A small team of researchers at the Rice and Pennsylvania State universities has developed a new solar cell that is based on organic block copolymers. The research and the new solar cell have led to the possibility of an entirely new class of solar panels. The organic block copolymers are compounds that self-arrange into certain layers that are effective at absorbing sunlight, and are significantly better at doing so than other substances that … [Read more...]
Today, June 5, is World Environment Day. Hooray!
It is an annual event that is aimed at being the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive environmental action. The World Environment Day celebration began in 1972 and has grown to become one of the main vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political attention and action. Through World Environment Day, the United Nations Environment Program is able to … [Read more...]
A New – Yet Old – Source of Food
Insects are a virtually "untapped" source of food for people, livestock and pets, according to the United Nations. Two billion people already supplement their diets with creepy-crawlies and insect farming could be one way to address food security, a UN agency has said. Its 200-page report Edible Insects says many of the creatures are high in protein, good fats and minerals. It suggests that large-scale mechanization of "insect farming" would also … [Read more...]
Monsanto Feels the Heat
I have written about the Monsanto corporation on numerous occasions, including A Brief History of Monsanto, and Monsanto v. The State of Illusion. On Friday, it was reported that Monsanto will halt promotion of genetically modified crops in Europe. The decision followed a world-wide protest of Monsanto and GMOs on May 25. The company stopped lobbying for cultivation of the genetically modified crops and will no longer seek approvals for new … [Read more...]
Quote of the Day: 5/28/13 – Gil Scott-Heron
"Everything that's bad for you catches on too quickly in America, because that's the easiest thing to get people to invest in, the pursuits that are easy and destructive, the ones that bring out the least positive aspects of people." - Gil Scott-Heron … [Read more...]
A Brief History of Monsanto
In my last article, Monsanto v. The State of Illusion, I discussed Monsanto and the illusion they have created for themselves that they are an environmentally friendly company full of integrity and respect for the environment. Which then begs the question: Who and what is this Monsanto corporation? Where did they come from? Today, I give you a brief history of Monsanto. Monsanto, based out of Creve Coeur, Missouri, is a multinational agricultural … [Read more...]
Monsanto v. The State of Illusion
There is a recent movie out called "The People v. The State of Illusion," in which the central theme is that most of us live in a state of illusion, captive of our perceptions and thoughts, and this state of illusion can create a living hell for us. Not only do people live in a state of illusion, but companies do also. And one of the biggest perpetrators of living in this state of illusion is Monsanto. Monsanto is an agricultural giant which … [Read more...]
Today is World Water Day
Today, March 22, 2013, is World Water Day. In honor of that, I give you the below infographic about water. I hope you find it informative: See the interactive version by Able Skills
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Click Here for an interactive version - Able Skills Construction Courses … [Read more...]How Much Water Do You Use?
Courtesy of: Loch Ness Water Gardens How much water do you use (and how much water can you save)? Check the above infographic to see, and then consider this: We all know of the concept of peak oil, the understanding that there is only a finite amount of oil, and that one day it will peak and then begin to taper off. But there may be a bigger problem with water, and it's … [Read more...]
Towards an Open Future
“There is a concept which corrupts and upsets all others. I refer not to Evil, whose limited realm is that of ethics, I refer to the infinite.” – Jorge Luis Borges, in Avatars of the Tortoise Let's start with a basic supposition: open systems succeed, while closed systems fail. What do I mean by a system? A system is anything comprised of complexity: it can be one single individual or a group, forming a collective or organization. An … [Read more...]