The Crux of Saudi Power

Saudi oil minister Ali Naimi told reporters that this week’s meeting of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries was “one of the worst meetings we have ever had.” But the meeting was not just a failure for OPEC, whose immediate power to influence the oil market seems to be on the wane. It is a huge failure for Saudi Arabia, one that has dangerous consequences and needs to be redressed quickly and decisively.

In past times, having OPEC ministers depart with oil production quotas in disarray and not so much as a simple communiqué to revisit the issue in three months would have meant a precipitous drop in oil prices. That would have suited Saudi purposes, leaving the kingdom with a victory and a means to punish Iran and Venezuela for being intransigent. Instead, oil prices are rising, the opposite result from what the kingdom wanted to accomplish. The Iranian regime, which badly needs high oil prices to keep itself and its regional agenda in power, has gotten its way.

In an important Washington Post op-ed directed at the United States, Saudi Arabia has warned the United States of a “tectonic shift” where the kingdom “intends to pursue a much more assertive foreign policy, at times conflicting with American interests.” The kingdom made clear it is pursuing its own security agenda in Bahrain, for example, and is gearing up for an additional $100 billion in military spending.

But Saudi Arabia does not get its power from the renowned prowess of its armed forces. The kingdom projects power by its ability to dump oil prices, a capability it does not seem to currently possess. President Obama intuitively understands this since minutes after the Saudi failure at OPEC, he put the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve on the table. This was smart.

For the past decade, Saudi Arabia has failed to commit to a sufficient program of oil field expansion and that lack of foresight is now coming home to roost. The kingdom declared in the Washington Post that the United States doesn’t get what’s at stake but maybe the kingdom itself that is not understanding how its problems arose.

The biggest tool Saudi Arabia had to influence Iran’s policies was its ability to dramatically lower the price of oil. Iran is dependent on oil revenues for over 65 percent of government revenues. The kingdom, with its plentiful foreign financial reserves, could have been in a position to withstand a period of low oil prices to diminish Iranian power in the region. But it is currently unable to use this strategic weapon against Tehran because oil markets both do not believe in Saudi’s market power now nor in its power in the future. The market is convinced that Saudi Arabia is running out of oil under the ground and therefore prices will remain high.

Saudi Arabia’s power inside OPEC comes from its ability to threaten to ruin the economies of other member states by flooding the market with oil. Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani wielded that tool effectively in the 1980s during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Hisham Nazer used it during the Iraq-Iran war. Ali Naimi himself threatened OPEC into an incredible streak of unity after wielding the oil price dagger over Venezuela in 1998.

Now would be the perfect time for Riyadh to have the same tool. But project delays and problems in the kingdom’s upstream sector is thwarting its global power, with potentially dire consequences for Saudi Arabia and for the global community.

The kingdom needs to announce a major spending program on oil field production capacity and it needs to do it now. It needs to show the market and Iran that it is serious about its long term power to determine oil prices.

The announced expansion needs to be dramatic and not marginal. Like Iraq, which has announced a major program of millions of barrels a day, Saudi Arabia needs to roll out the full extent of its geology. Market share is not what is at stake. It is regional power. The kingdom is smart enough to know that. Saudi Arabia needs to turn this week’s failure into a success by understanding the true nature of this week’s OPEC deliberations. The crux of Saudi power is spare oil production capacity. In light of today’s dangerous world, the kingdom needs a bigger stick.


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Contamination

The products are often chemical contaminants, but may be in the form of energy (sound, heat, or light), or even genes that contaminate a living organism. Sometimes the contaminant is a natural, but their common point is caused disruption and generally negative, it is due to human activity.

The Blacksmith Institute, an NGO that is responsible for analyzing the pollution in the world, has ranked countries according to their level of pollution, being the first classification of the 2007 report: Azerbaijan, China, India, Peru, Russia, Ukraine and Zambia.2

We have already mentioned the decline of biodiversity, the hole in the ozone layer, water degradation, deforestation and annoying noises, now talk about the pollution that is perhaps the fundamental factor that damages the environment.

As we know, there are different forms of pollution on the planet Earth. All forms of pollution are harmful to the environment. Now, however, mention the air pollution but we must not forget that any kind of pollution is as bad.

Air pollution in urban areas, characterized by the presence of fine particles (aerosols, including carbon) and urban smog (including ozone) is quite noticeable and cause premature death each year 2.3 million people in around the world, of which 400,000 are in Europe, according to the world Meteorological Organization and the European Commission.

Currently in Europe there are many levels of air quality as the number of cities there. Each city has developed its own scale and its own representation. The data, both centralized and standardized, are updated every day and during all hours of the day, both air pollution and traffic pollution, especially in areas close to roads.

These indexes are considered the most problematic pollutants of major European cities in which nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3) and particulate matter (PM) top the list. The assessment of air quality based on European regulations for pollution episodes and on the limit values ​​should not be exceeded.

As we see, and we have only mentioned the form of air pollution, this is one of the main causes of damage to our environment.

We have a series of articles related to pollution ElBlogVerde trying to denounce the degradation suffered by the various ecosystems of the world.

We leave also some videos documentaries on pollution trying to raise awareness of environmental degradation.

Just as, for some time, we put special emphasis on everything related to global warming, we have also made ​​an issue of vital importance for the preservation of our environment such as pollution.

We believe that pollution is not a minor issue and, therefore, we believe that the populations of all countries, not only in Spain, should be knowledgeable about a subject so important to mankind as this is because of pollution concerns us and hurts us all and in all countries. If there is no pollution, a healthier lifestyle is possible.

Air pollution, soil, water and many other types of pollution do nothing but endanger our environment. But what is the magnitude of the threat, what are the consequences on our health and chances are about it?


The uncertainty is large enough for many people and, therefore, considered desirable to leave here a series of articles explaining in detail the situation facing all living beings on the planet. Surely, there are many people interested in exploring more about the issue of contamination to learn how to avoid or at least do something to decrease rather than increase it.

The Environment

In the environment we can consider two fundamental types of components which interact among themselves as they are in direct contact, and both modify among themselves their behaviours according to symbiotic variations, to know:

Factors Bióticos: comprises all living things, both the plant and animals (and humans), which is why merely deal with living organisms. Abióticos factors: they are the substrate, sustenance or support of the Alive beings, which include the basic part of their ecosystem, and the area where they develop, feed and reproduce. It then includes the air, water, land and atmosphere, latter being necessary for the development and persistence of life.

It is the axis of life, our life, and the development of various activities which they are not just ecological but also lag in the economic order, as modifications to its components derive from losses affecting altogether throughout the rest.

Just to speak of the existence of life, we refer to our planet I differentiate components also act together, and that also make up the environment, the following:

Biosphere: Whereas all living beings lithosphere: is considered to the surface and solid layer of the Earth hydrosphere: any body of water regardless of its length, formed by seas, lakes and rivers atmosphere: gaseous layer that surrounds the Earth and largely responsible for the existence of life on the planet.

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Biodegradable

But perhaps many still do not know what this issue, and what is the separation of waste, for which we have prepared a brief review to internalize on general issues of this theme.

A process involving the nature and physical and chemical properties of each material that makes up a particular object, which are strictly related to its ability to produce food for microorganisms (in the case of wastes derived from vegetable origin or organic) is defined as biodegradability either amino acids, tissues, and new substances.

This capability can be given in its natural state, or by a progressive transformation which involves various factors of the environment, taking into account the oxidation, their interaction with the open, among other factors.

Firstly, we should point out that there are two types of materials that can be classified generally follows:

Biodegradable organic mostly material s:, It can be degraded shaped aerobic (used oxygen) or anaerobic (with interaction of micro-organisms that do not need oxygen)

Non biodegradable: includes those materials that of itself does not can be degraded, as in the case of the glass, but also to Biodegradable material requiring an excessively high time either outstrip the ability of microorganisms to its process. A clear example of these materials are the plastics.

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The REPSOL Foundation Develops Sustainable Project

On this basis, the REPSOL Foundation has created a new initiative to enable new talent, those people with their own ideas and ambition to change things, to develop their projects.

-This new initiative is aimed at those who have already created a business or those who want to create it centered in the field of efficient energy.What the REPSOL Foundation proposes, is a contest that outlining the different projects and they as a Foundation, would help the winner to develop your project.

Such aid would not only focus on the economic, but that also will provide professionals with high experience in the sector to have excellent technical, legal and business advice .This initiative is a real opportunity to grow or start in this field.

Creating new businesses and create jobs is a great pillar that develops the entrepreneurs Fund, created entirely with private capital.As in all contests, there is a date limit for the proposal, you have until the 30 of November.

Once past the deadline, a prestige jury will be in charge of selecting the winning project, which will be announced during the first months of 2012.

Normally, humans timeless dreaming to do one or the other thing, today you have the opportunity to put your dreams in progress and submit your own project the Repsol Foundation.

With luck, you'll be working on something that you love and security that this can have a positive impact on the lives of many others and the world in general.

The REPSOL Foundation proposes you to make your dream achievable challenge, join a project unforgettable.

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The 2011Earth Hour in Spain

The time of the 2011 planet and WWF calls us all to take part in an event in the world in which millions of people get together for a symbolic act as it is turn off the light for an hour.

The objective of this action is to raise awareness to the World about the importance of energy saving something very necessary if we want to move towards a respectful with the environment and sustainable way of life for future generations.

The 2011 earth hour at Spain will start at 8: 30 pm Saturday, March 26, 2011. And it is expected that all our grain of sand which are part of this society demos with this action from the place or places to ocupermos: as individuals, our family, our community, at work, school or University.

This year, WWF - the organizers of the event - raised a new slogan: "more than an hour". Therein are invited to each of us agrees to 3 actions of consumption sustainable to put into practice in our life cotideana

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Time to “Like” the Energy Internet

We hear a lot about the upcoming democratization of energy. But with the average consumer thinking about energy only six minutes per year, it’s fair to wonder if anyone will show up to ‘vote.’

But this week an alliance that includes the intriguing combination of Opower and Facebook offers promise that this futuristic concept may not be so far off into the future.

The democratization of energy gives consumers the ability to take charge of their electricity production and use via new technologies, much the way they’ve gained control over information flow via the Internet. Think rooftop solar panels and plug-in electric vehicles, which together give you the ability to not only make your own energy, but also store it and sell it. Combine these technologies with smart meters, dynamic pricing, virtual net metering, solar gardens, home energy displays and Internet-enabled appliances and you have an electricity system that looks far different than today’s. Large energy producers and operators now control the electric grid, but a democratized grid distributes this control to the rest of us. You and I, in essence, become the power plant.

The democratization of energy, also called the energy internet, holds a lot of appeal in a world where we feel like victims of larger forces that control our economic fate. When oil prices spike, we helplessly take another financial hit.

The energy internet promises to help us be more energy efficient, save money, in some cases make money, and enjoy more comfort and automation in our homes.

However, so far, consumers haven’t shown much interest in taking charge of their energy use, even in fundamental ways. Perhaps this is because the concept of energy democratization seems remote and speculative – to those who think about it at all. I’m reminded of the nascent days of the Internet, when futurists made lofty claims that it would change banking, shopping and the workplace, and even revolutionize politics worldwide through an inexorable flow of information. At the time, most of us still saw the computer as little more than a difficult-to-use word processing machine.

Apple Computer changed that by making the computer more user-friendly. Opower (and similar companies) is the Apple of the energy internet, in that it’s figuring out ways to give energy efficiency technologies consumer appeal. Opower does this by tapping into our social instincts and playing on our sense of community, camaraderie and even competition to incite us to pursue energy efficiency in our homes.

But the work is being done community by community, so it’s slow going. So far Opower has sent its home energy report – a key ingredient of its method – to 3 million households. How to speed it up? That’s where Facebook comes into play, with its 800 million worldwide users all meeting and socializing in one big virtual spot.

Opower intends to use Facebook to set up friendly competitions among households. If yours is one of the 60 US utilities that already partners with Opower, you’ll be able to download your home’s actual energy use from Facebook, compare it against similar households and chart your progress with regular updates from your utility. The Natural Resources Defense Council, the third leg of the partnership, will provide environmental information.

Opower envisions social networking groups and communities forming around their new energy knowledge. These groups could have a significant impact on the success or defeat of energy efficiency products and businesses. Think about how fast video gets passed around Facebook of cats doing cute things. That could instead be word of a hot, new energy product. Or conversely news could go viral of the light bulb that burns out too quickly or the appliance that fails to live up to its promise. Energy efficiency companies will need to be on their toes.

The partnership plans to launch the new venture early next year in the Chicago area through Commonwealth Edison. It’s fair to assume that many will ‘like’ it.

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New Generation Inverters to Drive Down Cost of Solar Power: Interview with Silicon Valley’s Array Power

Digital and solid state electronics are reshaping the way solar power systems are designed and built, holding out the promise of higher, more efficient performance at significantly lower cost and with a smaller footprint. This is especially true in the market for inverters, which convert direct current (DC) from modules or batteries to the alternating current (AC) used to light and power homes, buildings, appliances and industrial and commercial processes.

As auto manufacturers have done in recent decades, power inverter designers and manufacturers are increasingly using semiconductors and digital, solid state electronics rather than traditional electronic components to design and build power inverters, and they’re incorporating them into solar power modules themselves. They’re also redesigning the wiring and architecture of solar power arrays to increase system performance and efficiencies, as well as make it easier and less costly to install solar power systems capable of reliably supplying grid-ready, commercial-grade electricity.

Based in Sunnyvale, California, Array Power is one of a number of power inverter designer/manufacturers that’s taken advantage of Solar Power International (SPI) 2011 in Dallas this week to launch new product lines.

In Array Power’s case, that includes launching the Array Power Sequenced Inverter, as well as the start-up coming out of Silicon Valley “stealth mode.” Its Sequenced Inverter is the first in the world that reliably converts DC power to grid-ready, commercial-grade, three-phase sequenced AC, according to the company.

A Quintessential Silicon Valley Start-Up

The Antenna Group’s Tomi Maxted and Kimberly Setliff organized a Skype video interview for Clean Technica with Array Power CEO Wendy Arienzo and director of business development Nick Cravalho.

The creation of Array Power is the quintessential story of a Silicon Valley start-up as Ms. Arienzo describes it. Founded in 2008, the company’s origins go back to a Silicon Valley garage where a group of inventors with expertise in solar and power electronics and semiconductor technology joined in an effort “to perfect a completely novel approach to solar power conversion.”

Successful in their initial efforts, the company’s founders were able to attract seed capital from venture capital firms and attracted the interest of a California manufacturer of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, one of the top 10 in the world. Arienzo and Cravalho left us guessing as to exactly which company this might, as they were unable to disclose the name.

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Solar Electric Light Fund Shines a Ray of Hope on Haiti

The Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) has installed 100 solar-powered street lamps in Haitian refugee camps Pétionville and Caradeux. Almost two years after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake rocked Haiti taking over 700,000 lives and leaving millions homeless, the country is still struggling to rebuild its infrastructure.

Neighborhood redevelopment has accounted for the relocation of some refugees, but 23,000 still live at Pétionville, and many thousands more are in camps vulnerable to landslides, fire, flooding, and high incidents of violence. While renewable energy can’t solve all of these dilemmas, solar-powered street lamps make it possible for children to study, for dinner to be made, and for card games to be played well after the sun sets.

The Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) has installed 100 solar-powered street lamps in Haitian refugee camps Pétionville and Caradeux. Almost two years after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake rocked Haiti taking over 700,000 lives and leaving millions homeless, the country is still struggling to rebuild its infrastructure.

Neighborhood redevelopment has accounted for the relocation of some refugees, but 23,000 still live at Pétionville, and many thousands more are in camps vulnerable to landslides, fire, flooding, and high incidents of violence. While renewable energy can’t solve all of these dilemmas, solar-powered street lamps make it possible for children to study, for dinner to be made, and for card games to be played well after the sun sets.

SELF, the Washington, DC-based nonprofit, has been using renewable energy to provide light and power to rural medical clinics in Haiti since before the quake, and they were invited to extend their platform with the help of funding from the Inter-American Development Bank.

“We believe that energy is a human right and that access to it is essential to achieving the Millennium Development Goals,” said Bob Freling, Executive Director of SELF in a press release.

As post-earthquake Haiti is slowly being rebuilt, women are more vulnerable to sexual assault and violence has increased across the country. Amnesty International has reported that women are at serious risk of sexual attack, and rape survivors continue to arrive at the office of a local women’s support group almost every day. Police surveillance hasn’t been proven to deter sexual violence, but according to SELF and J/P HRO, as soon as the street lamps went up in August, reported acts of violence (including sexual assault) declined drastically from about one a day to one a week.

Hurricane resistant, tamper-proof, and otherwise sturdy street lamps installed at the camps require minimal maintenance. The larger model streetlamp, procured from Port-au-Prince’s Green Energy Solutions, is 20 feet tall with photovoltaic modules on top and two sealed gel batteries inside a secure box connected to high-powered LED lamps.

Once the camps are dispersed, the solar street lamps will be moved to other areas. Although the lighting is temporary, its positive impact is permanent and includes diminished crime rates, more time for kids to study, increased commerce, neighborhood camaraderie, and hope for the camp’s many residents.

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Bio-ethanol fireplaces

Since the fire and the chimneys came to life of human beings, materials that have been used for combustion have been the firewood, coal and oil.In comparison with the chimneys of bioethanol, the old produce polluting gases that course, they are harmful to the environment, and no longer as long term, for the society.


Bio-ethanol is a fuel that can be produced by plants, which qualifies it as a source of sustainable energy as it does not pollute and can be economically more accessible when compared to common fossil fuels. At the same time, it is considered renewable energy since its base are natural resources that can grow without difficulty.

Based on this reasoning, the chimneys of bioethanol should truly attractive to the consumer. And not only the environmental benefit, but at the same time these fireplaces don't need channels, neither shot nor extractor, because there no odour or smoke after being burned, they emit only water vapor and the amount of carbon dioxide equals three candles.You can now have many varieties of chimneys of bioethanol up can pass as an decorative element in the room and given that you don't have channels, choose the placement of this somewhere in the House will be a real adventure for the extensive possibilities.

Now you can find models with locations as varied as a wall or in the traditional way on the ground, so much so that you can convert your conventional fireplace in a bioethanol fireplace.When you decide to buy a bioethanol fireplace you should consider some factors that need regular ventilation of the room, therefore, you will need Windows and doors to carry it out.When Burns bio-ethanol in the chimney can you see how it will changing color or you can even make noises, but quiet, these are natural materials. At first can smell metal or fuel, if you mind the smell airing for a few minutes.

Once we have acquired a bioethanol fireplace not can't be turned on in another type of materials, similarly, bio-ethanol must be saved in a place without sunlight and heat, far from the reach of children. In today's society we live should be a requirement awareness and real commitment to the environment, encouraging and giving facilities to consumers to purchase this type of ecological fireplaces.

Bioethanol is really a safe bet that when consumed, follows the atmosphere the same amount of carbon dioxide than the amount that has absorbed the plant during his lifetime. Therefore, there would be an increase in CO2, they would favour a true balance.Source: www.chimenea-bioetanol.es

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Biodegradable plastic bags

Before you start to talk about the bags of biodegradable plastic , it is necessary that we stop to talk about, first of all bags plastic mostly used at present, i.e., the non-biodegradable.

Plastic bags contain a material called polyethylene resin, which is a product derived from petroleum. Given its composition, its degradation is slow in some cases reaching last 500 years to degrade. Or in other cases what happens is that it is disintegrating into pieces smaller, the result is millions of pieces of plastic that measure less than 5 mm.

The environmental consequences are really very worrying. It is estimated there are oceans between 3 and 5 kilos of plastic (millimeter size), for every square kilometer of water. This high level of contamination due to the non-biodegradable plastics (of which many contain toxic additives) leads to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of marine mammals every year and also affects thousands of species of birds.

Biodegradable plastics - in contrast to those who are not - They are made from natural polymers. You are called biodegradable that can be destroyed, degraded or metabolized by natural organisms, such as e.g. certain bacteria.

It is important to make clear, that even when its components are of diverse origin, these plastics have the same properties which are manufactured with oil.

Bags 100%biodegradable allow a complete degradation. The process starts after 18 months, therefore indicated in batch number that is imprinted with their date of manufacture to be aware of when it will expire.

Until that is met this year and a half of validity, the bag can retain under normal conditions without suffering any alteration of the structure or material. Therefore, it is a way that maintains 100% quality and resistance, but without generating a negative consequence for our environment.

Biodegradable bags are completely versatile they can be manufactured in different colors and sizes, position marks or legends, so that they are suitable for different uses.

Another advantage with biodegradable bags is that they can be recycled too, providing energy values similar to the plastic polyethylene bags.

The problem of plastic polyethylene bags extends globally. And here in Spain are not the exception. On the contrary, the third country more plastic bags consumed internationally. Nothing less than a few 250 plastic bags per inhabitant and per year.

This has brought a law which provides that for the year 2013, 60% of plastic bags manufactured must be biodegradable. This percentage rises to 80% by 2016. Finally, in 2018, all plastic bags must be biodegradable.

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Paneles solares

Los paneles solares son dispositivos diseñados para captar parte de la radiación solar y convertirla en energía solar para que pueda ser utilizada por el hombre.

Imagen: carloshenriquezve

Pueden distinguirse dos tipos de paneles solares:

Paneles de energía solar térmica: llamados colectores solares térmicos, convierten la luz en calor. Existen dos tipos de paneles solares térmicos: los colectores de agua y los de aire.

En los colectores de agua, el agua circula por los tubos provistos de aletas. Para obtener un mejor rendimiento, el conjunto se coloca en una caja de vidrio aislante ya que con esto se logra un efecto invernadero. Con buen sol, y si las necesidades de agua caliente son moderadas, una red simple puede ser suficiente. Las aletas, que forman lo que es llamado el absorbente, son calentadas por la radiación solar y transmiten su calor al agua que circula por los tubos. Los colectores de agua son utilizados para la calefacción y/o para producir agua caliente sanitaria.

En los colectores de aire, es el aire el que circula y se calienta en contacto con los absorbentes. El aire así caliente es después ventilado en los ambientes de calefacción o utilizado en los cobertizos para el secado de los productos agrícolas.

Paneles solares fotovoltaicos: llamados módulos fotovoltaicos, convierten la luz en electricidad.En ambos casos, los paneles son generalmente planos, con varios metros de anchura y de longitud. Están diseñados para facilitar su instalación y su precio se fija de manera que puedan ser utilizados tanto para aplicaciones domésticas como industriales.Los paneles de energía solar son, en la actualidad, más viables económicamente que los módulos fotovoltaicos. Los paneles solares son los componentes básicos de la mayoría de los equipos de producción de energía solar. El interés por la utilización de paneles solares surge rápidamente cuando se sabe que un generador fotovoltaico de 329 km. podría cubrir la totalidad de las necesidades de electricidad del mundo. Recibe todas las noticias, información exclusiva, trucos y novedades de ElBlogVerde directamente en tu

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How to recycle

Stage 1: garbage collection: Waste recycling operations begin with the collection of waste.
Non-recyclable waste are incinerated or buried in landfills. The waste collected for recycling are prepared for further processing. The collection is organized for that purpose.
As a result of harvesting, waste, ordered or not, they are sent to a Centre for classification in which, through different operations, they are ordered to optimize its processing. One of these operations is the manual.Stage 2: transformation: Once classified, waste are plants that will be responsible for its transformation.

They are integrated into the chain of processing that is specific to them. Enter the string in the form of waste and leave in the form of material ready for use.

Stage 3: marketing and consumption: Once transformed, the finished products of recycling are used for the manufacture of new products which, in turn, will be offered to the consumer and consumed. To be thrown, recovered and recycled again.



Recycling is one of the most important actions we can take forward to help the environment. Recycling is a process for the treatment of waste, both industrial and domestic, that allows to reintroduce them in the production cycle of a product or of the materials that compose.]

Image: bichuas on flickr

An example that illustrates well the recycling process can be the new glass bottles which is made from the glass from the old bottles that have pulled and then have been recovered.

It recycling is a waste management strategy called "the three R's":

Reduce: it brings together all related to the reduction of the waste.Reuse: it brings together the procedures that allow to give a product already used a new use.Recycle: is the process of treatment that have to pass through the waste through recycling.

There are three major divisions of recyclingtechniques: chemical, mechanical and organic.

"Chemical" recycling uses a chemical reaction for the treatment of waste, e.g. to separate certain components.

"Mechanical" recycling is the transformation of the waste with the help of a machine, for example, an oversized waste.

Recycling "organic" is, after fermentation, to produce fertilizer and fuels as biogas.

The recycling chain is divided into three parts or in three stages:

Recycling is an important contribution in reducing the quantities of waste that must be eliminated in landfills, by incineration or by other means. For this reason, recycling is necessary to thus fight against the increase of the waste.

We contribute to caring for our environment! We learn how to Recycle different materials:

If you are interested in knowing how Recycle in your city, in the BlogVerde we have special cities.

To be able to carry out this important task, the majority of the Councils in the country have special containers for the classification of waste which can lead, glass, paper and cardboards, plastics and briks, metal containers, and - in some cases-also organic waste.

At the same time in major cities there are Points clean or Green where lead other materials for recycling or hazardous waste, including oil, paint, tyres, wood, clothing, crystals, batteries and many other elements.

Rebalancing the nuclear debate through education

Better physics teaching with a particular emphasis on radioactivity and radiation science could improve public awareness through education of the environmental benefits and relative safety of nuclear power generation, according to leading Brazilian scientist Heldio Villar. He suggests that it might then be possible to have a less emotional debate about the future of the industry that will ultimately reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.

To environmental activists, nuclear power and environmental preservation are two antagonistic concepts. Nevertheless, nuclear power can generate huge amounts of electrical and heat energy with minimal impact on the planet, particularly in terms of much lower carbon emissions and pollution than is seen with power generation based on burning fossil fuels. Because of this cultural clash, activists have prognosticated doom for a world if we pursue the nuclear energy option, leading to public distrust of the nuclear industry and its relatives, nuclear research installations and particle accelerators.

"The introduction of the theoretical bases of radioactivity, radiation physics and nuclear power plants in the environmental education curricula will certainly result in a greater awareness of the public towards the reality surrounding radiation and radioactivity," says Villar of the University of Pernambuco, who not surprising also works for Brazil's Nuclear Energy Commission. "This initiative, coupled with a more realistic approach towards nuclear risks on the part of nuclear regulators and licensers, has the potential to make nuclear applications -- not only in electric energy production but in other areas -- more palatable to a public squeamish of another Three Mile Island or Chernobyl and the specter of nuclear weapons, rendering it more prepared to reap the benefits thereof."

Ironically, in the 1950s and 1960s, nuclear power was once hailed as the best option for an energy-starved world. Nuclear reactors were seen as modern, reliable and, above all, capable of producing electricity 'too cheap to meter'. Into the 1970s, the oil crisis sparked the first major interest in going nuclear on a much wider scale. However, even before Three Mile Island, activist groups such as Greenpeace were sounding unwarranted alarm bells and popular movies such as the China Syndrome, which does not have a disastrous ending, were fuelling the anti-nuclear movement.

Villar points out that it is widely accepted that Brazil and several other nations, are entirely capable of launching successful nuclear power programs, given their expertise, the availability of nuclear fuel and the pressures such as a lack of coal and the rising price of oil. "Electrical energy is scarce and obviously expensive," says Villar, "a situation seen in several other countries." Supposed "green" solutions, such as hydroelectric power, which has already been fully exploited in Brazil, as well as gas turbines, solar and wind power, tidal power and biomass, do not represent a cheaper alternative to nuclear he asserts.

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REGEN Energy raises $5.5 million to expand marketing of “swarm logic” energy management smart devices

Toronto-based REGEN Energy, which I’ve written about several times on this blog, has raised $5.5 million from NGEN Partners and BDC Venture Capital.

The money will be used to expand the North American marketing efforts of the company’s EnviroGrid product, which is a swarm logic platform that can be used to manage the energy demand of equipment in commercial and industrial facilities.

Instead of controlling equipment through a centralized command-and-control model, REGEN can attach its EnviroGrid devices to individual pieces of equipment, which function as part of a cooperative decentralized system. The devices, in essence, “talk” to each other like bees in a hive, hence the term “swarm logic”. This decentralized model is less costly and just as — if not more — effective than centralized approaches.

This is a classic example of biomimicry, in and fact I mention REGEN’s work in the biomimicry chapter of my new book Mad Like Tesla.

“This is an exciting time for REGEN as we receive follow-on orders from large corporate accounts. We’re excited to increase our channel partners’ revenues by delivering further value-added services to their customers,” said REGEN CEO Tim Angus.

The company has had several successful pilot projects with utilities and is now focusing its efforts on the U.S. market, particularly California, where the company just opened up an office.

It also has its eyes on the Northeast U.S., where there are plenty of demand-reduction and incentive programs that make this technology an attractive option.

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Plant species vary ecosystems

Has been mentioned numerous times in the incidence of the different plant invasive species in different ecosystems, and alterations that can produce, causing not only changes in the behaviour of the animals who are looking for your specific food, but also to threaten plant species that are native and indigenous to a region, among other related negative impacts.

A recent study led by researchers at the Department of ecology, evolution and biology has found evidence that the majority of plant species have vital importance in the functioning of an ecosystem, changing according to the environmental conditions and acting on up to 84% of the varieties, as the basis of a particular ecosystem, being the point of inflection between all the species present.

This is indistinct from one or two species in particular, the amount of plant species has its specific role and they interact among themselves to be the basis of all learning environment, including in contexts of changes in the environment, which have interference in the Nitrogen cycle, its absorption and removal of aqueous bodies, as well as its ability to absorb carbon dioxideof course.

Soil contamination

Explained in a simple way and summarized above, we can indicate that soil is not consolidated loose material that occurs initially in the physical disintegration of rocks, or fruit of meteorological disturbances in the environment.

I usually tend to evolve to be able to form even a complex system, passing to a stratified structure and specific composition, precisely under the influence of living beings.

But as the atmosphere (air pollution), the ground can also be affected by pollution, something which - as you can imagine - receives the correct name of soil contamination.

There are two types of pollution that may have an impact on the structure and soilformation: natural contamination (which is often endogenous) and anthropogenic pollution (totally exogenous).

As we know, and perhaps and as discussed at the beginning of this note, different natural phenomena can be causes significant soil contamination.

To give just one example, an active volcano may be able to provide larger quantities of substances pollutants to several thermal power stations coal boards and external.

The contamination of soil by human activities.

Soil contamination may have a wide variety of causes. Some of the most common reasons are:

the use of pesticides in agriculturala subterráneofiltraciones storage tanks breaking from landfills or waste from industrial products direct vertederosacumulación zone

The most common chemicals that are responsible for soil contamination are: oil, pesticides, solvents and other heavy metals.

This phenomenon is a consequence of the high degree of industrialization, the increasing use of chemicals and the lack of management and control by both companies and the same Governments of different countries

When soil pollution reaches a critical level, affected the natural balance with these complex systems, which translates into a change in the behavior of soils. What happens is that harmful substances that accumulate become toxic to organisms that live there. This chemical degradation can cause partial or even total loss of soil productivity.

Many are the negative consequences of soil contamination. Among them we can mention serious risks to human health, both whether directly or indirectly - given that pollutants from the soil to come into contact with drinking water sources her can also pollute.

To carry out a good study of soil contamination, they must define the maximum allowable levels of contaminants, and analyse factors which can influence the response of the ground to these agents. So not only is enough to detect the presence of contaminated soil.

Once contaminated areas have been defined you can proceed to the cleaning of the area. But this is not a real solution, as - of course - the effects of pollution may have affected by then both animals and plants of the place, and to people's health and productive quality of the soil. Also cleaning perform time and money, and they can not usually be faced by the affected communities.

Solar panels

Solar panels are devices designed to capture part of the solar radiation and turn it into solar energy so that it can be used by man.

Two types of solar panelscan be distinguished:

Solar thermal panels: called thermal solar collectors, convert light into heat. There are two types of solar thermal: air and water collectors.

The collectors of water, water circulates the tubes fitted with fins. For best performance, the set is placed in a box of insulating glass as a greenhouse effect is achieved with this. With good Sun, and if the hot water needs are moderated, a simple network may be sufficient.

The fins, forming what is called the absorbent, are heated by solar radiation and transmits its heat to water that flows through the tubes. The water collectors are used for heating and/or to produce sanitary hot water.

Air collectors, is the air that circulates and is heated in contact with the absorbent. The air so hot is then vented heating environments or used in the sheds for drying of agricultural products.

Photovoltaic solar panels: called photovoltaic modules, convert light into electricity.In both cases, panels are generally flat, with several meters of width and length.

They are designed to facilitate installation and its price is fixed so that they can be used both for domestic and industrial applications.Solar panels are, at present, more economically viable than the photovoltaic modules. Solar panels are the building blocks of most of the production of solar energy equipment.

Interest in the use of solar panels emerges quickly when you know that a photovoltaic generator 329 km. could cover all of the

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The 7 Wonders of the Ecological World

But on this occasion we bring some examples of those sites that have been postulated to become the Natural 7 Wonders (i.e. the seven wonders of the ecological world), in which there is no architecture or construction, but who has designed has been only nature.

The surprise which has been found among the nominees to be one of the 7 Wonders is precisely the Amazon basin, a source of great richness in regard to biodiversity, with a thousand species of animal and plant Kingdom, and many have not yet been discovered.

What is surprising is not this feature, but is one of the zones more danger has, by different activities inherent to its deforestation, and even the extinction of a large number of species. Perhaps protectionist measures being chosen as one of the 7 Wonders of the world to advance and efectivicen even more.

Probably one of the landscapes more famous for his appearances in a few blockbuster Hollywood movies, their training is due to a rain digging caused by the Colorado River, located north of Arizona (United States) product of a constant of millions of years wear.

Account with ranges reaching 29 km of width and depths greater than 1,680 meters, and its greatest asset is the analysis of different sediments and formations from at least 2 billion years of Earth.

This paradisiacal island in the Islands minors of Sonda, a small island formation of Indonesia, stands worldwide for hosting the single species (and unfortunately endangered) Komodo dragons, but the visit to the National Park which houses is not the only attraction.

This volcanic island is frequented by all parts of the world diving fans, those who seek to explore the underwater platform, with a great wealth of shoals of very striking species.