The Four-eyed Journal » Environment

A step towards creating renewable petroleum

jhay — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:25:37 +0000

In the vampire vs werewolves sci-fi movie Underworld, vampires have developed the technology to create artificial blood, thus eliminated or minimized their need to go after humans whenever they needed to feed.

Humans and vampires had managed to live in a peaceful co-existence. Or so it appeared.

The same thing could arise once the US has fully developed the technology to create artificial petroleum. Such a technology has now taken root from the study of researchers from the University of Minnesota in the US, led by graduate student Janice Frias whose team has just figured out how to create ketones using bacteria, sunlight and carbon dioxide.

The U of M team is using Synechococcus, a bacterium that fixes carbon dioxide in sunlight and converts CO2 to sugars. Next, they feed the sugars to Shewanella, a bacterium that produces hydrocarbons. This turns CO2, a greenhouse gas produced by combustion of fossil fuel petroleum, into hydrocarbons.

Their study funded by the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-energy will appear in the April 1 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

And even as this news is spread in print and on the Internet, the University of Minnesota is filing patents on the process.

If the study would progress as it is envisioned, perhaps within a decade or two, the US would now have a technology to produce its own petroleum thanks, again, to bacteria, sunlight and CO2.

Perhaps by then, the American thirst for oil would be tamed. This would then minimize the need for their active involvement in the Middle East, assuming by that time that the region’s oil reserves have not yet run dry.

Though I am uncertain how OPEC members would react to such a situation that the US with its artificial petroleum technology would become one of their competitors. I am also uncertain as to whether the US would be willing to share such a technology (wishful thinking, I know) with the rest of the world but since a patent for it has already been filed, then it would become another way for them to maintain their global economic dominance.

Nevertheless, it’s still good news that renewable petroleum is much closer to becoming a reality than fiction. As more sources of alternative energy become available, the more chances we have of saving our plant from destruction while we continue on with our civilization.

Flat-screen-TVs can contribute to global warming?

jhay — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 03:51:37 +0000

For months now, I’ve been seriously thinking, even formulating a budget that will enable me to buy my very first flat-screen TV. But after being alerted by a friend to this news story on The Guardian, I’m having to start second-thoughts:

Environment: Climate risk from flat-screen TVs

The rising demand for flat-screen televisions could have a greater impact on global warming than the world’s largest coal-fired power stations, a leading environmental scientist warned yesterday.

Manufacturers use a greenhouse gas called nitrogen trifluoride to make the televisions, and as the sets have become more popular, annual production of the gas has risen to about 4,000 tonnes.

As a driver of global warming, nitrogen trifluoride is 17,000 times more potent than carbon dioxide, yet no one knows how much of it is being released into the atmosphere by the industry, said Michael Prather, director of the environment institute at the University of California, Irvine.

Ah the self-conflicts of having eco-friendly principles and living in a consumerist, hi-tech world. I’m going to look into this a little further, like when I go out window-shopping again for a flat-screen TV, I’m going to ask the dealers if they have any information about the TVs’ environmental ratings or any relevant information. Of course, I’ll go prowling the web for more information and see which manufacturer is concerned and has done something about this issue.

I’m a techno-geek, but I’m also a green geek, and since nitrogen triflouride is known to remain in the atmosphere for 550 years, I don’t want to dump that stuff up there and help destroy our planet. I just hope Samsung, because I got my eyes on their flat-screen TVs, is concerned and have done something about this issue, positively, instead of downplaying this scientific revelation.

It seems that a dSLR will be my newest gadget this year as getting a flat-screen TV has been pushed down my “to-buy” list of gadgets and stuff.

1 Billion PCs and counting, plus more e-junk

jhay — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:00:06 +0000

Two years ago, I blogged about the growing concern about e-junk: old computers, hardware and other gadgets being thrown in landfills by the tons each year. Well today, the issue remains to be of a growing concern as two stories in the Inquirer brings to mind this issue.

The first one, is about achieving a landmark, a record of some sort as the number of personal computers have, according to research firm Gartner, gone beyond one billion units being used all over the world today.

The number of personal computers in use around the world has surpassed one billion, with strong growth in emerging markets set to double the number of PCs by early 2014, research firm Gartner said on Monday.

Mature markets accounted for 58 percent of the first billion installed PCs, but would only account for about 30 percent of the next billion, Gartner said.

“Rapid penetration in emerging markets is being driven by the explosive expansion of broadband and wireless connectivity, the continuing fall in PC average selling prices, and the general realization that PCs are an indispensable tool for advancement,” George Shiffler, research director at Gartner, said.

Gartner expects more than 180 million computers will be replaced this year, with some sold to second owners through various channels, some broken up and recycled, but many simply dumped directly into landfill.

“We estimate … some 35 million PCs will be dumped into landfill with little or no regard for their toxic content,” said Gartner analyst Meike Escherich.

First it was Firefox 3 achieving a Guinness World Record, now it’s the PC. However, the last paragraph I quoted proves that it’s a good thing Firefox is a software, an intangible piece of technology so widely used today.

If it had been another physical gadget, Firefox 2 would’ve easily filled up many landfills once users have replaced them with Firefox 3. Experts say that the number of PCs would continue to grow as more households in developing countries could afford them while others continue to upgrade their existing machines. Where does the old ones go? It’s clear that more and more solutions to handling e-junk must be put in place otherwise, junk PCs could replace junk vehicles in dump sites, junk shops and landfills.

If one billion PCs are causing this much concern about waste disposal and environmental protection, how about three billion mobile phones being used world wide? That’s the focus of the second story also found in the Inquirer; old mobile phones are now becoming a health and environmental hazard.

The fate of the more than three billion of the gadgets in use today will be discussed by more than 1,000 delegates from 170 countries at the meeting on the Basel Convention in Bali, a statement said.

Delegates to the conference will discuss new guidelines for disposing of the phones, which have grown from technological obscurity into a household essential — and a major waste challenge — in a matter of years.

The conference would “consider adopting new sets of guidelines for the environmentally sound management of used and end-of-life mobile phones,” a statement from the organizers said.

“The use of mobile phones has grown exponentially from the first few users in the 1970s to … more than three billion in April, 2008. Sooner or later these phones will be discarded, whole or in parts.”

In all my years of being alive, I’ve used only five mobile phones so far; my very first was a Siemens C-something back in 2000. The second was a Nokia 3210, handed down to me by my grandpa, which was replaced by a Nokia 3310, also handed down by him in 2004. It was in turn replaced by a Nokia 3530 and by May last 2007 it was replaced by a Sony Ericsson K800i. Each phone servicing my needs for an average of two years at the most.

Most of my friends on the other hand had a new mobile phone at least twice in half-a-year. Some even having a new one every three months! While my old phones were either lost or handed over to my other relatives, I still use that relic Nokia 3530 as a secondary phone, my friends simply threw away some of their replaced phones while the others were traded in for the new ones.

Now this is just in my circle of friends. What about the billions of other people who also use mobile phones and replace them in even faster rates? How many phones end up landfills world wide? What are we doing to minimize or eliminate their impact on our environment?

It’s fun, cool and productive to have modern tools, but why does it have to come at stiff price on our health and environment? Surely, we could do better.

Where are the Pinoy eco-bloggers?

jhay — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:22:29 +0000

Warning: This is a long rant

Earth Day has gone and passed and though there are still hangovers from the celebration, little has changed. We’re still destroying our planet.

Though things are starting to change, if a little late, the nature channels like Discovery and National Geographic have started to showcase documentaries and programs not just about the environment and nature but how we can protect both. Discovery has their Green Planet programs which so far has been quite interesting. I’ve seen a program about possible solutions to the looming energy/oil crisis.

All of this started when Al Gore’s documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” won several Oscars the year it made headlines. Global warming, the climate change, and saving the environment has taken center stage. But this is in the mainstream media. Where are the eco-bloggers?

In particular, where are the blogs about the Philippine environment?

Blogging has been around in the Philippines eco-blogs must number in the dozens if not hundreds, so I first went to the re-launched TopBlogs.com.ph thinking that it would make my search much easier.

Lo and behold, it doesn’t have a category about the environment or nature. Perhaps it will be added in the next expansion of the site.

Of course this depends on whether environment-focused blogs will come out and flourish in the local blogosphere. And so far, we have a very, very long way to go.

If probloggers have been constantly telling us to find a niche to blog about, this is it. The make money online niche is just so saturated most noobs would just contribute to the ‘noise chamber’. The same goes for the staple niches like technology and gadgets, how to become better bloggers, star/gossip/PBB and others.

Blogging about the Philippine environment would make a lot of sense because our country has been tagged as one of the richest in terms of biodiversity. More insects, plants and animals are found in our islands and no where else in the planet.

We have some of the most diverse and beautiful coral reefs, beaches and lagoons.

“we blog as if everything is fine and dandy in the Philippines”

We also have some of the most polluted cities in the world. Our forests are also one of the fastest disappearing ones. We also have some of the most polluted rivers, some of the worst mining disasters in the world – there are just too much to blog about our environment.

But no, we care more about exotic donuts, cheap notebooks, PBB, expensive coffees, gossip and anime that we blog as if everything is fine and dandy in the Philippines.

I’m starting to rant off and before I go on and on, I’d end it here. Hoping that I would strike some nerves, wake minds and touch others’ sensitive sides, but if it will cause them to start blogging about their neighborhood, their province’s environment situation, our eco-status then all the trouble will be worth it.

We Pinoy bloggers are strong believers in the power of new media and blogging. We’ve already proved that this could change our society. How about we do it once more and this time around, let’s do it to save our environment.

We may not be directly involved but our blogs could be the start of something, good and green.

If not, then to hell with blogging and to hell with the Philippine blogo…oh nevermind.

10 Good things to start this Earth Day

jhay — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 23:54:23 +0000

Here’s a list of some common and easy eco-friendly things we could start doing this Earth Day. By ‘start’ I mean start practicing these until the very last days our lives and not just because today is Earth Day and once it’s over, tomorrow we’ll have no guilt in going back to our dirty and earth-destroying ways.

Pick-up your trash – it’s a small piece of plastic candy wrapper or the terta-pak of your drink, for God’s sake the people who live near dump sites have far bigger problems than you do, so pick it up and put it in the proper trash bins.

Sort your trash – you’re either dumb or blind or just plain evil if you cannot put your trash in its proper trash bin. It has been labeled and color-coded properly and so obviously so that you’ll know which bin to throw in your trash.

Recycle or re-use what you can – bring a basket or huge bag whenever you go shopping, in the market or in the mall. You’d be surprised that you’ll no longer have to spend time getting rid of the dozens of plastic bags you brought home with you because instead of putting a small bottle of lotion or perfume straight into your hand bag or basket. If for now you’re too lazy to recycle your trash, bring it to your local junk shop or join a local recycling group in your community. It’s about time you bond with your neighbors for a good cause and not just to share gossip.

Stop burning your trash – it’s the lazy, Earth-destroyer way. Plus think of all the troubles you give your neighbor whenever you burn stuff on your backyard, front yard, sidewalk or even out on the streets. So you’re not a cave man so throw your trash in the proper bins.

Start composting – They say a great bulk of household trash is leftover food. Do the garbage collector a favor, bury your leftover food in your backyard, a pot or drum of soil and turn it into a compost. It’s your first step to gardening or a great boost if you’re already in it.

Not using it? Turn it off – unplug appliances and devices whenever it is not in use. It will shave a lot off your electricity bill, minimize the risk of having your house burned down and prolong the life of your appliances. Charge your cellphone, iPod, laptop and other gadgets only when the battery is low, it’s called rechargeable for a reason.

Clean up your engine and go for a tune-up – you may not fancy bio-diesel but the least you could do now is to make sure your engine is clean and in the right setup to maximize fuel efficiency. Once “green” cars do become available for the masses go get one. Remember, driving a vehicle is one of the most polluting thing we humans could do today.

Car pool or take the public transport – it doesn’t only save you on gas money but it also brings you closer to the community and less sin to Mother Nature. You would sometimes find it a more relaxing trip to just sit back and relax instead of driving a vehicle yourself.

Join the campaign to save our planet – we’re not asking you to go and duke it out against the whalers or careless oil, mining companies etc. Just become aware of the state of our environment and you’d find simple ways you can help clean it up and save it. Join a local environmental group or start one. God, Mother Nature and your grand children’s great grand children will remember you as a saint and hero.

Watch the “An Inconvenient Truth” later on HBO tonight at 9pm, we’re not saying you to worship Al Gore, we’re asking that you listen to what he’s going to say and what he’s going to show you. Trust me, it will spark something in you.