home4eco

2010-08-19T15:19:00.007+01:00

Governmant Grants For Insulation

2010-02-19T13:58:00.002Z

Insulation grants for all householders

The Home Energy Saving Programme will provide grants to help everyone insulate their homes. Find out how you could reduce your fuel bill this winter...

What is the Home Energy Saving Programme?

On the 11th September 2008, the Prime Minister announced measures to help people cope with their fuel bills.

The Home Energy Saving Programme, amongst other things, helps UK householders make their homes more energy efficient and therefore reduce their fuel bills.

The measures will be paid for by the energy companies - at a cost of £910 million.

The Home Energy Saving Programme will help people to save money and save energy in the long term. It's important that people can start saving money and fuel as soon as possible. We offer support to help everyone get their grant.

For information and advice, call our helpline on 0800 512 012.

Why do I need insulation?

By installing cavity wall and loft insulation you could save around £270 a year on your energy bills. You'll need less energy to heat your home so you'll use less fuel and produce less CO ₂ .

Currently there are around 7.3 million UK homes with un-insulated cavity walls and 12.9 million with no or less than 150mm of loft insulation.

Find out more about insulation for your home

How can I get my insulation grant?

To find out about getting a grant, call the Energy Saving Trust on 0800 512 012.

We give free, impartial advice about energy saving and other grants or schemes you can apply for.

Why is the Government spending money on insulation instead of giving me money off my energy bills?

The Government has chosen to spend money on insulation grants because insulation saves you money in the long term. Once it's installed you'll need less energy to heat your home, which means lower fuel bills year on year.

What if I have insulation already?

Even if you have insulation already, you could still reduce your bills by making other saving energy changes. For more energy saving options, see What can I do today?

You may be able to get a grant for other energy saving measures like heating controls or renewable energy technologies. Find energy saving grants and offers.

Eco Kettle 3 - Chrome

2010-02-17T17:59:00.003Z

With its unique, patented dual-chamber design, the ECO Kettle can be filled with up to 1.5 litres of water ready for use – and then you can decide how much to heat, from one cup (200ml) to full capacity, simply by pressing the knob. The water you don’t use remains ready for next time.

Then just select one of the three temperature settings: 80 degrees (ideal for speciality teas), 90 degrees (perfect for coffeemaking), or boiling. Press the button and your ECO Kettle will boil the perfect amount of water to the desired temperature. It will then switch itself off and signal when the right temperature is reached.

In independent consumer trials, the standard ECO Kettle used an average of 31% less energy than any other kettle, and is the only kettle to be awarded the “Recommended” mark by the UK’s Energy Saving Trust. Now with the new temperature selector you can save even more!

New Improvements:

Boil Control:

80° (ideal for speciality teas)

90° (perfect for coffeemaking)

100° boiling

Audible ‘Ready’ signal --Press the button and your ECO Kettle will switch off and signal when the right temperature is reached.
Illuminated buttons

Technical Specifications:

2.2 kW stainless steel concealed element
High quality Strix electronic temperature control and boil-dry protection
Has an audible ‘Ready’ signal
Cordless
360° base with cord storage
Locking lid
Has illuminated buttons
Washable limescale filter
220/240 Volts AC
1.5 litre capacity
Conforms to EN60335

Hydrogen Powered Remote Controlled Car

2010-02-10T17:52:00.004Z

Now fully remote controlled the H racer is a more advanced clean energy education model than ever before.

H-racer 2.0 is a futuristic fully steerable model car that contains one of the most exciting and advanced technologies of the 21st century. This car operates on 100% clean fuel produced by a miniature solar-powered hydrogen refueling station that converts water to hydrogen using energy captured from the sun.

The H-Racer consists of a miniature car, which can be fueled with hydrogen, which is then converted to electric energy in order to power the engine of the car. The conversion takes place in an included 0,3 watt PEM fuel cell. The hydrogen can easily be produced in the included miniature gas station, which comes with an included electrolyser, which can transform electric energy and water* into hydrogen and oxygen. For this to work, you have to connect the gas station to the included solar cell or you have to use 2 AA batteries, which you can easily insert into the gas station. After that, you only have to connect the gas station to the car, which will transfer the produced hydrogen into it. The car and the gas station allow you to look into them so that you can easily observer everything which is going on.

Mini Personal Wind Turbine

2010-02-10T17:17:00.002Z

HYmini is a small handheld charger and wind powered generator. It's lightweight, portable and can be used to charge mobile phones, iPods, and most portable electronic devices. Stylish in appearance but rugged in performance, it charges by wind or rechargeable internal battery (mains adapter included).

Good for festivals, outdoor life, camping, or anywhere with a bit of wind. The HYmini has an advantage over traditional solar chargers in that it charges in the wind rather than the sun, so will charge during the night. It'll constantly gather energy from either a light breeze to a strong wind. It's lightweight and weatherproof, which means that it is an ideal travel partner and energy source.

Hymini's internal battery charging starts when the wind speed reaches 5mph, but it is recommended that Hymini is fitted to a bicycle, car, or on your arm while jogging in order to increase the speed at which the air hits the turbine.

Maximum charging wind speed is 40mph - no extra power will be generated above that speed. Peak power output for the turbine is 1 Watt.

The manufacturers claim that if Hymini is mounted on a bicycle or jogger for one hour, enough electricity will be generated to provide 15 minutes of mobile phone talk time, or to take 50 digital photographs. With a full internal battery, an iPod can be charged in one hour via the Hymini USB charging connection.

The HYmini stores the charge in its internal battery, for later use.

HYmini includes the following:

1 x HYmini Portable power bank
USB transfer cable and 6 connectors for Nokia / Motorola / Sony Ericsson / Samsung / LG
AC/DC power adaptor and wall plug

The Necessity of Nuclear Power

2010-02-10T16:13:00.003Z

It is essential that we address nuclear power as a legitimate, positive source of energy supply. Nuclear power is a highly contentious issue with strong opposition from key non-governmental organisations, such as Greenpeace. The industry's record of corner-cutting and unresolved questions about waste disposal and energy balance are strong arguments against nuclear power. However, nuclear power currently accounts for 20% of the UK's energy supply and appears to be gaining support. Government and parliamentary support for nuclear energy was confirmed with the approval of ten new nuclear sites in the UK. This fact was clarified yet further still by the government wanting to fast track these plants into production by 2018. There is also growing support in public opinion supporting nuclear expansion as a means of energy generation in the future. If greenhouse gas emissions are to be curbed then nuclear power must be considered as a policy option. The government appear right then to commission ten new plants for construction. Particularly, as the UK's current plants are old and decaying, the last of which will become decommissioned in 2023.

However, it is not as simple as merely considering the necessity of nuclear power to meet our energy requirements. It is still unclear of the true effects nuclear energy production has on the environment and this issue must be addressed before any concrete policy is enforced. Nuclear power's contribution to carbon emissions is negligible according to the European Commission. This, however, relates to the actual process of energy production. It is uncertain and hard to judge what emission levels result from the mining and processing of low-quality uranium ore. Private actors, such as The World Nuclear Association, contend that enrichment amounts to 0.1% of the CO2 from equivalent coal-fired electricity generation, or up to 3% in a worst case scenario. Whereas, scientists commissioned by Green Parties of the European Parliament, Van Leeuwen and Smith, contend that when using ores which contain 0.02% of uranium or less more energy is consumed when processing than is produced later. Due to the conflicting evidence surrounding nuclear energy, it appears then that the government should have had more research conducted before considering any concrete policy. The areas of ore enrichment and waste disposal are contentious issues that need to be assessed. If enrichment is found to be a low-energy process then their pursuit of nuclear energy as a viable energy source appears to be an admirable and necessary one, providing the safe disposal of nuclear waste is ensured.

Nuclear waste is a cause for concern because it is not bio-degradable, meaning it does not decompose naturally under the affect of the atmosphere. Secondly, it causes a number of health hazards for anyone who comes into contact with the radiation from this waste. Harmful radioactive emissions can cause skin cancer and genetically alter the DNA of people coming into contact with them, the effects of which will be passed on to the descendants of these victims for many generations to come. There are currently 3 main methods available for the disposal of nuclear waste at the moment. They are as follows:

1. Deep ocean disposal: In this method, containers made of borosilicate glass are filled up with nuclear waste. This glass has the capacity to prevent any nuclear radiation from leaking out. The container is enclosed in yet another water-tight metal container and dumped into the ocean. Though these containers are said to be leak-proof, there is a speculation that a minor quantity of radiation does manage to escape from these containers.

2. Deep geological burial: The containers used in this method are similar to the ones used in the deep ocean disposal system. But in this case, the containers are buried deep underground, in less-populated areas. This method depends on the natural decaying ability of the radioactive material for its success. The materials are buried deep under the earth for thousands of years and allowed to settle into a safe level of radioactivity.

3. Nuclear waste recycling is a new waste disposal method being looked into, in which the uranium, plutonium and other fission products are separated into different streams using chemical processes. The advantage of doing this is that these products can be re-used or disposed of more easily.

However, the recycling process is not feasible at present because many countries do not have proper facilities to implement this method, and it is also a costly process.

We need to focus on ensuring that all our nuclear waste is recycled in a safe and secure manner to allow nuclear power to truly fulfill it's potential as a great source of energy production in the world.

Facts About Energy Use and Consumption

2009-12-11T16:06:00.003Z

Photocopier energy consumption

A photocopier left on overnight may waste enough energy to produce over 1,500 copies.

PC monitor energy consumption

Leaving a PC monitor on all night wastes enough energy to microwave six dinners.

AAA Batteries

A typical alkaline AAA battery stores about 1.5 watt hours: enough energy to power a 12 lumen LED bulb (typical bike light) for about 3 hours.

Hot water

Between 15 and 30 percent of the energy used by hot water tanks goes to keeping a tank of water hot, just in case you need it.

TV energy consumption

An old television in standby mode can use up to half of the electricity as it does when switched on.

Microwave energy consumption

Switching off (or unplugging) a microwave when not in use can save up to 80 kg of co2 per year.

Compressed air energy

A compressed air leak the size of a match head can waste enough energy in a working day to toast 444 slices of bread.

Lightning energy

One thunderstorm can discharge enough energy to supply the entire US with electricity for 20 minutes.

Public biogas

Three London sewage works use anaerobic digestion to decompose the sewage of 6 million people. The biogas produced (equivalent to 250,000 gallons of petrol per day) is used to heat the incoming sewage for faster treatment.

Copenhagen climate summit: Barack Obama given power to cut greenhouse gases

2009-12-08T18:20:00.009Z

Hopes that the US will pass new laws vital to limiting carbon emissions were given a major boost on the opening day of the Copenhagen climate summit.

Barack Obama plans to attend the conference late next week Photo: AFP/GETTY IMAGES

America's Environmental Protection Agency formally declared that greenhouse gases endanger human health – a decision which will give President Obama the power to regulate emissions with or without the backing of Congress.

There had been fears Mr Obama would arrive at the conference almost empty-handed after Congress held up attempts to pass new legislation, but the EPA's watershed decision will inject fresh optimism that Copenhagen can now set meaningful climate control targets which will include the US.

Environmental campaigners hailed the news as a sign that the US, second only to China among the world's biggest polluters, was "serious" about signing up to stringent targets on cutting carbon emissions.

Mr Obama, who plans to attend the conference late next week, has made energy reform one of his top priorities but has until now been held back by strong opposition from Republicans and some Democrats, who argue that the proposed "cap and trade" system for carbon emissions will be too costly for industry.

Although he will still hope to win the backing of Congress for his plans to cut emissions by 17 per cent by 2020 and about 80 per cent by the middle of the century, the EPA's so-called endangerment finding is likely to act as a spur to legislators and will enable Mr Obama to bypass Congress if necessary.

Meanwhile the Copenhagen conference's head negotiator warned that the summit's target of limiting global warming to 2C is not enough to save whole nations from "disappearing" beneath rising sea levels.

Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the UN climate change negotiations, said an agreement to allow world temperatures to rise by 2C would amount to a "suicide pact" for small island states, leaving millions of people homeless.

Mr de Boer challenged world leaders to find a way of limiting global warming to 1.5C rather than the 2C limit which is currently on the table.

He said: "What the small island nations are telling us here is anything over 1.5 C increase will be a suicide pact for them because it means their nations disappearing."

Dr Rajendra Pachauri, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Committee on Climate Change, also said vulnerable people will suffer if temperatures rise by even a small amount.

"Some even question the goal of 2C as a ceiling because that would lead to sea level rise on account of thermal expansion alone of 0.4 to 1.4 metres," he said. "This increase added to the effect melting of snow and ice across the globe, could submerge several small island states and Bangladesh."

Speaking on behalf of the small island states Dessima Williams, the chief negotiator for Grenada, said the group would not accept a "made for TV" solution.

She called for a legal treaty that would commit rich countries to cutting their carbon emissions by between 25 to 40 per cent.

"We are here to save ourselves from burning and drowning," she said. "We are here to work towards an ambitious outcome."

In a separate development, Britain's independent Committee on Climate Change warned the Government that the era of cheap flights must end if the UK is to meet its carbon reduction target.

A report by the CCC called for higher taxes on plane fares to price passengers out of the skies.

"Air tickets are going to get a lot more expensive, but people will become a lot richer over the next 40 years. If you're going to constrain demand growth, you do need rising prices," said David Kennedy, the Committee's chief executive.

The Committee has said that the number of people flying to and from British airports should increase by no more than 60 per cent by 2050 for the Government to meet its target of ensuring that aviation's carbon emissions are no higher then than they were in 2005.

But the latest projections show that Britain is on course for a rise of more than 200 per cent in passenger traffic, with numbers rising from 230 million in 2005 to 695 million in 2050.

Two-thirds of people in Scotland 'fear climate change'

2009-12-07T14:41:00.001Z

Climate change protests were held on the eve of the summit

Almost two-thirds of Scots believe climate change is an immediate and urgent problem, according to a poll commissioned by BBC Scotland.

The survey suggested that a majority (63%) of people in Scotland believed immediate action was required.

A further 20% described climate change as more of a problem for the future.

Another 11% of the more than 1,000 polled said they were not convinced climate change was happening while 4% thought it was not really a problem.

The research was carried out by Ipsos MORI between the 19 and 23 November.

Mark Diffley, research director at Ipsos MORI Scotland, said: "Our poll, conducted on the eve of the Copenhagen summit, shows that the vast majority of Scots acknowledge climate change as a serious issue with around two-thirds viewing it as an immediate and urgent problem, while around one in 10 are unconvinced that it is happening."

He added that the findings showed there was a consensus among the public that human activity was at least partly responsible for causing climate change with six in 10 Scots recognising their own lifestyle and behaviours as having an impact.

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Of the 4% of the people questioned who said humans were not responsible for climate change, 56% said it was a natural process and 18% said there was no proof that humans were to blame.

Representatives from more than 190 countries have gathered in the Danish capital for the discussions, amid calls for more ambitious action to cut greenhouse gas emissions and avert climate change.

Thousands of officials, environmental campaigners, politicians and journalists are descending on Copenhagen for the bid to strike a political deal on curbing emissions and providing finance to help poor countries cope with the impacts of climate change and develop without increasing their pollution.

Scottish minister John Swinney said the Holyrood government had already set its own ambitious targets for combating climate change.

'Direction of travel'

He told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme that the country was in a leading position in terms of wave and tidal power.

Mr Swinney added: "We're comfortably on track to meet our targets of 31% of renewable electricity in place by 2011 and 50% by 2020.

"I think people should have confidence in the direction of travel that we are using renewable energy as a means of strengthening Scotland's energy base, but also combating climate change into the bargain."

Responding to the findings of the poll, Dr Richard Dixon, director of WWF Scotland, said that most people in Scotland "clearly recognised" their actions contribute to the problem of climate change.

He added: "The Scottish public are twice as concerned about climate change as they are about terrorism and overseas war. This strong support for action on climate change is exactly what we need in order to make the Copenhagen talks a success."

Eco interiors

2009-12-02T18:53:00.002Z

A housebuilder thinks interiors should be more than skin deep!

Methane seeps from Arctic sea-bed

2009-12-01T15:39:00.001Z

Methane bubbles observed by sonar, escape from sea-bed as temperatures rise

Scientists say they have evidence that the powerful greenhouse gas methane is escaping from the Arctic sea-bed.

Researchers say this could be evidence of a predicted positive feedback effect of climate change.

As temperatures rise, the sea-bed grows warmer and frozen water crystals in the sediment break down, allowing methane trapped inside them to escape.

The research team found that more than 250 plumes of methane bubbles are rising from the sea-bed off Norway.

The joint British and German research team detected the bubbles using a type of sonar normally used to search for shoals of fish. Once detected, the bubbles were sampled and tested for methane at a range of depths.

Writing in Geophysical Research Letters, the team says the methane was rising from an area of sea-bed off West Spitsbergen, from depths between 150m and 400m.

The gas is normally trapped as "methane hydrate" in sediment under the ocean floor.

METHANE HYDRATES

Methane gas is trapped inside a crystal structure of water-ice

The gas is released when the ice melts, normally at 0C

At higher pressure, ie under the ocean, hydrates are stable at higher temperatures

"Methane hydrate" is an ice-like substance composed of water and methane which is stable under conditions of high pressure and low temperature.

As temperatures rise, the hydrate breaks down. So this new evidence shows that methane is stable at water depths greater than 400m off Spitsbergen.

However, data collected over 30 years shows it was then stable at water depths as shallow as 360m.

Ocean has warmed

Temperature records show that this area of the ocean has warmed by 1C during the same period.

The research was carried out as part of the International Polar Year Initiative, funded by Britain's Natural Environment Research Council (Nerc).

The team says this is the first time that this loss of stability associated with temperature rise has been observed during the current geological period.

Professor Tim Minshull of the National Oceanography Centre at Southampton told BBC News: "We already knew there was some methane hydrate in the ocean off Spitsbergen and that's an area where climate change is happening rather faster than just about anywhere else in the world."

1. Methane hydrate is stable below 400m

2. Nearer the surface the hydrate breaks down as temperatures rise and the methane is released

3. Gas rises from the sea-bed in plumes of bubbles - most of it dissolves before it reaches the surface

4. So far scientists haven't detected methane breaking the ocean surface - but they don't rule out the possibility

"There's been an idea for a long time that if the oceans warm, methane might be released from hydrate beneath the sea floor and generate a positive greenhouse effect.

"What we're trying to do is to use lots of different techniques to assess whether this was something that was likely to happen in a relatively short time scale off Spitsbergen."

However, methane is already released from ocean floor hydrates at higher temperatures and lower pressures - so the team also suggests that some methane release may have been going on in this area since the last ice age.

Significant discovery

Their most significant finding is that climate change means the gas is being released from more and deeper areas of the Arctic Ocean.

Professor Minshull said: "Our survey was designed to work out how much methane might be released by future ocean warming; we did not expect to discover such strong evidence that this process has already started."

"We were slightly surprised that if there was so much methane rising why no one had seen it before. But I think the reason is that you have to be rather dedicated to spot it because these plumes are only perhaps 50m to 100m across.

"The device we were using is only switched on during biological cruises. It's not normally used on geophysical or oceanographic cruises like ours. And of course you've got to monitor it 24 hours a day. In fact, we only spotted the phenomenon half way through our cruise. We decided to go back and take a closer look."

The team found that most of the methane is being dissolved into the seawater and did not detect evidence of the gas breaking the surface of the ocean and getting into the atmosphere.

The researchers stress that this does not mean that the gas does not enter the atmosphere. They point out that the methane seeps are unpredictable and erratic in quantity, size and duration.

It is possible that larger seeps at different times and locations might in fact be vigorous enough to break through the ocean surface.

Most of the methane reacts with the oxygen in the water to form carbon dioxide, another greenhouse gas. In sea water, this forms carbonic acid which adds to ocean acidification, with consequent problems for biodiversity.

Graham Westbrook, lead author and professor of geophysics at the University of Birmingham, said: "If this process becomes widespread along Arctic continental margins, tens of megatonnes of methane a year - equivalent to 5-10% of the total amount released globally by natural sources, could be released into the ocean."

The team is planning another expedition next year to observe the behaviour of the methane plumes over time. They are also engaged in ongoing research into the amount of methane hydrate under this area of the ocean floor.

Ultimately, they want to be able to predict how much might be vulnerable to temperature change and in what timescale.

America is Failing the World Again!

2009-11-26T15:56:00.006Z

Why does America consistently fail to meet global demands and expectations. Once again they fall short of providing an example for nations across the globe. A 17% cut in emissions appears to be a ground breaking step forward for America and to some extent it is. Under the Bush Administartion global warming was barely acknowledge as even existing. High profile Republicans, such as Sarah Palin still denies the fact humans have contributed to climate change. So in pledging America to cuts, Obama has done more than any previous Administration ever did. However, why is America practically the only major developed nation to pledge emissions cuts, not on 1990 levels, as is generally the accepted standard, but on 2005 levels instead. The US's emissions rose 15% in the period from 1990-2005 so effectively Obama is pledging a mere 2% cut in relation to the majority of other developed nations. Once again America fails us all. How do we expect developing nations to agree to significant cuts in emissions if the major force in global politics fails to lead by example.

We all know that America is driven by money, so lets look at this issue in terms of economics rather than the environment. There are huge economic gains that can be realised in pursuing a low-carbon economy. Industry develops and grows over time. The manufacturering of wind turbines and solar sells is already a massive global industry. When will America realise the economic benefits in becoming global leaders in these markets of the future. If they don't wake up soon to the reality of change then they will be left to the pages of history, just as other great states of the past, such as Ancient Greece and Rome were.

Wind Farm Facts

2009-11-24T14:27:00.004Z

You may know that the UK is the windiest country in Europe, so we are well placed to harness the natural power of the wind but did you know that…

• There are currently 171 wind farms with an installed capacity of 2429 MW.

• That is enough green electricity to power 1.3 million homes, or all of the homes in Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle, Cardiff and Edinburgh.

• If all the wind farms in the planning system were approved an extra 5 million homes would run on green power.

• Of the 1972 wind turbines installed in the UK, 1823 are onshore and 149 are offshore.

• Wind farms in the UK offset the release of 5.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in a year, one of the major greenhouse gases.

• A typical modern turbine repays the CO2 expended in its manufacture, transport and assembly within 6-8 months.

• A wind farm of 30 to 35 turbines creates 150 jobs during construction.

• Delabole was the first commercial wind farm in the UK. Built in 1991, it has 10 x 400kW turbines which still power around 2200 homes.

• In terms of wind capacity installed, UK ranks 6th in Europe. At 22,247MW Germany is in first place with 10 times UK installed capacity, and Spain in second place has 6 times UK capacity.

• A typical turbine in the UK will generate over 4.7 million units of electricity each year, that's enough to make 170 million cups of tea a year, to run a computer for 1620 years.

To learn more about wind power or to see a full list of statistics about the UK’s wind farms please visit BWEA website.
For a detailed map of current and proposed wind farm sites in the UK please visit here.

First test for record solar plane

2009-11-20T14:25:00.000Z

This week has already seen full-power tests of the engine

The prototype of a solar-powered plane destined for a record round-the-world journey has made its first trip across a runway.

On Thursday, the plane covered at least 2km at speeds of up to five knots on the landing strip in Switzerland.

This week saw the Solar Impulse plane outside its hangar for the first time, with tests of its engines and computer.

As wide as a jumbo jet but weighing just 1,500 kg, it will be piloted by Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard.

The plane's maiden flight is scheduled for February, and a final version will attempt to cross the Atlantic in 2012.

Thursday's "taxiing" test was carried out with a security trolley device under the cockpit to protect the craft in case the landing gears broke.

But Friday's test will be carried out without this device. The team will also try to double the speed to 10 knots.

A spokesperson for Solar Impulse said the first runway test went just as planned.

"It was just fantastic today. We are very excited about it," she told BBC News.

Today's activities are designed to give the test pilot a feel for how the plane moves on the ground.

If the tests are successful, the next step will be a short flight, or "flea hop" in about two weeks' time.

Solar Impulse chief executive Andre Borschberg told BBC News: "We'll take off at the beginning of the runway, fly a few metres above it - a little bit like the Wright brothers did in 1903 - and then land again, to see how it behaves at the beginning of the flight.

"If this is satisfactory, we will dismantle it and transport it [to Payerne air force base in western Switzerland] where we will do the real first flight of about two hours, in February."

But each step will be a careful one, Mr Borschberg stressed.

"This is truly a new design - an airplane the size of an Airbus and the weight of a mid-sized car - so we're not taking risks by not understanding something."

Natural Resource Facts

2009-11-19T20:24:00.000Z

Coal reserves

One quarter of the world's coal reserves are found in the USA.

Coal energy

Coal was first used for energy around 1,000 BC in China.

Coal production

6,383 million metric tonnes of coal were produced worldwide in 2007.

Geothermal heating

Geothermal heating is used to heat 87% of homes in Iceland.

Geothermal power

The first Geothermal power plant in the United States was made in 1922 by John D. Grant at The Geysers Resort Hotel. After drilling for more steam, he was able to generate enough electricity to light the entire resort.

Oil production

The leading producers of oil in 2006 were Saudi Arabia, Russia and the USA, while the greatest consumers were the USA, China and Japan.

Primary energy

The greatest regional producer of primary energy* in 2005 was Asia & Oceania with 25% of production, followed by North America with 22%.

*The energy contained in a fuel before it is processed.

Fossil fuels

463 quadrillion (1015) BTU’s* of primary energy was consumed worldwide in 2005, of which 86% was generated by petroleum, coal and natural gas.

*A measurement of the energy in heat. It takes one British Thermal Unit of heat to warm one pound of water by 1° Fahrenheit.

Energy Saving Lightbulbs

2009-11-17T18:51:00.000Z

Light bulbs

When you turn on an incandescent light bulb, only 2% of the electricity used is turned into light. The rest is wasted as heat.

Electricity needed to power a light bulb

One kilowatt-hour (kWh) equals the amount of electricity needed to power a 100 watt light bulb for 10 hours.

Light bulbs that save energy

Energy saving light bulbs last up to 12 times longer than ordinary light bulbs, and can save up to ￡100 on electricity over the bulb's lifetime.

Household lighting

About 12 to 15 percent of the electricity used in a home is for lighting.

It is best to use CFL lights in places where they will stay switched on for long periods. Switching CFL bulbs off after only a few minutes of use can reduce their lifespan.

Transport Energy Usage

2009-11-16T16:09:00.000Z

Hybrid Power

A Toyota Prius can travel 20km per litre of petrol when driving in city conditions, while a Lamborghini Murcielago will only travel 3.4 km.

Petrol Consumption

In 2008, U.S. drivers are expected to use 9.26 million barrels of gasoline a day, down 0.3% from 2007.

Long Haul Flight

A Boeing 747 return flight from London to New York consumes about 100 tonnes of kerosene.

Transportation in the USA

On an average day the 140 million cars in America are estimated to travel almost 4 billion miles, and according to the US Department of Transportation, they use over 200 million gallons of gasoline doing it.

Recycling Facts

2009-11-13T10:41:00.000Z

Glass bottle recycling

Recycling one glass bottle can save enough energy to light a 100-watt bulb for four hours.

Glass jar recycling

Recycling one glass jar can save enough energy to run a television for 3 hours.

Aluminum recycling

Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours -- or the equivalent of a half a gallon of petrol.

We use over 80,000,000,000 aluminum soda cans every year.

Recycling aluminum cans saves 95 percent of the energy used to make the cans from virgin ore.

Recycling one tonne of aluminium saves the equivalent in energy of 2,350 gallons of petrol. That's equivalent to the electricity used by the typical home in a 10-year period.

Wasted Energy

In the UK, the energy we waste as a nation each year is now growing close to the equivalent of powering an additional 7 million non-existent homes.

Facts About Energy Usage in the Home

2009-11-12T19:20:00.000Z

Heat loss

A typical window left open overnight in winter will waste enough energy to drive a small car over 35 miles.

UK householders

Over 70% of UK householders admit that they have never examined their homes for ways to save energy.

UK housing emissions

Housing in the UK accounts for 30% of total fuel use and energy-related co₂ emissions.

Attic/Loft insulation

Insulating your attic/loft can reduce the amount of energy loss from most houses by up to 20%.

Computing

A laptop uses approximately half the electricity of a desktop computer.

Standby Energy

UK gadgets left on standby squander electricity worth £740,000,000 per annum.

Boiler Efficiency

If your boiler is older than 10 years consider buying a new condensing boiler. The best high efficiency condensing boilers convert more than 90% of their fuel into heat, compared to 78% for conventional types.

Thermostat usage

A 1 degree centigrade reduction in the setting of the thermostat could reduce household energy consumption by as much as 10%.

Lighting

If every household in Ontario replaced just three 100-watt bulbs with 25-watt compact fluorescent bulbs, enough power would be saved to supply 130,000 homes.

Heat loss

More than 40% of the heat lost from an average house is through loft spaces and walls.

Remarkable Facts About the Human Body and Energy

2009-11-11T15:10:00.000Z

Powering the Brain

The brain operates on the same amount of power as 10-watt light bulb.

Human body

If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days, you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.

Human energy

A single litre of petrol contains 8.8kWh of useable energy, equivalent to 120 hours of human work, or a person working flat-out day and night for five complete days.

Human diet

A 2006 study at the University of Chicago concluded that a person switching from a typical American diet to a vegan diet with the same number of calories would avoid the emission of 1,485 kg of carbon dioxide (co₂) equivalent per year.

Muscle Power

Elite sprint cyclists are able to produce short bursts of power over 1,000 watts.

2012: Is The End of The World Nigh?

2009-11-09T15:15:00.000Z

The end of the world is near—December 21, 2012, to be exact—according to theories based on a purported ancient Maya prediction and fanned by the marketing machine behind the soon-to-be-released movie, 2012.

But could humankind really meet its end in 2012—drowned in apocalyptic floods, walloped by a secret planet, seared by an angry sun, or thrown overboard by speeding continents?

And did the ancient Maya—whose empire peaked between A.D. 250 and 900 in what is now Mexico and Central America—really predict the end of the world in 2012?

At least one aspect of the 2012, end-of-the-world hype is, for some people, all too real: the fear.

NASA's Ask an AstroBiologist website, for example, has received thousands of questions regarding the 2012 doomsday predictions—some of them disturbing, according to David Morrison, senior scientist with the NASA Astrobiology Institute.

"A lot of [the submitters] are people who are genuinely frightened," Morrison said.

"I've had two teenagers who were considering killing themselves, because they didn't want to be around when the world ends," he said. "Two women in the last two weeks said they were contemplating killing their children and themselves so they wouldn't have to suffer through the end of the world."

Fortunately, with the help of scientists like Morrison, most of the predicted 2012 cataclysms are easily explained away.

MYTH 1
Maya Predicted End of the World in 2012

The Maya calendar doesn't end in 2012, as some have said, and the ancients never viewed that year as the time of the end of the world, archaeologists say.

But December 21, 2012, (give or take a day) was nonetheless momentous to the Maya.

"It's the time when the largest grand cycle in the Mayan calendar—1,872,000 days or 5,125.37 years—overturns and a new cycle begins," said Anthony Aveni, a Maya expert and archaeoastronomer at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York.

The Maya kept time on a scale few other cultures have considered.

During the 2012 winter solstice, time runs out on the current era of the Long Count calendar, which began at what the Maya saw as the dawn of the last creation period: August 11, 3114 B.C. The Maya wrote that date, which preceded their civilization by thousands of years, as Day Zero, or 13.0.0.0.0.

In December 2012 the lengthy era ends and the complicated, cyclical calendar will roll over again to Day Zero, beginning another enormous cycle.

"The idea is that time gets renewed, that the world gets renewed all over again—often after a period of stress—the same way we renew time on New Year's Day or even on Monday morning," said Aveni, author of The End of Time: The Maya Mystery of 2012.

MYTH 2
Breakaway Continents Will Destroy Civilization

In some 2012 doomsday prophecies, the Earth becomes a deathtrap as it undergoes a "pole shift."

The planet's crust and mantle will suddenly shift, spinning around Earth's liquid-iron outer core like an orange's peel spinning around its fleshy fruit. (See what Einstein had to say about pole shifts.)

2012, the movie, envisions a Maya-predicted pole shift, triggered by an extreme gravitational pull on the planet—courtesy of a rare "galactic alignment"—and by massive solar radiation destabilizing the inner Earth by heating it.

Breakaway oceans and continents dump cities into the sea, thrust palm trees to the poles, and spawn earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and other disasters. (Interactive: pole shift theories illustrated.)

Scientists dismiss such drastic scenarios, but some researchers have speculated that a subtler shift could occur—for example, if the distribution of mass on or inside the planet changed radically, due to, say, the melting of ice caps.

Princeton University geologist Adam Maloof has extensively studied pole shifts, and tackles this 2012 myth in 2012: Countdown to Armageddon, a National Geographic Channel documentary airing Sunday, November 8. (The National Geographic Society owns National Geographic News and part-owns the National Geographic Channel.)

Maloof says magnetic evidence in rocks confirm that continents have undergone such drastic rearrangement, but the process took millions of years—slow enough that humanity wouldn't have felt the motion (quick guide to plate tectonics).

MYTH 3
Galactic Alignment Spells Doom

Some sky-watchers believe 2012 will close with a "galactic alignment," which will occur for the first time in 26,000 years (for example, see the Web site Alignment 2012).

In this scenario, the path of the sun in the sky would appear to cross through what, from Earth, looks to be the midpoint of our galaxy, the Milky Way, which in good viewing conditions appears as a cloudy stripe across the night sky.

Some fear that the lineup will somehow expose Earth to powerful unknown galactic forces that will hasten its doom—perhaps through a "pole shift" (see above) or the stirring of the supermassive black hole at our galaxy's heart.

Others see the purported event in a positive light, as heralding the dawn of a new era in human consciousness.

NASA's Morrison has a different view.

"There is no 'galactic alignment' in 2012," he said, "or at least nothing out of the ordinary."

He explained that a type of "alignment" occurs during every winter solstice, when the sun, as seen from Earth, appears in the sky near what looks to be the midpoint of the Milky Way.

Horoscope writers may be excited by alignments, Morrison said. But "the reality is that alignments are of no interest to science. They mean nothing," he said. They create no changes in gravitational pull, solar radiation, planetary orbits, or anything else that would impact life on Earth.

The speculation over alignments isn't surprising, though, he said.

"Ordinary astronomical phenomena are imbued with a sense of threat by people who already think the world is going to end."

Regarding galactic alignments, University of Texas Maya expert David Stuart writes on his blog that "no ancient Maya text or artwork makes reference to anything of the kind."

Even so, the end date of the current Long Count cycle—winter solstice 2012—may be evidence of Maya astronomical skill, said Aveni, the archaeoastronomer.

"I don't rule out the likelihood that astronomy played a role" in the selection of 2012 as the cycle's terminus, he said.

Maya astronomers built observatories and, by observing the night skies and using mathematics, learned to accurately predict eclipses and other celestial phenomena. Aveni notes that the start date of the current cycle was likely tied to a solar zenith passage, when the sun crosses directly overhead, and its terminal date will fall on a December solstice, perhaps by design.

(Take a Maya Empire quiz.)

These choices, he said, may indicate that the Maya calendar is tied to seasonal agricultural cycles central to ancient survival.

MYTH 4
Planet X Is on a Collision Course With Earth

Some say it's out there: a mysterious Planet X, aka Nibiru, on a collision course with Earth—or at least a disruptive flyby.

A direct hit would obliterate Earth, it's said. Even a near miss, some fear, could shower Earth with deadly asteroid impacts hurled our way by the planet's gravitational wake.

Could such an unknown planet really be headed our way in 2012, even just a little bit?

Well, no.

"There is no object out there," NASA astrobiologist Morrison said. "That's probably the most straightforward thing to say."

The origins of this theory actually predate widespread interest in 2012. Popularized in part by a woman who claims to receive messages from extraterrestrials, the Nibiru doomsday was originally predicted for 2003.

"If there were a planet or a brown dwarf or whatever that was going to be in the inner solar system three years from now, astronomers would have been studying it for the past decade and it would be visible to the naked eye by now," Morrison said.

"It's not there."

MYTH 5
Solar Storms to Savage Earth

In some 2012 disaster scenarios, our own sun is the enemy.

Our friendly neighborhood star, it's rumored, will produce lethal eruptions of solar flares, turning up the heat on Earthlings.

Solar activity waxes and wanes according to approximately 11-year cycles. Big flares can indeed damage communications and other Earthly systems, but scientists have no indications the sun, at least in the short term, will unleash storms strong enough to fry the planet.

"As it turns out the sun isn't on schedule anyway," NASA astronomer Morrison said. "We expect that this cycle probably won't peak in 2012 but a year or two later." (See "Sun Oddly Quiet—Hints at Next 'Little Ice Age'?")

MYTH 6
Maya Had Clear Predictions for 2012

If the Maya didn't expect the end of time in 2012, what exactly did they predict for that year?

Many scholars who've pored over the scattered evidence on Maya monuments say the empire didn't leave a clear record predicting that anything specific would happen in 2012.

The Maya did pass down a graphic—though undated—end-of-the-world scenario, described on the final page of a circa-1100 text known as the Dresden Codex. The document describes a world destroyed by flood, a scenario imagined in many cultures and probably experienced, on a less apocalyptic scale, by ancient peoples (more on the Dresden Codex).

Aveni, the archaeoastronomer, said the scenario is not meant to be read literally—but as a lesson about human behavior.

He likens the cycles to our own New Year period, when the closing of an era is accompanied by frenetic activities and stress, followed by a rebirth period, when many people take stock and resolve to begin living better.

In fact, Aveni says, the Maya weren't much for predictions.

"The whole timekeeping scale is very past directed, not future directed," he said. "What you read on these monuments of the Long Count are events that connected Maya rulers with ancestors and the divine.

"The farther back you can plant your roots in deep time the better argument you can make that you're legit," Aveni said. "And I think that's why these Maya rulers were using Long Count time.

"It's not about a fixed prediction about what's going to happen."

Study claims meat creates half of all greenhouse gases

2009-11-04T15:56:00.000Z

In a paper published by a respected US thinktank, the Worldwatch Institute, two World Bank environmental advisers claim that instead of 18 per cent of global emissions being caused by meat, the true figure is 51 per cent.

"If this argument is right," write Goodland and Anhang, "it implies that replacing livestock products with better alternatives would be the best strategy for reversing climate change.
"In fact, this approach would have far more rapid effects on greenhouse gas emissions and their atmospheric concentrations than actions to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy."
Their call to move to meat substitutes accords with the views of the chairman of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Dr Rajendra Pachauri, who has described eating less meat as "the most attractive opportunity" for making immediate changes to climate change. For the full story: Study claims meat creates half of all greenhouse gases - Climate Change, Environment - The Independent.

Call me a cynic, but what are the chances that big oil are one of the primary funders of the Worldwatch Institute?! I am highly cynical about just about every study carried out, in whatever stream of life or politics it may be! Case studies are always undertaken with vested interests in mind, therefore, are inevitably biased. However, there is always some truth behind the figures quoted in articles and studies. Unfortunately, groups tend to bend stats to suit their needs and the truth is masked somewhat.

Nonetheless, in this instance there is a significant argument for the reduction of meat consumption. Without even taking climate change into account meat consumption is a key problem that must be addressed. The world's population is predicted to rise by 50% over the next 50 years, yet meat consumption is set to quadruple. We are struggling to feed the world's people with the limited resources we have as it stands. As was illustarted by the Asian food crisis of 2008. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/18/world/asia/18iht-food.1.12130435.html Food is our most basic resource and a neccessity for survival. Shortages lead to crisis and civil unrest. Therefore, something must change if we are to survive as a species, maintain secure governance and thriving economies.

It is hard to think that meat and dairy will not ever be a crucial part of most people's diet - the alternative being such hard work and, well, not as tasty! There is scope for improving the way in which farming is carried out though. Farming in poorer nations needs to be upgraded from micro-level and developed to 21st century standards. This will greatly increase production of basic foodstuffs, such as, rice, wheat and grain. Improved production levels will go some way to feeding mass increases in populations. However, we must also realise, in developed nations, that we cannot sustain our current way of life and that wants and necessities must be defined. Not all food is necessary, much of what we eat is through greed not need and this attitude must change! If we are to successfully feed a growing population then meat production is not the best way forward and if the climate benefits from reduced greehouse emissions at the same time
then all the better. Less meat is a win win situation for all!