Air pollution causes millions of deaths each year.  Three of the nastiest contributors of air pollution are Nitrogen Dioxide, Particulate Matter, and Sulfur Dioxide.

• Nitrogen Dioxide is a bi-product of mills, factories, and the gasoline-powered engines.
• Particulate Matter are the bits of soot, dust, pollen, etc. that floats around in the atmosphere. The source: organic and inorganic matter made airborne from construction, mills, factories, etc.
• Sulfur Dioxide is a bi-product of coal-powered factories or anything powered by gasoline. Manufactures use it in industrial processes including refrigeration, making chemical compounds and even used in bleaching processes.

See anything that keeps appearing in the description above? Yes, industrial emissions are a huge contributor. It may come as no surprise that many larger cities are some of the problem areas — especially those cities with lots of industrial complexes and those with lots of vehicle traffic. How do we know this? Well, we have the ability to test the air, use satellite imagery, and other technology to accurately measure and identify the largest concentrations of air pollution.

For example, in Beijing (home of this year’s Summer Olympics) the topic of air quality has been part of Olympic related news and highlights almost as soon as the  International Olympic Committee awarded Beijing the 2008 games all the way back in 2001. In fact, Beijing is one of the worst places you can be to compete or even be a spectator.  Some people joke about L.A., California being smoggy, but compare that city to Beijing.

According to the World Bank’s 2007 Pollution statistics, it is clear how Beijing stacks up against L.A. when looking at the “big three”. Beijing has:

• 64% more Nitrogen Dioxide than L.A.
• 161% more Particulate Matter than L.A.
• 900% more Sulfur Dioxide than L.A.

That’s 10 times as much Sulfur Dioxide…wow.  Of course, other factors contribute to air quality including VOCs, changes in temperature, lack of wind, etc.

The China Climate, Energy and Pollution Program and local government collaborated to help minimize pollution during the summer games. Have you seen video shots of the roads and traffic? City officials implemented a ban that decreased the amount of vehicle traffic by as much as 50%. They also shut down certain factories for a time to reduce the impact of the “big three”. Heck, they even have a system in place to induce rain by launching rockets containing silver-oxide to provide a catalyst for showers. Although I am not sure that is very safe, but it helps dissipate air pollution and cuts down on its stinky odor. Kudos for the efforts.

Now if countries like China could put that same momentum into implementing green programs and cleaner operating facilities…hmmm.  I am not knocking the green actions already underway, just pondering the point.

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Every month the world gets closer to maximizing efficiency while harnessing the power of the sun and wind to produce electricity. In this posting, we’ll explore some of the common misconceptions associated with Solar Power.

If you can think of a use for Solar Power, there is a strong chance it is in use or being developed. Solar Power is used in every state of the U.S. to warm water, provide power to signs, light walkways at night, provide power to operate homes and businesses, provide energy to pump water from wells, heat/cool the air, and even electrify fences for security — ouch!

Myth #1: Solar Power pollutes. Solar Power is not 100% clean/pure due to the use of some chemicals and toxic materials in the manufacturing of semiconductors. Let’s face it, how many materials made by humans really are perfect in that regard? But, it is a heck of a lot cleaner than fossil fuel sources.

You can sleep well at night knowing there are a number of regulations than monitor the process to maximize safety for all concerned. Companies producing Solar technology partner with independent agencies like UL (Underwriters Laboratories) and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to ensure the products and materials go through rigorous safety testing.

Myth #2: Solar Power is expensive. In many cases, it is one of the more cost-effective choices for power delivery. You can reach a breakeven point with cost/benefit in about 8-10 short years. This also depends on your circumstances. Many folks have even gone “off the grid” and never have to rely on power companies for their electricity. Some even have a surplus and can put it back into the grid to help others. An added bonus…you may qualify for state and U.S. government programs that give you incentives and breaks too.

Myth #3: You have to place Solar Power units on the roof. It is common to place solar technology on rooftops as a logical solution. However, solar technology can be placed anywhere the sun shines. Many buildings even work solar technology into windows, artistic structures that receive sun inside, roofing tiles, awnings, trim, and the building material itself.

Myth #4: Solar Power can’t meet the electrical demands of a large town. It is possible to supply a large portion of the U.S. with Solar Power. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the Solar Power resource in a 100-mile-square area of Nevada could supply the U.S. with all its electricity (about 800 gigawatts) using modestly efficient (10%) commercial PV modules. Imagine if all communities expanded their reliance on Solar Power.

Myth #5: Solar Power only works in areas that receive sun most of the time. Devices used to capture solar energy can work well in all 50 states. Yes, even on cloudy days solar energy still reaches the earth’s surface.  There are even Solar Energy storage systems that can store Solar Power for up to a month.

Myth #6: Solar Power is the new standard. As an industry, Solar Power is still in its infant stages of being the big power provider on the block. Even though we are decades away from that ticker tape parade, it’s gathering momentum and every year we get closer to that reality.

Myth #7: Solar panels don’t last that long. Manufacturers are always improving the lifecycle of Solar Power technology. Even though solar panels lose a nominal amount of capturing ability each year, they can still last beyond a manufacturer’s warranty (many offer as much as 25 years).

Myth #8: Solar Power is less reliable than conventional energy sources. Extensive research has proved that, in most cases, Solar Power is more reliable. It is not bound by infrastructure or network problems, consumption, or power outages.

Myth #9: Solar Power can’t reduce our carbon footprint. Solar Power emits zero emissions and greenhouse gases. According to the U.S. Department of Energy: if the Solar Industry were to grow 25% each year (as predicted), the U.S. will offset 10 million metric tons of CO2 per year by 2027. That’s equal to the annual increase emitted by U.S. fossil fuel electricity generation. That’s even beyond carbon neutral and it would help the environment recover.

Myth #10: I need a southern exposure to use Solar Power. Solar panels can face south, east, west, and anywhere in between and still capture a decent amount of the sun’s energy.

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Solvents, stains, household cleaners, and paints are just a few of the items that contribute to the health problems associated with poor indoor air quality. This article doesn’t focus on the myriad of things you can do to help with air quality. Rather, it gives kudos to no-VOC paint manufactures and a brief account of my experience. VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compound. It sounds scary…and for good reason.

Indoor air quality is one of the top leading health risks (according to the EPA).

My wife, Laura, decided it was time for a new inspiring color in her den. So we headed over to the local home store to check out paints. One brand stood out to us — The Freshaire Choice. After doing a little research on the web, it looks to be the only no-VOC paint that contains zero VOCs in both the paint and the tint. It was neat to watch the friendly home store’s paint lady mix the paint.  She emptied the corresponding no-VOC powder packet to the base paint to achieve the desired color.

How does it look on the wall? It looks great and even seemed to dry a tad faster than traditional latex paints. It is important to mention that the paint also stayed mixed throughout the entire project. And, with no headaches…literally. Here are some other advantages of purchasing this paint:

• The paint is certified by the GEI (GREENGUARD Environmental Institute). This is a respected organization with the mission: “to improve public health and quality of life through programs that improve indoor air”.
• The paint chips are made from recycled paper and can be recycled. We brought our samples back to the store and put them back on the shelf.
• 100% of the can is made from recycled material. The bottom of the can we have indicates #5 PP plastic (polypropylene).
• The label is made from 75% recycled fiber and printed with Soy ink.
• It comes with a lifetime warranty…you can’t beat that!

By the way, Laura’s color choice for her office was FA058 — Rushing Stream.

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So, I am driving on the off-ramp to get home. The passenger of the car in front of me rolls their window down and throws out a bundle. A half-eaten sub sandwich, the paper plate, and some potato chips flop onto the shoulder. I immediately think of the following quote:

“We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors; we borrow it from our Children.”
– Quote from a Native American

Human Complacency is one of the problems that needs fixin’ when thinking about our planet’s welfare.

I could not help but think of that quote. Here you have a person doing this lazy act and their ancestors must be thinking…THIS person is the product of our evolution?

Here is another quote that helps my thought pattern…

“Don’t expect everyone to do everything, but expect everyone to do something.”
– Laurie David, Global Warming Activist

It’s a matter of putting a bit more effort into the proactive rather than the reactive. For instance, the same energy it took to roll down the window, and use muscles for the toss, can be redirected into something as simple as, oh I don’t know, keeping it in the car until you reach a trash can and/or recycle bin.

I wonder how some of these individuals would feel if Mother Nature drove to their house and threw some trash on their lawn. Or, if someone threw a lit cigarette through their living room window and it falls onto their living room rug. I believe it would be safe to say that individual would be the first to complain about how wrong it was to do those things.

It only takes a few proactive actions to get the ball rolling in the right direction folks. If you’re already doing that, congratulations and thank you. If you’re not, then start doing things that make a difference. You have an amazing ability to make proactive choices and it feels great!

“No matter how insignificant you think your proactive action is…
it matters to someone or some thing.”
– Greg Ugolini

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Did you see or read “Back to The Future”? One of the characters, named Doc, fuels his flying car with banana peels, pop, etc. Are we there yet? No. However, alternative fuel sources like cellulosic ethanol may become more prevalent in the next few years. In fact, there are already several companies manufacturing it in the U.S.

What is cellulosic ethanol anyway? It’s a carbon-neutral biofuel (energy source) made from plants. Unlike corn-derived ethanol, it makes good use of the entire plant structure. That means we can make more ethanol when combining methods of corn and cellulosic forms. This can decrease our dependency on oil and increase the potential of a feed crop distributed for non-energy use (to feed the hungry for example).

How can that be possible? We don’t need to cut down trees and plant crops to get there. Think of all the people that have trees that have fallen in their area due to a storm. We can make them into ethanol. Believe it! Experts have spent at least a decade exploring the possibilities of harvesting source material. It is just a matter of identifying a cost-effective way of doing the gathering. Here’s a short list of material from which you make cellulosic ethanol:

• Perennial grass (lasts 2 growing seasons, or more, after harvesting)
• Scraps from sustainable logging practices and wood mills (wood chips)
• Corn stover (the leaves and stalks left over after harvesting the corn)
• Your tree trimmings and grass clippings
• Straw (stalks of cereal crops)
• Fast growing trees
• Rotten logs
• Hay

What are the benefits? It can lessen the demand on other biofuel sources like Palm Oil. Case in point, logging of rainforests in Borneo and Sumatra has threatened the habitats of, and members of, thousands of species including the orangutan. The methods of clearing include burning which releases CO2 only contributes to the stacking problem of global warming. Using alternative biofuel sources like cellulosic ethanol can help curb the demand on municipal solid waste plants by diverting material that would normally go there.

At what cost? America and other larger consumer countries have already had both a direct and indirect influence on third world countries by driving the demands of related biofuel exports. Will they just swap one product in demand for another? Furthermore, chemicals used in the making of such biofuels, and the manufacturing plants used to make them, need to be safer and greener than the alternative.

Cellulosic ethanol is just an example of where we can source biofuel. Other sources include algae, vegetable oil, and bagasse (the fiber/pulp left over in the process of turning sugarcane to sugar). Can you think of others?

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