Posts Tagged ‘environment’

Unconventional Gas

Wednesday, January 12th, 2011

In today’s world unconventional gas is becoming more and more relied upon. For centuries we turned to conventional natural gas to mine. This is the easiest and the cheapest to extract from.

Unconventional gas then would be those deposits which are not as easy or economical to mine. While that seems simple enough, the explanation doesn’t end there. As technologies improve, and new processes evolve to mine these gases, what is considered unconventional today may be considered the conventional gas of tomorrow, and some others may take their place in the unconventional sector.

Places like Anadarko basin in Western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle were once considered to have unconventional gas deposits. Not any more, because in the 20 years or so there have been laws passed, polices changed, like the Natural Gas Policy Act, and more.. Today they have become conventional areas.

Incentives were given to explore, extract, and develop deep exploration technologies in this area, as well as others. Costs were driven down as new ways to drill were discovered, and the shift occurred.

What Is Unconventional Gas?

1 – Coalbed Methane is coal that is deep underground and runs in seams; this is where methane gas builds up. It still is dangerous for miners but it is a great form of unconventional gas.

2 – The second is Deep Natural Gas. This is natural gas that is found deep in the earth. It is normally at lest 15,000 ft beneath the earths surface. This gas is much harder to get to than others. The advancement in technology has made it possible over recent years; it is still easier to extract conventional gas.

3 – When clay is compressed very quickly a natural gas is formed, and deposited into porous materials like salt and sand. This is called geopressurized zones. The zones can be located anywhere for 10,000 ft 25,000 ft down deep under the earth’s surface.

4 – Shale Gas is formed from shallow seas years before. This soft rock will not disintegrate over time when it gets wet. A gas is formed when a small piece of this rock is trapped between two bigger pieces. This is still an unconventional gas and it difficult and more expensive to extract.

5 – Methane Hydrates: This type of unconventional gas is still in its infancy, as it is the most recent to have been discovered. In simplest terms, methane molecules are caged within frozen water. It is thought that this gas may contain more organic carbon than unconventional gas, coal, and oil combined.

Reference: “Unconventional Natural Gas Resources”. NaturalGas.org. June 9, 2010

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Exploration Oil Future

Wednesday, January 12th, 2011

It is thought that unconventional gas production will account for more than half of America’s gas supply in twenty years. One of the main methods being used is barnett shale production, amongst others. Developments in technology have made way for new and exciting energies to reach fruition.

Drilling for oil is no longer simply this. Scientists and improvements in technology are constantly looking for ways to use the existing methods and resources of drilling for oil to create new and prosperous energy. The earth contains many gases and minerals and by products from the oil. Harnessing these resources whilst drilling for oil not only makes sense financially, but practically as well.

Long into the future oil will continue to provide the human race with energy. Oil and petroleum products have powered the world in the form of motor fuels for more than a century, and the demand is only growing. Analysts believe energy demand will only double in decades to come and at present the world is looking to oil and gas to meet these demands.

We use oil everyday in ways that do not initially spring to mind. Oil is also a key ingredient in making thousands of commercial products that make our lives comfortable and easier. For example, petroleum is found in Vaseline and hundreds of moisturizers. Oil refineries use chemical processing that turn crude oil into mixtures that produce products such as plastics, synthetic rubber, synthetic fiber, drugs, and detergents. These products help us make materials more flexible and productive, make the clothes we wear everyday more comfortable and create drugs that help us fight disease and life threatening illnesses.

Top 3 Types of Petroleum Products:

There are three major types of petroleum based products. Firstly you have fuels such as gasoline and diesel. Secondly there are non fuel based products such as solvents and lubricating oils. Lastly but not least there are feedstocks such as naphtha.

Whether we like it or not, humans are dependent on oil. We need it daily, for transportation, in not only our vehicles on the ground but planes, ships, and more. In fact, the airline industry is one of the biggest consumers, and no viable alternative has been found. Coming in second is the industrial market, and rounding out the petroleum consumption are the commercial and home users.

Over one trillion barrels of oil has been extracted and/or produced by humans to date. Since our demand is set to double in the coming decades, we are set to effectively double our oil exploration and extraction – in less than one quarter of the time. Needless to say, gas discoveries and unconventional oil are vital to our future. The most likely resources are both yet to be discovered conventional oil reserves and unconventional gas resources. Scientists and the industry as a whole are in a race against time to perfect the most efficient ways and methods of finding, extracting, and producing oil and its by-products to meet our heavy demands. Now more than ever, exploration and resource management is key.

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Permaculture – An Introduction

Tuesday, December 28th, 2010

We live in an increasingly industrially reliant culture. This culture relies on cheap gasoline, fast food, and disposable goods. Not to mention that it’s fast eating itself up. Introducing permaculture.

When it comes to permaculture, it’s another way we can look at the world and its resources. We’ll look at just what is meant by permaculture, the history of this conservation movement and meet some of its originators and the future of Permaculture. You may find that you are already applying some of the basic tenants of this small but growing movement.

Permaculture is the contraction of the words permanent and culture, as you may have already guessed. Relying on sustainable agriculture instead of being dependent on fossil fuels is what this idea is about.

It will use local resources, smaller more diverse crop planning, non-chemically dependant fertilizing, for example. Permaculture is a movement away from anything big and industrial to the smaller and sustainable farms, encouraging more interdependence with community members.

It all began in the ’70s by a wildlife biologist and ecologist named Bill Mollison of Australia. What he saw was the impact of the Industrial revolution on our culture.

Due to its monstrous appetite, this kind of culture was bound to cave in. He decided to take on a more positive approach instead of reacting in a negative way.

When he studied nature, he concluded that nature goes through sustainable cycle without the benefit of man. Bill began to live and then to teach his philosophy.

Another man who has silently built up a following in this movement is Masanobu Fukuoka. He believes that you should disturb the soil to an absolute minimum. Right on the soil’s surface is where seeds are planted and cover it lightly with straw or light mulch.

Before the flower stage, weeds are trimmed and allowed to be a part of the mulch. It gives favorable soil in which to plant and unwanted vegetation is killed. Becoming less of a concern are the weeds and pests because in time the soil becomes healthy.

In this community, another voice is Ruth Stout. Many have changed their views about weeds and weeding due to her no-till gardening ideas. Similar to Fukuoka, she purported to never need to weed but allowed plants to grow together.

Good and bad vegetation build the soil, leading to healthy crops and less pests. Once the soil is built weeding becomes as simple as flicking out the weed. All without chemicals and pesticides.

Permaculture has small, revolutionary beginnings, making it apparent that it will have to be embraced to a lesser or greater degree. Industrial waste and mass transportation systems causes pollution, but all this is on their way down to memory lane. It will cost too much to ship in food from across the country so it makes more and more sense to buy food grown locally or grow it yourself.

Permaculture as a basic philosophy has grown and spread its less intrusive approach to living on and using the earth. Though it seems to be associated with second and third generation hippies, it’s practiced by Urbanites by growing a vegetable garden and tossing trimmings back on the beds. Regardless of its varied philosophies, permaculture will impact our lives for the good.

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Save The Earth By Being More Environmentally Conscious

Tuesday, December 28th, 2010

Admit it, you contributed to the current state of our environment. By current state, we mean dilapidated and abused to the core without guilt.

If you would say no, think of the paper that you decided not to recycle, the cigarette butts you throw on the streets and the amount of energy you have used up in your lifetime.

It is unlikely that you have lived the life of a caveman, in total respect for Earth, surviving off animal remains and raw vegetables. Although you have contributed to Earth’s slow death, you can begin doing your part to repair the destruction man has inflicted.

The simplest thing to begin with is saving electricity by unplugging your appliances when you’re not using them. Believe it or not, when appliances are left plugged in they remain in a standby mode and continue to consume electricity. Unplugging will save energy for the earth and save money for you.

Another thing to do is stop using those plastic straws. Did you ever wonder what happened to them once you had finished with them? They certainly are being put in anyone else’s drink. They go straight into the trash.

Perhaps the most effective method of going green is to live by the three Rs – reuse, reduce and recycle. Repurpose things like water bottles and newspaper, cut back on energy consumption by leaving fewer lights on and recycle items like paper and plastic. The thee Rs may be pass but they remain relevant and effective.

If you run an office, you can certainly recycle any paper products that are not needed anymore. Setting up a workplace policy will make this an effective measure.

There are still a lot of ways on how you can help Mother Nature heal and most of them are quite easy, actually. The trick here is to feel the effects of the climate change, the need for cleaner water and the responsibility to contribute to change.

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What Are The Core Concepts Of Permaculture Design?

Friday, December 24th, 2010

Digging into a new subject’s key concepts will help us understand it better. To see how permaculture can be applied to ones life, understanding it at its basic will be helpful.

Specifically, we will deal with, sustainability, minimal disruption of soil conditions, and interdependence with our neighbors. To start off, let’s talk about how permaculture can contribute to sustaining the earth’s ecosystems.

Permanent is a part of the term permaculture, and this isn’t by accident. We can work the way nature works and that’s not in a mechanized and forced way of modern times. If human labor and hand tools are the things you’re using, then there’s no need for fossil fuel.

You don’t need petroleum based fertilizers and pesticides since naturally built up soils don’t support disease and pests. For the unused part of the plant, don’t remove it and just lay it back down on the soil so that you not only eliminate the need to amend the soil but you also reduce labor. With mulching, the need for water is reduced because it aids water retention.

The harvest year ending is the ultimate in sustainability and you’re allowed several plants to go to seed. When the dying foliage have been cut down, seed heads and lay them on the ground with the mulch because they will go to seed for next year’s crops. This is more or less giving back to the land everything but what you consume. Also a core concept of permaculture is soil conservation and minimally disturbing the soils. Since tractors and tillers can harm the soil, hand tools will be used by permaculturists. Because heavier equipment compacts the soil, the ground becomes more difficult to use.

Crop production is increased ten fold by intensive gardening as long as the soil is left loose and friable and is not compacted. Out of the same amount of land we can get 10 times more production, meaning there will be more food available for feeding the world’s population. Food shortages would end. It may be hard to believe that we can get more production out of less land by eliminating machinery, but permaculture has proved this time and again.

Rebuilding community is the final key concept. Our industrialized society caused us to become detached from each other as a community.

We get lower quality food because of the need for mass production, local job base is diminished, and the need for outside energy input is created all because we turn to the government and corporations to fill our needs.

You can provide work for your neighbor or local farmer if you buy beef or milk from them and you can also get higher quality food with less fossil fuel input. Because of this, local sources will be utilized and quality products and sustainable loop of profitable work will be created.

In an increasing global economy suffering from constant disruptions in the job market and food chain, this is the future we must work toward for our children and grandchildren. To create a “permanent” culture, we must strive for sustainability, minimal disruption of the soil, and interdependence and shared resources.

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Do Solar Panels Operate in the UK Climate

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010

An alternative to using fossil fuels to source electricity is to use Solar Panels. The appeal of Solar Panels is that they depend only on a small amount of sunshine to run and do not depend on an energy company, making them a handy energy supply in the United Kingdom.

The versatility of solar panels means that they are suitable for small family homes through to large corporate buildings. Power cuts can cause all sorts of problems in households across the country, and the use of solar panels dramatically reduces the risk of a power cut as you are not dependent on a company to supply your energy.

Solar panels are also a popular choice for powering homes and buildings due to being cost-effective. The initial installation of solar panels can be costly, however, the buyer does have the option of installing the panels themselves which would cut down on costs. But they are seen as being cost-effective thanks to the free source they rely on to run effectively; sunshine! The price of fossil fuel, on the other hand, has risen dramatically over recent years and will continue to rise.

Solar panels are not only cost-effective; they are also environmentally-friendly and work towards saving our planet. Solar panels produce natural energy, which makes them the safest method for producing electricity for properties to run on. The environment continues to be a hot topic in the news, and it is apparent that everyone is being encouraged to make the world a greener place, making the use of solar panels popular.

Despite the lack of sunshine in the United Kingdom, Solar Panels can work effectively as they only require a small amount of sunshine to run. Along with the environmental benefits, Solar Panels are a great way to save money on energy bills.

Find out more about home solar panels or how you can invest in solar

Can Solar Panels Save our Planet?

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

Solar Panels are an environmentally friendly way to create energy for electricity. Using the natural elements of the Earth, the solar panels work by absorbing sunlight which is then converted into energy for electricity. They are not only environmentally friendly, but they are also wallet-friendly in the long term. They can be installed for all purposes and all types of buildings, making them a cost-friendly alternative for small houses through to large businesses.

Solar Panels can be installed either by a specialist company or you can install them yourself. A specialist can install the Solar Panels wherever your home or business is based or, alternatively, there are Solar Home Kits available which enable you to install the panels yourself, which will save you even more money.

There is a common belief that Solar Panels cannot work without a constant source of sunshine, which generally puts property owners in the United Kingdom off purchasing them. However, once the Solar Panels are installed, they only require a small amount of sunshine to function properly.

Solar panels work by replacing fuel-based, fossil energy with solar power. It is the best way to power homes and businesses, whatever size they may be. Although the initial purchase and installation of solar panels can be costly, in the long term they are extremely cost-effective, with sunshine being a constant, free source of power.

Using Solar Panels is a step forward in working to save our planet and protect the environment. Electricity can be sourced the environmentally-friendly way using sunlight, and as long as the sun continues to exist, then the free energy will continue to produce electricity! Other energy sources can be expensive and unreliable, making Solar Panels a wallet-friendly option, especially in the current economic climate.

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Get Outside With Your Kids

Monday, December 20th, 2010

The information was supplied by EE IN WISCONSIN, A guide to Wisconsin’s environmental education organizations, programs, materials, and professionals

The Wisconsin No Child Left Inside Coalition is working to develop an Environmental Literacy Plan for Wisconsin that will address the environmental education needs of Wisconsin’s pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade schools and will pay special attention to creating more opportunities to get kids outside. The Plan will recommend a comprehensive strategy to ensure every child graduates with the environmental skills and knowledge needed to contribute to a sustainable future.

Wisconsin has a strong environmental education foundation already established, with active schools, supporting organizations, and abundant opportunities to get outside in rural and urban settings. The Environmental Literacy Plan will build upon these strengths, and suggest priorities for present and future attention. It will lay out the next steps towards fulfilling on our State’s commitment to ensure all people in Wisconsin are environmentally literate.

State Superintendent Evers has formally asked the Coalition to develop the Environmental Literacy Plan for Wisconsin. A Steering Committee meets each month to draft the Plan. The Wisconsin No Child Left Inside Coalition Steering Committee is made up of representatives from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education, Wisconsin Environmental Education Board, Wisconsin Environmental Education Foundation, Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Environmental Science Teachers Network, Milwaukee Public Schools, the Green Charter School Network, and the US EPA’s Environmental Education and Training Partnership. The broader Coalition is kept updated on progress, provides input and feedback to guide the plan development, and ultimately, will play a key role in implementing and evaluating Wisconsin’s Environmental Literacy Plan.

Wisconsin’s Environmental Literacy Plan will be compliant with the pending national No Child Left Inside (NCLI) legislation. The No Child Left Inside Act requires States develop, implement, and evaluate a State Environmental Literacy Plan in order to be eligible to receive funding associated with the Act. Currently, the bill suggests an appropriation of $100 million to support the State Environmental Literacy Plans. You can learn more about the national NCLI Act and its various provisions and requirements here: www.cbf.org/Page.aspx?pid=948.

For more information about Wisconsin’s NCLI Coalition, contact Jesse Haney (Jesse.Haney@uwsp.edu).

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What Are The Benefits Of Being A Permacultural Activist

Sunday, December 19th, 2010

When you know something is a good thing to do, it’s hard not to take an active part in the process and promotion of it. Permaculture, while a very quiet and rather peaceful group of people, has their voice too. Take a look through the following list to get an idea of what benefits there are to participating as a permaculture activist:

Knowing that you are part of an important work – something bigger than yourself. Taking care to work with the intelligence of nature and the built in wisdom of the earth, we can affect positive changes a little at a time.

For your children and grandchildren, you’re providing a sustainable future – We can be a part of our children’s future by low impact living, gardening, and responsible use of resources instead of living in a short-sighted way.

Being part of a group that stands for less dependence on foreign oil and using domestic oil in a more responsible way- When using permaculture techniques. expensive fossil fuel is not needed.

Encourages less pollution due to less dependence on trucks used in transportation of food as well as equipment that uses fuel.

In your community, you can become the voice and your state government can have a ripple effect when people realize that it’s a true and sensible way to live.

In true revolution that can affect the world and the community is what you’ll be allowed to take part of – growing of your own food is a satisfying pursuit and gives real power into your hand knowing that you can look out your back window and see your family’s food source right in your own yard.

Better quality food is what you actively strive for – it makes sense that the food you grow on your own land will have better quality nutrition not to mention taste. You have more control what goes on and in your soil.

Being ready to take a lead in your community when difficult times do come. Your knowledge of permaculture will be important because that’s where the survival of the community will depend on.

Although permaculture won’t rock the world, those who lived in a selfish and disposable world can be given hope. What you can be is a part of the biggest little movement of modern times. And when the time comes, you and your children will be part of raising human awareness and education of men and women that survive the fall of the Industrial Era.

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Permaculture Courses – Increasing Your Insight

Sunday, December 19th, 2010

Anyone desiring to educate themselves in skills in how to “go green” would want to add one more course to their roster: permaculture. You’ll learn techniques on changing mankind’s course by changing how we work in the landscape.

If you take classes on permaculture, the lessons you would benefit from include those learned from nature, ecosystem, and how we humans act to work with all of it. Besides books, you can avail yourself in community college courses and on site laboratory type classes. You can learn how you can become a part of the solution anyway you look at it.

When it comes to books, many have been written on the subject of permaculture and its variations. Important to many students of permaculture is Masanobu Fukuoka’s “The One Straw Revolution.” Like his peers, this man did and mimicked what he saw in nature.

The “No-Work Garden Book” is written by Ruth Stout and it’s amazing how this woman proved how permaculture gardening can be simple and sensible. Unlike her neighbor’s plants who died of frosts, hers was the insulated type of mulching so her plants survived.

Local colleges from time to time offer non-credit courses on topics of interest to community members. Permaculture is fast becoming a popular evening and weekend course offering. Just check your local community college to see if yours has anything along those lines.

Participating in a hands-on internship program that’s sponsored by eco-village type co-ops is another choice for the more physically inclined. Besides getting hands on experience, you’re instructed by those knowledgeable in their field.

As you volunteer on the land, you can choose to stay a week or a month or more. Often you will work side by side with veterans and activists from all over the world. During this time, you’ll be a part of the process that’s going on and that could include planning, soil prep, planting, etc.

It’s also possible that you’ll participate in the preparation and even eat your produce. This group which you’ve become a part of is satisfied in keeping the seeds of change alive. For permaculture communities and co-ops, take a look on the Internet and find out what choices are available for you.

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