…

Previous studies have shown that rainfall will increase globally by 2-3% for every degree Celsius that the Earth‘s surface heats up.

But, scientists at the University of Leeds who looked at a range of climate change scenarios, found that rainfall may actually decline if temperature in the atmosphere continues to increase. “Clearly there’s something else going on,” said lead author Timothy Andrew.

“We found that precipitation isn’t just affected by temperature change at the surface. It also responds directly to increased heating in the atmosphere,” Andrews said.

And because the atmosphere responds to heating much more quickly than the surface the effect on rainfall is also much faster, Andrewssaid.

Source : The Times Of India

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“These candles do not emit black smoke when blown out, unlike candles made of synthetic wax. These are environment-friendly. Right now, bee-wax candles are used only in Europe during Christmas in churches,” says Shahzada Singh Kapoor, managing partner and son of Jagjeet Singh Kapoor, director of Kashmir Apiaries. The candles will be produced by Little Bee Impex, a subsidiary of Kashmir Apiaries.

According to Singh, the aroma of bee-wax candle is so pleasant that these can be used during “relaxation activities” like meditation, yoga or a hot bubble bath.

“Bee-wax candles burn brighter than normal ones and molten wax does not flow down the candle stick. It is even a strong light source for reading,” says Kapoor, adding that bee-wax candle being produced on a commercial scale will generate employment. “This project does not require much investment to begin and we already have the basic infrastructure in place. Samples are ready and within one year these candles would be ready for sale,” he said.

The company also plans to launch a range of honey-based cosmetics and toiletries. “We have registered this honey-based cosmetic range under the brand name ‘Bee Hives’ and would launch by next year,” said Kapoor.

Kashmir Apiaries Group with its Little Bee brand has emerged as one of the largest producers, processors and exporters of honey from India.

“Our lab production for the Bee Hive range is in process and we have been distributing our products in exhibitions for sampling and market feedback. So far, the company has prepared honey-based soaps, shampoo, shower gel and face pack,” added Kapoor. A range of lip glosses and balms is also likely to be added soon. The honey-based cosmetics will not only be herbal, but also totally vegetarian and non-alcoholic.

Kapoors would be investing about Rs 10 crore for installing a factory for production of these cosmetics at Doraha.

Source : The Times Of India

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……….

The survey conducted by Columbia University researcher Shahzeen Attari for the Earth Institute quizzed people in 34 states on what they perceived were the most effective ways of saving energy. It found that most of them greatly underestimated the huge effects of switching to more efficient, currently available technologies in favor of commonly held green behavior.

Studies suggest that if Americans switched to better household and vehicle technologies, the United States’ energy consumption would decline substantially. However, most people seem to prefer changing their habits in ways that bring about incomparable results.

For example, nearly 20 percent of those surveyed cited turning off lights as the best way to save energy, while very few cited buying more energy efficient light bulbs. The latter is preferable because some light bulbs are now so efficient they can be kept on all the time and still save more power than merely minimizing the use of low-efficiency ones.

..…..…..

Few of the people surveyed mentioned buying decisions that experts say would cut the country’s energy consumption dramatically. These include buying more efficient cars, which was cited by only 2.8 percent of the respondents, more efficient appliances (3.2 percent) or weatherproofing homes (2.1 percent).

Earlier studies suggest that households can reduce energy consumption by 30 percent by using more efficient technologies without making big monetary sacrifices.

FACTORS:-
Ms. Attari, who led the study produced with the help of Michael DeKay of Ohio State University and Cliff Davidson and Wändi Bruine de Bruin of Carnegie Mellon University, said a number of factors are probably causing the misperceptions.

“When people think of themselves, they may tend to think of what they can do that is cheap and easy at the moment,” she said.

On a broader scale, scientists, government, industry and environmental groups may have failed to communicate what they know about the potential of technology advances to generate savings even after years of research.

In general, the people surveyed seemed to believe in what Ms. Attari calls curtailment – keeping the same behavior but doing less of it.

“But switching to efficient technologies generally allows you to maintain your behavior, and save a great deal more energy,” Ms. Attari said.

Some of the highest-impact decisions, consistently underrated by people surveyed included driving higher-mileage vehicles and switching from central air conditioning to room air conditioners. Overrated behaviors included driving more slowly on the highway or unplugging chargers and appliances when not in use.

Aside from switching the lights off, one of the more serious misperceptions according to the survey was thinking that using and recycling glass bottles saves a lot of energy. In fact, making a glass container from virgin material uses 40 percent more energy than making an aluminum one, the study says.

Source: ECOSEED

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We all know the sun does not shine at night. That’s one reason solar energy is still not the best means of powering our homes and offices, although it could theoretically satisfy a substantial portion of the world’s energy needs. Despite billions of dollars spent on R&D, no one really knows how to store electricity cheaply on a large scale. Now some companies have found a way out of this problem: store the sun’s heat rather than electricity from its light.

Called solar thermal, this technology is not exactly new. For several decades, especially after the oil shock of the 1970s, scientists had tried to use the sun’s heat to generate electricity. However, the technology and economics were not good enough to do this efficiently. So people focused on converting sunlight into electricity by using photovoltaic cells. Most of the solar energy installations around the world use such cells to convert sunlight to electricity. Now a series of solar thermal projects are trying to change this paradigm.

A few weeks ago, a solar thermal plant opened in Syracuse, Sicily, that can store the sun’s heat in molten salts. Called Archimede (after the scientist Archimedes who was born in Syracuse) and built by the Italian company Archimede Solar Energy, this plant uses mirrors to concentrate the sun’s energy and heat salts to a molten state. This heat can be recovered from salts at night when the sun is not shining. Legend has it that Archimedes used mirrors to focus the sun’s rays and burn invading ships. The Archimede plant can generate five megawatts, day or night.

Archimede was the first solar power plant to work at night, but there are a few others coming up soon around the world. In Grenada, Spain, the company Solar Millennium is developing a series of solar thermal plants that will eventually become the largest set in the world. It will have a combined output of 150 gigawatts and use 28,000 tonnes of molten salts. In southern California, the company eSolar has a small demonstration solar thermal plant, and is just starting a project to use molten salts. eSolar has a joint venture with ACME to build solar thermal plants in India. Says Raed Sherif, senior vice-president at eSolar: “Concentrated solar thermal is favourable to other technologies in locations where there is plenty of direct sun radiation.”

eSolar’s demonstration plant called Power Towers — in Antelope Valley at the edge of the Mojave Desert in southern California — uses a series of mirrors called heliostats to concentrate solar radiation. The Mojave Desert is, in fact, a lab for experimenting with many other solar technologies. For example, Solar Energy Generating Systems (SEGS), the largest solar energy facility in the world, has nine power plants in there with an installed capacity of 354 megawatts. This includes solar thermal plants but they operate with parabolic mirrors that can track the sun. The plants supplement the power generated in the day with power from natural gas at night.

eSolar’s heliostats are a generation ahead of parabolic mirrors with mechanical sun trackers. Their motion is controlled by complex algorithms and not by mechanical devices. The Power Tower has 24,000 small mirrors; a commercial plant is supposed to have 200,000 of them and can generate 90 gigawatts of power a year. eSolar is now beginning a project — funded partly by the US department of energy — to use molten salts for storing the power. ACME, which has an investment in the company, will bring this technology to India as well.

Some of the other projects in the world are even more ambitious. The Spanish projects will be the largest in the world when all the phases are finished. Salts used in the process melt at 550 degree centigrade, and this heat can keep the plant running for almost eight hours after sunset. It is not risky either, because these molten salts are not toxic to the environment; in fact, some of them are used as fertiliser. The Archimede plant uses a bit of natural gas to supplement the sun’s heat and keep the salts molten.

These projects are beginning to start a new industry, but it is still early days for solar thermal power. “There is still a lack of clarity about the techno-economics of solar thermal,” says T.C. Kandpal, professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi. Kandpal worked on the optics of solar concentrators for his doctoral thesis two decades ago, but moved to other areas as the topic went out of fashion. He is now preparing for a return to his old subject. Other energy researchers in India are following suit.

Source:The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)

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Have we ever considered how much our car costs the city? Just think of the roads that need to be expanded, to fill the ever-exploding numbers of vehicles in our city. Delhi has put as much as 23% of its land under roads and wants to build more to keep up with the ever-growing bulge on its roads. But the city is fighting a losing battle, as road space per vehicle has actually decreased, not increased. Bangalore and all other cities are learning that they will have to make roads over the graveyards of their trees.

But this is only one part of the unaccounted cost of our cars - add everything from land for petrol pumps to electricity for traffic lights, cost of traffic policing, the space for parking and the crippling costs of air pollution on our bodies – and you will find the car and the city are a match made in hell.

Take roads. We know that cars on roads are like the proverbial cup that always fills up. When more roads fail to solve the problem, governments invest in flyovers and elevated highways. These roads occupy space – real estate – and are costly to build and maintain.

But this investment is not paying off either as ever-increasing cars fill the ever-increasing space. This is why experts say building roads to fit cars is like trying to put out a fire with petrol. Britain’s orbital motorway, akin to Delhi’s Ring Road, was built 20 years ago. Since then, it has been expanded at huge costs to 12 lanes. But bumper-to-bumper traffic on it has dubbed it the nation’s biggest car park.

Congestion costs the earth, in terms of lost hours spent in traffic, fuel and pollution. In the US, the congestion bill for 85 cities came to a staggering $63 billion in 2003. This calculated only the cost of hours lost – 3.7 billion – and extra fuel consumed, not the loss of opportunity because of missed meetings and other such factors. Bangkok estimates it loses 6% of its economic production due to traffic congestion. These costs do not even begin to account for pollution: emissions of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide are linked with speed and frequent stop and start.

Cars do not only cost on the road. They also cost when they are parked. Personal vehicles stay parked roughly 90% of the time; the land they occupy costs real estate. Cars occupy more space for parking than what we need to work in our office: 23sq metres to park a car, against 15sqm to park a desk. Cars in Delhi take up roughly 11% of the urban area when parked, same as green spaces do.

Today, cities have a virtual war on their hands to park the vehicles. The answers are not easy to find, as all cities have grown without first accounting for the expensive land that will need to be set aside for parking vehicles. The multi-level parking lots, planned for cities to take care of the menace, are expensive to build.

Car owners do not want to pay the price. So, the only option, city planners have is to dig below green areas. This is “free space”, they say. Yet another cost of the car to the city – gobbling up children’s playgrounds and adding to the health crisis of obesity.

The question of who should pay is simple: the user. But what is often not understood is the nature of the ‘real’ user of the public largesse in our economies. While in the Western world the car has replaced the bus or bicycle, in our world it has only marginalized its space. Therefore, even in a rich city like Delhi, cars and two wheelers carry less than 20% of the city’s commuting passengers but take up 90% of the road space.

The rest commute by buses, bicycles or simply walk to work. So, the cost is for the car to pay or not pay.
Ultimately, the issue is not even what it costs. The issue is why are we not computing the costs or estimating its losses. Let’s understand, if the city is the loser, then we cannot gain.

The author is director of Centre for Science & Environment

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Water does more damage to homes every year than fire. And the washing machine is one common source of water catastrophes. When supply hoses rupture or valves inside the machine go bad, water flows freely until someone shuts it off. Several devices are available online or at plumbing supply stores that shut off the water automatically. The one shown here (called FloodStop) takes less than 10 minutes to install. Here’s how it works: When the sensor detects water on the floor, it sends a signal to the control unit, which sounds a screeching alarm and automatically closes the valves.

Shutoff systems for water heaters and other appliances are also available. To install the valves, you have to unscrew the supply hoses, so this is a good time to replace your old rubber hoses with safer, steel-sheathed hoses.

Control unit
The control unit is connected to the sensor, the shutoff and the power supply.

Shutoff valves
The valves block water flow instantly at a signal from the control unit.

Sensor
The sensor is attached to the floor near the water hoses—the area that will most likely get wet first.

Washing machine with sensor-controlled shutoff
The sensor on the floor cuts off the water if it gets wet.

Source: The Family Handyman

The study, by scientists at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, says mutton has the highest global warming potential among the food items analysed.

The exercise involved assessing greenhouse gas emissions during each stage of the life cycle of the food item from the farm to the dinner plate — production, processing and cooking — to generate a comparative chart.

The study, published this week in the journal Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment, has shown that a kilogram of mutton has a global warming potential 12 times higher than a kilogram of fish. The global warming potential of poultry meat — chicken or duck — is only slightly higher than that of fish. And milk and curd are associated with higher emissions than eggs.

“Ruminants — whether for mutton or for milk — are associated with methane emissions,” said Himanshu Pathak, a senior soil scientist in the environmental division at the IARI and the lead author of the study.

Livestock belch out or release methane gas as they digest their food. And a methane molecule released into the atmosphere, Pathak said, has a 25 times greater capacity for trapping heat than a carbon dioxide molecule.

Rice, meat, dairy products and fish are associated with high methane emissions while wheat, vegetables and fruits contribute to an oxide of nitrogen — another greenhouse gas that has an even greater heat-trapping capacity than methane.

Bananas had the least global warming potential, according to the IARI analysis.

…

Much of the emissions associated with bananas emerge from their transportation from plantations to retail outlets.

The IARI researchers say the study was designed to generate raw data about the global warming potential of Indian food items, and is not intended to get people to tweak their food habits for the sake of the planet.

Medical studies have long suggested that white meat — fish or poultry — is better for human health than red meat such as mutton.

“We need to generate our own greenhouse gas emissions data,” said Pathak.

He recalled how Indian scientists were caught by surprise in the early 1990s when US researchers suggested that India’s paddy fields were producing a large amount of methane.

The claim prompted an indigenous investigation which showed that the US estimate was much higher than the actual methane contribution of paddy.

The IARI study indicates that transportation of food in India contributes only one per cent to the emissions. Studies in Europe suggest that transportation accounts for 8 per cent to 30 per cent of food emissions.

The IARI team also computed the global warming potential for balanced meals — vegetarian and non-vegetarian — consumed by Indian men and women. It found the levels lower (583g to 1,031g carbon dioxide equivalent per day) than the per capita global warming potential linked to food consumption (1,200g to 1,500g carbon dioxide equivalent per day) in some industrialised countries.

“Data on global warming potential of food items may be used to either change personal options or to guide future policy decisions on crops,” Pathak said. “It’s important to have such data based on scientific research.”

Future research, the researchers say, could focus on rice with lower methane emissions — for example, aerobic rice, which does not need to be cultivated in fully submerged fields, or direct-seeded rice.

Source : The Telegraph ( Kolkata, India)

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The gases under consideration are sulphur compounds that would produce sulphate aerosols in the upper atmosphere. Geoengineering advocates have suggested injecting large quantities of these materials into the stratosphere, either by shooting them up in artillery shells or releasing them from high-flying aeroplanes. Once there, they would disperse into a thin, bright haze that would reflect enough sunlight back into space to partially or completely offset global warming.

According to the new study, it is quite easy to design sulphate-injection scenarios that keep the temperature stable until 2080. But, the change in sunlight alters other weather patterns.

“It changes the distribution of energy in the troposphere so that it becomes more convectively stable,” Nature quoted Ricke, as saying. Consequently, precipitation decreases.

Regional effects are also important. For example, Ricke said, her research demonstrates that levels of sulphate that kept China closest to its baseline climate were so high that they made India cold and wet. Those that were best for India raised the mercury levels in China. However, both countries fared better either way than under a no-geoengineering policy, she said.

The researchers also found that all of these effects get worse with time.

Ricke said: “The compensation is imperfect. The longer you do it, the more imperfect it becomes.”

This type of geoengineering is at best a temporary fix – something people working in the field had always known because it does nothing to prevent the accumulation of CO2 and the resulting acidification of the oceans.

“But it might be even more temporary than people had expected,” Rickie said.

Source : The Times Of India

Photo 1: Tighten the packing nut
Tighten the packing nut on the toilet shutoff valve one-eighth turn clockwise to try to seal a leak around the nut. Wrap cloth or masking tape on the plier’s jaws to protect the nut’s finish. Use light, steady pressure so you don’t damage the water lines.

Photo 2: Disassemble the shutoff valve
Disassemble the shutoff valve—leaving the toilet and supply lines intact—then clean and flex the old neoprene washers inside the valve to renew them. Turn off the house water main before taking apart the toilet shutoff valve. Properly sized replacement washers for the shutoff valve are available from plumbing supply houses and better hardware stores that stock a large inventory of repair parts. If this step doesn’t stop the leak, you’ll need to replace the whole valve.

The plumbing supply shutoff valves behind toilets or under sinks can go for years without being turned off and then reopened again. That inactivity can cause the neoprene washers to become either brittle or crusted up with mineral deposits, and they lose their ability to seal leaks.

Occasionally, after shutting off a toilet supply valve to replace the tank plumbing parts, you may find that the shutoff valve leaks through the packing nut once the valve is opened again. To remedy this, most plumbing pros advise first using a groove joint pliers to tighten the packing nut one-eighth turn clockwise (Photo 1). If the neoprene washers are still flexible and clean, this should work to stop the leak.

If the leak persists, before replacing the entire valve, try this. Turn off the water at the house’s main shutoff, then disassemble the problematic shutoff valve without disconnecting the valve from either the water supply line or the line leading to the toilet. Unscrew the handle, the packing nut and the threaded valve stem (Photo 2).

Clean the washers with a cloth and flex the neoprene to try to get it supple again. Avoid gumming up the inside of the shutoff valve; don’t use any pipe dope or plastic tape on the valve stem’s threads. Reassemble the shutoff valve, turn the main house valve back on and check for leaks. If the valve leak persists, turn off the main water shutoff valve, then disconnect the valve and replace it.

Source: The FamilyHandyman

Check for defective dip tubes
If you have hot water problems (loss of water temperature and/or loss of water pressure at water delivery points) and your water heater was made between 1993 and 1997, you have a lot of company. During that time, nearly all the major water heater manufacturers were buying the same defective plastic dip tubes from the same manufacturer and installing them in their gas and electric units. Unfortunately, depending on your water chemistry, its pH and the temperature setting of the water heater, these tubes eventually break, crumble and/or dissolve into various size pieces.

The pieces clog strainers and filter screens on appliances and faucets, and the partial or complete absence of the dip tube severely harms water heater performance.

The role of the dip tube is to direct incoming cold replacement water to the bottom of the tank for heating. While it warms, the dense, cold water stays naturally segregated from the warmer, lighter water floating on top. The water for faucets and appliances comes from the hot layer on top. If the dip tube is missing, the cold incoming water mixes with the hot water at the top of the tank and you wind up feeding the house with tepid instead of hot water.

If you’re having hot water problems, first see if you have a water heater made during those bad dip tube years. Often, the first four numbers on the serial number are the month and year of manufacture. If the third and fourth numbers are 93, 94, 95, 96 or 97, it could be affected. If you have a bad unit, there are two options. First, replace the water heater and flush all the faucet screens and filters throughout the house. (If your water heater is more than 10 years old, it’s nearing the end of its life, so it’s probably worth replacing.) New water heaters have dip tubes that’ll last as long as the water heater.

Or second, replace the defective dip tube with a cross-linked polyethylene one and flush the debris out of the water heater and the screens and filters. You may have to flush the system more than once.

Source:The FamilyHandyman

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.

Photo 1: Cut out the damaged pipe
Shut off the main water supply valve, drain the damaged water line and use a pipe cutter to cut out a section of pipe that extends about 1 in. to each side of the leak. Start by gripping the pipe firmly in the cutter’s jaws and tightening the cutter’s screw. Rotate the cutter in the direction shown—as you tighten the screw handle—until the pipe snaps.

Photo 2: Clean and flux mating surfaces
Clean corrosion from the inside of the repair sleeve using a wire fitting brush. Clean the outside of the pipe with plumber’s sandcloth or emery paper. Brush flux onto all four cleaned surfaces.

Photo 3: Slide on the repair sleeve
Slide an end of the sleeve first over one pipe and then slip it back over onto the other. You may have to loosen nearby pipe hangers. Center the sleeve over the pipe ends so that about 1/2 in. of each pipe is inside the sleeve

Photo 4: Solder the joint
Hold the tip of the torch flame to one side of the joint and hold the tip of the solder wire to the opposite side. Pull the solder away when enough of it melts to completely fill the joint.

When a copper water pipe corrodes and leaks, or bursts from freezing, you have to fix it fast. If the leak is pinhole-sized and less than 1/2 in. of pipe must be removed, you can make the repair by cutting the pipe and soldering (“sweating”) on an ordinary pipe coupling.

But to repair longer sections, use a “sweat” coupling, which you can find at home centers and well-stocked hardware stores. You can buy a sweat coupling sized to repair 1/2-in. or 3/4-in. copper pipe. Mark the leak, shut off the main water valve and drain (or thaw and drain) the affected pipe. Cut out the damaged section (Photo 1), then measure the gap and, from the sweat coupling, cut a repair piece that’s 1 in. longer than the damaged section.

The key to a good solder joint is to keep the inside of the pipes dry, so keep a cotton rag stuffed in each pipe end to absorb dribbles of water until just before you solder. Open a faucet above that level to keep pressure from building up and dribbling more water into your repair. Then complete the steps shown in Photos 2 – 4 for a leak-proof repair. Once finished, turn the main supply valve on and check for leaks.

Sweat coupling and tubing cutter
Cut the repair sleeve from the 12-in. repair coupling stock. Smooth the rough-cut inside edges of the sleeve by inserting the blade of the pipe cutter into the cut ends and turning the cutter until the sleeve will slide over the pipe ends without snagging. Clean the sleeve’s inside edges for soldering with a 3/4-in. dia. wire fitting brush.

Source :The Family Handiman

Photo 1: Remove the handle cap
Turn off the water supply to the shower. Then pry off the handle cap with a small pocketknife to expose the internal handle screw.

Identifying a cartridge-style faucet

In this article,  fixing a cartridge-style faucet is focused only. Cartridge valves have a single handle and operate when the cartridge slides in and out. Don’t confuse them with single-handle ball-style faucets, which have a dome-shaped casing under the handle.

Replace the old cartridge with an identical new one.

Photo 2: Remove the handle
Loosen and remove the handle screw. Pull off the handle and set it aside.

We won’t deal with two-handle faucets here, which may be either a stem-type valve or ceramic disc valve.

Turn off the water at the fixture shutoff valves or at your home’s main valve. Turn on a faucet to make sure it’s off. Remove the handle as shown in Photos 1 and 2. If the handle sticks, try heating it with a hair dryer set on “hot”. If you still can’t get it off, use a special handle puller — an inexpensive tool available from plumbing parts distributors or home centers.

Now Pull the cartridge

Photo 3: Pry up the retaining clip
Pull off the stop tube. Pry up the cartridge retaining clip with a small screwdriver or awl. Remove the handle washer and then twist the cartridge stem loose and pull it out with pliers.

If it’s stuck, use a special cartridge puller. Unscrew the hex screw and hex nut until threads are visible. Slide the puller over the cartridge stem, aligning the tool ears with the cartridge notches, and twist to loosen.

Virtually every faucet manufacturer has a different method of securing the cartridge to the faucet body. Look for a clip or spring and remove it (Photo 3). Cartridges are often difficult to pull out. Some manufacturers include a removal cap with new cartridges. Align the cap with the old cartridge ears and try to twist the cartridge loose. Then pull it out with pliers.

If you can’t budge the old cartridge, you’ll need a cartridge puller. Make sure the one you buy works on your brand of faucet. Look on the handle or trim for the faucet brand or manufacturer. A knowledgeable person at a plumbing parts store may be able to identify the brand and model from a photo. Review Photos 4 and 5 for instructions on using a cartridge puller. Make sure you twist the cartridge loose before pulling it out (Photo 4). Take the old cartridge with you to a plumbing parts store or a home center to find an exact replacement.

Install the new cartridge
Turn the hex screw by hand until it bottoms out. Snug up the hex nut by hand and tug on the cartridge puller handle. If the cartridge won’t pull out, hold the puller handle steady and tighten the hex nut two full turns. Pull the cartridge out of the faucet body. Buy an identical replacement cartridge, align it properly and reassemble the parts.

Source :The Family Handyman

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• Best Outdoor Showers with Garden Hoses 2010 (apartmenttherapy.com)

Now as the world heats up, and no good alternative to fossil fuels is in sight, nuclear energy has come back to centre-stage. In the US, a few months ago, energy secretary Steven Chu awarded contracts to two sets of firms to design next generation nuclear reactors. If successful, these reactors could be approved by 2013, started by 2017 and be operational by 2021. In Sweden, always a staunch opponent of nuclear power, Parliament voted to overturn a 30-year ban on building new nuclear power plants. Other European countries like the UK, Finland and Italy are also working on plans to build new nuclear power plants.

However, this time there is a twist to the story: the new generation plants are considered safer. There is no uniform approach, but many countries are pursuing technologies that would result in considerably less radioactive waste. In fact, some of the new designs propose to use existing nuclear waste to run safer and more efficient reactors. Such reactors would still produce waste, but it would last a few hundred years instead of tens of thousands of years.

Current reactors use nuclear fission, in which a uranium nucleus is bombarded with neutrons. This splits the uranium nucleus, generating energy in the form of gamma rays and more neutrons that go and split other uranium atoms. If there are enough neutrons to split enough uranium atoms, the process sustains itself. However, it needs to be contained with the so-called moderators for the material to not explode like in a bomb. In all current reactors, the process exhausts itself after a while, resulting in waste that needs to be removed and stored.

Almost all reactors currently use decades-old technology called the pressurised water reactor. The waste that is removed from these reactors contains almost all the uranium that was originally there, apart from some plutonium that is a byproduct of the fission. Both are dangerously radioactive, apart from being useful materials to make bombs. Disposing of this is a problem, but the new breed of reactors would reduce the problem.

The Generation IV International Forum, a joint venture of sorts between the developed nuclear powers and Brazil, has shortlisted some designs to serve as the fourth generation of nuclear reactors. They include concepts like gas-cooled reactors, molten lead reactors, and those that dissolve the fuel in molten salt. The US programme will try out some of these designs, as will some of the European countries. All of them have their strengths and weaknesses. For example, the so-called sodium-cooled fast reactor uses spent fuel, and is thus useful to get rid of the waste, but can also be used to produce weapons-grade plutonium.

Two other processes, currently under development, would reduce the waste problem considerably. One is the travelling wave reactor (TWR), which is being developed by a private company called Terrapower. This firm, based near Seattle, has received investments from Bill Gates and has thus become one of the most keenly watched start-ups in the US. However, the concept has several technical challenges to overcome, and could become a reality only after a decade.

A TWR is actually an old concept, but has never been tested. On paper, it is a very useful concept. It eliminates the need for enrichment (and thus the chances of proliferation) and reprocessing the waste. It can use natural or even depleted uranium as fuel. Its champions say it can even be competitive with coal, the cheapest form of energy available. The TWR is named so because the reactor gradually creates the enriched fuel it needs from non-fissile material. Such a reactor could run for 200 years before it needs to be stopped.

The new concepts reduce the amount of waste produced. Yet another method is considered even safer: nuclear fusion. In nuclear fusion, two atomic nuclei fuse with the release of energy. Pure fusion still does not figure in the realm of possibility, but scientists have come up with hybrid methods that are safer than fission. Fusion is not used now to produce energy but it can produce neutrons. These neutrons can be used to sustain a fission reaction. Fission reactors end with a lot of waste because there are not enough neutrons to burn all the fuel.

Scientists at the University of Texas at Austin have designed a hybrid reactor that would work with modern light water reactors. It can use up 99 per cent of sludge, the most dangerous waste. It can also work in a small room. So the concept is ideal for producing energy as well as reducing nuclear waste. Of course, it takes a long time for a concept to become a reality.

Source:The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)

STEP-1:.
An old deck with a sound structure doesn’t have to be torn down. You can remove the worn out decking and railing, and then replace it with new, low-maintenance decking and railing – a brand-new deck for a lot less money.

If your existing deck is old, shabby and a maintenance nightmare, you don’t have to tear it all down and start over. Chances are that the structural parts are still in good shape. If so, you can simply remodel it with new decking, rails and stairs, and save tons of money over the cost of a complete rebuild.

In this story, we’ll show you how to replace worn decking, railings, stairs and several other features. We won’t tear out the basic deck framing—instead we’ll describe how to tell if your deck is in good structural shape. We’ll show you how to replace old decking with low-maintenance composite materials and build a new “floating” landing at yard level that expands the deck in an attractive, practical way.

We’ll show you how to make a new set of safer and stronger enclosed stairs and build handsome handrails from cedar and prefinished aluminum spindles. We added a simple privacy screen to shield activities from nosy neighbors and a below-deck skirting system to mask the unsightly posts and ugly area below. We used rough-sawn cedar for all of the exposed wood parts because its rough-hewn surface will hold stain for years.

If you’ve built a deck before, you know that even without the structural work, it’s still a big project that can take several weekends to accomplish. The nice thing about deck work is that you can pick away at it over time without disrupting the house. Just make sure you keep the door that opens onto the deck locked or barred until you’re finished! You’ll need all of the standard carpentry tools, including a 4-ft. level, circular saw, screw gun and carpenter’s square, and tools for the demo work, including a sledgehammer and pry bars. And a power miter saw is almost mandatory for clean, accurate cuts on railing parts.

STEP-2: Is your deck a remodeling candidate?
The No. 1 thing to check before deciding to reuse the deck framework is whether the deck footings, posts and joists are structurally sound. Here are the main things you should examine when making the decision.

A. Sound footings. Start from the ground up by examining the footings. You’ve probably noticed if your deck footings have “heaved” above grade because the deck will appear warped (sometimes only during the winter). That’s a sign of too-shallow footings. If so, replace them with deeper ones. Usually you can dig and pour new ones directly next to the old ones rather than ripping out the old footings, which is a brutal job.

B. Wood condition. Examine your posts and other framing members to see if they’re made of treated lumber or not. Treated wood, the material used to frame most decks, will last for decades. Treated lumber should have a familiar green hue. Look for markings that say “.40 treated” or a CCA label that indicates that the wood has been preserved. If the wood is badly stained and you can’t find any stamps, it may come to cutting a thin sliver off the end of some framing with a circular saw and looking at the fresh end, which should have the green tint of preservative around the edges of the cut. If your deck is framed with cedar or redwood, it’s best to start over and reframe it with treated wood. Neither wood will last nearly as long as your low-maintenance deck improvements. Whether your deck framing is treated or not, if a screwdriver penetrates into punky, soft wood anywhere, indicating rot, it’s best to start your deck from scratch.

C. Structural integrity. Make a drawing of your deck and list the spans and sizes of the joists and beams. Bring it to the building department at your city hall. An inspector will let you know if the framing sizes and spans are adequate. Don’t rely on your own structural analysis. Apply for a deck building permit, and before starting your project, ask the inspector for an on-site opinion to confirm the structural integrity of your deck.

D. Details. There should be at least one 3/8-in. lag screw or bolt into the ledger between each pair of joists for a solid connection, but your building inspector may call for even more depending on the size of the deck they support.

Look for joist hangers on each joist with all of the nail holes filled with galvanized joist hanger nails—not roofing nails. Add joist hangers if they’re missing. They’re not necessary on the ends of joists that rest on a beam, even if they project over the edge.

Look for flashing over the ledger that attaches to the house. It should extend behind the siding and across the top of the deck ledger (Photo 3). There should also be flashing behind the deck ledger at the bottom and over the siding; add it if it’s missing.

Low-Upkeep Deck Materials
This deck features two interesting building systems. The Correctdeck low-maintenance decking uses a completely hidden fastener system. And we’ve teamed up prefinished aluminum spindles with a “Uniball” anchoring system for a rail system that’s foolproof to install and maintenance free as well.

...

STEP-3. Out with the old

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Remove the rails and begin prying up the nailed decking boards. Start from the outside and move toward the house so you have a solid, safe platform to work from.

Mark the height of a stair tread on a nearby post or stake for later reference. Then remove the stringers and save the best one for a pattern.

Mark the height of a stair tread on a nearby post or stake for later reference. Then remove the stringers and save the best one for a pattern.

Tearing out the old rails and decking comes first. You can knock off most of the railing with a sledge. But make sure to remove any screws or bolts driven into structural members first because you don’t want to tear up anything you want to reuse. In most cases, it won’t take long for the tear-off. In fact it only took two of us two hours to get this deck down to bare bones.

Have a Dumpster delivered ahead of time so you can throw in the debris right away and keep nail-infested boards out of the yard. A “10-yard” unit will be enough for all but the biggest decks, provided you pack the boards closely and cut up the longer ones. A sledgehammer,a crowbar and a flat bar are the tools of choice.

Start by removing the spindles. If they’re nailed, just hitting each near the deck and the top rail with a light swing of the sledgehammer will knock them free. If they’re screwed on, back out as many as you can and then go back with the sledgehammer to knock off pickets with stripped screwheads. Believe me, they’ll either come free of the wood or the pickets will break around them. If you have 4×4 intermediate posts fastened to the outside of the deck rim, attack them next. Generally that’s just a case of loosening the bolts or removing lag screws.

If decking surrounds the posts, you’ll have to remove the decking first. Clean up any leftover nails by pulling them rather than driving them in where they’ll cause trouble later.

Don’t waste time removing nails from wood that you’ll toss. Just bend them flat so you don’t step on them or get cut during handling. It’s usually not worth the effort to try to back out any leftover screws because by this time, they’ll be too bent to unscrew. Just pull them out with a large crowbar, or if that’s impossible, bend them back and forth a couple of times and they’ll snap off even with the surface.

Tackle the deck boards next. Work from the outside of the deck toward the house so you’ll have an easy way off. If your deck’s nailed down, it’s usually pretty easy to pry up each board with a combination of a flat bar and crowbar, working from one end toward the other.

You may have all kinds of nails left in the joists. Pull them out as you pry up the boards unless you can reach them from the ground later. If your deck is screwed down, the job will take more effort. Screws can be especially hard to back out if heads are stripped or corroded, so be sure you have a drive tip that’s in good shape and matches the screwheads. If some are impossible to back out, try drilling through the head, then pry the board over the shank and break off the screws.

Before you tear off the stairs, drive a stake nearby or suspend a board from the deck and mark the bottom few tread heights (Photo 2). Save the stair stringer (the notched 2×12 that forms the stairs) that’s in the best shape to use as a pattern later for laying out a new set of stringers. The 2x12s are fragile, so use special care when prying up the treads.

STEP-4..Get started with the rail posts

Fasten the new posts:-Cut the 10-ft. 4×4 posts in half, then plumb and clamp them in place. Drill a 1-in. countersink hole 1/2 in. deep, then drill a 3/8-in. diameter hole through the deck rim and post. Install and tighten galvanized hex head bolts and nuts.

Add extra blockibg: Bolster the taller privacy screen 4×4 posts by adding blocks on both sides of each post. Add one more block between the second and the third rows of joists directly behind the double blocks.

Mark your post positions, spacing them evenly on each edge of the deck. Shifting them an inch or two in either direction won’t be noticeable, but keep the post spacing under 6 ft. to prevent sagging. Cut 10-ft. long 4x4s in half (it’s easiest to cut them to their final length after the decking is installed).

Plumb each post, holding them in place with clamps, and then drill 1-in. countersink holes with either a Forstner or a spade bit about 1/2 in. deep to inset the bolt heads. Later you’ll cover them behind fascia boards. Drill 3/8-in. holes through the whole works with a 12-in. long bit (Photo 4) and install and tighten the nuts and bolts. Choose bolts that are 1 in. longer than the thickness of all the wood you’re securing.

Check for plumb again; you may have to loosen the bolts and add shims to accomplish this. If so, use shims ripped from treated wood. Be accurate—you won’t get another chance to plumb the posts once the decking is on. Nail blocking on both sides of the tall privacy screen posts and another block into the next joist to make the posts more rigid (Photo 5 and Figure C).

Add the 1×10 cedar fascia flush with the top of the joists. Set your saw to 45 degrees and miter the outside corners for a clean, handsome look. To protect the cedar and keep it more stable, it’s best to stain all four sides and any freshly cut ends with two coats of latex stain.

Choosing Composite Decking:
Composite decking is chosen  because of the color selection and the nifty hidden fastener system that hides all the screws between the deck boards (Photo 8). It was easy to install and came in lengths long enough to span the whole deck—no butt joints.

However, when you select a composite decking, you’ll often have to buy additional edgings, nosings or elaborate fastening systems that may drive up the cost. It’s best to study printed information first to know what you’re getting into. Also ask your building inspector whether the synthetic decking you’ve chosen is code compliant for your deck.  If your joists are spaced more than 16-in. on center, you may need to add more joists or use wood decking.

STEP- 5: Install the new decking

Photo 6: Notch the decking around the posts
Mark the notches in the first row of decking with a square, allowing for a 1-in. overhang past the cedar trim board.

Photo 7: Attach the hidden fasteners
Slip the hidden fasteners into the decking groove and screw them to the center of each joist.

Photo 8: Lock the next board into the hidden fastener
Tap the decking into the fasteners with a maul, protecting the decking edges with a chunk of scrap 2×4.

Photo 9: Trim the ends
Snap a line on the ends 1 in. beyond the cedar trim and cut off the ends with a circular saw.

Start installing the decking at the edge of the deck opposite the house. You’ll have to notch the first couple of deck boards around the posts (Photo 6). To get a perfectly straight start, snap a guideline to mark the edge of the first deck board, allowing for a 1-in. overhang.

Screw (or nail) down the first board and lay the others, working your way toward the house and leaving the ends hanging over both ends of the deck for later trimming (Photo 7). As you can see, we used decking with hidden fasteners.

As you progress, check the spacing between the house and the deck boards to make sure they stay parallel with the house. Correct variations a little at a time over several rows to avoid large, tapered gaps. When you reach the deck board nearest the house, cut it to width and length (with 1-in. overhangs at each end) before fastening it down. The house wall will prevent you from completely cutting it with a circular saw once it’s in place. Then snap lines on the decking 1 in. beyond the fascia and trim the ends (Photo 9).

Figure A: Landing Framing
The landing rests on floating footings made from 6x6s on gravel beds.

STEP-6 : Frame the landing and mark the footings

Photo 10: Position the landing
Square, position and level the frame of the landing. Outline the 6×6 footing positions (Figure A). Dig trenches 8 in. deep x 12 in. wide.

Photo 11: Add gravel for the footings
Fill and level in gravel about 12 in. below the reference mark. Adjust and level the footing until the timber is level and at the correct height. Use it to set the second timber.

Photo 11: Add gravel for the footings
Fill and level in gravel about 12 in. below the reference mark. Adjust and level the footing until the timber is level and at the correct height. Use it to set the second timber.
Unlike the deck, our landing doesn’t have frost footings. Instead, it “floats” on landscape timbers supported by gravel. This system works best in spots that have little slope. If you have more slope, build a smaller landing or build it on regular footings and posts. If you choose to make a smaller landing, make sure it extends at least 3 ft. in front of the stairs.

Nail the landing frame together first, then square it by adjusting it until diagonal measurements match and brace it to hold it square. Position it and use it as a pattern to lay out the 6×6 footings (Photo 10). Drive positioning stakes so you’ll be able to replace it in the same location later.

Then set the landing frame aside and dig the footing trenches with a fairly level bottom 20 in. below the reference mark. Add about 6 in. of gravel and set the 6x6s so they’re level and at the right height (7-1/4 in. below the reference mark; Photo 11). If you’re building stairs from scratch, just make the final height of the landing at any multiple of 7-1/4 in., measured from the top of the deck framing to the landing framing.

You’ll undoubtedly have to fool around with removing, adding and leveling the gravel to get the 6×6 heights accurate. Adjust the gravel level and then test it again. Start with the timber nearest the deck. Lay the timber on the gravel; check it for level and for spacing down from the reference mark. It’ll take you several attempts to get it right. Then level from the first timber over to the second one to set it at the same height. Then dig the footings and lay in the short 6×6 timbers that support the lower step framing (Photo 12).

Toenail the frame to the timbers and finish framing the landing as shown in Figure A. Then trim and deck the landing.

STEP- 7: Build the stairs

Photo 13: Duplicate the old stringers
Trace the stair layout onto a 2×10 using an old stringer as a pattern. Cut and test-fit the stringer. Then use it as a pattern to cut three more stringers.

Photo 14: Fasten stringers to skirts
Toe-screw the skirt boards to the deck rim, and then screw the hanger board to the deck rim between them. Screw the skirts into the ends of the hanger board. Screw the two outer stringers to the skirts, then align both stringer assemblies and toe-screw them to the deck landing.

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Figure B: Stair construction
Skirt boards add strength and visual appeal to the stair design.

Photo 15: Fasten center stringers
Space the center two stringers equally and screw them to the hanger board from the backside.

Photo 16: Add risers and treads
Cut the risers and nail them to the stringers with 2-1/2 in. siding nails. Plumb and anchor the bottom newel post with screws and blocking. Then cut and add the stair treads.
The ideal tread notch width is 10-1/4 in. (it’s 11-1/4 in. with tread in place, and never less than 10 in.), and the riser height should range between 7 and 7-3/4 in. (never higher). But if you’re new to stair building and don’t want to start from scratch, use the old stair stringers as a pattern for tracing and then cutting new ones. However, the new stringers we show aren’t exactly the same as the old ones.

The stringers will be 2x10s that you’ll reinforce on the sides with 2×12 “skirts” (Figure B). Lay the pattern on the new 2x10s with the points of the stairs along one edge, measuring to make sure the overhanging edge on the backside is even (Photo 13). After tracing, measure and mark the top tread so it’s 1-1/2 in. narrower than the others. And mark the bottom “rise” so it’s 1 in. less than the others.

It’s best to just cut the bottom and top of the first stringer and lay it in place against the deck to make sure the top tread is the correct distance from the deck (the stair height) and that the angles at the top and bottom meet the deck rim joist and landing without huge gaps. Make adjustments as necessary and finish cutting out the stairs, then use the first stringer to lay out the other three.

Use one of the new stringers to lay out the cedar stair skirts (Figure B). When you’re laying out the stair skirts, remember that they extend 1-1/2 in. beyond the top of the treated stringers to hide the end of the hanger board (Photo 15). Mark the stair skirt positions on the deck frame and toe-screw them into place. In our situation, we mounted the outer one flush with the deck’s outer trim board to get maximum stair width.

Pick a solid 2×6 for the “hanger board” that supports the stringers (Photos 14 and 15). Screw it to the deck rim joist with at least four screws. Most of the stair support is provided by the skirts, so make sure you screw them to the hanger board with two 3-in. deck screws at each side and toe-screw them to the deck rim. Attach the treated stringers to the skirts with 2-1/2 in. deck screws from the inside where they won’t be seen.

Tack a spacer board (the length of the hanger board) to the bottom risers and use it to align and square the stringers. Then toe-screw the stringers to the landing. Toe-screw the skirt bottoms to the decking when they’re square to the deck and evenly spaced. Add the middle stringers (Photo 15) and then cut and nail the risers to the stringers so the tops are flush with the tops of the treads. Then anchor the newel post to the bottom outside as shown in Photo 16. The blocking is essential for making the post solid and strong, and it also supports the notched treads.

STEP- 8: Installing the guard and hand rails

..

Photo 17: Rip the rails so they shed water
Cut 2×4 rail stock to rough lengths and rip 30-degree shoulders on it, leaving a 1-1/2 in. flat area on the tops.

Photo 18: Cut the rails
Cut the posts to their final length. Scribe and cut the rails to length. Number the pairs and their matching location so you don’t get them mixed up.

Photo 19: Attach the spindle connectors
Lay out the spindle positions so their spacing is no more than 4 in. apart and screw the Uniball connectors to the rails.

Photo 20: Cut the spindles
Cut the stair spindles to length. Cut the stair angle on one end of the stair spindles, then use an angled stop block to position the spindle for a parallel cut on the other end.

Close up
Cut the stop block at the stair angle.

Photo 21: Assemble the rails and spindles
Toe-screw the bottom stair rail to the posts. Then set the spindles over the Uniballs and drop on the top rail, fitting the top Uniballs into the spindles. Toe-screw the top rail into place.

Photo 22: Support the rails with temporary blocks
Rest the deck bottom rails on 2×4 blocks and toe-screw them into place. Tap the top rail over the Uniballs and toe-screw the top rail into place

Photo 23: Add the top caps
Cut and fit the 2×6 top caps to fit and screw them to each post with two 3-in. deck screws.

Photo 24: Notch the caps at posts
Notch one top cap halfway around a trellis post and screw it in place. Cut its neighboring one with a little deeper notch then scribe and cut it to fit.

Cut the rails to fit between each set of posts and label them so you don’t confuse where they go later.

You don’t have to rip shoulders on the 2×4 rails, but shoulders will help shed water and improve the rail’s appearance. Set the table saw at 30 degrees and adjust the fence so you’ll have a 1-1/2 in. wide flat spot between the bevels. (Rip with the narrow part of the 2×4 resting on the saw table.) Cut the spindles to length with a miter saw fitted with a blade rated for cutting aluminum. The Uniball system simplifies spindle installation. You simply screw them into place (top and bottom; Photo 19) and slip the hollow aluminum ends over them (Photos 21 and 22).

Scribe the rails for the stairs and then cut the proper angles with a circular or miter saw. Lay out and screw the Uniballs in place. Cutting the stair spindles is trickier than the deck spindles because the angle cuts must be parallel. That’s best done with a stop block cut at the same angle as the rails (Photo 20). The stair spindle angles will be the same as the angles at the rail ends.

Rest the bottom rails on 2×4 spacer blocks and toe-screw them to the posts (Photo 22). Then slip the spindles over the Uniballs, and starting at one end, work the top rail Uniballs over each consecutive spindle until the rail is seated. Toe-screw the top rail to the posts. Then cut and fit the 2×6 top caps, hanging them over both sides of the post 1 in., and screw them to the post tops with 3-in. deck screws. Assemble the deck rails and spindles and top caps as you did with the stair rails and toe-screw those assemblies in place.

You’ll also need to attach a “grippable” handrail between 34 and 38 in. high measured directly above the front edge of the stair treads. We used standard fir handrail sold at any lumberyard and screwed it through the top cap spaced with a piece of cedar. Choose the design that works best with your deck. You can use standard handrail and attach it to the posts with brass rail brackets or even buy premade 2×6 cedar handrail that has finger grip coves machined into the sides.

Privacy Screen
Follow Photos 24 and 25 and Figure C for assembling the privacy screen. It’s designed to be covered with climbing vines. Install the second row of rails and spindles, and then cut the privacy trellis posts to length. Rest the 2×8 beams on temporary blocks and screw them to each post with three 3-in. deck screws.

STEP  -9.  : Building the under deck screening

Photo 25: Install the trellis
Install the second row of rails and spindles, and then cut the privacy trellis posts to length. Rest the 2×8 beams on temporary blocks and screw them to each post with three 3-in. deck screws.

Photo 26: Add the screening
Frame a 2×4 support structure for the under deck screen about 6 in. back from the fascia. Cut the 1×8 skirt boards to fit the contour of the ground and nail them to the support frame.

Frame the support structure for the 1×8 cedar skirt boards from treated 2x4s. Space vertical 2x4s about every 3 ft. and screw or nail them to the joists (add blocking where needed). We held ours back about 6 in. from the fascia.

Screw the top horizontal 2×4 to the uprights just under the deck, and the bottom 2×4 a few inches above grade. If your screening is more than 4 ft. tall, add a middle 2×4 as well. Plumb and angle-brace each upright from the underside of the deck framing using 2x4s. Custom-cut each of the 1x8s so theyend a couple of inches above the ground.

Source: The Family Handyman

You can fix the leak in less than an hour. But take your time so you don’t lose the small parts.

Pay attention to how the faucet is assembled so you can put it back together.   Any replacement parts you need will cost less than $20

….

Step-1.
Shut off the water to the sink.

Remove the faucet handles.

Most are held on by retaining screws under the caps on the top of the handles. Our handles were held on with small Allen screws located under the handle. Then unscrew the large nut that holds the cartridge in.

Step-2.
Remove the cartridge and old seat
Pull straight up on the cartridge to remove it. Use pliers if you have to, but be sure to protect the cartridge with tape or a rag. Note the orientation of the cartridge to the notches in the faucet so you can reinstall it the same way. Remove the old seat and spring with a small screwdriver.

Step 3:

Install the new cartridge
Drop the new spring into the recess and push the new seat in with your finger. Spread a thin layer of plumber’s grease around the cartridge. Push the cartridge into the faucet, aligning it with the notches. Then tighten the large retaining nut with the wrench and replace the handles.
They sure don’t make ’em like they used to—and when it comes to faucets, it’s a good thing. In the old days, repairing a leaky faucet could be as simple as replacing a rubber washer, but more likely it involved struggling with corroded screws and stripped valve stems.

New faucets are easy to take apart, and replacement parts are readily available at most hardware stores, home centers and plumbing supply stores. Of course, there are still many different brands and styles, so it’s best to shut the water off, disassemble the faucet, and take the parts along to assure a perfect match.

If your faucet leaks from the spout, replace the seats and springs (Steps 1 – 3). If it continues to drip from the spout after replacing the seats and springs, replace the cartridge, too. If your faucet leaks around the handles, the O-rings on the cartridge are bad. Buy a new kit that includes a new cartridge and O-rings.

Kits containing faucet repair parts are readily available at hardware stores and home centers. You may  spent $3 for a set of seats and springs that fit both Delta and Peerless faucets. You’ll also need a small tube of plumber’s grease (Step- 3). Leaks usually develop on the hot side, but replace the seats on both hot and cold sides while you’re at it.

Source: The Family Handyman

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“It was great!” exulted Wesley Majerus, an access-technology specialist with the National Federation for the Blind, according to a Virginia Tech press release.

The car has a laser range finder to estimate distance, and counts down before turns to let drivers know when to turn the wheel. A vibrating conveys other commands — when the whole thing buzzes, it’s time to slam on the brakes.

“We are not only excited about the vehicle itself, but also the potential spinoff technologies from this project that could end up helping the blind,” Virginia Tech researcher Dennis Hong told Wired.com.

The ultimate goal, according to the representatives from the National Federation for the Blind: Changing street-traffic laws to let the blind drive full-time.

“Blind people have brains, the capacity to make decisions,”said Mark Riccobono, executive director of the NFB’s Jernigan Institute, in the press release. “Blind people want to live independent lives — why would they not want to drive?”

You may click to see the following articles:-

• Virginia Tech press release.

•  Blind Driver Challenge Web site.

•  Wired News’ writeup.

Source: Fox News.July 27.2009

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Most new kinetic energy research and development tends to focus on two possible power sources – human motion and vehicular traffic. There have been a number of exciting developments in each area.

Human motion power

At the Tokyo Station, one of the world’s busiest train stops, trials are underway with what are called Hatsudenyuka tiles which convert the pressure and vibration of commuter footsteps into electricity to power lighting. It is hoped that eventually the flooring will power the station’s other fixtures such as automatic ticket barriers and display panels.

The tiles feature piezoelectricity, the ability of some materials to convert applied strain to create electric potential.

At the University of Leeds in England, engineers are also looking at human feet power, but not just in people walking at their own pace; they are taking advantage of the pace of marching soldiers.

The “soldiers’ pace” helps eliminate one of the difficulties in harvesting walking power, which is the fact that normal walking patterns tend to be varied and different and may not always give the same amount of pressure needed to trigger the piezoelectric materials.

The Leeds devices use high-tech ceramics and crystals as piezoelectric devices to turn the pressure of footsteps into an electric charge.

The ultimate goal of the Leeds device is to create a renewable and portable source of energy, in this case for the army to reduce the burden of soldiers’ packs. The devices can be placed on the backpack straps or around the knees to capture energy when legs are bent, joints are compressed or boots strike the ground. Having these devices will help keep the weight of soldiers’ packs down as it does away with the need for batteries for their electronic gadgets.

These technologies are so far in trial runs, but others might just reach commercial success. Mobile phone company Orange, for one, has been testing kinetic motion charging devices for phones. These include a 180-gram charger the size of a pack of cards that users can strap to their bicep. The unit creates an electric current as users move their arms.

The device actually harvests more electricity through activities like dancing, and was featured in the Glastonbury Festival, the annual British rock concert.

But human-powered kinetic energy devices tend to be gimmicky and rather small, mostly because the source is not very reliable. The variations inherent in natural movement can cause some problems with the devices mostly because humans get tired eventually.

Vehicular movement:    Vehicular movement could be the relatively more stable source of kinetic energy. With millions of vehicles on the road every day, setting up kinetic energy devices at points that could be triggered by the pressure of a rolling tire has the potential to provide a stable renewable source of energy.

British grocery chain Sainsbury’s is looking to power their checkouts with kinetic energy using “kinetic road plates.” When cars drive over the plates, they create a rocking motion under the road surface which turns generators. The system, launched in Sainsbury’s Gloucester Quay store last year, is set up at the car park and is expected to produce 30 kilowatts of energy an hour.

The company New Energy Technologies, meanwhile, is banking on its MotionPower technologies. The company has two versions of its system. One can be triggered by the motion of cars and light trucks and another can be operated by heavier vehicles such as trucks and buses.

The system basically uses multiple treadles embedded in roads to resemble a rumble strip or a speed bump. When a vehicle passes over these areas, the tires press down the metal strips on the surface and the system converts this into electricity.

New Energy Technologies (OTCBB:NENE) recently announced that they are testing the heavy version of this system at Heller Industrial Parks’ flagship site in New York, one of the East Coast’s largest maritime cargo center and the third largest port in the United States. The constant influx of trucks and other commercial vehicles will give the company ample opportunity to monitor their system’s capabilities.
As new technologies in piezoelectricity and kinetic power harvesting develop, it is interesting to see how they will be incorporated in people’s daily lives.

Source:ECOSEEDS :June 22. 2010

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Tune your lawn mower in 3 easy steps. It’ll run better, last longer and burn fuel more efficiently and cleanly.

The three main components involved in a mower tune-up are the air filter engine oil and spark plug , all of which must be changed. The needed parts and supplies can be found at home centers and hardware stores.

Change the oil and air filter:
—————————————

Loosen the air filter cover screw and drop the cover down. Pull out the old air filter and press in the new one (make sure the paper pleats are facing out). Replace the cover and firmly tighten the cover screw.

A clean air filter helps maintain the proper fuel/air ratio, allowing the mower to burn less gas. Swap out the old air filter (picture- 1).

Start by changing the engine oil and Run the engine for a few minutes to warm up the oil so it’ll drain better. Stop the engine, remove the drain plug and empty the old oil (tilt the mower back to get it all out, if necessary). Replace the drain plug and fill the mower with oil until it’s visible through the oil fill hole, or check the level on the dipstick, if so equipped.

Install a new spark plug

————————————————–

Pull off the spark plug wire and remove the old plug with a spark plug wrench or deep socket (13/16 in. or 3/4 in., typically). Hand-turn the new plug until the threads catch. Ratchet the plug down until it stops, then turn it another quarter turn (cranking down too hard can break the plug or render it nearly impossible to remove).

Next, remove and replace the spark plug (Photo 2). If the plug’s rusted tight, spray it with a penetrating lubricant like Liquid Wrench or JB80. Let it soak in for 10 minutes before trying to loosen the plug again.

The spark plug will be factory gapped, but make sure there is a gap between the electrode and overhanging arm. If you drop the plug and the overhanging arm bends tight to the electrode, the mower won’t start.
Source: The Family Handyman

…

Earlier it was believed that sewage is the source of chemical pollution after researchers found substances from prescription drugs, shampoos, gels and other skin products in water supplies.

Scientists have also found traces of the active ingredients of birth control pills, antidepressants, and scores of other drugs in waterways. Some end up in drinking water — at extremely low, trace levels. But the new research at the US Environment Protection Agency suggests that waste from showers and baths should also be looked at.

Ilene Ruhoy, who co-authored the study, said that scientists have long known that bathrooms are a portal for release of APIs (active pharmaceutical ingredients) into the environment. “We’ve long assumed that the active ingredients from medications enter the environment as a result of their excretion via urine and feces,” the scientist said. “However, for the first time, we have identified potential alternative routes for the entry into the environment by way of bathing, showering, and laundering”.

“These routes may be important for certain APIs found in medications that are applied topically, which means to the skin. They include creams, lotions, ointments, gels, and skin patches”, Ruhoy said.

Ruhoy and her team identified this potential new source of APIs through a review of hundreds of scientific studies on the metabolism and use of medications. They focused on APIs in medications that are applied to the skin or excreted from the body via sweat glands.

Some APIs enter the environment in a form that may have greater impact than those released in feces and urine, they said.

TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF OUR NEXT GENERATION WE SHOULD TRY TO REDUCE USING  EXCESSIVE TOILETRIES

Source:The Times Of India. March 20.2010

Nancy Ho, a research professor of chemical engineering, Nathan Mosier, an associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering, and Miroslav Sedlak, a research assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering, were able to create a yeast strain that can ferment all five types of plant sugars.

According to Ms. Ho, after whom the yeast strain was named, the new yeast can ferment the sugar arabinose in addition to xylose, galactose, manose and glucose.

The researchers used genes from a fungus to re-engineer a yeast strain that Ms. Ho originally developed. The addition of new genes to the new Ho yeast strain will increase the amount of ethanol that can be produced from cellulosic materials.

Arabinose makes up about 10 percent of the sugars contained in plants. It is broken down in the same way as the other four sugars, but adding the fungus genes allowed the new yeast strain to create necessary enzymes that will include arabinose into the chain, said Mr. Mosier.

In addition to creating the arabinose-fermenting yeast, the researchers were also able to develop yeast strains that are more resistant to acetic acid.

Acetic acid is the main ingredient in vinegar. It is released with sugars before the fermentation process during the production of ethanol.

However, acetic acid also gets into yeast cells and slows down the fermentation process, making ethanol production more expensive.

“It doesn’t produce as much biofuel, and it produces it more slowly,” explained Mr. Mosier. “If it slows down too much, it’s not a good industrial process.”

The researchers studied the genes in more resistant strains to determine which genes made the yeast more resistant to acetic acid. They improved the expression of the identified genes to increase the yeast’s resistance.

The team will continue to work on the yeast to make it more efficient during industrial ethanol production and more resistant to inhibitors.

Their findings on acetic acid were published in the June issue of the journal FEMS Yeast Research, while their arabinose research was published in the early online version of the journal Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

Source:ECOSEED : June.09,2010

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Now French scientists from the Joseph Fourier University in Grenoble have tapped another natural source for power – glucose found in living animals.

Glucose is a simple sugar used by cells as a source of energy. It is one of the main products of photosynthesis, and most forms of biofuel depend on accessing glucose from crops or biomass.

However, the French research team, led by biomedical engineer Philippe Cinquin, developed a biofuel cell that draws glucose from animal systems, and possibly soon, from humans.

The team successfully implemented the glucose biofuel cells in living rats, and found that the devices could produce up to 6.5 microwatts, with a maximum output of 24.4 microwatts per milliliter. The electrical output can remain stable at 2 microwatts for 11 days.

The scientists claimed that the biofuel cell could have significant applications in medicine. For example, the device can power a pacemaker as its output exceeds that of a pacemaker’s requirement of 10 microwatts.

This would allow the cell to last longer, and would also eliminate the need to surgically remove the device to be replaced as glucose could provide a potentially limitless source of energy.

The device uses enzymes to convert energy from glucose and oxygen found naturally in the body. Previous attempts of using such a device have failed because the enzymes required acidic conditions or were inhabited by charged particles in the fluid surrounding the cells.

The team was able to overcome these obstacles by confining selected enzymes inside graphite discs placed in dialysis bags. Glucose and oxygen flowed into the cell, but the enzymes remained in place and catalyzed the oxidation of glucose to generate electricity.

Mr. Cinquin is optimistic that the efficiency of the device could be improved and he sees no reason why the devices could not work in people.

He believes that the biofuel cell could be used in humans within five years to 10 years. Aside from pacemakers, the device could be applied in insulin pumps, artificial urinary sphincters, biosensors, bone growth simulators and drug delivery devices.

Source  :ECOSEED : June.08,2010

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…………

Considering public health alongside the environment is tricky at these times since governments around the world are preoccupied with the hottest issue in the global agenda – climate change

Leading United States retailer WalMart Stores Inc., for instance, has been aggressively cutting emissions in its global operations while EBay Inc. sells second-hand goods to promote sustainable consumption. The Bank of America, the largest bank holding company in the United States, has allotted $20 billion for sustainability initiatives alone for the next 10 years.

Protecting the environment, prompted by climate change, has grown to become a corporate liability. Companies today make extensive efforts on energy efficiency and renewable energy as they realize that these are vital to the solution, inevitable even as the world moves away from dependence on oil.

After surveying 15,000 people in 11 countries, Edelman, a global public relations firm, found out that the next big issue that companies need to face could be health. Three out of four people, or 73 percent, believe health is as important as protecting the environment.

In addition, 69 percent of respondents pointed out that businesses should be as engaged in maintaining and improving public health as it is with the environment.

“Business has gone ‘green’ – now it’s time to go ‘health,’” said Nancy Turett, global president of Edelman’s health practice.

“For a company to be prosperous and relevant in the future, it has to factor health into its business strategy, not only to fulfill its social contract with all stakeholders but to realize its full market potential.”

Nearly three-quarters, or 72 percent, of the respondents said they would be more willing to trust, do business with and even invest in companies that are engaged in health issues, indicating that a focus on health is a smart business strategy.

However, 51 percent said that business in general is doing only a fair or poor job in this issue while only 36 percent believe companies to have health as a part of their priorities.

Considering public health alongside the environment is tricky at these times since governments around the world are preoccupied with the hottest issue in the global agenda – climate change. However, as more countries engage in environmental issues, they will realize that the environment is intrinsically linked to health.

The World Health Organization pointed out that climate change is a significant and emerging threat to public health, and it changes the way we must look at protecting people’s health.

Changing weather patterns have already caused death and injury in many parts of the globe through natural disasters, such as heat waves, floods and droughts. In addition, many diseases develop due to changing temperatures and rainfall.

The World Bank has approved a $200 million development policy loan for Indonesia to help the country counter climate change impacts such as rising sea levels, unpredictable weather and the spread of water- and vector-borne diseases.

The United States National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences warned that climate change is a growing threat to health, from heart disease to heatstroke to illnesses carried by water to bugs.

Propitiously, the measures needed to make the necessary reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are those needed to protect and improve global health, according to Mike Gill and Robin Stott, co-chairs of the Climate & Health Council based in Britain.

Environmentalists and health professionals alike promote a low-carbon lifestyle, which covers many aspects of modern life such as transportation and how buildings are made. Some people connect going green with being vegetarians to avoid large carbon emissions made from meat processing

A national survey from WSP Group P.L.C., a British management and consultancy firm, reveals substantial popular support for commitment to a low-carbon future in Britain – provided the right incentives are in place.

A resounding 86 percent of 2,097 respondents said that they have a clear idea of what a low-carbon future looks like and are motivated to achieve it. In fact, 72 percent felt that a low-carbon lifestyle would not reduce their standard of living and would instead enhance their personal well-being.

Seventy four percent of the people surveyed expect to see energy efficient buildings in their towns but nearly half of the respondents, or around 43 percent, worry that it could cost them too much money.

Over 68 percent of respondents agree that giving out incentives to encourage energy efficiency is necessary.
; May 28.2010
Creating the necessary framework will take time and will be very costly. The Group of 77 developing countries recommend at least $150 billion for a fund that will stimulate low-carbon development.

Climate change already contributes to the global burden of diseases and impedes economic growth.

It would be no surprise if more companies look at the environment differently, and specifically through the lens of public health care.

Source:ECOSEED May 28. 2010

………….

Plants are perhaps the most useful thing on earth. They are involved in several key biogeochemical cycles like the carbon cycle, water cycle, nitrogen cycle and oxygen cycle. They are also thought to be a key weapon in our fight against global warming, as they can help reduce the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere. Recent studies, however, reveal that plants too suffer under increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, and even contribute to global warming.

..You may click & watch videos on line

Two unrelated studies    looked at how plants would behave if the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere rose. One investigated how they can impact global temperatures. The result was surprising — changing plant physiology can contribute to global warming by as much as 30 per cent of the total warming in some places. The findings of the second study were as disturbing: when carbon dioxide levels go up, the nutritive content of plants goes down.

The first study was done by researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore and Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford University. The scientists found that plants would transpire less when the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere increases. That’s because the plant stomata, through which it loses water, opens less when the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere increases. Just as we sweat less when our skin pores close, plants also sweat less when stomata open less.

This seemingly trivial mechanism has a significant effect on the planet if carried out on a global scale. Says G. Bala, IISc professor and a co-author of the study: “We have so far been looking at the effect of carbon dioxide only on global temperatures. We now know that the effect of plant physiology on warming can be significant.”

In fact, say the scientists, this effect is significant even if there was no greenhouse effect warming the earth (carbon dioxide traps the heat escaping the earth just like in a greenhouse). Plants transpire about 25cm of water in a year under pre-industrial levels of carbon dioxide. If the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere double, as is expected to happen within 30-40 years, they would transpire only 20cm in a year. The contribution of this reduced transpiration to global warming is at least as much as that of deforestation or diversion of water for irrigation, say the scientists.

When averaged over the earth, this physiological effect can contribute as much as 15 per cent of the expected warming by 2050 (the rest is through greenhouse effect). But the impact of the changing plant physiology is greater in some places. For example, in North America and East Asia, plant physiology can contribute as much as 30 per cent of the expected warming. There could be one positive effect of sorts; as plants transpire less, rivers would get more water through run-off. Changing plant physiology could contribute as much as 65 per cent of the expected increase in water run-off. (If less water is lost through transpiration, more water is available on the surface.)

While this would cause concern in many circles, the other study could be more disturbing, especially to developing countries like India. Arnold Bloom at the University of California in Davis found that the nutritive content of many crops would decrease with increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. This effect can be seen in all but four crops: corn, sugarcane, sorghum and amaranth. These crops have an additional metabolic pathway that is not affected by increasing levels of carbon dioxide. In all other crops, rising carbon dioxide levels would affect their ability to convert soil nitrates into proteins.

Nitrogen is an element that is vital to plant growth. In fact, it is the element required in greatest quantity for plants to thrive. Plants get most of their nitrogen from the soil. Bloom used five different methods to study the impact of higher carbon dioxide levels on nitrogen assimilation. All the methods found that the ability of plants to use soil nitrates reduced, with the result that the protein content of crops declined. In wheat, the phenomenon could reduce the protein content by as much as 11 per cent in the grain and the total protein content (in the plant) by 20 per cent. Wheat and rice provide 21 per cent and 14 per cent of the protein in our diet, and reduced protein content in these crops can affect many people around the world.

We might be tempted to counteract this effect by adding more fertiliser, but this practice has its deleterious effects too. Since these effects are not seen in four crops, there is some effort now to genetically engineer other crops to improve their ability to use nitrates under higher carbon dioxide levels. “This is a sophisticated problem and may not be solved within our lifetimes,” says Bloom.

There is another aspect to this problem. Insects that eat crops would need to eat more to maintain their nutritional levels. And this could have an adverse effect on agriculture too.

Source: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)

………….

The low-cost vibro-wind system mainly consists of a panel mounted with oscillators made out of foam that amplify small vibrations from the wind. Photo from Cornell University

While traditional wind energy generation requires large and expensive turbines, the low-cost system developed by the Vibro-Wind research group mainly consists of a panel mounted with oscillators made out of foam. The foam helps amplify small vibrations from the wind.

A piezoelectric transducer, a device made of ceramic or polymer that emits electrons when stressed, converts the mechanical energy produced into electricity. The team is exploring the use of electromagnetic coils as an alternative to the transducer.

The Vibro-Wind system holds various advantages over wind turbines and other traditional means of wind power. Compared with existing facilities, the Vibro-Wind panels require a faction of the space needed, create less noise and are cheaper.

“The thing with turbines and windmills is that you need wide open space, and you need it to be away from the city, because people don’t like the way they look,” explained Rona Banai, a chemical engineering major and the chief student engineer of the Vibro-Wind group

Harvesting energy from vibrations is nothing new, but according to Frank Moon, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and the leader of the Vibro-Wind research group, interest in the technology has branched out to different areas such as defense and civil infrastructure in the past years.

For example, soldiers could exchange their heavy batteries with piezoelectric devices to create electricity just by walking. Similarly, civil engineers could install buildings with sensors powered by vibrational energy to detect fires and other instabilities.

The research group did not specify when the design might be commercialized, but the group hopes to see buildings outfitted with Vibro-Wind panels, in the same way solar panels are installed in many rooftops today.

“We are taking research that’s been in progress, and we are trying to extend it into a new type of energy harvesting,” Mr. Moon said.

The Vibro-Wind study is funded by a $100,000 grant from the Cornell Center for a Sustainable Future’s academic venture fund.

Source :ECOSEED. May 28.2010

The two-story “BaleHaus@Bath” was built with prefabricated panels filled with straw bales inside to carefully evaluate the natural material’s performance as a sustainable building component.

“Straw is a very environmentally friendly building material because it is renewable and uses a co-product of farming,” said Prof. Pete Walker, director of the university’s Centre for Innovative Construction Materials and head of the project’s research team.

The BaleHaus system uses straw panels that are carbon negative in manufacture and also contain high insulating properties that helps reduce additional heating requirements, which in turn helps lower heating bills by up to 85 percent and carbon dioxide emissions by 60 percent.

Prof. Walker’s team has been monitoring the BaleHaus’s thermal condition and humidity levels since October last year. Now the team has tested the house’s ability to resist winds of up to 120 miles per hour.

The research team simulated the wind load by using hydraulic jacks that push horizontally against the walls with a force exceeding four tons, equivalent to the force of a hurricane.

The team recorded that the walls moved no more than four millimetres under peak loads, as expected from the design.

“The recent test result is excellent as it has confirmed the robustness of BaleHaus and validated the computer model, so avoiding the need for further tests and providing basis for safe and efficient structural design,” said Prof. Walker.

The researchers will use the data to make a theoretical computer model of the house and simulate how a three-story BaleHaus building, or even higher, will resist such winds.

The team has previously conducted similar tests on individual panels to determine their racking strength. It was the first time they conducted the test on a whole house made of straw.

Sustainable buildings

These data are expected to help strengthen the case for the mainstream building industry to switch to more sustainable building materials, such as straw.

Straw locks in carbon dioxide as it grows through photosynthesis and keeps the carbon atom to produce cellulose while giving off oxygen atoms to the atmosphere.

This feature allows straw to become a carbon “bank” and is present in the structure of each BaleHaus system.

This natural process reportedly banks an equivalent of 42 tons of carbon emissions per house to prepare a negative carbon home before anyone moves in.

According to the research team’s data, this carbon credit is enough to offset 10 years of BaleHaus energy requirements using fossil fuels and more than 40 years if renewable sources are used.

“If we are completely serious about being ‘carbon free’ we need to rethink the design of our buildings on a large scale,” said Craig White, director of ModCell, adding that the house can meet the challenge of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 80 percent by 2050. ModCell constructed the straw house used in the tests.

The BaleHaus project involves a total of eight industrial partners and has received funds from the Technology Strategy Board and Carbon Connections.

The straw house’s properties give it a great market potential, according to Iain Gray, chief executive of the board.

The BaleHaus, which started construction in June 2009 and completed in September, can be dismantled, reused and recycled at the end of an estimated over 100 years of life, its promoters say.

Source: ECOSEED

Unlike conventional building-integrated photovoltaic products, the new glass unit simultaneously blocks solar radiation, concentrates sunlight and converts it into solar energy. Photo from Pythagoras Solar

The company’s new photovoltaic glass unit is a combination of patent-pending advanced glass material, high efficiency crystalline silicon and simulation model software..

Unlike conventional building-integrated photovoltaic products, the new glass unit simultaneously blocks solar radiation, concentrates sunlight and converts it into solar energy. This cuts the need for centralized cooling system, a major source of a building’s energy consumption.

The glass unit is also designed to filter harsh sunlight and excessive heat while providing favorable natural lighting, thus minimizing the use of artificial lighting during the day.

Pythagoras’ glass units can be easily incorporated into conventional building construction and will not affect the buildings’ aesthetic value.

“Our new technology finally bridges the gap between energy efficiency and energy generation – enabling the architecture, engineering and construction sectors to accelerate the deployment of cost-effective distributed power generation and to advance aesthetically-pleasing net zero energy buildings,” said Gonen Fink, cofounder and chief executive of Pythagoras Solar.

Research firm NanoMarkets predicted that the global market for building-integrated photovoltaic products would be worth more than $8 billion by 2015. Banking on this boom, Pythagoras Solar is taking measures to scale up its operations for commercial production and distribution.

The privately-held company has already raised a total of $11 million in seed and venture capital funding to date, including $10 million from a Series A funding round led by Israel Cleantech Ventures.

Pythagoras Solar also established partnerships with chemical company Arkema, solar developer China Sunergy (Nasdaq:CSUN) and manufacturing services provider Flextronics Industrial.
The company’s photovoltaic glass units will be available for curtain walls, skylights and windows in the second half of the year.

Source:ECOSEED. May 27.2010

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“I would take it quite seriously,” said Virginia Rauh of Columbia University, who has studied prenatal exposure to pesticides and wasn’t involved in the new study.

More research will be needed to confirm the tie, she said.

Children may be especially prone to the health risks of pesticides because they’re still growing and they may consume more pesticide residue than adults relative to their body weight.

In the body, pesticides break down into compounds that can be measured in urine. Almost universally, the study found detectable levels: The compounds turned up in the urine of 94 percent of the children.

The kids with higher levels had increased chances of having ADHD, attention -deficit hyperactive disorder,   a common problem that causes students to have trouble in school. The findings were published Monday in Pediatrics.

The children may have eaten food treated with pesticides, breathed it in the air or swallowed it in their drinking water. The study didn’t determine how they were exposed. Experts said it’s likely children who don’t live near farms are exposed through what they eat.

“Exposure is practically ubiquitous. We’re all exposed,” said lead author Maryse Bouchard of the University of Montreal.

She said people can limit their exposure by eating organic produce. Frozen blueberries, strawberries and celery had more pesticide residue than other foods in one government report.

A 2008 Emory University study found that in children who switched to organically grown fruits and vegetables, urine levels of pesticide compounds dropped to undetectable or close to undetectable levels.

Because of known dangers of pesticides in humans, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency limits how much residue can stay on food. But the new study shows it’s possible even tiny, allowable amounts of pesticide may affect brain chemistry, Rauh said.

The exact causes behind the children’s reported ADHD though are unclear. Any number of factors could have caused the symptoms and the link with pesticides could be by chance.

The new findings are based on one-time urine samples in 1,139 children and interviews with their parents to determine which children had ADHD. The children, ages 8 to 15, took part in a government health survey in 2000-2004.

As reported by their parents, about 150 children in the study either showed the severe inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity characteristic of ADHD, or were taking drugs to treat it.

The study dealt with one common type of pesticide called organophosphates. Levels of six pesticide compounds were measured. For the most frequent compound detected, 20 percent of the children with above-average levels had ADHD. In children with no detectable amount in their urine, 10 percent had ADHD.

“This is a well conducted study,” said Dr. Lynn Goldman of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a former EPA administrator.

Relying on one urine sample for each child, instead of multiple samples over time, wasn’t ideal, Goldman said.

The study provides more evidence that the government should encourage farmers to switch to organic methods, said Margaret Reeves, senior scientist with the Pesticide Action Network, an advocacy group that’s been working to end the use of many pesticides.

“It’s unpardonable to allow this exposure to continue,” Reeves said.

Source:http://www.thedigigliareport.com/

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………..

The MotionPower system uses multiple treadles, which can be embedded in roads to copy a rumble strip or be elevated to resemble a speed bump. The treadles are then placed parallel to the direction of moving traffic.

When a vehicle passes over the treadles, its tires depress the surface. The system then discreetly captures excess energy generated by the movement of the tires on the surface and converts it into electricity.

The system harnesses the kinetic energy of slowing vehicles only at points where they are required to slow down or stop. Thus, the energy required for acceleration would not be absorbed by the system.

New Energy Technologies claimed the vehicles will still experience smooth driving over the MotionPower systems.

The technology uses an innovative application of peristaltic or wave-like action to ensure nondisruptive drive over the systems. Fluid-driven systems are used to harness the vehicle’s excess energy, eliminating the use of mechanical parts. This makes the system immune to mechanical inefficiency and failure.

The system is also equipped with self-regulating capabilities, which allow it to identify and react to various vehicle characteristics, behaviors and movements without human guidance.

New Energy developed two types of the energy-generating system, the MotionPower Heavy, which is designed for heavy commercial vehicles such as long-haul rigs and buses, and the MotionPower Auto, which is for smaller vehicles such as cars and light trucks.

Another variation of the system, MotionPower Express, is suitable for vehicles moving at higher rates of speed at high-traffic sites such as airport entrance and exit points, airport car-rental facilities, tollbooth approaches and highway off ramps.

You may click to learn more:New Energy Technologies Unveils Device that Can Generate Electricity from Moving Vehicles.

Source: EC0SEED. April30. 2010

In addition, seat fabrics on the Ford Escape and Escape Hybrid consist of recycled yarns, which can cut energy use by 64 percent and carbon dioxide emissions by 60 percent compared with the use of new yarns.

Ford also use recycled resins from detergent bottles, tires and battery casings to make underbody systems, such as aerodynamic shields, splash shields and radiator air deflector shields, avoiding the disposal of between 25 million pounds to 30 million pounds of plastics in landfills in North America.

The company’s 3-liter Duratec engine also recycles used nylon carpeting as cylinder head covers. The cylinder head cover will be used in the current Fusion and Escape car models.

Such efforts reportedly saved Ford approximately $4.5 million in 2009. The company also claimed that its vehicles are now 85 percent recyclable by weight.

Cars built out of recycled materials do not mean they compromise quality, a crucial factor that Ford protects amidst recent criticism thrown at the world’s largest automaker Toyota Motors Company.

Ford’s material engineers are developing standardized specifications for sustainable materials while collaborating with purchasers and suppliers of parts to use their green components in different markets.

“Sustainable materials need to meet the same high standards for quality, durability and performance as virgin material; there can be no compromise on product quality,” said Valentina Cerato, Ford materials engineer in Europe.

The company aims to explore other sustainable material applications, such as a biobased fiber glass that Ford claims to be lighter, can deliver improved acoustics and can neutralize odor. Natural fiber composites can substitute for glass fibers in plastic car parts to make them stronger, improve fuel economy and cut down emissions while reducing the vehicle’s weight.

Researchers are also looking into ways to use plastics made entirely from sustainable resources, such as corn, sugar beets, sweet potatoes and other vegetables, to reduce the company’s dependence on petroleum.

“We have to entertain the thought of bioreplacement in baby steps, looking at every aspect of a car that could be green,” said Debbie Mielewski, technical leader of Ford’s plastics research.

“One day I hope to see the world of automotive plastics go totally compostable, removing petroleum by 100 percent,” she added.

Automobiles are said to be among the most recycled consumer products in the world. More than 95 percent of all vehicles in the United States that reach the end of their life cycle are recycled, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

In contrast, only 52 percent of paper and 31 percent of plastic soft drink bottles are reused.

In Europe, automakers are required to recycle the vehicles they produce at the end of the vehicles’ lifetime. Ford (NYSE:F) currently has end-of-life recycling facilities in 16 European markets and is involved in 10 industry collective systems in the region.
Making cars more fuel efficient and eventually run completely on clean and renewable energy is a great goal. However, it is important to clean up the materials and processes used to make the cars themselves.

“In theory, end-of-life vehicles are nearly 100 percent recoverable,” said John Viera, Ford’s director of sustainability and environmental policy.

“In practice, however, the cost in energy and labor to recover all vehicle material often exceeds the value of the materials and offers insignificant value to the environment.”

Source:ECOSEED. April 22nd. 2010

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Natural gas, consisting primarily of methane, is said to be substantially cleaner than diesel and results in 25 percent less emissions when used.

Methane can trap heat 72 times more effectively in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide per molecule and stays there for approximately nine to 15 years.

However, using natural gas rather than diesel in vehicles might not be worth the cost or the hassle and could actually increase climate change, says Robert Howarth, a professor at Cornell University.

“You’re aggravating global warming more if you switch,” he said

Preliminary analysis revealed that accounting for natural gas that leaks during production and distribution, along with the carbon dioxide that comes out of a tailpipe when burning the fuel, could paint natural gas as significantly worse than diesel or even coal.

Considering combustion alone, natural gas emits the equivalent of 33 grams of carbon dioxide per megajoule. In contrast, gasoline emits 18.6 grams, diesel fuel spews 18.9 grams and bituminous coal releases 24 grams.

The professor stressed that the leakage of methane gas during production, transport, processing and use is a significant contributor to overall emissions.

It was estimated that 4.5 grams of carbon dioxide per million joules of energy will be added to the total greenhouse gas emission impact of the gas. Meanwhile, the greenhouse gas emissions from obtaining, processing, and transporting diesel fuel and gasoline are around 1.5 grams.

The worst part is that methane can trap heat 72 times more effectively in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide per molecule and stays there for approximately nine to 15 years.

While Professor Howarth’s analysis is just the first of a series of studies, it will have a profound effect on a crucial bill being discussed in Congress.

Introduced just this month by Democratic Representatives John Larson from Connecticut and John Sullivan of Illinois, the New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions Act, or Natgas Act, expands the use of natural gas as an alternative to conventional transportation fuel.

Provisions under the bill include an 18-year extension of three tax incentives that focus on natural gas as a transportation fuel; purchase of natural gas-fuelled vehicles; and installation of natural gas refueling pumps.

Source:ECOSEED April 19,2010

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