Global warming is happening because of Carbon dioxide being released into our atmosphere. This is like the city smogs that we used to see in the 1900′s, retaining or trapping the infrared heat from the sun in the atmosphere. Global mean temperature rises can be directly correlated to the mean increase in Carbon Dioxide in our atmosphere. There is significant evidence that our planet’s weather and climate patterns are changing rapidly as a direct result of Global Warming. Droughts,... more
Green Products
Since the twin towers at the World Trade Center in New York collapsed on Sept. 11, there has been a concern about asbestos being released into the air at the site. The Environmental Protection Agency has been conducting tests to measure the levels of asbestos and other pollutants in dust and air samples at ground zero. Fortunately, in the two months following the attacks, few samples were found to be above federal standards in thousands tested. However, some workers at ground zero have reported... more
The Second Law of Thermodynamics predicts the gradual energetic decay of physical closed systems (“entropy”). Arguably, the Universe as a whole is precisely such a system. Locally, though, order is often fighting disorder for dominance. In other words, in localized, open systems, order sometimes tends to increase and, by definition, statistical entropy tends to decrease. Some physical systems increase disorder, either by decaying or by actively spreading disorder onto other systems. Such... more
Care for the environment? Want to save the planet? Then you must think in terms of fuel efficiency, non-polluting, and eco-friendly transport. The answer lies in purchasing and using a hybrid car. They not just make a statement that I care but are compact and fuel efficient. Here are some insights that may just tempt you to buy a hybrid. 1. Made of lightweight materials hybrids are small in size. The engine is designed to be fuel efficient. When the car halts at a signal, the engine will automatically... more
President Bush has indicated it is imperative to kick America’s oil habit. In conjunction with this goal, the Department of Energy has just announced a $119 million dollar research initiative. Money for Research and Development Obviously, automobiles are the basis of America’s oil addiction. Everyone seems to have at least one car if not more. To attack this problem, the current administration is putting a lot of emphasis on hydrogen fuel cell research for vehicles. Hydrogen fuel cell... more
As we strive to find alternative energy resources, many potential solutions are on the table. Biomass energy is one such solution or is it? Biomass energy is unique in that it has existed in primitive forms since the early days of mankind. Burning wood in a cave is a form of biomass energy, which is simply the conversion of an organic material in a manner that produces heat. For example, a fire converts the organic wood into heat. Therein, however, lays the problem. Global warming is a much debated... more
Sea turtles are being protected around the world. National parks are set up along with farms and other organizations that are attempting to protect them. Sea turtles are a difficult animal to protect though because of their migratory habits. They aren’t the kind to stay in one place, and they only come ashore to nest. Most males will never come out of the water once they enter the ocean as a hatchling. The only time they may be seen out of the water is if they are basking in the sun. Tagging... more
Many people use a vast array of chemical-laden household cleaners and products around the home on a daily basis. What they may not be aware of is the fact that many of these chemicals can be damaging to their health when inhaled. Apart from the inhalation aspect, skin irritations often occur when coming into contact with many chemical cleaners. Many disinfectants contain phenol ( aka carbolic acid ) or cresol. These can attack the central nervous system, liver, kidneys, spleen, and pancreas. How... more
Climate change is an amazingly simple phrase for such a complex subject. Following, we have a go at defining climate change in today’s terms. Climate Change What is it? In the current day lexicon of scientists, climate modification isn’t really a term of use anymore. The reason for this is that we have come to understand that the effect of the changes we make to our environment will increase the temperature in many locations on the planet, but will also cool a few places. In light... more
All over the world people are experiencing air quality changes due to vehicle emissions. Particularly in the peak of summer, cities have worsening air quality to the point where it has become “normal” to hear air quality warnings. In Pakistan, vehicle emissions are responsible for nearly 90% of their air pollution. That is no wonder when you consider that 500 mature trees are needed to combat the emissions for every 20,000 km driven. There are currently more than 220 million registered... more
