Global Warming and Pollution

Photochemical smog is a type of air pollution produced when sunlight acts upon motor vehicle exhaust gases to form harmful substances such as ozone (O₃), aldehydes and peroxyacetylnitrate (PAN).

Photochemical smog is an atmospheric condition that produces severe eye irritation and poor visibility, to name just two of the effects. Three ingredients — energy from a light source (ultraviolet), hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides — are needed for photochemical smog to be formed.

Photochemical smog formation requires the following conditions:

• a still, sunny day
• temperature inversion (pollutants accumulate in the lower inversion layer)

Ozone causes breathing difficulties, headaches, fatigue and can aggrevate respiratory problems.

The peroxyacetylnitrate (CH₃CO-OO-NO₂) in photochemical smog can irritate the eyes, causing them to water and sting.

Global warming is messing with the planet’s thermostat.

That warning came Thursday from Richard Spinrad, head of research at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in releasing the annual update of science’s Arctic report card.

Warming temperatures continue in the polar north, changing wind patterns, melting sea ice and glaciers and affecting ocean and land life, the report said.

The Arctic is a sort of natural regulator in terms of the amount of heat stored in the ocean and ice, “especially the loss of sea ice is messing with that thermostat for the whole globe,” Spinrad said at a briefing.

A particular problem is the disappearance of old, thick sea ice that has been present for thousands of years, added James Overland of NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Research Laboratory.

“It’s very difficult to get that (ice) back,” he said.

Among the findings of the update:

—Air temperatures over the Arctic Ocean reached an unprecedented 7 degrees Fahrenheit (4 Celsius) above normal in October-December of 2008.

—There is evidence that the higher air temperatures are causing changes in the air circulation in both the Arctic and northern mid-latitudes.

—The area covered by sea ice this summer was 25 percent below the average from 1979 to 2000 and was the third since satellite records were begun in 1979.

—The melting ice resulted in an unprecedented amount of fresh water in the surface layer of the Arctic Ocean.

—The amount of land covered by snow in the winters of 2007-08 and 2008-09 continued the trend toward shorter snow seasons due to earlier spring melt, although there is considerable annual and regional variability

Children living in the Haifa Bay area are exposed to substantially more pollution and suffer significantly higher rates of illness than children elsewhere in the country.

This was one of the main conclusions in a special report released yesterday by the Coalition for Public Health, which assesses the risks to children’s health in the Haifa area. While not based on any new data, the report offers analyses of existing figures and also relevant information from the Ministries of Health and the Environment.

According to the report, Haifa Bay is different from other large urban centers in Israel because a large proportion of its pollution comes from industrial plants involved in the production of fuel and electricity - not from traffic. For example, two years ago, industry was responsible for nearly 90 percent of the polluting particles that were tiny enough to be able to enter the lungs via inhalation. Moreover, the report stated that industry was responsible for nearly two-thirds of the organic materials found in the air in Haifa, some of which are carcinogenic.
Children are known to be particularly sensitive to airborne pollutants. Exposure to them may stunt their development and lead to an accumulation in the body of large concentrations of toxic materials. In recent years, based on Health Ministry data, the rate of respiratory illnesses among children has reportedly been higher in the Haifa Bay area than elsewhere. The authors of the report argue that this can be attributed to the children’s heightened exposure to polluted air.

The report also focuses on the particularly high concentration of nickel in the atmosphere in Haifa Bay, as compared to other urban areas in the Middle East. Nickel enters the air in a variety of ways, but most commonly through the burning of mazut fuel oil, used for producing electricity.

“Toxic materials are poured into the atmosphere in our area, and some of them are proven carcinogens,” the report stated. “Some of the [other materials] are suspected of being carcinogenic and others affect the immune system, the reproductive system and the hormonal system. Many pollutants affect the nervous system. The unusually polluted air has persisted for generations, and regulations were not enforced in factories; they were not forced to introduce modern equipment and technologies for reducing pollution.”

The new report argues that one of the main sources of pollution in Haifa Bay is the Israel Refineries compound.

Recently the company reported that it has adopted measures for reducing air pollution, including installation of a system for identifying sources of pollutants in and around its compound, not just in its chimneys. Moreover, special covers have been installed over the fuel tanks in order to prevent evaporation of polluting gases.

The company also announced that it has completed preparations for using natural gas instead of mazut, but there have been delays in construction of the underground pipes that will carry the gas to the Haifa Bay plants.

Google, you’re wrong. According to a story in the Washington Post, Google’s green energy czar Bill Weihl told participants at the Reuters Global Climate and Alternative Energy Summit that “there is a lack of companies that have ideas that would be considered breakthroughs in the green technology sector.”

Representing the company he noted, “I would say it’s reasonable to be a little bit discouraged there and from my point of view, it’s not right to be seriously discouraged,” he said. “There isn’t enough investment going into the early stages of investment pipeline before the venture funds come into the play.”

Weihl, apparently, also said the United States needs to raise government-backed research significantly, particularly in the very initial stages to encourage breakthrough ideas in the sector.

Google, through it’s philanthropic effort, google.org, announced plans in late 2007 to create renewable energy at a price lower than power from coal. But since then it has invested less than $50 million in other companies.

Weihl said Google had not intended to invest much more in early years, but that there was little to buy.

To say that there is a lack of companies that have ideas that would be considered breakthroughs and that there is little to buy is a tad short-sighted. Actually, there’s an abundance of companies and individuals with ideas that could be breakthroughs. Many, with the the deft use of a search engine, can be found on the Web.

Google, try searching yourself.

Perhaps unlike Google’s green energy inbox, this editor’s inbox is chuck full of ideas, any of which could be breakthroughs:

— Earthsure, of Woodbridge, New Jersey, wants to harness solar energy underground. Yes, under the grass, in the dirt. The company’s idea dubbed SubSolar( tm) for Subterranean Solar includes an optical device installed upon a rooftop or other sunlight-catching environment. This device would capture and magnify the sun’s rays and transfer the sunlight from its linear or cylindrical lenses though fiber-optic lines leading down into an underground storage of solar panel modules. The subterranean solar panels would be buried 3 - 4 feet and be encased in cylindrical tubes or in sealed boxes

Why? Some find solar panels unsightly – hidden underground they’d never be seen. But the solar panels would also be protected from the elements, keeping them clean, and panels would stay naturally cool so they’d perform more efficiently.

— EarthSure also wants to to capture the hot air being blown out of air conditioning units and put to work. The company’s Wind Air system idea would utilize the exhaust of warm air from a traditional air conditioning condensing unit spinning a secondary fan that would generate electricity. The electricity could be fed to the building or to the power grid.

The Greenhouse Effect: Scientists are sure about the greenhouse effect. They know that greenhouse gases make the Earth warmer by trapping energy in the atmosphere.

Climate Change: Climate is the long-term average of a region’s weather events lumped together. For example, it’s possible that a winter day in Buffalo, New York, could be sunny and mild, but the average weather – the climate – tells us that Buffalo’s winters will mainly be cold and include snow and rain. Climate change represents a change in these long-term weather patterns. They can become warmer or colder. Annual amounts of rainfall or snowfall can increase or decrease.

Global Warming: Global warming refers to an average increase in the Earth’s temperature, which in turn causes changes in climate. A warmer Earth may lead to changes in rainfall patterns, a rise in sea level, and a wide range of impacts on plants, wildlife, and humans. When scientists talk about the issue of climate change, their concern is about global warming caused by human activities.

Images about the environment:

environment photo

global warming

Before considering a wind generator, there are many points to consider and many options to verify in order for effective use. The most important is to consider the amount of energy you need. For small power needs like battery charging, there are portable wind generators that will work in most areas like construction, camping, and other areas in need of minimal amounts of energy. For more energy needs, larger wind turbines are needed and the location becomes vital.

We all need power, that is not an option. However, there is an option that comes into play with how we receive our power. There are currently some great ways one can power their generator that is not only environmentally safe but economically sound and sustainable. These are important aspects to consider, especially when it comes to one’s power source. This is what gives wind powered generators a great advantage over other generators.

You can build a 1000 watt homemade wind generator.

About 33 preschoolers got to peer in a nest with wood-duck eggs thanks to members of the Mount Dora Kiwanis Club.

The service club spearheaded the recent trip to Trout Lake Nature Center in eustis for students of Head Start in Mount Dora. It was nothing new for club members, who work with Head Start throughout the school year. Head Start is a federally funded program to prepare children for kindergarten.

“They’ve listened as we’ve explained about turtles, vultures and the trees we saw along the way: the pine trees, the oak trees, the cabbage palms,” said Warner Brown, Kiwanis Club member, on the field trip.

Kiwanis Club members organize trips, guest presenters and come in at least twice a month to spend time with the kids.

Reduce pollution, let water find its own level.
The annual discharge of industrial wastewater and sewage in cities and township increased from 23.9 billion cubic meters in 1980 to 73.1 billion cu m in 2006. A huge volume of untreated wastewater is still being discharged into rivers.

As a result, water pollution has worsened in most rivers and lakes. Based on the evaluation of 140,000 km of rivers across the country in 2006, the quality of water in 41.7 percent of the stretch was class IV or even lower, and in 21.8 percent, below class V.

To reduce water pollution, we should develop a green economy at the macro-level by changing the existing model of economic development and building a recycling economy at the interim level by developing a pollution-prevention society and controlling pollutant discharge. And at the micro-level, we have to adopt cleaner production methods.

About 3.56 million sq km, or 37 percent of the country’s land area, suffers from soil erosion. In absolute figures, 5 billion tons of soil is lost every year. Serious soil erosion not only harms agriculture, but also aggravates ecological degradation and sedimentation of rivers, leading to more floods in their lower reaches.

Typical examples of ecological degradation are drying up of rivers and lakes, shrinking of wetlands and disappearing of oasis.

In recent years, great importance has been attached to water and soil conservation. An integrated approach has been taken by using small watersheds as management units, and emphasis has been laid on self-recovery of ecosystems. For rivers and lakes with fragile ecology and damaged environment, the focus has been on steps to optimize water resources allocation, transfer of water for ecological purposes, and ecological protection, improvement and restoration.

Thanks to such measures, dry beds have not been seen on the Yellow River in the past nine years. The projects to divert water from the Yellow River to Tai Lake and to supply the Pearl River with more freshwater to maintain a steady flow to prevent seawater invasion have been implemented. These moves have helped improve ecology of rivers and lakes.

We have to build a water-saving and pollution-preventing society if we want to achieve sustainable use of water resources.

Shortage of water and its uneven distribution are a big challenge for China. The normal practice is to build reservoirs to balance water distribution in seasons and divert water from rivers to balance the uneven water distribution in regions. But these two measures alone cannot solve the problem. Building a water-saving society is a more effective and strategic way of doing that.

We need to set up a water-conserving mechanism with economic ends in mind. A water resources management system, based on the theory of water entitlement, should be established to encourage water conservation, make people use water more efficiently and harmonize the economic development with environmental protection.

Indices at the macro- and micro-level for the use of water have to be clearly identified. For that we need to perfect our water pricing system and set up market rules for water trade. And the government has to issue regulations on a market-oriented water management mechanism with public participation.

The Ministry of Water Resources (MWR) has already issued the Interim Measures for Water Quantity Allocation and Management Method of Water Abstract Permit. Seven river basin commissions have worked out the control index for the maximum quantity of water that can be abstracted. The water allocation index of the Yellow River has specified the volumes even for its tributaries, with Jiangxi becoming the first province to complete water allocation index for its major rivers and lakes.

The Yellow River Conservation Commission (YRCC) has approved 26 water entitlement-trading programs in the Ningxia Hui and Inner Mongolia autonomous regions, with the water trading volume reaching 228 million cu m. Twenty-seven provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities have issued documents on the quota of water that can be abstracted. And devices to measure the use of water have been installed in about 90 percent urban houses and other establishments.All these bode well for water conservation.

If a water-saving society in needed for conservation of water, then a prevent-water pollution society has to be developed to reduce water pollution. Based on function zoning of river management bodies, we have to charge organizations and enterprises for discharging pollutants. Economic means such as quota management, pollution-discharge license trade and wastewater discharge fees should be used to reduce water pollution.

The MWR has approved function zoning of rivers in all 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities on the Chinese mainland and set a limit on pollutant discharge into the mainstreams of the Yellow, Huai, Hai, Songhua, Liao and Pearl rivers, the Taihu Lake and Three Georges Reservoir in Yangtze River basin. Work on and registration of pollutant discharge outlets in seven major river basins is complete. And a master plan to safeguard cities’ drinking water sources has been prepared, and a list of 118 national key drinking water sources, published.

Water shortage and water pollution are the greatest threat to water safety. Recently, the MWR proposed stricter a water resources management system. Implementing such a system means laws and regulations have to be applied effectively and improved continuously by identifying “red lines” for water use, efficiency levels and water pollutants.

The first “red line” should define the use and exploitation of water by means of optimized water resources allocation, conservation and protection. The second should define the pollutant carrying capacity of water bodies, and controlling the volume of pollutants discharged into them. The third should define water use efficiency by reducing the waste of water.

The government is studying and exploring a scientific water resources management system. And we have every reason to believe the country will be able to overcome the difficulties posed by water shortage, and ensure sustainable development of the economy and society.

The author is former Minister of Water Resources. The article is second part of his keynote speech at last week’s international symposium on water security held by China Institute for International Strategic Studies.

(China Daily June 2, 2009)

President Barack Obama is encouraging this renewed interest in renewable energy by pumping more than $60 billion in federal investment toward stimulating the economy, creating jobs and advancing the nation’s ability to generate energy from wind, sun and plants.

By making substantial investments of their own in renewable energy research and commercialization, various states aim to emerge as leading hubs able to attract federal backing and increasing attention from companies considering expansion sites.

Although states such as Colorado, Minnesota and Iowa may have an early edge as renewable energy leaders, Kansas and Missouri have projects, expertise and other assets that could make them strong contenders.

One of the area’s key allies is Kansas City’s Midwest Research Institute, a nationally prominent expert on renewable energy.

The nonprofit institute, known widely as MRI, is a co-manager of the Department of Energy’s Colorado laboratory in the Denver suburb of Golden. Researchers in the sprawling complex are working with companies to make solar, bioenergy and other technology more efficient and cheaper to produce.

ENERGY LAB’S STRENGTH

Steven Chu, the U.S. secretary of energy, is an advocate of renewable energy.

The secretary visited the lab last month to check out robots and other systems developing a new generation of high-tech solar power materials.

One machine appears particularly promising. Using a process much like an inkjet printer, the technology could be used to crank out sheets of photovoltaic cells as efficiently as other assembly lines mass-produce screen-printed T-shirts.

Scientists are making great strides in improving the ability to transform sunlight into electricity. All of this work must proceed so that solar power also becomes a more economical source of energy, Chu said after strolling through the labs and chatting with top researchers.

The lab complex is a frenetic hive of expansion. Crews and cranes are building new offices and labs. Officials are on a hiring binge, striving to add 150 highly trained professionals to the current staff of about 1,300.

Chu told lab leaders to ratchet up these efforts yet again. He said the federal economic stimulus initiative would pump $100 million into the lab for facility and infrastructure improvements.

“This is one thing we should be investing in to prepare our economy for the future,” Chu said.

MRI researchers in Kansas City are collaborating on other promising projects, including one with University of Missouri scientists who produced new technology to power vehicles with natural gas.

The institute has experience in managing vast research initiatives involving many organizations. With energy expertise at the region’s universities, local companies and other agencies, MRI leaders are interested in helping to put all of the pieces together, said Stan Bull, the institute’s director of energy programs.

“MRI is a significant strength in this area,” Bull said.

COLORADO’S MODEL

Colorado offers a strong example of a state that has mustered renewable energy assets to help the environment and the economy.

The federal energy lab provides a substantial foundation, but the state also conducts cutting-edge research in its universities. This expertise is helping to attract a growing number of companies.

“In Colorado we have made this one of the most important things we are doing,” said Gov. Bill Ritter.

Ritter’s “New Energy Economy” is intended to make Colorado an international leader in the production and manufacturing of clean modern energy technologies.

A big influence will be innovations that make it out of the laboratory. Colorado State has a program intended to push biofuel, solar and wind discoveries toward the commercial marketplace.

Abound Solar, a spinoff company from Colorado State, is a success story showing the benefits of working with the laboratory. The company makes thin-film solar panels and recently opened a commercial production facility that promises to create 300 jobs.

Abound’s prototype made substantial advances after the company began working with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, said Martha Symko-Davies, a top researcher at the lab.

“We have so many years of experience here,” she said. “We try to help them overcome research and development hurdles.”

In the Greater Kansas City region, the movement of innovations from the lab to the marketplace is starting to happen more frequently with medical advances.

At least in part this success can be attributed to a broader civic initiative that came together earlier this decade to capitalize on key life sciences assets. The creation of the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, several top university research programs in certain niches and the presence of drug development expertise all presented significant opportunities.

MRI played a role in identifying these specific opportunities and crafting a strategy, which included the creation of the Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute, said James Spigarelli, the institute’s president and CEO.

Now the institute is helping to lead a new regional initiative. This time it is focusing on how the area can pick the renewable energy niches in which it is strong enough to stand out from rival regions, Spigarelli said.

“It’s all about competitive advantage,” Spigarelli said. “What can we do in this region that builds on our strengths?”

NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY

The Golden, Colo., facility calls itself the “nation’s primary laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development.”

Some key facts:

-Scientists at the laboratory are working to improve the efficiency and cost of key renewable energy technologies such as solar and wind power and cellulosic ethanol.

-The laboratory employs more than 1,300 and is in the process of hiring at least 100 more workers.

-Its annual budget averaged about $213 million from the 2002 to 2006 budget years, but jumped to nearly $380 million in 2007 as renewable energy emerged as a heightened national priority.

-Kansas City’s Midwest Research Institute has run the Colorado laboratory since it was founded in 1997. Last year when the Department of Energy renewed the management contract, the deal was awarded to the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, which is equally owned and governed by MRI and Battelle.

NEW ENERGY GOLD RUSH

Researchers have been pursuing the promise of renewable energy for decades, but many of the technologies are not as cheap as conventional sources of power. Experts say we are closer than ever to key advances that can bring these technologies to the marketplace. Beyond the new surge in government funding, private investors also are rushing after renewable energy riches.

Seven of the 10 largest venture capital deals of 2008 were in the “clean technology” sector.

Venture capitalists invested a total of $4.1 billion in 277 clean technology deals, a 52 percent increase.

During 2007 and 2008, 441 merger-and-acquisition deals valued at $70.3 billion were announced in the wind and solar power industry.

Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Sources: MoneyTree report from PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capita