THE GREEN PLANET BLOG - Our World and Environment...

All about conservation, ecology, the environment, climate change, global warming, earth- watch, and new technologies etc.

Monday, May 27, 2013

Solar panels provide the most basic electrical source for Haiti hospital...


But in Haiti’s Central Plateau, the flow of energy is intermittent at best. Consider that in Mirebalais, located 30 miles north of Port-au-Prince, the power goes out for an average of three hours each day. This poses an enormous challenge to running any hospital; surgeries are jeopardized, neonatal ventilators stall, the cold chain is interrupted, and countless everyday tasks get derailed. As Partners In Health co-founder Paul Farmer noted during a recent lecture at the Harvard School of Public Health, “It’s not great if you’re a surgeon and you have to think about getting the generator going.”
To make sure the patients and staff at Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais (University Hospital) aren’t left in the dark, PIH and its partners looked toward the sun. Stretched across the roof of the new 200,000-square-foot hospital is a vast and meticulously arranged array of 1,800 solar panels.
On a bright day, these panels are expected to produce more energy than the hospital will consume. Before the facility even opened its doors—the official opening is slated for March—the system churned out 139 megawatt hours of electricity, enough to charge 22 million smartphones and offset 72 tons of coal. Perhaps most important is that the excess electricity will be fed back into Haiti’s national grid, giving a much-needed boost to the country’s woefully inadequate energy infrastructure.

http://www.pih.org/blog/solar-powered-hospital-in-haiti-yields-sustainable-savings



Enhanced by Zemanta

Illinois State illegally seized bees owned by naturalist Terrence Ingram resistant to Monsanto's Roundup - killed remaining queens...


The Illinois Ag Dept.  illegally seized privately owned bees from renowned naturalist, Terrence Ingram, without providing him with a search warrant and before the court hearing on the matter, reports Prairie Advocate News.
Behind the obvious violations of his Constitutional rights is Monsanto. Ingram was researching Roundup’s effects on bees, which he’s raised for 58 years.  “They ruined 15 years of my research,” he told Prairie Advocate, by stealing most of his stock.
A certified letter from the Ag Dept.’s Apiary Inspection Supervisor, Steven D. Chard, stated:
“During a routine inspection of your honeybee colonies by … Inspectors Susan Kivikko and Eleanor Balson on October 23, 2011, the bacterial disease ‘American Foulbrood’ was detected in a number of colonies located behind your house…. Presence of the disease in some of your colonies was confirmed via test results from the USDA Bee Research Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland that analyzed samples collected from your apiary….”

http://www.globalresearch.ca/illinois-illegally-seizes-bees-resistant-to-monsantos-roundup-kills-remaining-queens/5336210



Enhanced by Zemanta

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

What could be more magical than to stand in the presence of a tree which has been growing since Bronze Age man?

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Blue whales appear to be attracted to NZ waters in recent times...

A blue whale lifting its tail flukes.
A blue whale lifting its tail flukes. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The protection afforded to blue whales in New Zealand waters may need to be increased, now a study has found they may be more regular visitors to the South Taranaki Bight than previously thought.
The whales had been thought to pass through the Bight while migrating to and from summer feeding grounds in Antarctica.
But a study by the National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) of whale sightings between 1979 and 1999, and two surveys in 2011, show the whales are a regular presence.
NIWA marine ecologist Dr Leigh Torres said the study linked the presence of the whales to the large amounts of plankton - perfect whale food - in the South Taranaki Bight.
"Conventional wisdom has been that blue whales only transit through New Zealand waters while migrating," Dr Torres said.
"But this new information suggests that this is not an accurate understanding of their ecology. Blue whales appear to be present in the South Taranaki Bight with some regularity and density, and based on their foraging patterns and the availability of their prey in the area, we think they are feediing
Enhanced by Zemanta

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Modern Kiwis saved by the rescue of one species 100 years ago

Monday, May 13, 2013

For the first time in history climate-warming carbon dioxide passes dangerous milestone...

English: The Mauna Loa Observatory is located ...
English: The Mauna Loa Observatory is located two miles north of the summit, at 11,135 ft elevation. It is run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and known for measuring carbon dioxide. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hawaii's Mauna Loa observatory, where record CO2 increases are being documented. Photograph: Richard Vogel/AP
For the first time in human history, the concentration of climate-warming carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has passed the milestone level of 400 parts per million (ppm). The last time so much greenhouse gas was in the air was several million years ago, when the Arctic was ice-free, savannah spread across the Sahara desert and sea level was up to 40 metres higher than today.
These conditions are expected to return in time, with devastating consequences for civilisation, unless emissions of CO2 from the burning of coal, gas and oil are rapidly curtailed. But despite increasingly severe warnings from scientists and a major economic recession, global emissions have continued to soar unchecked.
"It is symbolic, a point to pause and think about where we have been and where we are going," said Professor Ralph Keeling, who oversees the measurements on a Hawaian volcano, which were begun by his father in 1958. "It's like turning 50: it's a wake up to what has been building up in front of us all along."
"The passing of this milestone is a significant reminder of the rapid rate at which – and the extent to which – we have increased the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere," said Prof Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which serves as science adviser to the world's governments. "At the beginning of industrialisation the concentration of CO2 was just 280ppm. We must hope that the world crossing this milestone will bring about awareness of the scientific reality of climate change and how human society should deal with the challenge."


http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/may/10/carbon-dioxide-highest-level-greenhouse-gas


Enhanced by Zemanta

15 indoor plants that will improve your indoor air quality...


green plant leaves
Photo: ivama/Flickr
In the late 1980s, NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America studied houseplants as a way to purify the air in space facilities. They found several plants that filter out common volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Lucky for us the plants can also help clean indoor air on Earth, which is typically far more polluted than outdoor air. Other studies have since been published in the Journal of American Society of Horticultural Science further proving the science. Here's our handy of list of the best air-filtering plants. (Plus, at the bottom of this story, you'll find links about plants that are good for the air and also safe for your pets.)
 
Aloe (Aloe vera)
 
This easy-to-grow, sun-loving succulent helps clear formaldehyde and benzene, which can be a byproduct of chemical-based cleaners, paints and more. Aloe is a smart choice for a sunny kitchen window. Beyond its air-clearing abilities, the gel inside an aloe plant can help heal cuts and burns.
 
Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
 
Even if you tend to neglect houseplants, you'll have a hard time killing this resilient plant. With lots of rich foliage and tiny white flowers, the spider plant battles benzene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide and xylene, a solvent used in the leather, rubber and printing industries.
 
Gerber daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)
 
This bright, flowering plant is effective at removing trichloroethylene, which you may bring home with your dry cleaning. It's also good for filtering out the benzene that comes with inks. Add one to your laundry room or bedroom — presuming you can give it lots of light.
 
Mother-in-law's tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata 'Laurentii')
 
This plant is one of the best for filtering out formaldehyde, which is common in cleaning products, toilet paper, tissues and personal care products. Put one in your bathroom — it'll thrive with low light and steamy humid conditions while helping filter out air pollutants.
 
 
Another powerful plant for tackling formaldehyde, this fast-growing vine will create a cascade of green from a hanging basket. Consider it for your garage since car exhaust is filled with formaldehyde. (Bonus: Golden pothos, also know as devil's ivy, stays green even when kept in the dark.)
 
Chrysanthemum (Chrysantheium morifolium)
 
The colorful flowers of a mum can do a lot more than brighten a home office or living room; the blooms also help filter out benzene, which is commonly found in glue, paint, plastics and detergent. This plant loves bright light, and to encourage buds to open, you'll need to find a spot near an open window with direct sunlight.
 
Red-edged dracaena (Dracaena marginata)
 
The red edges of this easy dracaena bring a pop of color, and the shrub can grow to reach your ceiling. This plant is best for removing xylene, trichloroethylene and formaldehyde, which can be introduced to indoor air through lacquers, varnishes and gasoline.
 
Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina)
 
A weeping fig (Ficus benjamina) in your living room can help filter out pollutants that typically accompany carpeting and furniture such as formaldehyde, benzene and trichloroethylene. Caring for a ficus can be tricky, but once you get the watering and light conditions right, they will last a long time.
 
Azalea (Rhododendron simsii)
 
Bring this beautiful flowering shrub into your home to combat formaldehyde from sources such as plywood or foam insulation. Because azalea does best in cool areas around 60 to 65 degrees, it's a good option for improving indoor air in your basement if you can find a bright spot.
 
English ivy (Hedera helix)
 
A study found that the plant reduces airborne fecal-matter particles. It has also been shown to filter out formaldehyde found in some household cleaning products.
 
Warneck dracaena (Dracaena deremensis 'Warneckii')
 
Combat pollutants associated with varnishes and oils with this dracaena. The Warneckii grows inside easily, even without direct sunlight. With striped leaves forming clusters atop a thin stem, this houseplant can be striking, especially if it reaches its potential height of 12 feet.
 
Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema crispum 'Deborah')
 
This easy-to-care-for plant can help filter out a variety of air pollutants and begins to remove more toxins as time and exposure continues. Even with low light, it will produce blooms and red berries.
 
Bamboo palm (Chamaedorea sefritzii)
 
Also known as the reed palm, this small palm thrives in shady indoor spaces and often produces flowers and small berries. It tops the list of plants best for filtering out both benzene and trichloroethylene. It's also a good choice for placing around furniture that could be off-gassing formaldehyde.
 
Heart leaf philodendron (Philodendron oxycardium)
 
This climbing vine plant isn't a good option if you have kids or pets — it's toxic when eaten, but it's a workhorse for removing all kinds of VOCs. Philodendrons are particularly good at battling formaldehyde from sources like particleboard.
 
Peace lily (Spathiphyllum)
 
Shade and weekly watering are all the peace lily needs to survive and produce blooms. It topped NASA's list for removing all three of most common VOCs — formaldehyde, benzene and trichloroethylene. It can also combat toluene and xylene.
 
Also on MNN: 
 

Click for photo credits


Comment

Enhanced by Zemanta