Monthly Archives: March 2012

Chances of cancer cluster recovery dim for Acreage residents.

March 31, 2012

Chances that Acreage residents will recover any money for a mysterious cancer cluster that rocked the western Palm Beach County community three years ago are getting dimmer. Please read more from source: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/health/pb-acreage-cancer-cluster-ruling-20120330,0,5875362.story
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Kidney cancers: Major rise ‘linked to obesity.’

March 31, 2012

Obesity is fuelling a major increase in the number of cases of kidney cancers diagnosed in Britain, experts say. Obesity increases kidney cancer risk by about 70%, compared with smoking which increases it by about 50%. Please read full and follow at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17553930
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China Beats U.S. With Power From Coal Processing Trapping Carbon – Bloomberg

March 31, 2012

…By 2006, Wang had his breakthrough in sight. He’d found a way to unlock a chemical stored in the coal that was poisoning his country and to put it to an unlikely use: cleaning China’s air. The catalyst he discovered speeds reactions that convert methanol extracted from coal into a substance called dimethyl carbonate....
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Wasting Our Waterways 2012: Toxic Industrial Pollution and the Unfulfilled Promise of the Clean Wate

March 31, 2012

Industrial facilities continue to dump millions of pounds of toxic chemicals into America’s rivers, streams, lakes and ocean waters each year — threatening both the environment and human health. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), pollution from industrial facilities is responsible for threatening or fouling water quality in more than 14,000 miles...
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Student Sustainability Educators: A Guide to Creating and Maintaining an Eco-Rep Program @glrppr

March 31, 2012

The guide includes: — Step by step action items and tips for creating, maintaining and evaluating a campus Eco-Rep program; — Brief descriptions of actual programs and their best practices; — Case studies of successes and road blocks — Activity, event, marketing and outreach examples — Eco-Rep recruiting tools, sample job descriptions, and other...
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Clean & Green: Best Practices in Photovoltaics @glrppr

March 31, 2012

This report highlights the best practices of photovoltaic (PV) manufacturers to protect workers and the environment during the production of solar panels. The report is divided into three sections: 1) Environmental, social, and governance considerations used by socially responsible investors and examples of how PV manufacturers are already implementing these practices; 2) Cross-platform technical...
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Baby boomers had it all, now we and our children are stuck with the mess| The Guardian

March 31, 2012

The baby boomers have been accused of stealing their children’s future. Then they were hit with the ‘granny tax’.  Emine Saner-   They had free education, cheap housing and some even have final-salary pensions – and still the baby boomers complain about the “granny tax”. Meanwhile, according to Financial Times research, twentysomethings will be...
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Wil Wheaton #penny4 nasa… Not enough money to explore future dreams.

March 31, 2012

http://wilwheaton.tumblr.com/post/20186649095
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How to pay less for healthy food | MNN

March 31, 2012

MNN…  when you make fair comparisons — you see that yes, eating healthy is more expensive. Wait, what? Well it is! I’m not going to lie to you. But look, it’s only just barely more expensive. Seriously, I’m talking a few nickels here, a few quarters there. If you do it right, it adds up to a...
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Setting the Record Straight…on War Spending. $625 billion of savings comes entirely from the lower caps

March 31, 2012

Americans for Tax Reform has made the claim that the budgetdoes not account for war spending at all. Thus, when you add back in about $425 billion of post-drawdown war spending and net it against $625 billion of claimed discretionary savings, it comes out to only $200 billion of discretionary savings. However, this is inaccurate....
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EPA pulls order forcing driller to provide water… Driller is pleased

March 31, 2012

The EPA and some Parker County residents had argued fracking had contaminated the water with benzene, methane and other toxic gases. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a drilling method used to extract oil and natural gas embedded in impermeable layers of rock. The process involves pumping chemical-laced water at a high pressure into the...
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Abuse cases in child welfare system hit historic low @jsonline

March 31, 2012

In the months that followed the beating death of 13-month-old Christopher Thomas in 2008, child welfare officials vowed to improve the safety and well-being of Milwaukee County children who are removed from their homes because abuse or neglect. This is good news: http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/abuse-cases-in-child-welfare-system-hit-historic-low-it4qak0-145235475.html
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Threefold increase in the microbial production of biodiesel from glucose

March 31, 2012

A new technique – dubbed a dynamic sensor-regulator system (DSRS) – can detect metabolic changes in microbes during the production of fatty acid-based fuels or chemicals and control the expression of genes affecting that production. The result in one demonstration was a threefold increase in the microbial production of biodiesel from glucose. The DSRS is...
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EPA just released a much anticipated and groundbreaking report on black carbon, its effects on the environment.

March 31, 2012

Read it at: http://www.epa.gov/blackcarbon
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Illegal ocean dumping persists despite DOJ crackdown

March 31, 2012

iWatch News…The ship’s owner, Cooperative Success Maritime S.A., was fined $850,000 and sentenced to five years’ probation after its guilty plea. And the chief engineer — after cooperating with authorities — was sentenced to one year of probation. “The oceans must be protected from being used as dump sites for waste oil or other hazardous substances,”...
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LEED Commercial Certifications: 12,000 Served @USGBC

March 31, 2012
TX Chenier Plain Office - Front view

earthtechling “Twelve years after the first 12 projects earned LEED certification, the green building community has reached a significant milestone,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO & founding chair, USGBC, in a statement. “The momentum for green buildings is rippling around the globe, enhancing the built environment for generations to come.” image via U.S. Fish &...
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Denmark’s 50% wind commitment and a path to fully renewable power

March 31, 2012

Denmark’s Horns Rev offshore wind farm as it stands today Denmark has committed to generating 50 percent of its electricity from wind sources by the year 2020, by which time the country hopes to have reduced CO2 emissions by 34 percent compared to 1990 levels. This renewed commitment to wind forms the central pillar in...
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Managing an OSHA Inspection: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

March 31, 2012

Certain questions are asked frequently by clients when the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) shows up unexpectedly at their doorsteps. These questions and many more are addressed in Epstein Becker Green’s OSHA Inspection Checklist desk reference guide, found on its OSHA Law Update blog. Scenario 1: An OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officer (CSHO)...
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Reports: Environment Agency gives go-ahead for fracking

March 31, 2012

BusinessGreen: A controversial method for extracting shale gas should resume now the potential dangers are better known, the Environment Agency has said. Exploratory drilling in Lancashire was temporarily halted after the process, known as fracking, was linked to localised earth tremors, prompting the government to launch a study into the possible effects. The results...
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Feds, 5 states to push for Great Lakes wind farms

March 31, 2012

Associated Press: The Obama administration and five states announced an agreement Friday to speed up consideration of plans for offshore wind farms in the Great Lakes, which have been delayed by cost concerns and public opposition. Under the deal, state and federal agencies will craft a blueprint for speeding regulatory review of proposed wind...
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Canada to speed up approval of big energy projects

March 31, 2012

Reuters: Canada, intent on boosting development of the oil-rich tar sands, will speed up the process for approving big energy and industrial projects such as pipelines. The federal budget, released on Thursday, also said the right-of-center Conservative government would crack down on political activity by charities, some of which have strongly criticized Ottawa’s focus...
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OSHA reaccredited as an authorized continuing education provider

March 31, 2012

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Directorate of Training and Education has been reaccredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training to continue providing Continuing Education Units for work-related injury and illness prevention training. Please read more from source: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p…
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Nuclear Commission Clears $10.2 billion Reactors in South Carolina – NYTimes.com

March 31, 2012

Yep… $10.2 billion. Add in the lifetime cost of monitoring and nuke waste insurance and cleanup and how is this profitable? Seriously, do the stakeholders in this own calucators? Please read full and follow at: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/31/business/energy-environment/nuclear-commiss…
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#EarthHour 2012 – A dissent and poll

March 31, 2012

#EarthHour celebrates ignorance, poverty and backwardness. By repudiating the greatest engine of liberation it becomes an hour devoted to anti-humanism. It encourages the sanctimonious gesture of turning off trivial appliances for a trivial amount of time, in deference to some ill-defined abstraction called “the Earth,” all the while hypocritically retaining the real benefits of...
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Issues Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines

March 31, 2012

On March 23, 2012, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) released its highly anticipated final Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines. The Guidelines present a tiered approach for the consideration and analysis of potential impacts to wildlife and habitat from onshore wind energy development. The five-tier process and other guidance found in the Guidelines aim...
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New wastewater treatment system could generate electricity too

March 31, 2012
Two-in-one device uses sewage as fuel

Sonia Renthlei: The problem of how to deal with growing sewage is a reasonable one….Current waste water treatment methods involve many steps to separate solid and liquid components. The cleaning process is time consuming and expensive which is why not all regions can afford to invest in the technology. While this is understandable, it has...
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‘Muckbusters’ help in converting food waste to usable, clean electricity

March 31, 2012
How to get leftover spaghetti to power your iPad

Dattatreya Mandal:mWhen we talk about sustainable electricity generation, perhaps the very last thing that comes to our mind is food. But, the next time you guiltily scrap off your plate over the dustbin, remember that all of such discarded stuff can actually help in producing electricity. How so? Well, designers from a green technology...
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Increase in US Oil Production…Biofuels have made the largest contribution,

March 31, 2012

The above graphs shows US liquid fuel production, 1980-2011, broken out into its major components…You can see that at this point a large fraction of the liquid fuel numbers are not actually crude coming out of the ground.  This next picture shows the same data but putting the non C&C components onto the other...
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American Spending Goes Into Overdrive As Savings Plunge To 2008 Levels

March 31, 2012

ZeroHedge -  in February personal spending soared …while incomes barely rose… Which means the balance had to be savings funded. So even as we have seen retail weakness in the past three months, we now know that it was not only credit funded, but also forced US consumers to burn through their meager savings. And all...
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The Consumption Dysfunction | ZeroHedge

March 31, 2012

The latest reports from the Bureau of Economic Analysis on economic growth and personal income and spending have, on the surface, appeared to show improvement.   Spending is up more than expected and economic growth is clipping along at a 3% annual growth rate in the fourth quarter.  That  is the good news.  As we have...
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Food Poisoning’s Hidden Legacy: Scientific American @marynmck

March 31, 2012

…It is a scary idea that food poisoning—which we think of as lasting just a few days—could instead have lifelong aftereffects. The incidence of such “sequelae,” in medical parlance, has been thought to be low, but not many researchers studied the problem until recently. New findings by several scientific teams suggest the phenomenon is...
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Does Foodborne Illness Trigger Lifelong Health Problems? @marynmck

March 31, 2012

The few studies that have followed victims of foodborne illness for years show that later in life, they suffer higher-than-usual rates not only of digestive trouble, but of arthritis and kidney problems, as well as greater risk of heart attack and stroke. Superbug author and blogger Maryn McKenna reports at: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/03/foodborne-lifelong-problems/
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Does Obamacare have a $17 trillion funding gap?

March 31, 2012

Senate Republican staffers continue to look though the 2010 health care reform law to see what’s in it, and their latest discovery is a massive $17 trillion funding gap. “The more we learn about the bill, the more we learn it is even more unaffordable than was suspected,” said Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, the Republicans’ budget...
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GreenWashing is killing longterm environmental protection efforts

March 31, 2012

A new Gallup poll reports that Americans are still broadly skeptical of the Green agenda, currently putting economic growth ahead of the environment by 49 percent to 41 percent. And moderates are increasingly joining conservatives in the opinion that economic growth should be a priority even if it incurs some environmental damage. Gallup polls show that trends...
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Geothermal energy could generate 3 million megawatts power in US alone

March 31, 2012
nationwide geothermal energy potential

nationwide geothermal energy potential But David Blackwell, one of the leading minds in the field of geothermal energy has reiterated the fact that there is endless potential that is going untapped across the globe in form of the heat generated by earth’s core. While the general perception is that we can harvest geothermal power...
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Cooking up Energy: Waste gases from fried chicken offer clean power

March 31, 2012
New green technology converts fried chicken into electricity

New green technology converts fried chicken into electricity New green technology converts fried chicken into electricity In essence, the idea of Yu Chin’s invention is to create a cooking unit that will be independent from external power sources and can power itself on with ease. The process of frying a chicken obviously produces plenty...
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iZen’s Bamboo Keyboard for iPad Takes the Plastic Out of Electronics

March 31, 2012

Colorado startup iZen’s bamboo keyboard works for the iPad and other Bluetooth enabled devices. Please read more from source: http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/izens-bamboo-keyboard-ipad-takes-plastic-out-electronics.html
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Mississippi Residents Find Death Along Oily Gulf Shores

March 31, 2012

Since BP’s catastrophic oil blowout nearly two years ago, Laurel Lockamy has gotten pretty good at photographing the dead. She’s snapped images of dozens of lifeless turtles and dolphins, countless dead fish, birds, armadillos and nutria and pretty much anything that crawls, swims or flies near the white sandy Mississippi beaches of her Gulfport home. Please read...
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Government to reconsider nerve agent pesticides – Independent

March 31, 2012

The Government is to reconsider its refusal to ban neonicotinoid pesticides, the nerve-agent chemicals blamed for the collapse of bee colonies worldwide, the chief scientist at the Department of the Environment, Sir Robert Watson, told The Independent. …The Government has refused previous requests to consider a precautionary suspension of the chemicals, which have been banned...
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U.S. Employment by Industry, 1940 and 2010 » How we fell

March 31, 2012

Matthew Yglesias posted an image from an infographic released by the Census Bureau showing differences in the U.S. population between 1940 and 2010. This section of the graphic focuses on changes in the industries in which the U.S. workforce is employed. For instance, in 1940 23.4% of Americans worked in manufacturing, down to 10.4% in 2010:...
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Neonicotinoid Pesticides Linked To Bee Colony Collapse Disorder – Slashdot

March 30, 2012

“Neonicotinoid pesticides, designed to attack insects such as beetles and aphids, have been shown to harm bees’ ability to navigate back to the hive. While initially assumed safe in low enough, non-fatal doses for bees, two papers have shown that may not be the case. Although the studies don’t directly study the Colony Collapse Disorder, the scientists believe these pesticides...
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A Very Long Road for Military Nuclear Waste – NYTimes.com

March 30, 2012

Slowly, slowly, the Energy Department is moving forward with solidifying the liquid nuclear wastes left over from cold-war weapons production. On Thursday, the department said it had closed two more of the 51 underground tanks at the Savannah River Site in western South Carolina. The high-level waste was mixed with molten glass to keep it chemically...
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Chinese leader asks Apple’s Tim Cook to care for workers – Computerworld

March 30, 2012

…Li, however, also hoped multinational companies would pay more concern to their Chinese workers. In response to criticism of the working conditions at Foxconn’s plants in China, Apple has defended its policies and opened up its Chinese supplier factories for an internal audit by a labor rights group. On Wednesday, Cook visited a Foxconn factory in...
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Scripps Institute develops simple blood test to predict heart attacks and strokes

March 30, 2012

Roughly two and a half million Americans suffer a heart attack or a stroke each year. About 20% of these – half a million people – die in the aftermath. The proximate cause for both heart attack and stroke is a blood clot in the wrong place – a blood clot that could be...
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The rise of the machines, as told by workplace safety signs

March 30, 2012

Featured below is a small sampling from an incredibly amusing set of mechanical warning labels, collected by the folks at NOTCOT during this year’s WESTEC manufacturing convention in Los Angeles. For those unfamiliar with it, NOTCOT describes the convention as “the ultimate manufacturing show from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers… amazing tools, waterjets, 3D printers, CNCs,...
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In 2011, the Federal Reserve Purchased a Stunning 61% of U.S. Debt – WSJ.com

March 30, 2012

Please read full and follow at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304450004577279754275393064.html
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Michigan Economy Shifts Into High Gear in January as Economic Activity Index Reaches 6-Year High

March 30, 2012

Comerica Bank’s Michigan Economic Activity Index rose seven points in January, up to a level of 98.  The January index level is 38 points, or 63%, above the index cyclical low of 60, and  marks the highest index reading since January 2006 (see chart above). Please continue reading at: http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2012/03/michigan-economy-shifts-into-high-gear.html
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I will be reading the “Hazard Communication Answer Book (Answer Books) by Mark Moran this weekend.

March 30, 2012

Last time I looked there was only one more hard copy version at Amazon. I am looking forward to reviewing the book and will post a summary here on his map of navigating through the new Hazcom Standards. Have a great weekend fellow readers!
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One day, this system will let you flush the toilet to keep the heat on.

March 30, 2012

Algae: It’s a burgeoning biofuel, a handy ingredient in cosmetics, and a nutritious addition to food. One day, it might be used to generate heat in your apartment, with a little help from a toilet flush or some running water. Please continue reading at: http://www.fastcoexist.com/1679558/one-day-this-system-will-let-you-flush-the-toilet-to-keep-the-heat-on
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Great Lakes residents clash over water levels.

March 30, 2012

People around the Great Lakes — the world’s most abundant freshwater system — are fighting over water. Complaints that levels are too high or too low are longstanding, but the debate is growing louder as a warming climate raises the specter of more dramatic changes. Please continue reading at: http://online.wsj.com/article/APd455a901a1384355b9ae4493ce9c9e30.html
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Tightening up antibiotics on US farms.

March 30, 2012

US farmers may soon be prevented from dosing healthy livestock with antibiotics that encourage faster growth. Pressure for a ban has fallen on the FDA following publication of research showing how a strain of bacteria jumped from humans to farm animals and back again, picking up antibiotic resistance on the way. Please read more...
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Occupational cancer rates in China climb as Several cancer rates decrease in USA

March 30, 2012

Is China paying the price of world outsourced manufacturing? Occupational cancer in ChinaLi and colleagues estimate that in China about 3% of all cancer deaths in men and about 2% in women are due to workplace exposures. However, these figures are likely to underestimate the true situation. http://johncherrie.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/occupational-cancer-in-china.html  Several cancer rates decreasing in the...
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A proposed study could help determine a link between living near nuclear facilities and risk of cancer

March 30, 2012

A proposed study could help determine if there is a link between living near U.S. nuclear facilities and having a higher risk of cancer, but challenges and limitations exist, says a new report from the National Research Council. To evaluate the feasibility of such a study, the report recommends that a pilot study of...
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Mega Millions Perspective | Gary Varvel | The Indianapolis Star

March 30, 2012
033012

Please read full and follow at: http://blogs.indystar.com/varvelblog/2012/03/29/mega-millions-perspective/
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CBO | S. 1023, Haiti Reforestation Act of 2011… environmental recovery of 35% of Haiti’s land area within five years

March 30, 2012

S. 1023 would authorize assistance to Haiti to reduce deforestation, increase efforts to restore forest cover, and improve management of natural resources. The bill would set specific targets for those efforts: promote the environmental recovery of 35 percent of Haiti’s land area within five years, restore forest cover to at least 10 percent of...
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Capsule removes radioactive substances from beverages

March 30, 2012

With airborne radioactivity from Fukushima’s still-critical damaged reactors circling the globe and more likely on the way from the mass incineration of earthquake debris, individuals are certainly justified in wanting to shield themselves from the fallout, especially when it shows up in their food and drink. Now, to address concerns about nuclear contamination in...
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US $16.394 Debt Ceiling D-Day: September 14, 2012

March 30, 2012

ZeroHedge…Tim Geithner said that any worries of the US debt ceiling are misplaced, and that at best such an event would occur “late in the year” (and to think the August 2011 extended $16.394 trillion debt ceiling was supposed to last well into 2013)…The answer is that at the current rate of debt issuance,...
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Floating wind turbines to produce low cost renewable energy

March 30, 2012

Altaeros Energies has announced the first testing of its Airborne Wind Turbine (AWT) prototype that resembles a sort of blimp windmill. The test took place at the Loring Commerce Center in Limestone, Maine, USA where the AWT floated 350 feet (107 meters) into the sky and successfully produced power, before coming back to earth...
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Wind turbines that use human-like learning to improve efficiency

March 30, 2012

Wind turbines are exposed to a wide variety of wind conditions, from zephyrs to gales, and ensuring the maximum amount of power is extracted from the turbine across a range of wind speeds is a difficult task. Chinese researchers have now developed a biologically inspired control system that uses “memory” of past experience to...
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CDC – Severe Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease Associated with Coxsackievirus A6 — Alabama, Connecticut,

March 30, 2012

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common viral illness caused by enteroviruses that predominantly affects children aged
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Australia: No emission limit on new coal plants.

March 30, 2012

The Baillieu government has dropped an election commitment to bring in limits on greenhouse gas emissions from new coal-fired power plants. Please read more from source: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/no-emission-limit-on-new-coal-plants-20120327-1vwmu.html
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Researchers generate liquid fuel using solar generated electricity.

March 30, 2012

While electric vehicles have come a long way in the past decade, they still have many disadvantages when compared to internal combustion engine-driven vehicles. The lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles have a much lower energy storage density when compared to liquid fuel, they take longer to “refuel,” and they lack the supporting infrastructure...
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The Chart Of The Decade – ZeroHedge & infiniteunknown

March 30, 2012

The Chart Of The Decade (ZeroHedge): This chart tells millions of stories. I’m trying to get my head around its implications. That’s right: since 1984 (surely an appropriate year) while the elderly have grown their wealth in nominal terms, the young are much worse off both in inflation-adjusted terms, as well as nominal terms (pretty hard to believe...
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Update: Apple supplier Foxconn hit on poor working conditions – Computerworld

March 30, 2012

…A monthlong investigation by FLA revealed compensation issues, health and safety risks, and issues that have led to a “sense of unsafe working conditions among workers,” the organization said in a statement. FLA claimed it gave Foxconn “a full-body scan through 3,000 staff hours,” and surveyed more than 35,000 workers, while investigating three of...
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CBO | H.R. 2309, Postal Reform Act of 2011 – savings totaling about $28 billion

March 30, 2012

H.R. 2309 would change the laws that govern the operation of the United States Postal Service (USPS). Major provisions of the bill would: Permit the Postal Service to reduce mail delivery from six to five days per week; Transfer about $11 billion in surplus retirement contributions from the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund (CSRDF)...
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Microbial Fuel Cell Converts Raw Sewage into Electricity

March 30, 2012

U.S. scientists have developed a fuel cell capable of converting 13 percent of the energy found in sewage into electricity, a process that its developers say could also more efficiently treat municipal wastewater. In a report released at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society, researchers at the J. Craig Venter Institute describe...
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Americans Flush $5 Billion Down the Toilet Every Year

March 29, 2012

Dan Lewis, author of the daily newsletter Now I Know (“Learn Something New Every Day, By Email”) joins us Wednesdays with surprising facts about the world of business. The United States government has many different departments—among them the Department of Treasury, the Department of Defense, and more recently, the Department of Homeland Security. Each of these departments...
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California nuclear plant to remain shut for probe.

March 29, 2012

The troubled San Onofre nuclear plant in Southern California will remain shut down while investigators try to solve a mystery inside its massive generators — the rapid decay of tubing that carries radioactive water, federal regulators said Tuesday. Please read more from source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5guIr4R1mwJTtia_ulRFb1PDzC-Hw
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Capsule helps decontaminate milk, water and other fluids.

March 29, 2012

Water, milk and other fluids can be purified of radioactive substances with absorbant nanoparticles, according to a new study. Arsenic, lead, cadmium and other heavy metals can also be removed with the technology. Please continue reading at: http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/sdcounty/health-capsule-helps-decontaminate-milk-water-and-other-fluids/article_21249ef6-08d1-5318-a3d5-033de146cf1d.html
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Sustainable livestock vow not just hot air.

March 29, 2012

Australia’s 55,000 cattle and sheep producers have pledged to consumers to all be farming sustainably by 2020. They aim to convince urban Australians that red meat production is environmentally, socially and ethically sustainable. The project has won the backing of some notable environmentalists and chefs. Please read more from source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/sustainable-livestock-vow-not-just-hot-air/story-e6frg6nf-1226310728566
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Feds not to blame for West Virginia mine disaster, safety chief tells Congress.

March 29, 2012

The nation’s top mine safety regulator on Tuesday defended his agency in the wake of a government report that said the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration likely could have prevented the nation’s worst coal-mining disaster in nearly 40 years. Please continue reading at: http://wvgazette.com/News/politics/201203270170
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What the muck?

March 29, 2012

The Portland Harbor is a toxic embarrassment. And there’s plenty of blame to go around. For the past 12 years, some of the most powerful companies in Oregon have lived in fear of an unspeakable beast at the bottom of the Willamette River, a toxic freak that could figuratively eat them alive. Please read...
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3D solar towers offer up to 20 times more power output than traditional flat solar panels

March 29, 2012

While we’ve looked at the development of solar cell technologies that employ nanoscale 3D structures to trap light and increase the amount of solar energy absorbed, MIT researchers have now used 3D on the macro scale to achieve power output that is up to 20 times greater than traditional fixed flat solar panels with...
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Ford’s most fuel efficient passenger car ever 114 mpg

March 29, 2012

With the cost of fuel hitting family budgets harder and harder, Ford of Europe has commenced production of its most fuel efficient (and lowest CO2 emissions) passenger car ever. The company’s new Fiesta ECOnetic Technology is powered by a 1.6-liter Duratorq TDCi diesel engine providing 205 Nm of torque that offers fuel economy figures...
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Liquid-like compound could lead to better thermoelectric devices

March 29, 2012

Thermoelectric materials work by converting differences in temperature into electric voltage. If two parts of such a material experience significantly different temperatures, electrons within it will flow from the warmer part to the cooler, creating an electrical current in the process. Using these materials, electricity could be generated by the temperature differences on the...
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Supreme Court Case HIV status being shared across govt agencies

March 29, 2012

Supreme Court handed down a decision in FAA v Cooper yesterday.  Cooper did not declare his HIV positive status on his flight physical.  At the time, the FAA had started cross-referencing SSI disability status with the pilot physicals, and they found he was getting disability due to his HIV status.  So they fined him...
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Infographic: Most teachers Unhappy in the Classroom

March 29, 2012

Just 44 percent of American teachers say they’re satisfied with their jobs, the lowest number in two decades and an 18-point drop since 2008. A growing number of teachers are deciding to leave the profession altogether in favor of a new career path. What’s behind the unhappiness? Please read full and follow at: http://www.good.is/post/infographic-unhappy-in-the-classroom
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#sustainable – WarmDirt keeps plants’ roots frost-free

March 29, 2012

After a somewhat unsuccessful and rather expensive attempt at warming a greenhouse, electrical engineer Dr Craig Hollabaugh rigged up a system that keeps the winter chill away by warming the roots of his plants. The WarmDirt system has already helped his plants survive the coldest of Colorado’s cold months, and is now getting ready...
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Tomorrow’s carbon fiber could be made from plastic bags

March 29, 2012

Thanks to research currently being conducted at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, our unwanted plastic bags may one day be recycled into carbon fiber. Not only that, but the properties of the fibers themselves could be fine-tuned, allowing different types of carbon fiber to be created for specific applications… Continue...
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Gas Leak on Platform in North Sea Forces Evacuation

March 29, 2012

Ships and aircraft were ordered to stay away because of the risk of explosion. The leak developed as workers tried to cap a well 150 miles east of Scotland. Please read more from source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/28/world/europe/gas-leak-on-platform-in-north-…
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Bernanke Claims That The Fed Has Averted A Second Great Depression By Bailing Out The Too Big To Fai

March 28, 2012
The Great Depression

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke claims that the Federal Reserve averted a second Great Depression by bailing out the big Wall Street banks during the last financial crisis, and he says that if a similar financial crisis comes along that the correct “policy response” will be to do the exact same thing again.  This...
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A Hybrid Car With Detachable Engine Proposed – Slashdot

March 28, 2012

“The SCI hyMod five-door minicar concept is the brainchild of a Romanian team made up of an engineer, a designer, and an automotive journalist. It uses what its designers call a ‘dedicated logistics center’ forthe transformation from electric to gas-powered, in which the back end of the car containing a battery pack is removed,...
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China: America’s Third Largest and Fastest Growing (By Far) Export Market, 2000-2011

March 28, 2012

Click to enlarge. Some highlights from the U.S.-China Business Council’s recently released report “U.S. Exports to China: 2000-2011“: 1. China is now the third-largest U.S. export market, and U.S. exports to China continue to expand rapidly. As a buyer of U.S. goods, China ranks behind only Canada and Mexico—two immediate neighbors with whom the...
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Experts Warn Urban Expansion Puts Humanity at Risk : TreeHugger

March 28, 2012

With 7 billion people on the planet, things have already begun to feel a bit hot and crowded, particularly in swelling urban centers — but researchers warn that we’ve ain’t seen nothing yet. Please read more from source: http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/urban-expansion-puts-humanity-risk.html
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One of Japan’s damaged reactors has high radiation, little water, renewing stability concerns – The Washington Post

March 28, 2012

…Tuesday’s examination with an industrial endoscope detected radiation levels up to 10 times the fatal dose inside the chamber. Plant officials previously said more than half of melted fuel has breached the core and dropped to the floor of the primary containment vessel, some of it splashing against the wall or the floor. Particles...
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Green Blog: $1.2 Million Fine for Indian Point Fire

March 27, 2012

The fine is viewed as a slap of a wrist in the context of a broader struggle by New York State officials to shut down the nuclear plant. Please continue reading at: http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/27/1-2-million-fine-for-indian-point-f…
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US Army Abandoning LEED Certification…”highlighting LEED certification will be less valuable, if not totally irrelevant.”

March 27, 2012

Written by Philip Proefrock on 27/03/12 While the headline may sound dire, it’s not an indication that the US Army is giving up on green building. Instead, the Army has announced it will use a new construction code of its own which is based on the  ASHRAE 189.1 standard for new buildings and renovations, rather than...
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VW set to pilot e-Golf test fleet in the U.S.

March 27, 2012

The fact that most major manufacturers are now investing serious amounts of time and money in battery electric vehicle (BEV) development is proof positive that an electric automotive future will soon be upon us. While some, like Mitsubishi and Nissan, are already leading the charge onto the driveways of more and more folks around...
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US Navy sails 1,200 miles on algae biofuel | TG Daily

March 27, 2012

Newt Gingrich may mock algae as a source of clean fuel, but the U.S. Navy’s got no problem with it. In fact, the Navy is extending – literally – its use of biofuels derived from the stuff. Last November, a remotely controlled destroyer using a 50-50 blend of algae-derived, hydro-processed oil and a standard petroleum fuel...
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Wind turbine thunderstruck by lightning and smashed

March 27, 2012

On Wednesday (21st March 2012) one of the Wonthaggi wind turbine’s blades was reportedly hit by lightning, causing the blade to split down its length. It’s now hanging from the hub in need of being replaced. Wonthaggi turbine after lightning strike, March 2012 (Neil Rankine) Having one turbine off-line will obviously reduce the amount...
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“Sometimes life is going to hit you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith.” – Steve Jobs

March 25, 2012


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Organic Or Natural? Can you trust the labels?

March 25, 2012

The Organic Movement started out well. Get away from chemical foods (and body care products), and only deliver all natural chemical free foods that are healthier and safer. Thanks to government regulations that spell out how much chemical and biological contamination is allowed and still qualify for the organic symbol, Big Agriculture & Bio...
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Interesting Facts About Farm Water Conservation – Green-Trust.Org

March 25, 2012

A tremendous amount of water is used globally for agriculture. It’s estimated the world’s population by 2050 will be around 9 billion, and if we do not reduce our water usage, there won’t be enough fresh water to go around. Alternative methods of agriculture (aquaponics for instance), composting toilets, and low flow fixtures can...
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@SMBC … White papers vs grant discussions – classic

March 25, 2012

Please read full and follow at: http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=2559
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An environmental group is taking Warren Buffett to task over a proposed nuclear power plant in Iowa – Omaha.com

March 25, 2012

The group, Friends of the Earth, says Buffett told CNBC last month that the future of nuclear reactor construction is “dead” because of the crisis in Japan. Yet MidAmerican Energy, a holding of Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, is proposing to build a new Iowa nuclear plant, it says. The Iowa Legislature is considering a bill...
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New study: Radiation treatments create cancer cells 30 times more potent than regular cancer cells

March 25, 2012

Excerpt- In the new study, Pajonk and his team irradiated normal non-stem cell cancer cells and placed them into mice. Through a unique imaging system, the researchers observed the cells differentiate into iBCSC in response to radiation treatments. Pjonk reported that the newly generated cells were remarkably similar to non-irradiated breast cancer stem cells....
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Please Highlight The Housing Recovery On The Following Chart @ZeroHedge

March 25, 2012

@ZeroHedge…of New One Family Homes for Sale (source) which at 150,000 is the lowest print… Ever. And no, “it can only go up from 300,000, 250,000, 200,000, 150,000… 0″ does not work with us. Please read full and follow at: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/please-highlight-housing-recovery-following-chart
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Student-Loan Debt Tops $1 Trillion – WSJ.com

March 25, 2012

The amount Americans owe on student loans is far higher than earlier estimates and could lead some consumers to postpone buying homes, potentially slowing the housing recovery, U.S. officials said Wednesday. Total student debt outstanding appears to have surpassed $1 trillion late last year, said officials at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a federal...
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Water Charity WIN… Give a little, get a little

March 25, 2012
epic win photos - Water Charity WIN

Via: Reddit
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California DoD bases sitting on 7 gigawatts of solar potential

March 25, 2012

Marine exercises at Twentynine Palms, one of the military installations analyzed in the study The US Military is sitting on a potential 7GW of untapped solar power capacity in the Mojave and Colorado Deserts, according to a recent Department of Defense report that analyzed the applicability of a variety of solar technologies across seven...
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