought they understood the nature of our climate system. As the very foundation of their science, geologists cherished the "uniformitarian principle" that held that the fundamental forces that molded the Earth's features and climate were gradual, natural, stable processes that did not vary over time scales less than tens of thousands of years. This idea became central to their training through a century of debate over natural catastrophes such as the biblical account of Noah's flood. The concept of catastrophic climate change became 'tainted by association' with creationist zealots seeking scientific backing for fundamentalist interpretations of...
Renewable Energy Overview
As political and economic aspects of fossil fuels grow more harrowing, renewable energy is gaining popularity. Here's an overview of renewable energy. Renewable Energy Overview Renewable energy is more difficult to define than you might imagine. Since it is a catchall phrase for a variety of energy sources, any definition has to be broad. With this in mind, let's define renewable energy as any energy source that naturally occurs and is very abundant. Ironically, almost all renewable energy sources rely on nuclear power. Fortunately, the nuclear power is in the form of the sun at the heart of our solar system. One giant nuclear reaction, the sun produces solar radiation and sunlight that is converted...
Poor Indoor Air Quality
As you may know the air inside your home is several times more dirty than the outside air. But what many people don't know is what causes this poor indoor air quality. This problem can be caused by several factors: 1. Dust can build on many surfaces and attracts dust mites. No matter where you live you will have some accumulation of dust, however the more rural places tend to have considerably more dust than populated places. Dust mites feed off the dust and multiply according to the amount of dust that is present, these are nasty little insects that can cause allergic reactions if not taken care of properly. 2. Mold is another problem that affects the air quality of your home. If mold is let build...
While we often think of energy efficiency as the way to save our environment, we also often consider it a costly endeavor. Did you realize, however, that your homes energy bill might be reduced by up to 30 percent through energy-efficiency that includes the purchase or energy efficient appliances and other products? In other words, you can save yourself money while you do your part to save the planet. Every time you buy a new air conditioning unit, a new washer or dryer, a new refrigerator, microwave, or piece of office equipment, you are affecting the environment, either positively or negatively depending on your choices. Smart choices of products designed for energy efficiency help the air we all...
Global Warming Facts
The term global warming means what it says. Global warming is where the overall temperature of the entire planet, or globe, rises. This rising temperature, even it if is only about one or two degrees, can cause dramatic changes in the planet's climate. This major climate changes can be so severe that entire species can become extinct due to their inability to cope with the changes to their climates. Why does this concern people? It should concern people because it is human activity that is causing the rapid rise in the overall average temperature of the planet. What makes the situation worse is that many people laugh it all and say it is a myth. Here are four facts about global warming that might...
The global scenario has undergone a drastic change in the recent times as the economies are striving to attain high economic growth rates by strengthening their resource base and securing energy supplies. It is apparent that a situation like this could breed resource wars amongst the countries. The Asian region has specially witnessed the increased competition for imports with the increasing reliance on energy resources. Natural gas is rapidly growing as the primary energy source all over the world and in Asia. The Asian countries are increasingly relying on the Middle East as the major supplier of energy. India, being the world's sixth largest energy consumer is endeavouring to establish itself as...
Many of us want to be responsible citizens of the Earth. We think about the effects our lifestyles have on the environment. We are concerned about global warming. We want to ensure our children's future on this planet is one that still has clean air to breathe, an abundance of trees and wildlife, and clean water to drink. However, many of us also think that the sacrifices might be too great to "go green" in our own office. Good news. It's not as difficult as you think. There are 3 areas where you can make a significant impact without significant expense or inconvenience: paper, lights, and electronics. The average American office worker throws out about 150 pounds of paper per year. Paper...
Feng Shui is typically thought of as the rearrangement of furniture and objects in one's space in order to create positive changes. And this is correct, but there is more to this ancient practice than just moving your couch. In Feng Shui, color plays an important role as well to help increase the energy in your living or working environment, allowing things to come more easily to you and allowing your life to become peaceful, balanced, and serene. And using colors is one of the easiest ways to utilize Feng Shui without spending a lot of money or time in the process. There are two main Feng Shui color categories that will concern you: yin and yang colors. In general, yin colors are associated with...
They are intended to change our behaviour and the way that we live, to make us less wasteful and conserve scarce resources for generations to come. We are consuming the planets resources at an unsustainable rate and this article will look at 3 of the proposed taxes to see if it will change anything. Green Tax No 1. To try and persuade us to drive less, the government has increased petrol prices by 1.5 pence per litre. Not much you might say, but it makes our petrol even more expensive and we already pay one of the highest rates in Europe. It will now cost you up to 50 pence more when you go to the petrol station to fill your tank up, will this make you drive less? I think not, therefore is this a...
Global Warming Events
Global warming is a phenomenon that is way beyond and over the level of awareness of the man on the street, but whose impact is felt by him wherever he is.in every nook around the world, in our very residences, in every geographical location in fact. Everyone is starting to feel its impact in our daily lives. Already there are indications of the sad plight of the earth's climate in some areas of the US that are blessed with very good climate. There is ample evidence of the effects of a changing climate in California, for example. Records show that in the half century that passed, temperatures in winter and spring have been warmer. There has also been a recorded drop in the level of spring snow in...
It used to be that your choices in paint were confined to the color and the question of latex vs. oil. However, our increasing knowledge of our impact on our environment is changing the face of home painting. The paint that we have taken for granted is bubbling over with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which are potential carcinogens. The fumes emitted by these substances can last for years after the paint was applied. It is estimated that the air within a house is three times as polluted as the air outside the house. Today, there is a big movement afoot to produce paints that impact our lives and health a lot less. In fact, we have been returning to the compounds that people historically used to...
We hear so much about energy efficiency nowadays. Energy efficiency is about saving our environment and saving our money. How we got about practicing energy efficiency isnt always as clear, though. Here, there, are the most frequently asked questions about energy efficiency, and their answers. The question most often asked is if buying products such as appliances that are specifically designed for energy efficiency cost more than others? The answer is yes and no. While their initial purchase price is usually higher their energy efficiency reduces the bill to use them, which, over time, generally saves money. Energy efficient products often perform better than their less efficient competition, which...
How the E.U Plans to Combat Global Warming
Climate change and global warming - indeed, how to control them - are becoming more central to politics with every new development. Sustainable energy is the method of our times, and government's across the globe are under pressure - from each other, from environmental groups, and from individuals - to implement genuine and successful 'green' policy. The E.U is one of the biggest political organisations in the world. It comprises 27 member states and under its banner are close to 500 million people. The GDP that the E.U generates accounts for roughly 30% of the world. In terms of the world's environment, then, it is a chief player. What is the European Union doing to combat global warming and...
Global Warming - Does Global Warming Lead To A...
Global Warming is one of the things people search a lot for on the Internet. People often search for articles with questions like does global warming lead to a high death rate and whilst there is information around a lot of it will not be useful if you do not word your search well. It is also important to remember that the Internet is full of websites written with agenda and that the information on some websites may not be factual or correct, this is especially important in the case of websites about Global Warming. Climate change can affect everything and it could eventually affect the death rate of our population if things do continue to get worse over the next few years. Climate change will...
How Solar Panels Work
You may be aware of solar panels and how they are able to provide a free, renewable energy, electricity or heating source right on your doorstep, yet you may not be entirely sure of how the actual technology works. We shall now cover the basics of what a solar panel needs to work and how the electricity is generated through the photovoltaic cells. The principle of a solar panel is that it collects solar radiation (from the sun) and converts this solar energy into electricity, the more powerful the sunlight, the greater output (in watts) you will receive (up to the solar cells maximum capacity.) Solar panels are positioned to face the direction of the sun, this allows photons (contained in the suns...
Salty Water In...fresh Water Out
In many poor, third world countries, even having the resources to obtain electricity presents a problem. Due to the lack of logistics, as well as the finances even if all of the logistics were in place, alternate methods are necessary in orderto have the basics that those in more financially fortunate areas of the world have. A recent development at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands is a basic windmill that operates a pump, in turn utilizing reverse osmosis to output fresh water from the salty seawater that is put in. Reverse osmosis is a process used to purify concentrated solutions (often water with high levels of dissolved salts) in which pressure is applied to the...
The Carbon Footprint
Over recent years, society has been exposed to the idea of the carbon footprint. The carbon footprint is a measure of carbon dioxide emissions from an individual, family, or business over a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly time frame. People who lead very busy lifestyles tend to have a greater carbon footprint due to the transport and power consumption they require. With global warming predicted to rise over the next century, some people are attempting to offset their carbon footprint in a bid to lead more environmentally friendly lifestyles. Some of the methods involved with reducing a carbon footprint are explained below. Some famous and/or wealthy people decide to commission large plantations of...
Radiation is not something that is found only in science laboratories both in fictional films and in real life. Although there is a lot of press coverage when it comes to facilities which experiment with radiation and create radiation as a by-product of energy production, radiation itself is more a part of our lives in general than we may suspect. In fact, we are exposed to one form of radiation every day, the ultra violet radiation caused by the sun. In addition, people are frequently subjected to radiation when they go for X rays at the dentist, doctor, or orthodontist. And of course, there are those of us who work in areas where radiation is a regular part of the day. The problem with radiation...
The Earth and Venus are near each other in the Solar System, and are similar in size, density, and composition. Based on our understanding of the origin of the Solar System, we would expect that their initial atmospheres would have been rather similar. Yet the present atmospheres of the two planets could hardly be much more different than they are. How did this come to be? The reason is thought to lie in what is termed the "Runaway Greenhouse Effect". Sunlight falling on the surface of a planet is primarily in the visible part of the spectrum. However, the reflection of light from the surface tends to produce light of longer wavelength called infrared (IR) radiation (also known as radiant heat; IR...
Energy Blowing in the Wind
Wind power has long been a source of renewable energy, as evidenced by the many windmills of centuries past. The flow of air is used to run wind turbines, some of which can produce up to 5 megawatts of power. The most common wind turbines for renewable energy used commercially produce between 1.5 and 3 megawatts. The renewable energy that a wind turbine gives off is derived by the cube of the speed of the wind. As the speed of the wind increases the power that the turbine puts out increases almost exponentially. In places where wind is strong and nearly continual such as at high altitudes and offshore are the best places to locate wind farms. Wind is the fastest growing source of power through any...
Some people enjoy taking matters into their own hands and instead of paying for a wind generator, they prefer to create a project of their own and build one. Building a wind generator from nothing is actually not as difficult as one may think. In order to build a simple model of a wind turbine, you will need to go to a shop with basic power and hand tools, and have some degree of dedication. Large wind generators of 2000 Watts and up are a major project needing very strong construction so prepare yourself in advance for the time and effort if that's what you want to do. But the smaller ones in the 700 to 1000 Watt, 8 to 11 foot range can be built with not too much difficulty. In fact, it is highly...
Global Warming is a buzzword right now. The experts finally agree: it is happening. But, what does that really mean, and how will it affect our lives? A Closer Look At Global Warming. Global Warming is just what its name implies: a warming of the earth's atmosphere. But, it's more than warmer weather. The earth's climate regulates everything worldwide: the oceans, the storms, the temperatures, the rain forests, even the deserts. Right now the earth's climate is rising unnaturally, thanks to the over-consumption of oil, gas and coal. The pollution made from burning these fossil fuels has left incredibly large amounts of carbon dioxide trapped in the earth's atmosphere. This build-up of "'house gasses...
The EPA states that the cause of indoor air pollution stems from combustion pollutants such as gas, oil, coal, wood, tobacco products, building materials, furnishings, insulation that contains asbestos, cleaning or personal use products, damp carpet and lead-based paint. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency health effects from indoor air pollutants may be experienced soon after exposure or, possibly, years later. Immediate effects may show up after a single exposure or repeated exposures. These include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Such immediate effects are usually short-term and treatable...
Global Warming- the Global Meltdown
Global warming is one of the most serious challenges facing us today. To protect the health and economic well-being of current and future generations, we must reduce our emissions of heat-trapping gases by using the technology, know-how, and practical solutions already at our disposal. Earth has warmed by about 1ºF over the past 100 years & many of the world's leading climate scientists think that things people do are helping to make the Earth warmer. Global warming refers to an average increase in the Earth's temperature, which in turn causes changes in climate. A warmer Earth may lead to changes in rainfall patterns, a rise in sea level, and a wide range of impacts on plants, wildlife, and...
Grameen Shakti and the Solar Revolution
Grameen Shakti is a renewable energy resources company based out of Bangladesh. They are a part of the Grameen family of companies, which has been working for decades to alleviate the burdens of poverty in developing countries. The Grameen Bank, one of their founding companies, has become world-renowned for their charitable work and for helping to establish groundbreaking programs focused on the needs of people. In recent years, the Grameen Bank has financed and supported a number of projects aimed at removing social and financial barriers and creating opportunities for those less fortunate. Grameen Telecom is one such example. The central aim of this company is to provide collateral-free loans...
Environmental Impact and Health Effects of Cadmium
Cadmium is a lustrous, silvery-white, ductile, very malleable metal. Its surface has a bluish tinge and the metal is soft enough to be cut with a knife, but it tarnishes in air. It is soluble in acids but not in alkalis. It is similar in many respects to zinc but it forms more complex compounds. About three-fourths of cadmium is used in Ni-Cd batteries, most of the remaining one-fourth is used mainly for pigments, coatings and plating, and as stabilizers for plastics. Cadmium has been used particularly to electroplate steel where a film of cadmium only 0.05 mm thick will provide complete protection against the sea. Cadmium has the ability to absorb neutrons, so it is used as a barrier to control...
Please feel free to use this article as long as credit is given to the resource box. © Arthur Levine 2007 Words 900 Keywords: Global Warming, New Index Fund, Guru, Crisis, Solution Johnny Oops was pacing up and down on the raised bandstand floor at a new sports arena in the Meadowlands, New Jersey waiting for the crowd to settle down so that he could start his speech, or should we call it a con? My friends, converts, and members of my flock, we are facing a man made crisis of unequaled proportions. If this keeps up we will be farming rice paddies and cranberry bogs in the swamplands of New Jersey, which will shortly cover more than half the current landmass of the state. New York will be growing...
The world's reliance on oil is staggering, and it seems that new predictions for when we will run out of petroleum are popping up every day. World governments are moving to start drilling in new places, in a desperate attempt to secure more black gold. Oil is used for a variety of products, including fuel, which is the number one commodity that people associate oil with. If we are to survive as a species, it is integral that we embrace the number of alternative fuels that are sitting before us. Even if one alone is not enough to wean us off oil, it is surely possible that together, we can replace oil once and for all, at least in terms of fuel. There are innumerable benefits to embracing alternative...
The Consumer Comes Out The Winner With Stream...
Many states have recently deregulated their energy markets. What this means is that utilities like electricity and gas are no longer provided by a single company. Consumers are free to choose which company they would like to have provide their utilities. Depending on the individual consumer's current rates, electricity usage, and agreement with the supplier, a great deal of money could be saved. Estimates range between five and fifteen percent a year. That might not sound like much, but consider that industrial electricity customers typically consume more than a megawatt of power and have utility bills over two hundred thousand dollars annually. While your home or business might not use that much...
China has 1.3 billion people living within its borders and an economy growing at over 10% per year. For energy consumption to keep pace with economic growth China will have to harness every fuel source available including renewable energy and nuclear power. There is not enough gas and oil in the world to satisfy China, not with it's neighbour India with 1 billion people also having a huge demand for the same resources. An increase in the rise in personal car ownership alone could mean an extra billion cars on the road worldwide within the next 10 years. The majority of these will be in China and India. While the West is considered developed and is growing slowly, the Chinese economy is still growing...
The Earth is being heated by the Sun every day. Almost 174,000 Terawatts of energy hits the Earth. One Terawatt is equal to one million megawatts! So the Sun is heating the Earth with 174 billion megawatts of energy! Of this, about 30% is reflected back due to the white reflectivity of the Earth which is known in science as the albedo effect. So the net energy absorbed by the Earth is 122 Terawatts. If so much energy is being absorbed by the Earth, it should continue to heat up and its temperature must continue to rise constantly. Within days the temp should surpass the maximum that any life could bear. All life would die and the trees whither and char. But this does not happen. The Earth has its...
Global warming. Should we heed the harbingers...
Experts tell us we are releasing unacceptable levels of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. If we continue at this rate, by 2070, the polar ice caps will completely melt causing sea levels to rise and all those idyllic islands and a large amount of the continents will be under water. The rainforests will wither away from drought or fires and destructive waves, floods and droughts will be commonplace. Al Gore thinks that if change is not in place within the next 10 years, then it becomes irreversible. We need the harbingers of doom. They stop us from destroying this planet. They are responsible for the improvement of the ozone layer. They warned us of the dangers of ozone layer depletion and unless...
Carbon Offsets: Off or On Target?
As global warming finally seeps into the public consciousness, carbon offsets are fast becoming the next hot new thing (no pun intended). People love them because they let you buy your way out of your carbon impacts. Write a check and erase your guilt. And I've always been a little troubled by this and by the whole idea of carbon offsets themselves. For one thing, you can't always trust all the offset providers that are suddenly popping up all over the place. Some are likely to be scams. Others offer no real measurements of the carbon they prevent. Others are just taking your money for projects that would have happened anyway. There need to be some standards on both sides of the equation, i.e. how...
Turn Off Your Computer and TV To Save Money
The amount of electronic appliances we have in a house has risen considerably for the last ten years. At one time we usually only had just a TV-set and stereo. Now, we have also one or two computers, a DVD player, DVR and who knows what else. This situation, of course, impacts our energy bills a lot more than one would think. While all those appliances taken separately use very little electricity, the situation looks quite differently if we sum up all the energy they use collectively. Here are some quick and easy to implement tips you can use right now that can and will save you some money on your next electric bill. 1) Turn your PC on only if you need to work on it. Switch it off once you're done...
How Global Warming Could Cause An Ice Age?
An Ice Age brought on by global warming was the scenario depicted in the movie THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW. While the science on which the movie based has been called into question, there may be some merit in the theory that global warming could cause an Ice Age. Why is Europe's climate comparitively milder than other places at the same latitude? Alaska and Greenland, both the same distance to the North Pole as Europe, are covered with ice and permafrost while most of Europe is not. The ocean currents called the Gulf Stream bring warm waters up to Europe from the Caribbean. This water brings warmth to the countries in its path. Cooler water from Europe feeds back into the loop and causes the water...
Go Green or Go Home
Local, city, county, state and the federal governments should be first to "go green." Politicians should not be elected to public office unless they agree to convert every government building and vehicle to renewable energy. There are at least three reasons why this should be so. When all levels of government are taken into account, they control 40% of the economy. With that kind of economic incentive anyone who wants to sell to the government will hasten to meet the demands of its largest single buyer. Government will no longer have to pass laws to enforce cafe standards for instance. Rather the Government will simply tell auto companies, we want to replace our fleet of vehicles but will not...
Global Warming is not Melting Polar Ice Caps
The Earth is being heated by the Sun every day. Almost 174,000 Terawatts of energy hits the Earth. One Terawatt is equal to one million megawatts! So the Sun is heating the Earth with 174 billion megawatts of energy! Of this, about 30% is reflected back due to the white reflectivity of the Earth which is known in science as the albedo effect. So the net energy absorbed by the Earth is 122 Terawatts. If so much energy is being absorbed by the Earth, it should continue to heat up and its temperature must continue to rise constantly. Within days the temp should surpass the maximum that any life could bear. All life would die and the trees whither and char. But this does not happen. The Earth has its...
Biofuels: A-Z of Global Warming
Copyright (c) 2008 Simon Rosser This second article from The A-Z of Global Warming deals with biofuels, which will undoubtedly be a phrase that will be heard a lot more often in the future, but what are they?, where do they come from?, and what is their significance in relation to global warming? Biofuels can be described as any fuel that is derived from biomass ie living organisms or their metabolic by-products. For example, crops such as corn and dung from living animals Although there is still somewhat of a scientific debate going on over the advantages of biofuels, it is thought that the main advantage over fossil fuels (coal,oil and gas), is that the burning of biofuels to release energy does...
With the growing uncertainty in the electricity and natural gas prices, and increased awareness of energy conservation, many facilities managers of UK companies are exploring every option to reduce their costs and decrease their impact on the environment. Until very recently, when it came to energy usage, the primary concern of facilities managers was to solely concentrate on securing the lowest rates for their electricity and gas. But now they are finding growing pressure from upper management to lower costs via conservation and to be more "green" with their decisions. "In the past everyone just wanted to know who had the cheapest tariffs," explained Rebecca Smith, Director at Direct Power...
After 2025 - What Will Happen When Most Ice...
Within the next twenty years almost all of the current ice structure will have melted, however, at present this does not concern most of the world's population. While it is true that we can live without these ice masses, ecologically this is not sound. The planet's ecology will not be able to sustain a balanced environment without its glaciers and other ice masses. Â While most of humanity may think the present melting of glaciers, Arctic ice and the ice covering mountainous areas, is a natural event, this is not so. More and more ice is melting due to global warming as well as a severely damaged environment which is no longer coping. Â Once this cycle of melting ice masses has completed...
Biomass: Renewable Energy from Plant Waste
The increasing scarcity and cost of conventional energy is leading to both generators and consumers searching for new sources of power supply. One such emerging area that fits the present desire for energy from renewable origins is biomass, namely the production of energy and electricity from plant waste, or in some cases plants grown specifically for energy provision. Not only does biomass have the benefit of being a renewable source of energy, it is favoured because it can be utilised by homeowners and small businesses as well as large companies and governments. Furthermore, it can be implemented relatively cheaply: the set up costs for certain types of biomass systems are a fraction of the cost...
Climate Change and Politcs: Global Warming...
All the way back in January 2004 Sir David A. King, the Government's then chief scientific adviser, described global warming, and the climate change that it drives, as a greater threat to the world than international terrorism. King, who caused quite a stir with his comments, said that industrialized countries had a commitment to place a serious effort into developing sustainable and carbon capture technologies. Now, over four years on, the momentum that King called for has not materialized anywhere but in the showboating embroidery from our politicians and in the cynical green-washing from our captains of industry. The Kyoto agreement - which was widely seen as a last ditch attempt to press the...
Heating costs continue to rise each year. The two significant factors of natural disasters and the war in Iraq contribute to this inflation of home heating expenses related to electric, gas and oil furnaces alike. There are steps you can take to lower the cost, alleviating your cash for other expenses or simply for the next rise in heating costs. The tips below can help you lower your bills by conserving energy when heating your home. Shut Curtains and Blinds. If it is sunny on a winter day, be sure to keep your curtains and blinds open during the day to let the rays in to provide some warmth. However, when dusk and night hours approach, you should shut and curtains and blinds. Of course, re-open...
Hho Cars - Easy and Affordable Way to Save...
With the increase in pollution and global warming people are looking forward towards cars which are environment friendly. These cars are high on mileage and gives out pure emission. Scientists have come out with HHO cars which cut down the cost of gasoline and also reduce the consumption of fuel. High priced gasoline have made the consumers and customers very much concerned. So, the ready use of water as a substitute of gas has come into practice. Using water and gas simultaneously as fuel in your car will save a lot of money too. Increased price of gasoline have raised concern among the customers in Australia, Canada and England mainly. These are the continents which are highly dependent on cars...
Eco Tourism in Koh Lanta, Krabi
Fads come and go, but some essentials remain as legacy. Eco tourism is one such concept that's gaining a strong foothold among many tourists and this is with good reason. The complete concept behind eco tourism is to minimize human impact, build environmental awareness and respect your natural surroundings. Koh Lanta contributes to this concept with Koh Lanta Yai, a primary eco tourism destination island in Thailand. Secluded and offering a lush environment, Koh Lanta is excellent for escaping from the party-goers on other Thai beaches. Eco tourism in Koh Lanta, Krabi is gradually gaining significance and this attracts plenty of visitors every year. Unlike Phuket, which is the Thai tourism capital...