Posts tagged environment

Flammable Water

March 4, 2010 · Filed under Waste, Consumption, and Personal Choice · Tagged , , , , , , ,

The sight of flammable drinking water is affecting a Colorado couple. The couple says that a nearby natural gas well has been leaking into their drinking water well. This is causing their drinking water to be flammable. Stories like this one are on the rise as water becomes increasingly polluted. This event should bring light to the United States drinking water problem. The problem is that as companies pollute the environment around them, they also end up polluting a valuable resource, water. A resource so valuable we can’t live without it, yet we continue our progress towards polluting our nations water supplies.

Sam G.

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A promising technology?

December 8, 2009 · Filed under Science and Technology · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

I recently read about this company called Levant Power. Levant Power was formed by two MIT students who were trying to find a solutions to allow cars to be more efficient with fossil fuels, due to the fact that cars only use 20% of the energy available for every gallon of gasoline it burns. They came up with a shock absorbing system that takes the energy from a bump in the road, and transfers the energy to the drive train to help propel the car forward. Their tests have show that this system can save 3% in fuel cost and allow for cars to be more energy efficient. You may think 3% is a tiny number but just think how much fuel that actual is if this system was put in all cars. This may not be a solution to global warming, but it definitely helps curb our foreign oil addiction.

Sam. G

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It’s a Garbage Disposal NOT a Trash Can

October 26, 2009 · Filed under Waste, Consumption, and Personal Choice · Tagged ,

After preparing a nice meal, whatever is in the sink people assume the garbage disposal will just take care of and flip the switch without a second thought. However after the ‘sink theory’ it got me thinking maybe we THINK about the world like that because we were brought up to live like that within our own environments. Specifically,at home and in our kitchens.

I came across an article that raised some very important issues about the way we take advantage of our garbage disposals. It’s smarter and more ‘green’ to bury the compost in our backyard rather than having it go through the septic tanks and sewage systems.

I know some people that throw EVERYTHING down the sink and treat it as their ‘clean all’. It’s not healthy for the sink because of the scum and bacteria that will grow later from it, and by the time it makes its way to the ocean, all the nutrients will be broken down and there will be nothing left but trash.

Read up and remember next time you have banana peels and chicken scraps waiting to be disposed of in your sink.

-Aspen Bernier

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Sorry Strawberry’s aren’t a year around fruit

October 26, 2009 · Filed under Waste, Consumption, and Personal Choice · Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

People are used to going to the grocery store, and purchasing strawberry’s in December and not thinking anything of it. Unfortunately fruits like this don’t grow well in Oregon during the winter months. In order for people to live more sustainable, we are going to need to realize that buying those mango’s in the winter month’s isn’t sustainable. It’s not sustainable due to the fact that it has to be shipped halfway across the world to get here. This shipping process produces tons of green house gases not to mention the chemicals they have to use to keep the fruit from rotting. We need to realize we can’t go through life eating these fruits when they’re not in season. In the earlier days of our history people would get their fruit in the winter months by canning, when it is in season. This way during the winter they can still enjoy their fruit. By doing this we could cut tons of green house gases from being produced. So next time you are at the store think twice about what you are purchasing.

Sam G.

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Is it okay to eat these animals?

October 11, 2009 · Filed under Uncategorized · Tagged ,

Earlier today I was watching the Travel Channel at my cousin’s house and I saw a show called “Bizarre World” or something and it was about some guy travelling the globe searching for unique foods to eat. This time he was in Australia and the locals were showing him the animals they ate and, well, most of these animals were indigenous to the country like kangaroos, crocodiles, and even camels. As I saw this I wondered, “Aren’t some of these animals close to being endangered?” By eating some of these animals, aren’t we bringing animals close to endangerment? By taking away these animals, is it somehow going to affect the environment in the long run?

I guess the point I’m trying to make is that if it’s okay to casually eat these animals or not? Then again, it’s probably just how the culture is down in Australia.

– Jonathan Kim

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