Natural Environment Blog

The hemp plant is of foremost importance to protecting the environment. It is simultaneously the most useful and the most underutilized plant of anything we have access to. The environmental implications of hemp are wide reaching and extremely powerful.

Not only is hemp great for the Earth’s environment, but it is the most nutritious resource for the human body’s internal environment.

While hemp’s benefits require pages upon pages to describe completely, I’d like to give a brief overview of everything this one plant is capable of.

Growing Hemp

The act of simply growing hemp is great for the environment. The roots are incredibly long, and break up the soil to make it easier for other crops to grow in. This also brings up nutrients from deep down for future crops, including more hemp.

One report from Kentucky stated that a batch of hemp was grown on the same land for 14 consecutive years, without any reduced yields or soil depletion. This is pretty incredible, considering that hemp can yield four times as much pulp per acre as trees, and three times as much fiber as cotton.

One ton of carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere for every two tons of hemp grown, and since hemp can produce as much as twelve tons per acre, the carbon dioxide removed adds up fast.

Hemp Products

Hemp can be used to make all kinds of environmentally friendly products, and is a great way to help us use much less petroleum.

Hemp can be used as a clean biofuel which releases no sulphur oxides when burned, and as a biodegradable alternative to petroleum plastics.

Hemp paper is stronger than wood pulp paper, can be recycled up to 8 times (compared to 3 with regular paper), and does not require dangerous bleaching agents.

The list goes on and on, but what is perhaps most important is the power of hemp nutrition.

Hemp Food

Seed from the hemp plant is the most nutritious food in the world. It contains 11 grams of protein per 3 tablespoons, but the quantity is not as important as the quality. Hemp protein is 100% complete, with all the essential amino acids, but an even better characteristic of hemp protein is its bioavailability. It is 65% globulin edestin, a simple type of plant protein that is very easy to digest. This is the highest in all the plant kingdom and it makes hemp protein the best protein in the world.

As if that wasn’t good enough, hemp protein has the perfect balance of Omega-6 and Omega-3 essential fatty acids, along with Omega-9 fatty acid. These acids are critical for the body to efficiently perform life sustaining chemical processes, and having high quantities of good fatty acids will reduce the risk of all types of diseases.

Further still, hemp seed has lots of fiber (10% soluble, 90% insoluble), minerals (magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, zinc, calcium, and more), antioxidants, and chlorophyll.

Why is this especially important?

Hemp seed can be baked into bread and used as a staple food. If this were the staple of the world, there would be no malnutrition at all, and that goes for developed and undeveloped countries. The power of hemp needs to be utilized by the world, for the sake of the environment’s health and our health!

This article was written by Justin Kander from Versativa, an innovative new company which produces raw hemp food and a powerful type of hemp seed concentrate. Dozens of people with little raw food or hemp experience have used these products to change their lives and experience the benefits of hemp for themselves. If you want highly detailed information about the company, products, and dozens of testimonials, check out the Versativa Superfoodspage.

Today, most people know all about the various green ways of generating electricity: wind turbines, solar panels, hydro-electricity. But green heating methods for the home are somewhat less known. Let’s have a look at the various methods of heating your home in an environmentally friendly and economical manner.

Solar Heating

Similar to solar panels used for generating electricity, solar heating panels can be installed to generate hot water for your home to be used for central heating as well as tap water. If installed to an optimum standard, this method can account for 40-60% of your hot water, the remainder made up by traditional gas heating.

In the winter when there is less sunlight, solar heating naturally is not as effective, so this method is not as reliable throughout the year. However, the important thing to remember is that the resource that it requires, sunlight, is free.

Electric Radiators

This modern, state of the art approach to central heating is highly cost effective. Compared with traditional radiators, electric radiators are much cheaper to run, costing just a few pence per hour. They do not require pipes, keeping the heat confined to the radiators themselves. They also use a lot less electricity than your average storage heater.

If your home is solar or wind powered, this method of central heating truly makes your home totally self sufficient.

Geothermal Heating

This method of heating is gaining large popularity. Geothermal heating utilises the heat found deep underground. By running pipes underground, heat can be brought into the home, and hot air extracted to be ventilated into the building. This heat supply is much more constant than solar heating throughout the year and is readily available for whenever it is needed. This method can provide up to 70% of your heating requirements and, like solar heating, can be combined with a traditional gas source. It is no wonder why this method is gaining such popularity.

Under Floor Heating

This is a very popular heating method. Under floor heating is especially useful for homes that are built in older renovated buildings that do not have existing central heating systems.

This method comes with two options: wet or dry. As the name suggests, the wet option involves pipes with running warm water keeping the home at an optimal temperature. The dry option involves electricity and woven materials. This is a much more expensive option than the wet option, however it is much easier to install in older buildings where the system needs to be build into existing architecture.

Conclusion

You may be thinking that these methods of heating are expensive to install. While this is true, it is important to consider the money that you would save over the coming years by purchasing less gas, or even no gas, to heat your home. These methods, combined with good insulation, can save you as much as 70% on your heating bills. It’s time to move our heating methods into the 21^st century as we gradually say goodbye to our old fossil fuel friends.

Guest post written by Chris Johnson on behalf of Electric Radiators

In light of the growing threat of global warming and other environmental catastrophes, the need for new green technology that will contribute in saving the environment likewise rises.

Green technology refers to the continuously developing system of research, methods, theories, products, and practices that all lead towards safeguarding the earth’s natural environment. It also includes the promotion of sustainability of natural resources, reduction of waste and pollution, and development of green alternatives in modern technology.

This year, 2011, new green technology has surfaced. These breakthroughs are considerably major steps in saving the environment. Below are the top five green technology breakthroughs in the last six months of 2011:

1. GE Refrigerators Going Green

General Electric has recently announced that it is now using gas which significantly reduces the emission of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gas, which is the trapped heat in the earth’s atmosphere, is one of the most common factors that affect climate change. Examples of greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrous oxide, methane, and ozone.

Industrial processes involved in the manufacture of modern machinery likewise result to GHG or greenhouse gases—examples of which are sulfur hexaflouride, perfluorocarbons, and hydrofluorocarbons. In order to reduce the emission of these gases, General Electric is conducting research and development and their latest breakthrough in refrigerators this year is proof of their success in the said field.

The company will switch to the new gas in its procedure of pouring in foam installation to its fridges. Dubbed as “atmosphere-friendly gas,” this latest initiative from GE paves the way for about 99 percent of greenhouse gas emission reduction. This innovation is part of GE’s Ecomagination system, a company initiative which was launched in support of green technology.

2. Mini Hydrogen Fuel Cells

Hydrogen Fuel Cells are electrochemical energy converters. The fuel cell converts hydrogen and oxygen into water and during this process of conversion, electricity is produced. These fuel cells are, in a way, working like batteries. The difference is that the chemicals contained in a battery eventually dies and cannot be replenished. In a hydrogen fuel cell, hydrogen and oxygen is continually supplied so it then becomes a very practical and useful power generator.

This year, the company Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technologies is making it possible for people to have their hand-held mobile devices powered by hydrogen fuel cells. Through the product called “MiniPak” (which is a non-toxic and recyclable pocket-sized personal power generator), your smaller techie gadgets can now be powered by hydrogen fuel cells. The MiniPak costs $99 dollars for now but it is expected to have a price drop to $29 in the future.

3. Solar Power Technology

There are a number of new green technology breakthroughs in the field of solar power technology this year. Leading the list is an educational initiative launched by California manufacturer OWI, In.c, which has recently produced educational toys which are also solar-powered. These toys are meant to educate children as to why renewable energy is important as well as how battery-free toys can help in saving the environment.

Another innovation in solar power technology is the solar charger from Solar Tech USA. The charger is meant primarily for Apple iPhones. Phone chargers can now be redefined as eco-friendly with the trend to be set by these solar-powered chargers of mobile handsets.

4. Energy Waste Reduction

Desktops and laptops as well as the mini-laptops or notebooks are known to waste energy. Thus, there has been a challenge to reduce this energy wastage.

Just recently, Tricklestar launched an external hardware accessory that responds to this challenge. The gadget can minimize energy consumption when you connect it to your personal computer with the standard USB plugs.

5. Travel Accessories

Another outstanding breakthrough in green technology is the development of travel accessories which are eco-friendly.

Among these products are the lightweight solar bags and backpacks. These nifty travel items were developed by Konarka Technologies. It is also worth noting that apart from its usage of Power Plastic (which can charge small electronic gadgets), these items are also durable. Being lightweight, these environment-friendly luggage and briefcases can be lightweight—you get to travel hassle and stress free whilst contributing to the safeguarding of mother nature.

These are only five of the many, ongoing developments in green technology. Halfway through the year, various companies which have pledged a corporate social responsibility program continue their efforts in researching and developing better methods and more efficient products that will benefit both mankind and our environment.

This post was contributed by Amy Lizee of Environment911.org.

There is a lot of buzz around eco-friendly passenger cars, however some truck manufacturers have also decided to go greener. Many companies are interested in hybrid and all-electric vehicles, but the price of the vehicles may be discouraging. That is why the U.S. government decided to help the industry develop.

US Government Grant

In March 2009 President Obama announced Transportation Electrification Initiative worth $2.4 billion. The money will go to support companies manufacturing advanced batteries and related drive components as well as for demonstration and deployment projects. The general aim is to accelerate and facilitate the market introduction of advanced electric drive and plug-in hybrid vehicles of all kinds.

Examples of Companies Testing Greener Trucks

Some examples of companies that that want to test the greener trucks include: UPS, Coca-Cola, AT&T or FedEx.

• UPS recently ordered 200 hybrid trucks. Thanks to the new vehicles in their fleet, the company aims to decrease fuel consumption by over 170,000 gallons a year which means a reduction of CO2 emissions by 1,786 metric tons. The vehicles purchased by UPS use a Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation body and a hybrid power system from Eaton Corporation. The trucks are equipped with diesel engines combined with lithium ion battery packs and regenerative braking system.
• AT&T has purchased all-electric Ford Transit Connect vans. The lithium ion batteries enable the vehicles to go up to 80 miles (129 km) on a single charge and at a top speed of 75 miles per hour (121 km/h). The van will be officially available in the second half of 2010.
• FedEx has also invested in a greener fleet. This year they have started testing an all-electric truck called eStar. It is a medium-duty vehicle with a range of 100 miles, fully rechargeable in 6 to 8 hours. A huge advantage of eStar is that the battery is a cassette-type one and can be changed in 20 minutes, which enables the truck to be used 24/7 if needed. FedEx claims that the operating cost of eStar compared to a standard truck is 30% lower. Will it be enough to cover the extra purchase price?

For the time being the governmental grants will help the green truck industry develop. Hopefully, in the near future the manufacturers will profit from economies of scale, and their vehicles will be attractive to buyers not only due to environmental concerns.

This post was written by the team of Mascus.com. Visit our site to find various new and used trucks for sale.

University of southern California experts show us a more powerful use of graphene solar panels.

Is it possible to imagine people powering their cellular phone or music/video device while jogging on a sunny day?

A University of Southern California team has produced flexible transparent carbon atom films that may have great potential for a new breed of solar cells.

In a paper recently published in the journal ACS Nano, researchers stated that organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells have been proposed as a way to create low cost energy due to their ease of manufacture, light weight, and compatibility with flexible substrates.

This work shows that graphene, an extremely conductive and highly transparent form of carbon consisting of atoms-thick sheets of carbon atoms, has high possibility to fill this role.

While graphene’s existence has been known for many years, it has only been studied extensively since 2004 because of the impossibility of manufacturing it in high quality and quantity.

The Study

The University of southern California team has produced graphene/polymer sheets ranging in sizes approximately 150 square centimeters that in turn can be used to create dense arrays of flexible organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells.

These organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices convert solar radiation to electricity, although not as efficiently as silicon cells.

The power provided by sunlight on a sunny day is approximately 1,000 watts per meter square, for every 1,000 watts of sunlight that hits a square meter area of the standard silicon solar cell, 14 watts of electricity will be generated, Organic solar cells are less efficient; their conversion rate for that same 1,000 watts of sunlight in the graphene-based solar cell could be only 1.3 watts.

Benefits of OPV

But what graphene organic photovoltaic (OPV) lack in efficiency, can potentially be compensated by its lower price and, greater physical flexibility.

Researchers think that it may eventually be possible to cover with inexpensive solar cell layers extensive areas like newspapers, magazines or power generating clothing.

In the meanwhile Prof. Ruoff and his colleagues of the mechanical engineering department at the University of Texas at Austin, are studying the basic science in the development of graphene-based ultracapacitors for usage in electronics and other fields.

Batteries vs Ultracapacitors

Prof. Ruoff says batteries are relatively slow, they can store energy but require sometime to charge up, and then they distribute energy slowly, over time.

Ultracapacitors can be charged quickly, within seconds, and discharge in a short time, but, right now, they’re not able to store very much electrical energy.

The introduction of stable and less expensive ultracapacitors could be a key step in using wind or solar-generated power, specially if researchers can discover methods to enable capacitors to store energy longer, that is not yet possible.

Current Potential Usage

Even with their current storage capacity, the graphene devices could provide quick energy when needed in certain situations on the ecological way.

They could be used, as an example, to absorb the heat generated in braking an automobile or train, and store it for a short time, and use it for the electrical needs of the vehicle (i.e. starting the car or acceleration).

About the writer - Sophia H. Walker writes for the solar panel battery charger blog, her personal hobby site focused on tips to help individuals save energy using solar power for small devices.

The Big Wild asks “How Wild is North America?”

Theodora at The Big Wild recently contacted me to let me know about an infographic posted on The Big Wild website.

The infographic (right), compares how “wild” Canada, the United States, and Mexico are based on facts like each country’s ecological footprint.

I was particularly interested to see that Canada’s “wildness” factor is 82%, compared to 36% and 18% for the United States and Mexico respectively.

I was also amazed to learn that Canada accounts for 24% of the world’s wild forests, 20% of the world’s fresh water, and 24% of global wetlands.

According to The Big Wild:

Real wilderness needs to be large enough to keep the natural balance – and that means thinking big.

That’s the vision behind The Big Wild. Conservation scientists believe we need to protect at least half of Canada’s wild spaces to ensure the integrity of our ecosystems.

About The Big Wild

The Big Wild is a partnership project between Canada’s Mountain Equipment Co-op and Canadian Parks and Wilderness. The Big Wild is a a conservation project dedicated to protecting at least half of Canada’s publicly-owned land and water.

Mark Tercek, President & CEO  of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), has sent an email to TNC members encouraging them to help with the clean up efforts of the Gulf Oil Spill.

If you want to help with the clean up effort, but you’re not sure what you can do to help, here are 3 things Mark asks you consider:

• Make a donation to help The Nature Conservancy restoration efforts in the Gulf — your contribution to our Fund for Gulf Coast Restoration will help TNC determine both the extent of the spill and the necessary long-term restoration work in the Gulf and states along its coast.
• Second, tell your friends about The Nature Conservancy’s blog and what’s at stake for the Gulf Coast. Forward them this post, post it to Facebook or tweet on Twitter. Get the word out that the plants, animals and people in one of North America’s most treasured places will need our help.
• Third, consider being a volunteer. The Conservancy is still assessing what volunteer opportunities will be needed and coordinating with groups like gulfresponse.org.

And in case you’re interested, here are the contents of the email:

Thank you. It’s hard to express how much all the phone calls and emails in the wake of the Gulf Oil Spill mean to me and to all the Conservancy’s staff — especially those working long hours in the Gulf states.

Many of you contacted us again after reading our Alabama director of conservation’s blog posts in yesterday’s e-newsletter, asking what you can do to help Bill and his team respond to the spill.

Here are three things you can do today to help the Gulf coast, its wildlife and the people who depend on it.

• Make a donation to help our restoration efforts in the Gulf — your contribution to our Fund for Gulf Coast Restoration will help us determine both the extent of the spill and the necessary long-term restoration work in the Gulf and states along its coast.
• Second, tell your friends about our blog and what’s at stake for the Gulf Coast. Forward them this email, post it to Facebook or tweet on Twitter. Get the word out that the plants, animals and people in one of North America’s most treasured places will need our help.
• Third, consider being a volunteer. The Conservancy is still assessing what volunteer opportunities will be needed and coordinating with groups like gulfresponse.org.

Already, we’ve put to work The Nature Conservancy’s best knowledge and expertise in the Gulf region.

Our Fund for Gulf Coast Restoration will help us do even more and will be put to use by the Conservancy and its marine scientists and staff knowledgeable about the Gulf and about oil spill impacts to help the long-term restoration of this critical ecosystem.
Currently, our Louisiana staff is conducting flights over the coast with federal, state, and some of our non-governmental partners to help determine the extent of the spill and are working to protect critical oyster reefs in the Grand Isle, Biloxi Marsh, and Vermilion Bay areas.

I am in the Gulf region today to assess what more the Conservancy can do to respond and support our staff members who live along the Gulf and work every day on conservation here.

As you know, this is not just about the shrimp, the oysters, and the crabs. It is about both the Gulf’s marine ecosystem, as well the local economy and the people who depend on it.

I hope you will continue to follow Bill’s work and our progress on our blog.

Thank you for your offer to help and your critical support,

So, go ahead and take action now!

April 22nd will mark the 40th anniversary of the first Earth Day and with a new anniversary comes a new meaning for the day. Started in 1970, Earth Day was originally conceived as a day in which the people of the world could come together and educate themselves about the needs of the planet. However, with the “Green” movement in full effect, Earth Day has gone from a day of environmental education to a day of environmental action.

For this year’s festivities, a massive rally has been planned to take place in Washington that organizers are hoping will force Congress into signing a new and much needed climate bill. Organizers have also set up The Earth Day Network to give information about the day itself and give awareness to green campaigns that need members and support.

One of these green campaigns is A Walk For Water. This campaign will help raise funds to build permanent water resources in West Africa, which in the 110+ degree heat of the area, will both help save the water supply and countless lives of the impoverished West African communities. The Earth Day Network has also crafted other grassroots campaigns to help save important environmental areas like forests and wetlands. However, not every green initiative is of the grassroots variety.

The major conglomerate Siemens is getting in on the movement by running a green campaign called A Million Acts of Green that motivates customers to come up with green solutions for the upcoming Earth Day. Many other major companies like Globetrotters Engineering Corporation (an architectural company founded by CEO, Niranjan Shah) work every day to help the environment by designing energy efficient buildings and homes. This shows that the green movement is big enough even for companies like Siemens and Niranjan Shah’s Globetrotters Corporation.

Earth Day will celebrate its 40th anniversary, but in many ways this year’s celebration is somewhat of a rebirth. The day that was originally created to spread awareness and education of the planet’s problems has now become something more meaningful. It has now become a day in which the world works together to help and protect the Earth we all call home.

This post was contributed by Dan Grifen of Everything Left.

What is the Green Garage About?

If we look back in the history of inventions, considering mainly the civilian technology start-ups, we will find out that a lot of major success stories including the most famous one of William Hewlett and David Packard, came straight from a garage. The two Stanford University graduates built their first HP’s product right there, in Packard’s garage in 1939.

Today, HP is the world’s largest technology company.

The garage has become a symbol of a triumph of the idea over earthly limitations - evidence that it is not the place that matters, but the belief that you can change the world.

In that spirit, the Green Garage can be viewed as a pro-eco initiative that gives way to different kinds of projects aiming at the invention of cutting-edge green automotive technologies.

Through those garage doors comes hope, with the EcoCar Challenge

When you browse the offers of the vehicles for sale, do they mention the level of tailpipe emissions? Well, why would they, we all know that gasoline-powered cars emit millions of tons of carbon dioxide and other air pollutants into the atmosphere. But that can change in the nearest future.

The U.S Department of Energy together with General Motors have become two major sponsors of the EcoCar Challenge held across the U.S and Canada. 17 universities have been challenged to take part in a three-year program, during which young engineers strive to develop innovative sources of clean energy.

17 teams in 17 garages across North America were provided by the sponsors with all the support needed for such an undertaking: money, technical mentoring, vehicle components and development facility.

Their task is to redesign a 2009 Saturn VUE so as to minimize fuel consumption and emissions. They can experiment, reengineer, cross the boundaries. There are three competition finals: one each year. Yet, all in all, those garage innovators work together to find the alternative sources of energy that would benefit the environment.

A new generation that will make the world a cleaner place

The whole project is not only about new approaches that may be innovative, but inefficient and difficult to adapt.

The team that wins the competition is going to be the one to actually produce the environmental vehicle of the future.

In a way, the EcoCar competition will give an incentive to the next generation of scientists and engineers to think ahead and see the future in developing the green vehicle industry.

So, maybe next time when you decide to look for cars for sale you will be able to choose the one that has come all the way through the Green Garage doors.

The post was contributed by CarTruckTrader.com. Visit us online to find vehicles for sale.

When you receive your electricity bill, do you often wonder, “Why do I pay so much?” There is no doubt that energy prices will not get any lower. On the contrary, they seem to increase all the time. However, there are things you can do to significantly cut back your energy intake. If you want to save your money to spend it on something more fun than bills, read the tips below.

1. Replace your light bulbs with energy saving ones if you haven’t already. They use up to 80% less energy and last 10 times longer than ordinary bulbs.
2. Always turn off the lights when leaving a room. This tip is commonly known, yet it applies strictly to traditional light bulbs that are not energy efficient. Remember that if you have got energy saving light bulbs, you should turn them off only in the case that you are leaving the room for more than 6 minutes. Constant turning these bulbs on and off will use more energy.
3. While cooking, always put a lid on the pot. This saves up to 15% on energy and your meal will be cooked faster.
4. When buying new appliances, choose Energy Star qualified models. They use 10 to 50% less energy and water than standard appliances.
5. When planning and building your house, make decisions that will make it energy efficient. Proper high quality house insulation and tight windows will ensure minimal energy loss. Installing windows shutters or outdoor roller-blinds will prevent warmth gathered inside the house throughout the day from escaping at night.
6. When ventilating a room, always turn off the heating.
7. Invest in a high-efficiency condensing boiler. This investment will surely pay off. Such a boiler is a real energy and money saver. A condensing boiler captures much more usable heat from its fuel than non-condensing boilers, meaning it does not require as much energy. This kind of boiler is equipped with a set of heating controls that gives you full control over the temperature in your home. You can adjust the temperature whenever you want.
8. Use heating wisely. If you have a programmer or timer combined with a boiler, set it so the boiler is working only when needed. If you spend part of the day out of the house, turn the boiler off. Modern houses warm quickly even if the heating was turned off for a long period of time. Most people do not need the heating on when asleep.
9. Do not leave electronic devices on standby. Maybe it sounds unimportant, but appliances left on standby still use energy. In an average household there are many electronics with standby modes, including TV sets, PCs, radios, and DVD and CD players. Every day, leaving them on sleep mode amounts to additional expenses which can easily be avoided. Each time you turn off an electronic device remember to unplug it as well.
10. Charge your cell phone properly. It is unfortunately a common mistake to leave the battery charger plugged in after the telephone has already charged. The charger left in the socket, even without the device, is still consuming energy. Always remember to unplug the charger.

Obeying these simple rules will help limit both energy usage and expenses. Simultaneously, you will contribute to reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. World leaders are trying to do this on a global scale, but without the help of the citizens, they will never succeed.

Written by PennySaverUSA.com. Visit us online to find eco-friendly appliances for sale.