Using Trees and Grasses to Capture Carbon and Produce Energy.

Website:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100127110421.htm

Summary:

This is a 1.1 million research project that is investigating that trees and grass crops can be used to generate renewable energy and to trap carbon in the soil. The scientist Gail Taylor and other scientist will track a path of carbon that is captured by plants and grasses through photosynthesis, when it flows through the plant to the soil. The organic things in the soil makes the plants grow. The scientist compares the food crops for example wheat, they will test to see if the bioenergy crops are better at stimulating long-term of the soil carbon. They now believe that CO2 is an important greenhouse gas and a cause of climate change, so it removes it from the atmosphere. The CO2 emissions from fossil fuels are expensive. In the UK the bioenergy crops could reduce carbon emissions by several million tonnes in the next decade. They say in the future bioenergy crops could be turned into liquid fuels like bioethanol that avoiding food and fuel when grain crops are used for the purpose.

Opinion:

I think this could be a great idea due to the carbon cycle for plants because these plants could have greater life. These plants could be more healthier for animals to eat and that it would be better for the renewable energy.

Global warming likely to Significantly Affect Rainfall Patterns.

Website:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100226093238.htm

Summary:

Scientists use the global model of warming preojections for the Climate change. They found that the ocean temperature patterns in the tropics and subtropics will change that it will lead to changes in the rainfall patterns. Also they found out that the surfaces of Earth’s oceans will warm evenly in the tropics. The ocean surface temperatures can be expected to increase everywhere by middle of the century, this could increase up to 1.5 C depending on the region. They say that the peak of the sea surface will get wetter, and the ones that are cool will get drier. There are two patterns, 1. The maximum temperature rises in the Pacific is along a broad band at the equator. 2. This is the ocean warming pattern with major impact on rainfall by the Xie and the colleagues. That takes place in the Indian Ocean. The rainfall pattern can be dramatically shift rainfall over eastern Africa, India, and Southeast Asia. The scientist found out that the patterns of sea surface temperature warming and the precipitation will change in 2050 that was compared to the year 2000.

Opinion:

What I think about this is that where the rainfall is changing in certain places like Africa India, and Southeast Asia, the rain could affect these places like flooding. The patterns in the climate change could affect plants and animals, because it could dry up the water in certain places for the plants and animals to survive. Also is could flood the forest and could cause the plants to die because of too much water, and it could make the animals leave to a different place. If you don’t have enough rainfall is could cause issues.

Haiti Earthquake: Converting Shipping Containers into Emergency Housing.

Website:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100115182633.htm

Summary:

Some researchers are finding ways to convert shipping containers into emergency housing in the hurricane-prone Caribbean. Students are planning on to work to develop the containers into homes. These containers were also used in other countries as emergency shelters just in case of a earthquake. The students made that these storage containers can be turned into something that is livable, opens to the site that can be sturdy and safe on a permanent site. They say that families that lost their houses from the disaster often don’t return to their permanent homes for years maybe not ever. The students are trying to make these containers as fast as they could so they can have a home within three weeks. These containers are providing a adequaute housing for people in need while they solve a global problem of recycling. The SEED project also includes plans for using this, 55-gallon steel drums as a way to create a garden from seed on the roof of the containers homes, so that they can get food crops, so if the ground is contaminated by the storm water. The water would be filtered through the drums before being used in a water pod for a shower, sink and a toilet.

Opinion:

My opinion about this is that it is a great idea for the people who don’t have any homes to go to, they can have a shelter over their heads at night instead of being out in the cold. These containers are steel so they would be good for another earthquake if it ever happens again, so they won’t loose their home ever again. Another thing why these containers are great is because they can grow crops on top of the containers so the food won’t get spoiled on the ground. Also another thing is that the containers can clean the water so they can have showers and drink fresh water. The containers is a great way to start their lives over again, so they can start to build new things, and while they are building the new homes they can have a place to stay a rest while they do it.

EPA: Stronger Smog Standard for Cleaner Air

Website:

http://environment.about.com/b/2010/01/07/epa-proposes-stronger-smog-standard-for-cleaner-air.htm

Summary:

The U.S. EPA which is called the Environmental Protection Agency is trying to make a healthier lifestyle from preventing too much smog in the air. One thing they want to do is reduce more people from driving cars from place to place. The most dangerous one in cities are the Coal Plants it is the largest sources of smog causing pollution. The other thing they want to do is to clean the air by cleaning up the coal plants and the car pollution. Smog is dangerous to adults and especially to the children. It can causes health issues to them like asthma and lung disease. They are going to use the best science out there to set the standards that can help millions of Americans breathe easier and live healthier.

Opinion:

What I think about this is it is a good idea that the EPA is trying to reduce the ways that create smog in the environment. If nobody did anything for our environment, the air we breath wouldn’t be clean. Everyone would be breathing in dirty air and getting some kind of disease, like lung cancer. Cleaning the Coal plants is a good start of making our environment pollution free, but you can only do so much at a time to get it that way. When I started doing the course Environmental Science, I learned that our environment is important to us. If anybody didn’t do anything about the smog people wouldn’t go outside and walk around enjoying the fresh air because the air is full of pollution. So I think it is a great idea to reduce the smog.

Bag Fee to Reduce Litter, Clean Up River

Website:

http://environment.about.com/b/2010/01/05/bag-fee-to-reduce-litter-clean-up-river-in-washington-dc.htm

Summary:

The shopping stores around Washington are charging the shoppers 5 cents a plastic or paper bag they take from the stores, restaurants, etc, the bags got to be recyclable. The people want to reduce the number of plastic/paper bags so they won’t end up in landfills or litter the bags in rivers/oceans or along the roads of communities, so it won’t be dirty. Every cent they get from the shoppers buying the bags will go to the Anacostia River Cleanup and Protection Fund. Washington people want to eliminate the disposable bags every year. Another thing is that some businesses are offering 5 cent credit to the shoppers to bring their own bag, so the shoppers would save the 5 cent fee and earn it just by carrying a reusable bag around. In other places they are charging a fee for disposable bags. They want to save money by cleaning up the environment by not using plastic or paper bags.

Opinion:

What I think is if the shoppers keep on buying the bags since some of them are reusable, people won’t buy the plastic bags because they can keep on reusing the other bags, and so the money for buying the bags won’t go towards the Anacostia River Cleanup and Protection Fund. What I think they should do is just put a little bit of money towards it instead of the stores, restaurants, etc making them pay for a bag. I do think it is a good way that people is using reusable bags because some people in the world are taking plastic and paper bags and throwing it in the river/ocean and making look dirty.