Environment Archives

Threats from Global Warming

Global warming is a natural phenomenon and has been taking place over years and years. Recently in last decade it has become threatening ad people are more aware about it. The reason is recently there has been a rise in the rate of global warming. Global warming primarily is the effect of greenhouse effect.

Let us understand what greenhouse effect is all about. The main source of light and natural energy to earth is sun.  Almost half of the sun’s energy in rays is absorbed by earth’s surface. Earth in return, radiates back this energy in form of infrared rays. Now, when this heat is absorbed by greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and gets trapped, it results in global warming.

Global warming is the increase in the temperature of earth and its surface all across. The main contributor of carbon dioxide in atmosphere is power plants. These power plants burn fossil fuels and coal to generate power. Burning coal is the main contributor of carbon dioxide. With rise in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere the gas absorbs more and more heat around and thus increases the global warming.

The major threat from global warming is global climate change. Climate change can be life threatening also if people living in that area are not able to cope up with it. Glaciers around the globe are melting. Melting glaciers actually means rise in the sea level. If we think about it, then the rise in sea level in itself can pose a lot of threats to human kind. First and foremost, it can be a dangerous thing for all the tows and places near coastal areas. The life of people at such places can be in danger. Secondly, with rise in sea water level, there is threat to the ground level. When mixed with ground water, sea water can be a threat to the drinking water. Scarcity of drinking water in itself can result in lot of chaos.

With change in climate around the world, there will be more of natural calamities. Natural calamities like floods, droughts, cyclones, volcanoes etc. World will suffer a lot if global warming is not fought against today itself. We can also decrease the effect of global warming by controlling it. It can be done by a lot of things which we as individuals can start at home. Things like planting more and more trees around. Planting more trees will not just help in avoiding soil erosion. It will also help in releasing live saving gas i.e. oxygen. Apart from this, trees also help us in controlling the greenhouse effect by absorbing greenhouse gases.

However, if we look around we hardly find people planting trees. We can easily find people who want to cut trees and use them or use that land. We should also avoid using paper and go for electronic media. This will save trees as well.

Usage of plastic bags results in garbage and when this garbage is burnt, it releases more harmful gases in the atmosphere.

Do you want to know more about Global Warming and related issues? If yes, then simply visit http://www.webgreenworld.com for getting latest news on Global Warming effects.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/threats-from-global-warming-1626933.html

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Increasing Popularity of Solar Powered Homes

Finally, the era has come where the Solar energy is being used widely for residential purposes too. Days were gone, when Solar energy was been used only for commercial purposes, mainly by factories and industries. There were various reasons why it was no popular in homes.

1. The set-up cost was so high that a household cannot afford
2. Lack of awareness among the households
3. No scarce of electricity
4. People were not much bothered about the electricity bills

In recent days, people have become more concerned about the solar power and how it can be utilised. They also have realised with one time investment, a good amount of money can be saved, instead of paying huge bills every month. The reasons behind the popularity of solar powered homes:

1. Power can be saved and utilized later
2. Get rid of voltage drop and lack of electricity
3. Emergency purposes
4. Get rid of paying big sum for bills

In the year 1998, a report says around 15,000 households were using solar power. But a report at the end of the year 2007 reads that more than 280,000 households were moved towards solar power. Within a decade, 265,000 turned to solar power. This is more than 1700% turn around.

Getting more deeper into the study, people started noticing the benefits of the solar energy in the 2003 – 2004 period. The proof for this statement is, in the year 2003, nearly 48,000 photovoltaic cells were shipped for residential purposes. By the year 2004, it was 78,000, a noticeable increase of 30,000 photovoltaic cells.

Since then, the increase was enormous. At the end of the year 2005, over 134,000 solar power scells were shipped. The difference is 56,000 which is even more high. In 2006, it was 206,000, the difference this time is 72,000. At the end of year 2007, the shipments were 280,000, a rise of 74,000. It was predicted that this rise will be keep increasing since then.

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Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/increasing-popularity-of-solar-powered-homes-1625817.html

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Battery venture to power green cars

The Shanghai Advanced Traction Battery Systems Co, which is 51 percent owned by SAIC, will focus on developing, manufacturing and selling complete vehicle traction battery systems for use in hybrid cars, electric vehicles, heavy duty trucks and bus applications in China.

A123 Systems is a manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries which it will supply to SAIC and other Chinese car makers for use in new energy vehicles.

“The electrification of the global automobile industry is irreversible,” said Chen Hong, president of SAIC. “We should grab the opportunity and made sufficient preparation for fundamental changes.”
SAIC, the Chinese partner of General Motors Corp and Volkswagen AG, earlier announced it would source hybrid technologies from Delphi Corp and has also reportedly agreed to buy lithium-ion batteries from BYD Automobile Co, a Chinese battery and electric car maker backed by US billionaire Warren Buffett.

Electric cars are becoming a trend globally because of rising awareness of energy efficiency and environmental protection, according to analysts.

SAIC plans to begin marketing a series of new energy vehicles next year, including the Roewe 750 mild hybrid, the Roewe 550 plug-in strong hybrid as well as its self-developed electric car.

Early this year, SAIC invested 2 billion yuan ($293 million) in a new energy company to develop power and control systems to be used in green vehicles.

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Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/battery-venture-to-power-green-cars-1616885.html

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Waste Management in Australia

Waste management is actually quite a fascinating subject that has many facets to it. Basically it involves collecting materials that others simply throw away as trash and sorting it into either stuff that has no further use or those that can be recycled. They then have to be transported to locations that can dispose of them safely and appropriately.

The important aspect to efficient waste management is that it is organized in such a way that it has no adverse effect on others or the surroundings. There are steps to deal with waste and they consist of examining it to find out what it consists of, how it can be collected safely, appropriate means of transport, the process method and its eventual disposal, whether this is to a landfill or a recycling facility.

Waste management can be a well-organized and green option and it is every organizations responsibility to check their disposal systems are managed correctly.

An environmental company offers services related to the collection of waste and can advice residents and large companies on resourceful ways to get rid of it. Services for large companies include waste collection, recycling and disposal, hazardous waste management, emergency response, laboratory services, asbestos removal and re-insulation. With years of experience in the subject, look online for help in management solutions that can eliminate your waste problems.

An environmental service works by first identifying the types and amount of waste produced before they can come to any decision as to how to deal with it. Once this has been identified and processes put into place, the service keeps track to check their systems are working at their best and if not make changes to rectify this.

During the collection process, special containers for hazardous materials are implemented and other containers, such as skip bins and bottle banks, put into place and arranged to be emptied at regular intervals depending upon how quickly they are filled. Each company will be different in their needs and services tailored to fit.

There are specific types of containers to store waste, these can range from drums for small quantities of hazardous liquid waste, skip bins for general waste collection, tankers with a capacity of between 6 000-39 000 liters used for anything from sludge and acids to septic waste and grease.

For some waste special vehicles are required to dispose of it safely. Hazardous waste collection vehicles are specially designed for the collection of liquid and contaminated waste, anything from oils and cyanide waste to detergents, adhesives, acids and chemicals. Collections are generally scheduled but many companies also offer 24 hour service and emergency response.

Waste processes involve separating it before it can be treated, packaged or sent for recycling or disposal. Facilities for liquid waste treatment have to meet strict EPA guidelines and be operated by highly trained and skilled personnel. Companies are now demanding environmentally conscious and sustainable plans for their waste, one effort to incorporate this involves recycling centers particularly for construction and demolition waste that sort and recover materials for reuse. Building materials are separated into bricks, tiles, concrete and timber, and plasterboard before being processed and recycled with the plan of selling it back to the building industry as an inexpensive alternative to new material.

E-waste collection is an easy way to attain high recycling rates for old IT equipment, the issue with electronic waste is that it contains hazardous substances such as lead and mercury. Opting to recycle E-waste, your business will be able to enhance its environmental image and let your customers know that you are being environmentally responsible. Electrical equipment accepted for recycling can include mobile phones, printers, desktop PCs and monitors. After they have been dismantled they are re-used as raw materials to produce new products.

Waste processes and environmental solutions are being updated all the time due to ongoing research. The amount of items that can be recycled these days is huge and includes everyday items like paper, plastic, metals, building materials, electronic items, cabling, mobile phones and furniture and garden waste.

Check online for facilities management services that can help you to put into operation effectual and appropriate waste management solutions.

Michiel Van Kets writes articles for Veolia Environmental Services, Australia’s environmental services leader in all facets of waste management, resource recovery and facilities management services. The company has over 30 years industry experience in implementing effective, innovative and sustainable waste management and industrial services solutions. Visit waste management Veolia Australia for information on waste management and electronic waste recycling.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/waste-management-in-australia-1616940.html

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Solar Panels Recycled!

In DeForest, Wisconsin, 5N Plus Inc., currently a Canadian cadmium telluride (CdTe) producer serving the solar panel industry, plans to open a solar module deconstruction facility.

Cadmium telluride is used in thin-film solar applications, and 5N Plus Inc., which plans to begin the solar panel recycling process with the coated soda-lime glass from obsolete solar panels and solar panel production failures, says it may eventually use the leased, 60,000-square-foot facility to recover tellurium dioxide from discarded solar panels as well.

5N Plus Inc. has already received a conditional permit from the DeForest Board of Trustees for a facility using chemical processing, according to reports from the Sept. 8 board meeting. The permit describes the building as located a 4375 Duraform Lane in Dane County.

5N’s project submission delineates the first phase of the recycling process as treating about 10,000 tons in the first phase, with production rising as customer demand increases. The second phase of the project, scheduled within the year, sees 5N recycling full laminated solar modules with 17 employees.

The move is seen as a way for 5N to diversify its financial base. Currently the company derives 85 percent of yearly revenues by providing cadmium telluride to First Solar. However, First Solar company officials were quick to emphasize that the recycling initiative is not a joint effort between First Solar and 5N.

In describing the expansion into DeForest, 5N’s project analysis suggests that it could accumulate up to 7.5 tons of tellurium dioxide in the first year alone. Given the cost of tellurium, the initiative could generate up to $2 million just in the chemical’s value, with several times that amount garnered as a result of recycling. One 5N company executive projects $73 million in revenue in 2010 (with the company’s fiscal year ending May 31).

The DeForest plant is also one of 5N’s largest, and could also be used to produce CdTe, in addition to the tellurium and other materials rescued from recycling. A similar, but smaller, plant in Germany already does such recycling and chemical production work, and a company spokesperson noted that CdTe is worth four times as much as tellurium dioxide.

If the DeForest plant expands into chemical production, it has potentially two new customers; Q-Cells S.E.’s subsidiary, Calyxo, which works in the area of CdTe thin-film technology, and Abound Solar, another producer of thin-film cadmium telluride solar modules.

5N’s shift into recycling is not surprising, given the fact that world production of cadmium is 14 tonnes per year, most of it coming from Canada, and much of it used in batteries.

Tellurium is even scarcer, at less than 200 metric tons in 2008, and less than 800 metric tons total from all sources.

Cooler Planet is a leading solar resource for connecting consumers and commercial entities with local solar Installers. Cooler Planet’s solar panel resources and solar energy page contains articles and tools to help with your solar project.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/solar-panels-recycled-1615136.html

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A Contingency Plan is a strategy that is prepared in anticipation of an oil spill. A quick and effective response minimizes oil spill damage and institutes effective and practical plans for all types of oil spill cleanup.

A typical contingency plan comprises the following: Identification of authority and chain of command and listing of persons and organizations that must be immediately informed of an oil spill. The emergency plan should make a record of available trained spill personnel and spill response equipment. It should also list jobs to be done in the order of priority, organize a communication network to coordinate response and identify probable oil movement patterns under different weather conditions. Using all this information sensitivity maps and other technical data should be compiled.

Contingency planners must know important physical and biological resources within or near the region, such as marshes and vital habitat areas required by particular species for spawning, feeding, or migration. Information regarding tides, currents, and local climatic conditions, weather patterns, and shoreline characteristics should be gathered by planners.

When an oil spill occurs, the spilled oil is washed ashore and results in contamination of shore lines. Quick and effective oil spill cleanup prevents the oil being mixed or buried in the sediment.

Shoreline cleanup methods include physical herding, using barriers or berms, pressure washing, manual cleaning, sedimentation, removal of oil debris, and more. Other cleanup methods, such as use of solidifiers, fertilizers for biological remediation, in situ burning, and shoreline cleaning agents can be used after obtaining special permission from authorities.

Sensitive coastal areas are likely to be affected by oil spills as well as oil spill cleanup methods. Therefore, it is necessary to get a thorough insight into the affected area before using a particular oil cleanup method.

Waste materials, such liquid oil, oil mixed with sand, and tar balls can be sometimes reused or should be disposed effectively. Use of environmentally friendly products, such as Oil Gone Easy 200 to clean oil spills or stains minimizes the harmful effects caused by chemicals.

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Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/contingency-plan-and-response-centre-for-oil-spill-cleanup-on-land-1608054.html

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Lightning is something that has fascinated people for ages. The Ancient Greeks believed that lightning came from the Gods. Each culture seemed to have its own myths and legends surrounding lightening. Through these myths and legends they attempted to answer questions such as where did the lightening come from and why does it happen? Some thought it was a punishment, others thought it was beautiful, and some people thought that it was dangerous.

Of course, now we know where lightning really comes from and why it really happens. It has to do with the weather patterns and the clouds and how they all interact. The interaction causes electricity which we end up seeing. Understanding what lightening is can be very helpful when it comes to preparing to protect your family from it. The chances of getting struck by lightning may not be that big, but it still could happen, especially if you are put into a situation where you are at risk.

Instruct your family about the proper protocol for lightning safety. If you are outdoors, get indoors or inside a car as quickly as you can. If this is not possible, for example, if you are hiking, crouch down low to the ground. This will help make you smaller. Lightning strikes the tallest thing in the area. If you make yourself as small as possible you will not be the tallest thing.

Water is also another concern when it comes to lightning. Water conducts it and that is why the human body is a concern. The human body is made of water. If you want to protect yourself in a lightening storm the best thing to do is find shelter or find cover. If you are in the water, get out. If lightening strikes water it makes it worse.

When it comes to lightening, it is a big point of fascination for a lot of people. But no matter how fascinating it is, it is good to remember that it is a dangerous thing and that it pays to stay safe. Get out of the water. Find shelter. In doing so you will protect yourself from getting struck by lightning, which can actually be fatal. The more you know, the better off you’ll be.

Paul Ingersole is an Australian based business person who enjoys writing.Paul discovered a great system that makes small continuous recurring profits using the internet.You can see Google Sniper at Paul’s website

http://www.guruswipe.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/the-ancient-greeks-believed-that-lightning-came-from-the-gods-1608731.html

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T.W. Jackson’s Magic of Making Up is a popular “how to stop a breakup” manual.  How well does it work?

WHAT IS INSIDE THE BOOK?

The Magic of Making Up is a handbook that you can download.  It is a 82 page book in PDF format that discusses many relationship issues and what you can do to remedy them.

You are given access to the author’s private e-mail address in case you have questions. Surprisingly, he actually will respond to the emails.  You may not get a response right away. It might take a couple of days.

There are seven chapters that cover many issues: (1) understanding why your relationship is over (2) how not to panic (3) what precisely went wrong (4) reigniting the spark (5) if the ex is dating someone else (6) beginning to get back into the relationship (7) moving on if nothing is working.

HOW WELL DOES IT WORK?

The ideas in the Magic of Making Up can be VERY effective if you are serious about applying them.  The initial step is to get an honest view of the situation and the actual problems.  This is followed up by a number of specific things you can do and/or say to start mending the relationship.  The techniques range from common-sense ones to out-of-the-box ones you likely have not come across.  Many of them can be very powerful if they are applied correctly.

One sitting is all it should take to read through the entire book.

IS IT A GOOD FIT FOR EVERYONE?

No.  If your relationship is abusive, get help from a professional as soon as possible.

Moreover, remember that the ebook is NOT the same as a counsellor who is sitting right in front of  you.  If you think you may need an actual counsellor to motivate you to action, have a look at professional counselling.

If you are serious about wanting to fix your relationship issues and can commit to taking action on your own, the Magic of Making Up can give you many extremely powerful tools.

Get immediate access to the Magic of Making Up guide at => Magic of Making Up

steve hammon

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/the-magic-of-making-up-jackson-what-is-the-truth-1600628.html

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As I write this, the international climate change summit looks set to go the way of so many political get-togethers: failure, hypocrisy, delay and shunting the problem on to future governments and future generations. However, when our governments fail to lead us, perhaps we can lead them. Free, environmentally sound power may seem like an unlikely solution. Solar panels and wind generators cost a fortune right? Well no actually, you can have free power, after only a small initial outlay and a little time and effort.

Not only that but your free power will keep coming and coming, solar panels in particular have no moving parts and they will take many years to wear out if not damaged by some kind of impact or physical accident. Wind turbines do have moving parts and items like bearings may need replacing or overhauling every few years, but that’s all.

Governments, power companies and nay sayers will tell you that renewables can never replace nuclear, or coal, or gas fired power stations and as things stand they may be right. Frankly though, if every household in the developed world reduced its dependence on power brought in by national grids and power companies, by adopting the use of solar panels and wind turbines, the need for new power stations would go into reverse. In fact it’s just possible that where wind farms, hydro and tide power cannot supply all our needs now, maybe they could if we all took a little power into our own hands.

How often do you get the chance to do something good and profit from it financially? If you don’t want to, or can’t afford to spend out on professionally installed solar and wind power, easy to follow plans to build your own, from inexpensive, readily available components, with minimal tools and little expertise are available.

Don’t pass the problem on to your kids, help change the environment for the better, learn new skills, maybe share the building of you own mini home power station with your kids, teaching them new skills at the same time you demonstrate to them your care for the world they will inherit. Maybe even consider making a business out of it, or create a neighborhood project to bring people together and inspire other communities round about.

Every amp you generate will save you money, month in, month out for years and reduce your dependence on power produced using dirty or dangerous technologies. Free clean power, it’s not a dirty word and it doesn’t have to be a dirty world.

Malcolm Snook is author of the book ‘Of Land, Sea And Sky’, he has been an explorer, sailor, skydiving instructor, car and motorcycle racer as well as an entrepreneur and businessman. He is also a keen swing dancer and has a great interest in promoting peace and green issues.
www.freepowerknowhow.com www.trafford.com/07-2592

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/what-can-we-do-if-the-copenhagen-summit-fails-1598850.html

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Human activity is responsible for much of the loss of biodiversity currently being experienced. Natural extinction is being accelerated by human populations wiping out entire ecosystems for development and single crop farming. Destroying naturally diverse vegetation destroys the life sustained by that habitat. We already know the effects of deforestation on global warming, but do we stop to think about the thousands of animal and insect species that are affected?

Each part of an ecosystem interacts with itself, but that ecosystem in turn interacts with other systems. Any disturbance to the dynamics of one system can and does have an effect on the other systems it interacts with. Global warming is a contributing factor in loss of biodiversity. Loss of biodiversity adds to global warming. Humans need to share the responsibility of fighting both. Apart from lobbying national and local government to introduce initiatives and programs to preserve biodiverse areas, there are things we can do in our own homes that will make a difference.

- reuse and recycle wherever possible
- save water, energy and fuel
- remove invasive species from your garden
- plant a water-wise, indigenous garden
- build a pond, bird boxes and plant wildflowers to attract wildlife, birds and insects into your garden
- grow your own organic vegetables
- use environmentally friendly pesticides and household cleaning products
- buy products that support sustainable development projects
- support local initiatives like river clean-ups and wetland restoration
- use renewable energy sources
- don’t buy hardwood products from unsustainable sources
- when on vacation, don’t buy coral, shells and ivory or animal skins
- visit nature reserves – your entrance fee helps sustain the reserve
- support wildlife conservation organisations, with donations of time or money
- petition against unfettered development and industrial creep
- report pollution to the relevant authorities.

Teach your children to value our planet’s natural resources, care for the environment and all its inhabitants. Small steps taken by many today will add up to giant leaps in our future.

Take the first step today, and start protecting our planet’s biodiversity now. For more green tips, green news and green products, visit http://www.green-community.info Taking small steps to make a big difference in our future!

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/what-can-you-do-to-protect-earths-biodiversity-1594010.html

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