Earth – Dovestar

July 26, 2010

Global Warming And The Responsible Approach We Should Choose.

Global warming seems to be a very complicated issue now days, One scientists will say that man is to blame, one will say that its caused by external forces and the natural warming trend while one scientist will say its all hogwash. I think the scientists think the average Joe is not smart enough to figure it all out on his own. Any person can figure out if you keep pumping smoke and toxic chemicals into the atmosphere and pollute the water sources that eventually there will be some hell to pay. Deforestation and greenhouse gases are changing the ecosphere and there is no way any scientist can deny that. Of course they can spit out different percentiles of mankind’s contribution to this problem from one extreme to the other. The scientists arguments I hear now days on the news and on other programs about global warming kind of reminds me of the scientists that once said tobacco products were not addictive or harmful. Of course these were cigarette company paid scientists and that may have influenced those scientists findings.

Global warming is a fact and that mankind is playing a role in it is also a fact. The percentage we contribute both directly and indirectly really doesn’t matter. What matters is the fact we are influencing our environment in a defiantly negative way. We need to make changes to how we do things and how we see our home planet earth. The changes will have to be both sustainable and reasonably executed. To stop using coal as a source of energy may have to become a reality just not overnight. We need to phase out the environmentally damaging industries and make sure we build more eco-friendly alternatives at the same time to keep people in work and the lights on per se.

Sometimes people do not see the economical damage that a swift shutdown of all environmentally harmful industries could be. We need to be responsible in the change over as much as we need to be in finding feasible solutions to the current problems at hand. To replace the coal power plants with wind, hydro and solar power plants before shutting them down and make sure the green jobs get placed in the coal mining areas to give coal miners jobs as the mines close down is the responsible approach we should choose.

Coal is not the only fuel source we need to eventually leave behind us, the oil based fossil fuels are also on the list to be dumped eventually as technology allows. Some alternatives such as bio diesel , hydrogen, propane and electric powered vehicles are yet to be perfected but are getting closer each year. Once again this will bring some economical heart ships if we do not do the switch over responsibly. There is always the working man to think about when we make drastic changes in industry and energy. Oil will not be a easy change over since allot of oils byproducts are a part of almost every industry due to plastics, chemicals and even aspirin.

Plastics can be made from plants but far as how versatile the plant based plastics are I myself am not sure as of this post. I do know sun chips is using plant based plastics in their chip bags and besides the noise factor they seem to be just as good as regular plastic based bags. All I know is there should be allot of thought put into the subject of global warming and green technologies.

Well That’s my 2 cents worth anyway.

Peace

July 15, 2010

Turning the Tide – Conservation International (CI)

http://www.conservation.org/oceans
Life on our planet originated in the sea; today, the oceans continue to provide countless benefits for all life on Earth. Watch CI’s marine video to learn just how much we owe to these vast habitats, and why we must act to save them before its too late.

July 15, 2010

The Forest Connection – Conservation International

July 15, 2010

Some US National Parks Threatened by Gulf Oil Spill

July 15, 2010

BP Fixing Leak During Containment Cap Test

Oil company BP says it is fixing a leak in a so-called "choke line" leading to one of the shut-off valves of the new cap designed to plug its spilling Gulf of Mexico oil well.Company officials said late Wednesday their engineers had "isolated" the leak and would move ahead with testing of the new containment cap once the repairs were complete. The test involves closing all the valves to determine if the cap can effectively contain the massive leak, or if oil is flowing from another part of the well.

BP began the tests Wednesday, after a day-long delay imposed by the U.S. government who wanted time for further analysis to ensure its safety. U.S. National Incident Commander Thad Allen said officials took about 24 hours to review the plans for the test.Allen has said that if the new cap can maintain high pressure readings over an extended period – six to 48 hours – it could fully contain the leaking oil. If pressure readings are too low, he said it could mean there is damage to the well shaft underneath the sea bed.

The new cap was installed Monday on the damaged well head about 1.6 kilometers below the Gulf’s surface.BP’s Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles said earlier that government scientists raised concerns that the tests of the new cap could damage the well shaft.
In an interview with CNN, Suttles said damaged liners within the well shaft could cause oil to leak underground. On Wednesday, BP, as a precaution, suspended work for two days on relief wells intended to permanently seal the damaged oil well underground.
Suttles said that oil production ships on the surface are continuing to collect and burn off oil leaking from the well.

The oil leak began after the April 20 explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, which killed 11 crewmen. The disaster has fouled vast expanses of the U.S. Gulf coast, killed birds and sea life and devastated the region’s fishing and tourism. BP officials said, as of Monday, the leak has already cost the company some $3.5 billion.

Photo provided by BP America under Creative Commons Licence (by-nc-nd 3.0)
Article is from Voice of America News voanews.com and is in the public domain

Links

Photo Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bpamerica/4694347276/
Article Source: http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/BP-Fixing-Isolated-Leak-During-Containment-Cap-Test–98489439.html

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July 13, 2010

Grow Your Own Organic Foods in a Garden

A good and healthier way to reduce your carbon footprint is to grow your own organic foods in a garden / orchard. The food you grow yourself will taste better and will not require the fuel to transport it or the fuels used to make the pesticides. Being organic it will not have the poisonous pesticides on and in them and will be higher in nutrition due to the fact of the soil wasn’t depleted of nutrients from over farming. A simple garden requires a bit of work but is quite worth it and
if you can your own vegetables and fruits you can keep from having to buy much produce.

When you are forced to buy produce due to the inability to grow a vegetable or fruit due to climate or other factors then try to buy them as organic and when in season. Buying them in season and from as local as a source as you can will reduce the fuels required to transport them. The organic choice is not only healthier but due to the fact no pesticides are used reduces the fuels used in creating and transporting the pesticides.

Here are a few good articles on Gardening

Vegetables Gardening – Profiles, Growing Tips and Ideas – About.com
How to Prepare an Organic Vegetable Garden – ehow.com

Here are a few good articles on Home Canning/freezing etc.

USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, 2009 revision
All About Home Canning*, Freezing and Making Jams and Jellies

Example Video from YouTube

July 13, 2010

Local News | Simple steps reduce carbon footprints | Seattle Times Newspaper

Check out this article on Seattle Times, it shows how to reduce your carbon footprint.
Excerpt: “ From the street, the house looks like any other in this quiet North Seattle neighborhood. But something different is going on here.The trash container at the curb is not much bigger than a shoebox. And inside the house, at 7:15 on a weekday morning, all the lights are off. It’s not because no one’s home “

Click link below to read full article
Local News | Simple steps reduce carbon footprints | Seattle Times Newspaper

July 13, 2010October 14, 2012

Though it’s Late in The Game We Can Make Choices and Changes

Common Sense tells us our garbage and the burning of any fossil fuel creates a toxic environment for both mankind and our fellow inhabitants of earth. Our wasteful and somewhat lazy lifestyle is effecting not only our environment but also our lifespan. Pharmacology can only slow the decline of our health and the mortality rate. The morbid truth is Mankind’s choices and actions is leading to the extinction of both himself and his fellow creatures. The good news is that though it’s late in the game we can make choices and changes that could slow down if not reverse the damage we cause. Simple things like using a water filter versus buying water in plastic bottles or use plant based plastics like the popular snack Sun Chips has done.

Even something as easy as changing your old standard light bulbs for the newer florescent type can save enough energy to reduce some of the carbon footprint made by power plants. Every single one of us are responsible for the upkeep and wellbeing of this planet we live on. Though a little more expensive glass is a far better container for soft drinks and other beverages, also glass is quite recyclable and isn’t as bad for the environment. Though Styrofoam is far better in its thermal properties versus paper, but Styrofoam is far worse for the environment. Even though paper plates and cups do impact trees if we replant what we cut down and recycle what we use it would have a smaller impact on the environment. Using real dishes is the ideal solution but then who wants to take real dishes to a picnic?

There is so many ways to make changes in our lifestyles to help preserve and repair our home called earth. So I leave it up to you to find the better ways and get the news out there. If you know of any ideas to help others make a positive impact on the environment feel free to leave a comment.

Peace

July 11, 2010

We May Become a Endangered Species

This modern world we live in is ran by the rich and built by the poor. Low wages paid for the laboring masses across the planet and millions of mind numbing time consuming gadgets to keep us from realizing what’s going on around us. Everything from Chemtrails left by airplanes that happened to coincide with the decline of honey bees to the wars over oil and religion. Don’t get me wrong I love those little gadgets that keep my mind occupied but they do keep me distracted allot from what is going on in the world around me. There is allot going on around us at this time we either are blind to or choose to ignore because we feel we can not do anything about it.

I think the mentality that we can not change things around us is one of the biggest problems we face as a world community besides the I don’t care attitude. We all should care about the world and the other inhabitants of it. We also should realize that even one voice shouting in the dark can reach the ears and minds of Millions. The sooner we realize this is our world to take care of the more we will understand that we must make changes. Mankind has the potential and the means to make changes and the ability to reverse allot of the damage he has caused. The current Oil Disaster in the gulf of the U.S. is a terrible ecological disaster that can impact the whole planet in the long run. Though they are trying to recapture oil that has leaked into the gulf it is a painstaking and slow process. The sooner they can plug the leak and get the relief wells in place the better. Off shore oil drilling is the most dangerous way of drilling for oil yet. Oceans can carry oil for miles and miles if leaked and that puts the life forms in the ocean at great risk. If Aquatic life is diminished and or becomes a tainted food source for humans there will be global famine in our future. Too many developing nations that rely on seafood for there main source of protein / food.

All I know is mankind doesn’t wake up and start changing towards a more earth friendly society we may become a endangered species.

Peace