Planet to cool is must

A proposal to combat climate change by utilising municipal waste netted a group of engineers from our London office top prize in a competition organised by IMechE (Institute of Mechanical Engineers).

The ‘Cooling The Planet’ competition asked for teams to think of an idea that would help combat climate change either through a geo-engineering or mitigation solution.

The winning suggestion from Planet AECOM (as the team were named) proposed closing the carbon cycle by using Waste to Biochar and Hydro-Pyrolysis technology.

This would allow organic waste streams to be diverted from land-fill to a network of pyrolysis plants. The syngas produced in the process could then be used as fuel, whilst the biochar can be used in agriculture to enrich soils and sequester carbon stably in the ground.

Planet AECOM’s Peter Armitage said: “Our aim was to find a solution that didn’t create new problems so we considered the whole process and not just the hydro-pyrolysis technology.

“This idea uses proven technologies and could be integrated in the existing waste collection schemes and the existing petroleum infrastructure.”

The Faber Maunsell team had to present their idea to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers accompanied by a 20-page written report sent to the judges beforehand.

They were praised by the judges for their clear understanding of the whole process, passion for engineering and their infectious enthusiasm. Each team member received a winning certificate, £500 and praise from the IMECHE members.

Team member Fabia Pennington added: “It was very tough competition and we all feel very proud that the IMechE members chose our proposal.”

Climate change impacts on marine life in the Arctic and Antarctic

Broadly speaking, the most serious environmental impacts are certainly being experienced in the Arctic. Decreasing sea ice extent over the last 20 years, most significantly on the Pacific side but also on the Atlantic side, has been affecting all coastal systems. The ice is starting to melt and coastlines which were glaciated for long periods will not experience ice anymore. This is having a huge impact on the Arctic megafauna, such as polar bears, while the Antarctic, with the exception of the peninsular region, is much less affected, at least for the time being.

Turning to marine life, it's important to note that even though greater temperature shifts are being experienced in the Arctic the benthic life there has also previously been more exposed to a range of temperatures, making them more resilient to change. Antarctic benthic marine life will likely be more sensitive than their Arctic counterparts to temperature shifts if they start to be experienced more generally around the continent. The Antarctic continent is, however, currently less exposed to temperature increases in general, with the exception of the Peninsula, which extends further North and is the site of recent rapid glacial disintegration.

Beware of Global warming

Global warming is thought of as one of the biggest threats to world security in modern times, and it is arguably already taking its toll in our weather system. By a combination of natural cyclical progression, and the impact of human behaviour and activity over the last century, the Earth is steadily seeing the effects of the global warming phenomenon. But what exactly is global warming, and exactly what impact could it have on our environment?

Global warming can be defined as an overall gradual increase in world temperature over time. This is measured by averaging Earth and Ocean temperature, and has shown a steady upwards trend over recent decades. Furthermore, it is thought that over the last half a century, this has been a result of human civilisation and industrialisation. One of the major contributors to global warming is what is known as greenhouse gas, which comprises largely of carbon dioxide from general human activity.

Global warming as a process is thought to be highly devastating in terms of its effect on the climate. 'Climate change' is a phrase which is often use in association with global warming, and it has potentially catastrophic consequences for the world in which we live. 'Climate change' also covers global cooling, which can also occur as a result of human activity and greenhouse gases, and reflects a substantial change in the world's climate, which could change our habitat beyond recognition. This could be characterised by unusual weather patterns, resulting in more frequent natural disasters, which could in turn lead to political and social chaos in the decades and centuries to come.

There are a number of international political treaties which have been set up to change the progress of global warming, although their tangible upshots still remain to be seen. Through political cooperation, it is hoped that environmental targets can be met on an international scale, to make a real difference to the environment. However, at a personal level, there is significant scope for helping, rather than hindering the world in which we live, including recycling household waste, and reducing personal carbon emissions.

Global warming is arguably one of the biggest threats to human civilisation, and it is something which requires a drastic change in lifestyle to reverse. However, with a personal and political impetus, it is hopeful that the damage done to the planet can be reversed for future generations to enjoy.

About the blog

I've just started the blog, Am very much sad about the way earth is been treated by the human being, but its all has already happend, atleast now we should respect our earth and treat to cool the planet.
thanking you
your opinions are always welcome.

The Environment contribution

Many homeowners have begun to save water, both for the environment and to lighten the burden of excessively high utility bills each month. Planting a garden while watching your water usage can be a very tricky thing. Luckily, there are plans and designs to meet the needs of those wanting to plant a garden while saving water.

Drip irrigation systems allow you to efficiently water your garden while still reducing your water usage and lowering your monthly utility bill. Efficiently watering your garden consists of using the needed amount of water, exactly where it is needed and without wasting. Drip irrigation meets all these needs, typically exceeding more than ninety percent efficiency. Alternatively hand sprinkling, water hoses and yard sprinkling systems typically only fall between fifty and seventy percent efficient. This makes drip irrigation a much more likely candidate for those looking to conserve water.

There are advantages and disadvantages to virtually everything. The main advantages of drip irrigation include a lower usage of water, a much easier way of watering your garden and less wasting of water. There are two primary disadvantages, although the pros definitely outweigh the cons in this topic. The basic disadvantages of using this system are the required maintenance and the need to pay strict attention to your garden so that you know that the drip is working correctly.

You will need to monitor your garden every day to ensure that your drip irrigation system is working correctly and feeding your plants the exact amount of water that they need to grow and survive. Breaking lines, fittings pulling away from tubes and plugged emitters are the typical problems that you should expect to find. The longer you have your system in use, the more you will become accustomed to this routine maintenance and it will not take you long to get it done every day. Be sure that you also check your plants and ensure that they look healthy and thriving. You want to watch for any leaks in your system and check the soil around the system and your plants for signs of dryness or over-watering.

You may notice after having your system in place for a time that you need to adjust it. If you need to increase the amount of water that your plants are receiving or increase the amount for other plants, you can adjust the system as you need.

The way that drip irrigation works is by allowing water to slowly drip directly into the soil in your garden. This is done by using small water emitters. These emitters are placed at each plant. The water emitters are connected by tubing. Actually, if you already have a pressurized system you can convert this to a drip irrigation system with barely any work or knowledge of irrigation needed. As long as the system is above-ground, you can change is over fairly quickly and easily to an irrigation system and automatically water your garden. When installed correctly, a drip irrigation system can save you valuable time in caring for your garden. It can save you money on your water bill as well and help you to contribute to the environment by conserving the water that you are using.

Global warming

Stan Wullschleger, who is a researcher at Tennessee's Oak Ridge National Laboratory specialising in the physiological response of plants to global climate change, observes that there are dozens of tree species that could be planted depend ing on location, soil and climate.

It is prudent to remember that ultimately a tree of any shape, size or genetic origin can help absorb carbon dioxide. "The least expensive option is to plant a tree in your garden (if you have one) as it will help offset the production of carbon dioxide," suggests Datta.

Trees that are low maintenance are the best absorbents. This has been pointed out by Dave Nowak, a researcher at the US Forest Service's Northern Research Station in Syracuse, New York.
While studying the use of trees for carbon sequestration in 2002, he discovered that trees like the common horse-chestnut, black walnut, London plane, American sweetgum, Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, red pine, white pine, hispaniolan pine, scarlet oak, red oak, Virginia live oak and bald cypress are very good at absorbing and storing carbon dioxide. In his research paper, Nowak advises urban land developers to avoid trees that require a lot of maintenance, as the burning of fossil fuels to power equipment like trucks and chainsaws will only erase the carbon absorption gains otherwise made.

So, if you want to tackle global warming, all that you need to do is to plant a neem tree in your garden or anywhere in the vicinity! Simple, isn't is?

Plant a tree

Planting trees has often been the first line of defence against global warming. Trees, after all, cool the atmosphere by drinking in the carbon dioxide from the air.
Scientists say that trees absorb and store the key greenhouse gases emitted by cars and power plants. All plants absorb carbon dioxide but trees process significantly more than smaller plants do, due to their large size and extensive root structures.
Says environmentalist Subhas Datta, "In essence, trees are like the kings of the plant world. They have much more "woody biomass" to store carbon dioxide than smaller plants." Subsequently, they are considered nature's most efficient carbon sinks.
According to Datta, certain trees are better absorbents of carbon dioxide than others. "These `carbon traps' usually grow quickly and live long," says Datta. Unfortunately, both qualities cannot be found together in foliage.
Normally, younger trees grow faster but their older partners are better absorbents. It has been found that trees that grow slower can store much more carbon over their significantly longer lives. A study shows that tropical, evergreen forests are better at tackling global warming.
According to a study by Dr Govindasamy Bala of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, evergreens like conifers and red cedar, "cut down on emissions and help keep the planet cool." Dr Bala also observes that the further a person moves away from the equator these gains are eroded.
According to researchers, planting trees in mid and high latitude locations do not have similar effects. In fact, on the contrary they could increase temperatures by 2100.