sustainable-environments

WONDER OF GREEN CHEMISTRY

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:22:00 -0700

It is said that opportunity dances with those already on the dance floor. It is high time our government, scientist, chemists, private sectors embraced the new concept “GREEN CHEMISTRY OR GREEN TECHNOLOGY”. Green technology involves the use of less harmful, eco-friendly materials such as sands, plants, clothes, cotton, clay, grasses etc., for production processes without actually endangering the natural environment and the physical being contained there in. The green chemistry examines more natural solutions to the threat of environmental degradation from water pollution, indiscriminate discharge of industrial effluents, oil spillages, gas flaring etc. Examples of Green Technology include the following;

1. BIOREMEDIATION OR PHYTOREMEDIATION

The process involve the use of microorganisms, fungi, green plants or their enzymes to return the natural environment altered by contaminants from oil spillage, industrial effluents, water and land pollution, gas flaring, burning of fossil fuels etc., to its original condition.

Phyto-remediation consists of depolluting contaminated soils, water or air with plants that are able to contain, degrade or eliminate metals, pesticides or eliminates metals, pesticides, solvents, explosives, crude oil and various other contaminants, from mediums that contain them. It stands to reason, therefore, that phyto or bioremediation removes pollutants from the environment or renders them harmless, that is, bioremediation is not only a clean-up process, but also an avenue for material recovery and recycling.

Why Phyto-remediation?

Relative to the traditional (engineering-based) technologies used to clean up soils, phyto-remediation confers some significant advantages. Some of these include;

A- Cost-effectiveness: Engineering-based technologies are very costly, in contrast to the relatively much lower cost of phyto-remediation which is mostly “in situ” and, less frequently “ex situ” (which involves excavating the contaminated soil to another site for treatment).

B- Possible recovery and re-use of valuable metals: This point is very significant for companies specializing in “phyto-mining”, a process of recovering useful metals (such as lead, mercury, cadmium, aluminum, iron etc) from the harvest of plants which have absorbed the said materials from contaminated soils on which they (the plants) were grown, there by reducing the trend of unemployment.

C- The plants used can be monitored: The process is monitored by measuring the following parameters; Oxidation-Reduction potential, pH, Temperature, CO2 etc.

D- Phyto-remediation is the least harmful method: Because it uses naturally occurring organisms and preserves the natural state of the environment, unlike the engineering-based technologies which dramatically disturb the environment.

E- In addition to the aforementioned, production of oxygen is highly encouraged to meet up with the increasing demand of atmospheric oxygen. Since the process involves planting plants using natural organism, more carbon dioxide is used up by the plants and more atmospheric oxygen is released and there by reducing emission of carbon dioxide for global warming.

2 ADSORPTION PROCESSES FOR WASTE-WATER TREATMENT

The presence of industrial effluents, contaminants, pollutants in water is undesirable because of the toxicological impact of its entrance into the food chain. Many effluents, dyes, chemicals and pigments have toxic as well as carcinogenic, mutagenic and tetratogenic effects. The high cost of waste water treatment coupled with tedious procedure for the regeneration of the conventional adsorbent (that is, activated carbon) that is used. Attention has been shifted to the use of reliable substitutes which is eco-friendly, simple and sludge free, which also involves low investment in terms of both the initial and operational cost.

Adsorption, a simple, reliable, effective and efficacious waste-water treatment method is a suitable primary or tertiary treatment method. Different types of eco-friendly adsorbent for adsorption processes includes: Castor seed shell, Rubber seed shell, Palm kernel fiber, Loofah cylindrical and Clay (the research we are carrying out in the laboratory presently).

The present trends in the technology of water/waste-water treatment using adsorption is more efficient, low cost, eco-friendly and is currently gaining popularity in China, India and other technologically advanced countries. The process is highly recommended for government, private sectors and researchers in order to tackle problem of safe drinking water in the MDGs.

3 RECYCLING OF WASTES

Heap of solids wastes commonly found within our urban cities such as Lagos, Kaduna, Kano etc., could be a money-making ventures and consequently reduce the trend of unemployment amongst the youths that are becoming dread armed robbers. The huge refuse dumps can be converted into harmless, environmental friendly materials such as, conversion of waste papers into tissue paper, cardboard, packaging materials, bill boards etc.

Since technologists are now embracing green technology by creating wealth from wastes producing one material from other existing materials without endangering the environment and the eco-system at large. For instance, instead of falling or cutting trees for pulp and paper and exposing our soil to erosion, the trees could be spared and attention should be shifted to the use of rags, un-used clothes, grasses, leaves, waste paper for the production of paper and other packaging materials like envelope. Government at all levels should enact stringent laws banning the public from indiscriminate falling of trees, also people-centered approached to environmental policies and ecological friendly is highly recommended.

Recycling of sachet water nylons as well as the empty plastics of table water should be encouraged and alternative use is found for them which include recovery of spilled oil on land / water or for the production of certain thermostable materials like, insulators, casing etc.

Recycling of effluents from some industries such as Nigerian Breweries, Guinness, PZ, Unilever should be taken serious, for this will encourage creating wealth from waste and also to reduce poverty, unemployment and restless amongst the youths. By adopting simple method to treat this liquid wastes efficiently, it will go along way to reduce the environmental degradation as well as bio-accumulation of the toxic metals in the aquatic lives. Millennium Development Goals is much achievable.

CONCLUSION

It has been said that “any nation that neglect grass root education has placed a ceiling above its head and will not experience growth beyond the barrier”, hence, local government, state government, federal government and the private sectors are enjoined to finance the education in the country as this is the only way to technologically develop our country. Various committees should be set up by government to be responsible for the collection of various projects carrying out at our high institutions in the country, instead of dumping the projects in the offices of our HODs. Funds inform of grants, scholarships, fellowships should be made available to the best graduating students (first class or second class upper graduates) with flair for meaningful researches just like the one carrying out by the writer, this will place our dear country (Nigeria) amongst economically and technologically develop nation by 2020. Many developing nations are doing it and succeed, Nigeria cannot be an exception. The time to act and change our orientation is NOW. YES WE CAN!

Good news on environment, but can it last?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:41:00 -0700

WASHINGTON - There's nothing like a recession to help clear the air of toxins and drive down pump prices — but we all know it can't last. Or can it?

Even some of the gloomier environmental prognosticators see the world's steep recession possibly prompting a lasting shift in consumer behavior that could form the basis of a more sustainable environment.

As nations haggle about how to battle climate change, global greenhouse gas emissions are in sharp retreat despite an ample supply of fossil-based fuels.

"The United States has entered a new energy era, ending a century of rising carbon emissions," said activist Lester Brown in a recent article.

As president of the Earth Policy Institute, Brown is known for bleak forecasts but now sees the world on a better course.

"Even though part of this decline in carbon emissions was caused by the recession and higher gasoline prices, part of it came from gains in energy efficiency and shifts to carbon-free sources of energy, including record amounts of new wind-generating capacity," he wrote on his website.

While the U.S. Congress is deadlocked and hope is fading for an international deal to combat global warming at a December meeting in Copenhagen, carbon dioxide emissions are shrinking around the world.

Greenhouse gas emissions are expected to fall by about 2.6 per cent this year, the steepest fall in more than 40 years, the International Energy Agency predicted this week.

Even more startling, U.S. emissions are expected to drop 6 per cent, to their lowest level since 1999, according to the World Resources Institute.

A fall in industrial production and sharp decline by the world's top gas-guzzler, the United States, is a big part of the improving outlook for emissions, which scientists say need to be controlled to prevent global warming.

Some changes of the past two years seem set to continue, even after the U.S. economy recovers.

Record energy prices in 2008 prompted many consumers to switch to smaller cars and even to public transit. Even though prices later retreated, analysts increasingly see the classic American gas guzzler as an artifact of the past.

"The general trend for improved energy efficiency is likely to continue and has been going on for a long time. I don't see a groundswell of people buying Hummers," said John Felmy, chief economist with the American Petroleum Institute, referring to oversized cars that symbolized U.S. excess.

Even after more autos return to the roads, tough new fuel economy standards will soon begin kicking in.

Average fuel standards for new cars and light trucks will rise by 10 miles a gallon (23.5 l/100 km) to 35.5 miles per gallon (6.6 l/100 km) between 2012 and 2016. Carbon emissions should fall by 900 million metric tons, or more than 30 per cent, over the life of the program.

When gas prices soared in 2007 and 2008, Americans still drove over 4.8 trillion kilometers a year.

Last year, miles driven fell by 3.6 per cent and the figure stayed just as low during the first seven months of this year.

"It's going to be a long time before we get back to that '07 peak," said Jim Ritterbusch, president of Illinois-based Ritterbusch & Associates, an oil trading advisory firm.

Renewable energies are expanding their role. China is promising big strides while the Obama administration is lavishing $90 billion dollars to boost solar and wind power.

Some environmentalists worry that progress on emissions could backfire if politicians use the improvement to argue that there's no need to pass laws controlling emissions.

Gernot Wagner, economist at the Environmental Defense Fund, believes the United States and other countries still need to cement progress with legislation to cap emissions.

"Key is to set an absolute cap on emissions to reorient the U.S. and global economy toward a low-carbon, high-efficiency development path and climate safety," he said.

Said Dan Weiss, who directs climate strategy at the Center for American Progress think-tank, reflected the cautious optimism among activists: "It's definitely too soon to break out the champagne but it's definitely cause to think about where the champagne is," he said.

Cars running on ethanol can pollute too: Brazil study

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 08:12:00 -0700

RIO DE JANEIRO — Cars running on sugarcane ethanol can produce as many harmful pollutants as those using ordinary petrol (gasoline), according a study published by Brazil's environment ministry.

But the report on the emissions of the cars on Brazil's roads does not count carbon dioxide emissions.

"We want to make sure that customers are aware of pollutant emissions" when they buy a car, Environment Minister Carlos Minc said Tuesday on delivering the report.

The study ranked emissions based of a scale of "green grades" that measured three pollutant gases that do not produce climate change but do affect the health of a country's population: carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide.

The green grade scale, ranging from 0-10, does not count carbon emissions, which are the main driver of global warming, because emissions from burning ethanol are offset by the carbon dioxide that sugar cane absorbs as it grows, the study said.

The research also examined 250 so-called "flex-fuel" cars, which use both ethanol and petrol and constitute about 85 percent of all cars on the road in Brazil.

Among those receiving the lowest scores, eight were cars running on ethanol, including several with "flex" engines, the study said, though all of the models examined met Brazil's standards for maximum emissions levels in 2008.

Environmental group Greenpeace welcomed the report, but an official with the group's climate change campaign in Brazil, Joao Talochhi, told Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper that "when it comes to public health, the Brazilian government should invest in non-polluting vehicle technology."

WASH BEFORE YOU EAT THAT FRUIT

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:51:00 -0700

It's long but very informative

We all think eating fruits means just buying fruits, cutting it and just popping it into our mouths. It's not as easy as you think. It's important
to know how and when to eat. What is the correct way of eating fruits?> IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUITS AFTER YOUR MEALS! FRUITS SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH.
If you eat fruit like that, it will play a major role to detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities.
FRUIT
IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD.
Let's say you eat two slices of bread and then a sliceof fruit. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it is prevented from doing so.
In the meantime the whole meal rots and ferments and turns to acid. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil.
So please eat your fruits on an empty stomach or before your meals! You have heard people complaining - every time I eat watermelon I burp, when I
eat durian my stomach bloats up, when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet etc - actually all this will not arise if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach. The fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas and hence you will bloat!
Graying hair, balding, nervous outburst, and dark circles under the
eyes all these will not happen if you take fruits on an
empty stomach.
There is no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon are acidic, because all fruits become alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter. If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruits, you have the Secret of beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weigh
When you need to drink fruit juice - drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT from the cans. Don't even drink juice that has been heated up. Don't eat cooked
fruits because you don't get the nutrients at all. You
only get to taste. Cooking destroys all the vitamin But eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice. If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it. You can go on a 3-day fruit fast to cleanse your body. Just eat fruits
and drink fruit juice throughout the 3 days and you will be surprised when your friends tell you how radiant you look!
KIWI: Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.
APPLE: An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack& stroke.
STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total
antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals.
ORANGE: Sweetest medicine. Taking 2-4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessens the risk of colon cancer.
WATERMELON: Coolest thirst quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also
packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene - the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are vitamin C & Potassium.
GUAVA & PAPAYA: Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for
their high vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene; this is good for your eyes.
Drinking Cold water after a meal = Cancer! Can you believe this? For those who like to drink cold water, this article is> applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup,warm water or warm after a meal.

A serious note about heart attacks HEART ATTACK PROCEDURE': (THIS IS NOT A JOKE!) Women should know that> not every heart attack symptom is going to
be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack . Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.. Sixty percent of people who have
a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know the better chance we could survive...

Acardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.
Read this...It could save your life!!

Obama to address union, name manufacturing adviser

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 8 Sep 2009 05:55:00 -0700

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is addressing one of his key constituencies — organized labor — on Monday as union members gather to celebrate the holiday named for their movement.

As Obama prepares for a critical speech Wednesday to Congress and the nation about his efforts to overhaul health care, a supportive audience at the AFL-CIO's annual Labor Day picnic in Cincinnati should provide welcome relief from the highly charged partisan atmosphere surrounding the issue.

Besides addressing health care, Obama will tell the assembled union members he has named Ron Bloom as senior counselor for manufacturing policy. Bloom has served since February as senior adviser to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner as part of Obama's auto industry task force.

Bloom is traveling to Cincinnati with the president, the White House said. He will be working with the National Economic Council to "provide leadership on policy development and strategic planning for the president's agenda to revitalize the manufacturing sector."

The White House said Bloom would continue in his position with Geithner but would expand his role to coordinate administration manufacturing policy with the Departments of Commerce, Treasury, Energy and Labor.

"Ron has the knowledge and experience necessary to lead the way in creating the good-paying manufacturing jobs of the future," Obama said in a statement released Sunday night.

Before moving to Treasury, Bloom was a special assistant to the president of the United Steelworkers union. He was a founding partner in the investment banking firm of Keilin and Bloom.

Despite a friendly audience at the labor picnic, where Obama is expected to be welcomed by national union leaders John Sweeney and Richard Trumka, the gathering could turn out to be a small oasis in the swing state of Ohio.

Opposition to Obama's health care overhaul was evident Saturday at a "Tea Party" rally in the Cincinnati suburb of West Chester, where a crowd of thousands protested with signs such as "Government-run health care makes me sick" and "Leave our health care alone."

The AFL-CIO's Eddie Vale said the picnic — this will be the 23rd annual such gathering — normally draws as many as 20,000 people. Then-presidential candidate Bill Clinton attended the event in 1992.

Obama Presents New Industry Aide on Labor Day

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 8 Sep 2009 05:48:00 -0700

One day after announcing the resignation of his adviser on green jobs, President Obama will introduce his senior adviser on manufacturing.

CBS News White House Correspondent Mark Knoller reports that Ron Bloom has traveled with Mr. Obama for his introduction at a manufacturing-friendly audience — the AFL-CIO's annual Labor Day picnic in Cincinnati.

Bloom isn't a stranger to unions, and this won't be his first position in Washington. Knoller reports that Bloom will continue to serve as a senior adviser to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's Auto Industry Task Force. Previously, Bloom served as a legal adviser to the president of the United Steelworkers Union.

"Distinguished by his extraordinary service on the auto task force and his extensive experience with both business and labor, Ron has the knowledge and experience necessary to lead the way in creating the good-paying manufacturing jobs of the future," Mr. Obama said in a statement.

The White House says Bloom will work closely with the National Economic Council and the Departments of Commerce, Energy, Labor and the Treasury to oversee Mr. Obama's agenda for the manufacturing sector.

Before working with the steelworkers union, Bloom was a founding partner of the investment banking firm Keilin and Bloom. At the firm, he worked with unions representing steelworkers and auto workers as well as the Teamsters union, the Air Line Pilots Association and other unions.

Environmental Pollution

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 6 Aug 2009 07:15:00 -0700

Environmental pollution is contamination of air, water and land from man-made waste. Pollution leads to depletion of the ozone layer, global warming and climate change. Air pollution is the release of chemicals and particles into the atmosphere. Water pollution includes surface runoff, leakage into groundwater, liquid spills, wastewater discharge and littering. If toxins are spilled on the ground or if an underground storage tank leaks, soil can become contaminated. Well known contaminants include herbicides and pesticides. Toxic waste is waste material, often in chemical form, which pollutes the natural environment and contaminates groundwater.

Other types of pollution include ocean... Show more »
Environmental pollution is contamination of air, water and land from man-made waste. Pollution leads to depletion of the ozone layer, global warming and climate change. Air pollution is the release of chemicals and particles into the atmosphere. Water pollution includes surface runoff, leakage into groundwater, liquid spills, wastewater discharge and littering. If toxins are spilled on the ground or if an underground storage tank leaks, soil can become contaminated. Well known contaminants include herbicides and pesticides. Toxic waste is waste material, often in chemical form, which pollutes the natural environment and contaminates groundwater.

Other types of pollution include ocean pollution and noise pollution. Environmental pollution can have a deadly effect on humans and ecosystems. For example, cigarette smoke, including second-hand smoke, causes cancer, emphysema, stroke and heart attack. Drinking water can become contaminated by untreated sewage, rashes and skin problems occur due to oil spills, while excessive noise can cause hearing loss. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established in 1970 to put a limit on the amount of pollutants in the air. Congress passed the Clean Air Act in 1963, the Noise Control Act in 1972 and the Clean Water Act in 1977. Pollution is a bigger concern in other parts of the world, especially developing countries. Time Magazine reported in 2007 that the most polluted spots in the world included China, India, Peru and Russia.

Q and A on Swine flu

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 1 Aug 2009 04:55:00 -0700

View larger image

Dr. Neil Rau looks at the swine flu vaccine and why some groups are at a higher risk, such as those who are obese or pregnant, than others.

Swine flu Q and A: Who is most at risk and why?
Updated Sat. Aug. 1 2009 7:50 AM ET

Angela Mulholland and Dr. Neil Rau

While it's been four months since the world first heard of what we now know as swine flu, much remains unknown. Researchers remain puzzled about many aspects of this new virus -- most importantly, why it targets who it does. As public health officials around the world document the virus' patterns, those answers are starting to become clear. Here, CTV.ca with the help of infectious diseases expert, Dr. Neil Rau, reviews the emerging theories about how swine flu operates.

Is this a virus that primarily targets the young?
It would appear. Remember, there are still few published studies of this virus, but based on observations in North America, Europe, and now parts of the southern hemisphere, it appears that those over 50 rarely experience severe illness from this virus. Further evidence of this bug's unusual age profile as compared to seasonal flu can be found in the fact that school and camp-based outbreaks have been common while nursing home outbreaks have not been seen.

Early in this outbreak, an explanation began to emerge. Tests by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that those over 50 pre-existing antibodies that protected them against swine flu, with those over the age of 60 showing the highest levels of antibodies. Again, this is consistent with the age profile of those ill enough to be admitted to hospital with swine flu infection. Less than 20 per cent of those hospitalized in the early days were over 50. By contrast, in a typical flu season, more than 90 per cent of those hospitalized are older than 50.

An additional explanation as to why those over 50 are being largely spared suggests that exposure to any previous H1N1 virus in early childhood may offer protection from future H1N1 viruses, including swine flu. Before 1957, most predominant seasonal flu viruses were weakened H1N1 descendants of the 1918 Spanish flu strain. But after the H2N2 pandemic of 1957, things changed, and non-H1N1 flu viruses became the dominant strains causing seasonal flu, "crowding out" the old H1N1 viruses from circulation. Therefore, those born after 1957 did not experience much H1N1 infection in early childhood and may not be protected from future H1N1 to the same degree as those born before 1957.

Why are pregnant patients at higher risk of death?
We still don't have the full answer, but history appears to be repeating itself. During both the 1918 Spanish flu and the 1957 Asian flu pandemics, pregnant women - especially those in the third trimester -- were at a greater risk of death.

Even during seasonal flu, pregnant women - again, especially those in the third trimester -- are far more likely to be hospitalized for complications, compared to other reproductive-age women. Pregnancy is an immune-suppressed state so that the body won't reject a "foreign" presence - i.e. the fetus. So, it makes sense that the weakened immune system is then more susceptible to defend against infections such as the flu.

As well, a woman's diaphragm in the last stages of pregnancy is pushed upward, giving her a decreased remaining lung capacity for breathing. This might allow an additional assault on the lungs, such as flu, more dangerous.

Why are the obese at higher risk of severe illness?
The most commonly cited explanation for this one is that obesity often brings accompanying chronic health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and respiratory problems, all of which would compromise the body's ability to fight infection. There is also the possibility that extra weight on the chest from obesity restricts the diaphragm, much as pregnancy does, making it harder to breathe and cough.

While these are plausible explanations, it should be noted that obesity has not been documented as a risk factor for severe seasonal flu.

There is an emerging new theory that obesity itself might increase susceptibility. Studies on obese mice have found the lab animals develop fewer virus-killing cells and chemicals when infected with flu, making their immune system slow to react. Not only do obese mice fail to fight off the virus, they also mount a futile, runaway immune response -- called a "cytokine storm" -- that actually kills the mice as "innocent bystanders" in the fight against the virus. It's far from clear whether the obese mouse study results apply to obese humans, but it is possible that properties of the fat cells in obese individuals inhibits their immune response and ability to fight flu.

Why are so many young people coming down with severe swine flu?
This remains the biggest mystery of this outbreak.

It could come down to the fact young healthy people comprise the largest group of people susceptible to this virus. Because this pandemic has spread most explosively in schools, young people have been exposed in disproportionate numbers. And because more young people are infected, more of the severe cases -- as well as more of the mild cases -- are occurring in this population.

What is known is that any young person with a chronic lung condition, such as asthma, can be severely sickened by swine flu. The flu makes a person's lungs more susceptible to pneumonia or other bacterial infections, a leading cause of death among those with seasonal flu. Those most vulnerable to such complications of seasonal flu are kids under two years old. Swine flu seems to mirror seasonal flu in this regard.

Are there worries swine flu could mutate to become more virulent?
No, there have been no signs of the swine flu virus mutating to cause more deaths or severe illness. Like any flu virus, this virus is expected to "drift" somewhat over time. Therefore, if it becomes established as a seasonal flu strain, future versions of vaccine may need to be adjusted. But historically, in flu pandemics, the impact of subsequent waves of a flu virus becomes weaker over time, as more people develop immunity and break the chain of spread.

The concern for the upcoming flu season in the northern hemisphere relates to the possibility that many have still not been exposed to the virus, and that even a small percentage of many vulnerable people may translate to a sizeable number of severely ill people. This did not happen during the first wave in the northern hemisphere this past spring, even in Mexico, where millions had to be infected to culminate in the number of deaths seen there.

Medical Isotope Shortage Looming

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:37:00 -0700

A leaky Canadian reactor which supplies the United States with about half of its medical isotopes will be shut for much longer than first anticipated.

Atomic Energy of Canada, a government-owned reactor maker and operator, said on Wednesday that it will likely take until late this year to repair the device in Chalk River, Ontario.

Speaking on a conference call with reporters, Hugh MacDiarmid, the company’s president, did not rule out longer delays.

The 52-year-old reactor, which has been plagued with problems in recent years, closed on May 15 after a leak of heavy water, which it uses as a moderator, was discovered. At the time, Atomic Energy estimated that repairs would take three months.

The reactor is the only one in North America that produces isotopes used medical imaging and treatments.

Sourcing isotopes from other reactors is difficult because Chalk River is the world’s largest isotope maker. Medical isotopes also have a relatively short shelf life, making it impossible to build up stockpiles to cover periods when the reactor is out of order.

Some medical imaging and nuclear physics experts have speculated that Chalk River may never reopen, a possibility that Mr. MacDiarmid rejected.

In a joint statement, Leona Aglukkaq, Canada’s health minister, and Lisa Raitt, the natural resources minister, said the continued reactor shutdown “will result in a significant shortage of medical isotopes in Canada and in the world this summer.”

A Possible Way to Reduce Nuclear Waste

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 03:58:00 -0700

An emerging shortage of a crucial medical isotope is prompting research into new ways to make the material, used in cancer and cardiac diagnoses. One result could be less nuclear waste.

As I wrote in The Times on Friday, the two reactors that produce most of the world’s supply of the isotope, called technetium 99m, are both shut at the moment, and their future is uncertain.

Technetium is made by splitting an atom of uranium 235, but the yield is small — resulting in the use of lots of uranium fuel, which generates the neutrons to split the uranium.

On Wednesday, a company in Kennewick, Wash., Advanced Medical Isotope, plans to test a new way of splitting uranium that does not require the use of a reactor — thus avoiding the issue of spent fuel.

Instead, it will use a linear accelerator, a machine that shoots subatomic particles at high speeds. Specifically, the machine will fire electrons into a metal called tungsten that will give off gamma rays; the gamma rays will be used to bombard heavy water (which is water that has an extra neutron in one of its hydrogen atoms). When the gamma ray hits the heavy water, a neutron is liberated that can go on to split the uranium.

The company’s chief scientific officer, Dr. Robert E. Schenter, said the population of neutrons would be increased by “orders of magnitude,” or factors of ten.

The first phase of the experiment will test neutron propagation; in a later phase, the neutrons will be used to split uranium.

The process — which could also have a broader application, beyond medicine, as old nuclear reactors break down — will continue to produce waste from the uranium that is split. But there will be much less of the waste, because it avoids the use of uranium fuel as a source of neutrons.

Animal Cruelty Creates Lust For Violence In Society

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 06:59:00 -0700

Cruelty to animals creates a lust for violence in society said Rep. James Moran (D-Va.) Monday. Speaking at a rally organized by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to promote animal protection legislation, Rep. Moran said HSUS lobbying would hopefully lead to the “ending [of] needless suffering, senseless violence.”

“When we become desensitized to suffering it creates this almost lust for violence. It kind of gets ingrained in society and kids growing up think this is okay,” Moran said. “Ultimately it adversely effects all of us, our quality of life, our security, who we are as a community of good people.”

“This is what America needs to be about. Not the commercialization of everything, not seeing every living thing as how I can make a profit from it,” he added.

Moran argued that there are loopholes in certain laws that have led to inhumane treatment of animals in the U.S.; Particularly, a nation-wide requirement that only products priced over $150 must contain the label “made from fur.”

“This is about consumers having a choice. It’s a moral decision if someone wants to buy fur. This is a free country, they can do that if they want,” Moran said. “At least give them the information so that they can make the decisions based upon the facts.”

Moran was joined by actress Ginnifer Goodwin and the president and CEO of HSUS Wayne Pacelle in addressing HSUS members who had spent the day lobbying Congressmen and Senators for tighter animal protection laws.

Goodwin praised the HSUS for sparking her interest in animal rights, and urged them to continue being persistent.

“As long as we keep sharing there will be a mass domino effect.” Goodwin said “And only good can come of that.”

Pacelle said that it was essential for the HSUS to take its fight to Capitol Hill in order to effect change and be considered a serious movement by the rest of the country.

“All of the social movements that really make progress to the point of being treated seriously in the world have to have their issues debated in the Capitol,” Pacelle said.

He added that it is the duty of Congress to pass legislation that would protect animals due to an imbalance of power between humans and animals.

“We hold all the cards, we control their destiny,” Pacelle said. “We need standards. We need laws to hold everyone in society accountable to these standards.”

Britain to take back toxic waste

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:10:00 -0700

A British environmental official says the U.K. plans to take back more than 1,000 tons of toxic waste shipped to Brazil in containers marked as recyclable plastic.

Liz Parks, the head of waste for Britain's Environment Agency, told the BBC Sunday that arrangements are being made for the waste to be returned. She said it could take a number of weeks to get the waste back to Britain.

The Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources said the containers contained domestic and hospital waste, including batteries, used syringes, condoms, old medicine and soiled diapers.

The Environment Agency is investigating how the waste got to Brazil and whether any offenses had been committed.

Wal-Mart To Set Sustainability Standards

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 03:07:00 -0700

Retailer plans to set environmental standards for suppliers and give its customers a tool to rate how green products are.
Wal-Mart Thursday offered more details on the index it is developing that will measure the sustainability of all the products it sells.
The giant retailer plans to set environmental standards for suppliers and give its customers a tool to rate how green products are.

"Customers do want low prices, but not by sacrificing quality," said Wal-Mart CEO Mike Duke in remarks prepared for a meeting Thursday of 1,500 suppliers and other partners at company headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas. "They want products that are more efficient, that last longer, and perform better. And increasingly, they want information about the entire lifecycle of a product so that they can feel good about buying it. They want to know that the materials in the product are safe that it was made well and that it was produced in a responsible way."

Wal-Mart has over 100,000 suppliers around the world, and it will begin by asking them 15 questions about their greenhouse gas emissions, water and solid waste reduction efforts, and the practices and locations of their suppliers.

Top-tier U.S. suppliers are expected to answer these questions by October 1.

Wal-Mart will then work with universities to create a global database of information on product lifecycles, based on information from suppliers, retailers and governments, among others. The retailer does not plan to own the database, Duke said, but will make it open and available to others.

Finally, Wal-Mart will translate the data into a rating tool for customers to judge products on Wal-Mart's shelves.

Duke said Wal-Mart is concerned about the world's increasing population and decreasing natural resources. He also said businesses must become more transparent about what they do because customers are using social networks and other Internet tools to hold them accountable.

The retailer denied, to the Wall Street Journal, that Wal-Mart is trying to get ahead U.S. and worldwide environmental regulators.

One analyst said that while Wal-Mart's 15 questions to suppliers are a start, they omit critical details.

"They don't mention toxic materials used in manufacturing or in the products themselves," said Joel Makower, the executive editor of Greenbiz.com, in his blog. "They don't talk about the energy efficiency of products or their recyclability or other disposition at the end of their useful lives. One need only compare Wal-Mart's Index to Nike's Considered Index, which goes deep into product details, to see how relatively primitive it is. There are equally good examples from several other companies."

Makower, however, said Wal-Mart's plans are "a solid first effort" and "a bold move."

To keep applications humming in virtualized environments, you must move beyond manual monitoring and management. Find out about that and more in our digital supplement on virtualization and the cloud, part of InformationWeek's Green Initiative to reduce our carbon footprint.

YOU can be like these men in good environment

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:28:00 -0700

The following are men of integrity and of high calibers that have distinguished themselves in their chosen fields (entrepreneurships).They are Nigerians like you not only share visions but also believe in putting visions in top motion to acquire their legitimate wealth.
ALIKO DANGOTE: Currently holding 201st position as the richest man in the world, an entrepreneur per excellence and proud chief executive of Dangote Group of companies. His business empire is one of the largest trading organizations in modern day Nigeria and has further diversified into textiles, banking, property, shipping, fishing, building materials as well as petroleum and gas. With just 500,000 naira from his maternal grandfather as a gift with which he invested heavily today he worth 500,000 naira in 500,000 times a day. Ordinary man with lesser vision would have spent the money on car which will become a liability on him in future.
FEMI OTEDOLA: He is now ranked 601 world richest man. If you think the 601st position is far from 1st position then think of your status in your local community if you worth 15,000th position. This is a young Nigerian changing the image of our country outside world. Do you want to share the vision of this young man that controls Zenon Oil and shipping companies and other industries scattered all over the country? He did not only pay the salaries of more than 2000 Nigerians but also pays salaries of more than 5000 white men.
JIMOH IBRAHIM: This young man in his early 40s employ more than 500 first class graduates at a time because he shares the believe that only the best are good entrepreneurs. He owns and controls Global Fleet as well as NICON companies. He is a graduate of law but never operated a chamber let alone defend any client in the court of law and yet he employ many SANs as advocators. You can be as great as this man only if you can dream and put the dream in motion.
OBA OTUDEKO: If you think this man made his billions and control Nigerian Stock Exchange just because he is a king, then you need to be told that, this man never ascended a throne for a minute but crave a niche for himself as a result of dedication, hardworking and never say die attitude. Today he is the chairman of Honeywell Flours and currently delved into hospitality business. This shows how versatile and dynamic the man is.
SUBOMI BALOGUN: The Chief Executive Officer of FCMB and a brilliant entrepreneur in his hey days. He has demonstrated so far a high sense of responsibility in the career chosen for himself himself now in his 70s he drives different types of cars ranging from Rolls Royce, Lincoln Navigator, Hummer Jeep and host of others. Today Otunba Subomi is a force to reckon with both in Nigeria and abroad especially within banking sector.
MIKE ADENUGA: Chief Mike Adenuga is a man whose hand is present in every big businesses in the most vital sectors of the Nigerian economy.He sits atop a multi-billion naira business empire with considerable investments in construction, banking, real estate, telecommunications and oil and gas.
Having conquered the banking (Devcom Merchant Bank and Equatorial Trust Bank) and oil sectors of Nigerian economy, Adenuga boldly announced his arrival on the telecommunications sub-sector of the Nigerian economy, a sector that is generally regarded as the most extensive, largest growing and most lucrative business all over the world. Adenuga has emerged as a mega-telecoms service provider with his company, GLOBACOM.
No doubt, Adenuga is an icon of entrepreneurship; he stands out as a beacon to this present generation. A multi-talented business man who is adept at studying, understanding and dominating his environment. He has discovered and created opportunities that many of his contemporary could only fantasize about.
In addition to the aforementioned entrepreneur other great Nigerian entrepreneurs worth of mentioning include; Akeem Bello Osagie, Jobi Akeem Fele, Alhaji Sanusi Dantata, Otunba Dipo Dina, Alhaji Inu Umoru, Raymond Dokpesi, Erastus Akingbola, Bruce Families and host of others.
All these have created a niche for themselves and have their names printed on the sand of time. It is high time we get rebranded in Nigeria and change the worsening perception of Nigeria in the face of the outer world. We can survive in any situation and have our names in written in gold if only we can change the situation ourselves. THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW!
Posted by ourworrldsurf at 4:26 AM 0 comments
Labels: entrepreneur

EMBRACE BIO-REMEDIATION TO RECLAIM OUR ENVIRONMENT

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:15:00 -0700

1. BIOREMEDIATION OR PHYTOREMEDIATION
The process involve the use of microorganisms, fungi, green plants or their enzymes to return the natural environment altered by contaminants from oil spillage, industrial effluents, water and land pollution, gas flaring, burning of fossil fuels etc., to its original condition.
Phyto-remediation consists of depolluting contaminated soils, water or air with plants that are able to contain, degrade or eliminate metals, pesticides or eliminates metals, pesticides, solvents, explosives, crude oil and various other contaminants, from mediums that contain them. It stands to reason, therefore, that phyto or bioremediation removes pollutants from the environment or renders them harmless, that is, bioremediation is not only a clean-up process, but also an avenue for material recovery and recycling.
Why Phyto-remediation?
Relative to the traditional (engineering-based) technologies used to clean up soils, phyto-remediation confers some significant advantages. Some of these include;
A- Cost-effectiveness: Engineering-based technologies are very costly, in contrast to the relatively much lower cost of phyto-remediation which is mostly “in situ” and, less frequently “ex situ” (which involves excavating the contaminated soil to another site for treatment).
B- Possible recovery and re-use of valuable metals: This point is very significant for companies specializing in “phyto-mining”, a process of recovering useful metals (such as lead, mercury, cadmium, aluminum, iron etc) from the harvest of plants which have absorbed the said materials from contaminated soils on which they (the plants) were grown, there by reducing the trend of unemployment.
C- The plants used can be monitored: The process is monitored by measuring the following parameters; Oxidation-Reduction potential, pH, Temperature, CO2 etc.
D- Phyto-remediation is the least harmful method: Because it uses naturally occurring organisms and preserves the natural state of the environment, unlike the engineering-based technologies which dramatically disturb the environment.
E- In addition to the aforementioned, production of oxygen is highly encouraged to meet up with the increasing demand of atmospheric oxygen. Since the process involves planting plants using natural organism, more carbon dioxide is used up by the plants and more atmospheric oxygen is released and there by reducing emission of carbon dioxide for global warming.
2 ADSORPTION PROCESSES FOR WASTE-WATER TREATMENT
The presence of industrial effluents, contaminants, pollutants in water is undesirable because of the toxicological impact of its entrance into the food chain. Many effluents, dyes, chemicals and pigments have toxic as well as carcinogenic, mutagenic and tetratogenic effects. The high cost of waste water treatment coupled with tedious procedure for the regeneration of the conventional adsorbent (that is, activated carbon) that is used. Attention has been shifted to the use of reliable substitutes which is eco-friendly, simple and sludge free, which also involves low investment in terms of both the initial and operational cost.
Adsorption, a simple, reliable, effective and efficacious waste-water treatment method is a suitable primary or tertiary treatment method. Different types of eco-friendly adsorbent for adsorption processes includes: Castor seed shell, Rubber seed shell, Palm kernel fiber, Loofah cylindrical and Clay (the research we are carrying out in the laboratory presently).
The present trends in the technology of water/waste-water treatment using adsorption is more efficient, low cost, eco-friendly and is currently gaining popularity in China, India and other technologically advanced countries. The process is highly recommended for government, private sectors and researchers in order to tackle problem of safe drinking water in the MDGs.
3 RECYCLING OF WASTES
Heap of solids wastes commonly found within our urban cities such as Lagos, Kaduna, Kano etc., could be a money-making ventures and consequently reduce the trend of unemployment amongst the youths that are becoming dread armed robbers. The huge refuse dumps can be converted into harmless, environmental friendly materials such as, conversion of waste papers into tissue paper, cardboard, packaging materials, bill boards etc.
Since technologists are now embracing green technology by creating wealth from wastes producing one material from other existing materials without endangering the environment and the eco-system at large. For instance, instead of falling or cutting trees for pulp and paper and exposing our soil to erosion, the trees could be spared and attention should be shifted to the use of rags, un-used clothes, grasses, leaves, waste paper for the production of paper and other packaging materials like envelope. Government at all levels should enact stringent laws banning the public from indiscriminate falling of trees, also people-centered approached to environmental policies and ecological friendly is highly recommended.
Recycling of sachet water nylons as well as the empty plastics of table water should be encouraged and alternative use is found for them which include recovery of spilled oil on land / water or for the production of certain thermostable materials like, insulators, casing etc.
Recycling of effluents from some industries such as Nigerian Breweries, Guinness, PZ, Unilever should be taken serious, for this will encourage creating wealth from waste and also to reduce poverty, unemployment and restless amongst the youths. By adopting simple method to treat this liquid wastes efficiently, it will go along way to reduce the environmental degradation as well as bio-accumulation of the toxic metals in the aquatic lives. Millennium Development Goals is much achievable.
CONCLUSION
It has been said that “any nation that neglect grass root education has placed a ceiling above its head and will not experience growth beyond the barrier”, hence, local government, state government, federal government and the private sectors are enjoined to finance the education in the country as this is the only way to technologically develop our country. Various committees should be set up by government to be responsible for the collection of various projects carrying out at our high institutions in the country, instead of dumping the projects in the offices of our HODs. Funds inform of grants, scholarships, fellowships should be made available to the best graduating students (first class or second class upper graduates) with flair for meaningful researches just like the one carrying out by the writer, this will place our dear country (Nigeria) amongst economically and technologically develop nation by 2020. Many developing nations are doing it and succeed, Nigeria cannot be an exception. The time to act and change our orientation is NOW. YES WE CAN!

POTABLE WATER, A PANACEA TO MILLEENNIUM DEVELOPMENT

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 06:35:00 -0700

TARGET B: Halve, by 2015, the proportions of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.
INTRODUCTION
Water, we all know is a source of life and as such must be pure and of good quality. Sustainability of any human community hinges on adequate supply of safe drinking water, which conforms to the acceptable standard, at a price that is affordable to all. This makes the process economy a paramount factor in the treatment of water. Consequent upon this, the need to eliminate the existing paradox between the costs of water treatment, which is very low, is imminent. The most often polluted of all the environmental phases are the aquatic systems. This is because contaminants in the air, soil, or on land ultimately end up in aquatic systems via local precipitation water run off and leaching of rocks and wastes. Most Nigerian industries discharge their untreated effluents (liquid wastes) through drains or canals into the nearest water body with little or no treatment, the traditional view being that liquid wastes would, like gaseous emissions quickly disperse and become diluted to harmless concentrations. That point of view is no longer tenable, given current understanding of the mechanisms of bio-concentrations and of stratification.
Water Supply in Akungba-Akoko (University town)
There is no city in Nigeria even in the world that can boast of efficient and effective water supply system. The various water supply schemes in Nigeria states are not consistence and sometimes when it is available it is often not in sufficient quantity which leaves the majority of the people having to look for other sources to get safe drinking water. The above situation defines the state of water supply in Akungba-Akoko (University town). The public water supply is erratic, unreliable and in some cases, inaccessible, thus resulting in high dependency on supplementary sources.
The water supply in Nigeria has been hampered by pollution, climate change amongst others. For example Ose Water Scheme designed to supply Owo, Oba-Akoko and its environs is drying up due to increased evaporation.
Supply of Water and Sanitation in Nigeria
In November 2001, it was reported that polluted water supplies led to an outbreak of cholera in Kano, causing more than 600 deaths (African Discovery BBC., 2001). Other problems associated with the supply of water and sanitation includes the following;
. Lack of attention to maintenance and sustainability;
. Inadequate coverage of pipe borne water distribution network;
. Poor quality and increased time cost in the process of getting water for daily needs;
. Shortage of skilled labour in the treatment of water for human consumption;
. Inadequate funding of the water project on the part of government;
. People attitude towards government or public property;
. Low revenue collection from consumers coupled with the increase in population/area.
The aforementioned problems must be adequately tackled in order to achieve Target B of Goal 7 of the MDGs.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TARGET B
In order to meet the Goal 7 Target B of the Millennium Development Goals before the year, 2015, the following recommendations should be adhered to:
. Government at all levels should endeavor to repair/ replace the obsolete and outdated pumps at our various water works in order to ensure availability of safe drinking water.
. Government should endeavor to repair/replace damaged pipes and laying of new water pipelines to the entire length and breadth of the country.
. Competent and highly skilled personnel, chemists or engineers should be employed at the helms of affairs of our various water works to ensure adequate and safe drinking water to the consumers.
. Government should enact laws to prevent discharge of industrial effluents into the water bodies or better still; the effluents should be treated prior discharge into the water.
. Government should encourage the use of simple waste water treatment such as, adsorption processes against conventional water treatment which is unreliable and involve high cost of recovery of the adsorbent (carbon or charcoal) used.
. Government should release funds inform of grants, scholarships to researchers in sciences and technologies in order to develop a better and eco-friendly materials for water treatment without endangering the lives of the people.
. Government of the day should embark on awareness campaign, organization of workshops, use of print media as well as radio and television jingles to senitize the people on the need to boil their water before drinking.
. Since municipal water supply facilities are built and designed to serve a targeted population, there is the need to construct new water schemes with increased facilities in order to meet the ever increasing population of our country.
. Government should encourage public participation in water supply planning and effective sanitary environment in order to achieve the MDGs Goal 7 Target B.

TARGET C: 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers.
INTRODUCTION
Housing has been noted and identified as one of the numerous needs for human survival, in addition to food and clothing. It embraces all the social services utilities that make a neighborhood a liveable environment. Housing problems have increased significantly in Nigeria in the past decades and are assuming almost an intractable dimension. Apart from the continual degenerating physical and environmental conditions an increasing smaller number of housing units are added to the housing stock in the country annually due to the depressed national economy. The few available residential units are generally priced outside the reach of many Nigerians to the extent that most urban residents are compelled to choose from no-choice situation.
Urbanization and Urban decay: The world’s economy system is increasingly becoming urban-based and so is Nigeria’s. In Nigeria, rapid urbanization casts a series of challenges to providing the urban poor with access to decent shelter. Consequently, the urban poor lack access, not only to appropriate housing, but also to affordable, tenured, serviced land, housing finance and other government assistance in form of subsidies for housing provision. The resultant effect of this is expansion of slum and squatter settlement.
The current poor housing conditions of Nigerians in relation to the Millennium Development Goals which have specific targets to improve significantly the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers by 2020, worldwide, could only be achieved through public/private partnership in housing provision, otherwise it will remain a tall dream and a threat to MDGs.
Land Pollution: Land pollution from industrial activities result from both the direct discharge and disposal of solid wastes by industries on land and the careless disposal of industrial products and products containers. Solid waste can become toxic especially if they contain chemicals like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and toxic metals as already reported in huge refuse dumps that now adorn our urban cities. These chemicals are highly carcinogenic and injurious not only to the urban dwellers but also rural or slum dwellers.
Heap solid wastes are common features within or on the outskirts of major cities. Pesticides containers, broken bottles, mine tailings and metal scraps of all sorts, etc, are also common. Often they are disposed by landfill or incineration. Leachates from uncontrolled landfill sites are high in biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), dissolved toxic metals and persistent toxic organic compounds, all of which pose serious health problems on both surrounding animal and human populations using either the surface or ground water, and eating the vegetables grown on such lands. This issue must be tackled for it seems to be worsening because most towns now stink.

BE NICE TO EARTH

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 03:51:00 -0700

TARGET A; Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources.

INTRODUCTION:

ENVIRONMENT

Environment refers to the physical space and all the human and other resources contained therein. In simple terms environment can be defined as encompassing air, water flora, fauna and other natural and man-made features that constitute our surroundings, for example, all the biophysical and socio-economic elements of our surroundings.

Human activities inevitably and increasingly introduce material and energy into or remove material from the environment; in other words environmental impact is said to have been created. Thus; environmental impact refers to the alteration of environmental conditions or creation of a new set of actions or environmental conditions adverse or beneficial, caused or induced by the action or set of actions under consideration .This definition implies that there are two types of environmental impact, firstly, when it endangers or having potential to endanger people’s health, their well-being or their resources directly or indirectly, otherwise known as “negative impact”.

The second aspect is beneficial having to do with the socio-economic well-being of the people or host communities by providing jobs, basic amenities, increased business transaction etc., and is known as “positive impact”.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

This means the exploitation of natural resources for human survival without jeopardizing the ability of succeeding generations to satisfy their needs. It has to do with showing a greater consideration for future generations’ means of livelihood even while trying to improve on our standard of living now. It is thus economic development with environmental protection.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Sustainable development in Nigeria demands that certain key environmental issues need to be properly examined. The need for this is to know the danger ahead of us in our actions or inactions in the struggle to combat environmental degradation. In Nigeria, in the desperate efforts to survive many people, organizations and the government at all levels adopt one form of measure or the other to produce. Some of these measures have negative effect on the environment. Some of the key effects are;

Deforestation: This phenomenon results from uncontrolled and indiscriminate cutting of trees for timber, firewood, construction, and for other domestic and industrial uses. By destroying the vegetative cover, the soil becomes vulnerable to harsh climatic conditions leading to erosion, desertification, flooding etc.

Loss of Biodiversity: Heavy exploitation of biodiversity could lead to the extinction of some indigenous species, because they are well adapted to the local climate and resistance to disease and pest attacks from organisms with which they, for long time, formed a very rich ecosystem for conserving the environment. Loss of such species contributes further to degrading environment. How to maintain an inter-generational flow of natural resources through bio-systems and ecosystem is the question to address in the MDGs.

Drought and Desertification: These are both products of climate change and environmental degradation. Prolong dry season leading to yellow leaves or withering of crops. The issue is that of future lack of woods and excessive heat arising from misuse of land by farmers and construction activities. In Nigeria, wood is the main source of energy in the rural areas (Akungba-Akoko, as a case study) and the rate at which the trees is being fell without replanting for coming generation will definitely lead to desertification in future. This is a negative prelude to the MDGs and must be adequately corrected.

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECT OF INDUSTRIES

The major environmental problem that arises from the chemical industries is pollution. This could be either atmospheric, land or water pollution.

Over the last four decades, Nigeria has taken significant steps forward towards industrialization. The sitting of these industries depended largely on political and economical considerations. What effect such industries have on the environment and even public health hardly come into consideration. Industrial emissions contribute up to 80% of atmospheric pollution. Open incineration of solid industrial and domestic waste at dumpsites releases hazardous chemicals including toxic metals into the atmosphere. It should be borne in mind that some high-risk air polluting industries exist in the country. Examples are; iron and steel, cement, vehicle assembly plants, pulp and paper, petroleum and petrochemical, asbestos, paint and not the least quarry from granites and limestone. Apart from the primary air pollutants (sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen and carbon dioxide), some toxic and hazardous chemicals such as heavy metals, organic solvents, hydrogen sulphides etc., are also released into the environment endangering human beings, properties and surrounding flora and fauna.

Many buildings, monuments and vegetation covered with cement dust at Ewekoro, Sagamu, Ukpilla, for example, are aesthetically deplorable. Inhabitants in these areas always complain of pulmonary and bronchial problems.

Energy utilization in most of our industries relies primarily on fossil fuel combustion which releases into the atmosphere substantial mount of CO2, nitrogen oxides and SO2. The situation is now compounded by the epileptic electric power supply in the country, culminating into proliferation of the use of generator sets in most homes. Carbon dioxide is believed to be the primary cause of global warming due to so called “Green House Effect”. Similarly, continuous emissions of sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen manifest as “Acid Rain”. There have been reported cases of acid rain in the Niger Delta Area, Lagos State, Agbara in Ogun State and some year’s back in Kaduna. Acid rain, that is rain with pH 5.6 or less, has been known to cause deforestation, loss in soil fertility and destruction of fishery resources through acidification of lakes.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TARGET A

Our environment must not be seen as an inert object where by various human and developmental activities can take place without consequence and emission of toxic gases is the major consequences of uncontrolled human activities and improper developmental planning. One of the Millennium Development Goals is to ensure environment sustainability, specifically to integrate sustainable development into the country’s policies and reverse loss of environmental resources by the year 2015. In order for the government to achieve this target the following recommendations must be strictly adhered to:

. Federal Government should enact laws that would guide industrial emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and other heat trapping pollutants.

. Activities of our oil companies in flaring of gases should be checked and appropriate method should be adopted by collecting these gases (SO2, NO2, CO2,CH4) and use for other production processes to reduce the effect of acid rain in Niger Delta, since these gases can improve our economy tremendously.

. Laws and policies aimed at curtailing the indiscriminate importation of “tokunboh” and fairly-used items such as motor vehicles, air conditioners, refrigerators and other greenhouse gas emitting appliances must be put in place.

. Wastes from industries should be controlled by carrying out waste management enlightenment campaigns on how to convert waste to compost, recycling of the recyclable and non-biodegradable wastes like plastics, nylons, papers etc.

. Renewable resources like land, forests, fish stocks etc., should be monitored within the limits of natural growth, while non-renewable resources, like fossil fuels and mineral resources and whose usage reduces the available stocks should be used advisedly considering the rate of depletion and the likelihood of substitutes available.

. Government should enact stringent laws guiding against indiscriminate falling of trees and bush burning by the public.

. The government, public should be educated on the importance of tree planting and create awareness on how to help sustain and develop our environment. Governors of other states as well as the general public should emulate Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State by educating the people on flower and tree planting.

If the above recommendations are implemented and effectively monitored, the Millennium Development Goals on sustainable environmental development specifically, Target A would be achieved, otherwise, it will continue to be a mirage.