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The other night I had the urge to go to Earth Fare for Vegan Chicken Nuggets. I am a vegetarian, so things that give me protein and taste good are something I need. I like going to Earth Fare because it has local and organic products. I feel as though the produce and meat look, smell, and probably taste better. The only problem is, I have to drive 20+ minutes to get to this place. I understand there are many different places that sell organic or local foods, but being in Waxhaw I either have to drive or I have to sit on a waiting list for the local farm down the road. I kept thinking about organic food after writing the paper about organics and the world. I think that something like that is obviously possibly, from places like Earth Fare, Whole Foods, and Trader Joes. Even Harris Teeter sells organics now. I am just wondering if the world can change now, since I have to drive 2o or more minutes to get what I want. I had Dr. Pillar last year for the Food section in Core. We went over the same ideas and problems when it comes to organics and also where our food comes from. I have had a lot of time to think about how much I really wish that we could change our food. Over processed and over packaged food needs to change. The only problem is that we are not changing the transportation of foods when they are sending trucks of organics to a grocery store, and then we need to drive there to get it, and drive back from there. I think that places like Earth Fare are a welcome step forward from the insanity of freeze dried products or commercialized meat. This is not the answer to organics by any way, shape or form, but it is a welcome step. I am sure that I cannot get a soy chicken nugget from a local farmer.
After seeing the video on coal, mountain top removal and after learning about coal in class I figured it would be appropriate to research coal and some of its uses, and take the opportunity to review what I learned in clas. By doing this, my understanding of coal has improved and maybe ill be able to relate to the information we are learning in class.
Coal is a solid but brittle,carbonaceous black sedimentary rock that burns.It is made up of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen,nitrogen, and lesser amounts of sulfur and othertrace elements. Coal is divided into four classes:lignite, subbituminous, bituminous, and anthracite. Of the commonly minable coals, anthracite is the hardest and has the most carbon,giving it a higher heat value. Lignite is the softest coal and has the least amount of carbon. By definition, coal is a combustible rock containing more than 50 percent by weight carbonaceous material formed from compaction of variously altered plant remains originally derived from peat.
For many centuries, coal was burned in small stoves to produce heat in homes and factories. Today, the most important use of coal, is still as a fuel. The largest single consumer of coal as a fuel is the electrical power industry. The combustion of coal in power generating plants is used to make steam which, in turn, operates turbines andgenerators. The amount of coal used in the United States for this purpose doubled in every decade. Coal is no longer widely used to heat homes and buildings, as was the case a half century ago, but it is still used in industries such as paper production, cement and ceramic manufacture, iron and steele production, and chemical manufacture for heating and for steam generation.
The coal process starts with its extraction. After extraction, coal is washed and sorted. Depending on the type, the coal will be burned or transformed into coke. Coke is concentrated coal from which the majority of volatile materials have been eliminated. In a coking plant, a mixture of good quality coal types, known as coke paste, is brought up to a temperature of 1000°C. The coking process releases a number of products, mainly pyrolysed gases, which are cooled and treated with solvents. In this way, some of the gases are recovered. Another use for coal is in the manufacture of coke. Coke is nearly pure carbon produced when soft coal is heated in the absence of air. In most cases, one ton of coal will produce 0.7 ton of coke in this process. Coke is of value in industry because it has a heat value higher than any form of natural coal. It is widely used in steel making and in certain chemical processes.
http://www.coaleducation.org/lessons/uses.htm
The world is currently being basically ruined by our human activity, especially when it comes too global warming. But there is a certain issue that is quite curious in its origin. I ran across this issue while I was looking at funny animal videos on YouTube. What curious about it is that is animals making the chaos.
Australia has found an innovative solution to global warming, breed ‘green’ sheep that burp less. That’s right,sheep that do not burt.
Forget planes and tractors. Farting and burping sheep and cows are the real reason why we’ll all be sunning it in England very soon.
Joking aside, gassy livestock is a serious problem apparently. Farting cows and sheep have been blamed for most of the methane emissions that have helped take Australia to the top of the world’s carbon footprint league table. Around 12 per cent of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions originate with agriculture, and 70 per cent of that amount is made up of methane, which has 17 times the environmental warming capacity of carbon dioxide.
According to Australia’s department of climate change, 16% of the country’s greenhouse emissions come from agriculture. And Australia’s Sheep Cooperative Research Council says 66% of agricultural emissions are released as methane from the bellies of livestock.
New Zealand has a similar problem, where scientists estimate that a massive 43% of the country’s greenhouse gases come from livestock.
Globally, 28 percent of all the methane is a result from human related activities and derives from agriculture. Who would have thought that grass would have such a stomach rumbling effect, causing sheep and cows to burp and fart in symphony after each and every one of their meals??
Methane is considered the second most important gas produced by human activity after carbon dioxide, yet has far more impact on global warming than its much-publicized cousin.
Scientist believe we have seriously underestimated the gas’ impact on global temperatures and that this is about a third higher than previously thought.
The Australian researchers in New South Wales are trying to discover the genetic link that means some sheep burp less than others and have been conducting experiments in special pens where they measure how much gas sheep emit when eating. If just 10 or 15 per cent in the next decade reduced the methane produced by Australia’s 80 million or so sheep, it would have a substantial and also a long-term impact on our greenhouse gas emissions.
The problem has already been a few years that scientists have been studying the problem and have been hoping to invent foods that reduce gassiness.
As i was going through my previous posts I remember posting something about the most polluted places to live, this made me think of what the most dangerous places to live were, and this is the answer.
Haiti! Yes, Haiti is the third most dangerous place to live. Not because it’s one of the poorest countries in the world, but because the storms there are so frequent. On August 16, the first tropical storm hit, Fay. Only a week later, Hurricane Gustav came and caused further damage to this already underdeveloped country. Then Hurricane Hanna swept through, just a little while later came Hurricane Ike. And all of this took place within a month! One of Haiti’s largest cities, Ganai’ves, was hit by all four storms and found itself buried! Not just from all the buildings and things that were destroyed but from mud and water. Mud filled the land and some areas were flooded in about twelve feet of water! Not only was this bad for the people and their stuff but for the land. Floods ruins crops and livestock. So this had a big effect on their food supply. I read a different article last year about how some mothers had to feed their children mud pies so that they could survive. A mud pie was an actual pile of mud that was eaten raw in most cases. These storms put Haiti in an even worse situation than what it already was in, which was poor in the first place. The death toll from the storm was about 500 but no one knows the amount of deaths caused by the after effects because Haiti is till suffering!
The “Mountain of Fire” located on Java Island is the place to live if you love active volcanoes! Mount Merapi in Indonesia is a constantly active volcano. It’s name, Mount Merapi, translates into Fire mountain. It sends threatening smoke up 10,000 feet into the air. In the past 500 years it has erupted 60 times! It’s most recent eruption was in 2006. The time before that was in 1994. This eruption was very unfortunate for people who lived there because it was the cause of death for 60 people. The “Mountain of Fire” produces a cloud of hot gas that burned them alive! Even with the knowledge of this volcanos history, 200,000 people still call this place home. They all live within 4 miles of the volcano.
The “Cold Pole” in Verkhoyansk, Russia is one of the most dangerous places to live in the world. It is a taiga which means it is “a subarctic, evergreen coniferous forest of the northern Eurasia located just south of the tundra and dominated by firs and spruces,” according to the American Heritage Dictionary. The “Cold Pole” is located 3,000 miles east of Moscow and in the heart of Siberia. It holds the title of being the oldest city above the Arctic Circle. Although this place hold unique features, like being frozen solid for 9 months out of the year, people still decide to live here. The city averages fewer than 5 hours od sunlight between September and March!!!
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/earth/4329314.html?page=1-4
It’s that time of year..for the Christmas tree to go up in homes everywhere. It is a matter of preference to whether families will go out and search for a real tree or bring the plastic one down from the attic and take the time to assemble it. However, while some may vouch for the convenience of one tree over another, there are environmental pros and cons to each.
Fake Christmas trees may be of preference to some because they are a one time cost, they can be reused every year, and they do not generate waste. However, fake trees come with serious health risks. They are made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC), an environmentally offensive form of non-renewable, petroleum-derived plastic. During the production of PVC, there are several carcinogens, including dioxin and vinyl chloride, generated which pollute neighborhoods near their production factories. 85 percent of all fake trees sold in the US are manufactured in China where labor standards to do not protect workers from the dangerous chemicals they work with. Fake trees also contain lead and other additives that will make PVC malleable but these chemicals have been linked to liver, kidney, and neurological and reproductive system damage. Furthermore, the dust from these chemicals has the potential to fall on gifts and come into contact with children.
Real trees on the other hand have the ability to be replanted in one’s backyard if bought with the roots still intact. They can also decompose, while it is essentially impossible for fake trees to disintegrate. In general, they are an eco-friendly addition to the Christmas tradition. However, their major drawback is that during their eight year life-cycle they are repeatedly sprayed with pesticides so during growth, and even during discarding, they can contribute to the pollution of local watersheds. Furthermore, municipalities may run into the problem of not being able to handle the number of trees needing to be composted each year. Each type of tree runs the risk of some type of effect on the environment, but fake trees most definitely win at being a major threat to both health and the earth.
West, Larry. “Real vs Fake Christmas Trees”. 2009. http://environment.about.com/od/greenchristmas/a/christmas_trees.htm
In upstate New York, tension is rising with new plans of drilling for natural gas. In the town of Chenango, along with others around it, oil companies are on the prawl looking for people to sign leases to let the companies dig for oil under their land. The plans are turning neighbors against neighbors and even spouces against spouces. No one can come to a common answer, yes or no. There are two sides to the issue. One is to say yes to the drilling companies, sign leases and let the economic boom happen. The small New York towns are suffering economicaly, filled with farm lands, and causing new generations to move away because there are no jobs. Many residents say that if the oil companies drill, it will bring more than $3.72 dollars in revenue to the small towns. This will give new jobs to young people so that they are not forced to move away to find jobs and make a life for themselves. The other side say no. They say that the drilling, which blasts water under the rocks to get the gas, could be detrimental to their drinking water and contaminate it. They don’t want to take the risk of their land and water getting ruined. Some people have found a happy medium with their own concerns and the oil companies wants. Mrs. Lacey, a resident in the area, is working with her lawyer and the oil companies to make a deal. They can drill, but they must restore the land to its origonal state, pre-drilling, and if the water is contaminated, they have to fix it and take blame. Although Mrs. Lacey and her husband are not having financial difficulty like many of the other farmers, they say that it would be nice to have to live without worry and be able to retire in their own home and not have to move. One woman signed a lease with the drilling company two years ago, needing money to pay her taxes. She earned a little under three thousand dollars for 110 acres which is now worth half a million dollars. She didn’t realize that it was worth that much, and she could have gotten much more money for her land. It seems that the common thread is money though. The only reason that people will allow drilling on their land is because they want, or in some cases really need, money.
Have you ever wondered where your trash travels once you throw it away? Exactly how long does it take before it is disposed of properly into a landfill? What happens to the things your recycle or donate? Where does everything end up? This article was really interesting about a group of scientists who want to see where their trash travels. A group of scientists decided to put cell phone sized tracking devices on their trash to see where it ends up and how long it travels before its final resting place. The point of this experiment was to see if society could more efficiently dispose of their trash. To know how long trash stays in the system and where it goes. The scientists wish to raise awareness to the public about trash disposal.
First, the group of scientists needed to find a way to track the trash for long periods of time. They put GPS tracking devices that worked with cell phone towers. The trash was able to be tracked through the systems stuck to the trash and cell phone towers in the close residing areas. There were many different kinds of trash distributed into the water systems to see which kinds of trash move to the landfills at a faster rate than other kinds of trash.Waste Management Inc. is helping fund this study and experiment in hopes that it will prove their trash is going to the proper places. And to look for better ways to deal with the amount of garbage people are not disposing of.
Although this experiment has not been completed, it is a step forward in trying to discover better ways to dispose of our garbage. It also points out the dysfunctions within our waste management system. It could be a way to help waste management systems find a better way to run their plants. It is not only a way to raise awareness amount the wrongs in the waste management system, but it also raise awareness to people of society. Can we create a system of minimum waste? it is a way for people to be more careful about what they are throwing into their trashcans. If this study proves effective it can make a difference in the health of our Earth.
The health of our oceans and waterways has been deteriorating very slowly, this can help determine just how bad our oceans really are. I think this experiment could be very beneficial to seeing just where our trash travels. It would be amazing to see if it really ends up where it is supposed to. I would not be surprised if the trash does not end up where it is supposed to. This leads to many trash buildups and “trash islands” in our oceans.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/11/28/tracking.trash/index.html
This article was interesting to me since we toured the wastewater treatment plant a little over a week ago. This is about a wastewater treatment plant in Brooklyn, NY.
Owls Head wastewater treatment plant in Brooklyn, NY reached its overflow point when a heavy downpour of rain came over the city. The large amount of rain water in such a short period of time caused the untreated waters from the plant and in emergency valves to overflow into the surrounding water sources. Infested, untreated feces and industrial waste was now in contact with the waterways that are filled with the treated water solutions. This is not the first time something like this has happened in Brooklyn. The plant is not very well suited for large amounts of rain, so it could take all of 20 minutes of rainfall to cause the waters to overflow. This causes the waters in Brooklyn to be polluted on almost a constant basis. This does not only happen in Brooklyn, but it is happening in treatment plants across the nation.
The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has found that many wastewater treatment plants are illegally dumping untreated water into the supposed treated water sources. Many of the treatment plants are unable to keep up with the growing about of intaking water they are received to treat. As cities continue to grow, the amount of untreated waters grow, the more buildings that go up the less ground space there is for rainwater to absorb into the ground. When wastewater plants are not treating their water, untreated, unhealthy water is not entering into our drinking water resources. Many illnesses have arisen from issues like the one that occurred in Brooklyn, NY. Statistics in certain areas show that children with related illnesses increased whenever there was a recent overflow in the treatment plants.
This problem is becoming more, and more apparent throughout the years. People are seeing more cases of water pollution related illnesses, homes and communities are being destroyed. This is a very scary issue that will continue to occur, and in larger amounts, if the treatment plants do not develop and adjust to new situations within the communities they are supplying water to.
Due to many issues involving the pollution of our water systems, something like this does major harm. We depend so strongly on our water systems, and anything that causes it to be contaminated sets the water systems back to square one. If the water becomes contaminated, it then has to be re-treated for it to be clean. If it can not be retreated, it has to naturally replenish its self, which takes a very long period of time.
The grey wolf was placed on the US list of endangeed species in 1974. Its poulation dropped drastically due to over-hunting. 35 years later the grey wolf has been removed from that list.
The number of grey wolves has grown greatly with 4,000 in the Great Lakes region, 1,300 in the Rocky Mountain states and 8,000 to 11,000 in Alaska. According to Ed Bangs of the US Fish and Wildlife Services, the grey wolf population has been recovered. He believes that the population is viable and that there is a great amount of geneticdiversity.
Grey wolves are now fair game for hunters. There are checks in place to insure that the wolves are not over-hunted. Officials in Idaho will allow 220 animals to be killed and Montana will allow 75 to be killed.
Hunting will provide a way to keep the wolf population in check. The rising number of wolves has led to a rising number of slaughtered livestock. Ed Bangs stated that the wolves “are starting to cause lots of problems”. He estimates damages to livestock at about $1 million. Idaho and Wyoming game officials believe that the hunting of the wolves will keep the number of wolves in check without endangering them.
The conservation efforts of wildlife officials seem to have paid off. The grey wolf population is stable and there are policies in place to protect them. The greatest challenge is to find and maintain a balanced hunting policy to ensure that the wolf population continues to thrive.
Death row has created much controversy over the treatment of criminals. People feel that the punishment should fit the crime, but others believe in rehabilitation. Despite the controversy, criminals often fight to avoid death row.
However, circumstances are changing in California. In this state capital punishment has become an “empty threat (“Corrections One”).” There are 685 people waiting on death row and only 13 executions have occurred since 1977. While the inmates are on death row, they receive breakfast and dinner in their cells and they eat lunch in outdoor exercise areas. The inmates also have access to a television, CD player, phone privileges, and other accessories. The status of California’s criminal population is a costly barometer for overpopulation.
It makes sense that if overpopulation affects food, energy, and sustainability across the world, then it will also affect crime and punishment. If there is an increase in crime, then there will be an increase in the severity of the crimes.
The problem came to a head when Billy Joe Johnson chose the death penalty. He is the leader of a white supremacist gang and was charged with first-degree murder in California. Johnson did not request the death penalty because he felt guilty, but because he knew he had nothing to worry about. He knew it would be years before he would be executed, and he would be living in very comfortable conditions for an inmate. Death row inmates also have more privacy than other inmates because of the state’s overpopulation. Criminals that have committed crimes of less severity are packed closer together and do not receive nearly as many benefits as the violent death row criminals. In contrast, the death row inmates have the most privacy.
This logic seems backwards. If legislation in California prevents them from executing members on death row, then the state should address this problem instead of letting overpopulation interfere. Criminals should not make a mockery of the legal system and should suffer the consequences for their actions.
In California, death row has essentially ceased to exist because of overpopulation. In order to address the overpopulation problem and to reduce each inmate’s carbon footprint, new forms of punishment should be implemented. Inmates should be engaged in public projects that reverse environmental damage. This will get inmates out of their cells, and comfortable living, and will also help the environment. If this is not a viable alternative, then the prison cells that the inmates inhabit should be reconstructed to be eco-friendly.
There is clearly no distinction between the punishment of criminals on death row and other criminals. So, every criminal should be given the same living conditions. This would reduce the impact of overpopulation and ensure justice. Overpopulation is an important problem that must be addressed because it is wreaking havoc in almost every aspect of our lives.
Source:
http://www.correctionsone.com/treatment/articles/1964983-Calif-s-death-row-a-comfortable-place-to-be/
“California’s Death Row- A Comfortable Place to Be?.” Corrections One. 12 Nov. 2009. 27 Nov. 2009. <http://www.correctionsone.com/treatment/articles/1964983-Calif-s-death-row-a-comfortable-place-to-be/>.
