Possibilities of Vertical Farming Urban Greenhouses
November 25th, 2009
The vertical farm is a concept which could be put in place in populated areas to help create a sustainable source of crops. This concept is very valuable to urban communities as it could increase employment opportunities while taking advantage of a smaller space to grow larger yields of varied crops all year round. Utilizing one acre of land to build these special vertical farms can produce yields of crops that could be comparable to 6 acres of horizontal farming or more depending on the crops being grown. Another advantage is the fact that the vertical farming facilities could take advantage of a number of efficient methods to water and feed the crops.
Vertical farming does have its challenges, but the fact that they could be put in locations where environmental factors such as weather and climate can be devastating in horizontal farming can be avoided you can reduce wasted crops. Where drought, monsoons or other factors can destroy crops vertical farms can have controlled climate to help ensure that farming can be done all year to provide food to many people. Vertical farms can even be a source of energy production to reduce strain on the power grid by using methane gas from the compost cycle of inedible parts of plants.
Pests and problems with disease can be severely reduced in vertical farming to produce organic crops free of pesticides, herbicides and inorganic fertilizers which can be harmful to your health. All water runoff can be collected and recycled through evapotranspiration, essentially reducing water usage which is normally wasted through horizontal farming. The process also allows farmland to be returned to wildlife and reduce the need to cause destructive clearing for more farm land. This is important, especially as the human population will grow and more demand for farm land will increase.
To have efficient vertical farming, the structures must be constructed with a design that saves money, reduces resource use and can be many stories tall. Vertical farms can even be designed into several new buildings that wish to add in some sustainable crop growth into their available space facing south. Different designs have been proposed to make the vertical farms more efficient as to have the largest amount of natural light flood in for crops as well as using artificial growth lights for plants that do not receive the correct amount of natural sunlight to grow well.
Conservation of wildlife and their habitats is very possible with this method of crop growth. In island nations such as Japan, the Philippines and many others, the advent of growing crops in vertical farms would help to improve diets, and maintain a larger variety of crops in season all year round. Large arid locations can also make use of vertical farming systems where land is not available or ideal enough to grow in while making use of recycled water to keep the crops hydrated and growing healthy.
These urban greenhouses in the form of large multi-story buildings for vertical farming will offer solutions which can provide higher crop yields in a smaller space while providing some of the most sustainable options for urban development. We as the human race currently have the technology to start erecting such useful vertical farms and they could be a possibility in the very near future. Successful designs could take into account alternative energy sources such as wind turbines or unused real estate on the top of the buildings for solar panels to power grow lights. Using water collection options can also help to reduce the need to depend on any drinkable water source.
Vertical farming is one of the key things that we have to master to be able to live on the surface of the moon or other planets. Contained crops would be essential for nutrition and sustenance on other planets but the technology can be used here on earth to reduce the impact of population growth and increase in required farmland which would occupy the size of a country as large as Brazil. This would be the result of a 3 billion human expanse over the next 40 years if population control is not put into effect and vertical farming is not implemented.
Anaerobic digestion and its usefulness
November 23rd, 2009
Dating back to the seventeenth century, there has been interest in manufacturing gas by means of a natural decomposition of organic materials. Scientists Stephen Hale and Robert Boyle first reported on the process. They noticed that a flammable gas happened to be released when sediment on the bottom of lakes and streams was disturbed. Sir Humphrey Davy noted that cattle manure produced gases, including methane gas in 1808.
Lepers built the first anaerobic digester back in 1859 at their colony in Bombay, India.
Technology developed gas lighting from the use of a septic tank which produced gas lighting (for a sewer gas destructor lamp) as a byproduct of its decomposition process in England in 1895. The Imhoff tank, an early design of digester was patented in Germany in 1907.
The process of anaerobic digestion
The process known as anaerobic digestion is actually a break down of microorganisms into material that is biodegradable without oxygen. This is a process used widely in the treatment of waste water. Anaerobic digestion will reduce landfill gas emissions into the atmosphere and is in widespread use as a renewable source of energy due to the fact it produces a biogas which is rich in methane as well as carbon dioxide. These gases help in the replacement of fossil fuels, a non renewable source of energy
How anaerobic digestion works
Also known as methane recovery, this digestive process starts out when materials break down due to bacterial hydrolysis (breakdown by enzymes). Carbohydrates, as well as other organic polymers, are accessible by other bacterial forms and converted into amino acids and sugars and are then further broken down, finally, into acetic acid which when combined with ammonia, hydrogen, and some carbon dioxide will produce methanogens which convert to carbon dioxide and methane. The process of anaerobic digestion makes excellent use of such biodegradable materials as manure, sewage, biomass, municipal waste, and other green or energy waste crops.
Where it’s headed
Originally the process was relatively expensive, requiring significant technical expertise, plus the fact not much was produced during the process, there was little demand for its use except for industrial types of application. More recently however, the process has been perfected and costs have been lowered considerably enabling it to be seen as a viable source of alternative renewable energy.
The process was recognized academically during the 1930’s and research found the anaerobic bacteria or microorganisms vastly sped up the process also known as fermentation. Long known as sources of energy, methane and similar naturally formed gases needed to be contained and controlled.
Usefulness of anaerobic digestion
As the process of anaerobic digestion has proven to be most effective with organic wet material, it has been useful in treating sewage and effluent. Most anything organic can be processed through anaerobic digestion. Biodegradables such as grass clippings, waste paper, animal waste, sewage, and left over food will break down into gases as a result of the anaerobic digestion process.
Europe and Germany use the process in operations they call biogas plants. It has found to be useful in developing countries as low cost energy used for lighting and cooking. Countries such as China and India are working on use of small biogas plants that could be applied for local use as cooking and lighting sources.
Corporate Green Responsibility (CGR)
November 20th, 2009
Gone are the days when Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives began and ended with the aim of giving back to the community. CSR programs of large companies have now grown to include environmental concerns, largely as a result of growing consumer awareness and to some extent, governmental regulation. Of course, the fact that green CSR initiatives usually save the company a lot of money, while generating immense public goodwill is not overlooked by companies. Consequently, more and more industries are making environmental activism a part of their CSR programs.
Most companies, large or small, choose to focus green initiatives in CSR on four major areas – reviewing environmental impact, reduction of environmental impact, promote energy efficiency and conservation of water. The process invariably starts with an assessment of the environmental impact of the company’s overall operations including raw material sourcing, manufacturing, distribution and administration. Once the impact has been assessed either in terms of carbon footprint or greenhouse gas emissions, the next step is to formulate methods to reduce this by a measurable quantity within a certain period. Promoting energy efficiency has the two-fold advantage of conserving non-renewable sources of energy and cutting operating costs. Many companies undertake retrofitting efforts or installing sources of renewable energy as a part of this conservation effort. Water conservation by promoting efficient use of water and recycling waste in an effort to prevent contamination of groundwater is another major component of green CSR initiatives.
In addition to this, companies may also go in for implementing new environmentally friendly policies on a company-wide basis and this may include all the major factors mentioned in addition to ethical labor policies and environmental disclosure. Companies have embraced green CSR by promoting green restaurants (McDonald’s), hiring executives to formulate green CSR policies (Microsoft) and integration of green CSR into business strategy (IBM). Many businesses now recognize that it is important to get into green CSR at an early stage because in addition to stabilizing the environment, it makes sound business sense. Boeing, for example, was one of the first companies to invest in fuel efficient jet engines at times when oil was cheap, and is now poised to supply fuel-efficient engines to the aeronautical industry.
Sustainable Manufacturing For a Greener Future
November 20th, 2009
The manufacturing sector is important for the industry efforts toward tackling climate change. In THE United States, the manufacturing sector is responsible for roughly 20 percent of direct greenhouse gases emissions. Hence it is important for companies to make their operations more efficient and sustainable. Traditionally the manufacturing industry has considered the problem of pollution at the discharge point. However, an approach based on reducing material and energy at the initial stage can serve two purposes of environment conservation as well as boosting efficiency. It’s important to focus on four key areas: Clean water, Paper and Packaging, Safer material and Climate change.
The manufacturing sector has taken important steps to scale up sustainable and green activities in its operations. Johnson & Johnson – a leading health care manufacturer invested in increasing efficiency in its building and processes. The company netted a cool $30 million in savings. Apparel manufacturer Patagonia encourages customers to return garments to its outlets for recycling through its Common Threads initiative. Another example is that of the sportswear giant Nike that minimized the use of toxic glue used in making footwear by redesigning the parts.
In steel industry, 35 steel manufacturers from 18 countries jointly formed the Ultra-Light Steel Auto Body (ULSAB) initiative in 1994, in partnership with an automotive engineering company. Since cars built with advanced high-strength steel are lighter, their power train can be downsized, thus substantially improving the vehicles’ fuel economy and reducing carbon dioxide emissions over their lifetime Most of the largest players in the manufacturing industry in U.S. have tied with U.S. Climate Action Partnership which calls for strong federal act to call for significant reduction in greenhouse emissions.
There is a need to make the manufacturing process environmental friendly. Design can be an effective tool in these efforts. Proper designing can boost up efficiency and reduce material wastage by selecting suitable material and optimum production technique after understanding how a product will be manufactured, used and ultimately disposed. The manufacturing paradigm must incorporate Lean manufacturing i.e. delivering quality products in minimum time at least cost involving no wastage. Manufacturing process must be also designed to save energy and water which are critical resources. By aggressively encouraging innovation companies can reduce energy and resource use. Waste in the manufacturing process must be used as new resource for production.
Manufacturing industry needs to collaborate with its customers and suppliers to address the pressing problem of climate change. Factories must be located at optimum places to minimize the transportation costs thereby reducing energy expenditure and greenhouse gases emissions. Incentives must be given to employees for choosing strategies that minimize emissions. The manufacturing industry can be an important part of the solution itself by designing energy efficient products that save energy and use renewable sources of power. Manufacturing of wind turbines and solar panels as well as increasing their efficiency and decreasing their initial cost leading to their mass adoption can solve our planet’s current environmental crisis.
The future of manufacturing lies not only in adopting green energy which would be mandatory for human survival but the industry also needs to figure out a way of making money doing so. Needless to say the right time to address this issue has already passed and we have a lot of catching up to do.
Making the Most out of Parabolic Solar Cookers on the Road
November 19th, 2009
Many people have heard of solar power and how it is very useful in several different applications. One of the most common memories that people have is the fact that they have used a magnifying glass to concentrate the sunlight to burn small holes in paper or wood. This concept has been applied in a big way to make it possible to cook large things in pots and specialized pressure cookers with a special mirror called a parabolic solar cooker. These mirrors are concave and are pretty large. They capture a large amount of sunlight and focus it to a specific point about a few feet away. These can be used to cook food efficiently as the temperatures can get well above 450 degrees if it is a very sunny day.
The science behind it is very simple, the sunlight rays are captured by the concave mirror from several different angles. Just like a magnifying glass, the light is focused to a single point but back towards the sun. By adjusting where the cooking vessel is, you can get different temperatures to cook a wide range of items. Cooking meat will take higher temperatures to ensure that all of the bacteria is killed and so that it is safe to eat. Parabolic solar cookers may take somewhat longer to cook than a fire or gas stove but it does conserve fuel usage and there are no harmful effects to the environment.
Parabolic solar cookers are friendly to the environment by using solar energy to do its cooking. The only problems with it are that it cannot be used during very cloudy days and that it does not work at night. Cooking times will vary because of clouds and the time of day as well. The most efficient time to cook your meals is during 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM when the sun is at its peak of providing light. Although early morning use and late afternoon use are also possible with adjustment of the angle in which the sun rays are caught and whether or not the food can be supported while at that angle to be cooked.
Most people think that you need to know a lot of mathematics or be a professional to understand how to use the parabolic solar cookers but it is actually very simple. You get an instruction manual or you can learn how they work online through the manufacturer. They are made of very high grade materials and it is important that they remain clean to ensure that they work efficiently to cook your food. Improper usage of the parabolic solar cooker can lead to undercooked food or even cause fires. It is important to never allow your hands or any article of clothing or body part into the focused beam of light to prevent burns.
The parabolic solar cooker is perfect for any campers that use RVs or any large vehicle that can enjoy cooking with a renewable resource as well as reduce their impact on the environment. It is important that people who are concerned with their energy use to also look into cooking with parabolic solar cookers as they can be used whenever and wherever there is strong sunlight to provide the ability to get the high temperatures needed to cook efficiently. There are many different options and sizes of parabolic solar cookers and the largest options can focus a beam that is intensely hot. They can be a fire hazard so it is important to only operate them in safe locations.
A Mini Guide to Green Hot Tubs
November 18th, 2009
Indoor and outdoor hot tubs are becoming more and more popular, not only hot tubs are good for blood circulation but it can be enjoyed with friend and family.
On thing that most eco-friendly houses have in common is the hot tubs or spas they have are not eco-friendly at all. To make sure that your house is 100% eco-friendly, you need to use natural purge; this is a natural way to get ride of toxic stuff contained in the pipes and pumps is the majority of hot tubs.
Understanding the need to effectively bio clean your hot tubs and spas is primordial in order to be claim a eco-friendly house.
Siemens Smart Chopper
November 16th, 2009
You must have heard of if not seen ‘American Chopper’ so you know what it is all about. In case you haven’t you will soon get some cause to rejoice about and especially so if you are any one of the hot blooded men of America who are all about independence and living life the free way. The show is about as you might have rightly guessed, choppers and bikes. Yes it is as simple as that, the show consists of a lot of show and manufacturing and customizing of bikes and choppers of the finest kind in the country; which gives the show all the reasons for being such a huge success.
It is a reality TV show and has been mightily popular all the six seasons that it has been on air now. The show has at the center a father and son duo, who runs a metal work shop in New York where their customers are chopper enthusiasts. Viewers get to see the inside workings of the chopper manufacturing industry as well as great entertainment provided the eccentric characters of both the father as well as the son.
The show even though never really died down on its popularity has suddenly set off the buzz again and this time too it is because of a chopper. The bike in question here is the Siemens Smart Chopper, an electric motorcycle that has recently been opened to public view and business and has become quite popular amongst those who know a good bike when they see one. After having featured all kinds and brands and models of bikes throughout all the seasons that they have aired, the Siemens Smart Chopper will the first customized electric bike that would be featured on ‘American Chopper’ and it is sure to be a hit. The bike has been gaining a lot of media coverage otherwise as well.
Learning About the Efficiency of Photovoltaic Cells
November 15th, 2009
A large number of manufacturers of photovoltaic cells (solar panels) will claim that the efficiency of the panel arrays will vary depending on the size and types of materials are used to produce them. One of the truths about this statement is the fact that higher quality materials will be more efficient, especially when they are made correctly. One of the biggest problems with photovoltaic cells efficiency is the fact that they need to be used in large numbers to really create a large enough current to be used directly to power devices. One of the simple ways around this is by taking advantage of batteries that can be charged with photovoltaic cells.
Since solar paneling produces DC electricity (direct current) readily, it is perfect for charging batteries by putting in the energy collected through the process to charge the batteries. Otherwise having a large solar paneling array on the place in which they are applied such as large vehicles like recreational vehicles and making use of a grid tie inverter to make the DC current convert into AC (alternating current) to be used by several different applications. Make sure that you take advantage of the possible options for photovoltaic cells because they offer a large amount of benefits for several different things, especially for saving on power consumption in vehicles and reducing the need to have fueled generators which are loud and cause several harmful emissions for power.
Depending on the manufacturer, the efficiency of photovoltaic cells will be very different. Several companies will produce high quality solar paneling for use with high current production for several different uses. A large number of these companies will produce efficient solar cells which can be used in different applications to help offset electricity usage from several different sources. You can be sure to look into the available options now and understand the technology behind the solar paneling and understand what is going on in research to help improve the technology. Now you are able to get some of the same technology that is used in many modern satellites to receive power while they are in orbit around the earth.
Several different retailers will be able to offer you different options for any application that you may need. One of the most popular choices is to supplement the energy resources for those who have large vehicles that need to offset their carbon footprint. These vehicles are the most feasible types to use for various applications because they have the most real estate to take advantage of on the roof of the vehicle for photovoltaic cells to be placed. This means that they can be utilized to get more power output than smaller vehicles and the larger volume of power is very simple to use for a larger range of devices that are power hungry.
It is important to have professionals install any and all photovoltaic cells to ensure that they meet the requirements and can perform with the best efficiency as possible. Recent discoveries have made it possible to get a large amount of power output from solar paneling than ever before and it is possible for these technologies to improve in the near future. Whatever the case, they are a very good investment for those who are concerned with their power consumption and their impact on the earth. Having professionals install photovoltaic cells allows you to prevent damages to the cells themselves and proper installation can make sure that the power is being used to its full potential without shorting out or being installed incorrectly.
Recreational Vehicles and the use of Solar Vaccum Tubes
November 14th, 2009
Solar vacuum tubes are not a new technology and have been employed in several homes for several years. The use of these in RV applications is growing, especially with the high cost of heating water in today’s economy. No longer do you need to use a large number of propane or electrical resources to heat the water in your RV because you are able to look into choosing the options for solar vacuum tubes in your vehicle. Of course, solar vacuum tubes are not going to work year round because the application of such systems during the winter is very difficult to control.
Many people will be sure to look into options that will save them time and money and solar vacuum tubes are a simple way to ensure that you are able to heat water during the day when you are out on the road. It is worth spending a bit of time looking into options, you wouldn’t insure your vehicle without looking at various insurance companies like Aviva http://www.aviva.co.uk/car-insurance/ or other ones, would you? So why would you not research this also?Hot or warm water applications are very useful in providing you with water in your vehicle to be used for several different purposes. Many people have RVs with shower options and one of the main problems that most people have is taking a shower with cold water. Using the showers with a propane powered water heater will consume a large amount of propane, especially when out for long periods of time.
Solar vacuum tubes are the perfect way to ensure that you are able to look into different options as well. It is important to look into the different uses for hot water to ensure that you are able to do more when out on the road. Solar vacuum tubes provide you with hot water sources that can be used to help decontaminate water by killing bacteria as well. Although having purified water supplies is often one of the main things for several RV enthusiasts, wasting this water source is often a bad idea for applications such as showers or baths. The best thing to do is use heated water that comes from an external source that will be heated through the use of solar vacuum tubes. The great thing about it is that these systems do not take long to heat up.
Several of the different options available are very easy to install but are best done by professionals who can account for the various factors such as the slope of the roof of the vehicle and or whether or not to place the solar vacuum tubing along the sides of the vehicle. The process is simple and simply requires the solar vacuum tubes to be attached in some form to the RV and an active connection to the water source that will be heated for the RV through the solar vacuum tubes. By taking advantage of this option, you can ensure that you are able to do more with your RV than ever before.
Using less propane or electricity means that you will be offsetting your carbon footprint with your RV. Although this will be a significant change it will not be enough to reduce the impact that your RV will have on the environment. It is a definite way to save money and prevent the over spending of resources such as propane. Propane was once thought to be a clean burning gas, but it does impact the earth in several different ways. It is important that you take advantage of several different options to reduce the use of resources such as propane in your RV. Options for solar vacuum tubes are easily found online.
Dynamite Fishing in Asia
November 3rd, 2009
In the 1960s in the Philippines, cyanide was used to confound and thereafter capture coral fish. This was done to ensure adequate supply for the developing market of aquarium fish for North America and Europe. Since the 1970s the poison is also being used to catch reef fish which was supplied to restaurants in some Asian countries with Chinese population. In most of the Indo-Pacific countries Cyanide fishing is illegal but because of the high prices that these reef fish fetch and also because of corruption, the use of this poison has increased in the entire region. In seawater sodium cyanide breaks down into ions of sodium and cyanide. Cyanide has the property to block the hemoglobin which is the oxygen transporting protein. Due to this the oxygen does not reach the cell and results in poisoning. Small fish are very vulnerable to this whereas adult fish can take higher doses.
Similar to this is dynamite fishing there exists called blast fishing. In this explosives are used to kill fish which makes it easy to collect them. This practice is also illegal and this has a disastrous effect on the ecosystem as the blast damages the habitat of the fish. This is also dangerous for fisherman as it leads to injuries and accidents. The blasts lead to shockwaves in the underwater which causes the rupture of the swim bladder of the fish and shocks them. Few of them float to the surface but most sink to the floor of the sea. The explosions kill a large number of fish and also other organisms in the sea. They damage the coral reefs and also the physical environment in the sea. Dynamite fishing is a conscious irresponsible attempt to destroy environmental balance.
The Philippines are one of the few countries that has taken concrete action against the problem of cyanide fishing. They have a Cyanide Fishing Reform Program, which is a partnership between the IMA i.e. the International Marine life Alliance and the government. They have taken the initiative to train the fisherman to use alternative methods like hook and line techniques and fine mesh barrier techniques. Governments in many countries have made anti cyanide laws to control the hazards controlled by cyanide fishing. Public awareness campaigns in schools and media are also being organized so that the general public gets educated and becomes aware of the harmful effects of cyanide fishing. IMA has implemented a program in Indonesia and does also help governments of many South Asian countries in the Indo Pacific Destructive Fishing Reform Program.
Many measures have been taken to control the disastrous effects of Dynamite Fishing. Tanzania Fisheries Division and Sea Sense along with the World Wide Fund and the World Conservative Union, and also a financial support from the British High Commission, carried out an anti-dynamite fishing awareness program. Awareness is spread through banners, t shirts, posters etc. Patrols are also done by officers and coastal police to control dynamite fishing.
In spite of the numerous measures taken by the governments of many countries and cyanide and dynamite fishing being banned, it is still carried out in many parts of the world. They both have disastrous effects on the ecological system and the marine life and are dangerous to humans. This also causes loss of income in the tourism sector, and even though many do start to realize the disastrous effects of this kind of operation, human greed and lack of concern for the environment still keep such activities in progress(…)
