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Archive for February, 2007
Minnesota-Based Company Turns Salty to Fresh in the Gulf
Published February 27, 2007 Thoughts Leave a CommentA new pump system designed to turn salt water into fresh water when combined with desalination systems — and produce clean renewable energy when combined with hydroelectric systems — is currently being tested in the Gulf of Mexico, off the Texas coast.
New Wave-Pump Technology Hits the Water
technorati tags:desalination, seadog
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The Environmental and Social Impacts of Smoking
Published February 27, 2007 Thoughts Leave a Comment“Cigarette smoke contains polonium 210, a radioactive element. One study shows that a person who smokes 20 cigarettes a day receives a dose of radiation each year equivalent to about 200 chest x-rays.”
Smoking: Environmental and Social Impacts (TreeHugger)
technorati tags:smoking, effects
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Minnesotan Studies the Effects of Global Warming
Published February 27, 2007 Thoughts Leave a Comment
NPR : Arctic Team Studies Global Warming, Inuit Culture
Weekend Edition Saturday, February 24, 2007 ·
Beginning this month, a team of seven explorers — including three Inuit
hunters — are embarking on a 1,200-mile journey across Baffin Island in
the Canadian Arctic. Traveling by dog sled, the expedition will spend
time in local villages discussing the effects of Global Warming on
Inuit cultures. A project of the Will Steger Foundation, the team will
communicate with and educate online participants around the world.
A team of seven explorers — including three Inuit hunters — is about to
embark on a 1,200-mile journey across Baffin Island in the Canadian
Arctic. Traveling by dogsled, the expedition will spend time in local
villages discussing the effects of global warming on Inuit cultures —
and will use the Internet to communicate with interested observers
around the world.
The project is sponsored by the Will Steger Foundation, dedicated to the exploraiton and preservation of the Arctic.
technorati tags:will, steger, global, warming
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Have you ever wanted to spend a summer experiencing a masterpiece of naturally inspired architectural design? Well, 2007 could be your lucky year to make it happen! Applications are now being accepted for three summer residency study programs at Fallingwater–one for high school students, one for college undergraduate students enrolled in an architectural degree program, and one for teachers of any subject, at any grade level.For each program twelve people will participate in intense explorations of Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterwork in Mill Run, Pennsylvania. Close access to an architectural masterpiece, on-site design studios with practicing architects, and thoughtful discussions led by Wright scholars are only part of these unique study opportunities.Applications are now available on line or by contacting Fallingwater Education Assistant Jennifer Hiebert at jhiebert@paconserve.org or by phone at 724-329-1441, ext. 1204. Good luck!
PrairieMod: Learning At Fallingwater
WOW. this would be so cool.
technorati tags:fallingwater, frank, lloyd, wright, mill, run, pennsylvania
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LIGHT CRITICISM
Ad Bombs… good watch. true.
Being a person who can appreciate heating with wood, this is nothing new, but nifty lil article either way… My dad always told me that burning wood heated you twice; once when you cut it and again when you burn it… Nothing like wood heat.. mmm. especially in a masonry stove… and they’re pretty too!
“Heating your house with firewood is completely retro. I mean, cutting up trees and burning them, that’s just so old fashioned and inefficient, and not green at all. Right? What do you mean, wood burning can be green? In fact, masonry heaters (which are also sometimes called “Finnish heaters” or “Russian heaters”) can be a green source for heating a home. While a traditional fireplace may be only 10% efficient (which is to say not!), a masonry heater can be 90% efficient.”
Wood Burning = Green Heat? | Green Options
technorati tags:thermal, masss, masonry, stove, efficient
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…now they just have to find out a way to stick these in a car. Lotsa irregular shapes to fit batteries in a vehicle… More soon, heading to Mexico to build a house for some more unfortunate people down there. We’ll be back next Saturday. Ill post then and update as to whats new then…
Technology Review: Self-Assembling Batteries
technorati tags:self, assembling, batteries, LiCoO2, MIT
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“Actually, all pollution is simply an unused resource. Garbage is the only raw material that we’re too stupid to use.”– Arthur C. Clarke
Composting Toilets 101 – Gaiam Community
A composting toilet is a treatment system for toilet wastes that does
not use a conventional septic system. Composting toilets were
originally developed in Scandinavia, where almost no topsoils suitable
for conventional septic systems exist. A composting toilet is basically
a warm, well-ventilated container with a diverse community of aerobic
microbes living inside that break down the waste materials. The process
creates a dry, fluffy, odorless compost, similar to what’s in a
well-maintained garden compost pile. Flowers and fruit trees love it —
although we don’t recommend using this compost on kitchen gardens, as
some human pathogens could possibly survive the composting process.
technorati tags:composting, toliet, waste
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A wave of interest in such small dwellings — some to serve, like the
Shepherds’ home, as temporary housing, others to become space-saving
dwellings of a more permanent nature — has prompted designers and
manufacturers to offer building plans, kits and factory-built houses to
the growing number of small-thinking second-home shoppers. Seldom
measuring much more than 500 square feet, the buildings offer sharp
contrasts to the rambling houses that are commonplace as second homes.
technorati tags:microhouse, nytime, tinyhouse
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No, no, no. not like an SR1 or something. not the one you drive. While I mainly talk about building stuff here, i decided that this was just too cool not to share. Mini black holes with a microscopic black ring aound em.
wow.Black Saturns
Atom smasher may give birth to ‘Black Saturns’ – space – 13 February 2007 – New Scientist Space
technorati tags:black, hole, space, donut, saturn, LHC, Steven, hawking, geneva, new, scientist, MIT
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Jim Oberstar FINALLY passes solar panel legislation
Published February 13, 2007 Play , Thoughts Leave a CommentWASHINGTON — Thirty years ago, Rep. Jim Oberstar testified in favor
of his legislation to install solar panels at federal buildings. Now,
as chairman of the House Transportation Committee, he’s got the juice
to make it happen _ at least on a small scale.
On Monday, the
House approved Oberstar’s bill to create a solar energy system at the
Energy Department building, with the hope that the project could serve
as a model for all federal buildings.
Oberstar Finally Passes Solar Panel Bill – washingtonpost.com
technorati tags:oberstar, solar, power, government, MN
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this is cool. this is something i would stick in my house, hell id build a house outta it. if the chemical bonder is something that is eco friendly and turns out to be a better alternative to wood panels. pretty cool ayways…
DETROIT (AP) — Home-buyers of tomorrow could find themselves walking
across floors made from manure. Researchers at Michigan State
University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture insist it’s no cow
pie in the sky dream. They say that fiber from processed and sterilized
cow manure could take the place of sawdust in making fiberboard, which
is used to make everything from furniture to flooring to store shelves.
And the resulting product smells just fine.
Wired: AP Technology and Business News from the Outside World on Wired.com
technorati tags:flooring, ecofriendly, manure, fiberboard
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“ My indoor garden started with a Royal
Flush: During a poker game with friends, I was halving an avocado for
guacamole when I realized, to my complete shock, that I had a good
hand. Instead of pausing the game to throw the pit in the trash, I
poked a hole in the soil of the nearest houseplant, dropped in the pit
and forgot about it. I was reminded a month later when the fast-growing
avocado plant took over the pot. You, too, can grow an indoor garden
with kitchen scraps usually thrown onto the compost heap. “
technorati tags:compost, scraps, food, pineapple, onions, garlic, avacodo
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