Effects and Causes of Global Warming

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How to Take Action to Reduce Global Warming

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:34:00 PST

The future is not somewhere we are going. It is something we are creating. Every day we do things that make some futures more probable and others less likely.

Global warming already disrupts millions of lives daily in the forms of destructive weather patterns and loss of habitat. What is already happening is only the tip of the melting iceberg, for it is our children and grandchildren who may suffer most from the effects of global warming. Hundreds of millions of people may be exposed to famine, water shortages, extreme weather conditions and a 20 - 30% loss of animal and plant species if we don't reduce the rate of global warming and reduce GHG emissions. This article outlines some ways that you can act to help prevent the Earth from warming further. While humankind has the ability to destroy the planet, we can also help protect and sustain it.

Reducing your carbon and greenhouse gas emissions will not only make your personal living space more sustainable but it will save you money in both the short and long term. Global warming is occurring more rapidly than it was originally expected to -- only forty years ago, the big worry was global cooling. Even if you remain a cynic, however, and believe that the majority of scientists are wrong, you'll benefit from reduced pollution, a more healthful lifestyle and increased savings from enacting these simple activities that will not reduce the quality of your life.

STEPS TO REDUCE GLOBAL WARMING

1. Get educated. Educate yourself about global warming. The more facts you have as to what mainstream science says about it, the more you can persuade others to make simple but effective changes in daily behavior. Energy-saving techniques are either initially expensive (for example, solar power), or take extra time (for example, recycling), so many people need convincing that their efforts matter. Always keep in mind that you are aiming to demonstrate the benefits of these activities and highlight how each person can play a vital role in helping to reduce global warming; if we were to reduce the amount of light and appliances we use that would just be one step closer to revolving globel warming. Equally remember that "civil society does not respond at all well to moralistic scolding." Use education to enlighten, not frighten.

2. Vote and influence your government with phone calls, e-mails, letters and meetings with those who represent you in government. Learn as much as possible about the policies you advocate before doing so; solving one problem often creates others. For example, new legislation banning incandescent light bulbs and advocating compact fluorescents has introduced a hazard of mercury contamination in landfills and in homes that use them. The push to grow corn for ethanol has contributed to higher prices for many food staples.

3. Choose vegetarian or vegan meals. Livestock are responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than transportation is. This is due to the large amounts of petroleum used in creating amonium nitrate fertilizer (for the corn they are fed) plus the cost of shipping that corn to the cattle and then shipping the cattle to slaughter and grocery. If one eats meat it should always be from a local source. Choosing vegetarian foods also drastically reduces agricultural water consumption and land use, and favorably impacts biodiversity. Vegetarian diets have been shown to promote good health and in most developed countries, eliminating meat from one's diet is as easy as making responsible choices at stores and restaurants. Other factors such as the means of production and distance food travels can also influence the total impact of our food choices.

4. Recycle more. 15-25% of people don't recycle. Recycle more using recycling bins, composting, etc. Encourage neighbors, superintendents, colleagues and businesses to do likewise.

5. Use compact fluorescent bulbs. Replace three frequently used light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs/lamps and save 300 lbs. of carbon dioxide and US$60 per year. A standard compact fluorescent bulb will save around one third of a tonne of greenhouse gas, along with the cost of six or more incandescent globes. Consider using more, and give them as gifts to family and friends. Consider donating a set to a local charity to refit their office with compact fluorescent lights. Remember, CFL bulbs do contain small amounts of toxic mercury. Therefore, proper disposal (recycling) is necessary to prevent any additional landfill contamination.

6. Fill the dishwasher. Run your dishwasher only with a full load. Save 100 lbs. of carbon dioxide and US$40 per year, or do them by hand with minimal water.

7. Use recycled paper. Make sure your printer paper is 100% post consumer recycled paper. Save 5 lbs. of carbon dioxide per ream of paper. Decide if something is really worth printing out. Leave a signature at the bottom of your e-mails reminding the reader to think twice before printing the e-mail. Make the most of scrap paper for shopping lists, notes, scrapbooks, school and college note-taking etc. Only recycle your paper when it has been thoroughly used up!

8. Buy locally made and locally grown products. Buy locally to reduce the energy required to transport your goods. The consumable products we all purchase represent over half of the average family's carbon footprint! If you successfully encourage neighbors to do this, store owners will be encouraged to stock local goods. Shop at farmers' markets.

9. Count your carbon. Keep track of your carbon consumption as a way of tracking your progress.

* There is a logo called Carbon Counted that companies can put on their products to communicate their carbon footprint. Buying products that have a low Carbon Counted footprint number gives consumers a means by which to influence and reward companies that reduce emissions in the creation of their products.

* Use a carbon calculator. These counters enable you to calculate your personal impact by adding up the carbon emissions from your activities. There are counters available for many countries; use your local search engine for results. An international calculator is provided by the World Resources Institute.

* Support producers of renewable energy. Help spur the renewable energy market by participating in it. In the UK you can get 100% renewable electricity by switching to a company such as Ecotricity or Good Energy Ltd. Or you can do so by buying wind certificates, green tags and stock in renewable energy companies. Many of these companies are new and small and the stock is low in price. While may are high-risk, they may present an opportunity to help the company move beyond the initial stages of uncertainty and to enhance the viability of important, upcoming market niches. These companies may offer opportunities for great returns if they prove profitable; just be sure to do your homework first, as you would when investing in anything.

10. Buy minimally packaged goods. Less packaging could reduce your garbage significantly, saving 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide and $1,000 per year. If you consider a certain products' packaging to be excessive, mail it to the company with your challenge to the company to reduce its packaging; include suggestions on how if you have ideas. And while you're at it, feel free to let companies know that if Wal-Mart thinks reduced packaging is not only a good idea but very achievable, then this is likely to set the standard for many businesses in the future.

11. Insulate.

* Keeping your water heater insulated could save 1,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and US$40 per year. Don't use units fitted with continuous pilot lights and you will save AUD$40 and 200 kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions yearly. Also, use less hot water. For example, if the shower is too cold, don't turn up the hot water but turn down the cold water.

* Be energy wise and insulate your entire home to keep down the heating and cooling costs. If your insulation is old or inefficient, do yourself a favor and replace it; not only will it reduce your output of emissions but it'll reduce your energy bills considerably. Consider the attic, crawlspaces, basement, walls and ceiling. If you have awkward spaces, don't forget that cellulose or fiberglass insulation can be blown in by a professional contractor.12. Replace old appliances and reduce reliance on them.

* Inefficient appliances such as fridges, washing machines etc., waste energy. Save hundreds of pounds of carbon dioxide and hundreds of dollars per year by replacing them (and having your old appliance recycled or disposed of properly). Many countries have "energy star" ratings on new appliances that allow you to assess the energy usage of the appliance. You may even be able to check online before you go shopping, to save time. If this isn't an option, at least check the seals on your fridge or freezer and replace them if they show signs of wear.

* While you're at it, reassess appliances that you really do not need to use, such as plug-in air fresheners. Try opening the windows instead (and throwing out that rotting fruit bowl) and replace with natural air freshener alternatives. Other items include the many so-called time-saving devices in your kitchen;

13. Weather strip your home. Caulk and weather strip your doorways, windows and air conditioners. Save 1,700 lbs. of carbon dioxide and US$274 per year. You will discover that the costs of caulking are far outweighed by savings in fuel costs and increased comfort level.

14. Use a push mower and reduce the lawn. Use your muscles instead of fossil fuels and get some strength-building exercise. Save 80 lbs of carbon dioxide per year.

15. Unplug unused electronics. Even when electronic devices are turned off, they use energy. Save over 1,000 lbs of carbon dioxide and US$256 per year by unplugging them or switching them off at the wall using a power surge-protector (sometimes called a power center). Get into the habit of switching the power off before you go to bed.

16. Grow fast growing plants. Plants like bamboo grow faster and produce 35% more oxygen than trees like oak or birch, and require fewer chemicals and care. Make sure that the plants are appropriate for your area; prefer native over introduced species and do not plant problem species. Bamboo, for example, can be very invasive in most of the US.

17. Use public transportation. Taking the bus, the train, the subway or other forms of public transportation lessens the load on the roads and reduces one's individual greenhouse gas emissions (an average of 1600 pounds of GHG emissions per year can be saved). Taking public transport removes the stress of long road commutes and gives you a great opportunity to read, think and relax. You also save on parking money and time wasted looking for parks.

18. Ride a bicycle. Taking the bike instead of the car is a very simple solution. However, if you experience such problems as lack of suitable bike paths, having to deal with congested traffic or hilly terrain, you are faced with a few challenges. They are, however, challenges that you as an individual can overcome with a little determination.

* Ask your municipality, city or local government to start making bike trails in your area and to make sure that bicyclists are kept safe from traffic in the same way that pedestrians are afforded this right. Get the local community behind you - a few neighbors, the street or the whole suburb!

* If you have hilly terrain, there are solutions as well. Build up your strength with shorter trips, find alternate routes, or take a bus part way (many municipal buses have bike racks on the front that you can use).

19. Use your vehicle as a tool against global warming. If you can't live without a car, then use it in a way that minimizes global impact.

* Buy a hybrid car. The average driver could save 16,000 lbs. of CO2 and $3,750 per year driving a hybrid. Plug-in hybrids can save even more and give cash-back (see V2G).

*Buy a fuel efficient car. Save up to 20,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year using a more fuel efficient car - that's a savings of AUD$10,000 over a car's lifetime. Buying fuel efficient cars also encourage companies to continue making and improving them owing to increased demand.

*Practice green driving. Save gas and lower stress levels by being a considerate driver. Improve fuel efficiency by removing unused external objects such as roof racks, turning off your engine instead of idling for long periods of time (over 1 minute), and removing loads from the trunk/boot that are not necessary.

*Keep the tires on your car adequately inflated - under inflated tires can reduce fuel economy by up to 3% and increase wear and tear on your tires. Keep your car tires inflated. Check them monthly. Save 250 lbs. of carbon dioxide and US$840 per year. A good gift is a tire air-pressure gauge as it not only saves money but makes driving safer.

*Change your air filter. Check your car's air filter monthly. Save 800 pounds of carbon dioxide and US$130 per year. Cleaning your air filter improves your mileage and reduces pollution because it makes it easier for your car to take in air and maintain a proper fuel/air mixture.

20. Use Refills. Try using refills instead of buying new jars each time. This reduces your consumption and refills are usually cheaper too.

TIPS FOR REDUCING GLOBAL WARMING

1. Even if we as humans are not fundamentally creating global warming, these steps will help reduce many types of pollution and waste and help ensure that clean air and water will remain for future generations.

2. Companies can take immediate action to help with this effort by virtualizing their workforces to reduce, or even eliminate their employees' commute and help reduce automobile pollution.

3. Try to use more tap water and to cease usage of bottled water. Doing so will reduce the energy costs of bottling and transporting water.

4. Take responsibility for your office's energy use. Many offices leave air conditioners, computers and lights running all night. Work with responsible parties in your company to turn off or use power-saving features on these devices when possible.

5. The ultimate in recycling is to not use a product at all, if possible. If you do not need it, it may be that you are wasting resources. Rent movies, and video games instead of buying them, or buy them used, or at a garage sale. Check out books in the library or buy them used, or at a garage sale

6. Planting trees balances carbon emissions and pollution. There are organizations that will help you offset your carbon footprint.

7. Keep in mind that not every scientist believes man is responsible for Global warming and some are not even sure that it is happening. Many believe that Global warming is a natural occurrence with our earth, but it's still a good idea to keep your energy use to a minimum.

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tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:14:00 PST

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Obama Aims High on Energy, Global Warming

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:32:00 PST

President-elect Barack Obama, meeting today with former Vice President Al Gore, declared "the time for denial is over" on global warming and pledged to retool the U.S. energy grid using new technologies.

While few details emerged from the closed-door meeting, it appears clear that Gore - a politician who once stood virtually alone on the dangers of a warming planet and who later won the Nobel Peace Price for his activism on the subject - will have the incoming president's ear.

"Throughout the campaign, the president-elect and our founder discussed climate change as a key issue, and the conversation continued today," said Cathy Zoi, chief executive of the Alliance for Climate Protection in Palo Alto, which aims to convince Americans of the urgent need to slow the use of fossil fuels."They each reaffirmed their commitment to solving the climate crisis as a top priority," she added.

The 45-minute session in Chicago, which Vice President-elect Joe Biden also attended, underscored the incoming administration's focus on the environment and clean energy and on their potential to shore up the faltering economy.

"We have the opportunity now to create jobs all across this country in all 50 states to repower America," Obama said at a news conference after the meeting. "To redesign how we use energy and think about how we are increasing efficiency to make our economy stronger, make us more safe, reduce our dependence on foreign oil."

In the coming days, Obama is expected to name his cabinet picks for environment and energy. Although Gore, one of the world's most recognizable environmentalists, has been floated as a candidate, his camp stressed that he is not seeking a role in Obama's administration.

The former vice president, whose global warming film "An Inconvenient Truth" won two Academy Awards, "feels that his calling is to serve the public in a different capacity, to educate the public about the climate crisis," Gore spokeswoman Kalee Kreider said today.

Obama said his "aggressive" efforts to slash greenhouse gas emissions, invest in clean alternatives and boost so-called green-collar jobs would include a wide range of stakeholders, from Gore and Washington Republicans to consumers and industry.

Business leaders, especially those who hope to play a key role in the rise of solar, wind, biofuel and other new energy systems, hope Obama, Gore and others spur a new kind of technology revolution.

"Silicon Valley continues to lead on green technology, just as the valley continues to renew and redevelop itself to take advantage of new opportunities," said Mike Mielke, director of environmental programs and policy at the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. "What we need is the policy to set the stage and allow that innovation to flourish."

California took the boldest step in the nation with the passage in 2006 of AB 32, landmark legislation that mandates the state cut its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.

On a nationwide level, Obama supports putting 1 million plug-in hybrid cars on U.S. roads in the next seven years, cutting emissions 80 percent by 2050 and setting up a cap-and-trade system. Such programs aim to make burning fossil fuels pricey and reward investment in renewable energy. In general, the system sets limits on carbon dioxide emissions and allows companies to trade carbon credits based on amount of production.

A recent report by the federal National Intelligence Council threw some doubt on the prospects for alternatives, writing, "All current technologies are inadequate for replacing the traditional energy architecture on the scale needed, and new energy technologies probably will not be commercially viable and widespread by 2025."

But Zoi hopes that Gore's Palo Alto group will prompt the administration to make inroads as quickly as possible.

"Early action on all fronts is essential," she said. "The message to Obama and others is: We need to do this because the scientific imperatives are getting more and more urgent. But we also need this to stimulate the economy at the same time."

Global Cancer Deaths to Double by 2030

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:41:00 PST

Report Predicts Poor Nations Will See Biggest Increases in Cancer

Cancer deaths are projected to more than double worldwide over the next two decades, largely from a dramatic increase in cancer incidence in low- and middle-income countries driven by tobacco use and increasingly Westernized lifestyles.

A new report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) explores the global burden of cancer, which is poised to become the leading cause of death worldwide by 2010.

The report predicts that:

2030, 27 million new cancer cases and 17 million cancer deaths will occur each year worldwide. That compares to 12 million new cancers and slightly less than 8 million cancer deaths in 2007.
Based on current trends, the rate at which new cancers are diagnosed is expected to grow by 1% annually, as are deaths from the disease.
China, Russia, and India are projected to have the biggest increases in cancers and cancer deaths.
Smoking and other lifestyle factors like obesity will overtake chronic infection as the leading cause of cancer in poor and middle-income countries.

The projections stand in striking contrast to encouraging cancer trends in the United States.

A report released earlier this month showed a decline in both cancer incidence and cancer deaths for the first time in a decade.

This highlights the point that the burden of cancer is shifting to less industrialized regions, IARC Director Peter Boyle, MD, tells WebMD.

"Forty years ago, cancer was primarily a disease of high-resource, industrialized countries," Boyle says. "That isn't true anymore. When we think of low-resource countries, we think of communicable diseases as the big killers. But each year more people across the globe die of cancer than die of AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria combined."
Cancer Burden Will Double

Around the world, the burden of cancer doubled between 1975 and 2000, and it is predicted to double again by 2020 and triple by 2030.

Boyle notes that in 1970, just 15% of cancers occurred in poor and medium-resource countries.

Today, more than half of cancer cases and two-thirds of cancer deaths occur in these underserved countries, and the disparity is expected to rise.

The dramatic increase in smoking in low- and medium-income countries, which began in the mid-1980s and early 1990s, is the biggest single cause of the projected increase, which is expected to peak in 2030.

It takes about 40 years for big increases in smoking rates to be reflected in smoking-related diseases like lung cancer and emphysema, Boyle says.

"The big tobacco companies started to move pretty strongly into these low- and medium-resource countries in the early 1990s at about the same time that we were working very aggressively to reduce tobacco use in Western countries," he says.

According to the report:

About 1.3 billion people smoke worldwide.
About 12% of cancers in low-income countries can be attributed to tobacco use, but this figure is expected to rise substantially.
Lung cancer kills more people than any other cancer worldwide.

Breast cancers are also on the rise in low-income countries, where incidence rates have been increasing by up to 5% a year.

And cervical cancer, which is largely preventable and treatable in the industrialized world, is a leading cause of cancer deaths among women living in poor regions, including many areas of Africa.

Regional Differences Persist

The report highlighted regional differences in cancer incidence and death.

Among the findings:

Breast cancer rates in Japan, Singapore, and Korea have doubled or tripled over the last four decades.
Across Asia, the rate of stomach cancer is high because of a lack of refrigeration. Since the 1930s, when refrigerators became popular, mortality rates from stomach cancer in the U.S. have declined by about 90%.
Chewing tobacco is an important cancer risk factor in India.
Roughly one in three cancers in low-income countries are caused by chronic infections like hepatitis B, human papilloma virus (HPV), and HIV. These cancers are increasingly preventable or treatable, but vaccination, screening, and treatment are not widely available in these countries.
In Africa, pain medication for terminal cancer is generally limited or nonexistent because narcotics are illegal.

Boyle points out that 29 countries in Africa do not allow the importation of morphine and other opioids, and 30 countries do not have radiation therapy machines to treat bone pain.
ACS Issues Call to Action

In response to the report, the American Cancer Society (ACS ) joined with other cancer groups in the U.S. today to issue a call to action to the incoming Obama administration and the new Congress.

ACS Chief Medical Officer Otis Brawley, MD, tells WebMD that the new report highlights the need to make vaccines that prevent cancer available to low- and middle-income nations, to promote smoking cessation programs worldwide, and to invest in cancer research aimed at reducing the global burden of cancer.

"People ask, 'Why should the federal government fund research into cancer in other countries?'" Brawley says. "The answer is that we can learn a great deal from this research and it is the right thing to do."

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Using the Waste Hierachy to Save the Environment

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:34:00 PST

BACKGROUND
One of the basic mantras used in by environmental conservationists is the principle of the '3 Rs' - reduce, reuse and recycle.

REDUCE
The first and arguably most important of the 3Rs is reduce. Reduce is to live with increase efficiency so you simply don't consume as much 'stuff'. Simply by being aware of things like excessive packaging can help you make wise choices when shopping and not buy items that have a large component that will become a waste product. If packaging cannot be avoided, buy packaging that is recyclable, reusable or is minimal.

Further ways of reducing the amount you consume include saying no to plastic bags, mending clothes and repairing toys, electrical goods and appliances rather than simply replacing them.

REUSE
To reuse simply means using the same item more than once. Preferably many times. It doesn't have to be for the use it was originally designed for but stops things being thrown out after one use. Reusing items stops them going straight to increasingly scarce landfill.Our parents and grandparents reused items all the time. Glass jars were reused for storage of all kinds of things from loose change to buttons. They didn't find it neccesary to throw the jar out, then go and buy a plastic container to do the job. Books, toys, clothes, furniture and appliances can often be reused by friends, family, donated to charity or sold second hand.

Many people would think that food scraps, lawn clippings, leaves and other organic matter could not be reused. These items, however, are perfect for reuse as feed material for placing in garden compost or a worm farm.

RECYLCE
It may surprise you to hear that recycling is the least favoured of the 3Rs. The reason for this is that it takes little energy to Reduce and to Reuse. Even though recycling is infinitely more favourable than using virgin raw materials to produce something, it still takes energy to recycle something. Recyling is the breaking down of a waste product to produce a brand new item. The new item can be either the same as the original (e.g. recycling a glass bottle into a new glass bottle) or completely different (e.g. recycling plastic bottles into polar fleece fabric).

Most councils and local authorities now encourage recycling through a kerbside or sidewalk recycling program.

AVOID
If possible simply avoid using things in the first place. As an example, you could buy a bottle of water, drink the water and throw the bottle into the rubbish. A better way would be to buy the bottle of water, reuse it a few times by refilling it before finally recycling the bottle. The best way would be to simply avoid buying the bottle in the first place and drink fresh tap water.

THE WASTE HIERARCHY
The waste hierarchy uses the reduce, reuse, recycle ethos to classify waste management strategies. The aim of the waste hierarchy is to gain the maximum practical benefits from products while generating minimal waste.

The waste hierachy. Least preferred, dispose, at the bottom. Most preferred, avoid, at the top.

REFERENCE: - http://www.azocleantech.com

Brundage Booms, Skiers Discover New Winter Destination

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:11:00 PST

Don't be fooled by the bra tree; Brundage is a family ski hill.

Every resort has its naughty side, and this is Brundage's.

The tedious 12-minute ride up the Centennial Triple Chair has made an unsuspecting aspen tree as popular as Tom Jones.

The tree blooms with vibrant pinks, reds, whites and even oranges each winter as women sling their bras from the lift.

"I always wished there was a way to listen to some of the conversations on that lift," says Mary Naylor, Brundage's marketing director.

The tree has become such an icon, the Brundage gift shop sells bra tree shirts.

"I blame the people in Boise," Naylor says of the city 100 miles south, where Bogus Basin has a bra tree much older than the one that's been at Brundage for 12 years.In that respect, the bra tree is a monument to how far Brundage and McCall have come in recent years.

While McCall has long been a popular summer resort town, it never used to draw huge winter crowds.

World Cup freestyle aerials champ Jeret Peterson grew up in Boise skiing at Bogus Basin and making summer trips to his family's cabin on McCall's Payette Lake. But he's never skied Brundage. And he never really thought he was missing anything until recently.

"Now, I really want to get out there and check it out," Peterson says.

He's not alone. When Larry Shake moved to McCall in 1984, Brundage averaged 60,000 winter visitors a year. Today, that number is closer to 120,000.

"McCall has been discovered, and that's made us more popular," says Shake, former general manager of Brundage who still works for the resort.

The credit for the discovery of McCall as a winter destination doesn't go to Brundage, however. The gem of a ski hill is just one of the reasons people keep coming back and have started snatching up property in McCall.

The big credit, even Shake admits, goes to their new competition - Tamarack Resort.

Last December, the nation's first four-season resort to open in more than two decades changed McCall forever.

Property values in McCall have doubled, and people from around the world are buying vacation property there. The once-undiscovered Brundage Mountain now has season pass holders from 28 states and from as far away as South Africa.

And as impressive as this is, it pales in comparison to what's happening 30 minutes down Highway 55.

Not only has Tamarack already built a similar season-pass base, but it's selling vacation homes almost as quickly as it's selling lift tickets.

In January, 134 properties ranging from a $325,000 condo to a $1.5 million chalet sold in one day. This summer, construction started on 25 custom homes, some as expensive as $8 million.

And Tamarack is already getting rave reviews for its skiing, even though last season it had only 700 acres serviced by five lifts. This year, two more lifts have upped easily-accessed terrain to 850 acres.

"Tamarack has great skiing," Peterson says. "I was surprised how good it is."

The skiable terrain will expand to more than 2,000 acres as Tamarack CEO Jean-Pierre Boespflug, a French real estate investor, says he'll pump $1.5 billion into the resort over the next 15 years.

Of course, all this means Brundage will likely always be in Tamarack's shadow. But that doesn't bother Shake much. Brundage had always been overshadowed by Sun Valley anyway.

"But I think we offer something a lot of the bigger resorts don't offer," Shake said. "I think we'll keep growing because we are a great family ski area.

"With a smaller base area, we aren't a daunting place to bring the kids, like Whistler or Sun Valley. We get about 3,000 people on our peak days. What does Whistler get, 12,000?"

And with its $40 lift tickets, Brundage is considerably less-expensive than the region's elite destinations (Whistler is $61.69 and Sun Valley is $69).

That's not to say Brundage is content with its little bra tree and 1,340 family-friendly acres.

The resort is currently in the final stages of negotiating a land swap with the U.S. Forest Service that will allow Brundage to add five chairlifts, 1,000 acres of new terrain and a new mountaintop restaurant by 2012.

"We have to meet the needs of being a destination area now," Shake said.

As he says this, he chuckles and recalls the days when McCall was just a quiet winter getaway.

"It blows my mind what's happening here," Shake said. "Of all the places there are to ski in the world, people who can afford to vacation in any of those places are deciding to come here. It's an amazing time."

Ozone Pollution Set to Reduce Tree Growth

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 20:25:00 PST

A new research has shown that modern day concentrations of ground level ozone pollution are decreasing the growth of trees in the northern and temperate mid-latitudes, with tree growth set to reduce 10 percent by the year 2100.

The study is the first statistical summary of individual experimental measurements of how ozone will damage the productivity of trees, including data from 263 peer-reviewed scientific publications.

Ozone is the third strongest greenhouse gas, directly contributing to global warming, and is the air pollutant considered to be the most damaging to plants.

But more importantly, it has the potential to leave more carbon dioxide, ranked as the first strongest greenhouse gas, in the atmosphere by decreasing carbon assimilation in trees.

Ozone pollution occurs when nitrogen oxides have a photochemical reaction with volatile organic compounds."This research quantifies the mean response of trees to ozone pollution measured in terms of total tree biomass, and all component parts such as leaf, root and shoot, lost due to ozone pollution," said Dr. Victoria Wittig, lead author of the study.

Tree growth, measured in biomass, is already 7 percent less than the late 1800s, and this is set to increase to a 17 percent reduction by the end of the century.

"Looking at how ozone pollution affects trees is important because of the indirect impact on carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere which will further enhance global warming, in addition to ozone's already potent direct impact," said Wittig.

In addition to ozone pollution reducing the strength of trees to hold carbon in the northern temperate mid-latitudes by reducing tree growth, the research also indicates that broad-leaf trees, such as poplars, are more sensitive to ozone pollution than conifers, such as pines, and that root growth is suppressed more than aboveground growth.

"Beyond the consequences for global warming, the study also infers that in mixed forests conifers will be favored over broad-leaved trees, and that the decrease in root size will increase the vulnerability to storms," said Wittig.

Pope Benedict Attacks Population Control Efforts Like UNFPA Backing Abortion

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 20:31:00 PST

Pope Benedict XVI released his annual peace message on touched on a number of political subjects but also went after population control campaigns. He criticized efforts that rely on abortion or try to use reducing the birth rate as a method of economic development.

The Catholic leader's words come at a time when pro-life advocates are worried that incoming president Barack Obama will restore funding to the UNFPA and groups that promote and perform abortions in other countries.

In his 17-page message "Fighting Poverty to Build Peace," the pope attacked the population control campaigns that wrongly believe a higher population hurts the global economy -- even as some nations are facing economic troubles because of severe underpopulation.

"There are international campaigns afoot to reduce birth rates, sometimes using methods that respect neither the dignity of the woman, nor the right of parents to choose responsibly how many children to have," he said.

"Graver still, these methods often fail to respect even the right to life. The extermination of millions of unborn children, in the name of the fight against poverty, actually constitutes the destruction of the poorest of all human beings," he added.Despite research confirming the UNFPA's participation in the China family planning program that prohibits families in the Asian nation from having more than one child, Obama's campaign confirmed he would support funding the population control group.

President Bush has revoked funding for the UNFPA every year during his administration for violating a U.S. law prohibiting sending public funds to groups that promote forced abortions.

The Obama campaign, in an October 2007 response to a survey from the pro-abortion RH Reality Check web site, confirmed the presidential candidate would restore funding to the controversial group.

"Yes, Senator Obama would overturn the global gag rule and reinstate funding for UNFPA," Obama's campaign responded.

The so-called global gag rule is a derogatory term abortion advocates use to refer to the Mexico City Policy, first instituted by President Reagan and restored by President Bush after President Clinton reversed the policy during his administration.

The policy prohibits forcing taxpayers to fund groups that perform abortions in other nations or "gags" them by prohibiting the funding of groups that lobby pro-life nations in places like South America or Africa that have pro-life laws on abortion to overturn them.

The pope's call also comes at a time when nations ranging from Russia and Taiwan to Bulgaria and South Korea face underpopulation problems.

India Travel Tips

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 20:39:00 PST

India is among the most colorful nations of the world and boasts of a rich history, culture and heritage. To get the most of your trip to India, it would be a good idea to equip yourself with useful information before you set out for a journey of a lifetime.

Getting In and Out

To explore India, you need a valid passport and visa to India. Carry them at all times while enjoying a vacation in India. Notify your country’s embassy or consulate in case your passport is stolen or lost.
One needs additional permits to go to certain destinations in India such as Andaman Islands, Gujarat, Ladakh, Kerala, and more. Check with your travel agent or embassy while planning your visit.
15-Day visa extensions are granted under exceptional circumstances. If you intend to stay longer than 3 months on non-tourist visas there is a registration requirement. This registration makes the bearer eligible for domestic ticket prices.

Getting Around and About

Most cities have means of efficient local transportation such as taxis, auto rickshaws, cycle rickshaws, and buses. Private cabs can also be hired.
It is important to carry an International Driving License if you wish to drive on your own.
For inter-city and inter-state transport you can avail services of Indian Railways and domestic airlines. Buses, taxis and cabs also ferry people across cities and states.

Climate

It is best to visit Indian plains during cooler months from November to March.
For a visit to mountainous regions of India, the months of April to October are better suited.

Food and Health

Indian cuisine is a tad too spicy for European and American taste buds. Indulge in the gastronomical delights only if you have the stomach for it. Also, there are plenty of non-spicy cuisines and delicacies to choose from.
You may occasionally need insect repellent cream. If you are allergic to dust, be sure to carry medication with you. Sunscreen is another must-have.

Smart Shopping

Bargaining is the norm in local bazaars selling products without a written price. Resist the urge to buy without comparing prices from shops selling similar stuff.
Be wary of roadside peddlers trying to sell you semi-precious and precious gems and jewelry. Visit state emporia and the Central Cottage Industries Emporia (most major cities have one) for fixed prices and a fair idea of the cost with a regular dealer.
Trading in ivory, fur, animal skins, antiquities and the like is illegal. If you must have it, obtain a certificate of legitimate sale and permission for export before leaving the country.

Social Decorum

Public display of affection is not appreciated and neither is public nudity unless perhaps one is at a beach.
One is expected to cover the head before entering a religious place such as a temple or mosque.
Ask for permission before clicking pictures of women and religious complexes. Some places charge for taking pictures while it is prohibited at a few places as well.

Do’s and Don’ts

Do carry attested photocopies of your travel documents and keep the originals in a safely locked baggage.
Do fill up a Currency Declaration Form along and a Disembarkation Card besides making an oral declaration of the luggage you are carrying.
Do not smoke in public places.
Do not give money to beggars.

Spinal Tap Reunites for Live Earth To Fight Global Warming (VIDEO)

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 11:27:00 PST

Watch exclusive top viewed video of youtube about global warming.

Smoking Ups Colon Cancer Risk

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:32:00 PST

Adding to the long list of cancers caused by smoking, Italian researchers report that the risk of getting colorectal cancer is higher in smokers, as is the risk of dying from that disease.

Smoking increases the risk of developing colorectal cancer by about 18 percent and the risk of dying from the malignancy by about 25 percent, according to the study, which was published in the Dec. 17 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

"Smoking is significantly associated with colorectal cancer incidence and mortality," said the study's lead author, Edoardo Botteri, a biostatistician in the division of epidemiology and biostatistics at the European Institute of Oncology in Milan, Italy.

"People should be aware that smoking increases the risk of cancer not only in organs where there is direct contact with tobacco-related carcinogens, such as lung, oropharynx, larynx and upper digestive tract, but also in organs where exposure to tobacco degradation products is indirect, such as the pancreas, kidney, bladder, cervix, colon and rectum," explained Botteri. Tobacco is responsible for about 100 million deaths during the past century and more than 5 million deaths a year, according to background information in the study. Yet, the study pointed out, there are still more than 1 billion smokers worldwide. Eighty percent of lung cancers are directly attributable to smoking, reports the study.

However, the connection to colorectal cancer isn't as conclusive.

To assess whether or not there is, in fact, a link, Botteri and his colleagues analyzed data from 106 observational studies that varied from small trials containing just several hundred participants to very large trials with more than 1 million participants.

When the researchers looked at the pooled risk, they found that smoking was associated with an 18 percent rise in the odds of getting colorectal cancer.

And, Botteri added, "There was an increase in risk with increasing number of cigarettes per day and pack-years -- the number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day multiplied by years of consumption."

The increased risk began after about 10 years of smoking and increased until it reached statistical significance after 30 years.

"That doesn't mean that there is no increased risk for people who smoked less than 30 years," noted Botteri, "It just means that there is strong evidence that exposure of 30 years or more increases the risk of colorectal cancer."

The researchers also found that smoking increased the risk of death from colorectal cancer by 25 percent.

Dr. Michael Thun, vice president emeritus of epidemiology and surveillance research at the American Cancer Society, said the study will be of most interest to researchers that study colon cancer, and he doesn't believe the findings will change screening recommendations.

Another message remains the same, he added: "With or without a relationship to colorectal cancer, the message is to avoid all forms of tobacco."

Botteri, however, believes that doctors should be "more vigilant" about making sure that smokers are compliant with current screening recommendations, and that perhaps, the initial screening age should be lowered for smokers.

HIV Infects Women Through Healthy Tissue: U.S. Study

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:35:00 PST

Instead of infiltrating breaks in the skin, HIV appears to attack normal, healthy genital tissue, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday in a study that offers new insight into how the AIDS virus spreads.

They said researchers had assumed the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, sought out beaks in the skin, such as a herpes sore, in order to gain access to immune system cells deeper in the tissue.

Some had even thought the normal lining of the vaginal tract offered a barrier to invasion by the virus during sexual intercourse.

"Normal skin is vulnerable," said Thomas Hope of Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine said in a telephone interview.

"It was previously thought there had to be a break in it somehow," said Hope, who is presenting his findings at the American Society for Cell Biology meeting in San Francisco.

He said until now, scientists had little understanding of the details of how HIV is transmitted sexually in women.Hope and colleagues at Northwestern in Chicago and Tulane University in New Orleans developed a new method for seeing the virus at work. They studied newly removed vaginal tissue taken from hysterectomy surgeries, and introduced the virus which carried fluorescent, light-activated tracers.

Then they watched under a microscope as the virus penetrated the outer lining of the female genital tract, called the squamous epithelium. They also observed this same process in non-human primates.

In both cases, they found HIV was able to quickly move past the genital skin barrier to reach immune cells, which the virus targets.

Hope said the study suggests the virus takes aim at places in the skin that had recently shed skin cells, in much the same way that skin on the body flakes off.

The finding casts doubt on the prior theory of the virus requiring a break in the skin or gained access through a single layer of skin cells that line the cervical canal.

And it might explain why some prevention efforts have failed. Hope said one clinical trial in Africa in which women used a diaphragm to block the cervix had no effect at reducing transmission of the virus. Nor have studies of drugs designed to prevent lesions in genital herpes proven effective.

Hope said the findings emphasize the need for treatments such as a vaccine to prevent infection.

And it makes clear the need for the use of condoms, which are highly effective at preventing infection.

"People need to remember that they are vulnerable," Hope said. "The sad part is if people just used a condom, we wouldn't have this problem," he said.

In the United States, HIV is mostly passed among men who have sex with men. Females account for 26 percent of all new HIV cases in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Globally, HIV is more commonly spread by heterosexual sex. The virus has infected 33 million people globally and has killed 25 million.

Foreign Consumers Deemed Critical to Pulling World Out of Recession

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:45:00 PST

What's one key to the global economy's recovery, and by extension, the U.S. economy's recovery?

Well, it's not likely to be an engine of growth of the past, namely, the U.S. consumer. Several regional growth engines are needed.

To be sure, the U.S. consumer will play a role: a $14 trillion economy -- still, the world's largest -- remains an influential contestant in the GDP arena, but if the global economy hopes to achieve a balanced, sustainable growth track, consumption by consumers in the world's other major economies have to play a larger role, so says economist Peter Dawson.

Dawson's analysis assumes that the U.S. consumer will return -- not to home equity loan-driven, frenzied, unsustainable consumption of this decade, but to a moderate growth track, after real median incomes start to rise after the U.S. economy starts to recover. The above is mentioned as a backdrop because some economic models assume severely-challenged U.S. consumption for several years; Dawson's model is not one.

Still, even a moderate-growth U.S. consumer spending model does not invalidate the need for structural changes in the global economy.

"Citizens in China, India, Brazil / Latin America, Russia, and Japan have to consumer more," Dawson said. "If they continue to depress demand through currency intervention or other mercantilist policies, it clouds the whole global recovery picture and timetable," Dawson said.Dawson is optimistic about consumption growth in Russia, India, Brazil and the broader Latin American region. However, China and Japan remain problematic, for different reasons, he said.

"China has to allow foreign goods to circulate more freely in China, and it has to move away from any effort to devalue its currency [the yuan], as it will simply contract demand more by making foreign goods more expensive," Dawson said.

"Japan's problem is part demographic and part habit. Its aging population means its younger citizens will have to pick up the slack, in order for Japan to contribute to global consumption, on a net basis, but saving tendencies work against this," Dawson said.

In sum, in the post global recession world, rising consumption in emerging markets must take place for sustainable growth to occur, Dawson said. "The economies and middle classes of Russia, India, Brazil are large enough to create more demand, and combined with developed world demand, this should be enough to get the global economy on a sustainable growth track," Dawson said. "With those growth engines in place, consumer demand from China and Japan would be a bonus."

Economic Analysis: The era of emerging markets pumping out goods, then counting on U.S. consumers to drive global growth is over. As economist Dawson noted, emerging market demand will be needed to both get the economy out of recession and on a sustainable growth track characterized by multiple engines of growth, not just one growth engine in United States.

Top Ten Travel Destinations - South Beach Miami Events

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 20:16:00 PST

South Beach Miami is all famous in world for its all-round progress along with the scenic beauty that is held there. Miami is considered to be the largest city in the Florida, United States. The residency of the people found there in Miami is about 5.5 million people. The city Miami is considered to be the fourth largest city of United States. The development in the Miami done is undoubtedly subject to appreciation. Miami is name that occurs ones lips when there is a talk of fashion, television, games and many other activities going on. This city has noticeably become a hub or centers for big companies, banks and industries with their main headquarters, which is a great achievement.

If any one is planning to go for outing with friends or family to enjoy and have fun, than the only suggestion by many is to go to the South beach which is found famous as Miami is found in United States. This beach is a trendy and joyous spot with beautiful people all around, from different place of the world. The plan for vacation should be made for at least a week or two, which would prove to be helpful suggestion.It would prove to be a wonderful experience to stay in hotels in the best ad lavishing south beech. South beach has being a center of attraction always by the rich and the famous people. So you would enjoy watching, meeting and clicking snaps with those hot shots with their sole permission. There are many photographer available there on the south beech where one can get the lovely memories capture with the scenic beauty all where. Generally photographers are found on the beech due the wonderful weather with all where white sand making a wonderful scenario to capture.

The other enjoyment of viewing people can also be made with a glass of beer in hand or some other drink is its cold state in hand, altogether with some one special sitting beside you. The water of the famous Miami south beech is of lavish blue color which is of real beauty to view. There are shopping stalls on the beach with sexy dress wear on the beach and off the beach too. There are beach night clubs where there is unbelievable fun, where you can go dancing whole night. Also, you can have dinner parties on the beach or have dine with dance and enjoy the night too.

Tips on Having a 'Green' Christmas

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 20:18:00 PST

A "green" Christmas can be good for your wallet as well as the Earth, according to environmentalists who advocate doing more with less.

"We're suggesting cutting back 20 percent. Twenty percent in gifts, 20 percent in greeting cards, 20 percent in gift wrap, 20 percent in miles traveled," says Peter Sander, co-author of Green Christmas: How to Have a Joyous, Eco-Friendly Holiday Season. The result would be a trimmer holiday budget.

Environmentally friendly ideas include committing to personal conservation, patronizing "green" businesses or buying gifts made from natural or recycled products.

The Bikes, Beans & Bordeaux cafe on Corrine Drive in Orlando, for example, serves organic products, uses eco-friendly materials and sells key chains and bottle openers made from recycled bicycle parts.

Other gift ideas can be found at craft fairs, art districts and local galleries, where many artists use natural or recycled products, said Juliana Davidson of the Osceola Center for the Arts. Many artists are incorporating "found" objects into their work, she said."There are lots of wood and reusable pieces that can be reworked into something great."

Planting a tree or another group activity can shift focus from the financial crunch, said Greg Seaman, founder of the Web site eartheasy.com.

"You can create some kind of family activity that becomes a tradition," he said. "I think it is important to add an element of enrichment."

Eco-friendly ideas

* Check labels for products that use recycled materials.
* Don't be afraid to re-gift an item you can't use.
* Avoid items that need batteries. About 40 percent of all battery sales occur during the holiday season, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
* Consider giving concert tickets or gift certificates, or donate to a charitable organization in loved ones' names.
* Consider planting a tree together or cleaning up an area instead of exchanging gifts.

Cut down on waste

Household waste in the U.S. increases by a million tons during the holidays, the EPA says. Here's how to reduce your contribution:

* Use reusable or recyclable materials for gift wrap such as the comics section of the newspaper, fabric or canvas.
* Replace foam packing peanuts with biodegradable "loose fill" made from cardboard or corn starch.
* Send virtual holiday greetings or look for cards made from recycled paper.
* After the holidays, place paper and cards in the recycling bin (check with your recycler for restrictions).
* Dispose of your tree by trimming it to a length of 5 feet or less for collection and recycling as mulch.

Bangkok's Elite Fight Global Warming with Shopping Bags

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:23:00 PST

Bangkok's shopping elite took a small step towards combatting global warming, starting, appropriately, in some of the capital's most luxurious, air-conditioned department stores.

The Mall Group launched a green-friendly campaign at its eight department stores by switching from plastic bags to biodegradable bags.

From now on shoppers at The Mall's Gourmet Market outlets and swish department stores will be given the option of using a free biodegradable plastic bag or a reasonably-priced canvas tote bag to carry their goodies back to their parked BMWs and Mercedes Benzes.

The canvas bags will be either given away after a purchase of more than 500 baht (14.50 dollars) or can be purchased for 70 to 399 baht (2 to 11.50 dollars) depending on size.

The biodegradable plastic bags, made from a mixture of organic and plastic and guaranteed to disintegrate one and a half years after you've gotten your purchases home, are The Mall's small contribution to fighting global warming.The group, which operates some of Bangkok's poshest department stores such as Emporium and Siam Paragon along with six malls, now uses an estimated 150 million plastic bags a year.

'The biodegradable bags cost 5 to 10 per cent more than regular plastic bags,' said Chamnarn Maythaprachakul, The Mall's senior vice president for marketing. 'We will absorb that.'

The group expects to spend 100 million baht (2.9 million dollars) on its bag campaign, which hopefully will become fashionable among Bangkok's plethora of competing department stores and supermarkets.

Meanwhile, the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA) has launched a similar campaign, passing out 30,000 canvas bags to the shopping public to encourage them to say no to plastic.

The BMA bags, bearing the logo 'Let's Make Bangkok Cool' are part of Bangkok governor Apirak Kosayothin's ambitious programme to reduce the capital's carbon emissions.

Bangkok is a good place start for Thailand.

The metropolis accounts for more than 40 per cent of the country's CO2 emissions, and each Bangkokian leaves a carbon footprint of 7.3 tons of CO2 per year, comparable to the citizens of London.

Apirak hopes to reduce Bangkokian's carbon footstep by 1 ton by the year 2012, though a variety of campaigns including getting motorists to switch to bio-fuels, promoting energy-efficiency and growing more trees (there is only 4 square metres of green space per person in the city, home to about 10 million people.)

While it is generally accepted among serious global warming campaigners that the shopping bag strategy is a minor step, it is at least a step in the right direction, especially for the city's elite.

'The lifestyle of Bangkok's high society and upper middle class has to change, and the way they change can have an influence of the other sectors of society,' said Tara Buakamsri, a climate and energy campaigner for Greenpeace in Thailand.

'So the plastic bag campaign is a good start. We are moving towards the more difficult ones, such as reducing energy use in buildings and homes and cutting back on city travel. Those will require more self sacrifice,' said Tara.

Reduce Use a Home Soda Making Machine

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:24:00 PST

On the homepage of the Container Recycling Institute is a counter clocking how many beverage containers have been landfilled, littered and incinerated in the United States. This year alone the counter has tallied over 125 billion bottles and cans. Amazingly, the average American drinks around 60 gallons of soda each year, sadly, only 33-45 percent of those bottles and can get recycled. The environmental toll from the production, packaging and shipping of each soda can and bottle is incredible – the energy wasted in 2001 to produce 50.7 billion soda cans was the equivalent to 16 million barrels of oil! Our towns and cities are being buried in water and soda bottles and cans.

With the economy in the dumps– no pun intended– the problems arising from these drink containers is getting even more severe. Plainly said, at this moment in time, there is no market for recyclables. Paper, plastic, aluminum, cardboard, all those products we are so proud to put in our recycling bins and put on the curb for pick up are piling up at municipal recycling facilities. A once lucrative business, recyclers cannot find anyone to buy there “junk”.

According to a December 7th story in the New York Times entitled Back at Junk Value, Recyclables are Piling Up, in some areas mixed paper is selling for $20-25 a ton, down from $105 in October and tin is now $5 a ton, down from $327 earlier this year. Some towns and cities across country that used to get paid for their recyclables are either not getting their monthly checks or are now being charged to take the junk away.I recently spoke with public works representative in my town who told me that our township was getting paid for all our recyclables but the checks had stopped coming. However, they told me that our town is lucky because we are in a contract with a hauler, so our recyclables were still getting picked up. In many towns without rock-solid contracts, recyclable haulers are refusing to pick up their loads.

So now what? Clearly we should not abandon our recycling programs. I know I’ve painted a bleak picture, but it is really important to continue to recycle. However, now more than ever, the first two of the 3 “R’s”s are increasingly more important. We need to REDUCE and REUSE.

Between 1960-79 the average person purchased 200-250 packaged drinks per year. In 2006 that number has soared to 686 drinks (Source: Container Recycling Institute). We need to turn this around and reach for zero new waste. We need to make consumer choices to buy products that are not only recycled and recyclable, but to buy goods that do not generate more recyclable garbage. Sounds hard right? Well in some instances its not as difficult as you might think.

In my house we’ve taken an interesting step in this direction. We drink a lot of soda water (seltzer). At least a 1/2 gallon a day. Now my husband and I used to drink Pellegrino by the case. Doing so would put at least 6-8 glass bottles back into the garbage/recycling stream on a weekly basis. In addition, our sparkling water traveled thousands of miles to reach us. A gallon of Peligrino costs over $7.50 per gallon, much more than gasoline.

Recently, we got the opportunity to try out Sodastream Soda-Club, a home seltzer and soda-making machine. The machine is already helping eco-conscious consumers elsewhere - 30% of German and 24% of Swiss households have soda machines and have reduced their waste. With a Soda-Club machine, we drink freshly made, great tasting seltzer and we are drastically reducing waste from store-bought cans and bottles. The machine uses no batteries or electricity, just a 14.5 oz CO2 canister that can make up to 60 liters of seltzer or soda. Empty carbonators are returned to Soda-Club to be cleaned, inspected and refilled with CO2 drawn naturally from the air. Carbonators are reusable as long as they remain in good condition.

We tried a machine that is called the Penguin. This little marvel comes with 2 glass carafes. Other versions come with clear plastic (PET), BPA-free reusable bottles will about 3 years. Each bottle also comes with a special cap with a hermetic seal that keeps your soda carbonated long after you first open it and it really works.

The machine’s also come with regular, diet and caffeine-free flavors to make cola, root bear, cherry soda and many more. In addition they have fruit essence to make flavored-seltzer. If you are purist like me these syrups may not pass the test. But for those of you who still need your soda fix, it beats drinking high-fructose Coca-Cola. Regular flavors have 2/3 less carbs, calories and sugar than store-bought sodas, and contain much less sodium. Both regular and diet flavors do contain Splenda®.

For our household we are sold. We always have fresh bubbly seltzer in the house. Finish a bottle during a meal, just fill the bottle with water, stick it in the machine press the lever and we have seltzer in seconds. According to Carbonrally, we save about 6 lbs of carbon emissions per week (production, bottling, transport) by making our own soft drinks. According to Soda Club, worldwide, they estimate over 10 million units have been sold. That is huge savings worldwide in carbon emissions, bottles and cans.

So if you are like me and want to still recycle but REDUCE your waste dramaticly, I suggest giving a Soda-Club machine a try. The machines range from about $100 to $230 dollars depending if you order just a machine or a machine with flavors. All machines come with CO2 carbonators. It may sound a little steep but the savings on your waste, environmental impact and future costs (pay back depends on how much you drink), it is well worth it. AND Soda-Club is giving Eco-Chick readers a discount. Use the discount code MELISSA at check out you will get an additional $5 off after their current holiday discount, a total savings of $25 per machine.

Download Free Book About Global Warming "The Alternative (Focused On The Need To Say Humanity)

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 20:20:00 PST

Gillian Speke of http://www.the-alternative.org.uk/ has a great free ebook about a Green Living campaign directory detailing how to overcome poverty, homelessness, pollution and corruption, and survive global warming; featuring design specifications for new-style affordable housings for homes, commercial buildings, transport and space-craft.

Gillian also has a blog on the above website, together with the rest of the information, including the download link of the full ebook and individual chapters which you download directly. The full ebook is relatively huge I would say, going at 28mb, giving the reason why I think the individual chapters are provided for an alternative downloading method. But hey, don’t let the size stop you from downloading the ebook. It also has a short ebook version, so you might want to get that version if you don’t have the patience on getting the full one. Do take note that this is not the ordinary ebook which you download to read, although it meant to be read, but for me personally it tends to look more like an encyclopedia, or a dictionary, I don’t know probably it looks like that because of the layout.

FIND HERE DOWNLOAD LINKS:-

CLICK HERE to download the full ebook (28mb)

CLICK HERE to download the short ebook (18mb)

or CLICK HERE to get the chapters individually (top left)

or just CLICK HERE to visit Gillian’s blog and digest everything at one go.

Free Download Australia's Travel Tips with Information of Airfare

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:56:00 PST

BANKS, POST OFFICES & ATM MACHINES
Banks are generally open 9:30am-4pm Mon-Thu; 9:30am 5pm Fri. In some states selected banking facilities are available on Saturday morning. General office hours, including Post Offices, are 9am-5pm, Mon Fri. Stamps are often available at front desks of hotels and motels and at selected retail outlets.

ATM cards can be used in Australia at both ATMs (Automatic Teller Machines) and at participating retail locations, so long as they have been enabled for international access. Your ATM card must carry either the CIRRUS, PLUS or STAR international ATM mark or the Interlink or Maestro POS mark. Travelers should contact their bank at home for information on availability and service charges.

CLIMATE
The climate is generally pleasant without extremes in temperatures. Broadly there are two climatic zones. In the north, above the Tropic of Capricorn, about 40 percent of Australia is in the tropical zone. The remaining areas lie in the temperate zone.

However, because of Australia’s vast size, there are variations within these zones. The temperate regions have all four seasons, while those in the tropical zone have two: summer ("wet") and winter ("dry").

Australia's seasons are the opposite to those of the Northern Hemisphere.

* Spring: September-November
* Summer: December-February
* Fall: March-May
* Winter: June-August.

CLOTHING
In the tropics lightweight (natural fibers) clothing is suitable year-round. In the southern temperate regions, summers (Dec-Feb) are warm to hot and lightweight clothes are suitable for daytime, but keep a jacket or sweater handy as nights may be cool. For the southern winters (Jun-Aug) sweaters and warmer clothes are advisable. Most of the time just keep it light and comfortable.

CREDIT CARDS & TRAVELERS CHECKS
The most commonly accepted credit cards are American Express, Bankcard, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, MasterCard, Visa and their affiliates. Use may be restricted in smaller towns and country areas and small retail shops.

You should cash travelers checks at banks or larger hotels as it may be difficult elsewhere. Some banks may charge a small fee for cashing travelers checks. Banks will cash most travelers checks in every currency.

CURRENCY & EXCHANGE
Australian currency is decimal with the dollar as the basic unit (100 cents equals one dollar).

Exchange facilities are available for all incoming and outgoing flights at all international airports in Australia. Changing foreign currency or traveler's checks can be done quickly and efficiently at most banks.

CUSTOMS
Strict laws prohibit or restrict the entry of drugs, steroids, firearms, protected wildlife and associated products. All animals, animal products, food stuffs, plants, and plant products must be declared. There is no limit on the amount of Australian and/or foreign cash that may be brought into or taken out of Australia. However, amounts over A$5,000, or equivalent must be reported.

Travelers 18 years and over may bring I liter of alcohol and 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco duty free. There is a duty free allowance of A$400 per person 18 years and over, or $A200 per person under 18 years. Short term visitors may bring most articles into the country duty free, provided Customs is satisfied that they are for their own personal use.

DISABLED VISITORS
Australia is very aware of the needs of people with disabilities. Advance notice and details of your disability will ensure the best possible assistance from airlines, hotels or transport offices. Many cinemas and restaurants are happy to assist although not all can cater for people with severe disabilities or wheelchairs. Most new buildings provide wheelchair access.

Guides to facilities are available from the National Information Communication Awareness Network (NICAN) P.O. Box 407, Curtin, ACT 2605. Tel: 011 61 (6) 285-3713 Fax: 011 61 (6) 285-3714.

ELECTRICITY
The electrical current in Australia is 240/250 volts, AC 50Hz. The Australian three pin power outlet is different from that in North America so you will need an adapter socket. If your appliances are not 240/250 volts you will need a voltage converter. Universal outlets for 240V or 11 OV appliances are usually found in leading hotels.

LIQUOR LAWS
While regulations vary from state to state, general licensing hours for public bars are Mon-Sat 10am-10pm. Sunday hours vary between states. Restaurants, clubs and hotel lounges have more flexible hours. You must be 18 years or older to buy or consume alcohol in public.

MEDICAL
Visitors can bring reasonable quantities of prescribed medications into Australia. All should be clearly labeled and identifiable. For large quantities, bring a doctor's certificate to produce to Customs if necessary. Chemists (Pharmacists) can fill most prescriptions but some may need to be reissued by an Australian registered doctor. In the event of illness, your hotel should be able to call a doctor or refer you to one, or you can call your country's High Commission, Embassy or Consulate-General for a list of doctors.

US and Canadian visitors are not covered by Australia's national health insurance scheme. It is recommended that you travel with adequate travel insurance.

QUARANTINE
Importation of fresh or packaged food, fruit, eggs and egg products, vegetables, seeds, cultures, plants and plant products is strictly controlled. There is up to 6 months quarantine for pets and other domestic animals. Anyone carrying any of these items on arrival in Australia, must tick the appropriate box on the Customs, Quarantine and Wildlife statement. This is handed to you before arrival and must be presented with your passport upon arrival.

TAXIS
Meter operated taxicabs service all major cities and towns. You will find taxi ranks at transport terminals, major hotels or shopping centers or you can hail them in the street. Vacant cabs have a light and sign on the roof. There is a minimum "flagfall" charge, then a charge for the distance traveled.

TELEPHONES
The minimum cost of a local phone call is A$.40. Long distance and international calls can be made on the public payphones which operate on a variety of coin denominations. Phonecard is a pre paid card for use in public payphones to make local, long distance and international calls. It is available from a number of retail outlets and can be used at over 75% of public payphones. Creditphones use most major cards such as AMEX, Visa and Diners International, and can be found at international and domestic airports, central city locations and hotels.

TIPPING
Tipping is not obligatory and service charges are not charged at hotels and restaurants. For special service, a tip of 10% is acceptable for waiters. Taxi drivers do not expect a tip, but will appreciate a small gratuity. At any time, tipping is your choice.

TIME ZONES
There are three time zones in Australia Eastern Standard Time (EST) which operates in New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland; Central Standard Time (CST) in South Australia and Northern Territory; and Western Standard Time (WST) in Western Australia. CST is one half hour behind EST, while WST is two hours behind EST.

Australian States except Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland have daylight saving during the summer months.

Download Popular Free eBook: The Challenge of Global Warming

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 23:01:00 PST

On June 23, 1988, NASA Scientist James E. Hansen testified on Capital Hill before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Hansen told the Senate committee that global warming was real – and was happening now. One year later, Hansen wrote about this issue along with a group of other contributors in The Challenge of Global Warming, edited by Dean Edwin Abrahamson.

To commemorate Hansen’s crucial testimony, we are making the book (or just Hansen's chapter) available as a free download to help educate people on the effects of global warming, greenhouse gases, and what policy responses are needed to combat what is still the “environmental challenge of our time.”

FROM THE PREFACE: Fossil fuel burning, deforestation, and the release of industrial chemicals are rapidly heating the earth to temperatures not experienced in human memory. Limiting global heating and climatic change is the central environmental challenge of our time.

This book summarizes the scientific aspects of the greenhouse effect and climatic change, explains why the issue is important, and shows that there are measures which, if implemented soon, can reduce the social, economic, environmental, and political impact of changing climate.

Click on Links for Download: - The Challenge of Global Warming

Take Global Warming Seriously

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 23:18:00 PST

At a time when all the presidential candidates are talking about how America needs global warming solutions, why are the oil companies talking about increasing global warming pollution?

The oil rush to tap the now commercially viable tar sands in Alberta, Canada has resulted in a huge spike in proposed oil refinery expansions from South Dakota to Ohio. The cost: a significant increase in global warming pollution.

According to a recent article by the Chicago Tribune BP wants to increase greenhouse gas emissions by 40% at its refinery in Whiting, Indiana. And a new refinery proposed in Hyperion, South Dakota could be the global warming equivalent of 4 to 6 coal fired power plants!

We must do better.

Following public protests last summer, BP agreed to not increase water pollution into Lake Michigan. In California, ConocoPhillips agreed to no net increases in air pollution, water pollution, and carbon dioxide pollution through offsets in a $600 million expansion project in Contra Costa County.

We can do better.

The Midwest is responsible for 20% of all global warming pollution in the U.S. We need to work to find solutions not increase pollution by offsetting carbon, improving energy efficiency and investing in renewable energy technology.

Ask the oil companies to pledge to “Take Global Warming Seriously”.

Global Warming - Stop Arguing - Take Action Now

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 23:20:00 PST

As mankind faces the most dramatic natural disaster in history we are squabbling instead of taking action. We need to stop arguing, come up with a plan and take action NOW.

Our poles are melting, temperature and weather patterns are changing. Those are facts. Whose fault it is, man made or natural is almost irrelevant. The important thing is that we take action to prepare for the unavoidable consequences of climate change NOW.

Past climate changes have happened quick, the most recent having taken only about a decade. We have seen weather patterns change over the last few years, lost a bunch of ice, witnessed massive amounts of species going extinct and see a slow-down of the ocean’s conveyor which regulates temperature patterns around the globe. My gut feeling is to say that we are in the midst of climate change. Whether it’s caused by CO2, an active sun or any other cause is not the issue. The issue is… we can’t change, avert or avoid it so we have to figure out how to deal with it and survive it’s effects.

The focal point of all the issues surrounding climate change is energy. More specifically, present and future energy. The energy we currently use, which most say changes the climate, and the energy we will need in the future to supply more people and to stave off the effects of a changed climate. We need cleaner fuel now, not only because of pollution or the fact that we are running out, but because we will need much more fuel in the future.

The world economy is currently dependant upon CO2 emitting fossil fuels and we won’t just be able to throw a switch to convert to another source so we have to start now. We have to stop spending billions fighting over the remaining oil. No matter who owns it, we will use it up. As demand increases and supply dwindles it will become more expensive and economic factors will dictate that we replace it. If we’re lucky, mankind will be reasonable enough to spend more money finding new energy sources than fighting over obsolete ones. That’s a long shot but there’s always hope.

We will need more energy and there is no denying that burning oil and coal pollutes our planet. We have 2 choices if we want to survive as a species.

1. Come up with more, preferably cleaner energy.

2. Shrink our global population to a size that our current energy supply can sustain.

The first is preferable but considering our primitive human nature, the second is more probable. Let’s let common sense overpower human nature and strive towards option 1.

Think about it. There are many sources of energy, known and yet to be discovered that we can use. Wind, water, tidal, and solar are clean technologies that we have explored and can improve. We have started tinkering with ways to use the Earth’s magnetic field. There is gravity and countless types of cosmic rays that we haven’t even tried to harness yet. Nuclear has been around for decades and if it doesn’t blow up on you, it is extremely clean.

My suggestion, no, my demand is that mankind stop it’s economic and religious squabbling and start taking the action we need for our survival as a species. It will be impossible to get mankind to act as one, but someone has to start. If the US trimmed it’s government and military to a minimum, keeping enough troops and nukes to sustain sovereignty, we could save billions and use it to develop energy sources.

That scenario might even be good for the economy. Imagine all of the workers needed to make electric cars or cosmic ray powered toasters. Besides, whoever discovers a technology usually has a lead when it comes to selling it’s usage or the products it spins off.

New energy won’t solve global warming but it will help us deal with it better. Right now it’s the only option we have so let’s get on it!

Climate Change Facts As A Cause For Global Warming

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:10:00 PST

Climate change facts is a phrase that many of us have heard used to describe the research conducted on climate change. Many academics write extensively to ways to minimize the effect of climate change.

New techniques, such as Carbon Credit Trading, are continually mooted in our attempt to reduce our carbon footprint in an attempt to global warming.

These are some of the undisputed facts or signs of climate change:

Fact 1 - Heat waves increasing common and extreme heat is perhaps the most common sign of climate change, and also signs of global warming. It is true that there have been periods of warming and cooling over the last 5 billion years, but the change has never been so extreme. Global warming has raised the temperatures in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, resulting in the melt down of ice glaciers.

Fact 2 - Melting of mountain glaciers Over the last 150 years, scientists have been monitoring mountain glaciers and have reported that they are indeed shrinking. This is particularly true of glaciers at the lower latitudes where many of them have simply disappeared. If climate change continues all existing glaciers will have disappeared within 100 years.

Fact 3 - Ocean warming Over the last 100 years, sea level has increased to 25 cm. It is projected that over the next hundred years sea levels will rise even higher - to about 100 cm. This rise in sea levels is attributed to the melting of ice glaciers due to warmer temperatures. What does this mean? Beaches are set to lose about 50 square feet for every foot the sea level increases. Many Pacific islands will simply disappear!

Fact 4 - Wild Storms Storms are occurring more frequency and with higher intensity. Counter intuitively, water in the soil will evaporate faster, resulting in dryness between rain periods. Dry regions will become drier. In addition, hurricanes will be more severe and winds are expected to blow stronger. Wind patterns may shift.

These undisputed and compelling climate change facts will assist your understanding of how global warming works. The only real question which needs to be addressed is what you, as an individual can do. New technologies such as Clean Coal or Carbon Credit Trading, is available to organizations and governments.

The dramatic impact of global warming is continually debated in the scientific community; it's a concern that there is no broad political, economic, social and geographical approach to solving this problem. Quite literally, there is nowhere to hide.

The Future: Distributed Energy Production and Storage

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 02:31:00 PST

Production of energy is currently the realm of large corporations, which have centralized facilities that, typically, burn fossil fuels. The obvious side effect, is that while burning fossil fuels creates energy, it also creates carbon dioxide. Approximately 85% of our worldwide energy comes from the burning of fossil fuels. About 6% comes from nuclear, and the rest is “renewable” energy, with the largest slice of the pie coming from hydroelectric.

Addiction to Fuel
Bryan Lawrence has pointed to a presentation titled Western civilisation’s “energy normality illusion”. In it, they rely on Hubbert peak theory to project future carbon dioxide emissions. Their projections are far below even the most conservative of the SRES projections. In fact, they go as far to say that the “IPCC scenarios are impossible” [emphasis in original]. Some of the figures are also available on The Oil Drum with explanatory text.

I think this is the most telling figure. My interpretation is that there is a certain amount of combustible material in the ground. And in the absence of a cheaper form of energy, we will continue to dig up and burn it to maintain our standard of living. If emissions are regulated, this pushes the peak to fossil fuel combustion to a later date, but the same amount of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere.

The solution is to provide a cheaper source of energy.

Renewable and Infrastructure
In the presentation, Kjell Aleklett and David B. Rutledge argue that peak oil and peak coal will provide constraints on how much carbon dioxide will eventually be emitted into the atmosphere. However, even though their emission predictions are lower than the IPCC, they also point out that we cannot wait to mitigate the eventual effects of warming.

Delaying crash-programme of conversion to renewable energy means that the energy to do this later will not be available and so it will never be done (pain now means much less pain later).

This is extremely important. We must make the transition from a fossil fuel based economy to a renewable economy for the simple reason that there is a finite supply of fossil fuels. Eventually, they will run out. When that time comes, we as a society need to already have the infrastructure in place to transition to a new source of energy. But as the above quote suggests, doing so will not be cheap. Speaking as an America, we have a dreadful inability to look into the future and make decisions that will be good for us in tens or hundreds of years instead of right now.

This lack of foresight leads to infrastructure problems, such as the catastrophic collapses, monumental projects after years of neglect, and the use of a dam as a thoroughfare creating a security nightmare. But in a time of “no new taxes” it’s no wonder that we don’t have enough tax dollars to adequately address infrastructure needs. The United States Interstate Highway System hasn’t had significant change since Eisenhower instituted it in the 1950s.

Possible Solution?
Given that many Americans are opposed to large-scale government intervention of any kind, the solution must be at a smaller scale – it must be locally governed. The federal government must play a role, and for that reason will upset many. We must develop distributed energy production and storage. Right now, we have no way to store energy. The energy used to power my laptop as I write this was produced almost the same instant as it was used. This lack of storage capacity has implications for the future of our energy infrastructure.

The biggest problem is that if we want to switch to truly renewable energy such as solar or wind (and I see no viable alternative, as biofuels will just delay the problem), we need some way to store that energy produced during periods when supply is greater than demand to be used later when demand is greater than supply. There would obviously be no solar production at night, so if we want to switch to a solar-based energy infrastructure, we’d need a vast storage system.

A Solar Energy Example

Solar has several problems; the most worrying are that it is extremely variably from day-to-day, and non-existent at night. For instance, at this very minute there is a solitary cloud in the sky that is blocking solar radiation from the sun to the spot where I am sitting. However, in a few moments that cloud will move and I will again be basked in the electromagnetic energy from our sun. And there we are.

If I were a solar panel, I would not have produced electricity during the time when the cloud was between me and the sun. But my laptop has a battery, which would have provided me with power until I was again able to get primary production from the sun. This simple illustration shows that individual implementations of solar power are not a viable solution.

The good thing about solar power is that it is extremely reliable on large temporal and spacial scales. If we average the amount of solar radiation received by the whole of the Earth’s surface this year, it will be very close to the amount from last year. If solar power is to be viable, it must cover a large area to be insusceptible to local changes in weather.
Batteries

Solar energy, while currently not as cheap as energy from burning fossil fuels, is still cheap. The problem of variable power production due to changes in the weather can be compensated for by the implementation of solar panels over a large area. But this does not solve the problem of storage. We have the capacity to store power – in small amounts. That’s exactly what AAA batteries do, or really any other kind of battery.

Golf carts are a great example of using stored energy as a useful transport mechanism. The good thing about golf carts is that their batteries can provide power for a long time, as a typical golf game will take longer than 4 hours. The problem is that they are limited in speed. As the speed limit is increased, the time the batteries last decreases quickly.

We need better batteries.

Completely electric cars are the solution to the storage of energy. Whenever they were not in use they would need to be plugged into the grid. In periods of excess production, their batteries would be charged to be used when there was excess demand. Everyone would have one or two power plants in their garage instead of having just a few large power plants for an entire city.

Conclusion
Fossil fuels are in limited supply, and therefore there is a need to change our energy infrastructure to a different source of power. The most logical source of power is directly from the sun. There are currently major problems which limit the implementation of solar photovoltaics, but these can be overcome with significant investment in new infrastructure. The problem of energy storage will need to be solved, and the proposed solution is to use personal batteries as a distributed communal storage device. This solution to the energy problem is independent from the consequences of the CO2 problem.

Reference: http://www.atmoz.org/blog

Free Download E-book Full Version of Aviation and the Global Atmosphere

tarunkjuyal@gmail.com (Bhuvan Chand) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:19:00 PST

AUTHOR: Joyce E. Penner (professor in the Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences at the University of Michigan. Prior to that she served as Division Leader of the Global Climate Research Division at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. She is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Geophysical Research and the Journal of Climate. She has served on several scientific advisory committees, including the National Academy of Sciences Atmospheric Chemistry Committee and the National Academy of Sciences Panel on Aerosol Forcing and Climate Change. She has served as Secretary of the Atmospheric Sciences Section of the American Geophysical Union), David H. Lister (Technical Manager in the Propulsion Department of the UK Defence Research and Evaluation Agency (DERA). He has served as Project Manager in the European Community AERONOX program, as a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council Panel on Atmospheric Effects of Stratospheric Aircraft, as Chairman of ICAO/CAEP/WG3 (emissions) Technology and Certification Subgroup, and as lead author in the World Meteorological Organization's Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion (1994)) David J. Griggs (Head of the IPCC Working Group I Technical Support Unit at the Hadley Centre, UK Meteorological Office), David J. Dokken (Project Administrator of the IPCC Working Group II Technical Support Unit, Washington, DC, USA) and Mack McFarland (Principal Scientist in Environmental Programs at DuPont Fluoroproducts, Wilmington, DE, USA).

Edited by: Joyce E. Penner (University of Michigan), David H. Lister (UK Defence Research and Evaluation Agency), David J. Griggs (UK Meteorological Office), David J. Dokken (University Corporation for Atmospheric Research), Mack McFarland (DuPont Fluoroproducts)

FREE DOWNLOAD NOW - Aviation and the Global Atmosphere