Friday, November 6, 2009

RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES



Solar energy- radiant light and heat from the Sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available renewable energy on Earth. Only a minuscule fraction of the available solar energy is used.
Solar powered electrical generation relies on heat engines and photovoltaics. Solar energy's uses are limited only by human ingenuity. A partial list of solar applications includes space heating and cooling through solar architecture, potable water via distillation and disinfection, daylighting, solar hot water, solar cooking, and high temperature process heat for industrial purposes.
Solar technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on the way they capture, convert and distribute solar energy. Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic panels and solar thermal collectors to harness the energy. Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting materials with favorable thermal mass or light dispersing properties, and designing spaces that naturally circulate air.


Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as electricity, using wind turbines. At the end of 2008, worldwide nameplate capacity of wind-powered generators was 121.2 gigawatts (GW).[1] In 2008, wind power produced about 1.5% of worldwide electricity usage;[1][2] and is growing rapidly, having doubled in the three years between 2005 and 2008. Several countries have achieved relatively high levels of wind power penetration, such as 19% of stationary electricity production in Denmark, 11% in Spain and Portugal, and 7% in Germany and the Republic of Ireland in 2008. As of May 2009, eighty countries around the world are using wind power on a commercial basis.[2]

Large-scale wind farms are connected to the electric power transmission network; smaller facilities are used to provide electricity to isolated locations. Utility companies increasingly buy back surplus electricity produced by small domestic turbines. Wind energy as a power source is attractive as an alternative to fossil fuels, because it is plentiful, renewable, widely distributed, clean, and produces no greenhouse gas emissions. However, the construction of wind farms is not universally welcomed because of their visual impact and other effects on the environment.


Wind power-is non-dispatchable, meaning that for economic operation, all of the available output must be taken when it is available. Other resources, such as hydropower, and standard load management techniques must be used to match supply with demand. The intermittency of wind seldom creates problems when using wind power to supply a low proportion of total demand. Where wind is to be used for a moderate fraction of demand such as 40%, additional costs for compensation of intermittency are considered to be modest.[3][4]


Water Energy-Major investment is flocking to the world’s water resources, with tycoons referring to water as the new oil. Originally a clean water discussion, water for energy production is beginning to receive main-stream attention.
While the energy side often receives much of the publicity, individuals and business are becoming aware of the link to water. Most people understand that it takes energy to produce water and that water can produce energy (hydroelectric power); however, the complexity of the relationship can be seen in just about every aspect of our society.
•Water and energy are essential to every aspect of life: social equity, ecosystem integrity, economic and business sustainability.
•Water is used to generate energy; energy is used to provide water.
•Water and energy are used to produce crops; crops can in turn be used to generate energy through biofuels.
Recent growth in eco awareness has accelerated research to expand within technical circles towards framing the water and energy related issues and searching for solutions. A report by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development discusses the complexities and interrelationships between water, energy and climate change.The report comments: “If we truly want to find sustainable solutions, we must ensure that we address all three in a holistic way. They are pieces of the same puzzle and therefore it is not practical to look at them in isolation.”Leading businesses are beginning to understand the implications of the water/energy link and are improving business sustainability through the implementation of best practices.
•Reduce water and energy consumption through improved operations
•Treat and recycle own water and waste water (with associated energy costs)
•Recover and reuse water and energy (e.g., using steam or heat, recycle other industrial and municipal waste water.
•Develop new markets for water and energy-saving technologies and services
•Engage with local communities to reduce water and energy consumption
As a sustainability consultant, I encourage clients to examine their energy and water consumption. Through greater eco awareness of the links between water and energy, businesses and individuals can make internal improvements and be advocates for change within their communities and industries.

Biofuelsliquid fuels derived from plant materials – are entering the market, driven by factors such as oil price spikes and the need for increased energy security.

Bioethanol is an alcohol made by fermenting the sugar components of plant materials and it is made mostly from sugar and starch crops. With advanced technology being developed, cellulosic biomass, such as trees and grasses, are also used as feedstocks for ethanol production. Ethanol can be used as a fuel for vehicles in its pure form, but it is usually used as a gasoline additive to increase octane and improve vehicle emissions. Bioethanol is widely used in the USA and Brazil.

Biodiesel is made from vegetable oils, animal fats or recycled greases. Biodiesel can be used as a fuel for vehicles in its pure form, but it is usually used as a diesel additive to reduce levels of particulates, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons from diesel-powered vehicles. Biodiesel is produced from oils or fats using transesterification and is the most common biofuel in Europe.

Biofuels provided 1.8% of the world’s transport fuel in 2008. Investment into biofuels production capacity exceeded $4 billion worldwide in 2007 and is growing.[1]


geothermal-is the rate at which the Earth's temperature increases with depth, indicating outward heat flows from a hot interior. Away from tectonic plate boundaries, it is 25-30°C per km of depth in most of the world.[1] Strictly speaking, geo-thermal necessarily refers to the Earth but the concept may be applied to other planets. The Earth's internal heat comes from a combination of residual heat from planetary accretion (about 20%) and heat produced through radioactive decay (80%).[2] The major heat-producing isotopes in the Earth are potassium-40, uranium-238, uranium-235, and thorium-232.[3] At the center of the planet, the temperature may be up to 7,000 K and the pressure could reach 360 GPa.[4] Because much of the heat is provided by radioactive decay, scientists believe that early in Earth history, before isotopes with short half-lives had been depleted, Earth's heat production would have been much higher. This extra heat production, twice present-day at approximately 3 billion years ago,[2] would have increased temperature gradients within the Earth, increasing the rates of mantle convection and plate tectonics, and allowing the production of igneous rocks such as komatiites that are not formed today.[5]

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

The floodwaters around the deluged Philippine capital Manila have yet to fully subside after the onslaught of two successive tropical storms. But the blame game over the response to the crisis, and the nation's lack of preparedness, is rippling outward.

In total, more than 700 people have died and at least 6 million have been displaced, first by tropical storm Ketsana, which reached Manila on Sept. 26, and then by typhoon Parma, which circled for a week over northern Luzon island and inundated communities, roads, and fields in the country's breadbasket. Losses to agriculture are estimated at $400 million.

On Wednesday, President Gloria Arroyo described the Philippines as a victim of climate change and said she would seek as much as $1 billion in foreign aid to pay for rehabilitation. A donor conference is expected by early December. The UN has launched a separate $74 million relief appeal.

But questions have been raised about the extent to which hillside deforestation, watershed urbanization, and the growth of riverside slums had undermined Manila's disaster management. Critics say the politicians pleading for aid have ignored repeated warnings of the capital's vulnerability to tropical storms.

The result may be less a parable of climate change – some experts say extreme weather events are increasing as a result of global warming – than the failings of successive elected governments to heed the advice of urban planners.

"A country that doesn't protect its people before disasters has no business panhandling after," wrote Juan Mercado, a columnist in the Philippine Inquirer.

The row may have political consequences as the Philippines prepares to elect a new president next May. Ms. Arroyo, who took office in 2001, isn't eligible to run again. Her defense secretary, Gilbert Teodoro, who has declared his candidacy, chairs a disaster coordinating council that has been criticized over the sluggish flow of aid to storm victims, as well as the continued inundation of some communities.

In a national poll taken before the storms struck and released Wednesday, Mr. Teodoro trailed far behind Sen. Benigno Aquino, who was the choice of 60 percent of respondents. Only 4 percent of respondents named him as their preferred choice.

Mr. Aquino is the largely untested son of popular former President Corazon Aquino, who died in July and is credited for steering the nation to democracy after the fall of dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986. The second placed candidate, Sen. Manuel Villar, polled 37 percent in the survey. Former President Joseph Estrada, who was ousted in 2001 and put on trial for corruption, came third.

Teodoro's prominence in the relief operations may boost his poll numbers if voters feel gratitude for what aid did come their way, says Steven Rood, the country director for the Asia Foundation, a US nonprofit. It could go the other way, though, if the cleanup effort falters and victims blame the administration.







Last weekend, Tropical Storm Ketsana (local name "Ondoy") pounded Manila and nearby areas of the Philippines with a month's worth of rain in just a few hours, resulting in floods that covered 80% of the city with as much as 20 feet of water. The typhoon left in its wake nearly 300 people dead and hundreds of thousands displaced.

We're very saddened by the losses the Filipino people have sustained during this calamity. To help you stay up to date on the disaster and contribute to the relief efforts, we've put up a Help for Typhoon Ondoy Victims in the Philippines page that contains the latest news from local media outlets, lists of verified donation sites and emergency hotlines, and a volunteer-maintained map of persons needing rescue.

Filipinos have been posting videos of the flooding and its aftermath on YouTube. You can also visualize the overflows along main rivers and bays in Google Earth with this kmz file.

If you're familiar with Google Maps and would like to get involved in the effort to map missing persons, relief centers and road conditions, you can email the volunteer team at typhoonondoy@googlegroups.com. We will continue to update the page with the latest information and imagery, and keep your eye on the Lat Long blog for updates about disaster relief efforts.


Last weekend, Tropical Storm Ketsana (local name "Ondoy") pounded Manila and nearby areas of the Philippines with a month's worth of rain in just a few hours, resulting in floods that covered 80% of the city with as much as 20 feet of water. The typhoon left in its wake nearly 300 people dead and hundreds of thousands displaced.

We're very saddened by the losses the Filipino people have sustained during this calamity. To help you stay up to date on the disaster and contribute to the relief efforts, we've put up a
Help for Typhoon Ondoy Victims in the Philippines page that contains the latest news from local media outlets, lists of verified donation sites and emergency hotlines, and a volunteer-maintained map of persons needing rescue.

Filipinos have been posting videos of the flooding and its aftermath on YouTube. You can also visualize the overflows along main rivers and bays in Google Earth with this kmz file.

If you're familiar with Google Maps and would like to get involved in the effort to map missing persons, relief centers and road conditions, you can email the volunteer team at typhoonondoy@googlegroups.com. We will continue to update the page with the latest information and imagery, and keep your eye on the Lat Long blog for updates about disaster relief efforts.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PROTECT THE FOREST


Planting Trees with HIV/AIDS Children
The Foundation supported by the XL Results Foundation has coordinated and sponsored a tree planting event for children with HIV/AIDS from the Human Development Foundation’s Mercy Center in , with the Sanook My Saturday organization.
The event took place on Saturday August 26,
The idea of the children planting a tree that will go on living and contributing positively to the environment for many years to come was inspiring for them and made a great day out. Thailand's Royal Forestry Department assisted with the day and provided their Eco-Green Park within along with seedlings and facilities.
Click on the picture to see photos of the day.

XL Media Selects as its Nominated Charity
XL Media, a certified Social Enterprise under the XL Results Foundation SEA Program has nominated the Plant-a-Tree-Today Foundation, as its nominated cause. XL Media has pledged significant funding and with every new print run of XL Magazine, XL Media will plant trees to cover ten times the paper it uses.
Click on the picture to read more.

Mixes with Tree Planting
Its encouraging to see companies understand the importance of trees, especially in reducing climate change and committing to at least partially offsetting their emissions - or emissions generated by their business. In this regard, Swiss furniture manufacturer is leading the way. According to website their goal is to "reduce the CO2 impact of our business operations. One of the ways will be to plant trees each year to help offset the CO2 impact of travel to and from our stores."
Click on the picture for the full story.

Climate Change: An Inconvenient Truth
Al Gore's high impact film premiers in Bangkok
As unprecedented floods hit Chiang Mai and several other areas recently, a new film premiered in Bangkok that serves as a warning of future weather catastrophes if human beings don't address the problem of climate change.
"An Inconvenient Truth", featuring former United States vice president Al Gore, examines the possible consequences of global warming and future weather-related disasters for mankind.
The film is currently screening at Apex.
For the full story click on the picture.

WHY FORESTS ARE IMPORTANT?


In the good old times, rain forests were one of the main symbols of environmentalism. They're so pretty and diverse. (You know, I am an old environmentalist who has participated - together with Greenpeace guys - in weekly voluntary events to help the trees in the Bohemian Forest and elsewhere!) That old environmental problem was arguably captivating but it has never gained the political power of the contemporary greenhouse religion, especially because of its local (and distant) character. People may be just revealing that even the old problem was based on a deep misunderstanding of the internal mechanisms of Nature and Her inherent strength.I guess that the higher concentration of CO2, the gas we call life, is contributing to the fast expansion of the new forests, too.
Needless to say, those green people who will never give up the idea to regulate everything use trash-talk to deny the importance of secondary forests and their palms, lizards, and ants for the forest budget and the diversity budget of the Earth. But many other people are beginning to see the light: the number 50 simply can't be neglected relatively to the number 1. The environmental zeal is genuinely punishing the local economies in Latin America. It's time for rational people to take over and to use the term green bigots for the green bigots.
Nature can surely get rid of people's impact very quickly. The real question is whether the people, especially the poor ones,are able to preserve their space in influence.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Ways to Prevent Air Pollution


Our earth had already causes and effects,So that our earth don't have causes and effect and to prevent air pollution we will clean our surrounding.....


When our earth don't have causes and efects we will reuse the things can be reuse so reuse all the things can be use so that are earth can prevent air pollution......

Ways to Prevent Air Pollution