globalbriefs
News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.
Windy Woes Solving Wind Power’s Hidden Pollution Problem
The U.S. Department of Energy reports that al- though wind power accounts for just over 4 percent of domestic electrical generation, it comprises a third of all new electric capacity. Even with the freedom from coal or oil that wind power creates, a major component of the generating devices, the turbine blades, has its own carbon footprint that needs examining.
Some of the blades are as long as a football field, and the metal, fiberglass or carbon compos- ites must be mined, refined, manufactured and transported, all consuming energy and creating materials that are difficult to recycle when they reach the end of their usefulness and are replaced. Christopher Niezrecki, a member of the University of Massachusetts-Lowell Wind Energy Research Group, estimates the United States will have as many as 170,000 wind turbines by 2030, creating more than 34,000 discarded blades each year. The next generation of blade material may come from natural cellulose fibers and bio-based plastics derived from soybean, linseed and other vegetable oils, instead of oil-based polymers. A $1.9 million National Science Foundation grant is funding the research.
Source:
FastCoexist.com
Dishpan Plants Waste Water Cuts Fertilizer Use
The effluent created by household sinks, washing machines and showers, known as gray water, could provide a new, low- cost source of irrigation for landscape plants that cuts down on the amount of fertilizer required to maintain them. The nonprofit Water Environmental Research Foundation’s (WERF) new report shows that many plants used for landscaping benefit from the use of gray water (
Tinyurl.com/graywaterreport). The study looked at seven homes
in Arizona, California, Colorado and Texas with new and longstanding gray water systems that recycle wastewater to irrigate outdoor plants. Although the soil irri- gated with gray water showed higher levels of cleaners, antimicrobials and sodium compared with areas irrigated with fresh water, there was enough nitrogen present in gray water to reduce or eliminate the need for additional fertilizers. Not all plants responded positively, but WERF Communications Director Carrie Capuco says, “Gray water can be successfully used with the right plant choices.” Guidelines include heavily mulching the area where gray water is sup- plied to minimize contact with pets.
Garden as though you will live forever.
~William Kent natural awakenings March 2013 11
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