Mercury Pollution

Mercury pollution is a dangerous environmental problem around the world. One way in which people are exposed to mercury is through eating contaminated fish.

Some mercury is natural in the environment.Some comes from our intentional uses of mercury, and some is a polluting byproduct of burning coal and certain mining and manufacturing processes.

ENVIRONMENTAL & HEALTH EFFECTS OF MERCURY
3 most common forms of mercury:

• elemental
• inorganic and
• methylmercury

These three forms of mercury can produce adverse health effects at sufficiently high doses.

EFFECTS ON HUMAN HEALTH:

1. Eating mercury-contaminated fish is the primary route of exposure to mercury for most people

2. Inhaling elemental mercury, the vapor given off when mercury is heated, can also be dangerous

3. Mercury can damage human health because it is toxic to the nervous system - the brain and spinal cord - particularly the developing nervous system of a fetus or young child.

4. Adults who have been exposed to too much methylmercury might begin to experience trembling hands and numbness or tingling in their lips, tongues, fingers or toes. These effects can begin long after the exposure occurred. At higher exposures, walking could be affected, as well as vision, speech and hearing. In sufficient quantities, methylmercury can be fatal.

5. Damage occurring before birth or in infancy can cause a child to be late in beginning to walk and talk and may cause lifelong learning problems. Unborn children can be seriously affected even though the methylmercury causes no symptoms in their mothers.

EFFECT TO THE ENVIRONMENT:

Fish are the main source of food for many birds and other animals, and mercury can seriously damage the health of these species. Loons, eagles, otters, mink, kingfishers and ospreys eat large quantities of fish. Because these predators rely on speed and coordination to obtain food, mercury may be particularly hazardous to these animals.

Sources:

http://www.pca.state.mn.us

Inspired Students Inspire A Community

When students at Mira Loma High School in Sacramento, California return to school at the end of this month, they will have more to look forward to than homework. They will have the opportunity to experience science hands on: they can participate in the Arcade Creek Project. Designed as a facet of Mira Loma’s participation in the International Baccalaureate Program (one of sixty schools nationwide with such distinction), five instructors created the student run project to meet the discipline requirements for science and chemistry. Students in the program are required to spend a minimum of forty hours per school year in the field counting birds and fish, mapping bends in the creek, calculating the slopes of riverbanks, analyzing water samples, and generally enjoying the great outdoors—that is as long as your idea of a good time in the great outdoors involves wearing waders and carrying a clipboard. The Arcade Creek Project consists of eleven individual studies that take place in randomly selected sites along the creek which is located just north of the campus in a suburban area of Sacramento County. The studies measure and map the physical dimensions of the creek, determine the degree of erosion along the banks, analyze the water quality, and count species of animals to gauge the health of the creek. Students also remove trash and non-native plants from the creek. They plan to begin reintroducing native plants soon. This active observation of the local land feature has fostered a deep affection for the little creek, an affection that has even moved the students to political activism. When another community group tried to purchase some of the land near the creek to build a parking lot, the students organized a letter writing campaign to put a stop to the development. So far the campaign can be considered a success; the plans for the parking lot have been put on permanent hold. Another branch project encourages students to reach out to their community by participating in Creek Week and the Sacramento Urban Creek Council to help their community recognize the importance of the creek and the role it plays in the health of the ecosystem and community overall. Students in the outreach program visit local elementary and middle schools to raise awareness of the need to protect the environment and have even developed class material for local elementary school students. Their textbook? The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss. In 2004, the project was awarded the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award for Children’s Environmental Education by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Now entering its sixth year, the Arcade Creek Project hopes to continue to inspire the students of Mira Loma’s IB Program and the residents of their community to protect their local environment. By: Christine Flanders
About the Author: About the AuthorChristine Flanders is a freelance writer for Indocquent.com. Indocquent.com is an online resource that allows businesses and individuals to promote their products and services in 20,000 cities in over 200 countries around the world.

The Search For Natural Gas

We often take the comfort of a warm home in the winter for granted. With the use of natural gas we are able to cook, keep warm and heat water, just to name a few benefits. Natural gas also burns cleaner than any other fossil fuel and has fewer emissions of sulfur, carbon and nitrogen compared to coal as it has no ash particles left after burning.

So what exactly is natural gas and how is it found?

The creation of natural gas began millions of years ago. The remains of plants and animals, or organic materials, that over time became covered with rock, combined with pressure and heat, slowly changed into coal, oil or natural gas. The discovery of the gas came later when humans started to notice these vapors seeping from gaps in rocks and then being ignited by lightening. Watching how the fire burned stimulated interest in capturing such gases and turning them into heat and light.

Extracting natural gas from deep beneath the earth is a complex and often expensive process. Even with modern technology, seeking a natural gas deposit large enough to invest time into drilling and exporting can be quite daunting.

So how is natural gas found? It takes a combination of processes and events – they include:

1.Geological Surveys – Geologists examine the earths surface to determine areas where it is geologically likely that petroleum or gas deposits might exist.

2.Seismic Exploration – Seismic waves are used to examine the earths crust for various underground formations that display potential gas pockets.

3.Onshore Seismology – Seismic waves are picked up by geophones and geophysicists, geologists and petroleum engineers interpret the data.

4.Offshore Seismology – Instead of using trucks and geophones, a ship is used to pick up seismic waves underwater.

5.Magnetometers – Magnetic properties of underground formations are measured with magnetometers, which can detect small differences in the Earth’s magnetic field.

6.Gravimeters – Measuring the Earth’s gravitational field helps scientists gain a better understanding of what is underground. Formations and rock types have a different effect on the gravitational field that surrounds the Earth. This sensitive equipment helps geophysicists analyze formations that lie below the ground.

7.Exploratory Wells – After digging into the earth’s crust, wells are dropped in search of deposits. Because the process of drilling is expensive, exploratory wells are only drilled in areas where other data indicates high probability.

8.Logging- Standard and electric logging consists of measuring and recording physical aspects of a well.

9.Data Interpretation – Raw data alone would be useless without careful and methodical interpretation. Geophysicists use all of the sources possible to make their best guesses as to location of reservoirs.

10.2-D Seismic Interpretation – Two-dimensional seismic imaging uses data collected from seismic exploration to develop a cross-sectional picture of underground rock formations.

11.Computer Assisted Exploration – Computers are used to compile and assemble the geological data using a technology referred to as CAEX, which is short for ‘computer assisted exploration.’

12.3-D Seismic Imaging – Three-dimensional seismic imaging has been one of the biggest breakthroughs in computer-aided exploration. Although costly, $1 million per 50 square miles, it provides more accurate placement of wells to be drilled.

13.2-D Seismic Imaging – This includes generating an image of subsurface geology in the same manner as 2-D data interpretation with the addition of computer technology.

14.4-D Seismic Imaging – A new breakthrough modeling underground rock formation. This technique is an extension of 3-D seismic imaging.

An Alternative Fuel Vehicle story

It seems apparent that the world is heading towards an energy crisis. The meter is heading towards "E" on petroleum and we need an alternative fuel vehicle. Cars can't run on good wishes alone and we need an alternative fuel source that is both economical as well as earth-friendly. One of the options for efficient energy seems to be the hybrid electric vehicle.

Hybrid electric vehicles are a top contender to be the alternative fuel vehicle, replacing the gasoline powered vehicles of today. They are efficient, reliable and becoming most cost effective every day. No wonder they're quickly becoming popular. Besides the "green" factor, the designs of these types of vehicles are also pleasing to the eye - unlike the early clunky looking models.

Popularly known as the hybrid, this alternative fuel vehicle runs on battery electric power and good old fashioned gasoline. It gets much higher mileage per gallon than traditional vehicles and dispels less carbon dioxide to boot. Not only that, this alternative fuel vehicle is being adopted by and large in the marketplace. Most major automotive manufacturers produce at least one hybrid and you can buy them at any new car dealership. Many manufacturers of vehicles are adding hybrids to their line up of available models.

Another benefit to this kind of alternative fuel vehicle is that it will last longer because there's less wear and tear. Alternative energy research has given us a vehicle with a combustion engine that stops running when you enter a traffic jam or slow down considerably and the battery electric engine takes over. This means you won't wear your combustion engine out by taking off or slowing to idle. Instead, you can rely on the dependable and less complex battery engine that gives you better acceleration and torque to begin with. You also get the benefit of recapturing waste energy via the regenerative braking system, which helps minimize pollution.

Like any new technology, hybrids run with a higher price tag than traditional gasoline powered vehicles. At the present time, the lofty price tag of an alternative fuel vehicle would put a hurtin' on any blue collar worker's pocketbook. But for some, the benefits might just outweigh the costs. For instance, the "hybrid premium" is often offset by the payback period wherein the cost is balanced out by a savings on gas over time. Not to mention that most other types of alternative fuel cars depreciate much faster than a conventional car but that isn't the case at all with the hybrid. In fact, studies have shown that hybrid vehicles will actually depreciate at a slower rate than conventional vehicles, making this alternative fuel vehicle a better choice for consumers that want to live a "greener" lifestyle.

A final positive is that the hybrids can also run on other forms of alternative fuel. Vehicle manufacturers can add a flexible fuel engine, or you can just use bio-diesel, ethanol or biogas. This gives hybrids a flexibility that most others in the alternative fuel vehicle category don't have.

After much deliberation and consideration it would appear that the hybrid is the best choice when buying an alternative fuel vehicle. You have the benefit of higher gas mileage and better engine performance. As well as the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions which will help stave off global warming. These benefits make the hybrid a very popular and tangible alternative fuel vehicle, unlike some of the other vehicles in the category.

About the Author: David Odell has been a freelance writer for over 20 years and takes a great interest in the "Green Issues" He is the creator of:Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cause Global Consequences

How Do We Use Petroleum?

Oil and natural gas together make up petroleum. This compound of carbon and hydrogen can be found in many forms. Petroleum literally means "rock oil", which refers to its solid state called asphalt. Petroleum can also be found in two types of liquid form. Crude oil is dark and sticky. It’s called condensate if it’s clear and volatile. Condensate evaporates very easily. In the semisolid state, petroleum is called bitumen. So what is petroleum actually made of? It looks like a simple black gooey mass, but it is actually a mixture of many chemicals, formed by decomposed remains of living things.
Different chemicals can be separated out at refineries and petrochemical plants. Then the chemicals or chemical groups can be made into a huge range of different things. Companies like Western Pipeline Corporation help find the oil, drill it and get it into production so that we can enjoy many of the products we use today. Polyurethane skateboard wheels, impact absorbing helmets and pads, even the polycarbonate case on your laptop are all produced from oil. Petroleum in its thickest form is called bitumen. Bitumen is mainly used for paving roads. Bitumen is also popular in waterproofing roofs. It can be mixed with sand or clay and water to produce what is known as oil sands. Oil sands are similar to tar, but the materials are naturally occurring. Bitumen is a nearly solid form of oil and is very expensive to process into gasoline or other usable fuels. Therefore, oil sands are being mined almost exclusively to extract the oil, convert it into synthetic oil, or it is being refined for other petroleum products, such as plastic.
Crude oil is a form of petroleum that is in a more liquid state than bitumen. It is mostly black or brown, but can also be yellow or green depending on its components. Crude oil from Sudan is black and North Sea oil is dark brown. Oil from Utah is amber while Texas oil is more yellow. "Sour" oils contain more sulfur and need extra processing in refineries. "Sweet" oils are much easier to refine. If someone mentions sour crude oil, they are referring to the heavier oil. Sweet grade oil usually refers to the lighter crude, found in places like Texas.
The lightest hydrocarbon molecules are so volatile that they evaporate very easily and form natural gas. Nearly every oil deposit contains at least some natural gas. Some have so much of these molecules that they are almost completely natural gas. Natural gas is a very clean burning resource that we use to cool and heat homes and businesses. It is used to generate electricity. We use it in many of the products that we utilize daily such as carpet, medicine, medical equipment, plastics and fertilizers.

Time-tested Solutions for Global Warming

Increased global temperature, a rise in the sea levels, extreme conditions of the weather. These are all attributed to a single factor - global warming. Global warming or greenhouse effect has been going on for centuries. For thousands of years, the earth's temperature continues to rise and it's not stopping. Although the catastrophic events are commonly linked with this global problem, scientists worldwide still have uncertainties as to the relation of global warming to these events AND if there's even a definite solution to global warming.
There are two possible solution to the effects of global warming as proposed by experts. It could be in the form of mitigation or through adaptation. Under the mitigation response, several actions are done to alleviate the effects of global warming, if not to totally eradicate it. The steps that could be undertaken in this response are to reduce the consumption of energy and to use appliances that are energy efficient; you could also look for other possible energy sources or alternatives that can be used to replace the present source of fuel. Possible 'other' sources of energy are solar energy (with this, pollution is decreased, thus, global warming could be controlled), wind energy, hydropower, and geothermal power, to name a few. These energy sources are reusable and highly available, not to add that they are clean sources of fuel.
Another solution for global warming is the use of other sources of energy. Other possible sources of energy that can be used are nuclear energy and biofuels. These two can be used to replace fossil fuels that take a much longer time to develop. Nuclear energy, though, is still under much consideration because of its negative effects to people and to the environment. There is no contestation as to the power that nuclear energy would be able to produce that would give electrical power. But as to the safety of this source of power, there is still much debate. Biofuel, on the other hand, is safe, economical and it is easy to produce. Methane is the main biofuel that can be produced from plant and animal wastes, and this proves to be a lot more environment-friendly than burning fossil fuels.
Another step that ingenious minds have created is capturing carbon (in the form of carbon dioxide) and properly storing them for future use. We have a high concentration of CO2 in our atmosphere, so to help in improving the climate, it should be controlled. And when needed, CO2 can also be used together with methane to make biogas. Aside from carbon capture, people have also set up the so-called Geoengineering where the main goal of this form of science is to study the effects and solutions in atmospheric problems.
In the adaptation response, people look for ways on reducing the effects of the problem and addressing the issues on these problems one-step at a time. In mitigation, people are bent on stopping or postponing the effects of global warming. In search for a better term, adaptation is like 'playing it cool' for now then slowly doing some actions to lessen global warming effects. So in adaptation, they have the thought that glaciers are melting anyway even if we stop our consumption of fossil fuels now so why not go on with modern progress? All they have to concentrate on is how to 'cope' with the effects. Both mitigation and adaptation would mean people who would join hands in fighting a common enemy.
Another way to defend ourselves from the ravages of global warming is for concerned lawmakers to create legislations that would ensure the responsible use of what's left of our fossil fuel resources. With this comes the equal responsibility of not using products or taking part in activities that would further ruin our planet's balance.
And, at the end of it all, the best person that could make a difference and help in making the solution for global warming possible would be you. You could start with yourself, and within your home, all the practices that would provide solutions to the worsening condition of planet earth, which is greenhouse effect.
Global warming solutions are not yet thoroughly proven, let alone totally administered. It is an ever-present problem. No matter what we do, it is there and there is no escaping it. And although it will take years, lots of it, before global warming will even begin to become a terrifying threat, still, it wouldn't hurt if we lift a finger now.
About the Author
For more information now go to: http://www.solutionstoearthdestruction.com/Global-Solution-Warming.html http://www.solutionstoearthdestruction.com/Benefit-Of-Deforestation.html

Aren't You Using Rechargeable Batteries?

When we ask ourselves why we should use rechargeable batteries, we are talking about rechargeable batteries of sizes AA, AAA, C, D and 9V. These rechargeable batteries can deliver many advantages and are intended for everyday use just like the disposable or primary alkaline batteries used everywhere.
An advantage of rechargeable batteries is that they can be recharged and reused hundreds of times and the better ones greatly outperform the everyday leading brand disposable alkaline batteries.
Rechargeable batteries can be used over and over again which produces an incredible cost reduction over their useful life. As an example, you can easily find 4 quality AA rechargeable batteries that come with a smart charger for $30 to $40 US. For such a package deal, each AA rechargeable battery costs $10 US (including the initial charger cost ). If you recharge these rechargeable batteries a minimum of 100 times, that means that these rechargeable batteries cost less than 10 cents per use.
There are many factors not accounted for in our cost analysis, but if all these other factors were included, they would only further reduce the total per use cost well below 10 cents per use. Firstly, new technology rechargeable batteries can easily provide 30% to 50% more energy than regular alkaline disposable batteries. Secondly, if you buy 4 more rechargeable batteries at $16 US or less, your per recharge cycle cost for these supplementary rechargeable batteries drops to less than 4 cents per use ( you already have the charger ! ). Thirdly, electricity costs are very small considering some of the best AA rechargeable batteries will deliver 3 Watt hours or more and electricity from the grid will cost you 6 to 10 cents per 1000 Watts per hour. Fourthly, a quality rechargeable battery may not last 1000 uses but will certainly last a lot more than 100 uses.
Another often mentioned advantage of using rechargeable batteries is that they are considered to be more environmentally friendly than the disposable primary batteries. There are pros and cons to this argument and the general practices of society and private enterprise are not really based on helping the environment. So far, helping the environment is all marketing hype and studies show that recycling is only an economic initiative. Over 90% of lead acid batteries are recycled (the rechargeable car battery for example) because of the economic costs of lead. This is far from the case for other rechargeable battery technology.
Dumping rechargeable batteries into a landfill is no better than dumping disposable alkaline batteries or any battery for that matter. Environmental friendliness has to account for the entire product life from mining to manufacturing, shipping, use and disposal. One thing is for sure, for every rechargeable battery you use, 100 or more disposable alkaline batteries are not going to the landfill.
If a quality rechargeable battery lasts 200, 300, 400 or 500 cycles, you can further divide the cost examples we just talked about by 2, 3, 4 or 5. This also applies to the number of disposable batteries that can be eliminated from the pollution factor.
Rechargeable batteries like NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) rechargeable batteries have proven that they can deliver greater performance in our ever demanding digital devices. Combined with the fact that they cost much less on a per use basis than disposable alkaline primary batteries and that less mass ends up in the landfill, leaves only one question.
Why are you not using rechargeable batteries instead of disposable one time use batteries? Do you question the performance or value of rechargeable battery technology? Have you been disappointed in the past when using rechargeable battery technology? Is convenience more important than saving money or helping the environment?Whatever the reason is, we would like to know. If you are thinking about using rechargeable batteries, there are resources that can help you.
About the Author: G. Bonneau is the owner of Rechargeable Battery Review, the only source of independent tests and reviews of rechargeable battery products.AAA NiMH Rechargeable Battery Performance Comparisons