Renewable Energy and Alternative Fuel – What is it and Why Should We Care?
There’s a lot of talk right now about transitioning to renewable energy, such as wind and solar power, and converting our transportation system to run on cleaner “alternative” fuels, such as hydrogen and electricity. But what does it all mean? And why should it matter to me? Well, let me see if I can quickly address those questions…

First of all, let’s try to demystify the idea of renewable energy. Most of the energy we use today to drive our cars or light up a room are derived primarily from what are referred to as “fossil fuels.” Most of these fuels are dug or pumped from gigantic sources under the ground. To most people they are invisible until you actually pull up to the gas pump or flip on a light. Even then, there is still a magical, mystical element to it. To the average person the concept of billions upon billions of gallons of oil or pounds of coal is so incomprehensible that it seems unlimited to us. Let’s face it. after nine or ten zeros, our eyes start to glaze over and we just go into nod-and-smile mode. It is difficult for us to believe that this supply is limited. But it is! This is the reality behind the so-called theory of “Peak Oil.” Peak Oil may be a controversial model but the reality is the more we use, the less we have; and the available resources are said to already be on the decline.

At the turn of the 20th century, the United States was the primary supplier of oil. Things have changed. While we still have local supplies in states such as Alaska and Texas, our demand has far exceeded our supply. Anyone that isn’t aware of the implications on our economy and our national security probably has their head buried in the sand, and therefore wouldn’t be reading this article. So I’ll spare you the details. Suffice it to say we are questioning our national security and are on shaky ground economically, due largely to our huge dependence on fossil fuels.

“Renewable” is a fancy way of saying unlimited. Renewable energy comes from unlimited resources. The primary sources of renewable energy are: solar, wind, thermal and hydro. Just remember: the sun will always rise and the wind will always blow; heat will always rise and current will always flow. (I just came up with that off the top of my head, but it sounds pretty good; so if someone else already said it, my apologies). Capturing these sources of energy has been done for thousands of years. The down side to renewables is that they often fluctuate. The sun rises and sets, winds vary, climates change and water flow fluctuates. (Not as catchy, but you get the point). The technology exists to efficiently convert these energy sources into electricity. But to make these usable, the energy must be stored during peak production. To store electricity efficiently, we need cost-effective batteries that last a long time. The ability to effectively store electrical energy has been around for almost 200 years. Technological advancements and enhancements have been made over the last 100 years, but not as much as you might think. The discoveries that Thomas Edison made in battery technology almost 100 years ago didn’t improve substantially until the 1970s and 80s. Even then, those developments didn’t reach the consumer until the 1990s. The average person didn’t even know what a nickel-metal hydride (NiMh) or lithium ion (Li-ion) battery was until a couple years ago. The most prevalent batteries are still lead-acid and these have been around since the beginning. Still, there is a common element in all batteries: metal. The reality is that while the source of energy may be renewable, the resources needed to make it usable is still based on mining special metals and mineral deposits in the earth. Does that mean it’s a bad idea? Absolutely not! Metals can be recycled. Fossil fuels cannot.

Next, let’s see if we can tackle the concept of alternative and clean fuels. “Alternative” basically refers to anything other than traditional fuel sources (e.g. Gas, diesel, coal, wood). It doesn’t necessarily mean renewable or clean, although emphasis is given to those fuels that are. Natural gas is an example of an alternative fuel that, while already used for heating, is not widely used for transportation, and while it is cleaner than petroleum and coal sources, it is not 100 percent clean burning. It is, however, much less invasive to the environment to obtain and transport, and is more prevalent in America. Ideal alternative fuels come from renewable sources and are completely clean burning. Hydrogen, for instance, can be made from prevalent sources such as water and is 100 percent clean, but it needs an energy source, such as electricity, to separate out the elements. Electricity is clean and renewable only if it is generated from a clean renewable source. Fossil fuels supply a surprising amount of our daily electricity needs. Much of the controversy surrounding electric cars is that most of America’s electricity is generated from huge generator farms and coal-burning plants. On the other hand, as more and more states convert to renewable sources, the cleaner and more plentiful it will get. Washington state, for instance, is primarily supplied by hydro power, which, while it does have its own set of environmental issues, is considered zero emissions. The idea of “clean coal” seems viable, but it is at least 15 years from full development and is still not renewable. Out of all the alternative and renewable sources, electricity seems the most promising. While hydrogen is a close second, it is generally used to generate electricity (e.g. most hydrogen cars use electric motors for propulsion). Most likely we will see hydrogen and electricity working together for many applications in the future.

So what does this all mean for you and me? Well, it depends. It’s going to mean something different for you than for me. But what it means for everyone across the globe is that we need to consider some lifestyle changes. There are those who will take this kind of information and try to exact major changes in government policy and national security, maybe even internationally. Actually, this has already been done on many levels. There are even those who have gone into their communities and made a stand for change. But the reality is that we all have to live. Not very many of us have the capacity to make drastic lifestyle changes on the spot without some sort of major cataclysmic event. The inherent warning of Peak Oil is that we are headed toward that cataclysmic event. It may be too late to avoid it completely, but we can soften the blow by making some changes now — even if they are gradual changes. So what can we do? I’m not just talking about changing out your incandescent bulbs with energy efficient CFL bulbs (although this is a good idea). I’m talking about pinpointing one major element of energy usage and changing it to a renewable source. A good place to start is with your car (or at least one of them). You can convert your car to electric for less than you think. Yes, your range will be greatly reduced, but if you have more than one car, use one for long-range driving and the other for short-range. Unless you are one of those people that commutes 3 hours to work, you’ll find that you use your short range, electric car for as much as 90% of your normal driving. The savings in gas will pay for the vehicle in as little as one year. From there, you’re essentially making money in gas savings. If you’re not ready to do something that drastic, you can add a hydrogen generator to improve your gas mileage. It’s not the best solution, but it’s something.

For more ideas on what you can do, check out my other articles or go to my web site.

Technical specialist, Do-it-yourself-er and writer, J.D. Kennedy offers down-to-earth reviews and suggestions for everyday energy products, books and DIY guides at http://www.CleanEnergySolutionZ.com. New reviews are constantly being added, so check back regularly or subscribe.

Trish Smith is a copywriter for Green Student U and Student Finance Domain, websites that are devoted to providing college students with helpful environmental and financial advice.

The article on Reduce, Re-use and Recycle: Waste Management at its Best is part of Waste 1 Disposal Services Inc’s continuing series of articles on waste disposal and recycling.

Waste 1 Disposal Services Inc is a portal dealing with community waste and responsible recycling methods

About Author:
Pauline Go is an online leading expert in the environmental industry. She also offers top quality articles like:
Global Warming Causes, Climate Change Effect

Climate Risk From Flat Screen TVs
Today, hardly anyone uses the conventional television anymore. Instead, most people have shifted to flat screen televisions. Did you know that the flat screen panels add to the global warming? In fact, they cause more damage than a high powered electricity generating coal factory would.

The flat-screen televisions are manufactured using a greenhouse gas known as nitrogen trifluoride. They are so much in demand, that yearly about four thousand ton of gas is being released.

This particular nitrogen trifluoride is a highly potent gas and has 17,000 times more effect than carbon dioxide on the environment. Most of the them use gas inside the panel to create sharper images. This gas is nothing but nitrogen trifluoride. This greenhouse gas remains in the atmosphere for 500 years and sometimes more.

Unfortunately, it was too late before the scientists found this out, and the gas is not even restricted by the Kyoto Protocol unlike other greenhouse gases. Today, the flat-screen television is the only form of television that is available in the electronic market. So, every time we switch on our television we are polluting the environment.

Though this discovery was made very late, it is never too late to make amendments. There are two technologies in flat screen monitors. One uses the gases, the other uses graphical coding. The latter model may use more power but it is less polluting. Therefore, it is advisable to opt for a flat screen monitor that uses graphical coding if you want to help the environment.

About Author:
Pauline Go is an online leading expert in the environmental industry. She also offers top quality articles like :
Global Warming Causes, Climate Change Effect

How Does Mining Affect the Environment?
There are several different types of mining like oil, mineral, gold and coal mining processes. Almost all the processes have one thing in common and that is mining for fossil fuels. Mining is mainly done to extract the minerals and metals from the core of the earth.

Mining is a very profitable business and it also creates employment opportunities. It benefits everyone including the government and that is why the mining industry is widely supported. There are several negative effects of mining for the environment.

To make mining possible, several forests are cleared and this leads to deforestation. Most of the mines in Africa were created after cutting down forests. The vegetation is cleared in order to build the mining facility and laying roads. Several organisms and animals live in these forests. With the deforestation, these organisms and animals lose their natural habitat. So, they start looking for a new habitat in order to survive. However, most organisms and animals do not respond very well this change and end up dying. The biodiversity is lost in this process. A number of smaller plants and creepers that grow with the support of the trees also die due to deforestation.

Every single forest in the world is a biosphere of its own. It is impossible to create a biosphere artificially as the various processes and inter-dependence of organisms is too complicated.

In addition, mining causes a lot of pollution as a lot of chemical waste incurred due to the various processed involved. This waste is released into water bodies, rivers and sea. The chemical composition of the soil also changes in the mining area. It becomes a desert-like environment where nothing grows.

About Author:
Pauline Go is an online leading expert in the environmental industry. She also offers top quality articles like :
Global Warming Causes, Climate Change Effect

Safer Paint Makes Everyone Breathe Easier
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air is three times more polluted than outdoor air. In addition, the poor quality of indoor air creates one of the top five hazards to human health. And paints and finishes are among the leading causes of contaminated indoor air.

In studies of paints and finishes, the compounds used to create these products are shown to release low level toxic emissions into the air during their application, and for years afterward. The source of these toxins is a variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which, until recently, were considered essential to the production and performance of the paint.

Because of health concerns and environmental regulations, low-VOC and even no- or zero-VOC paints have begun to take their place on shelves in hardware and home stores. These paints are durable, cost-effective and much less harmful to human and environmental health.

These benefits include reduced toxins being released into the air, benefitting especially the young, the elderly, those with compromised respiratory systems, and people with allergies and chemical sensitivities.

These low-or-zero- VOC paints and stains also are less harmful to groundwater and landfills and contain less ozone-depleting contaminants. And they need only soap and water to keep clean.

What is the difference between low-and Zero-VOC paints? Low-VOC paints, stains and varnishes are water-based rather than petroleum-based. The levels of harmful emissions are lower, and the amount of heavy metals or formaldehyde they contain is also very low or contains only trace amounts. To meet EPA standards, low-VOC stains and varnishes cannot contain more than 300 grams of volatile organic compounds per liter. Most low-VOC paint available in stores usually contains 50 grams per liter less.

Any paint with five grams of volatile organic compounds or less can be labeled Zero-VOC according to the EPA. Adding a color tint to this type of paint usually brings the volatile organic compound level up to ten grams per liter, but this is still considered very, very low.

Because of the concern over toxic compounds, paint manufacturers are going to great lengths to find ingredients that are safe. Ingredients currently finding their way into paints and stains include plant oils and resins, plant oils and resins, plant dyes and essential oils, natural minerals including clay, chalk and talc, natural latex, beeswax, earth and mineral dyes. One paint company, The Real Milk Paint Company, manufacturers a non-toxic paint made with milk protein, lime, and clay and earth pigments. The paint can be found at realmilkpaint.com. Livos, found at Livos.com, makes organic stains, oils and waxes using all natural ingredients with a linseed oil or citrus oil base.

Another way to maintain better air quality during painting and staining is to leave brushes and rollers alone. Contrary to conventional wisdom, brushes and rollers don’t need to be cleaned after each use. Paint brushes and rollers used for an on-going project can be saved overnight, or sometimes even up to a week without cleaning by wrapping the brush or roller snugly in a plastic bag. You can even use bread or produce bags. The bags need to be squeezed tightly to remove air pockets and must be stored away from the light.

The paint won’t dry because air can’t get to it. Simply unwrap the brush or roller the next day and continue with the job. (This works for water and oil-based paints and stains. It does not work for varnishes or lacquers.)

When it’s time to wash the brushes or rollers, they should be washed in a bucket of water in the sink. Pour the used paint-laden water into a container and bring it to your local hazardous materials waste depot along with your empty paint cans.

To further reduce the impact of indoor air pollutants, circulate fresh air through your house as often as possible, especially after painting. When painting ceilings, be sure to provide cross-ventilation to remove paint fumes. Fumes rise as paint dries, so with ceilings, the fumes dissipate more slowly since there’s no air above the paint. You can also reduce fresh paint odors by placing a small dish of white vinegar in the room.

Preston Sandlin is a home inspector and real estate investor in Charlotte NC. He has been performing home inspections and buying real estate in Charlotte NC for over 12 years. He is a member of the North Carolina Home Inspector’s Association, the Charlotte Regional Realtors Association, and the BBB. – By Preston Sandlin

Clean Tech – Go Green While Still Making Profit
You need not be a rocket scientist to realize that there is a growing concern with environmental issues all around the world. As the primary concern of everyone is to survive on this planet, cleantech or clean technology has emerged as the need of the hour.

Cleantech is a blanket term for a group of emerging environment friendly technologies, which are found in various industries such as energy, water, manufacturing, advanced materials, and transportation. The most common example of cleantech would be the usage of solar energy, water filtration, industrial process controls and hybrid electric vehicles. Cleantech is also a second generation improvement upon the green technologies of the 70s and 80s as it not only protects the environment, but is also cost effective, market driven and attracts venture capital funds. The commercial angle is an intrinsic part of this benign technology, which contributes as a sure factor for its growth.

Cleantech is actually revolutionizing the products and services of various industrial sectors. The aim is to reduce pollution, toxic emissions, energy consumption and input while maintaining the quality and the productivity of the service at the same time. Although it sounds arduous, but believe it or not – people involved are making money out of this! Many clean technologies serve rapidly expanding markets like wind power, solar power, industrial water purification etc and using these technologies have lead to an increase in energy efficiency and reduction of wastage. That is why clean technology has managed to pool huge investment from various mainstream venture capitalists firms in recent times. Since then, even the media has inevitably picked up and circulated the term ‘cleantech’ quite extensively.

Cleantech is indeed an interesting investment prospect because climate change and global warming needs to be tackled, carbon-pricing is on its way up, and fossil fuel is not only getting depleted but its market is also volatile. Additionally, clean technology is now being operated by experienced management teams who have an exclusive expertise over its know-how.

In conclusion, you can say that keeping a tab on cleantech is important as this magnificent technology might very well turn out to be tomorrow’s champion. – By Sonali Bose Sengupta ]]> http://www.reglobe.org/clean-tech-go-green-while-still-making-profit/feed/ 0