tagged w/ Sustainability
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In matters of clever design, nature has often got there first
SOLAR-POWER stations take up a lot of room. They need either vast arrays of photovoltaic panels, which convert sunlight directly into electricity, or of mirrors, which direct it towards a boiler, in order to raise steam and drive a generator. The space these arrays occupy could often be used for other purposes.
Two researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have now devised a better and more compact way of laying out arrays of mirrors. Slightly to their chagrin, however, and somehow appropriately, they found when they had done the calculations that sunflowers had got there first.
Alexander Mitsos and Corey Noone started with the observation that existing concentrated solar-power plants, as those which drive boilers are known, usually have their mirrors arranged in a way that resembles the seating in a cinema. The mirrors are placed in concentric semicircles facing a tower, on top of which the boiler and the turbine sit. That arrangement, however, sometimes results in the mirrors shading each other as the sun’s position in the sky changes, even though the mirrors are usually attached to robotic arms that track the sun as it moves.
According to their report in Solar Energy, Dr Mitsos and Mr Noone found that they could do better. They divided each of the mirrors in a real power plant, PS10, in southern Spain into about 100 pieces. (Or, rather, they divided a computer representation of each mirror.) They then plugged each of those pieces into a computer model that calculated all of the energy losses by noting points where mirrors were not optimally oriented to the sun and places where they hindered one another by blocking incoming or reflected rays. It then rejigged them into a better arrangement.
Fermat’s conjecture
Previous efforts have been directed mainly at stopping the mirrors shading each other, which tends to mean spreading them out. Dr Mitsos and Mr Noone also wanted to save space. In trying to do so they stumbled on an unusual arrangement that had the desired effect. When they showed this layout to a third researcher, Manuel Torrilhon of Aachen University in Germany, he recognised the spiral patterns within it, and this prompted the trio to test a design specifically modelled on nature.
That design was a pattern known as a Fermat spiral, in which each element is set at a constant angle of 137° to the previous one. It is most familiar as the arrangement of the florets that make up a sunflower head. When the three researchers programmed their model to arrange PS10’s mirrors in front of the tower in a segment from such a spiral, they both improved the efficiency of the collection process and saved space. The improvement in efficiency was, admittedly, quite small (about half a percent), but the space saving was significant—almost 16%.
If solar power is to make up much of the world’s electricity output in future, as supporters of alternative energy hope it will, a lot of land will be needed for the power stations. Reducing that requirement by a sixth, as this discovery promises, would be a big gain. It would also show that if you look hard enough, there really is nothing new under the sun.
More at the linkIn matters of clever design, nature has often got there first
SOLAR-POWER stations... more
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The fungal-fantastical. Emerging from their axial homes, fungi are beginning to be understood as nutrients to the human consciousness and ecological sustainability. Paul explores mycology and compels support for your own good nature and our fungal allies. This is the first in a collaboration of Louie Schwartzberg of Blacklight films (Movingart.tv) and Paul Stamets of Fungi Perfecti (fungi.com). More to come!The fungal-fantastical. Emerging from their axial homes, fungi are beginning to be... more
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Debate is currently going on regarding instituting a financial transaction tax on certain trades of 0.25% that could raise billions to basically slow the short term investment volatility that has made Wall Street now little more than a crap table at a casino. This is an interesting report that gives answers regarding what it is, Europe's response, the U.S.'s response ( hint: Geithner tried to talk others out of it to the cheering of Corporate America) and the all out effort by Wall Street to stop it.
Personally I think it needs to be considered as a viable way to curb the high-frequency stock trades that drive short-term financial thinking and provide a way for us to tax the rich in a way that will not end the world but enrich it for the whole. There are a myriad of ways such income could be used but of course that is assuming it is handled in a diligent and prudent manner.
Also, it is not just about the money but the moral investment along with the financial that ensures growth and sustainability not only of the investment but the environment. You simply cannot have true growth in a short term market timeframe. As we have seen it only leads to collapse and environmental devastation.
There was a time when people who were entrepreneurs with big ideas sought out longterm investing in the hopes of those ideals not only making profits over the longterm, but also in bringing about an atmosphere that was not exclusive, predatory, or tipped to only favor one specific entity at the expense of all others.
However, this is a symptom of a bigger societal problem where quick fixes and getting everything fast has infected every part of society. Fast food, instant messaging, fast internet connections at lightning speed and quick fix democracy (case in point the 2000 USSC decision that picked the wrong man as president) are just a small sampling of the society we have made where fast transactions for quick profit and gratification without considering the longterm consequences in comparison to sustainability have now also led us to a climate tipping point as well. And yes, that is insane and needs to change if we are to save our markets and ourselves.Debate is currently going on regarding instituting a financial transaction tax on... more
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1. Urban farming is flourishing.
2. Young farmers make noise.
3. Local food isn't just delicious and eco-friendly.
4. Food Day makes a comeback.
5. We don't need industrial ag to feed the world.
Yes, the world's population is growing rapidly (see Grist's series "What to expect when you're expanding"), and the question of how to feed all 7 billion of us is an important one. Far too often, however, "feeding the world" has become code for farming with as many chemicals and GMO seeds as possible.
This year brought mounting evidence to the contrary, including a study published in Nature and another published in Science that say otherwise. The results of a long-term study by the Rodale Institute also proved that organic farming is just as productive as conventional, and better at building soil (this is key, since "yield" is at the heart of the "feed the world" discussion).
6. Despite the influence of the ultra-consolidated meat industry, the "ag-gag" bills went nowhere.
Early on in 2011, lawmakers in Florida, New York, Iowa, and Minnesota tried to pass so-called "ag-gag" bills that would have made it illegal to produce -- and in Minnesota to possess -- undercover videos of livestock factory farms. The bills were part of a coordinated effort by Big Ag, but the sustainable food movement organized to defeat them, and, in a rare win, succeeded.
7. Eaters are (a little) more aware of the people behind their food.
8. Food access got more attention.
Too many people around the U.S. still lack easy access to good, healthy food. Fortunately, activists and farmers made a lot of creative progress this year in helping to raise awareness and tackle the root problems.
A group of advocates from an Oakland-based organization called Live Real took to the road for the Food and Freedom Rides.
Tiny groceries made out of shipping containers: one way to increase food access.Fifty young people began working in schools, gardens, and advocacy organizations as part of the first class of Food Corps participants. We spoke with three of them.
Subsidizing farmers markets was shown to be an effective strategy for getting more healthy food into food deserts. And farmers themselves looked for creative ways to address food access, such as this give-a-dozen-buy-a-dozen program modeled after Toms Shoes.
Slow Food USA sought to show that supporting local farmers doesn't require going broke with its $5 Challenge. And a group of grad students tried out a model for small, portable grocery stores built out of shipping containers -- a potential solution for under-resourced areas without traditional grocery stores.
9. More information helps eaters make better choices.
10. The Occupy movement adds fuel to the fire.
Advocates and farmers jointed the Zuccotti Park gathering this fall, and we heard from a variety of folks who were occupying various aspects of the food system -- like one farmer who occupied the pasture.
Just as important as any march or rally, however, the activism taking place over last few months has gotten more eaters to think critically about where their food dollars are going, and to consider investing in local and sustainable food enterprises rather than Wall Street.
More at the link1. Urban farming is flourishing.
2. Young farmers make noise.
3. Local food... more
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Ryan Keith, President of Forgotten Voices, wins a prestigious award for his efforts to help children orphaned by AIDS in Zimbabwe and Zambia. Check out this great video highlight from the award ceremony:
http://youtu.be/okviJQSvZeERyan Keith, President of Forgotten Voices, wins a prestigious award for his efforts to... more
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When we go to Rio De Janeiro in June next year, lots of emotional capital will be invested in the success of the Rio +20 Earth Summit. It’s the twentieth anniversary of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Brazil’s iconic city. This time those two elements are brought together as the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/11132618-rio-20-earth-mover-or-green-economy-carnivalWhen we go to Rio De Janeiro in June next year, lots of emotional capital will be... more
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Nathalie Miebach may not yet be a household name, but the Boston Massachusetts-based artist and 2011 TED Global Fellow, has already staked out a reputation as one of America’s most original-thinking and innovative sculptors.The daughter of an engineer who spent a quarter century working on the Hubble space telescope, Miebach’s art focuses on the intersection of creativity and science and the visual articulation of scientific observations.Nathalie Miebach may not yet be a household name, but the Boston Massachusetts-based... more
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Now we have to consider something else, which when you do a comparison on the basis of single technologies, you are doing something wrong because this does not take into account the volatility of prices, especially fuel prices. This is the level of risk you have when you build comparison systems. In fact, It is my belief that when we talk about renewables, we should do so from the perspective of the portfolio theory that is widely used in finance, where you have some assets that have high risk and high return and others that have lower risk and therefore lower returns. Renewables are very low risk.Now we have to consider something else, which when you do a comparison on the basis of... more
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Say what you will about climate change – and even at this late date, divergent opinions abound – for those whose livelihood is rooted in the ground and for whom terroir is everything, the debate ended a long time ago. Several wineries around the world are turning to renewables energy and energy efficiency to fight the good fight, while others are rapidly moving in this direction.
http://bit.ly/vtKMjOSay what you will about climate change – and even at this late date, divergent... more
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Scientists at an annual meeting of U.S. agronomists last week in San Antonio said the focus was climate change.
"Its impact on agriculture systems, impacts on crops, mitigation strategies with soil management -- a whole range of questions was being asked about climate change," said Jerry Hatfield, Laboratory Director at the National Soil Tilth Laboratory in Ames, Iowa.
"The biggest thing is high night-time temperatures have a negative impact on yield," Hatfield added, noting that the heat affects evaporation and the life process of the crops.
"One of the consequences of rising temperatures ... is to compress the life cycle of that plant. The other key consequence is that when the atmosphere gets warmer the atmospheric demand for water increases," Hatfield said.
"These are simple things that can occur and have tremendous consequences on our ability to produce a stable supply of food or feed or fiber," he said.
Boote at the University of Florida found that rice and sorghum plants failed to produce grain, something he calls "pollen viability," when the average 24-hour temperature is 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 Celsius). That equates to highs of 104 F during the day and 86 F at night, he said.
The global seed industry has set a high bar to boost crop yields by 2050 to feed a hungry world. Scientists said that the impact of heat on plant growth needs more focus and study.
"If you look at a lot of crop insurance claims, farmers say it is the lack of water that caused the plant to die," said Wolfram Schlenker, assistant professor at Columbia University.
"But I think it's basically different sides of the same coin because the water requirement of the plant increases tremendously if it's hot," he said.
More at the linkScientists at an annual meeting of U.S. agronomists last week in San Antonio said the... more
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In 1987 when the United Nations' Brundtland Report, Our Common Future, appeared to worldwide fanfare, its slogan of "sustainable development" reassured environmentalists, who focused on the term "sustainable," while pleasing business interests, who understood "development" to mean continued material growth. It seemed we could have it all. But many thoughtful observers then and since have pointed out that "sustainable development" is an oxymoron. On a finite planet, we can't have both sustainability and continued material growth. More than two decades after the Brundtland Report, it's past time to abandon this linguistic sleight of hand and rally around a new, shocking but this time realistic slogan: sustainable shrinkage! Within this new perspective, we can get on with saving species, restoring wastelands, improving efficiency, putting our life-support systems on sustainable bases-in short, finding solutions.In 1987 when the United Nations' Brundtland Report, Our Common Future, appeared... more
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“October 2011 is the 10th anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan and the beginning of the 2012 federal austerity budget. It is time to light the spark that sets off a true democratic, nonviolent transition to a world in which people are freed to create just and sustainable solutions.”“October 2011 is the 10th anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan and the... more
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Eight19, a Cambridge, England-based solar firm specializing in off-grid applications, has kicked off the launch of IndiGo, a pay-as-you-go, personal solar electricity system for the developing world.Eight19, a Cambridge, England-based solar firm specializing in off-grid applications,... more
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Ag-West Bio, a federally- and provincially-funded bioscience investment fund in Saskatchewan (Canada), has begun a study looking at feedstock production, processing requirements and potential commercial partners for a new generation of bio-jet fuels.Ag-West Bio, a federally- and provincially-funded bioscience investment fund in... more
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Speaking at the Green Skies 2011 conference in Hong Kong, Paul Steele, executive director of the Air Transport Action Group encouraged governments across Asia to kick-start development of their own aviation bio-fuel initiatives to get secure a slice of what he said is sure to be a bull market for the renewable source of clean-power.Speaking at the Green Skies 2011 conference in Hong Kong, Paul Steele, executive... more
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Most of the publicity surrounding former US Vice President Dick Cheney’s memoir “In My Life” (Threshold Editions) has centred on the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 and the subsequent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. While this is quite understandable, among the aspects of the book that was been largely overlooked is what he has to say about US energy policy. After all, energy – in the form of electricity, oil and later even renewables – forms one of the underlying threads in the book. Perhaps even more importantly, the philosophy he espouses when speaking of Bush era energy policy is now once again very much on the front-burner as nine Republicans vie for the right to challenge incumbent Barack Obama in the 2012 presidential election.Most of the publicity surrounding former US Vice President Dick Cheney’s memoir... more
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Renewable Energy Magazine http://bit.ly/orF3mu
European automotive executives surveyed by global financial consultancy Ernst & Young this past summer said they don’t believe the market for electric vehicles (EV) will reach critical mass until 2022, according to a just released report.Renewable Energy Magazine http://bit.ly/orF3mu
European automotive executives... more
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EXTRACTS: "We have tried to have ever more efficient farming, with fewer people, more machines and a greater dependency on pesticides, fertilisers, GM crops and energy, using 10 kilocalories to produce 1 kilocalorie. But that is only possible if there is cheap oil. The system is basically bankrupt." - Hans Herren, Co-Chair of the IAASTD
Dr Herren was dismissive of the concept of "sustainable intensification", the alternative view of food security with food production at its heart, championed by the UK Government-commissioned Foresight report. He described it as "an excuse to sneak in GMOs and to continue with business as usual".
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CropWorld Global 2011: Changing our global approach to farming
Alistair Driver
Farmers Guardian, 1 September 2011
http://www.farmersguardian.com/home/arable/cropworld-global-2011-changing-our-global-approach-to-farming/41304.article
SOCIETY has gone 'properly wrong' in the way it produces and consumes food, according to Hans Herren.
Dr Herren, a renowned scientist and international development expert, is on a mission to promote what he insists is a better alternative to the current global 'industrial' food production system, which he describes as 'bankrupt'.
He is a leading advocate of agroecology, a holistic farming model based on organic principles, where food is produced by small family farms using green methods which nourish soils for future generations.
"We have tried to have more efficient farming, with fewer people, more machines and a greater dependency on pesticides, fertilisers, GM crops and energy, using 10 kilocalories to produce one kilocalorie. But that is only possible if there is cheap oil," said Dr Herren.
"The system basically is bankrupt, which is why we need to change it to a more modern, advanced system, which will create energy, rather than consume it, and is not dependent on fossil energy, but more on people and better science."
Dr Herren, originally from Switzerland, co-chaired the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology, (IAASTD), a three-year project involving more than 400 experts from across the world.
Its 2008 report called for a radical overhaul of the way the world produces food to 'better serve the poor and hungry'. It demanded a shift away from the 'focus on production alone' and a greater emphasis on methods which conserve natural resources, backed up by trade and subsidy reforms and investment in science, education and training.
Report findings
Dr Herren described it as 'the mother of all reports on agriculture on a global and human scale', but admitted being disappointed about how little its findings had been implemented globally.
Dr Herren, who spent 27 years in Africa researching pest management and sustainable production, continues to promote agroecology through the US-based Millennium Institute, of which he has been president since 2005.
He said the key to future food security was not to use more inputs to produce more food per hectare, but to rely on techniques backed by 'solid science and agronomy - such as crop rotation with legumes and green manure, a cover crop grown to add nutrients to the soil - 'to enable the land to regenerate'.
But he also claimed it had been shown in experiments and in the field these farming methods can 'double, treble or even quadruple' yields in Africa.
He added: "Agroecology will produce food which is affordable because more people will be working, so they can actually afford it.
"We need to support small-scale and family farms, where more people get employed. We have 1.5 billion people who have no job. We really have to see all this in an inter-linked system."
He refuted the suggestion that, while agroecology may have merits in developing countries, where prevailing yields were relatively low and labour was abundant, it was unrealistic and idealistic to imagine it taking over in developed nations.
Instead, he insisted productivity levels could be maintained in developed countries if agroecology displaced intensive farming.
“It has been shown in the US that organic agriculture actually produces equally good yields as traditional agriculture,” he said. “But when there is drought or a flood, organic produces more as it is more resilient. There is no question we can deliver.”
The catch is that increased crop rotation would require a change in the way food is consumed. “You can’t disassociate consumption from production. In a rotation where you have more legumes someone has to eat those beans.”
He added people in urban-centric nations such as the UK and US would return to the land if agriculture became a ‘better and more rewarding job’ through greater investment, better prices for food and a reappraisal of farmers’ importance. “We need to look up to the farmer and down to the professor,” he said.
Lacking support
Dr Herren blamed the lack of wider support for this model of food security partly on what he claimed was a misconception of what it represented.
“We need to dispel this idea that agroecology is a back-breaking, low-yielding process and that we want to go back to grandfather’s agriculture. Actually, agroecology has a lot of science in it and a lot of knowledge,” he said.EXTRACTS: "We have tried to have ever more efficient farming, with fewer people,... more
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Jack W. Plunkett, CEO of the Houston (Texas)-based Plunkett Research Ltd., suggests the future of energy will likely be a contest between renewable energy and shale oil. But, he admits, in many countries the debate over shale and its costs and benefits risks, continues. http://bit.ly/pCaZAXJack W. Plunkett, CEO of the Houston (Texas)-based Plunkett Research Ltd., suggests... more
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