Does Dirty Air Make Us Dumb?

Air Pollution Causes Harmful Physical Changes in The Brain

"Air Pollution Causes Harmful Physical Changes in the Brain." Air Pollution Causes Harmful Physical Changes in the Brain. Web. 23 May 2012. <http://www.naturalnews.com/032983_air_pollution_brain.html>. 

http://www.naturalnews.com/032983_air_pollution_brain.html

Ohio State has been conducting research on the effect that air pollution can have on human brains. The results they found are definitely something to be concerned about. The effects include physical changes and effects like memory loss, learning and depression. The most recent study done has shown that extended exposure to air pollution can lead other changes in the body including; diabetes and hypertension. The study also showed that air pollution from cars, factories, and natural dust can settle into the lungs and organs of the body because the particles are so small. The population exposed to the pollutants showed severe impairments in memory, learning, caused depression and caused anxiety. 

This is a brain effected by air pollution

Most common types of air pollution.

Reflection: In my opinion, we should be very concerned about the amount of air pollution we are in taking. Also mentioned in the article, the pollution is the worst in large cities and that is really worrisome considering a lot of people in our country are living in cities. I think that we need to come up with a way to stop air pollution as soon as possible or our country is all going to intellectual problems.

Questions:

1.      Should we be concerned about an air pollution affecting our brains? Why or why not?

2.       Do you think that alternative energy could solve this problem? If so which kind of alternative energy?

3.      What do you think is the biggest cause of air pollution and how could we cut back on it?

4.      Do you know any other effects air pollution can have on the body and brain?

are animals polluting the air?

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A mighty wind

      In this article it talks a lot about how other animals and creatures pollute the air as well as humans. Humans are constantly being blamed for the poor air quality, and although we pollute the most there are other factors as well. It starts with stating that there was pollution way before humans even existed. The go back to the dinosaur time and explain that in the dinosaur age herbivores gave of methane, which polluted the air.  Nowadays we have other animals which give off harmful pollutants as their food digests one example is a cow. “Methane emissions from cattle are the issue today, accounting for 2 percent of all greenhouse gases.” This quote talks about how the indigestion of animals causes a measurable amount of harmful air pollutants.

        This was a unique article. I took a new view on natural air pollution. It recognized that humans are the top polluters but also put some blame on all animals. I liked that they tied in the idea of pollution from the dinosaurs to show that pollution has been around forever. Dinosaurs are now extinct, obviously, but it makes one think about if that had anything to do with pollution. Scientist had said that methane was the harmful substance in this equation. I thought this article was different and took a whole new look on one of the components of pollution.

 

 This is a methane molecule it is polluting the air.

 

This scientist is exploring the idea of methane pollution from the time of the dinosaurs.  

Questions:

1. What is one way to reduce the air pollution from animals?

2. What is methane? What are some negative effects it has on the environment.

3. Are there any positive uses of methane?

4. Where did Methane originate from (even before dinosaurs)?

 Experimental, High Tech 'Ghost Town' Being Built in New Mexico

Rabinowitz, Marco. "Experimental, High Tech 'Ghost Town' Being Built in New Mexico."Benzinga. Web. 10 May 2012. <http://www.benzinga.com/general/entrepreneurship/12/05/2575383/experimental-high-tech-ghost-town-being-built-in-new-mexico>.

Summary: A new invention company is proposing a plan to make a real life "ghost town" to test things like driver-less cars, new types of renewable energy sources, and communication networks. Their plan is to build this town in New Mexico. It is going to look just like a city; with roads houses and buildings, but nobody will live there. The project will include a downtown, suburbs and rural area; each with highways gas stations banks and malls. The project will also have fully functioning utilities and telecommunications. Similar to Disney World, all of these features will be run from an underground command room. Inventors say it will be the ideal way to test new renewable resource theories on a real life city. Also, in the city defense systems against terrorism can be tested without actually putting any people in danger. The 20 square mile grid has been called The Center for Innovation, Testing, and Evaluation or The Center, New Mexico for short. The plan is estimated to cost 400 million dollars, but project leaders tend to think that the overall investment in the project will cost well over 1 billion dollars. Also, The Center is going to need about 3,500 jobs total to run the ghost city.

Projected image of what the city will look like.

Close up shot of what the city will look like.

Opinion: I personally think that this ghost town city is a really good idea because it is a way to get an accurate reading on if things work, but if they do not then no human life is being hurt. Also, I think that a city like this would put America back on the map for innovation because I do not know of any other places in the world with a virtual city testing ground. The fact that the city will create so many jobs is also a huge bonus because so many Americans are out of work right now and it could really boost our economy in the long run. 

Questions:

1. Do you think that building a ghost town is a good idea? Why or why not.
2. What do you think is the best way to test protection plans, renewable resources, and smart technology?
3. How do you think that a project like this will help America?

Wind Turbines That Make Clean Water

Title: Wind Turbine Makes 1,000 Liters of Clean Water a Day in the Desert 
Author: Megan Treacy
Publisher: Treehugger
Date: April 16, 2012 
Link: http://www.treehugger.com/wind-technology/wind-turbine-makes-clean-water-desert.html 


Summary: While living in the Caribbean, Marc Parent was able to collect water from his air conditioning unit which inspired him to create technology that could collect and condense water. He invented a cool concept which is currently being tested in the Abu Dhabi desert that involves a wind turbine. Once air is taken in through the nose cone of the turbine, it is then heated to make steam. After the steam travels through a cooling compressor, it becomes moisture which is then condensed and collected. The collected water is sent through pipes down to stainless steel storage tanks which it is purified and filtered to make sure it clean and safe to drink. With the power of wind, this system can create up to 1,000 liters of clean water a day!  



Here is a picture of the wind turbine being used in the desert to collect wind and turn it into drinkable water.



This is a diagram of the inside of every wind turbine and how it works.


Opinion: In my opinion, i think that this is a great idea and invention! It seems very safe for the environment, which is a big deal in deciding whether or not to use it as a source of water. In class we learned about contaminated water, and how it is hard for some parts of the world to obtain water safe enough to drink. With the help of these turbines, a lot of clean water can be provided to areas that don't already have access to clean water. 


Questions:
1)  Does the turbine cause any effects on the environment?
2) In your opinion, do you feel as that the turbines are a good idea? Why or why not?
3) Do you know of any other water solutions that would provide drinking water to areas that do not have access to clean water?

Farms-to-Forks-to-Farms

Farm-to-Fork-to-Farm

Title: Organic Diversion Adds Collingswood Restaurants to Food Waste Composting Program

Entertainment Close-up 27 Apr. 2012

http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA287770116&v=2.1&u=hatterslib&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w

Summary: A recycling company, Organic Diversion, has recently started the Farm-to-Fork-to-Farm program in Collingswood, NJ. There are currently six restaurants participating.This program recycles the waste from restaurants  and makes it compost for local farms. The compost helps grow crops on the farms which is then used in the restaurants. Things continue in that cycle which helps keep waste out of landfills. Not only is it helping the environment but  it also reduces the disposal cost for the restaurants.  

A picture showing all the different things in a compost.

One of the restaurants participating in Farms-to-Forks-to-Farms, Bistro DiMarino.


Opinion: I think that this is a great way to recycle! It was a great idea by Organic Diversion to use restaurant waste as compost. Compost is just decayed organic matter used as plant fertilizer. The restaurants are helping the farms, the farms are helping the restaurants, and they are both helping the environment. If i was a restaurant owner i would definitely  participate in this program. It is great because it helps the environment and helps the restaurant owners save money.

Questions:
1. If you were a restaurant owner would you participate in this program?
2. Do you use compost at home?If yes do you think it works well? If no would you ever consider using it?
3. Do you think this is a good program? Why or why not?
4. What are some other ways restaurant waste could be used?

Organic Farming

Title: "Can Danilo Atilano feed the world?"

Authors: Robin Broad and John Cavanagh

Publication: BBC
Date: Winter 2012
Link: http://go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=DA-SORT&inPS=true&prodId=GPS&userGroupName=hatterslib&tabID=T003&searchId=R3&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&contentSegment=&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=5&contentSet=GALE|A274409080&&docId=GALE|A274409080&docType=GALE&role=SUIC

Summery: Many farmers are finding it more efficient to switch over to organic farming both for their wallets nut also for the environment.With chemical agriculture, farmers must buy new seeds each planting season which is a costly. Atilano, an organic farmer, uses seeds saved from the previous harvest for it grows best in the local soils and ecosystems where he lives. With the fact of not harvesting enough food for our hungry growing world, many farmers were asked why not chemical for chemical based farms produced increased fields. Atilano knew the answer for the history of the United States back in the day used these chemicals that were known as the "Green Revolution". Overtime these farms became known as fields compacted and depleted of nutrients thus making farmers abandon or sell there farmers.

On the left is organic soil and right is chemical soil, both placed in a jar of water.
The Chemical soil would clearly have more run off then the organic if this was the lab we did during class.

Some freshly grown organic food! 

Opinion: I think more if not all farmers should switch over to organic farming because it saves them money but also keeps my backyard and river ways clean! This article really caught my eye for I had no idea how chemicals effected soils over time. The picture of the soils and water also really intrigued me because it really goes to show how strong the organic soil is and just so much more!

Question 1: If you were a farmer, would you make the switch? Why?

Question 2: Do you think the chemical farmlands effect the animals that live around it? If yes, how?

Question 3: If you were in a grocery store and stumbled into the produce section where one label said "Organically grown produce"  with a higher price then the leading label next to it that said "Fresh Produce", which would you buy?

Question 4: After reading this, does your opinion change about the way foods are grown and sold? Why?

Alaska Airline

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This article focused on Alaska Airlines switching to bio fuel.  Bio fuels are alternative energy sources that help the environment.  This airline uses already used cooking oil in place of the usually fossil fuels.  By doing so this holds a smaller pollution rate. There are many benefits to using bio fuels other than the environmental impact though. For example an economical benefit is that this is an inexpensive alternative. It also would create many jobs by opening a new industry that will hopefully, one day, be very common and successful. Alaska air lines stated that they think that all commercial airlines should switch to bio fuels because they are all equipped to make the switch. Alaska Airlines flights’ take place on the west coast mostly in Washington and Oregon and plan to expand their “green” flights.

       

This is a picture of one of the planes within the airline. The picture on the left shows the logo of the plane powered by biofuel as it says.

I personally believe that this is a great idea and that all airlines should follow suit. Fossil fuels are very harmful and outrageously expensive. This idea is a smart fix for both situations. If there is any way to limit environmental damage I think they should be done. I feel that if air lines begin to use an alternative source eventually others will go along and hopefully before you know it cars will no longer be using fossil fuels to fuel their cars. This is a great idea and I think that more Airlines should do it to!

1.       What is a down side to using this bio fuel?

2.       Is there any other airlines doing this?

3.       Would you fly on a planes powered by bio fuels?

4.       What is another example a bio fuel?