The Wind and the Power

Wind Power according to Wikipedia, is the conversion of wind  energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, wind mills for mechanical power, wind pumps  for pumping water or drainage, or sails to propel ships.

At the end of 2009, worldwide nameplate capacity of wind-powered generators was 159.2 gigawatts (GW). Energy production was 340 TWh, which is about 2% of worldwide electricity usage and has doubled in the past three years. Several countries have achieved relatively high levels of wind power penetration (with large governmental subsidies), such as 20% of stationary electricity production in Denmark, 14% in Ireland and Portugal 11% in Spain, and 8% in Germany in 2009. As of May 2009, 80 countries around the world are using wind power on a commercial basis.

Wind power is free natural resources that can easily be developed as a source of electricity just like the sun. Humans have been using wind power for at least more than 6,000 years. We have examples like windmills, water pumping windmills and sailboats in propelling.

It helps in our everyday living especially allowing the farming and ranching of vast areas otherwise devoid of readily accessible water. Wind pumps contributed to the expansion of rail transport systems throughout the world, by pumping water from water wells for the steam locomotives. The multi-bladed wind turbine atop a lattice tower made of wood or steel was, for many years, a fixture of the landscape throughout rural America. When fitted with generators and battery banks, small wind machines provided electricity to isolated farms.

It also existed on various countries the development of small wind turbines for lighting of isolated rural buildings in the 20th century.

The modern wind power industry began in 1979 with the serial production of wind turbines by Danish manufacturers Kuriant, Vestas,Nordtank, and Bonus. These early turbines were small by today's standards, with capacities of 20–30 kW each. Since then, they have increased greatly in size, with the Enercon E-126 capable of delivering up to 7 MW, while wind turbine production has expanded to many countries (source: Wikipedia).

To be able to have a successful wind power, grid management, capacity factor and wind penetration should correlate.

These means, there should be enough studies on how get power from wind. Enough support of funds and research methodologies from the government. Lastly, since wind is everywhere, we should learn to appreciate it and not take them for granted.

 As an alternative power, there have been so much studies, debates, trials and errors that have been done a long time ago. Until now, different organizations are trying to rely and find answers to wind as one of our alternative solutions in power source.

It will be amazing to see one day that we are maximizing the utilization of our natural resources including wind. Someday, with all the pros and cons of getting power from the wind, I am pretty much sure it will have more advantage than disadvantage in using wind as one of our alternatives in getting power. 

Malaria and the Climate Change

Malaria cases in East African highland areas hitherto unaffected by the disease have caused worry that global warming is creating new mosquito breeding grounds but experts disagree on whether there is actually any link between the two.

"We have recently seen waves of epidemics in highland areas... They have actually killed people," said Dr. Amos Odiit, who was until October head of clinical pediatrics at Mulago hospital in the Ugandan capital Kampala.

The first cases of malaria in Uganda's western Kabale region, which rises 2,000 metres above sea level, were reported in 2007, said Seraphine Adibaku, the head of the national programme against malaria.

"It is climate change. Kabale is not as cold as before," she added. (Source:NAIROBI (AFP))

According to climate experts also known as climatologists, Africa has become warmer by 0.7 degrees Celsius over a century, which result to a spread of malaria as mosquitoes that carry the parasite thrive in warmer environment and cannot survive in temperatures below 15 degrees.

But there are still arguments that have something to do whether it has an effect due to global warming.

As for Dr. Andrew Githeko from Kenya, who leads a research project into climate change and human health, the relationship between the two phenomena is clear.

"There is a very direct link between malaria and climate. As climate changes further, more areas will become suitable for transmission  of the malaria parasite,” argued Githeko (source: Yahoo News).

Nonetheless, it is still in one’s state of economic progress and the development of health agencies and departments whether they are aware of the current situation and the correlation between malaria spread and the climate change.

True enough, malaria death related cases rises in certain areas due to rising global temperatures and it is spreading like an epidemic especially in areas where medicines and information dissemination is limited.

Rory Nefdt, a UNICEF official in charge of malaria control in east and southern Africa, conceded that climate change creates favourable conditions for the spread of malaria, but says public health programmes can, if implemented properly, outweigh the effects of climate change (source: yahoo News).

With the real scenario of what we are facing right now. With the effects and impact of global warming in our everyday lives plus our daily activities, everyone should be aware and find ways how to deal with this.

The local and international organizations should focus on how to deal with these kinds of effects to reach out and give as many as they can information regarding our present situation in climate change and global warming in general. 

Energy Conservation - What We Can Do About

Are we aware that we are consuming more than conserving energy at present? Do you know that it has a big impact on amounts of pollution, on natural resources, and creating problems in our landfill space?

Because of our habit of being more complacent and with the birth of different electronic gadgets, we are overwhelmed to the point that we forgot to take care and tend to abuse our natural resources. We are unaware of how big the impact would be in the environment on a daily basis with what we are doing everyday.

First way I think is to be aware of our current situation, issues like global crisis, climate change, energy crisis and environmental degradation. That is a fact. With that, we are also unaware of the positive effect each of us can have by taking small steps towards saving energy in the home, and recycling.

Go Recycle

Recycling involves processing used materials (waste) into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from landfilling) by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions as compared to virgin production. Recycling is a key component of modern waste reduction and is the third component of the "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" waste hierarchy (source: Wikipedia).

          Recyclable materials include many kinds of glass, paper, metal, plastic, textiles, and electronics. Although similar in effect, the composting or other reuse of biodegradable waste – such as food or garden waste– is not typically considered recycling. Materials to be recycled are either brought to a collection center or picked up from the curbside, then sorted, cleaned, and reprocessed into new materials bound for manufacturing.

Instead of letting metal, glass, plastics, electronics, textiles and paper dumped in the garbage can, which can lead to cause pollution and chemical effect into the soil, water and air; why not turn them into a new, more energy efficient product to be utilized multiple times. Here are some facts on recycling:

• The average person throws away 60 pounds of plastic packaging every year.
• If everyone recycled their Sunday paper, 500,000 trees would not have to be cut down, every week.
• For every 700 new paper bags, one 15-year old tree has to be cut down.
• It takes 30 percent less energy to make paper from recycled materials than raw materials.
• It takes 16 times more energy to create a new aluminum can, than one from recycled material.
• The energy saved from recycling one aluminum can is equal to the energy used to power a computer for three hours, or watch the television for one hour.
• It takes 30 percent less energy to manufacture glass from recycled materials.

(Source: The Power of Saving Energy in the Home: Energy Conservation Facts by BStone).

If you want to start and help conserve energy, begin at your own home. Turning off lights, purchasing energy efficient products approved by environmental committee, unplugging electrical appliances when not in use would make a big difference. You would say that it only has small impact on energy consumption – for now. But overall, in the long run you will see that it has big impact.

Furthermore, use efficient, compact fluorescent bulbs. It can last five times longer, and consume 70 percent less energy than conventional bulbs.

By leaving computer monitors on overnight, or not having them on energy saving modes, nine million tons of carbon dioxide emissions are wasted every year (source: BStone). So it is still best to unplug it when not in use.

Turning on the water heater down by 10 degrees, 45 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions would be saved every year.

Asking all the members of your household to refrain from opening and closing the door of your refrigerator would cut down your energy consumption.

Turning down the thermostat 10 degrees every night will reduce heat energy use, and costs, by around 10-20 percent.

Updating or fortifying home insulation, turn off lights if it is a sunny day, putting more ventilations at home like windows to refrain from using an air condition and electric fan, appreciating the nature, the weather and taking advantage from it would really help cost down electricity bill and at the same time conserve a lot of energy. Would that sound cool?

We Can Make It Happen

Yes, we can make it happen now and not tomorrow. Every opportunity, in every way, we can always help restore our natural resources and conserve much needed energy for a greener, brighter and better future.

Climate and the Mental State

Climate change is here to stay. That is a fact. Another fact, its effects are inevitable. And we could feel and see the effects of it including the changes and trends of increased natural disasters like storms, droughts, and hurricanes.

But along with these, another effect that we often take for granted is the various mental problems that resulted due to these.

As people tend to experience different effects of the climate change, they become more depressed, anxious, fearful, and even just hearing the sound of a strong wind, a thunder or seeing a lightning would terrify them dramatically. Thus, mental problems occur.

It is feared that this will cause more mental problems because most of the people are not informed and not that prepared with the way things are changing in our climate.

When rainfall patterns are altered -- something we're already seeing around the world -- farmers and families suffer not just from associated economic losses, but also from the mental stress that inevitably results.

And this is a wakeup call to everybody, to be aware and at least be well-equipped when disaster hits us.

Although there are prescription drugs and some tests being done in connection with the climate change and how people react, still it is in one’s mental state on how he/she deals with it.

Perhaps, a program from the government to make the people ready, keep informed and be aware of our climate situation would help a lot. A counseling group or a support group would also help to ease out the trauma that one has experienced due to the dramatic effects of these changes.

Nevertheless, if we will keep the balance between the changes that it’s bringing in and how we tend to react to that, chances are it will bring positive effect on us and perhaps will keep us sane.

Additional reference:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-12/kcl-mio120309.php

What Solar Power Can Do

The SUN as we all know is the center of the universe. We have been getting a lot of energy from the sun. It has many uses. We get vitamin D from the sun when we expose our body from the sunlight. Yet of course, we also tend to get skin cancer with too much exposure from it (too much is a poison as they say).

In our everyday living, we use sun for drying clothes and our crops get nutrients from it too so we can have a good healthy food on our dining table.

And the recent one, we get energy source from the sun. The sun is 150 million kilometers away and amazingly powerful. Imagine getting a small fraction of the sun's energy that hits the Earth (around a hundredth of a millionth of a percent) is enough to meet all our power needs many times over. In fact, every minute, enough energy arrives at the Earth to meet our demands for a whole year - if only we could harness it properly.

That is why, all over the world, the government is funding all the research to get solar power and consider it as an alternative for our energy source. Simplest yet most effective and efficient. And this also helps lessen harmful factors that deplete our ozone layer and help save our environment too.

In Australia, the government is offering grants available to help the community, schools, government agencies and business establishments install solar power. EnSight is one of the solar companies that promote solar energy including consultations from different firms on how to go green or help you find alternative ways for energy source.

The main three factors that we use sun as energy:

1. Solar Cells - Also known as "photovoltaic", "PV" or "photoelectric" cells can convert light directly into electricity.

2. Solar water heating – Wherein a direct heat from the sun is used to heat water in glass panels on your roof. In this way, there is no need for you to use so much gas or electricity to heat your water at home. This will help you cut your fuel bills as it will help your central heating system.

3. Solar Furnaces – This uses a huge array of mirrors to concentrate the sun's energy into a small space and produce very high temperatures. Solar cells provide the energy to run satellites that orbit the Earth. These give us satellite TV, telephones, navigation, weather forecasting, the internet and all manner of other facilities.

Cells are described as photovoltaic cells when the light source is not necessarily sunlight. These are used for detecting light or other electromagnetic radiation near the visible range, for example infrared detectors or measurement of light intensity. The idea is very simple - you build a big greenhouse, which is warmed by the Sun. In the middle of the greenhouse you put a very tall tower (source: Wikipedia).

The hot air from the greenhouse will rise up this tower, fast - and can drive turbines along the way. This could generate significant amounts of power, especially in countries where there is a lot of sunshine and a lot of room, such as Australia.

But just as we thought that solar energy is just mere generating power, not at all cases though. Photoluminescent products or glow in the dark products store light energy and release it later. They are sometimes called self-luminous and are useful source of emergency lighting in the event of a power failure.

With these, I see solar energy as free, needs no fuel and produces no pollution. Solar power can be used where there is no easy way to get electricity to a remote place. And most importantly, it will reduce your electricity and fuel bills dramatically. The only disadvantage I see here is that it does not work at night – of course. But as long as the sun always shines, keeps on shining, the future is bright of going green and getting what we deserve.

The Green Bandwagon

People never get tired of jumping on the bandwagon. We always go with the majority, always out with the old and in with the new. We hate to say it, but this bandwagon mentality has, in fact, become apparent even in our fight for sustainability.

The world is slowly coming to an end. With this realization, people suddenly find themselves environmental advocates trying to tell others what to do and what not to do. They blame others for not using environmentally friendly products and refuse to see that they, themselves are to blame for this world’s degradation.

We are saddened by the fact that people pretend to be environmentally friendly. Even corporations dub themselves “green” just to promote their products and increase their profit; little do they know that being environmentally responsible is more than just self-proclamation. It’s about letting their actions do the talking.

Yes, going green has become a bandwagon and people have chosen to jump on it for the wrong reasons.

We know how cynical it is to believe that most people only care for the environment because they see their favorite celebrities promoting their environmental advocacy on TV, that they pretend to care because it’s the “it” thing. We know it is skeptical of us to believe that this “green” thing is just like a fashion trend that will soon go out of style and like any other fad, people will grow tired of it. And for once, we really do hope that we are wrong about all these beliefs. We hope that this bandwagon effect isn’t real.

We are in no position to tell you what to do or what not to do, for we, too, are guilty of polluting our world..

 But we have this desire for change—in ourselves and how we perceive this world. Slowly, let us work on improving our actions that affect the environment.

As of this moment, let us oblige  ourselves not to use Styrofoam products (which take 500 years to decompose) and plastic straws (roughly about 5% of pollutants in Pasig River) not just because we want to but because by doing so, We’ll be able to reduce the burden that our world is bearing and somehow stop environmental degradation.

Let us be aware that our every action, no matter how insignificant it may seem, affects this world and all the things (living or non-living, big or small) that live in it.But only compliance with it will bring our vision of a “Healthy Earth” into reality.

Most of you may have reacted violently against it, but we assure you that there is a greater good that lies beyond our decisions not to use styro products. It gives us hope that somehow, in some way, we can bring back the beauty this world had back when it was unpolluted, bountiful, and young. It gives this world a chance at life, at perfection.

Mother Earth needs us. She needs us to stop being villains who slowly poison her with our selfish acts and start being heroes who will save and preserve whatever is left of her beauty. If we could only feel her pain, we wouldn’t have second thoughts about helping her. If we would only pay attention to her calls, we would stop being indifferent.

Global Warming: Causes and Effects

Global warming poses a serious threat to life on earth. Although scientists are unclear about the exact implications of global climate change, most experts agree that plant communities, tropical landscapes, wildlife habitat, sea levels, weather patterns, and human mortality would be negatively impacted. Despite these findings, industrialized nations are reluctant to curb their dependence on carbon-based fuels which contribute to an intensified greenhouse effect.

In recent years, scientists have become increasingly concerned with the challenge of global change. Human life is causing a number of dramatic changes in the planet's ecosystem. Many of these changes are damaging to the ecosystem, and some of them are irreversible. The two most drastic changes that the planet will face in the twenty-first century are the greenhouse effect and the depletion of the ozone layer.

The greenhouse effect, also known as global warming, is caused by various gases which get trapped in the earth’s atmosphere. Some of these gases, such as methane, are caused by the decomposition of organic matter. However, the worst greenhouse gases are those which are caused by human beings. These include carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide resulting from the burning of fossil fuels, and chlorofluorocarbons resulting from the use of aerosol sprays and refrigeration systems. Under normal conditions, much of the infrared energy of the sun bounces off the earth and reflects back into outer space. However, when these gases accumulate in the earth's stratosphere, the energy from the sun is trapped near the earth's surface (4:131). As a result, the earth's temperature is increased. This increase in temperature has a powerful effect on climate, as well as raising sea levels around the world.

Pollutants are the main key factor of causing various changes in our environment. The effect maybe drastic in the coming years if we will not focus ourselves and help save our mother Earth. How? Getting green, finding alternative ways for solar energy and preserving our nature are some of the key factors that we can do to save it. We can, if we will try. It is within our hands, for the future generation’s sake.

What You Need to Know About Global Warming

The Earth has warmed and cooled time and again and history has proven that all these years. Because of abrupt shifts in its orbit, the climate has changed when the planet received more or less sunlight as the atmosphere changed.

How does this warming changes pattern now affect our climate?  Are we sure that human-released greenhouse gases are causing the warming? Will the Earth becomes warmer five years from now? How much more? How can we adapt to these changes? These are just some of the million questions we need to find answers before it is too late.

There are lots of definitions of what is global warming. One of those, from Wikipedia defines: Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century and its projected continuation. According to the 2007 Fourth Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or IPCC, global surface temperature increased 0.74 ± 0.18 °C (1.33 ± 0.32 °F) during the 20th century. Most of the observed temperature increase since the middle of the 20th century has been caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases, which result from human activity such as the burning of fossil fuel and deforestation. Global dimming, a result of increasing concentrations of atmospheric aerosols that block sunlight from reaching the surface, has partially countered the effects of warming induced by greenhouse gases.

With this, it is a fact that the Earth’s temperature begins with the Sun. Incoming sunlight is reflected back into space for about 30% through the clouds and the ice. About 70% of those comprises mostly absorbed by the land and ocean and the rest is absorbed by the atmosphere. And this absorbed energy from the sun heats the Earth.

As the rocks, the air, and the seas warm, they radiate “heat” energy (thermal infrared radiation). From the surface, this energy travels into the atmosphere where much of it is absorbed by water vapor and long-lived greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane.

When they absorb the energy radiating from Earth’s surface, microscopic water or greenhouse gas molecules turn into tiny heaters— like the bricks in a fireplace, they radiate heat even after the fire goes out. They radiate in all directions. The energy that radiates back toward Earth heats both the lower atmosphere and the surface, enhancing the heating they get from direct sunlight.

This absorption and radiation of heat by the atmosphere—the natural greenhouse effect—is beneficial for life on Earth. If there were no greenhouse effect, the Earth’s average surface temperature would be a very chilly -18°C (0°F) instead of the comfortable 15°C (59°F) that it is today. –Earth Observatory by Holli Riebeek

Now, this global warming issue will definitely affect us in the coming future. And my question is, unless we find definite solutions, alternative ways, take care of our ecosystem…are we ready yet?

They say, prevention is better than cure. I’d say, we go green now and I hope somehow this will heal our ailing world.

The Better Options

While the world clamor and lean upon big companies of oil, several nations around the globe are considering the “big shift” to alternative energy.

During the first quarter of 2005, the cost of gas climbed to the highest price one can ever imagine. The whole world was shaken and I wonder what if there are other ways? There should be. We have a lot of resources that has given by God for us to use but not abuse.

As compared to America, other nations such as Australia, France and Germany continuously looks for an alternative ways of expanding other possibilities. Seriously focusing on other ways to preserve the nature and at the same time find other ways of getting energy aside from the oil plus the fact of climate change issues.

Politically, the American blight in the Middle East is of great advantage to countries in support of renewable energy, because these countries are getting a head start on the global race towards the technological development of more efficient renewable energy systems. Billions spent on preservation of the status quo of the OPEC nations assures France and Germany oil for the immediate future. At the same time, the money saved from opting out of participation in the Coalition can be used to build many alternative energy resources and research new methods of securing renewable energy. Well-orchestrated protests against American involvement in Iraq and other Middle East countries endears Canada, France and Germany to the world (source: A Dream for a Future with Alternative Energy by Robert S. Leonard).

The issue here of course is to find ways of getting alternative energies other than being dependent on oil.

Some feel adamant that alternative energy will not only provide cheaper energy but remedy or at least diminish the primary reasons for ongoing global conflict. Alternative energy provides the ability to offer a large level of redundancy in sources so that countries are not dependent on the natural resources of another nation. It also provides a much cleaner energy, reducing the tremendous pollution problem of fossil fuel. The profitability of alternative energy is an investment that starts today and pays off tomorrow (source: A Dream for a Future with Alternative Energy by Robert S. Leonard).

Taking advantage of what we have right now, like for example, the sun. For so many centuries, it keeps on shining down on our planet. With the advances in solar energy starting right now, every electrical need could be satisfied with solar power and the grid. It will just take a good focus and funding by the government to modify and encourage everyone to shift gears and make it happen.

Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, wind mills for mechanical power, wind pumps for pumping water or drainage, or sails to propel ships (source: Wikipedia). For as long as it is free, abundant and can be seen anywhere in any part of the world, if one can just modify that into an alternative energy, it is like hitting a jackpot in a lottery.

Wind turbines are quiet and have an unending resource to produce energy for any country smart enough to use them.

The whole point of alternative energy is to provide sustainable, clean, cost-effective, and localized energy to our communities. To be able to achieve this, just like any science theory; we need to analyze, identify the problem, test the solution, and conclude.

After all, if we reflect back and we take a look at our roots, life is simpler then. We do not have to complicate things to get what we want. Finding alternative energies as well as taking care of our climate can easily be achieved if we try it out first. 

Warming Troposphere

The troposphere is the lowest portion of Earth’s atmosphere. It contains approximately 75% of the atmosphere's mass and 99% of its water vapor and aerosols.

The word troposphere derives from the Greek:  tropos for "turning" or "mixing," reflecting the fact that turbulent mixing plays an important role in the troposphere's structure and behavior. Most of the phenomena we associate with day-to-day weather occur in the troposphere (source: Wikipedia).

On November 15th, reports from US and British meteorologists, according to Reuters, state that - Not only is Earth's surface warming, but the troposphere -- the lowest level of the atmosphere, where weather occurs -- is heating up too.

In a review of four decades of data on troposphere temperatures, the scientists found that warming in this key atmospheric layer was occurring, just as many researchers expected it would as more greenhouse gases built up and trapped heat close to the Earth.

This study aims to put to rest a controversy that began 20 years ago, when a 1990 scientific report based on satellite observations raised questions about whether the troposphere was warming, even as Earth's surface temperatures climbed. It was found that the model results and atmospheric data sets, found no fundamental discrepancy between what was predicted and what is happening in the troposphere. It is warming, the study found.

This controversy led different views from different organizations. International climate change talks are set to start on Nov. 29 in Cancun, Mexico, but prospects for a global deal to curb greenhouse emissions are considered slim (source: Reuters).

Now, whether this leads to another study to take effect regarding global warming, that is another issue that the committees on global warming all over the world will be dealing with in the future.

Right now, all we know is that somewhere out there, climate is dramatically changing and that we should find alternative ways to sustain and preserve everything we have.