Friday, August 8, 2008

Free Green Electricity from Garbage

By: Burt Jordaan
Free, "green" energy is part of the dreams of many people: cars running on water, producing no pollutants, electricity from vacuum energy, etc. However, there is a scientifically sound scheme for "free" energy that may perhaps come true one day.

We just have to find a reachable, spinning black hole with a "hospitable" environment around its equator. Then we can "colonize" that black hole by building a static, circular, torus-like tube around its equator, large enough to contain cities, land for livestock and crops, lakes, etc.

To provide power to this stationary "planet", we can use Sir Roger Penrose's black hole energy extraction process. This rather neat process can actually get rid of the planet's garbage in a completely clean way as well! Here's how it works.

The trucks of the garbage disposal company are fitted with specially designed containers that, when full, can be dumped straight down towards the black hole. Because the black hole spins, the containers do not fall into the hole, but are dragged around it by a process called "frame dragging".

The containers do not go into orbit around the black hole. The spinning black hole gives them a slingshot that sends them back to the planet with some kinetic energy "robbed" from the black hole's spin momentum.

But this is not all. By ejecting the garbage from the container into the black hole at the correct point during the slingshot, an enormous amount of extra energy can be added to the container in the form of extra speed. The empty container recoils outward from the ejection point with an enormous velocity.

This is not just the Newtonian effect "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction" - it is a relativistic effect according to Einstein's famous equation E=mc^2 (Energy equals mass times the square of the speed of light).

At the planet's power station, the high-speed container is caught in a machine that converts most of the momentum of the empty container into rotational momentum of a giant flywheel. This flywheel drives the generators that feed the planet's electricity grid.

Think about some of the benefits:

(i) No more visible garbage dumps, because it's forever hidden inside a black hole. No odors, no pollution, no potential disease-causing bacteria…

(ii) Even at a very conservative 1% overall efficiency, the energy output of this process can be astonishing. A single kilogram of garbage can produce enough electrical energy to power a futuristic, power-hungry household for more than a century!

On the reverse side of the coin, we may soon have the planet's "green party" raising at least three issues:

(i) We are polluting our black hole's insides and who knows what the consequences might be?

(ii) We are "burning" our black hole's mass and hence slowly destroying it (if the green party can figure this one out!)

(iii) Why do citizens have to pay for free electricity being produced from their own garbage?

The described process is not only theory – a few stars have been observed that were apparently flung out of their host galaxies at incredible speeds by means of this method.

Burt Jordaan is an engineer in the aerospace sector and originator of the website http://www.relativity-4-engineers.com . He offers numerous articles and free downloads on relativity and cosmology that is suitable for novices in the field and technically oriented people alike. Read more and discuss this article at the Blog: http://cr4.globalspec.com/blogentry/1564/GIGO-Garbage-In-Gigawatts-Out . Reference: "Gravitation" by Misner, Thorne & Wheeler, 1973.

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Thursday, August 7, 2008

Being green doesn’t have to cost the earth

By: Stephen Rumbelow
Every day it seems that we see the launch of yet another eco-friendly product claiming to help tackle climate change. But is there a high price to pay for being green and are companies merely trying to cash in on consumers' interest in green issues? There’s a wide range of environmentally friendly personal finance products to choose from, including credit cards, insurance, investments and mortgages. Raising the profile of climate change is a good thing, but it’s important that you check that the latest eco-friendly product isn’t just merely an exercise to increase their profits and do very little to actually reduce climate change. Ask yourself the following questions:

  • Does the company have a good track record on environmental and ethical issues?
  • Is it charging a premium for the product and does this translate into the best deal for the eco-friendly initiative it claims to support?
  • Would you be better off shopping around to get a cheaper deal and donating the savings to an eco-friendly cause of your choice?
  • Would you make a more positive contribution towards climate change by merely switching to online bank statements and putting a stop to receiving unsolicited junk mail?
How do you know if a company is ethical? Corporate Critic provides a really easy way of finding out how environmentally and socially responsible a company is. It indexes and rates the Corporate Social Responsibility records of over 50,000 companies and let you do a quick search on a company for free. Failing that, trying looking for companies’ Corporate and Social Responsibility reports on their websites. Is the product more expensive and is it worth it?
  • Banking:
    • The Co-operative Bank is one of the best-known ethical and eco-friendly banks and offers a full range of banking services and products. It owns Smile, the internet bank which offers a current account paying 3.04 AER on balances of £2,500 with 90 days’ notice; whereas the Mini Cash ISA pays 4.55 of profits to environmental projects and offer discounted interest rates when customers use it to spend money on purchases deemed to be green. The APR of 14.92FPage plus 0 (variable) is less competitive than others, but it does donate 1, compared with the UK FTSE All-share which delivered 65.6 APR.
    • Norwich & Peterborough Building Society offers a range of green mortgages and plants 40 trees for every mortgage taken out. It offers a 4-year fixed rate mortgage at 5.79 APR.
    • For every year that you hold a mortgage with the Co-operative Bank, it will make a payment for to Climate Care. It has a 3-year fixed rate mortgage at 5.79 APR.
    • Check out our Mortgage best buys to compare these against the market.
    • Remember that choosing a mortgage is one of the biggest financial decisions you will ever take, so do your homework first. Find out what’s right for your needs and check out all the various rates and fees.
    • When you’ve got the best deal, by all means donate some of your savings to Climate Care or go and plant some trees in your garden!
So, does it cost more to be green? Probably a bit, but you also have to ask yourself what the cost is of not doing more to reduce climate change… Plus, you can always offset the extra cost by going green and saving money:
  1. Switch to online bank account and credit card statements
  2. Contact the Mailing Preference Service to stop unwanted junk mail
  3. Search the market for the best deal, but set up a monthly direct debit to an eco-friendly charity to pass on some of your the savings.
  4. Reduce your carbon emissions by walking, cycling, using public transport or by switching to a more fuel-efficient car, cutting running costs and road tax in the process.
  5. Insulate your loft to stop money literally leaking out of your house!
  6. Save energy by replacing light bulbs with energy efficient ones, turning off appliances, turning off lights when you’re not in the room or turning down the thermostat.
  7. Save water by not running the tap when you clean your teeth, by taking showers instead of baths or installing a water butt.
  8. Think before you print!

Moneyfacts. co.uk - the money search engine, helps you understand financial products, identify the best financial providers, and even apply for your chosen product. All of which are geared towards one goal, saving you money.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com




Global Warming: Not just hype

By: Lisa Barnard
We’re in a countdown to extinction, and melting icebergs, climbing temperatures, and escalating panic about vanishing animal populations have inspired a buzz-worthy global warming frenzy -- rife with warnings, stories and suggestions to help us save the world. Al Gore’s Oscar-winning documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth,” brought the climate crisis and its immediate impact into focus for many an unsuspecting moviegoer, and, as the telltale signs of global warming begin to appear before our eyes, news organizations and advocacy groups across the country are jumping aboard the conservation express.

Call the fight against global warming what you will – a political strategy, a fool’s errand, a liberal agenda – but there’s no denying that global warming is real and is happening now. It’s our fault, and we’re the ones who have to stop it if we want to survive.

You’ve heard the same speeches from the same advocates over and over again, and you’ve got the buzzwords entrenched in your brain – emission reduction, greenhouse gases, fossil fuels. The climate crisis saturates the news, as we learn that the polar bears are dying off, Greenland’s melting away, and hotter temperatures are causing natural disasters that are destroying our land and our loved ones. But buzz is one thing, and action’s something else. What can we do, both on a national and individual level, to help stop global warming?

This week, California took a first step in reducing carbon dioxide emissions by passing a bill requiring all gasoline sold in California to contain 10 percent ethanol, a gas made from corn that requires less petroleum than fossil fuels.

Why not make the switch nationally, and require all refineries to meet new, cleaner, earth-friendly standards? Some Senate lawmakers propose that we need a shift in our national goals. Instead of focusing on increased oil production, we need to try to stop global warming on a national level. Let’s pass bills that channel oil subsidy money into renewable energy instead.

But it’s not just lawmakers who can take steps to reduce global warming. You have the power to help save the world too. Lead by example, and encourage your friends and family to go green and stop global warming. Here are a few things you can do:

1. Use power strips at home, and switch off the power to your appliances when you’re not using them. Anything that’s plugged in uses energy even if it’s turned off. Flip the switch. 2. Put a water bottle full of pennies in the tank of your toilet to save gallons of water per flush. 3. If you have to drive instead of taking public transportation, check the air in your tires. When your car’s tuned up, it gets better gas mileage. 4. Recycle, recycle, recycle. How many times do you have to hear it? Recycling isn’t that difficult to do, and recycling a single soda can saves enough energy to watch six hours of TV.

There are countless other things you can do to help save the environment. Don’t leave it all up to the lawmakers and politicians, since they need public support if they want to get anything done. Global warming is real, and it’s happening now. So be a superhero. Save the world. Someone’s got to.

To read more about global warming and how to go green, visit GreenerFAQs.

Lisa Barnard is a technophile, blogger and web surfer who cares about the environment and wants to stop global warming. Find more information at http://www.greenerfaqs.com.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com




Wednesday, August 6, 2008

The ultimate way to stop Global Warming

By: Jessica Brown
The Earth’s surface temperature has risen by about 1 degree Fahrenheit in the past century, with accelerated warming during the past two decades. There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities. Human activities have altered the chemical composition of the atmosphere through the buildup of greenhouse gases—primarily carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. The heat-trapping property of these gases is undisputed although uncertainties exist about exactly how earth’s climate responds to them.

Energy from the sun drives the earth’s weather and climate, and heats the earth’s surface; in turn, the earth radiates energy back into space. Atmospheric greenhouse gases (water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other gases) trap some of the outgoing energy, retaining heat somewhat like the glass panels of a greenhouse.

Without this natural “greenhouse effect,” temperatures would be much lower than they are now, and life as known today would not be possible. Instead, thanks to greenhouse gases, the earth’s average temperature is a more hospitable 60°F. However, problems may arise when the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases increases.

Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide have increased nearly 30%, methane concentrations have more than doubled, and nitrous oxide concentrations have risen by about 15%. These increases have enhanced the heat-trapping capability of the earth’s atmosphere. Consequently, the temperature of the planet earth is rising. Fossil fuels burned to run cars and trucks, heat homes and businesses, and power factories are responsible for about 98% of world carbon dioxide emissions, 24% of methane emissions, and 18% of nitrous oxide emissions. Increased agriculture, deforestation, landfills, industrial production, and mining also contribute a significant share of emissions. All these have dramatically reduce the lifespan of living earth.

The quest for efficient energy affects every country on the planet. Worldwide there is an increasing interest in developing clean, reliable alternatives to petroleum fuels. Many smart, safe, and clean alternative power sources are available in the market. People can easily install these clean power sources at their home as alternative energy to help reducing carbon dioxide emission as well as reducing their utilities bill.

In recent year, people has come up with alternative power sources to run their cars in order to reduce the spending on petrol gas and to reduce the carbon dioxide emission.

Please play your part on global warming. It is easy and at the same time, you could save money!

Jessica Brown has successfully installed alternative power source on her car. She never pumps gas ever since. Recently, she sold her 10 year-old car to a company. www.fczones.com

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Global Warming... Fact Or Fiction?

By: David Molina
As we go about our daily lives we seldom think how the way that we live affects the environment around us. While we may think for a few minutes that we need to be more environmentally conscious there are very few of us who actually take the time which is needed. The different reports about global warming need our consideration as some of the causes of global warming are caused by us.

You may ask how this is possible. The answers are all staring us in the face if we just choose to look at them. The first place to look for some of the causes of global warming is in our cities. Whenever you drive on the roads your car is sending out emissions of carbon monoxide. You just have to multiple this effect with that of the numerous other vehicles to understand that driving a fuel engine vehicle does contribute to global warming.

Another way that we contribute towards the causes of global warming is by deforestation. When we were younger we were taught that the trees in the forests, jungles and rainforest's were the lungs of the world. By cutting down large amounts of trees the curative abilities of these areas are decreased.

This effect happens because trees need carbon dioxide to live. When large tracts of trees are cut down in one place the balance is lost. The remaining trees can’t absorb all of the carbon which is floating in the atmosphere. Due to this fact the carbon rises in volume in the atmosphere. This is also why deforestation can be seen as one of the causes of global warming.

Besides these factors chemicals like methane and nitrous oxide are also causes of global warming. These chemicals while in small amounts are not enough to cause damage to the atmosphere and environment. They can be considered as causes of global warming when they are used for various man needed schemes.

These schemes include the rearing of domestic animals such as cows in a congregated mass. The growth of rice in flooded paddy fields is also one such cause. The other chemical reasons for global warming can be seen in the artificial fertilizers that we use.

When all of these actions are taken separately you think there must be a mistake in thinking that these are some of the causes of global warming. There is however lots of evidence which supports this case. In order to stop the disastrous effects of global warming you should look at the different global warming causes and see what steps you can take to prevent this fact.

The more people who realize these facts, the sooner we can halt the spread of global warming. We should not wait too long as nature will not wait for us to get our acts straightened out. Remember that the causes of global warming are warnings to us to change our ways of living.

David Molina is a published author residing in Glendora, CA

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com




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