Building with Discarded Plastics

The products sold in the building industry have come a long way due to the study of building science. Building performance is more critical now than ever in history, with the need to use less electricity and reduce carbon emissions from traditional power plants. The builders of the old colonial and Victorian homes of 100 to 150 years ago believed that the house needed to breathe or have a certain amount of ventilation to remain a healthy environment for the occupants. The air changing freely was thought to reduce molds and carbon dioxide, creating a more beneficial habitat for people there. The more modern view of a building is, the tighter the house is built, or the fewer air changes a building has, a healthier environment. Building science studies have discovered that air-tight damp, proof foundations with a controlled air filtration system perform much better than traditional foundations. Traditional building products are wasteful and take away from the natural capital of the environment. These building practices can be counteracted by producing more of the building products out of discarded waste materials, with the cooperation of local, state, and federal governments mandating that a certain percentage of new construction and remodels use recycled discarded materials in the new buildings. A mandate like this would create use for discarded materials like plastic or paper and inspire innovation to develop more products from common waste materials. There are recycled building materials that can be used from the foundation to finished flooring and other materials that can be used to build the outside walls in tropical climate zones or as insulation to help control the house's climate. Integrating recycled building materials can directly affect the triple bottom line in sustainable industry and building.   

            The triple bottom line can be described as consciously accounting for economic, environmental, and social impacts as part of the business model. The building industry uses many wood products on the residential side, everything from studs, plywood, flooring, siding, and doors. Wood can be considered a renewable resource because it can be grown and harvested like a garden. The fact is that wood is being used faster than it can re-grow, which harms the environment. Replacing many of these products with plastic materials made from waste or recycled plastic can allow trees a longer growth span and reduce the amount of discarded plastic throughout the world. Socially using recycled plastic can improve conditions in third-world countries like Brazil and give use to all plastic floating in the oceans. Cleaning up the oceans would positively impact the sea life that most of the world depends on for food. The third part of the triple bottom line is the economic impact, and using recycled plastic building materials can positively affect long-run economics. Plastic deck boards, for example, last longer than wood when exposed to outside elements. They also do not need to be painted, which has economic and environmental benefits and disperse heat differently than wood. The triple bottom line can be affected in the United States by local, state, and federal government policies mandating a certain percentage of building projects have a portion of discarded recycled material in the finished buildings.

            Reusing or discarding material building percentages is an effective way to use discarded plastics in recycling centers, landfills, and the ocean, especially when it comes to the life cycle of plastics, which has a slow rate of degrading. Building codes are used as a minimum for building standards set by local, state, or federal governments that dictate safety, quality, and efficiency. The building permit cannot be signed off on and finalized with the authorization of the building inspector. This can directly affect the financing of a project, which means that home builders can be influenced by the building codes that the building inspectors follow. This is a cradle-to-cradle approach to the manufacturing of these buildings by using materials that manufacturing is dependent on the reuse of plastic bags, bottles, and other forms of plastic products. The building materials can also be recycled for reuse after their useful life creating a circular to follow. The industrial level of any country does not affect the applications of reusing plastics. For example, a third-world country can fill plastic bottles with dirt and place them I a wall with either mud or mortar to create an earth-ship construction. In places like Columbia, the Conceptos Plásticos Company recycles plastics into LAGO-like boards that slide down, track, and interlock to build a wall. "Miniwiz Sustainable Energy Ltd. has made bricks from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic." The implantation of these policies will first use up the available discarded plastic resources in the United States and eventually create a need for more discarded plastic resources. This may spur a ripple effect into other countries and a need for human capital to aid in collections of discarded plastics, thus moving toward achieving the ultimate goal of finding a use for the out-of-control plastic waste in the world.  

            Plastic is out of control today, with a particle land mass of plastic bags floating in the Pacific Ocean. Finding a positive use for discarded plastics is only a tiny step in environmental stability but an important one with the amount of discarded plastic worldwide today. The conscious push for recycling started gaining momentum in the early 1970s, although recycling had been around in the United States since Rittenhouse Mill in Philadelphia in 1690. Implementing legislation to use a certain percentage of recycled discarded plastics will clean up the environment while creating new markets for businesses to grow. Growing companies need more workers, so they should create new jobs by harvesting or manufacturing these building materials. Goals like cleaning up the plastic land mass in the Pacific Ocean can also be achieved with tax incentives to companies that harvest their raw material from there. This would result in cleaner water and less marine life being killed by plastic in the ocean, help the fish population recover, and eventually provide more food in the world. The extreme level of plastic pollution is already plaguing, and not implementing some form of policies like the building code inquisitive would allow the problem to compound, damaging the environment even further. The greatest threat to this type of pollution is doing nothing and ignoring the problem. The overrun of plastic is just part of climate change. One of the fastest ways to successfully overcome these issues is for governing bodies to take the problem seriously and create legislation that will evoke change. People will only take problems seriously if their elected leaders take them seriously. What is needed is for people like Leonardo DiCaprio to bring attention to these problems so that policies can be created and enforced.

            There are already companies exploring the options of using discarded plastics to make building materials, and the economy is the most significant factor for them to go mainstream. A subsidizing project like this is crucial in overcoming plastic pollution, another tool for policymakers. The lack of conviction in leadership in the United States Senate is one of the most significant flaws in overcoming the plastic pollution problem. They could create legislation to stop the production of plastic, but that would not take care of the discarded plastic already out there. Reusing through manufactured building supplies is a viable solution to this problem once leadership discovers its potential.    

Sustainability and Business

Sustainability is more than a description of actions. It is a lifestyle, social movement, and the mother of all business opportunities, according to the documentary "So right So Smart." The world's businesses and industries have a chance to lead the way in positive lifestyle changes like they have never had before. The economic models have to change because if human life becomes unsustainable, businesses will undoubtedly see a decline in consumers' need for goods and services. These three areas could impact the much-needed global changes in the industry, social awareness, and Government policies. There is no clear-cut answer to achieve the needed level of change in the world today, and all three of the key points need to be addressed, with a focus on the United States.

Businesses operate to maximize profits for their shareholders, which is done by providing goods or services in exchange for money. There are several ways companies could change how they operate to lessen the environmental impact. They could change pay scales to retain employees while lowering operation hours by one day a week and reducing the number of people traveling one day a week, plus saving on operations cost for the one day. Much like Sweden has done earlier this week. They could lease the function of their products instead of selling the product for profit to the consumer and retain all rights to the precious metals inside the product. The most common approach to modern business is to work with resource management and close the loop by reducing waste during production and transportation. Some companies are investing in renewable energies like wind and solar to reduce production costs and environmental impacts. These businesses and industries implementing the right policies can help social change through different practices in the business environment. These should carry over to employees' personal lives, at least in the United States, due to the amount of time they spend on the job.

Social change is more difficult in the United States because so many in the public and the Government policy makes do not entirely buy into the idea of climate change. Even with this doubt, there are ways to get people on board with the concept of overcoming climate change, and one way is to constantly bomb bard them with the information. Start a publicity campaign by picking a poster boy for the cause, let's say, for the sake of argument Leonardo DiCaprio. Then link a symbol to the grounds, like a picture of the Earth, with a simple phrase like "my life matters" written around it, and connect the information to a website. Then have him or the picture everywhere, like milk cartons, beer cans, TV ads, billboards, cameos in movies, or even backgrounds in video games, almost like the old Uncle Sam posters in WWII. Then develop a phone app where people can track climate change and highlight companies that are changing policies to give them some publicity or even possibly boycott the companies that are anti-productive to the cause. Even though some companies have been making progress in their policies, there seems to be a great deal lacking in the publicity department. Increasing public awareness is an essential strategy to get the general public to voice their desire for change and to get the politicians and Governments moving on policies that can facilitate the needed changes to shift the current trends in climate change.       

Governmental policies are put into place by publicly elected officials, who represent the wishes of the general public, or at least that was the intent. Elected officials have been doing what they want for some time now, and this will not change until the general public makes enough noise to get their attention. This can vary by implementing policies like term limits on elected officials in the Senate and Congress or more substantial constraints that hold every elected official accountable for their decisions. A balanced Government can create policies and pass laws like the carbon tax, or they could take them a step further and support the leasing of product ideas by only allowing companies right's to a limited amount of precious metals. The companies are not allowed any more precious metals than the allotment, and if these metals are not managed well, the company runs out of materials and is out of business. The focus on the United States is due to the enormous amount of resources wasted in their current production policies, and overcoming climate will take a lifestyle change.

      A lifestyle change will come from the mixture of all three points business, social awareness, and Government policies. The good news in the climate change scenario is the openness to the possibilities in innovation on all levels. Plenty of technology can aid in achieving the needed goals from energy production, transportation, building efficiency, and food production to provide the lifestyle change required to overcome the effects of climate change. The negatives of the newer technology can be cleaned up through higher levels of production coupled with research and development. This makes it essential to get the right policies in place and the general public's support to drive the needed changes in all forms of business and industry.  

E-Bikes

   

The world has been changing with climate-related issues, and transportation is one of the most common concerns. Since the invention of the wheel, humanity has looked toward traveling further and faster to the point that most of the world is dependent on some form of transportation. One solution that has been making headway in more populated areas is the bicycle with an electric motor or E-bike. There are many different forms of the E-bike, but most systems have the essential components of an electric motor, battery, throttle control, and wiring. Some come with regenerative brakes, a battery charge display, or an LCD display. The electric bike can be set up as a pedal assist or power-on-demand. The pedal assists E-bikes are usually set by sensors that regulate the electric motor by pedaling. The power on demand is a throttle connected to the battery and turns on the electric motor when pushed. The E-bike can be either chain driven or bet driven and receive power on the front tire, rear tires, or pedals. Most modern tire drives are hub conducted these days.

The batteries for electric bikes are the same as any other battery. They come in different sizes, are made of different compounds, and are variable in the same way. The batteries can be damaged by overcharging or being run down too low or from water, and the most common problem in these electrical systems is loose connections. Water can also cause the throttle control to malfunction, but the more people choose to use these E-bikes, the more problems are solved with innovative thinking. The E-bike is an excellent choice for many people, for example, elderly people, people living in areas with hills, someone hauling goods home, or someone who is simply tired. The E-bike technology can be integrated with solar charging stations making for cheap operation costs, not to mention the health benefits associated with the exercise. E-bikes can cut back on the need for automobiles in inner city travel, thus making e-bikes a sustainable way to travel.     

2016 Appalachian Energy Summit

The Appalachian Energy Summit, for those who have not heard of it, is an annual event held at Appalachian State University for the past 5 years. The event is organized by Geb Moody and staff from the Appalachian States Office of Sustainability over 3 days to provide a communication forum for North Carolina's 16 system campuses, plus 3 independent Colleges and Universities. They discuss and share information, ideas, and results on how to save money through sustainable practices. Since the inception of this event, the participants have saved over $499,000,000 in energy costs from implementing many innovative sustainable ideas, along with nine billion pounds of Co2e emissions over the past five years. The event is also open to many companies involved in the UNC system planning or execution of these plans, students, and professionals in the sustainability field. In fact, many of these companies donate the money used to hold this event, thus making it a free event that does not affect the budgets of these Universities. The keynote address was given this year by 350. org Bill McKibben, followed by a question and answer session with him and Amory Lovins from the Rocky Mountain Institute. The theme for this year's event was "Knowledge. Collaboration. Action." and several Universities outside of North Carolina attended this year's event. Although all of the ideas discussed at this event are about producing green energy, energy reduction, waste reduction, and reducing environmental impact. The idea that stood out most to me was the importance of spreading the savings from low-cost / high-payback projects or "low-lying fruit" to offset the cost of larger, more expensive projects. The sustainable concept is about a total change of business, lifestyle, energy usage, and environmental impact, adding importance to the diversification of saving to make these changes more appealing to any entity pursuing the sustainable concept. The growth of this event, coupled with the savings to date, is a testament to how effective sustainability can be. Participation in this event was a gratifying experience, and I hope to be a part of many more of them and many more like it. Sharing knowledge in this field is the only way to provide the opportunity to accelerate a change in lifestyle and move toward reversing the effects of climate change.

Simply put, the technology is available. It is time to use it. Thank you, Appalachian State, for your leadership in innovation once more.

       

Transportation from Fossil Fuel to Electric Again

 The history of the transportation of the American automobile that most people don't know was when cars became available, there were two choices fuel or electric powered. Most people in that period preferred electric because they were quieter and did not omit exhaust fumes. That was until John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937), America's first billionaire, had a new plan. He obtained his wealth from an early investment in the oil industry. He saw an opportunity when Edwin Drake discovered oil in 1859 in Titusville, Pennsylvania, struck oil, and he discovered that crude oil is converted to kerosene. Kerosene was a suitable replacement for whale oil that was used for lamp oil at that time and was rising in price with the whale population dwindling. Rockefeller founded the Standard Oil Company with his brother William, Henry Flagler, Jabez A. Bostwick, chemist Samuel Andrews, and a silent partner, Stephen V. Harkness. This author believes the most significant reason Rockefeller made so much money wasn't that he bought out most of his partners but because he invested in finding new ways to use the byproducts of the refining process. During the refining process, approximately 45% of each barrel of crude oil ends up being gasoline. Rockefeller was primarily interested in kerosene for lamp fuel, which amounted to about 8% of a barrel of crude oil at the beginning of his oil venture, leaving gasoline as the most significant byproduct of each barrel of the natural oil production process. Most refineries' tried dumping the leftover byproducts like gasoline at the time was commonly dumped into rivers and fields only to discover it killed everything from fish to plants. Standard Oil eventually found that gasoline could power automobile engines, so they converted most of the engines in the company's fleet to run off of gasoline. Most fuel power motors ran off from ethanol during that era, and with advancing the timing of the motor, they were able to run off from gasoline. Rockefeller eventually convinced auto manufacturers that gasoline engines were the better choice, and that is how the electric car was phased out 120 years ago. Today the electric vehicle is returning, and with solar panels, the car of tomorrow can be powered by the sun. This is possible with a simple carport and a battery storage system sizes calculated to provide enough energy to run electricity for the ordinary day. Which is around 40 miles a day in an urban setting, and the more the technology is used the more efficient these systems will become. Now that this story has been told, where would technology be if different decisions were made then?

      

Better Transportation with Autonomous Vehicles

The self-driving car is also known as autonomous or advanced cruise control (ACC). May make the roads safe in the future. Researchers believe there are many benefits to the self-driving car idea. For example, the car can be programmed for optimum fuel consumption, save space in cities by being used as taxis, and lower energy and material consumption with fewer vehicles being needed. The number of human error accidents should drop because cars should be able to communicate through computers and sensors, easing congestion through platooning. With the lack of traffic, incidents should reduce the need for police to concentrate on the roads and focus on more critical issues. The parking issues are resolved with cars being able to drop passengers off and park farther away or move on to the next prospective customer. These cars will reduce the need for personal vehicles and be in constant motion conserving more energy with fewer cars needed, being used like a taxi or Uber. This system will enable more elderly, disabled, and handicapped people to be safely independent without driving. These vehicles could reduce the need for infrastructure like mass transit as they stay in transit throughout the city. There should no longer be impaired or drunk drivers operating cars because sensors will detect the alcohol and take over control of the vehicle. The reality is that most cars have the initial sensors needed for these systems, and it is projected that by the year 2020, there will be 10,000,000 self-driving cars on the road. Companies like Mercedes, BMW, and Tesla have already released, or are soon to remove, self-driving features that give the car some ability to drive by itself. With this type of technology, the time involved in transportation can be shifted to a time of rest, communication, learning, or entertainment, thus increasing the overall quality of life for everyone who chooses to travel this way. 

Cradle to Cradle Philosophy

Cradle to cradle is a term developed by architect William McDonough and chemist Dr. Michael Braungart describing a unique approach to design and science, which they laid out in their (2002) book, Cradle to Cradle. The concept is that all materials used in the industrial or commercial process fall into two "technical" or "biological" nutrients. Technical nutrients are man-made materials that can be recycled and reused, creating a continuous cycle. Biological nutrients are the materials that form naturally and are generally recycled through a composting process. There are five basic steps to the cradle-to-cradle design. The system's first part is identifying material health through a color coding system. The material is assessed against criteria and eventually ranked on a scale with green being low risk, yellow being those with moderate risk but are acceptable to continue to use, and red for materials with a high chance that need to be phased out. Grey is used for materials with incomplete data, thus giving environmentally proactive companies another tool to help them make more ecologically sound decisions. The next importance is how well the material can be recycled and reused at the end of its life. Then an assessment of energy required for production, which for the highest level of certification, needs to be based on at least 50% renewable energy for all parts. The rest of the steps address water usage and water quality. Another essential process is managing social responsibility by looking objectively at fair labor practices. Labor is a form of capital. It is the most crustal part of the production. With all things considered, there is no wonder that companies like Ford Motor Company and countries like China have looked at the cradle-to-cradle system. Innovative programs like this one are not a silver bullet to fix the social, economic, and climate issues that the current and future generations face, but it is undoubtedly another building block in a solid foundation of change that our world is starting to move toward.  

Green House Gas Reduction for Humanity

According to the 2014 International Energy Agency, CO2 Emissions from fuel Combustion highlight transportation was responsible for 23% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Climate change has been attributed to the rise in (GHG), and the effects have been prevalent with the increase in violent weather worldwide. The 5 highest polluting countries with (GHG) are as follows: most to most miniature China, Russia Federation, the United States, India, and Japan. All top five emitters have reduced their emissions per unit of GDP between 1990 and 2012, while emissions perceived showed contrasting trends. For example, perceptual emissions decreased significantly in the Russian Federation (21%) and the United States (17%), although each followed very different strategies to achieve those results. The Russian numbers dropped sharply and rose steadily in that period indicating the possible circumventing of the established policies. The United States, on the other hand, has steadily fallen since 2008, indicating a more rigid approach. This will build on the voluntary emissions reduction pledges from the 2015 Paris Treaty that 195 countries around the world signed which were established from COP 21. The Paris Agreement aims to reduce (GHG) to keep the global temperature from rising over 2° C and break the natural checks and balances of the world eco-system out of kilter. The most significant lifestyle changes will have to be made in developed nations. It will start with reconstructing infrastructure, allowing them to operate off renewable energies like solar power and wind. This has been achieved primarily in Germany, which made the change due to the lack of natural mineral resources, and they have become much more energy-independent. These shifts are going to change the world economies, but it is also an opportunity for markets that have seemed to level off on growth. Plus, making these changes is humanity's best choice for future generations. 
        

Embracing Innovation in Transportation

            The end of oil is an outstanding idea in the United States, and Amory Lovins explains it as a common sense fashion. He spoke of technological innovations and profit-maximizing capitalists that can accidentally save whales. Society can reshape the future by drawing from a backlog of technology and breaking everyday molds. His theme goes back to ephemerialization as a first response to making cars more efficient on gas, and very little has changed in the realm since 2005. One possible way to get the public's attention is for someone like ford to remake something like the 69 mustangs out of fiber composite and prove which one outperforms the other, much like the way that a blade for a wind turbine is assembled. Giving both vehicles the same motors, transmissions, and drive train to show performance and fuel differences in just the body weight adjustment and run performance test. This fiber-compost Mustang could have the engine well and underneath designed for electricity, battery, and aerodynamics. This would be interesting to test against an electric motor conversion of an original model 69 Mustang like the Zombie 222. The best innovation of the solar car could come from the fiber composite shell. Make the composite clear and double-layered on all large surface areas like the roof, hood, trunk, and doors, and between each double layer, place solar panels to supply energy to the batteries. When the car comes up to traveling speed, have some regeneration feed form of hydrostatic generator that also feeds the batteries. Another way to bring electric car innovation and public awareness to products like these is to develop a division of racing. Through experimentation, maximum performance testing, and part endurance testing, it becomes an approving ground, creating public awareness and confidence that bring about public demand for this technology, thus expanding the electric car market. Electric car racing is also suitable for sport. In fact that high Co2 levels have been linked to the rise scenery sensitive people and autism. Electric cars are much quieter than combustion engines and can be made simpler than cars in the sixties. The best data on how long they might last is the electric forklift, whose life cycle has been 30 or 40 years with minimal problems. Electric cars are also being made technology rich enough to be fully autonomous in the next 10 years. Which is great for an aging population. An autonomous car provides the opportunity for freedom and safety for everyone else on the roads. The biggest hick-up in the electric car has been battery range, but like all other things, the more they are worked with, the faster battery technology will develop. For now, the content of an electric car is around 200 miles, which is suitable for city driving. According to AAA studies, most people drive 29.2 miles a day; this would mean people who live in a city and are close to work could charge their car as little as once a week, Which could really cut carbon pollution not just in the exhaust, but in the amount of coal burned to provide the needed energy for the oil refining process. Electric cars may not be the only answer to combating climate change, but they sure will help with the solution to climate change. 

            

Kilowatts from Cow-pies Review

            The future of water in an industrial setting is a real problem with the growth in population over the last 100 years. The Earth’s surface is covered with 70% water, and only 2.5% of that water is fresh water. Most industrial facilities cannot operate by using salt water, and the combination of these factors makes fresh water a precious commodity. The film “Kilowatts from Cow-pies” gave some solutions to this problem. The most impressive system set up in the movie to me was the first facility Kaplan Farms. The plan was a complete circle with water cleaning to reuse the cow pies and create methane to run the facility. Another impressive point of the design of their facility was that the land they chose to build on was a brownfield site. They integrated an automated system for gathering cow feces with water and sent the slurry water to an anaerobic digester. The digester would then break down the wastes and release methane. That methane was then collected and piped to an electric generator and burned as fuel, which was used to power the facilities. After that process, the water was drained into one of three separation ponds, where it was cleaned up through settling, algae, and then fish before being pumped back up and reused. The dried feces was then composted with left over from the slaughterhouse to become fertilizer for the fields that grew hay for the cows. This closed system is an ideal example for industrial applications and a possible crossover design for other businesses. Closing the loops in the industry is good for the environment and a sound business practice that increases profits.

Natural Break Down by Compost

The video I watched was on Veterans composting in Maryland. It is a veteran own operated company that makes compost. The owner could not find a job after returning from overseas deployment was discharged, so he created a job by composting, and he found others like himself to employ. They talk about getting their primary source of Nitrogen from the food scraps and yard clippings for their company. The carbon they use comes from the tree grinding from a local tree company. In this particular operation, they use 3 parts wood chips to 1 part food scraps to create their windrows. They maintain a tempter of 150 degrees inside the piles and use blowers to provide oxygen to feed natural bacteria into the banks. They sift out all contaminates (things that don't break down fast, like plastic or glass) and large debris after about two months of composting. Composting can also eliminate waste from wastewater facilities and ground-up tree trimmings. The compost at Veterans compost is then sent to another pile where it is sold by the truckload, or they hand load bags of compost to deal with. The narrator of this video recommends that people take the time and smell the compost before buying it because if it does not have a natural smell, it needs to be done correctly or may not have sat long enough. The equipment used for this operation is a barrel sifter, conveyor belt, and bobcat to load, turn and move the finished material.  

United States and High Speed Rail

            High-speed rail has never taken off in the United States, although America was once a pioneer in rail transportation during the country's expansion during the 19th and 20th centuries. Many state and national factions have proposed various proposals to realize high-speed rail's convenience and cost savings. High Speed Rail (HRS) can reduce fossil fuel usage by moving more people quickly rather than individual automobiles. HSR has been utilized worldwide for decades, and in the United States, it is still seen as a pipe dream even though President Obama has intended to provide funding for 80% of U.S. citizens to access HSR. Siemens (a company specializing in sustainable innovations) had a bullet train on display in D.C. that may be used in the proposed 520-mile HSR system through California’s Central Valley. That project was approved by the voters in 2008, and that construction started in 2013. Although the U.S. Congress seems unable to appropriate funding for HSR projects, the XpressWest Company has secured a $100 million investment from a consortium led by the China Railway Group to build a 230-mile HSR line between L.A. and Las Vegas. In Texas, construction for a 200+ MPH bullet train from Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth is set to start in 2017. The use of HSR has proven to reduce emissions from automobiles and planes in nations worldwide and can do the same while revamping the U.S. culture to a more sustainable society.

No Well Water Collection.

The emergency water scenario I am choosing is in a mountain environment because I have lived for the last 20 years and am comfortable. The most straightforward setup for water collection is a location on a south-facing slope that is 1/2 to 3/4 the way up the mountain to gain water pressure through gravity and pipe reduction. Ideally, the top is a Plato usable for planting a small garden and a possible wind turbine. Then down from that, a pole barn where the shed roof is metal and used to collect water that funnels down the hill into a storage tank. The shed is also covered in metal, which can collect condensation at dew points and direct the water into the storage tank. This tank will have three places for water to go. The bottom is the cold water that runs to the cabin. In the middle is water that has stratified with heat and is a little warmer, and it will go out about 3/4 of the way up to a couple of black barrels to be heated further for hot water. The third outlet is at the top of the storage tank, and the overflow runs to a lower-elevation pond than the cabin. This way, the water system does not need to be maintained when no one is staying at the place and can be used when required. The pond can house fish that can be eaten, and the runoff water filtered through mushrooms brings in-game that can be hunted. This is an ideal place to grow water plants like duckweed that can be harvested to feed livestock like chickens. This is a well-designed water system for a remote self-sustaining cabin in the woods.      

Gasification can run Generators to Cars.

The All Power Labs makes a Gasifier Experimenter’s Kit (GEK), a small-scale gasification system that produces power from bio-mass. The company claim that the generators are a carbon-negative source of electricity, and their product can generate on-demand power for 1/4 the operating cost of diesel at 1/2 the capital cost of solar. All Power Labs offers many different systems. Along with the GEK Gasifier, the PP20 Power Pallet shown in the pictures, the PC 20 Power Cube, and the 150KW Powertainer come in a 20′ shipping container. These machines are carbon-negative because a gasifier can impersonate the natural process of releasing atmospheric carbon (CO2) when a plant dies. The engines turn biomass into valuable energy while capturing some carbon that can be sequestered. I think the best way for All Power labs to improve on this product is to make the 150KW Powertainer able to run off from the dried waste at the water treatment plants. This could be used in every small town in the United States and may be cut a step out of the treatment process, thus saving water and making a positive all the way around. Gasifiers were experimented with in Germany during WWII to run automobiles and save on fossil fuels, and the technology works. 

 

What about electric planes?

The one place that Co2 emissions reduction is not talked about as much is with airplanes, but the Air-bus E Fan may be taking steps to change that. This plane was developed by Airbus Group-led European program; the E-Fan and demonstrator were explicitly designed for electric power at the time, a world's first. The 2.0 version is a two-seater for pilot training, and the 4.0 version is a four-seater for licensed pilots. The planes could replace the modern-day puddle jumper Cessna's. The pros of the electric airplane are reducing CO2 emissions by 75% per kilometer per passenger. The electric aircraft is also projected to reduce NOx emissions by 90% and reduce noise by 65%. Finding a solution to air travel is essential to reversing the carbon emissions caused by transportation. Planes have yet to go through any steps in reducing emissions, and this is the first I have seen in an honest attempt to develop a commercially viable solution in the plane industry. Airbus has come out with a new fuel motor this year that is 15% more efficient than other conventional motors. And Airbus also practices sustainable business policies in their Whales facility, Broughton. They feature biomass and gas-fired boilers, photostatic panels, solar water heaters, and rain harvesters to reduce their environmental impact. This kind of sustainable innovation and practice is an example of what more businesses must actively move toward to increase the quality of life for future generations. 

Climate Change is Second to the Real Reason

            Hans Rosling is a statistician who believes that the greatest invention in the world was the laundry machine. After his grandmother received her first laundry machine, she found enough time to teach him two languages. He is also the inventor of the gap finder, which gives the ability to compare different countries and their economic diversities. The one thing he measured as a statistician, informally, of course, is how educated the media was how educated they were on the number of children around the world who had been inoculated for diseases like measles. The result was that the media needed to be more informed than the general public, and less than 25% of everyone knew the correct answer. The information people receive is skewed by personal bias, outdated facts, and news bias. This coupled with a natural intuition, in part, is why we as a species are falling future behind even statically speaking, getting the correct answer by chance. The importance of being adequately informed has risen on the projection of economic growth is moving further away from the traditional western preconceived notion that has stood for generations. This means that to compete globally, a person needs to have the best possible information, and only being right 25% of the time will help anyone become successful. Going off this information, does it make sense to be informed of global changes? The only way this would not be important is if the projected plan was that human civilizations were not planning on living on this planet in future generations. The moral of this article is to look to the future for yourself and make decisions now for your children’s future.   

Inspiration in Waste Water Management

            This post is based on the Ted Talk given by Jonathan Trent about his OMEGA system design. OMEGA stands for offshore membrane enclosures for growing algae, a freshwater form of algae that will be developed. The plan is for the algae to be produced in plastic membranes filled with wastewater from sewage plants in the ocean. The ocean will hold a steady temperature, provide a natural mixing process with the movement of the waves and act as a safety barrier in case of any leaks by killing off the freshwater algae. The algae will grow with exposure to the sun, sequester CO2, release O2, and clean the waste water as it feeds off it. This microalga grows fast, and cane is harvested to make things like bio-fuels, fertilizer, animal feed, and cosmetics. This is a viable option for large coastal cities worldwide that can use the wastewater facilities and not just dump the sewage into the ocean. An OMEGA operation is not only environmentally friendly, but it can also produce local jobs, and the sites can double as aqua farms for seafood. The operation cost of these facilities can be offset by using renewable energy such as photovoltaics, wind turbines, and even wave kinetic energy generation. These innovative solutions are part of ongoing research propelling wastewater management toward the three r’s reuse, reduce and recycle.        

Understanding a Riparian Zone

            This is a post to help people to know what a riparian zone is on world water day. The riparian zone indicates how stable a river or stream is and how well-sustained the fish and wildlife may be. Logging, industry, farm animals, farming, growing cities, and overdevelopment have taken a toll on rivers and streams worldwide by moving them, reducing shade, and allowing sedimentation and pollution. A healthy riparian zone can slow the river's speed, lower erosion, provide a system for cleaning water, and provide food and fresh water to wildlife, thus balancing the ecosystem. Some of the tell tail signs of an excellent riparian zone are large old trees; these trees provide shade, help regulate the river's temperature, and their root system can help stabilize the banks and slow the moving water by growing into the rivers. River banks are another good indicator of a healthy river, with deep banks keeping the river from changing direction and lots of vegetation along them to help control the runoff and sedimentation and aid in processing out impurities out of the water. Rapids are also a positive sign of a healthy river. They help put Oxygen into the water, and Oxygen is another way of cleansing water as it helps to break down impurities. Deep pools and fallen trees are good for wildlife that lives in the water by providing shelter and a way of staying out of the current for rest. Water is the building block of the world's ecosystem and the most valuable natural capital. 

Projecting Planetary Changes

The website Flood Fitetree.net is interesting; it shows the projected land mass loss due to rising seas with the melting of the ice. Global ice is the most significant amount of fresh water at about 68.7 percent and is held in ice caps and glaciers on the planet, and this website gives the ability to show sea levels rising 1 to 60 meters. After looking at the world, it shows the probability that the most significant cities near or around the coast of the world will be underwater. The most land mass loss will likely happen along the Atlantic seaboard. Cities like London, Rome, New York, Bangkok, and Cairo, to name a few. The Pacific coast in Asia will be hit worse than the Pacific coast of The United States. In the U.S., the Mississippi delta will go quite a ways inland. The water temperature in the Gulf of Mexico should lower with the loss of Florida, and most of the Atlantic seaboard will also have a significant land loss. One noteworthy piece of information is that the Great Lakes region seems unaffected. The Great Lakes consist of Lake Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. These Lakes are estimated to contain 21% of the Earth's surface water and 84% of the freshwater supply for North America. This description represents the effect of the ocean rising 60 meters, which is the Flood Firetree. Net's highest settings. The climatic changes are more complex than global warming. These changes resolve the predictability of weather patterns and cause more unusual weather than ever before, or at least since weather records have been taken. In short, the time for combating climate change has passed, and it is time the world learns to live with the coming changes.   

How ancient is the Battery?

Battery University will challenge even the teaching of the Bible with what is believed to be the first ancient battery discovery while constructing a railway in 1936 near Baghdad. This is referred to as Parthian Battery. The object dates back to the Parthian period and is believed to be 2,000 years old. A clay jar of a prehistoric battery holds an iron rod surrounded by a copper cylinder. When filled with vinegar or electrolytic solution, the pot produces 1.1 to 2 volts. Not all scientists believe the Parthian battery was used for electricity. Others believe it was used for electroplating, such as adding gold or other precious metals to surfaces. The modern use of batteries was started by Volta, who discovered in 1800 that certain fluids would generate a continuous flow of electrical power when used as a conductor. This discovery led to the invention of the first voltaic cell, more commonly known as the battery. In 1802, William Cruickshank designed the first electric battery for mass production. The battery of choice in this period was Lithium-ion, named after their active material, written in whole or specified by their chemical symbols. There are six of the most common Li-ion: Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LiCoO2), Lithium Manganese Oxide (LiMn2O4), Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2 or NMC), Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4), Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide (LiNiCoAlO2), and Lithium Titanate (Li4Ti5O12). The Battery University has the most information that I have ever seen in one place about batteries. 

"Story of Stuff" Inspiring Change

The Story of stuff covers topics like the environment, consumerism, sustainability, capitalism, materialism, and social science in an informative common, sense way. This concept of this 300-page book is the best rebuttal to the theories of Victor Lebow’s 1955 “Journal of Retailing” I have seen to date. The Story of Stuff really breaks down how much control over consumer choices big businesses and political policies have on the day-to-day life of the average consumer. Consumerism is connected to the whole economic system, which is connected to political systems, and of course, this impacts the planet and its inhabitants. Although people can make a difference by taking responsibility for their decisions on what they eat, wear, drive, buy, and, most importantly, what they throw away. The corrupt system of democracy has indeed been failing to close the divide on income inequality and combating the realities of climate change. I find the book to be a great addition to my collection. The videos are an excellent teaching tool for everyone, allowing them to understand the impact of resource management. These videos could help High School and College students understand what is happening to natural resources. Maybe even get the next generation more involved with voting, boycotting poor quality products, recycling, and reusing discarded things to conserve natural resources.        

Way’s To Change our World

Management of natural and human capital is a topic that can be viewed from many angles, all dictated by desired outcomes. Although I find Herman Daly's statement amusing, "Viewing the economic process as a disembodied, circular flow of value between production and consumption is like trying to understand the biology of an animal only in terms of its circulatory system, without taking into account the fact it also has a digestive tract that ties it firmly to its environment at both ends" it is incredibly accurate. Specific changes can be made in everyday society and make a difference; instead of planting flowers on the side of the interstate, plant vegetables. Instead of having grassy parks in cities, sustainable food forests, and, instead of neighborhoods, Agra hoods with a farm in the center of them encourage the kids to get off of the couch, get out and grow food or raise livestock. Pass laws state that forests with timber harvested have to be replanted, and a certain percentage of the new growth has to produce food. Instead of building code as the minimum, raise the bar, make LEED the new minimum, and require all new homes have a certain amount of renewable energy production. Reintroduce Urban Renewal policies in the United States by rebuilding substandard homes to meet these standards and create jobs. Set aside money and plan for the infrastructure of the future. Reclaim the past business practices to build durable products that are worth repairing and will create jobs in the long run. Even looking at older technology used decades ago and seeing if the design ideas could streamline modern products. The economy, human capital, natural capital, and manufactured capital are so interconnected that once one starts to fail, it strains the others.    

Fiction or reality "Oil Storm"

In the movie oil storm, the most pivotal decision point was right after the assessment of damages. As the movie said, the potential loss of life after the battery should have been the focus. Essentially, they said it would take over a year to rebuild Port Fourchon, with the production and import losses being around 2,000,000 barrels of oil a day. The first fact is there was 350 day of oil available in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, so step one should have been to reduce oil consumption across the board. I would have made all work weeks four-day work weeks and encouraged all companies that were not infrastructural related to be closed one day a week (like Sunday) for a month. I would set up a gas rationing program like in WWII for everyone but emergency vehicles, farm equipment, and licensed public transportation. I would set up general information programs encouraging bike riding, motorcycle riding, carpooling, and mass transportation. I would have started moving products by rail and prioritizing trucking shipments to government contracts to ensure National Security. I would have dedicated an oil tanker to moving the available 20% oil production from Louisiana Port to the Texas Port while focusing repairing the loop in Louisiana. I would have increased domestic oil production, started bartering for oil from other countries, and looked first to Canada. I would constantly monitor the nation's state as the crises unfolded and rekindled the idea of the American Spirit, and reminded everyone that on one level or another, we were all in this together all well, bringing as many members of our military home to help rebuild the nation's infrastructure.            

Electric Cars are they Really the Future?

       
                The electric car is something to marvel at, it can be safer, environmentally friendly, and a simple designed mechanical system compared to the standard gas models. After watching a different episode of Fully Charged, I was shocked at the amount of energy used in the refining process of petroleum. Adding all the shipping, pumping, and transportation costs to get gas to the pump truly gives the electric car the efficiency award. I was born at the end of technological innovation and watched the world accept the status quo. I grew up expecting to live like the Jettisons, and instead, the United States has been stuck on Sesame Street, where everything stays the same. It is time for this generation to make changes to our global economy, and promoting alternative transportation is a fantastic way to start. The one question is why electric car manufacturers have only concentrated on regenerating electricity in the braking system? When supercapacitors technologies are suitable to use as an independent energy source for short distances (stop-and-go vehicles) such as city buses, tunnel trucks, and Warf trucks, primarily when this technology can also be used in pure electric or hybrid electric vehicles. Supercapacitors have been proven efficient in start-stop situations because they can reach a maximum speed of 50 kmh and complete charging in five seconds. The more that could be put back into the battery would effectively create a longer run time. Why don’t they have ram air induction ports that lead to accentuate a small-scale wind turbine and more solar collecting systems to add to the battery time? The electric car should concentrate on getting more miles out of each charge, and I have seen less self-sufficiency. The improvement of systems and battery longevity should not be overlooked, but what is wrong with creating the total efficiency package and generating electricity? Most car enthusiasts may not like the idea of electric cars, but when it comes to performance, I would suggest looking up Zombie 222 for a glimpse of an electric muscle car (68 Mustang fastback) performance. When it comes to modern technology meets old school, Zombie 222 is one of the best examples I know of. When it comes to new cars, electrics fit more stations than ever.   

Water Management Ideas

         





Anupam Mishra's Ted Talk sowed slides of many different forms of architecture, some modern and some ancient, but all were designed to harvest every drop of water from the desert climate. Respect purity of the water and the people using it was what he described as the most important thing about water and the reason why their system works in India. Respect was directed not just at keeping contaminates from polluting water in collection areas but also for the rights of every person to water. This means no one can own the water, and these values have worked for centuries in India. Catchments, wells, condensation collection, and ample storage areas have worked in the desert climate for hundreds of years. 

The second part of this article is on the French inventor and appropriate technologist from the 1980's Jean Pain. He found a solution to manage the French countryside's underbrush that was so dangerous during wildfire seasons. The pain had discovered that if he were to harvest the underbrush and mulch it up, he could use it for multiple resources. He would place the mulch into approximately 262 square feet of round piles while wetting it in layers. In the center of these mulch piles, a fermentation tank was filled with biodegrading material like food scraps, solid waste, or food prep bi-products. Sealing off the tank would produce a byproduct of methane which he used to run his stove. Then he would run a hundred feet or so of 2-inch black pipe layered throughout the rest of the mulch pile as he layered it into a cylinder shape. The mulch piles could produce around one gallon a minute of 140° F water from the natural heat that breaks down the organic material. He used it for hot water, plus to heat his house as it was circulated in a system of pipes throughout the house. This natural breakdown of organic materials like leaves in valleys or low spots in the forest is how small animals keep warm in the winter. These discussion points are both excellent examples of sustainable harvesting and using water.

Inspired by Natural Capital Ch.3

The constant expansion of prisons in the United States US) has become a social justice problem, and in short, the US is no longer the home of the free. The war on drugs, poverty, racial inequality, and lack of representation in the US government has set up the American public for failure. Prison overpopulation is now starting to put a strain on the local and state governments. Instead of changing outdated policies or laws, they want to outsource the problem to private prison companies. The largest prison company in the United States is Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), and at this point in time, the CCA has 61 facilities in the US alone. During recent negotiations, the CCA said they could operate these facilities for a cheaper cost than the local and state governments as long as they guaranteed a specific incarceration rate and retention rate. This seems unconstitutional, immoral, and illegal because the only way this grantee can be obtained is for the judicial branch to forgo early releases, give maximum penalties, and take advantage of poor, misrepresented individuals. This is extreme when a homeless man gets a longer sentence for stealing a roll of toilet paper from a government facility than a child molester. I witnessed this situation while serving on a grand jury years ago when just relooking at outdated laws and making adjustments can lessen the number of people incarcerated by having drug treatment facilities, legalizing medical marijuana, and minimizing lobbying. This is just a tiny part of the underlying problem, but a working solution is needed to sustain ourselves on this planet.  

Economics and Resource Management

            The story of stuff series, like the story of change, the level of bottled water, and the story of electronics, are all excellent. Victor Lavoe's planned obsolesces idea is bankrupting this planet's natural resources. The story of change's three-point plan (idea, commitment, action) is achievable and a reasonable response to the state of the world. The planned obsolesce movement was about boosting the economy of the United States after WWII, so the new direction can be called reversing designed obsolesce. The central theme is to undo the sustained damage that planned obsolesce caused. Doing so should incite the creation of jobs, the invention of the replacement technology, cleaning up waste sites, reusing, recycling, and electing different-minded leadership. It will take several generations to undo what has been done to the planet and humanity. Society must redirect the golden arrow to the greatest good for the masses, not the few. The business-as-usual style of representation in the US capital needs to change, and the first thing to go is corporate influence, corporate welfare, and subsidies. A comprehensive plan to restore the planet to a growing, healthy ecology should be a top priority of all world leaders. Replacing and recycling transportation alone would create a strong job market, not to mention changing farming or toxic chemicals. The world should demand quality goods and services, with no exceptions.