Dirty Tech

Dirty, dangerous and destructive – the elements of a technology boom

    There is a story less heard when it comes to technology, the resource the world around hails as god-like in its use. And perhaps it is, however, there is much to say about the portion of our beloved laptops and smart phones which has quite a shaded past. The rare metals inside of this electronic equipment likely came from a destitute part of the world, and the environmental and human cost for these materials is high. In truth, the human rights violations which occurred during the Chinese manufacturing of my Apple Macbook Pro would likely turn my stomach.

   We ignore these facets of our technology because, all in all, they are outweighed by the incredible benefits they offer us, and it's certainly true that advances in technology have saved countless lives in recent years, and improved the quality of life of much of the world.

   So I end this short post with a challenge: think of the pollution, physical labor, and death which went into whatever medium from which this post is read; perhaps that alone will do some good.

Fracking All Over the World

Is Fracking Environmentally Safe?

   Fracking, or Hydraulic Fracturing, is the process of essentially creating a fracture in rock stored deep beneath the earth, injecting highly pressurized liquid into the fracture, and extracting gas contained within. The controversial technique for procuring untapped oil reserves has recently risen to the forefront of British headlines, as a new reservoir of shale gas has been discovered under Lancashire, England. So, is this process the next great evil in the fight to save the environment, or is it a valuable option in making the west energy independent in the transitional period away from fossil fuels toward more sustainable energy options?

   Well, it appears both sides have a case. On the side for the process, Guardian contributor Rob Lyons states "we will need all the energy we can get," and calls efforts to denounce fracking as "perverse." Lyons points out that the gas procured from shale deposits could keep our motors running for over two centuries, and the process is generally safe and, compared to regular oil, environmentally friendly. He states that the two main arguments against the process, that focus on fracking will sidetrack investment in more renewable energy sources and that fracking is potentially dangerous to water supplies, are unfounded. He claims that the time granted by the extra sources of energy will allow the time needed for more sustainable energy sources to become economically viable, and that water supplies are not in danger because the gas is far lower than water deposits and the pipelines are sealed in concrete.

   However, Andrew Simms, policy director of the NEF (New Economics Foundation), begs to differ. Simms argues that fracking techniques do indeed present "real and substantial risks to people and the environment." Simms claims that fracking presents an even greater danger than conventional gas by increasing levels of methane, which are much more detrimental particle for particle compared to CO2. 

Also, Simms makes the case that many more jobs could be created through investment in sustainable energy resources than tar sands and shale gas. Also, he needn't even mention the catastrophic oil spills which have ravaged the seas in the recent past; who's to say comparable disasters will not occur with fracking methods?

   In the end, it wil be left to the public to make the decision to decide between shale gas to gain cheaper short term energy or sustainable, yet currently more expensive, sources of energy which will provide for millennia. 

Making Orange Green

A Celebration of Campus and Community 'Greening' efforts at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville

   UT has made a promise, and that promise revolves around making substantial efforts toward the "greening"of the university through various methods. To inform the students and public along with celebrating the effort, UT sponsored a kickoff event at which it was promised one could "find out how you can conserve energy and improve your environmental footprint. Enjoy free local ice cream from

Cruze Dairy Farm and crank out blended treats using 100 percent pedal power! Check out the latest zero-emissions vehicles from Nissan, Chevrolet, and Mitsubishi."

   Luckily, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend this event, and I was impressed. Aside from the actual meat of the attempts to bring the notion of "greening" the lives of UT students and residents of Knoxville, even the fact that the effort was made delighted me, for it won't be until the ideas of increasing sustainability are brought to the forefront of our minds that serious change will be effected.
   However, the content of the event was incredible. There were hundreds of people all gathering to pie their RA's, pedal power a blender, and learn about the sustainable efforts being made at UT. It was a great deal of fun, and it makes me proud to know that my university is taking the steps necessary to spread the word on saving the planet.

The Long and Winding Road of Energy Development

International Energy Outlook - 2011

   

   As the world progresses in the next century, the total energy consumption is projected to increase substantially. We will utilize more energy than we do today, and much of this increase will be in developing countries, almost doubling in non-OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.) This means that it is very likely that these countries will follow a similar path to that which was taken by most currently developed countries during their own development, a raging torrent of energy consumption which will most likely rest upon the foundation of unclean energy sources, such as coal or fossil fuels. While many developed countries may begin to transition to cleaner burning energy sources, the developing world is still very likely to utilize unsustainable sources for their energy needs in the near future. Why is this almost bound to happen? Because it is cheaper to do so. Thus, if we are to avoid the catastrophic effects that will be caused by an almost two-fold increase in energy consumption in developing countries drawing on unclean sources, we have no choice but to lead the charge toward creating cheap, sustainable energy sources that can be utilized in the developing world in the face of these drastic increases in energy use. Unless it is the cheaper option, it will not be used. So the task now comes in front of us to develop practical sources of sustainable energy in order to avoid the storm of climate change consequences travelling at full speed in our direction.

Keeping the Trees

Biodiversity 'lost in Southeast Asia'

    Trees are good for the environment. This is universally understood. Forests are essentially just a lot of trees, along with some other contributors. So, forests should be forests, right? Unfortunately, this is incorrect, but is accepted by most as a means for saying "good enough" when it comes to rebuilding forests which have been ravaged over the years through human development. A study published in Nature, conducted by researchers from the University of Adelaide, has found that there is a large difference in forests heretofore untouched by humans, "primary" forests, and those which have even been partially developed, "secondary" forests. The differences between the primary and secondary forests were surprising, shedding light on the magnitude of harm that any level of human intervention can cause on local ecosystems. As it appears, this impact can be incredible detrimental; even when efforts to conserve forests are undertaken, forests cannot be returned completely to their former glory. As the researchers stated, "undisturbed primary forests are the only ones in which a full complement of species can thrive."
    Thus, we have to focus our preservation efforts most on these rare areas which have yet to be touched by human development. Though, these areas are quickly disappearing. This problem is especially evident in South-East Asia, which contains the "lowest remaining forest cover, highest rates of deforestation, and the highest human population densities" of tropical areas. Time is of the essence to solve this problem. Like many issues relating to the environment, if we fail to act quickly, the few remaining areas with primary forests could face the same adulteration that has harmed almost all of our planet's forests, reducing them from a level of purity that they will never regain.

Let There Be Light

Energy Efficient Lighting

   After recently calculating my carbon footprint, it became apparent that a large factor of my wastefully created carbon was due to my lack of utilization of the most efficient types of lighting. And, honestly, I found myself fairly ignorant on the subject. What types of lights are the most efficient, and is it possible for me to achieve energy efficiency without burning a hole in my wallet? As it turns out, there are several options for efficient lighting, and many types can even save money over time in comparison with traditional incandescent bulbs.

   The main alternatives to incandescents are Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL) and Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights. Both of these present large advantages over incandescent bulbs, reducing the electricity used for lighting by a factor of ten or more. LED lights appear to be the light of the future, boasting watt usage "1/3rd to 1/30th of incandescent or CFL." Though, the initial investment for LED lights is high. Thus, for many, CFL's present the most effective option to reduce one's carbon footprint through efficient lighting.

  For such a pressing issue, it seems like a small task to replace lightbulbs with more sustainable alternatives, and, in many cases, the initial cost will be returned several times over.

Functional Approaches to Ecological Forecasting

(Photo from UNC at Chapel Hill bio of Lauren B. Buckley)

Dr. Lauren Buckley  

One week ago, I was fortunate enough to be presented the opportunity to attend a lecture given by Dr. Lauren Buckley of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Dr. Buckley's lecture was entitled "Functional Approaches to Ecological Forecasting," and, initially, I was entirely lost on what the subject matter was. "Ecological Forecasting?" I had no clue what that could mean. And, indeed, as the lecture began, it certainly appeared to be intended for a higher base of knowledge than that which I possessed.

However, I did catch on after a few moments (and I'm very glad I was able to.) Buckley was, in essence, examining the potential for certain species (examined through morphology, physiology, and life history) to adapt to changes in their environment. She did this through creating models ("Mechanistic Range Models:" starting with info on environment/individuals and extrapolating to populations to create population dynamic model) which considered a multitude of factors which could affect a species' range of habitat, or Climatic Envelope. 

Her research focused on butterflies and several species of lizards mostly spread across North America, and her findings indicated facets of species adaptation not initially expected. She found that biology does affect an organism's response to environmental factors in populations. In a simple example, if a population is comfortable in a seventy degrees Fahrenheit and the that area shifts to a temperature of 75 degrees fahrenheit, the species will likely shift the location of their range of habitat. Buckley's models displayed the effects of this in a far more sophisticated manner which include various other factors, and she found that, in the event of climate change, most species' ranges will travel northward toward more desirable conditions. Also, for the examined species of butterflies, flight time will increase which will lead to a higher amount of eggs being created, but, in higher temperatures, the survival of each egg will be less likely. Her data displayed that each species has adapted individually, and that every species is particularly specialized for their current environment as a result of, in most cases, millennia of adaptation. In the face of looming climate change, many species who have adapted to their specific environment will be displaced by the future nonexistence of their current habitat. This will have multifarious effects on every species, and will quite likely lead to the extinction of many species as they either are left with no habitat at all or cannot survive in their new habitual range.

Spraying the Solution

Giant Pipe and Balloon to Pump Water into Sky in Climate Experiment

   In the event of a volcano, the result of the eruption is an atmospheric cooling effect, due to the products of the eruption which block sunlight. British scientists from Bristol, Reading, Cambridge, and Oxford universities have been working on a project which aims to recreate this albedo effect using a very long hose pipe attached to a balloon floating high in the atmosphere by pumping water particles through the pipe into the upper atmosphere. The goal of this experiment is to see how the method will work on a small scale, in order to later implement it on a larger scale to lower global temperatures. Many have decried this attempt, including the chair of the ETC group in Canada who called the experiment "a huge waste of time and money." Though, others have recognized its future practicality as a alternate means to help combat the effects of climate change. Among these are Sir Martin Rees, the former president of Royal Society, who stated that "Nothing should divert us from the main priority of reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. Bus if such reductions achieve too little, too late, there will surely be pressure to consider a 'plan B."

   While this seems a far-fetched, odd idea for some of the most brilliant minds in the world to be pondering, essentially shooting water really high into the air, the potential for the method to in any way mitigate the damage of anthropogenic climate change makes it an appealing idea. We need all the help we can get. Also, such a presumably harmless and relatively inexpensive solution seems to be a feesable option for our planet as we gear up to face the brunt of the mess we have caused. In examination of "cloud whitening" in comparison to other methods of countering climate change, (see Ocean Nourishment, Space Mirrors, Artificial Trees, Carbon Capture and Storage) it ceases to appear so outlandish. Perhaps these giant hoses will come to serve as an icon for the salvation of our planet as we fight our self-inflicted destruction.