Lets fight Global Warming

London: Scientists at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in Livermore are attempting to create an artificial Sun on Earth – an achievement that

will provide answer to the world’s impending energy shortage.

For nearly 100 years the goal seemed impossible, but now scientists believe that they are on brink of cracking one of the biggest problems in physics by harnessing the power of nuclear fusion, the reaction that burns at the heart of the Sun.

The attempt will be made by the researchers this spring.

The team will try to ignite a tiny man-made star inside a laboratory and trigger a thermonuclear reaction.

Its goal is to generate temperatures of more than 100 million degrees Celsius and pressures billions of times higher than those found anywhere else on earth, from a speck of fuel little bigger than a pinhead.

source: The Times of India
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By now, as an avid climate change tracker, you would be well aware of major innovations meant to be tackling this grave danger. Toyota's environment friendly cars, green packaging and so on. But here's another such innovation that intends to draw our attention to the issue of plastic waste.A noted scientist Helen Storey, along with Tony Ryans from the University of Sheffieldhave come together to create plastic dresses made out of similar materials to washing capsules which literally disappear on washing! It's meant to seek a solution to the large scale discarding of clothing and sending it to landfill sites. The plastic is made from polyvinyl alcohol.

Now here's another hugh leap in the field of fashion and glitz. This new kind of clothing does have a few problems, but if one looks at the aim at which it has been created, there's a lot to admire. More such innovations need to be worked upon especially with regards to stuff of daily use to keep our contribution to this serious problem at a minimum.

I'd like to wish all our readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! While celebrating this special occasion, let us reaffirm our commitment towards making this menace of global warming history. Let us make a new year resolution to save our planet! Spread the word of peace and green all around. Together, we can and we will make a difference!

A few basic tips on how you can make a difference this holiday season by following simple steps:

Recycling gift wraps: Why not give green? Recycling gift wraps would do wonders. Lilienfield(co-author of the book Use Less Stuff: Environmental Solutions for Who We Really Are.), who has published a newsletter on reducing waste since 1996, notes that if every family reused just 2 feet [0.6 meter] of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles [61,000 kilometers] of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet. Also, if you could give gifts which do not need wrapping, nothing like it! They could be in the form of home made cakes, tickets to a movie or a play or something else!

Growing a tree: Takes little of your time to sow a seed and water it everyday. If a quite a lot of us do this much, it will not only beautify our surroundings but help equip our planet much better to fight this danger of global warming.

Using energy efficient lights: By going for energy saving lights either to decorate the Christmas tree or our homes, we can save significant amount of energy.

Go vegetarian: Go vegetarian, at least a few times a week. Producing meat takes more than eight times as much fossil fuel energy as raising plant foods, according to David Pimentel, professor of ecology in Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. And, he adds, for all that energy used, meat is only 1.4 times as nutritious as plant foods. (See "Livestock Production: Energy Inputs and the Environment" at Cornell University, http://www.cornell.edu)

By following only these 4 steps this holiday season, we can make such a hugh difference. Lets go for it! cheers!!

The world's first cargo ship partly propelled by solar power took to the seas on Friday in Japan, aiming to cut fuel costs and carbon emissions when automakers ship off their exports.The huge freighter, capable of carrying 6400 automobiles, is equipped with 328 solar panels at a cost of $1.68-million, the officials said. Company officials said the 60 213-ton, 200-metre-long ship is the first large vessel in the world with a solar-based propulsion system. So far solar energy has been limited to supporting lighting and crew's living quarters.

The solar power system can generate 40 kilowatts, which would initially cover only 0.2 percent of the ship's energy consumption for propulsion, but company officials said they hoped to raise the ratio.

source: iafrica.com

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The shipping industry has come under growing pressure to take part in efforts to curb global warming, which is blamed on carbon emissions and this is certainly a welcome step!

THE HAGUE (AFP) – The Dutch government on Thursday unveiled a multi-billion dollar plan to reinforce dykes and the coastline and augment fresh water supplies in the face of rising sea levels due to global warming.

Two-thirds of the Netherlands lies below sea-level and the country is increasingly worried about the threat of devastating floods.

The government's national water plan proposes strengthening hundreds of kilometres (miles) of dykes along the North Sea, adding massive sand deposits to the coast, increasing river drainage capacity, and expanding the freshwater Ijsselmeer (lake) north of Amsterdam.

"The Netherlands has good fresh water provision, but it won't always be guaranteed," said a government statement, warning about the "intrusion" of salt water due to the rising seas.

source:- Yahoo
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Atleast some Governments. have awoken to this grave danger of global warming. After Germany and Japan, many countries have taken concrete steps to curb this menace. Lets hope others follow suit.

The year 2008 could be the 10th warmest year since 1850, ever since the introduction of instrumental climate records, with a temperature of 0.31°C above normal, according to the UN meteorological agency. In South Asia, including India, Pakistan and Vietnam, heavy monsoon rains and torrential downpours killed 2,600 people while in South America, above normal rainfall in Brazil and Colombia affect millions of people. Myanmar was devastated with cyclone Nargis which took lives of 78,000 people.16 tropical storms formed in the Atlantic including 8 hurricanes, 5 of which were major causing casualties and widespread destruction. The average temperature was moderated by La Nia, a weather phenomenon that shrinks the warm pool water in central and western pacific. Australia experienced a severe heat wave with Adelaide having to bear temperatures of above 35°C on record 15 consecutive days. Several heat waves also occurred across Europe, Middle-East and Asia.

source: PTI

The US space agency is set to launch a satellite that can map in detail where carbon dioxide is in the atmosphere.

Nasa's Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) will pinpoint the key locations on the Earth's surface where CO2 is being emitted and absorbed.

CO2 from human activities is thought to be driving climate changes, but important facts about its movement through the atmosphere remain elusive.

The agency believes the technology on OCO can end some of the mysteries.

source: BBC news
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Washington: While many world leaders take little notice of this mammoth issue of global warming, another shocking stat has emerged. According to new NASA satellite data, about 2 trillion tonnes of ice has gone since 2003, especaially in Greenland. This rapid melting of ice is seen as a result of this grave problem of global warming as per scientists. Due to such melting in Greenland, Antartica and Alaska, the global sea level has risen to about one-fifth of an inch in the past five years.

The Arctic too has been warming at a faster rate than what the experts had expected. It is said that this time around, the temperature out there was higher by as much as ten degrees celcius this past fall.

As this serious menace of global warming is still being debated in the political circles, lets hope it's not too late!

picture: geology.com