George

Week 4 - Energy with NO WASTE! ====As we continue to learn about sustainability, one invention is no doubt crucial to the future of our planet: the car. The car has been one of the most revolutionary invention ever created to suit our modern world, and is perhaps the most recognizable invention created during the industrial revolution, by Carl Benz in Germany. Unfortunately, along with the introduction of the car came the increase in pollution into our atmosphere since the petroleum used to power our cars create carbon emissions. Increased levels of carbon, mostly in the form of CO2, have been attributed to global warming and thus drastic climate and land change. However, its not just cars creating carbon emission. Many power plants and factories also create a carbon by product which enters our atmosphere. And it doesn't even end there. Because there is only a certain amount of natural fossil fuels buried under our earth, we can only exploit this resource for a set time before we completely run out. In fact, it is estimated that in only a couple decades (well within most of our high schoolers lifetime's) that the fossil fuel reserves on our planet will be exhuasted if we continue to use them at the rate at which we are currently at. ==== [] This article explains the potential end of our fossil fuels ====And so, with the sustainability of our world at risk, an alternative to petroleum fuel must be found to continue powering our world. Luckily, it seems that we might finally have the answer to a clean yet powerful energy source: the hydrogen fuel cell. ====

media type="youtube" key="8rofx6Gaz40" width="560" height="315" []

In the video above, Honda shows how hydrogen fuels cells are used to power their car. Hydrogen fuel cells have two electrodes, an anode and a cathode, separated by a membrane (PEM-proton exchange membrane). This cell is called the MEA or membrane electrode assembly. Oxygen passes over the cathode or the oxygen electrode layer while hydrogen gas passes over the anode or hydrogen electrode. As the hydrogen passes of the hydrogen electrode, it splits with its electron and becomes a positively charged H+ ion. The electron is unable to pass over the anode because of its charge and must travel around, creating energy which is then transferred into the electrical motor for work. The hydrogen then bonds with the oxygen on the other side to create water, the only by-product. Hydrogen is acquired for this method from hydrogen fueling stations (hydrogen gas stations) and oxygen is simply taken in from the atmosphere. The difference between hydrogen fuel cars and both normal cars and hybrid electric cars is that it does not use gas and its fuel cell never runs out of electricity, unlike the battery of an electrical car.

====The hydrogen fuel cell is desirable to most other methods of energy because of its fuel source and sustainability. Hydrogen is the most abundant element found in nature, meaning that its availability is never going to cease and that many fuels cells can be created since our world can sustain them all. Next, a hydrogen fuel cell can create the same amount of energy as a conventional gas motor can, so power and energy is not sacrificed by using these fuel cells. Third and perhaps most importantly, the energy is as clean as it gets. The only elements needed to power a fuel cell is hydrogen and oxygen, which the by product of the two is water. Nothing created will affect our environment because what's created only puts water vapor into the air.====

====However, there is one more method of obtaining hydrogen that I would like to mention: electrolysis. Electrolysis is the process of splitting water ions into oxygen and hydrogen. Thus, after inputting the initial hydrogen and oxygen into the fuel cell, the cell would create energy as explained previously, but then instead of creating a water by product, the water would be split by electrolysis creating hydrogen and oxygen again to reenter to system to produce more energy. Thus, the fuel cell becomes an entirely self-sufficient energy system that does not require any input of material or fuel (hydrogen) nor does the system create any by product as what is created is returned to the system.==== Week 3 - Nature's Lawnmowers

After being told of our township's bizarre yet fascinating idea to use sheep as lawnmowers, I became very curious as to both why and how these animals are used.
media type="youtube" key="N-LJ9FlMFyE" width="560" height="315" []

====As seen in the video above, many other places have already adopted the idea of using live farm animals to trim their city's grass. The use of farm animals, especially sheep, to cut (or rather eat) the grass has many advantages over conventional lawn mowing with machines. First and foremost, it is a much more affordable option. Instead of constantly having to buy new parts and machines and fuel to cut the grass, just buy a few sheep and they will do everything. They may even produce more sheep to do the work! Second, the sheep do not create pollutants like the burning of fossil fuels. This is beneficial to the environment as no waste is being produced. The burning of fossil fuels creates an increase in CO2 levels in the atmosphere, precipitating global warming. Sheep on the other hand do not require gas or oils to operate. Al l they need is food and water, which, if they are supposed to be eating the grass, they'll have plenty of both (assuming the township remembers to hydrate them). Third, the sheep are, after eating all that grass, going to excrete there waste, but the waste is used as fertilizer for the fields. This is natural fertilizer, unlike the synthetic fertilizer the township currently uses. The township is able to save money because it no longer has to buy the synthetic fertilizer. Fourth, the sheep make MUCH less noise than the loud and obnoxious lawn mowers used now. this will cut down on the noise pollution in our township. ====

[]
====In this article, Kevin Roose of the NYTimes discusses the company founded by Eddie Miller, which uses sheep to cut grass. Not only do the sheep do a good job cutting the grass, but they are also fed while doing it, so Eddie Miller doesn't have to buy as much food as he would usually need to. The sheep have apparently been a success and are able to cut the grass very well. This positive effect most likely means that the sheep bought for our township will do a very good job cutting our lawns too!====

==== The sheep contribute to keeping a self-sustaining environment because it allows us to use natural means to trim our grass, rather than the mechanical lawnmowers that are being used today. Although sheep may not be trimming the lawns of private property owners, using them on township grounds will still have a massive impact on our environment. Who knows, perhaps one day soon there will be lawn cutting companies that use sheep to do their jobs! ==== Week 2- Sustainable Agriculture media type="custom" key="23154268"

====In her Ted Talk, Pam Warhurst explains how unused land can increase the world's food supply. All we have to do is plant something on it. But Pam's idea is part of an even larger idea. The idea of sustainable agriculture.==== ====What is Sustainable Agriculture? Quite simply, it is a method of farming or raising animals that leaves a very small footprint on the environment by using little to no commercial fertilizers or heavy pesticides. Sustainable agriculture is named such because it is farming practices that can be sustained for a long time.==== ====Some practices done in sustainable agriculture include multi-cropping and soil treatment. Multi-cropping is planting multiple species of plants on one plot of land, either by crop-rotation (planting the different crops at different times) or by intercropping (planting the plants at the same time). Crop rotation changes the species grown year to year while intercropping prevents weeds from growing.====

Below is an example of crop rotation. Different fields are growing different crops.
====Although it is a general belief that sustainable agriculture is less efficient than commercial agriculture, studies have shown that over time, practices such as multi-cropping actual //increase// the farm's yield. This is because different species of plants produce and use different compounds, improving soil health and increasing water retention.==== ====The importance of soil treatment in sustainable agriculture allows the land to be plentiful each year, yet have minimal ecological damage. Soil maintenance includes using only organic fertilizers such as compost and manure, and not using much heavy machinery. Heavy machinery can damage the soil over time, decreasing the productivity of the land.====

====In addition to sustainable cropping, sustainable agriculture includes sustainable livestock husbandry (growing of farm animals). True sustainable husbandry involves the use of the pasture system, where farm animals are free to roam across a large, enclosed area of land, instead of factory husbandry, which keeps farm animals locked in buildings. Sustainable husbandry has many advantages over factory husbandry: human health and environmental benefits. For humans, the meat from animals raised on a pasture is both tastier and richer in nutrients. The meat contains less calories and total fat while also containing higher levels of vitamins and good fats, such as omega-3 and omega-6. ==== ====The environment is preserved because less fossil fuels are used in pasture farming than factory farming, which needs buildings and such to enclose the animals. Additionally, in pasture farming, manure from farm animals naturally fertilize the land.====

Below is an image of sustainable husbandry.


Week 1- Global ethics v.s National Interests ====Looking through Ted.com, I came across an interesting topic put forth by the former Prime Minister of the UK, Gordon Brown, regarding global and national interests. During the Ted Talk, Gordon Brown talks about how in the long run, national interests do represent global interests as well. This is quite unheard of, for in many mainstream news outlets today, we hear politicians complain about how one country is doing something that threatens the environment in which we live in and all that, but how does that actually impact the world as a whole?====

media type="custom" key="23066090" []

====At about 8:00, Brown discusses how he believes every person has a set of moral codes that drive them to create positive change. How he feels change can come throughout society is simply to start working and planning change. "By tackling the impossible, you make the impossible possible." (Brown). This notion of working for change is perhaps the best outlook to have. The only issue with attempting to organize countries together for a single cause is the apathy the people of each nation feel towards one another.====

====Looking back into history, the one thing that consistently unified nations together was the threat of a tangible, imminent danger. Events such as World War I and II inspired this unity because the people of the world actually saw the threat. The thing about climate change is that the danger is not easily visible in a person's daily life. However, global climate change will certainly create imminent danger, but what's preventing that message from reaching the masses who would fuel the research and activities to actually change is the reluctance of many prominent members of society from accepting the negative change occurring throughout the world.====

[]
====Peter Gleick in his article on forbes does a good job explaining how, since the human perception of time and change is relatively short, restricted to decades at most, many refuse to believe that the Earth is actually changing. This is the notion that many leaders of society have, such as Rick Santorum and Rick Perry. If these members of society refuse to accept the change, than those who follow them will in turn refuse to accept global climate change as well.====

Although I hate to be biased, many more republicans believe that global warming is a sham created by Democrats to entice voters.
==== As shown by the graph above, it's the republicans who need to be convinced so our country can not only move on with its own national needs for global climate change, but also for the world to move on as well. ====

====In order to create change thro ughout the world, many of the top leaders must believe that danger is truly coming and it must be stopped. The thought of doom is the initial start needed to truly have a global effect. These leaders are elected to do what's best for their nation, which causes them to be more nationalistic, so convincing them that helping out the entire world is beneficial for the nation would persuade them to help. ==== ====Many people around the world have also identified this obstacle and have created petitions to these people in hopes of convincing them that global climate change is actually happening and will have consequences.====