Friday, December 12, 2008

global warming faqs

Global Temperatures

This page is based on a brief synopsis of the 2007 Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), as well as NCDC's own data resources. It was prepared by David Easterling and Tom Karl, National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, N.C. 28801.

to top Introduction

One of the most vigorously debated topics on Earth is the issue of climate change, and the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) data centers are central to answering some of the most pressing global change questions that remain unresolved. The National Climatic Data Center contains the instrumental and paleoclimatic records that can precisely define the nature of climatic fluctuations at time scales of a century and longer. Among the diverse kinds of data platforms whose data contribute to NCDC's resources are: Ships, buoys, weather stations, weather balloons, satellites, radar and many climate proxy records such as tree rings and ice cores. The National Oceanographic Data Center contains the subsurface ocean data which reveal the ways that heat is distributed and redistributed over the planet. Knowing how these systems are changing and how they have changed in the past is crucial to understanding how they will change in the future. And, for climate information that extends from hundreds to thousands of years, paleoclimatology data, also available from the National Climatic Data Center, helps to provide longer term perspectives.

Internationally, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), under the auspices of the United Nations (UN), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), is the most senior and authoritative body providing scientific advice to global policy makers. The IPCC met in full session in 1990, 1995, 2001 and in 2007. They address issues such as the buildup of greenhouse gases, evidence, attribution, and prediction of climate change, impacts of climate change, and policy options.

Listed below are a number of questions commonly addressed to climate scientists, and brief replies (based on IPCC reports and other research) in common, understandable language. This list will be periodically updated, as new scientific evidence comes to light.

to top 1. What is the greenhouse effect, and is it affecting our climate?

The greenhouse effect is unquestionably real and helps to regulate the temperature of our planet. It is essential for life on Earth and is one of Earth's natural processes. It is the result of heat absorption by certain gases in the atmosphere (called greenhouse gases because they effectively 'trap' heat in the lower atmosphere) and re-radiation downward of some of that heat. Water vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas, followed by carbon dioxide and other trace gases. Without a natural greenhouse effect, the temperature of the Earth would be about zero degrees F (-18°C) instead of its present 57°F (14°C). So, the concern is not with the fact that we have a greenhouse effect, but whether human activities are leading to an enhancement of the greenhouse effect by the emission of greenhouse gases through fossil fuel combustion and deforestation.

to top 2. Are greenhouse gases increasing?

Human activity has been increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (mostly carbon dioxide from combustion of coal, oil, and gas; plus a few other trace gases). There is no scientific debate on this point. Pre-industrial levels of carbon dioxide (prior to the start of the Industrial Revolution) were about 280 parts per million by volume (ppmv), and current levels are greater than 380 ppmv and increasing at a rate of 1.9 ppm yr-1 since 2000. The global concentration of CO2 in our atmosphere today far exceeds the natural range over the last 650,000 years of 180 to 300 ppmv. According to the IPCC Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES), by the end of the 21st century, we could expect to see carbon dioxide concentrations of anywhere from 490 to 1260 ppm (75-350% above the pre-industrial concentration).

to top 3. Is the climate warming?

AR4 Figure 3.6Global surface temperatures have increased about 0.74°C (plus or minus 0.18°C) since the late-19th century, and the linear trend for the past 50 years of 0.13°C (plus or minus 0.03°C) per decade is nearly twice that for the past 100 years. The warming has not been globally uniform. Some areas (including parts of the southeastern U.S. and parts of the North Atlantic) have, in fact, cooled slightly over the last century. The recent warmth has been greatest over North America and Eurasia between 40 and 70°N. Lastly, seven of the eight warmest years on record have occurred since 2001 and the 10 warmest years have all occurred since 1995.

AR4 Figure 3.9

AR4 Figure 3.17Recent analyses of temperature trends in the lower and mid- troposphere (between about 2,500 and 26,000 ft.) using both satellite and radiosonde (weather balloon) data show warming rates that are similar to those observed for surface air temperatures. These warming rates are consistent with their uncertainties and these analyses reconcile a discrepancy between warming rates noted on the IPCC Third Assessment Report (U.S. Climate Change Science Plan Synthesis and Assessment Report 1.1).

An enhanced greenhouse effect is expected to cause cooling in higher parts of the atmosphere because the increased "blanketing" effect in the lower atmosphere holds in more heat, allowing less to reach the upper atmosphere. Cooling of the lower stratosphere (about 49,000-79,500 ft.) since 1979 is shown by both satellite Microwave Sounding Unit and radiosonde data (see previous figure), but is larger in the radiosonde data likely due to uncorrected errors in the radiosonde data.

Relatively cool surface and tropospheric temperatures, and a relatively warmer lower stratosphere, were observed in 1992 and 1993, following the 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. The warming reappeared in 1994. A dramatic global warming, at least partly associated with the record El Niño, took place in 1998. This warming episode is reflected from the surface to the top of the troposphere.

AR4 Figure 3.2There has been a general, but not global, tendency toward reduced diurnal temperature range (DTR: the difference between daily high or maximum and daily low or minimum temperatures) over about 70% of the global land mass since the middle of the 20th century. However, for the period 1979-2005 the DTR shows no trend since the trend in both maximum and minimum temperatures for the same period are virtually identical; both showing a strong warming signal. A variety of factors likely contribute to this change in DTR, particularly on a regional and local basis, including changes in cloud cover, atmospheric water vapor, land use and urban effects.

AR4 Figure 4.15Indirect indicators of warming such as borehole temperatures, snow cover, and glacier recession data, are in substantial agreement with the more direct indicators of recent warmth. Evidence such as changes in glacial mass balance (the amount of snow and ice contained in a glacier) is useful since it not only provides qualitative support for existing meteorological data, but glaciers often exist in places too remote to support meteorological stations. The records of glacial advance and retreat often extend back further than weather station records, and glaciers are usually at much higher altitudes than weather stations, allowing scientists more insight into temperature changes higher in the atmosphere.

NSIDC Latest September Sea Ice FigureLarge-scale measurements of sea-ice have only been possible since the satellite era, but through looking at a number of different satellite estimates, it has been determined that September Arctic sea ice has decreased between 1973 and 2007 at a rate of about -10% +/- 0.3% per decade. Sea ice extent for September for 2007 was by far the lowest on record at 4.28 million square kilometers, eclipsing the previous record low sea ice extent by 23%. Sea ice in the Antarctic has shown very little trend over the same period, or even a slight increase since 1979. Though extending the Antarctic sea-ice record back in time is more difficult due to the lack of direct observations in this part of the world.

to top 4. Are El Niños related to Global Warming?

El Niños are not caused by global warming. Clear evidence exists from a variety of sources (including archaeological studies) that El Niños have been present for thousands, and some indicators suggest maybe millions, of years. However, it has been hypothesized that warmer global sea surface temperatures can enhance the El Niño phenomenon, and it is also true that El Niños have been more frequent and intense in recent decades. Whether El Niño occurrence changes with climate change is a major research question.

to top 5. Is the hydrological cycle (evaporation and precipitation) changing?

AR4 Figure 3.12Globally-averaged land-based precipitation shows a statistically insignificant upward trend with most of the increase occurring in the first half of the 20th century. Further, precipitation changes have been spatially variable over the last century. On a regional basis increases in annual precipitation have occurred in the higher latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere and southern South America and northern Australia. Decreases have occurred in the tropical region of Africa, and southern Asia. Due to the difficulty in measuring precipitation, it has been important to constrain these observations by analyzing other related variables. The measured changes in precipitation are consistent with observed changes in stream flow, lake levels, and soil moisture (where data are available and have been analyzed).

AR4 Figure 3.14

AR4 Figure 4.2Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent has consistently remained below average since 1987, and has decreased by about 10% since 1966. This is mostly due to a decrease in spring and summer snow extent over both the Eurasian and North American continents since the mid-1980s. Winter and autumn snow cover extent have shown no significant trend for the northern hemisphere over the same period.

Clouds are also an important indicator of climate change. Surface-based observations of cloud cover suggest increases in total cloud cover over many continental regions. This increase since 1950 is consistent with regional increases in precipitation for the same period. However, global analyses of cloud cover over land for the 1976-2003 period show little change.

to top 6. Is the atmospheric/oceanic circulation changing?

A rather abrupt change in the El Niño - Southern Oscillation behavior occurred around 1976/77. Often called the climatic shift of 1976/77, this new regime has persisted. There have been relatively more frequent and persistent El Niño episodes rather than the cool episode La Niñas. This behavior is highly unusual in the last 130 years (the period of instrumental record). Changes in precipitation over the tropical Pacific are related to this change in the El Niño - Southern Oscillation, which has also affected the pattern and magnitude of surface temperatures. However, it is unclear as to whether this apparent change in the ENSO cycle is related to global warming.

to top 7. Is the climate becoming more variable or extreme?

AR4 FAQ 3.3, Figure 1Examination of changes in climate extremes requires long-term daily or even hourly data sets which until recently have been scarce for many parts of the globe. However these data sets have become more widely available allowing research into changes in temperature and precipitation extremes on global and regional scales. Global changes in temperature extremes include decreases in the number of unusually cold days and nights and increases in the number of unusually warm days and nights. Other observed changes include lengthening of the growing season, and decreases in the number of frost days.

Global temperature extremes have been found to exhibit no significant trend in interannual variability, but several studies suggest a significant decrease in intra-annual variability. There has been a clear trend to fewer extremely low minimum temperatures in several widely-separated areas in recent decades. Widespread significant changes in extreme high temperature events have not been observed. There is some indication of a decrease in day-to-day temperature variability in recent decades.

AR4 Figure 3.39In areas where a drought or excessive wetness usually accompanies an El Niño or La Niña, these dry or wet spells have been more intense in recent years. Further, there is some evidence for increasing drought worldwide, however in the U.S. there is no evidence for increasing drought.In some areas where overall precipitation has increased (ie. the mid-high northern latitudes), there is evidence of increases in the heavy and extreme precipitation events. Even in areas such as eastern Asia, it has been found that extreme precipitation events have increased despite total precipitation remaining constant or even decreasing somewhat. This is related to a decrease in the frequency of precipitation in this region.

CCSP SAP 3.3 Figure 2.17Many individual studies of various regions show that extra-tropical cyclone activity seems to have generally increased over the last half of the 20th century in the northern hemisphere, but decreased in the southern hemisphere. Furthermore, hurricane activity in the Atlantic has shown an increase in number since 1970 with a peak in 2005. It is not clear whether these trends are multi-decadal fluctuations or part of a longer-term trend.

to top 8. How important are these changes in a longer-term context?

Paleoclimatic data are critical for enabling us to extend our knowledge of climatic variability beyond what is measured by modern instruments. Many natural phenomena are climate dependent (such as the growth rate of a tree for example), and as such, provide natural 'archives' of climate information. Some useful paleoclimate data can be found in sources as diverse as tree rings, ice cores, corals, lake sediments (including fossil insects and pollen data), speleothems (stalactites etc), and ocean sediments. Some of these, including ice cores and tree rings provide us also with a chronology due to the nature of how they are formed, and so high resolution climate reconstruction is possible in these cases. However, there is not a comprehensive 'network' of paleoclimate data as there is with instrumental coverage, so global climate reconstructions are often difficult to obtain. Nevertheless, combining different types of paleoclimate records enables us to gain a near-global picture of climate changes in the distant past.

AR4 Figure 6.10For Northern Hemisphere temperature, recent decades appear to be the warmest since at least about 1000AD, and the warming since the late 19th century is unprecedented over the last 1000 years. Older data are insufficient to provide reliable hemispheric temperature estimates. Ice core data suggest that the 20th century has been warm in many parts of the globe, but also that the significance of the warming varies geographically, when viewed in the context of climate variations of the last millennium.

Large and rapid climatic changes affecting the atmospheric and oceanic circulation and temperature, and the hydrological cycle, occurred during the last ice age and during the transition towards the present Holocene period (which began about 10,000 years ago). Based on the incomplete evidence available, the projected change of 3 to 7°F (1.5 - 4°C) over the next century would be unprecedented in comparison with the best available records from the last several thousand years.

to top 9. Is sea level rising?

AR4 Figure TS.18Global mean sea level has been rising at an average rate of 1.7 mm/year (plus or minus 0.5mm) over the past 100 years, which is significantly larger than the rate averaged over the last several thousand years. Depending on which greenhouse gas increase scenario is used (high or low) projected sea-level rise is projected to be anywhere from 0.18 (low greenhouse gas increase) to 0.59 meters for the highest greenhouse gas increase scenario. However, this increase is due mainly to thermal expansion and contributions from melting alpine glaciers, and does not include any potential contributions from melting ice sheets in Greenland or Antarctica. Larger increases cannot be excluded but our current understanding of ice sheet dynamics renders uncertainties too large to be able to assess the likelihood of large-scale melting of these ice sheets.

to top 10. Can the observed changes be explained by natural variability, including changes in solar output?

Since our entire climate system is fundamentally driven by energy from the sun, it stands to reason that if the sun's energy output were to change, then so would the climate. Since the advent of space-borne measurements in the late 1970s, solar output has indeed been shown to vary. With now 28 years of reliable satellite observations there is confirmation of earlier suggestions of an 11 (and 22) year cycle of irradiance related to sunspots but no longer term trend in these data. Based on paleoclimatic (proxy) reconstructions of solar irradiance there is suggestion of a trend of about +0.12 W/m2 since 1750 which is about half of the estimate given in the last IPCC report in 2001. There is though, a great deal of uncertainty in estimates of solar irradiance beyond what can be measured by satellites, and still the contribution of direct solar irradiance forcing is small compared to the greenhouse gas component. However, our understanding of the indirect effects of changes in solar output and feedbacks in the climate system is minimal. There is much need to refine our understanding of key natural forcing mechanisms of the climate, including solar irradiance changes, in order to reduce uncertainty in our projections of future climate change.

In addition to changes in energy from the sun itself, the Earth's position and orientation relative to the sun (our orbit) also varies slightly, thereby bringing us closer and further away from the sun in predictable cycles (called Milankovitch cycles). Variations in these cycles are believed to be the cause of Earth's ice-ages (glacials). Particularly important for the development of glacials is the radiation receipt at high northern latitudes. Diminishing radiation at these latitudes during the summer months would have enabled winter snow and ice cover to persist throughout the year, eventually leading to a permanent snow- or icepack. While Milankovitch cycles have tremendous value as a theory to explain ice-ages and long-term changes in the climate, they are unlikely to have very much impact on the decade-century timescale. Over several centuries, it may be possible to observe the effect of these orbital parameters, however for the prediction of climate change in the 21st century, these changes will be far less important than radiative forcing from greenhouse gases.

to top 11. What about the future?

Due to the enormous complexity of the atmosphere, the most useful tools for gauging future changes are 'climate models'. These are computer-based mathematical models which simulate, in three dimensions, the climate's behavior, its components and their interactions. Climate models are constantly improving based on both our understanding and the increase in computer power, though by definition, a computer model is a simplification and simulation of reality, meaning that it is an approximation of the climate system. The first step in any modeled projection of climate change is to first simulate the present climate and compare it to observations. If the model is considered to do a good job at representing modern climate, then certain parameters can be changed, such as the concentration of greenhouse gases, which helps us understand how the climate would change in response. Projections of future climate change therefore depend on how well the computer climate model simulates the climate and on our understanding of how forcing functions will change in the future.

The IPCC Special Report on Emission Scenarios determines the range of future possible greenhouse gas concentrations (and other forcings) based on considerations such as population growth, economic growth, energy efficiency and a host of other factors. This leads a wide range of possible forcing scenarios, and consequently a wide range of possible future climates.

According to the range of possible forcing scenarios, and taking into account uncertainty in climate model performance, the IPCC projects a best estimate of global temperature increase of 1.8 - 4.0°C with a possible range of 1.1 - 6.4°C by 2100, depending on which emissions scenario is used. However, this global average will integrate widely varying regional responses, such as the likelihood that land areas will warm much faster than ocean temperatures, particularly those land areas in northern high latitudes (and mostly in the cold season). Additionally, it is very likely that heat waves and other hot extremes will increase.

AR4 Figure SPM.5

Precipitation is also expected to increase over the 21st century, particularly at northern mid-high latitudes, though the trends may be more variable in the tropics, with much of the increase coming in more frequent heavy rainfall events. However, over mid-continental areas summer-drying is expected due to increased evaporation with increased temperatures, resulting in an increased tendency for drought in those regions.

AR4 Figure SPM.7

Snow extent and sea-ice are also projected to decrease further in the northern hemisphere, and glaciers and ice-caps are expected to continue to retreat.

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Polar Bears threatened by Global Warming

bear

Polar Bear Listed in Endangered Species Act, but U.S. Government Limits Its Protection

The polar bear was officially listed as threatened under the U.S. endangered species act (ESA) on May 14, 2008. This the first creature brought under the act's protection for habitat loss that is linked to global warming. The official reason given was loss of Arctic sea ice and predictions that the ice will continue to decrease. Although global warming has been identified by most atmospheric and polar scientists as the main reason for Arctic warming and melting of sea ice, the U.S. Interior Department did not use this as a reason and clearly signaled it would not apply the law to greenhouse gas emissions.

Dirk Kempthorne, Interior Secretary, specifically said the listing would not prevent any sea ice from melting and that he would "make certain the ESA isn't abused to make global warming policies." This despite clear language in the ESA to control any activity causing harm to a listed species and requiring government agencies specifically not to jeopardize species by their actions. The wording of the listing document appears to be an attempt of the government to list the bear due to clear evidence of shrinking habitat yet not take all the steps to limit the loss. It seems analogous to President Bush's notorious "signing statements" limiting his acceptance of a Congressional law.

This could set up another court challenge by NGOs like the Center for Biological Diversity which originally brought the proposal and took the Interior Dept to court twice to get action.

"Threatened" under the ESA means a plant or animal may soon become endangered (at immediate risk of going extinct) if actions are not taken to protect it and its habitat.

See inside for more details on Arctic melting and polar bear habitat
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How Michael Crichton beliitled global warming

Late Michael Crichton no doubt is one of the best story tellers of our time. His works stand as testimony to how human imagination coupled with scientific inquiry could produce , riveting plots and themes.Of many of his works "State of Fear" stands as aberration as his stand is opposing to the commonly held views of Global warming . He belittled the threat and showcased it as though it was blown out of proportion.But as the effects of threat are imminent now and opposite to the way he stated it in the book.
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Monday, April 7, 2008

EU tackles aircraft CO2 emissions

Airlines operating in the EU should pay for any increase in their carbon emissions above current levels, the European Commission has proposed.

Commissioners called on the industry to make a "fair contribution" to the fight against climate change.

But environmentalists said the measures were too weak to make much difference.

The commissioners' idea is to bring internal EU flights inside the bloc's emissions trading scheme from 2011, with other flights following in 2012.

The aviation industry generally welcomed the plan.

Permits

"Aviation emissions need to be brought under control, because they are rising very fast," said Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas.

"Since 1990, they have gone up about 90% and, by 2020, they are going to be doubled, if business continues as usual."
SINS OF EMISSION
Aircraft produce about 3% of EU CO2 emissions - more than refineries or steel plants
They also emit nitrogen oxides which lead to the formation of another greenhouse gas, ozone
Condensation trails, which can develop into cirrus clouds, may also have a warming effect
International experts say aviation will account for 5% of total warming in 2050
The emissions trading scheme only covers CO2

Charges are "step forward"


The commission says 46% of this expected growth in aviation emissions - or 183 million tonnes of CO2 per year - would be saved if its plan was implemented in full.

However, a large part of the saving would be achieved by other participants in the emissions trading scheme (ETS), which would sell emission allowances to the airlines.

The plan would work by issuing airlines with emissions allowances, mostly free of charge, based on their average carbon use between 2004 and 2006.

An airline that cut its emissions would be able to sell its surplus permits, while one that increased emissions would have to buy extra permits from industry or from other airlines.

'Lost battle'

Environmentalists say Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas wanted tougher action against airlines' emissions, but lost an internal battle following a huge lobbying campaign by industry.
CARBON TRADING
Designed to be a cheap method of achieving emissions cuts
Ensures the cheapest efficiency savings are made first
National governments allocate allowances to industry, in line with their Kyoto target
National plans vetted by European Commission
Allows participants to gain credits by financing clean development projects abroad

Q&A: EU carbon trading

BBC Environment Analyst Roger Harrabin says the airlines have escaped a plan to make them buy their allowances at auction.

"They have escaped with most of their privileged tax-free status intact. And perhaps most seriously, they don't have to account for emissions of other greenhouse gases, probably three times more powerful than CO2, that happen not to be included in the trading scheme," he says.

The European Commission said it expected short-haul air tickets to rise by 1.8 euros (£1.20) to 9 euros each by 2020 - too little, environmentalists said, to deter people flying.

But the Association of European Airlines (AEA), representing big carriers such as British Airways, Air France KLM and Lufthansa, said the proposals would force its members to buy emission permits.

"It will be a burden and it might be a heavy burden," said AEA spokeswoman Francoise Humbert.
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EU tackles aircraft CO2 emissions

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Friday, March 21, 2008

green ur life

Get ancient forests out of your paper.

Environmental options are available for a dizzying array of products including mailing labels, tissue products, bags and coated papers. 100 post-consumer, processed chlorine-free paper is widely available and is the best choice for all paper use.

The Markets Initiative (a coalition of environmental groups including Greenpeace) has created an online database of eco-friendly paper for all your paper needs.

You can also look for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) paper. FSC certified paper contains virgin fibre sourced from logging operations that have met strict standards for social and environmental responsibility.

Sadly, corporations like Kimberly-Clark also use ancient forests in disposable tissue products like toilet paper. As a result, many businesses are choosing to stop buying Kimberly-Clark products until they change their destructive practices. Encourage your workplace to join Greenpeace's Forest Friendly 500 campaign and do the right thing for ancient forests.

And make sure all the tissue products at your workplace contain high post-consumer recycled content. For some tips on green paper buying from Greenpeace, visit http://tissue.greenpeace.ca
Green your office equipment.

Start by making sure that all your office equipment is energy efficient. The federal ENERGY STAR program has certified a full range of office equipment including photocopiers, printers, computers and fax machines. For more information from Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition on additional green certifications for computers, visit: http://svtc.igc.org. For a ranking of electronics manufacturers from Greenpeace International, visit the Greenpeace Guide to Green Electronics.

Make sure you are doing the right thing when you're done with electronics, which usually contain a variety of toxic chemicals and are classified as hazardous waste. If your equipment's still in good shape, visit Industry Canada's 'Computers for Schools' website to find out how to recycle your surplus IT equipment to schools, public libraries and not-for-profits.

Some retailers will also take back electronics when you're done with them. Visit Electronic Products Stewardship Canada for some links to the recycling programs of a variety of manufacturers.

If your workplace doesn't currently recycle electronics, try creating an inhouse program. Use the resources listed here and contact your municipality for additional advice.
Eat and drink responsibly.

If you're lucky, wherever you work, there's coffee. Make sure it's fair trade, organic coffee (or tea, or hot chocolate) - it's all widely available right now. Also choose organic cream, organic milk and fair trade sugar.

If there's a cafeteria where you work - or if you have food at meetings and special events - create a responsible procurement policy. The best choice - local, GE-free, organic food you can trace straight back to the farmer. For more information on sourcing organic food in Canada, visit the Canadian Organic Growers. Your workplace can also consider Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), which allows you to invest in a farmer's annual crop. The dividends: farm fresh food, as soon as it's ripe. To find a local CSA, try an internet search or ask at your local food co-op.

If you're planning a special event at work, try to construct a 'hundred-mile menu' - a meal assembled from ingredients found within a hundred-mile radius of your home. But don't stop at food. Consider locally-grown, organic flowers (make sure to ask about labour conditions if they're not fair trade certified) and local organic wine.

For a whole book full of green tips, check out the fabulous Greenpeace Living Guide.
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Wednesday, March 19, 2008

green bulidings in india

‘A Green building should create delight when entered, serenity and health when
occupied and regret when departed’ – Perhaps this is one of the most inspiring
definitions of a Green building, articulated in the book ‘Natural Capitalism’.
The concept of green buildings is not as nascent as we think it is. For example, our
own ancestors worshipped the five elements of nature - Earth as ‘Prithvi, Water as
“Jal’, Agni as ‘Energy’, Air as ‘Vayu’, and Sky as ‘Akash’.
Today through the LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Leadership) green
building rating system, we are rediscovering the Indian ethos.
The Green building movement has gained tremendous momentum during the past
3-4 years, since the CII- Godrej GBC embarked on achieving the prestigious LEED
rating for its own centre at Hyderabad. The Platinum rating awarded for this building
sparked off considerable enthusiasm in the country.
From a humble beginning of 20,000 sq.ft of green footprint in the country in the year
2003, to a staggering 10 million sq.ft expected by end 2008, green buildings are well
poised to reach scalar heights. Today a variety of green building projects are coming
up in the country – residential complexes, exhibition centers, hospitals,
educational institutions, laboratories, IT parks, airports, government buildings
and corporate offices
.
Fig 1
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Monday, March 17, 2008

green power in india

In February 2007, Greenpower will work with its partners WWF India, Gram Swaraj and Greenpower India to install 15 additional Rural Energy Units in villages surrounding Similipal Tiger Reserve. The new units will supplement those already installed by Greenpower in the winter of 2005 and the autumn of 2006.

By utilizing biogas technology, each unit will reduce timber demand by about 1500 metric tones per unit per year. This is an excellent means of preserving vegetation and sustaining biodiversity. Additionally, the units provide a cheap and reliable source of energy for the villages in which they are installed.
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green power in india

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Sunday, March 16, 2008

greenliving

A five-month-long Associated Press investigation has found pharmaceutical drugs in the drinking water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas from Southern California to New York City, which provide water to 41 million Americans. In Philadelphia, the 56 drugs found in the drinking water included "medicines for pain, infection, high cholesterol, asthma, epilepsy, mental illness and heart problems," according to the AP coverage. Only Albuquerque, N.M., Austin, Texas, and Virginia Beach, Va. had clear results. That's good news for them, although it's unclear how many drugs they may have tested for.


And it's not only medications given to people that are a concern. Cattle receive a slow-release anabolic steroid to help them bulk up like weightlifters. Ten percent of that steroid passes through the animal and can wind up in waterways where downstream fish, such as fathead minnows in Nebraska, show increased steroid levels and physical changes.


So what can you do? Bottled water isn't the answer, because steps generally aren't taken to remove pharmaceuticals from it either. Expensive reverse osmosis filters may help remove drugs, but given that this is a long-term rather than an immediate threat, working to keep pharmaceutical drugs from reaching waterways is our best bet. When disposing of drugs, avoid flushing them down the toilet unless specifically directed to by your physician. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the American Pharmacists Association recommend the following disposal methods:

Pour pills into a plastic bag before crushing to prevent airborne particles.
Pour liquid medications into a plastic bag. (Birth control patches may be folded over and disposed of in the garbage.)
Mix kitty litter or coffee grounds in the plastic bag containing the medication.
Seal the plastic bag to reduce the risk of potential poisoning.
Place sealed plastic bag in household trash for disposal.
Remove and destroy all identifying personal information (on the prescription label) from the medication container.
Recycle empty medication container as allowed in the local recycling area or throw it in the trash.

Remember: Don't hold onto excess pills once you're finished taking them.
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CFL

A compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), also known as a compact fluorescent light bulb (or less commonly as a compact fluorescent tube [CFT]) is a type of fluorescent lamp. Many CFLs are designed to replace an incandescent lamp and can fit in the existing light fixtures formerly used for incandescents.

Compared to general standard incandescent lamps giving the same amount of visible light, CFLs use less power and have a longer rated life. In the United States, a CFL can save over 30 USD in electricity costs over the lamp's lifetime compared to an incandescent lamp and save 2000 times their own weight in greenhouse gases. The purchase price of a CFL is higher than that of an incandescent lamp of the same luminous output, but this cost is recovered in energy savings and replacement costs over the bulb's lifetime. Like all fluorescent lamps, CFLs contain mercury; this complicates the disposal of fluorescent lamps and causes a health risk when they are broken.

CFLs radiate a different light spectrum from that of incandescent lamps. Improved phosphor formulations have improved the subjective color of the light emitted by CFLs such that the best 'soft white' CFLs available in 2007 are subjectively similar in color to standard incandescent lamps.

Modern CFLs typically have a lifespan of between 6,000 and 15,000 hours, whereas incandescent lamps are usually manufactured to have a lifespan of 750 hours or 1,000 hours.[9] These lifetimes are quoted according to IEC60969,[10] which specifies that "life to 50% of failures shall be not less than value declared by the manufacturer". Some incandescent bulbs claim long rated lifespans of 20,000 hours [11] with reduced light output (approximately 500 versus 800 lumens). [12] The lifetime of any lamp depends on many factors including operating voltage, manufacturing defects, exposure to voltage spikes, mechanical shock, frequency of cycling on and off and ambient operating temperature, among other factors. The life of a CFL is significantly shorter if it is only turned on for a few minutes at a time: In the case of a 5-minute on/off cycle the lifespan of a CFL can be up to 85% shorter, reducing its lifespan to the level of an incandescent lamp.[13][14][15] The US Energy Star program says to leave them on at least 15 minutes at a time to mitigate this problem.

CFLs give less light later in their life than they do at the start. The light output depreciation is exponential, with the fastest losses being soon after the lamp was new. By the middle to end of their lives, CFLs can be expected to produce 70-80% of their original light output. (An Incandescent lamp which gives 93% or less of its initial light output at 75% of its rated life is regarded as unsatisfactory, when tested according to IEC Publication 60064. Light loss is due to filament evaporation and bulb blackening. ) The response of the human eye to light is logarithmic: Each f-number (or photographic 'f-stop') reduction represents a halving in actual light, but is subjectively quite a small change.A 20-30% reduction over many thousands of hours represents a change of about half an f-stop, which is barely noticeable in everyday life.
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