Cause Of Global Warming

Jobs in Alternative Energy Fields

2009-08-07T05:28:00.000-07:00

Many people who take jobs in the alternative energies research and development sector have to, at least in the beginning, take relatively low pay. Taking a job in this industry is thus not about—or, not predominantly about—making money, although that is needless to say important, as one who is not well-fed soon becomes one who is not productive at work, especially when we are considering the brain-work involved in the work of researching and developing technologies in the alternative energies sector. There are those who take a job just because they find it is a fulfilling task that they have undertaken—something that is going to help mankind, or their society, or the Earth herself. But in truth, what most people dream of in terms of work is a position that they at once enjoy immensely while they also are receiving good money for their time and energy.

Positions in the alternative energy research and development industry often offer just such an opportunity.

The alternative energy field is in need of a vast array of different positions. Many people who get into this are the kind who would keep the power plants up and running (these include plant operators or mechanics), others are the developers of new alternative energies (engineers, scientists), and others make it all happen to start with by investing in alternative energy. So--not only do these people have the blessing of an exciting and fulfilling career, but these same people are making the world a better place.

The business of alternative energy is rapidly growing due to the fact that many governments are now supporting it. Investors have become excited about putting their financial backing into the alternative energy industry because they can see that it's the wave of the future, out of both need and the fact of government support. Rising oil prices make alternative energies' tantalization rise in the minds of investors. As investors become more interested, there is more money available for companies to start up or expand, and that leads (of course) to more job opportunities.

The US government is unquestionably involved in promoting the idea of new jobs as being readily available in the alternative energy sector. According to the President, in order to achieve greater use of “homegrown”, renewable fuels in the United States, advanced technologies need to be researched and developed so as to be able to make ethanol from plant fibers' biomass, which at the present time is merely discarded as waste material. The President's 2007 Federal Budget includes $150 million (a $59 million increase over the Federal Budget for 2006) to help with the development of biofuels derived from agricultural waste products such as wood chips, corn stalks, and switch grass. Researchers tell us that furthering the cause of research into cellulose-based ethanol could make the technology cost-competitive by 2012, while potentially displacing up to 30% of the nation's current fuel consumption.

The President's plan would additionally drive on next-generation research and development of battery technology for hybrid vehicles in addition to “plug-in hybrid” vehicles. A “plug-in” hybrid runs on either gasoline or electricity, depending upon an on-board computer calculation. Driving in a city setting consumes almost no gasoline over as much as a week's time with these vehicles.

Pursuing Alternative Forms of Energy

2009-08-07T05:27:00.000-07:00

Record high prices at American gas pumps and continued trouble-brewing in the Middle East, Nigeria, and other areas of importance to the oil-driven economy have made it clear to Americans that we are in need of developing many new avenues of energy supply and production. In short, we need to reduce our dependency on oil, for it is ultimately finite and, frankly, the cheap sources of oil (not all oil—just the stuff that is cheap to remove from the earth) are running out. Energy consultants and analysts are insistent that cheap oil has “peaked” or is very soon going to peak. What this means for us is an expensive future—unless we can find new sources of powering our mechanized and electronic civilization, new sources which are alternatives to oil.

We must also switch to alternative forms of energy because our present forms are too damaging to the atmosphere. While this write does not believe that the global warming trend is much, if at all, sustained by the activities of mankind (in short, it's a natural cycle and there's nothing we can do about it except prepare for the effects of it), we certainly do contribute at present to the destruction of the environment and to things like air pollution with our energy sources as they are. Coal is another source of energy that we need to wean ourselves off of—again, it is finite, and it is filthy, and the mining of it is dangerous and environmentally disruptive. We can also explore new, streamlined methods for producing electricity that we presently generate so much of via hydro-power so that we are less disruptive of the environment when we have need of constructing things such as large dams.

Developing nations which have turned industrialized in recent decades especially will need the benefits of alternative energy research and development, for they are presently doing much more environmental damage than the United States. The United States, Japan, and some European nations have been implementing studies into and programs for the development of alternative energy sources, and are therefore already leading the way in doing less environmental damage. The developing nations such as China and India need to look to Japan and the West as examples of what research and development to give government backing and private investment currency to. We could also add great robustness to our own economy by being at the forefront of such alternative energy sources development and then marketing the technologies and services to nations like India, China, Brazil, and so on and so forth.

Biofuels from things like “supertrees” and soybeans, refined hydroelectric technology, natural gas, hydrogen fuel cells, the further building of atomic energy plants, the continued development of solar energy photovoltaic cells, more research into wind-harnessed power—all of these are viable energy sources that can act as alternatives to the mammoth amounts of oil and coal that we presently are so dependent on for our very lifestyles. The energy of the future is green.

Renewable Fuels for Alternative Energy

2009-08-07T05:26:00.000-07:00

The Germans have really taken off when it comes to renewable fuel sources, and have become one of the major players in the alternative energy game. Under the aegis of the nation's electricity feed laws, the German people set a world record in 2006 by investing over $10 billion (US) in research, development, and implementation of wind turbines, biogas power plants, and solar collection cells. Germany's “feed laws” permit the German homeowners to connect to an electrical grid through some source of renewable energy and then sell back to the power company any excess energy produced at retail prices. This economic incentive has catapulted Germany into the number-one position among all nations with regards to the number of operational solar arrays, biogas plants, and wind turbines. The 50-terawatt hours of electricity produced by these renewable energy sources account for 10% of all of Germany's energy production per year. In 2006 alone, Germany installed 100,000 solar energy collection systems.

Over in the US, the BP corporation has established an Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI) to spearhead extensive new research and development efforts into clean burning renewable energy sources, most prominently biofuels for ground vehicles. BP's investment comes to $50 million (US) per year over the course of the next decade. This EBI will be physically located at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The University is in partnership with BP, and it will be responsible for research and development of new biofuel crops, biofuel-delivering agricultural systems, and machines to produce renewable fuels in liquid form for automobile consumption. The University will especially spearhead efforts in the field of genetic engineering with regard to creating the more advanced biofuel crops. The EBI will additionally have as a major focal point technological innovations for converting heavy hydrocarbons into pollution-free and highly efficient fuels.

Also in the US, the battle rages on between Congress and the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA). The GEA's Executive Director Karl Gawell has recently written to the Congress and the Department of Energy, the only way to ensure that DOE and OMB do not simply revert to their irrational insistence on terminating the geothermal research program is to schedule a congressional hearing specifically on geothermal energy, its potential, and the role of federal research. Furthermore, Gawell goes on to say that recent studies by the National Research Council, the Western Governors' Association Clean Energy Task Force and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology all support expanding geothermal research funding to develop the technology necessary to utilize this vast, untapped domestic renewable energy resource. Supporters of geothermal energy, such as this writer, are amazed at the minuscule amount of awareness that the public has about the huge benefits that research and development of the renewable alternative energy source would provide the US, both practically and economically. Geothermal energy is already less expensive to produce in terms of kilowatt-hours than the coal that the US keeps mining. Geothermal energy is readily available, sitting just a few miles below our feet and easily accessible through drilling. One company, Ormat, which is the third largest geothermal energy producer in the US and has plants in several different nations, is already a billion-dollar-per-year business—geothermal energy is certainly economically viable.

Solar Energy Collecting as an Alternative Energy Source

2009-08-07T05:25:00.000-07:00

Photovoltaic cells—those black squares an array of which comprises a solar panel—are getting more efficient, and gradually less expensive, all the time, thanks to ever-better designs which all them to focus the gathered sunlight on a more and more concentrated point. The size of the cells is decreasing as their efficiency rises, meaning that each cell becomes cheaper to produce and at once more productive. As far as the aforementioned cost, the price of producing solar-generated energy per watt hour has come down to $4.00 at the time of this writing. Just 17 years ago, it was nearly double that cost.

Solar powered electricity generation is certainly good for the environment, as this alternative form of producing energy gives off absolutely zero emissions into the atmosphere and is merely utilizing one of the most naturally occurring of all things as its driver. Solar collection cells are becoming slowly but surely ever more practical for placing upon the rooftops of people's homes, and they are not a difficult system to use for heating one's home, creating hot water, or producing electricity. In the case of using the photovoltaic cells for hot water generation, the system works by having the water encased in the cells, where it is heated and then sent through your pipes.

Photovoltaic cells are becoming increasingly better at collecting sufficient radiation from the sun even on overcast or stormy days. One company in particular, Uni-Solar, has developed solar collection arrays for the home that work well on inclement days, by way of a technologically more advanced system that stores more energy at one time during sunlit days than previous or other arrays.

There is actually another solar power system available for use called the PV System. The PV System is connected to the nearest electrical grid; whenever there is an excess of solar energy being collected at a particular home, it is transferred to the grid for shared use and as a means of lowering the grid's dependence on the hydroelectrically-driven electricity production. Being connected to the PV System can keep your costs down as compared to full-fledged solar energy, while at once reducing pollution and taking pressure off the grid system. Some areas are designing centralized solar collection arrays for small towns or suburban communities.

Some big-name corporations have made it clear that they are also getting into the act of using solar power (a further indication that solar generated energy is becoming an economically viable alternative energy source). Google is putting in a 1.6 megawatt solar power generation plant on the roof of its corporate headquarters, while Wal Mart wants to put in an enormous 100 megawatt system of its own.

Nations such as Japan, Germany, the United States, and Switzerland have been furthering the cause of solar energy production by providing government subsidies or by giving tax breaks to companies and individuals who agree to utilize solar power for generating their heat or electrical power. As technology advances and a greater storage of solar collection materials is made available, more and more private investors will see the value of investing in this “green” technology and further its implementation much more.

Some Suppliers of Alternative Energy

2009-08-07T05:24:00.000-07:00

Amelot Holdings is a company which presently specializes in the development of biodiesel and ethanol plants throughout the US. Amelot's objective is to establish relationships between various suppliers of alternative energy who are biodiesel and ethanol researchers or producers to further their ends with long-term profitability and growth in mind. Amelot furthers the cause of these alternative energy suppliers through the formulation of joint ventures, mergers, and construction contracts.

Environmental Power is an alternative energy supplier that has two subsidiary companies. One of these is Microgy, which is Environmental Power's research and development arm. Microgy is a developer of biogas facilities for the cost-effective and environmentally clean production of renewable energy derived from food and agricultural waste products. These biogas fuels can be used in a number of different applications. They can be used in combustion chamber engines, used directly to make fossil fuel reliance less of a need, or cleaned up to meet natural gas standards and then piped to offices or homes for heating. Environmental Power's other subsidiary is Buzzard Power. Buzzard has an 83 megawatt power facility which generates green energy from mined coal waste. Environmental Power says of itself, we have a long and successful history of developing clean energy facilities. Since 1982 we have developed, owned and operated hydroelectric plants, municipal waste projects, coal-fired generating facilities and clean gas generation and energy recovery facilities. We are proud to have a management team and board of directors comprised of leaders from both the public and private sectors, including the energy, agriculture and finance industries.

Intrepid Technology and Resources, Inc, is a company that processes waste into natural gas as an alternative source of energy. The company's vision centers on the fact that the US produces two billion tons of animal waste every year, while at once the US' supply of natural gas is dwindling. ITR builds “organic waste digesters” local to sites of organic waste. These facilities produce, clean, and distribute the methane gas from the organic waste; methane gas is a viable alternative to natural gas. ITR is presently operating in Idaho with plans for national expansion.

Nathaniel Energy is a company with the objective of protecting the environment and minimizing total cost of business ownership. The Nathaniel Energy Total Value Preservation System (TVPS) gives companies unique benefits through Nathaniel's recognition of the alternative energy potential of materials that are usually seen as nothing more than waste or pollutants. Nathaniel Energy's technology allows it to extract and transform into alternative energy virtually all of the potential energy locked in waste materials. All of this is produced at almost no additional cost beyond what a company would have had to spend in order to install pollution control and prevention systems. Nathaniel Energy's innovative TVPS recovers valuable resources which other processes fail to. Throughout the entire process, the maximum amount of valuable material is recovered for reuse, which results in lowered costs and environmental protection. Usual pollution cleanup and control processes treat these materials as mere contaminants that are either destroyed or discarded. The TVPS therefore decreases the total cost of business ownership through the provision of an additional stream of income.

The Ways that the Military is Using Alternative Energy

2009-08-07T05:21:00.000-07:00

The US military knows that its branches must revamp their thinking about how to engage in “the theater of war” in the new, post-Cold War world of the 21st century. One thing that the military leaders stress is the desire for the forces deployed in the theater to be able to be more energy-independent. Currently the US military has policies and procedures in place to interact with allies or sympathetic local populaces to help its forces in the field get their needed energy and clean water when engaged in a foreign military campaign. However, this is not wholly reliable, as the US might well find itself facing unilateral military activities, or have itself in a situation where its allies cannot help it with the resources it needs to conduct its military actions successfully.

The US military is very interested in certain alternative energies that, with the right research and development technologically, can make it energy independent, or at least a great deal more so, on the battlefield. One of the things that greatly interests the military along these lines is the development of small nuclear reactors, which could be portable, for producing theater-local electricity. The military is impressed with how clean-burning nuclear reactors are and how energy efficient they are. Making them portable for the typical warfare of today's highly mobile, small-scaled military operations is something they are researching. The most prominent thing that the US military thinks these small nuclear reactors would be useful for involves the removal of hydrogen (for fuel cell) from seawater. It also thinks that converting seawater to hydrogen fuel in this way would have less negative impact on the environment than its current practices of remaining supplied out in the field.

Seawater is, in fact, the military's highest interest when it comes to the matter of alternative energy supply. Seawater can be endlessly “mined” for hydrogen, which in turn powers advanced fuel cells. Using OTEC, seawater can also be endlessly converted into desalinated, potable water. Potable water and hydrogen for power are two of the things that a near-future deployed military force will need most of all.

In the cores of nuclear reactors—which as stated above are devices highly interesting, in portable form, to the US military—we encounter temperatures greater than 1000 degrees Celsius. When this level of temperature is mixed with a thermo-chemical water-splitting procedure, we have on our hands the most efficient means of breaking down water into its component parts, which are molecular hydrogen and oxygen. The minerals and salts that are contained in seawater would have to be extracted via a desalination process in order to make the way clear for the water-splitting process. These could then be utilized, such as in vitamins or in salt shakers, or simply sent back to the ocean (recycling). Using the power of nuclear reactors to extract this hydrogen from the sea, in order to then input that into fuel cells to power advanced airplanes, tanks, ground vehicles, and the like, is clearly high on the R & D priority list of the military.

University Research into Alternative Energy

2009-08-07T05:16:00.000-07:00

Decades of tree and biomass research jointly conducted by Florida Statue University and Shell Energy have resulted in the planting of the largest single “Energy Crop Plantation” in the entire United States. This Plantation spans approximately 130 acres and is home to over 250,000 planted trees including cottonwoods (native to the area) and eucalyptus (which are non-invasive) along with various row crops such as soybeans. This organization of “super trees” was brought into being as a result of the University's joint research with other agencies including Shell, the US Department of Energy, the Common Purpose Institute, and groups of various individuals who are working to develop alternative energy sources (those not dependent on fossil fuels) for the future. This research is focused on the planting and processing of biomass energy supplies from fast-growing crops known as “closed loop biomass” or simply “energy crops”. The project seeks to develop “power plants” such as wood-pulp or wood-fiber providing plants; clean biogas to be used by industries; plants such as surgarcane which can be used for ethanol development; and crops such as soybeans for biodiesel fuel production.

University involvement in alternative energy research is also going on at Penn State University. At Penn State, special research is focused on the development of hydrogen power as a practical alternative energy source. The researchers involved are convinced that mankind is moving toward a hydrogen-fueled economy due to the needs for us to reduce air pollution and find other sources of energy besides petroleum to power up the United States. Hydrogen energy burns clean and can be endlessly renewed, as it can be drawn from water and crop plants. Hydrogen power would thus be a sustainable energy resource to be found within the US' own infrastructure while the world's supply of (affordable) oil peaks and begins to decline. The University seeks to help with the commercial development of hydrogen powered fuel cells, which would be usable in place of or in tandem with combustion engines for all of our motor vehicles.

When President Bush recently announced his alternative energy initiative, he determined that the government would develop five “Sun Grant” centers for concentrated research. Oregon State University has the honor of having been selected as one of these centers, and has been allocated government grants of $20 million for each of the next four years in order to carry out its mission. OSU will lead the way in researching alternative energy as it represents the interests of the Pacific Islands, the US' Pacific Territories, and nine western states. OSU President Edward Ray says, the research being conducted through OSU’s Sun Grant center will contribute directly to our meeting President Bush’s challenge for energy independence. Specific research into alternative energy being conducted at OSU by varios teams of scientists right now include a project to figure out how to efficiently convert such products as straw into a source of renewable biomass fuel, and another one aimed at studying how to efficiently convert wood fibers into liquid fuel.

Alternative Energy in Ireland

2009-03-10T11:32:00.000-07:00

The Irish are currently pursuing energy independence and the further development of their robust economy through the implementation of research and development into alternative energy sources. At the time of this writing, nearly 90% of Ireland's energy needs are met through importation—the highest level of foreign product dependence in the nation's entire history. This is a very precarious situation to be in, and the need for developing alternative energy sources in Ireland is sharply perceived. Ireland also seeks to conserve and rejuvenate its naturally beautiful environment and to clean up its atmosphere through the implementation of alternative energy supplies. The European Union has mandated a reduction in sulphuric and nitric oxide emissions for all member nations. Green energy is needed to meet these objectives. Hydroelectric power has been utilized in Ireland in some areas since the 1930s and has been very effective; however, more of it needs to be installed. Ireland also needs to harness the wave power of the Atlantic Ocean, which on its west coast is a potential energy supply that the nation has in great store.

Ireland actually has the potential to become an energy exporter, rather than a nation so heavily dependent on energy importation. This energy potential resides in Ireland's substantial wind, ocean wave, and biomass-producing alternative energy potentials. Ireland could become a supplier of ocean wave-produced electricity and biomass-fueled energy to continental Europe and, as they say, “make a killing”. At the present time, Ireland is most closely focused on reaching the point where it can produce 15% of the nation's electricity through wind farms, which the government has set as a national objective to be reached by 2010. But universities, research institutes, and government personnel in Ireland have been saying that the development of ocean wave energy technology would be a true driving force for the nation's economy and one which would greatly help to make Ireland energy independent. A test site for developing wave ocean energy has been established in Ireland, less than two miles off the coast of An Spideal in County Galway Bay. This experimental ocean wave harnessing site is known as “Wavebob”. The most energetic waves in the world are located off the West coast of Ireland, says Ireland's Marine Institute CEO Dr. Peter Heffernan. The technology to harness the power of the ocean is only just emerging and Ireland has the chance to become a market leader in this sector. David Taylor, CEO of the Sustainable Energy Initiative,or SEI, tells us that SEI is committed to innovation in the renewable energy sector. Wave energy is a promising new renewable energy resource which could one day make a significant contribution to Ireland's electricity generation mix thereby further reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.

Padraig Walshe, the president of the Irish Farmers Association, tells us that with the closure of the sugar beet industry, an increasing amount of Irish land resources will become available for alternative uses, including bioenergy production. Today, renewable energy sources meet only 2% of Ireland’s total energy consumption. From a farming perspective, growing energy crops will only have a viable future if they provide an economic return on investment and labour, and if the prospect of this return is secure into the future. Currently the return from energy crops is marginal and is hampering the development of the industry. Biomass energies need to be further researched by Ireland.

Alternative Energy from the Ocean

2009-03-10T11:04:00.000-07:00

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) was conceived of by the French engineer Jacques D'Arsonval in 1881. However, at the time of this writing the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii is home to the only operating experimental OTEC plant on the face of the earth. OTEC is a potential alternative energy source that needs to be funded and explored much more than it presently is. The great hurdle to get over with OTEC implementation on a wide and practically useful level is cost. It is difficult to get the costs down to a reasonable level because of the processes presently utilized to drive OTEC. Ocean thermal energy would be very clean burning and not add pollutants into the air. However, as it presently would need to be set up with our current technologies, OTEC plants would have the capacity for disrupting and perhaps damaging the local environment.

There are three kinds of OTEC.

“Closed Cycle OTEC” uses a low-boiling point liquid such as, for example, propane to act as an intermediate fluid. The OTEC plant pumps the warm sea water into the reaction chamber and boils the intermediate fluid. This results in the intermediate fluid's vapor pushing the turbine of the engine, which thus generates electricity. The vapor is then cooled down by putting in cold sea water.

“Open Cycle OTEC” is not that different from closed cycling, except in the Open Cycle there is no intermediate fluid. The sea water itself is the driver of the turbine engine in this OTEC format. Warm sea water found on the surface of the ocean is turned into a low-pressure vapor under the constraint of a vacuum. The low-pressure vapor is released in a focused area and it has the power to drive the turbine. To cool down the vapor and create desalinated water for human consumption, the deeper ocean's cold waters are added to the vapor after it has generated sufficient electricity.

“Hybrid Cycle OTEC” is really just a theory for the time being. It seeks to describe the way that we could make maximum usage of the thermal energy of the ocean's waters. There are actually two sub-theories to the theory of Hybrid Cycling. The first involves using a closed cycling to generate electricity. This electricity is in turn used to create the vacuum environment needed for open cycling. The second component is the integration of two open cyclings such that twice the amount of desalinated, potable water is created that with just one open cycle.

In addition to being used for producing electricity, a closed cycle OTEC plant can be utilized for treating chemicals. OTEC plants, both open cycling and close cycling kinds, are also able to be utilized for pumping up cold deep sea water which can then be used for refrigeration and air conditioning. Furthermore, during the moderation period when the sea water is surrounding the plant, the enclosed are can be used for mariculture and aquaculture projects such as fish farming. There is clearly quite an array of products and services that we could derive from this alternative energy source.

Alternative Energy for the Home

2009-03-10T11:02:00.000-07:00

The trend toward homes that are powered by alternative energy sources, ranging from wind turbines and solar collection cells to hydrogen fuel cells and biomass gases, is one that needs to continue into the 21st century and beyond. We have great need of becoming more energy independent, and not having to rely on the supplying of fossil fuels from unstable nations who are often hostile to us and our interests. But even beyond this factor, we as individuals need to get “off the grid” and also stop having to be so reliant on government-lobbying giant oil corporations who, while they are not really involved in any covert conspiracy, nevertheless have a stranglehold on people when it comes to heating their homes (and if not through oil, then heat usually supplied by grid-driven electricity, another stranglehold).

As Remi Wilkinson, Senior Analyst with Carbon Free, puts it, inevitably, the growth of distributed generation will lead to the restructuring of the retail electricity market and the generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure. The power providers may have to diversify their business to make up for revenues lost through household energy microgeneration. She is referring to the conclusions by a group of UK analysts, herself included among them, who call themselves Carbon Free. Carbon Free has been studying the ever-growing trend toward alternative energy-using homes in England and the West. This trend is being driven by ever-more government recommendation and sometimes backing of alternative energy research and development, the rising cost of oil and other fossil fuels, concern about environmental degradation, and desires to be energy independent. Carbon Free concludes that, assuming traditional energy prices remain at their current level or rise, microgeneration (meeting all of one's home's energy needs by installing alternative energy technology such as solar panels or wind turbines) will become to home energy supply what the Internet became to home communications and data gathering, and eventually this will have deep effects on the businesses of the existing energy supply companies.

Carbon Free's analyses also show that energy companies themselves have jumped in on the game and seek to leverage microgeneration to their own advantage for opening up new markets for themselves. Carbon Free cites the example of electricity companies (in the UK) reporting that they are seriously researching and developing ideas for new geothermal energy facilities, as these companies see geothermal energy production as a highly profitable wave of the future. Another conclusion of Carbon Free is that solar energy hot water heating technology is an efficient technology for reducing home water heating costs in the long run, although it is initially quite expensive to install. However, solar power is not yet cost-effective for corporations, as they require too much in the way of specialized plumbing to implement solar energy hot water heating. Lastly, Carbon Free tells us that installing wind turbines is an efficient way of reducing home electricity costs, while also being more independent. However, again this is initially a very expensive thing to have installed, and companies would do well to begin slashing their prices on these devices or they could find themselves losing market share.

Alternative Energy Development in Japan

2009-02-16T22:19:00.000-08:00

Japan is a densely populated country, and that makes the Japanese market more difficult compared with other markets. If we utilize the possibilities of near-shore installations or even offshore installations in the future, that will give us the possibility of continued use of wind energy. If we go offshore, it's more expensive because the construction of foundations is expensive. But often the wind is stronger offshore, and that can offset the higher costs. We're getting more and more competitive with our equipment. The price—if you measure it per kilowatt-hour produced—is going lower, due to the fact that turbines are getting more efficient. So we're creating increased interest in wind energy. If you compare it to other renewable energy sources, wind is by far the most competitive today. If we're able to utilize sites close to the sea or at sea with good wind machines, then the price per kilowatt-hour is competitive against other sources of energy, go the words of Svend Sigaard, who happens to be president and CEO of the world's largest wind turbine maker, Vestas wind systems out of Denmark. Vestas is heavily involved in investments of capital into helping Japan expand its wind turbine power generating capacity. It is seeking to get offshore installations put into place in a nation that it says is ready for the fruits of investment into alternative energy research and development.

The Japanese know that they cannot become subservient to the energy supply dictates of foreign nations—World War II taught them that, as the US decimated their oil supply lines and crippled their military machine. They need to produce energy of their own, and they being an isolated island nation with few natural resources that are conducive to energy production as it is defined now are very open to foreign investment and foreign development as well as the prospect of technological innovation that can make them independent. Allowing corporations such as Vestas to get the nation running on more wind-produced energy is a step in the right direction for the Japanese people.

The production of energy through what is known as microhydoelectric power plants has also been catching on in Japan. Japan has a myriad rivers and mountain streams, and these are ideally suited places for the putting up of microhydroelectric power plants, which are defined by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization as power plants run by water which have a maximum output of 100 kilowatts or less. By comparison, “minihydroelectric” power plants can put out up to 1000 kilowatts of electrical energy.

In Japan, the small-scaled mini- and micro-hydroelectric power plants have been regarded for a considerable time as being suitable for creating electricity in mountainous regions, but they have through refinement come to be regarded as excellent for Japanese cities as well. Kawasaki City Waterworks, Japan Natural Energy Company, and Tokyo Electric Power Company have all been involved in the development of small-scale hydroelectric power plants within Japanese cities.

Nissin Noodles Insecticides Polluted

2008-10-25T03:48:00.000-07:00

One of the largest manufacturer of noodles Japan Nissin Food Products, Co has a national circulation instant noodle products in glass packaging. Instant noodles with the Cup Noodle brand is withdrawn after a woman poisoned after the consumer products consume noodles, which was then known to contain the insecticide.

In addition to these products, encourage customers to try not to eat the noodles that the product packaging has been damaged and smell it. Instant noodles it handicapped reach 500,000 glass.

Thursday (23/10) and then, a woman from the city of Fujisawa, about 40 kilometers southwest Tokyo, vomiting after eating Nissin Cup Noodles in purchasing a local supermarket early this week. Instant noodle product is then known contaminated paradichlorobenzene, the chemical that is normally used as a flea repellent.

Nissin President Susumu Nakagawa refutes allegations that the product was contaminated noodles at the factory. "We ensure that chemicals are never used for that product," he said to some journalists in a description of the press.

This year, some of the contaminated food product found in Japan such as rice and soybeans. Tokyo is considering to create a special body and added that the task of overseeing security of food products.

Arctic flunks global warming test

2008-10-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

The Arctic received its third annual report card yesterday from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and like a kid ill-prepared to face one of the hardest tests of all time (in this case, global warming), the results don’t look good.

Autumn temperatures in the Arctic are at a record 9 degrees Fahrenheit (5º C) above normal, according to researchers, and that’s just the first page. Other low marks of performance include a near-record minimum sea ice cover; a significant reduction in the amount of older, thicker ice; and an increase in temperature of surface and deep ocean water. The hits just keep on coming!

Greenland in particular didn’t test well: Last year it had more snow melt than ever before (at least since the 1970s). Plus, this year’s decrease in snow days had the added effect of increasing its absorption of solar radiation (i.e. heat), which means hotter temps for the icy island.

Also, Greenland's largest glacier continued its retreat, losing at least 100 cubic km (24 cubic miles) of ice. Perhaps the glacier should get a gold star for having the honored distinction of being one of the largest single contributors to global sea level rise.

Not surprisingly, the great thaw is also making Arctic animals perform poorly. Declining polar bear populations, walrus redistributions that have triggered increases in walrus’ trampling each other, and declining numbers of wild caribou and reindeer are scribbled across the Arctic like red ink on a poorly written book report.

But though test results like these may make you want to ball up and weep, we at Plenty have decided not to flunk out just yet. After all, in less than two months there will be a brand new leader that’ll (hopefully) come better primed for the climate exam. In the meantime, we’ll be taking notes (and lucky for you, we don’t mind you sneaking a peek at them).

by Jessica A. Knoblauch

Crisis could shift focus to environment

2008-10-18T04:30:00.000-07:00

The financial crisis and its aftermath could help set the stage for the transformative changes urgently needed to help the planet sustain life, a distinguished U.S. environmentalist said yesterday.

The meltdown of financial markets galvanized governments and a concerned public watched as they acted in concert, adjusting their policies in response to emerging leadership, James Gustave (Gus) Speth said in an interview.

"The central role of government in regulating the economy and protecting people has certainly been confirmed - and dramatically confirmed - during this crisis," said the dean of the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies at Yale University.

"And I would hope the importance of government and powerful intervention in the economy won't be limited to the financial sector but will extend to consumer and environmental affairs also."

Speth, who is to deliver McGill University's annual Beatty Memorial Lecture this morning, argues that radical changes to modern capitalism are needed if environmental sustainability is to be achieved.

Capitalism, as it is now constituted, produces an economy and politics that are highly destructive to the environment, said Speth whose latest book is titled The Bridge at the Edge of the World: Capitalism, the Environment and Crossing from Crisis to Sustainability.

Laws, incentives and governance structures under which corporations operate need to focus on stakeholder primacy rather than shareholder primacy, said Speth, noting that U.S. bailout packages place restraints on the salaries, benefits or options of senior executives of companies receiving aid.

In recent years, corporations have been parading their "green" products or commitment to the environment, but "the only reliably green company is one that is required by law to be so," he said.

The financial crisis has also heightened awareness of the U.S.'s "growing income gap," and there could be a movement to deal with social equity issues which do have an impact on environmental protection, Speth said.

But perhaps more importantly, the crisis "may help us cure our central disease, 'affluenza,' " said Speth, who coined the term to describe the U.S.'s extravagance and wastefulness.
The author has also chided mainstream environmental groups, saying they too often work within the system.

"I think the environmental community has put off-limits ... a challenge to consumerism, a challenge to lifestyle, a challenge to corporate domination of our politics," said Speth, who has a reputation as a consummate Washington insider. He worked in the White House under President Jimmy Carter as head of the Council on Environmental Quality, co-founded the Natural Resources Defence Council and served as head of the United Nations Development Program.
Unfortunately, the economic crisis could also serve as an excuse to slow the battle against climate change, he said.

That is happening in Europe, a region that has provided leadership on the environmental front, he said. Eastern European countries and Italy have expressed opposition to parts of a plan that aims to cut Europe's carbon dioxide emissions 20 per cent by 2020 from 1990 levels.

"If dealing with this climate emergency were optional, then you would want to weight the economic costs very carefully, but it should be unthinkable that the things we need to do to save the planet - quite literally - are postponed or not done for economic reasons. That should be off-limits," Speth said.

Tags:environment

Science guy speaks about environment

2008-10-15T11:44:00.000-07:00

Penn State students brought their love of body painting to Rec Hall last night, but instead of rooting for the football team they rooted for the night's speaker by painting "Science Rules!" on their bodies.

Mechanical engineer and former host of the PBS show Bill Nye the Science Guy, Bill Nye arrived to the stage via Segway and spoke to students about the environment and how they can make a difference.

The line of students waiting for the event wrapped around the building and extended down Atherton Street.

Kip Totten (senior-agriculture and biology engineering) was near the front of the line and said Nye's familiarity is what drew so many people to the event.

"I used to watch him all the time," he said. "Kids can relate to him."

Jamie Zackavitch (junior-recreation, park and tourism management) said she never watched Bill Nye as a child because she didn't have television.

"Now I'm going to get in the know," she said.

The environmental forum was sponsored by Penn State's Finance & Business Environmental Stewardship Key Initiative Team and the Take Charge Program.

UPUA President Gavin Keirans, Vice President for Student Affairs Damon Sims and numerous representatives from Penn State conservation groups presented ecologically-friendly ideas to an increasingly impatient crowd in the nearly packed Rec Hall before Nye.

Demonstrations included stationary bikes designed to show how much effort is needed to produce energy, a student-produced video called "CO2 and You" to show the average student's ecological footprint and a pyramid of paper cups that exemplified the amount of waste each student can avoid by using a reusable mug. Ecologically-friendly prizes, such as bikes, were also raffled.

Nye took the stage last and spoke about the solar system and discussed his recent NASA work with martian sundials, atmospheric differences between Earth and Mars, and how small we all are in comparison to the rest of the universe.

"I'm a speck, on a speck, orbiting a speck in the middle of specklessness," Nye said.

He capped his lecture with discussion about climate change.

"The world has never gotten this warm this fast," he said. "The world is going to change; it's just a matter of how we can manage it."

Nye discussed how to improve energy efficiency in the home with better insulation and solar panels, adding that his own electric bill is about $7 per month.

Nye also implored students to invent more efficient batteries, power adapters and cars.

"You can change the world!" he said.

Members of Power Vote, a non-partisan organization aimed at getting students to vote for clean energy in the upcoming election, collected voting pledges from people in line before the event.

Many students brought plastic bags with them that they were able to exchange for reusable bags. Both the bags and reusable water bottles were distributed to everyone attending.

Tags: environment

2 men charged with environment crimes

2008-10-15T11:29:00.000-07:00

A property owner and contractor face charges of illegal grading, water pollution and draining of wetlands at an environmentally sensitive tributary to Atascadero Creek in Sebastopol.

Sonoma County District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua filed the charges Tuesday against property owner Robert O'Brien, 50, of Tiburon and contractor Charles Craig Von Schalscha, 50, of San Rafael.

The men each face three felony charges for allegedly violating the California Water Code in June when they removed vegetation along one bank of the stream, channeled 800 feet of the stream and constructed a 200-foot-long ditch to drain the wetlands.

O'Brien and Von Schalscha also face four misdemeanor charges apiece for allegedly violating the Fish and Game Code and local zoning laws. O'Brien faces two additional misdemeanor counts for allegedly failing to provide technical reports to local and state officials so they could determine the extent of damage resulting from the work.

Both men are scheduled to appear in Sonoma County Superior Court on Nov. 13.

tags: environment

Lift Leader Makes Environment Top Priority

2008-10-14T04:39:00.000-07:00

Stertil - Koni, the heavenly body ' s leading provider of enormous - duty vehicle lifts, is this day further the earth shepherd monopoly earth - propitious lifts. Following the recent introduction of two like eco - oriented bulky - duty lifts: SKYLIFT and ECO Lift, Stertil - Koni is expanding its separate line of ecologically penetrating lifts squirrel the launch of its untried ENVIROLIFT.
The ENVIROLIFT was introduced just three weeks ago at the Automechanika International Trade Unbiased consequence Germany and has augmented than seven distinct description that significantly decrease energy consumption and the overall environmental impact. Whereas the inceptive of its friendly pull the star, the ENVIROLIFT is creating a original aggregation: " unseasoned mobile lifts. "
" De facto ' s royal, " says Dr. Jean DellAmore, Stertil - Koni master and one of the driving forces overdue the ecological lift movement at Stertil KONI. " Unbiased consonant the SKYLIFT and ECO Lift, the ENVIROLIFT will lessen the image footprint of ration constitution generally utilizing substantial duty lifting equipment. "
" Today ' s forward - thinking companies care about the globe around them, " DellAmore besides. " They identify that sustainability is a social incumbency and the obligation of all corporate humanity. "
Ninety - eight percent of the materials used to found the ENVIROLIFT are recyclable. This includes its nylon, steel and, most notably, its batteries. The batteries used, also known as deep - cycle marine batteries, are known for being extremely robust, energy - efficient and 100 % recyclable.
In a departure from traditional heavy - duty lift designs, the ENVIROLIFT is engineered to use the weight of the vehicle it has lifted to recharge its batteries with each lowering cycle. The lift ' s unique self - regeneration technology, resembling that used in today ' s advanced hybrid vehicles, has led to a 50 % increase in the total battery operating life.
While competitive battery - operated mobile lifts are typically able to complete around 8 - 10 full lifting cycles, the ENVIROLIFT ' s batteries have life expectancies approximating 50 cycles ( under a full load of approximately 72, 000 lbs. ).
The ENVIROLIFT also uses Panolin, a 100 % biodegradable synthetic oil that has a much longer service life than other oils. The environmentally - friendly lubricant exhibits superior aging characteristics, as well as a higher resistance to oxidation.
Using traditional hydraulic fluid, a common lift will require oil changes much more frequently than an ENVIROLIFT using Panolin. While many hydraulic lifts require oil replacement every two years, with Panolin, a fluid change for the ENVIROLIFT is not expected to be necessary for as many as six years. With fluid life extending to as much as three times current replacement levels, the cost savings are considerable, and with the fluid ' s biodegradable nature, the environmental repercussions are minimized.
The ENVIROLIFT will help companies and municipalities earn LEED ( Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ) certification for their buildings. DellAmore said he has more and more inquiries about LEED - related projects by the day. " This lift is already setting a new standard and folks in the heavy duty industry are excited to have a viable green solution from a trusted brand leader, " he said.
The ENVIROLIFT is the third lift in Stertil - Koni ' s earth - friendly line of lifts. The ECO Lift and the SKYLIFT were introduced earlier this year and have both been enthusiastically received by the industry.
" We are actively promoting an earth - friendly strategy as evidenced by the recent introduction of our new lifts. The SKYLIFT operates above the earth, the ECO Lift operates under the earth, as an in - ground lift product and lastly, the ENVIROLIFT operates on the earth, " added DellAmore.
" I am also calling on others in our industry to join Stertil - Koni in promoting conservation of the environment by developing smarter lifting products with reduced carbon footprints. "
Stertil - Koni expects the ENVIROLIFT to be in full production no later than the first quarter of 2009. Stertil - Koni has distributors throughout the world including North America, Central America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia.
Editors Note: About Stertil - Koni USA Based in Stevensville, Md, Stertil - Koni USA designs and manufactures innovative heavy - duty hydraulic lifts and accessories for the transportation industry. Stertil - Koni ' s breadth of lift products meets all ranges of a shop ' s lifting needs and includes mobile, two - post, four - post, in - ground, parallelogram, scissor - style, half - scissors, axle - engaging, in - ground and its unique line of environmentally - friendly lifts. Stertil - Koni is the global market leader in mobile column lifts and is the preferred supplier to the world ' s top brands in the truck and bus industries. Stertil - Koni is now the fastest growing heavy - duty lift company in the United States.

Tags:Environment

OKI Releases Its Environment Report 2008

2008-10-11T09:49:00.000-07:00

TOKYO, Oct 10, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. (TOKYO: 6703) today announced it has released the Environmental Report 2008 in English and Chinese. The English report released on OKI's website describes the environmental protection activities implemented by the OKI Group during the last fiscal year ended March, 2008.

"During the last fiscal year, OKI set targets and implemented various activities under the OKI Eco Plan 21 (2007 version), which is OKI's environment protection activity plan. Activities were based on 'contributions to the environment through our products,' 'contributions to environmental conservation in business activities,' and 'contributions to the society's environmental activities,'" explained Shuichi Kawano, Executive Officer at OKI and General Manager of its Global Environment Division. "With the Company-wide Network-type Environmentally-conscious Management, OKI will continue to implement consistent environment measures and a high-level environment management through 'lowering power consumption in products,' 'reducing greenhouse gas through energy conservation in business activities,' and 'conforming environmental regulations for products on a global scale.'"

The followings are examples of activities implemented last fiscal year:

-- Expanded company-wide consolidated ISO14001 certification to the China area

OKI integrated its company-wide consolidated certification to overseas sites in China as well as added locations in Japan. OKI will continue to promote the expansion of ISO14001 to other China production plants to improve compatibility to regulations of chemical substances in products.

-- Enhanced structure to control and manage chemical substance in products

To conform regulations such as Europe's RoHS Directive and REACH regulations, OKI established a structure to improve management procedure efficiency, improve accuracy of chemical substance information, and set operation in place.

-- Started carbon offset activities in Europe

To offset 4,050 tons of CO2 emission a year at its production and sales offices, OKI Data established an OKI Woodland in Cumbria, U.K. By foresting 4,500 trees, OKI Data aims to become a carbon neutral company in Europe.

-- Started implementation of "Completely Recycled Uniform"

OKI, Teijin Fibers Ltd., and Chikuma & Co., Ltd. implemented a scheme to collect used uniforms and restore it back to fabric, for all of its employees in Japan, making uniforms to be recycled over and over again. OKI plans to recycle approximately 2,000 uniforms by the end of the fiscal year ending March 2009, reducing 3.7 tons of CO2.

OKI issued the Environment Report in Japanese, Chinese and English.

About Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.

Founded in 1881, Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. is Japan's first telecommunications manufacturer, with its headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. OKI provides top-quality products, technologies and solutions to its customers through its info-telecom system business and printer business. All businesses function as a collective force to create exciting new products and technologies that satisfy a spectrum of customer needs in various markets. Visit OKI's global web site at http://www.oki.com/.

environment

Arctic Ocean’s Resources Haunted By Five Countries

2008-06-01T00:36:00.000-07:00

Greenland will host this week a meeting where 5 powerful nations will discuss the resources offered by the Arctic Ocean and how these resources are to be split up between them.

The countries to take part at this conference are Canada, Norway, Denmark, Russia and the United States.

The generating factor that gave birth to this race between the 5 countries is the US Geographical Survey’s discovery according to which the Arctic Ocean could hold a quarter of the world’s undiscovered gas and oil reserves. However, the meeting’s goal is for every country to get a piece of the cake and to avoid the erruption of possible angers, like the Russia episode last year when the nation planted a flag on the sea-bed beneath the North Pole.

The agenda will consist not only of territorial claims but also of cooperation over accidents, maritime security and oil spills.

But are the oil and gas more important than the future of our planet?

There is no longer a hidden truth that the rising temperatures are caused by global warming and can leave the Arctic ice-free in summer. Environmentalists are fighting to protect that part of the Earth, requesting an interdiction for military activity and mineral mining in the Arctic. Moreover, a group of eight environment ministers reunited on May 26 in Japan to find a solution for the global warming problem. Several animal species from that part of the world are under peril.

Should this be the way the cookie crumbles?

Andrea Toffan

Global warming, not just a trend

2008-04-23T07:23:00.000-07:00

Shattering to pieces, a massive chunk of the Antarctic Wilkins Ice Shelf suddenly fell into the ocean late march. Immediately, mainstream media sources pointed to the uncertain phenomenon of global warming as the culprit.

Though conveyed as an urgent issue, addressing the state's contribution to global warming, the California Public Utilities Commission voted to charge power customers "$600 million over the next 10 years to fund a green think tank." According to Gov. Schwarzenegger, the research institute will "bring together the state's preeminent colleges, universities, and laboratories to fight climate change." The project also requires the institute to raise another $600 million in matching funds, making the total cost $1.2 billion. However, if global warming is as much of a threat as indicated by the recent ice shelf collapse, then why a total $1.2 billion over 10 years to "think" about global warming?

While most everyone agrees that climate change is occurring, the causes and extent of the problem remains debatable. Organizations like the Environmental Protection Agency attribute global warming to human activity, from the byproducts of industry. Others blame solar activity and natural climate change cycles. Still others point to political manipulation of global warming fears as part of a larger agenda to establish a form of unified, global government.

Politicians like Al Gore and entertainers like Leonardo DiCaprio and Madonna have raised awareness through various campaigns and documentaries. Fashion retailers like Levi's have produced items like "Eco-jeans." Many governments have signed the U.N.'s Kyoto Protocol, pledging to reduce global warming causing greenhouse gases.

But how much substantial change has actually occurred? Al Gore may have won the Nobel Prize, but he is yet to convince the U.S. to actually ratify their signature on the Kyoto Protocol. Who enforces the Kyoto Protocol also remains ambiguous.

A free-market economy enjoys great privileges, but are we really "free" to exploit the environment without concern for the world we share and future generations?

Spending $1.2 billion dollars on a "think tank" to explore the issue over ten years proves an outrageous and socially irresponsible resolution. Costs of a few million might prove justifiable, but $1.2 billion must go toward real, tangible solutions for cutting pollution and emissions. A fraction of $1.2 billion could alleviate California's traffic congestion by subsidizing the cost of public transportation for riders. Lessening the cost of a Coaster or Sprinter ticket would motivate more people to use public transportation. The use of E.Coli bacteria to create hydrocarbons could become an even more ecologically and socially conscious fuel alternative than controversial ethanol.

Active development of such potential energy alternatives must become a priority. $1.2 billion dollars could fund solar panels and energy efficient products for housing and commercial properties throughout the state of California.

Ultimately, the greater issues ensue within our own value systems and personal decisions. We shouldn't "go green" because it's the trendy thing to do.

As a lifestyle, we must make more socially and environmentally responsible decisions, simply because it's the right thing to do.

By Melana Preston

Humans and global warming responsible for extinction of mammoths

2008-04-01T01:53:00.000-07:00

The combination of human hunting pressure and climate change was responsible for the extinction in woolly mammoths, claims new research published in the open-access journal PLoS Biology.

Scientists have long debated whether climate change or human hunting were the more important driver in the demise of North America's megafauna towards the end of the last Ice Age. Now new modeling by David Nogues-Bravo, a biologist at the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid, Spain, and colleagues supports the theory that synergistic effects of warming climate and new human predators drove mammoths to extinction.

Comparing historic temperature and rainfall with the age and locations of fossils, the researchers modeled climate and species distribution at different times in mammoth history — 126,000, 42,000, 30,000, 21,000, and 6,000 years ago. The results show that the mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) suffered a 90 percent loss of its geographic range between 42,000 and 6,000 years ago due to climate change, triggering a sharp decline in population. While mammoths had previously recovered from a worse loss of habitat some 126,000 years ago, the addition of human hunters 6,000 years ago sealed their fate. Nogues-Bravo and colleagues estimate that under the most optimistic scenario for mammoth populations, the killing of a single mammoth every three years would have been enough to drive the species to extinction. In a pessimistic scenario, extinction would require the killing of only a single mammoth every two hundred years.

"These results support the view that the synergy between the collapse of suitable climatic conditions for the woolly mammoths and northward increase in human population densities during the Holocene set the place and time of the woolly mammoth's extinction," write the authors. "Our results suggest that climate change and human impacts progressively cornered the mammoth in the northernmost land masses of Arctic Siberia and some arctic islands, leaving them with nowhere to run away from extinction."

mongabay.com

Effects of Global Warming in the Solomons

2008-03-31T04:19:00.000-07:00

Minister for Environment, Conservation and Meteorology Gordon Darcy Lilo confirms that effects of global warming are now evident in Solomon Islands.

Speaking in Parliament last week, Mr. Lilo said the effects include coastal erosions, inundation and salt water intrusion of Fanalei and Walande Islands in Malaita Province and the sinking of Hakupa Island in Ontong Java, also in Malaita Province.

Mr. Lilo said climate change will affect Solomon Islands in five main areas.

They are reduced Agriculture productivity and food security, water stress and water insecurity, Rising sea levels and exposure to climate disasters, Ecosystems and bio-diversity and human health.

He said climate change scenarios are pointing to losses in productivity of agriculture which may lead to acute malnutrition in the immediate future.

Mr. Lilo informed Parliament that sea level rise has led to the shrinking of water table lens in Ontong Java and led to the brackishing of fresh water.

He also informed Parliament that the increases in temperature will cause warmer seas that will fuel more violent tropical cyclones, displacement of people and inundation of small atoll and man-made islands.

Mr. Lilo said climate change will increase the risk of malaria despite repeated 'Malaria Eradication Programmes'.

Mr. Lilo said that because of these, government policies, strategies and programmes must take into account the threats of climate change on the people and the environment.

Global warming threatens rice yields in future

2008-03-25T06:18:00.000-07:00

London, March 24 (ANI): A new study has suggested that the yields of rice, which is a major food source, will drop in many areas in the future, as a result of increasing global warming.

A new study has suggested that the yields of rice, which is a major food source, will drop in many areas in the future, as a result of increasing global warming.

According to a report in New Scientist, the study is a combination of 80 different studies on rice and climate change, reviewed by Elizabeth Ainsworth of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

The study indicates that in regions where the average daily temperatures are expected to rise above 30ºC, rice yields will start to fall off, and the impact will get worse as the temperature increases.

Though the drop in yield caused by rising temperatures can be counteracted by the boost to photosynthesis provided by the increased levels of carbon dioxide driving climate change, that effect is not strong enough to counteract the stress plants suffer at high temperatures.

Harvests will also be reduced by rising ground-level ozone concentrations, which are caused by nitrogen oxides (NOX) from power stations that catalyse the formation of ozone in warm and sunny conditions.

Ainsworth's review found that ozone concentrations of around 60 parts per billion, which have already being recorded on farms in China and the United States, cause yields to drop by 14%.

According to Ainsworth, new varieties of rice, bred to tolerate high ozone and increased temperatures, are urgently needed.

She points out that tropical regions need these varieties most, as temperatures there are already close to the maximum that traditional types of rice can withstand. And these many of those areas, including parts of Africa, already suffer regular food shortages.

"This won't affect the planet equally," said Ainsworth. "In places where the demand for food is already too great, things are going to get worse," she added.

Ainsworth's study, together with her previous field experiments, have all but wiped out early hopes that increased carbon dioxide might be enough to overcome the other factors and boost yields.

"Considering that we're likely to see an increase in population, if one doesn't see an increase in yields that's worrisome," said Daniel Taub of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, US. (ANI)

Don't bet against global warming

2008-03-22T02:25:00.000-07:00

I'll guess that 95 percent of the people who read this will -- like me -- not be experts on global warming and the alleged connection to human activity. However, you don't have to be an expert at anything to know how to make a smart bet based on past experiences, odds and patterns.

History has shown us time and time again that if the liberal science community gets close to a unanimous opinion on a subject, and the conservative business/religious community opposes it, the eventual outcome is fairly predictable.

Starting around 500 years ago, when the prominent thinkers of the day (Copernicus, Galileo) were ridiculed for claiming the Earth was round and the planets rotated around the sun, a pattern has followed: Conservatives have lost most of the major battles where they fought science and/or big progressive social advances. They opposed ending slavery, and lost. They believed women should not vote, and lost. Conservatives ridiculed Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution, and eventually the majority of the people of the planet accepted it. More recently conservatives opposed civil rights, and had to watch as Americans came to embrace a more enlightened view on race relations and fairness.

Perhaps the closest contemporary example we have to the current global warming debate that pits science against big business was the decades-long fight over tobacco and its health effects. Starting in the 1950s and '60s, big tobacco companies spent tens of millions of dollars lobbying politicians while simultaneously trying to persuade the public that the harmful effects of cigarettes were overblown and exaggerated. They fought the science and research wherever they could. They did everything within their power to discredit the medical community and what eventually became unimpeachable evidence linking smoking to a wide range of negative health issues. The hypocrisy and dishonesty of the whole industry reached a climax in the mid-'90s when the CEOs of all the major American tobacco corporations sat in front of Congress and stated they did not believe the substance was addictive.

We now know better.

You don't have to be an expert in anything to spot good odds. Global warming and the connection to human activity may not be 100 percent conclusive, and the science behind it is still has a few holes, but if I was going to bet, I would not side with Rush Limbaugh (who has also been 100 percent wrong on his Iraq war predictions) or the big oil companies that have spent heavily in a transparent attempt to downplay global warming and the dire situation we may face in the future.

No, I'd place my bet with the other side and go with the thousands of experts that study the Earth and its atmosphere and who almost unanimously believe we need to make some big changes fast to slow the onset and likely devastation that global warming may cause. Put another way, I'd say that if this was a game of blackjack, with big oil dealing (and history as a guide), they're about to draw on a 16, and the science community is holding a 20. My personal thought as a guy who knows a little about odds and patterns would be to double down on the science community.

GREG JAMES

GUEST COLUMNIST

Get the facts on global warming

2008-03-18T05:09:00.000-07:00

In the March 10 edition, William Rusher wrote a column titled "Climate doubters strike back" that attempted to argue that global warming is not a threat to humanity. If you read the article closely you will see that Mr. Rusher provides no data to support his argument and misrepresent facts.

Rusher's main point is that there is no consensus among the world's scientists that global warming is even a problem. His main evidence is a petition: "More than 19,000 scientists have signed a petition saying that global warming is probably natural and not a crisis." Wow, powerful stuff - until you do a little digging. It seems that this petition was created in 1998 and used misleading language and attempted to pass itself off as a document by the prestigious National Academy of Science. It has been widely discredited from many sources.

The document was so deceptive that the National Academy put out a press release saying that it was "concerned" about confusion caused by the petition and that the petition "does not reflect the conclusions of expert reports of the Academy;" and that "greenhouse warming poses a potential threat sufficient to merit prompt response." It seems that very few of the signatories were in fact scientists, let alone climate experts.

Review the evidence about global warming yourself. The Union for Concerned Scientists explores the issues clearly on their website (www.ucsusa.org. And check out the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (www.ipcc.ch). You will see that the scientists are very clear and measured about their predictions.

Fear mongers like Rusher put forth a false dichotomy - either a vibrant economy or a green economy. It is a lie. We can in fact transform our economy to one that is both highly productive and sustainable into the future. Many Fortune 500 companies and many major cities and states across the U.S. are already taking action and benefiting from healthier lifestyles AND higher profits.

It is our national leaders who are far behind on this issue - still mired in conflict of interest and lack of vision. Tell your congressmen and senators that you want to see action now.

If the effects of global warming are even half of what is predicted, what type of planet will our children and grandchildren inherit?

Michael Despines