Globe of Blogs
These days surfers aren’t the only ones searching for powerful waves during low and high tide. Scientists are tapping into the power of the tides as a renewable source of energy. Most of the attention is usually on solar or wind power, however, wave power is still developing and can be a promising source of energy. Annette von Jouanne a professor of electrical engineering at Oregon State University and a team of graduate students have tested this new technology (NY Times). The prototype uses the steady motion of waves to generate energy. There are several other technologies attempting to capture energy from the ocean. Some are nearshore, offshore, or far offshore. There are Read More »
The controversial Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) theory states that as countries continue to grow economically and per capita income increases environmental degradation will peak and then decrease. Thus, giving the curve the “inverted u-shape”. As Leigh Raymond states in his paper "Reconsidering the Environmental Kuznets Curve", “this would mean countries can ‘grow’ their way economically out of their environmental problems,” however there are several downsides in using economic growth as environmental policy. There are several weaknesses to the EKG argument: The model does not accurately describe the impacts of economic growth on the environment. Read More »
There are several weaknesses to the EKG argument:
Water is a basic human right. We need water to grow food and replenish our body. Why then does the California water crisis have only few worried? Like all natural resources, water is no exception to the “tragedy of the commons.” Survival is a basic human instinct, prompting us to maximize our personal consumption of resources like water, food, and land. In the United States, the average person consumes 100 gallons of water per day, equivalent to a medium sized jacuzzi. We certainly aren’t drinking all of this water or solely using it to grow food in our backyard. More than half of the water used is for landscaping and construction. There is no other industry that pollutes water more than construction, ranging from quiete suburban homes to high rise commercial buildings. Countless oil, debris, chemicals, and paints, enter the water supply and contaminate aquifers. Read More »
Water is a basic human right. We need water to grow food and replenish our body. Why then does the California water crisis have only few worried? Like all natural resources, water is no exception to the “tragedy of the commons.” Survival is a basic human instinct, prompting us to maximize our personal consumption of resources like water, food, and land.
In the United States, the average person consumes 100 gallons of water per day, equivalent to a medium sized jacuzzi. We certainly aren’t drinking all of this water or solely using it to grow food in our backyard. More than half of the water used is for landscaping and construction.
There is no other industry that pollutes water more than construction, ranging from quiete suburban homes to high rise commercial buildings. Countless oil, debris, chemicals, and paints, enter the water supply and contaminate aquifers. Read More »
The California Building Standards Commission Announced the Nation's First Green Building Standards Code which became effective August 1, 2009. The new codes aim to increase energy efficiency, improve indoor air quality, material conservation, water efficiency, and resource efficiency. Below is a summary of important highlights from the new building code: Call for a reduction of water use by 20%. Improvements in water usage in plumbing, household, and landscape. Read More »
The California Building Standards Commission Announced the Nation's First Green Building Standards Code which became effective August 1, 2009. The new codes aim to increase energy efficiency, improve indoor air quality, material conservation, water efficiency, and resource efficiency. Below is a summary of important highlights from the new building code:
Picture all the floating plastic the size of Texas located in the middle of the Pacific near Hawaii with an estimated three million tons of debris. This alone answers the question that plastics are a huge problem for our environment and health. Plastics biodegrade very slowly, it could take up to 600 years for a plastic bottle to decompose, therefore, even long after it is thrown away, whether it remains in the landfill or reaches the ocean, plastics look like they are here to stay. So what’s the answer? “If you can’t beat them, join them,” we’ve all heard this adage before, but one company is taking this message one step further in the battle against plastics. 2K Manufacturing located in Luton, England, is taking on the challenge of turning our plastic trash into plywood, or Read More »
Picture all the floating plastic the size of Texas located in the middle of the Pacific near Hawaii with an estimated three million tons of debris. This alone answers the question that plastics are a huge problem for our environment and health. Plastics biodegrade very slowly, it could take up to 600 years for a plastic bottle to decompose, therefore, even long after it is thrown away, whether it remains in the landfill or reaches the ocean, plastics look like they are here to stay. So what’s the answer?
“If you can’t beat them, join them,” we’ve all heard this adage before, but one company is taking this message one step further in the battle against plastics. 2K Manufacturing located in Luton, England, is taking on the challenge of turning our plastic trash into plywood, or Read More »