Green Living

Global warming is a major issue because the entire environment, indeed the planet Earth is dramatically affected by climate change. There are many factors that are involved in the Earth's climate change and there is much that the scientific community does not know about the stability of this planets climate. There are many scientist of late however, who have suggested and even suggested strongly that it is human activity since the advent of the industrial revolution that has created the current global warming trend. It is important to understand that the current warming trend on this planet is not new and the last time Earth went through a similar warming was the Medieval Warm Period from about 800-1300 AD. The Medieval Warm Period was followed by a cooling period known as The Little Ice Age that lasted until the 19th century. The planet today is now experiencing a warming period that is speculated to be warmer than any period known to man. This sounds alarming but the reality is that the last warming period was only slightly cooler than today estimated to be around 0.03 degrees Celsius cooler than today. That slight difference can amount to a noticeable difference in environmental changes or not it is unclear based on the current data available.

Whether global warming is a survival issue for humanity is just not clear. That it is a major political issue is more than obvious. The United Nations has strongly advocated major intergovernmental action in slowing down the effects of global warming. It is not at all clear that the effects of global warming can be slowed but this doesn't deter politicos with visions of a one world government and they will subvert the truth and use only the data that supports their urgent and dire claims that only a strengthened and powerful government can save humanity from their own hubris. The U.N. has presented the world with a "scientific" report signed by some 2300 scientist known as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or IPCC, this report claims that there is a 90% certainty that human activity is the cause. 90% certainty is not certainty it is still chance just the same as a 9% certainty is. The science used to come to this "certainty" is based upon incomplete computer models that suggest it is human activity that has caused the current global warming trend.

Even though these computer models are incomplete and do not present a realistic model of Earth's climate, they still could be right in their determination that it is human activity that is causing the warming. Human activity is certainly causing some of the warming there is little doubt to this. It is self evident that human activity affects the environment and it should come as no surprise that human activity can affect the climate. What is not self evident is that the current warming trend is a vital threat to our survival. What is not self evident is that human activity is the sole cause of the current warming trend and what is not self evident is that the climate of the past few hundred years is the ideal climate for a planet populated by more than 5 billion people. Because there is so little that is self evident, and all that is certain is that we are in a warming trend, the issue is major because it is contentious. Uncertainties lead to speculations, speculations lead to theories, unprovable theories lead to dogma and adherents of dogma form religious groups who advocate the dogma. Religion is a necessary component of any society but religion is not science. There are no dogmas in science and what science can not prove, scientists should avoid speaking to. Prove or disprove a theory this should be the primary goal of science. Forming political movements to advocate a particular theory will neither prove nor disprove the theory, that happens in the rigid testing and experiments formed to successfully predict outcomes and explain the outcomes and the cause is what will ultimately prove or disprove a theory.

While global warming continues to grow as a political movement it is important for everyone to educate themselves on how science works and how theories are proven and dis-proven otherwise people will remain vulnerable to shameless propaganda. One can not learn all there is to know about global warming by reading glossy brochures and skimming through earnest and ardent web pages that offer out of context data as science. Ambitious politicians seeking expanded power are counting on the probability that you will not do all that is necessary to learn the facts and will instead rely on the propaganda provided you. Don't fall prey to propaganda, do what you must to know for yourself what is true and what is not true. Don't take anybodies word as truth, discover the truth for yourself.

Yes, except at higher elevations (above 4000 feet, the mountain climates can be cooler).

The area near the equator is usually considered the warmest region of the Earth. Temperatures around the equatorial region will usually experience high temperatures year round.

In the manufacturing process a tyre is constructed out of raw uncured rubber. After the tyre has been constructed, but before the tyre goes into the mould for the curing process, we call that a green tyre.

1) Why the US (and most of the Americas) uses 60 Hz and Europe (and the rest of the world) uses 50 Hz?

2) Why does the US uses 110 V (now set at 120 V) and Europe uses 220 V (now set to 230 V)?

It does seem to be a conglomeration of historical reasons, including state of the art back in 1890's, which company had a head start, and standardization. Some history:

George Westinghouse did his original engineering using 133 1/3 Hz. Westinghouse had an steam engine driven alternator set running at 2000 rpm (By 1886 mechanical engineers liked to have steam engines in integral numbers of rpm) and with 8 poles the set produced 8000 cycles per minute or 133 1/3 Hz. This was good for lighting as there was no flicker but it turned out it was too high for motors later developed.

The earliest experiments (1886 and 1887) used belt driven generators and tended toward high frequencies like 133 1/3 Hz. This suited illumination, which was practically all that alternating current was used for at that time. By 1889 and 1890 direct driven generators were coming on line. They were more robust but with lower rotation speeds they encouraged lower frequencies.

In the early years of ac there were many frequencies: each engineering team seemed to pick their own. Early frequencies in the US were 133 1/3, 125, 83 1/3, 66 2/3, 60, 50, 40, 30, 25 Hz. When Tesla joined Westinghouse, it was using 133 1/3 Hz. Tesla insisted upon 60 Hz because his ac induction motor was designed for 60 Hz and apparently wouldn't work at 133 1/3 Hz.

On the Westinghouse Museum website it says that G. Westinghouse assigned his engineers Stillwell, Shallenberger, Schmid, and Scott to find a good frequency. Practical considerations of connecting alternating generators to reciprocating engines then in use demanded a lower frequency than 133 Hz.

Before the end of 1892 they chose 2 frequencies: 60 Hz for lighting and 30 Hz where power was to be converted to DC.

Why did Tesla/ Westinghouse engineering team choose 60 Hz? If it was Tesla that was the driving force, various biographies of Tesla declare different theories ranging from Tesla "thought it was the fundamental frequency of the universe" to "… considered the natural earth had a frequency of 10 Hz and doing experiments with 8 to 20 Hz and 20 to 40 Hz and finally 40 to 100 Hz; he decided that 60 Hz was safe." It doesn't seem to have been a desire to do accurate clocks because Henry Warren didn't patent the synchronized clock until 1916 long after the frequency was chosen. Although Warren was diligent in getting utilities to have tight specs on frequency this didn't happen until into the 1920's.

Back in the early 1890's Westinghouse was involved in bidding electrical equipment for the Niagara Falls power project. However the Cataract Company (in charge of the Niagara Falls project) had already selected hydraulic turbines running at 250 rpm. So if a 16-pole generator were chosen the frequency would be 33 1/3 Hz and if a 12-pole machine were chosen then the frequency would be 25 Hz. The project consultant proposed an 8-pole generator or 16 2/3 Hz. The compromise was 25 Hz. At the time lower frequencies were easier to handle on transmission lines. Another reason is that the Steel industry liked 25 Hz because of huge slow speed induction rollers, which had a low power factor for 60 Hz and worked better at 25 Hz. Niagara Falls generated 25 Hz way into the 20th century. The website says that the Westinghouse Company later wished it had forced through 30 Hz.

By 1910 it looked there would be two frequencies in North America, 25Hz for transmission and heavy industry that needed dc or slow moving heavy machinery and 60 Hz for lighting (less flicker) and general use.

There was an effort by GE to introduce 40 Hz as a compromise between 25 Hz and 60 Hz in the 1890's but it was too late to overtake the 60 Hz and 25 Hz infrastructures already in place although there were some 40 Hz installations. Even so most installations in the US were done in 60 Hz after Westinghouse and GE cross licensed their patents.

Development of high-speed turbines instead of slow reciprocating machinery and later developments of the rotary converter that worked well at 60 Hz made it easy to shift everything to 60 Hz. By 1920 most of the problems associated with 60 Hz transmission had been solved so that there was no longer any advantage of transmitting 25 Hz over 60 Hz. That seems to be why the US is 60 Hz.

Germany took the lead in Europe of developing electrical power (primarily Emil Rathenau of AEG) and AEG seems to have used 50 Hz from day one. In 1891 AEG had demonstrated power delivery over long distances using 50 Hz. I don't know why AEG chose 50 Hz. Did the penchant for integer rpm help influence AEG for 3000 rpm and 50 Hz as opposed to 3600 rpm and 60 Hz? Did the preference for preferred numbers influence the choice of 50 Hz over 60 Hz? Did Tesla's influence pull Westinghouse to choose 60 Hz and resultant 3600 rpm over 50 Hz and 3000 rpm? Europe was even more fragmented in the early days than the US. In 1918 in London alone there were 70 electric authorities with 50 different types of systems and 10 different frequencies and 24 different voltages. But by the 1920's and 1930's more and more of Europe was changing to or working with 50 Hz.

As for voltages both Europe and the US seemed to have begun with about 100 to 110 Volts DC because of Edison's success with replacing gas lights with electric lamps. Although many inventors worked on electric lights, generators and electrical systems, Edison was one of the first and was successful in putting together whole systems not just the pieces. Edison picked 110 VDC because that was the voltage he needed to get enough light out of his bulbs to compete with common gas lamps of the time and yet not blow the filaments in his bulbs too soon.

The Berlin Electric Works (utility owned by AEG) changed from 110 V to 220 V starting in about 1899 to enlarge the capacity of their distribution system since the city (Berlin) was already wired 2 wires. They were probably changing from dc to ac at the time also. They paid for their customers to change their lighting and motors to 220 V and saved on the cost of copper by avoiding having to add more wiring. This spread throughout Germany and later Europe but didn't take hold in the US.

I wonder if the residue from the bitter conflict between Edison and Westinghouse about the safety of AC vs. DC spilled over into not going above 110 volts for residential users even after Edison's forces conceded the need for AC.

A lot of this information comes from Thomas Hughes Networks of Power : Electrification in Western Society, 1880-1930 and Benjamin Lamme Technical Story of Frequencies IEEE transactions 37 (1918) 60. Benjamin Lamme was chief engineer for Westinghouse in the early 1900's.

In metamorphic rocks found in Switzerland, Italy, the Ural Mountains, and New England U.S.

Leaves contribute to the economy by providing food through photosynthesis, supporting ecosystems by providing habitats and food for animals, and playing a role in carbon sequestration and oxygen production. They can also be a potential source for pharmaceuticals, biofuels, and renewable materials.

Yes, it does affect how plants grow.

Water carries nutrients throughout the plant that is in the soil. If there is extra nutrients in the water than it will add to the nutrients that is already there, causing the plant to grow better.

All plants have an optimum medium pH range (soil or non-soil) which will allow the maximum uptake of nutrients, when the pH is in the right range a plant will grow vigorously as all its needs are met, conversely a plant receiving water that is too acid or too alkaline (below 5.0 acid and above 8.0 alkaline) cannot absorb nutrient and all micro and macro elements will be 'locked out' resulting in poor, slow growth and eventual death.

Houseplants survive poor treatment because most composts are naturally 6.8 to 7.0 around the same pH as most domestic water. Hard water areas around 7.5, soft water around 6.5 all within the ideal uptake range for most plants. And that is it!

Knowing whether a bacterium is motile helps understand its potential to move and colonize environments. Motility can impact how the bacterium interacts with other organisms, its ability to cause infections, and its survival in different conditions. Detecting motility can be a key factor in identifying bacterial species and their behavior.

Waterfront refers to the land or area located next to a body of water, such as a lake, river, or ocean. Waterfront areas typically offer scenic views and opportunities for recreational activities and development.

Plants need sunlight for photosynthesis to produce food, water for hydration and nutrient absorption from the soil, and carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. Additionally, plants also need a suitable temperature and proper air circulation for optimal growth.

Global Warming is the procces where the gasses in the atmosphere which stop sunlight escaping the atmosphere build up to the point where the whole planet becoming several degrees warmer. This is meaning that the Permanent Icecap is melting raising sea levels and threatening the lives of both Humans and other animals like Polar Bears. More melted ice means higher sea levels, higher sea levels means more ice melts

An environmental crisis refers to a situation where the environment faces a serious and often abrupt threat to its health or functioning, resulting in negative impacts on ecosystems, biodiversity, and human well-being. Examples include climate change, deforestation, pollution, and loss of habitats. Addressing environmental crises requires urgent action to mitigate their effects and protect the planet's natural resources for future generations.

Most nations are cutting down there cabon emissions by signing on for something called Kyoto. When a nation signs on, they keep a promise to have there carbon emissions below a certain point. I think every nation except for the U.S. has signed on. From- Q&A master

It could be environmental factors. I have a shrub. In some years, when it is cool and overcast, their fragrance travels far and strong. It may be too powerful for some. Other years, when it is dry and hot, or when the plant is not particularly happy during the blooming period, their fragrance are confined near the bushes. Ref: http://www.rareflora.com/fragrant.htm

Fossil fuels tend to be the most expensive to extract from the ground, as technologies like drilling and fracking are often required for access. Metallic and nonmetallic resources can also be expensive to extract, depending on the specific mineral and location, but typically fossil fuels involve more complex extraction processes.

To calculate the amount of fertilizer to add for a 500 to 1 ratio, take the number of ounces of water (128 per gal X 3 = 384) and divide that amount by 500. The answer comes out to approximately three quarters of an ounce, or .768 ounces for three gallons of water.

The old saying "Two cooks in one kitchen never works" is so true! It's your mother's home and she likes things where they are for a reason. It could be as simple as she enjoys where she has put something like a chair, vase, etc., or, it's easier for her to get too. It is not your home! If she asks you to do something such as cook and you don't do things exactly as she would do it then yes, it's nagging and you should say, "Look, you asked me to cook and I'm doing it the way I know how and if you don't appreciate it then feel free to do the cooking yourself." The older people get the more habits they incur. They have set routines because it makes them feel comfortable. For a daughter or son living at home it could be upsetting for them. My sister-in-law's two sons moved out into their own basement suite. While mom meant well by bringing in bags of groceries she also took it upon herself to move the sugar bowl, spice rack and salt and pepper shakers and her sons complained because they couldn't find them! LOL Mom had every right to help out, but did not have the right to move anything the way the boys had placed things. The only suggestion I can give you is leave furniture, vases, etc., alone and leave it where your mother has placed them. This is her right. If she complains when she asks you to do something then it's time to sit down and communicate without yelling or fighting over it. The both of you should be able to come to some common ground.

The emission of greenhouse gases, mostly carbon dioxide, primarily through burning of fossil fuels, enhanced the natural greenhouse effect and began making the earth warmer.

Global warming has already started, as shown by the rise in sea levels and warming in global temperatures.

Most likely from Comets from the Ort cloud (actually comets may have been prevalent throughout the Solar System early on then relegated to the Ort cloud by the solar wind) smashing into earth during its development. But you can't discount Volcanic action either. TommyTrouble

Plastic fills our dumps, homes and seas. Plastic contamination negatively affects untamed life: In excess of 700 species, including ocean turtles, fish and whales, gobble plastic or get messed up in it. Plastic will before long offset all the fish in the ocean, and it's in our drinking water and on our plates.

Yes, Tribal people have a more natural, environmentally friendly way of life than those who live in urban areas. This may depend on the tribe though. Some tribal communities may live a way of life that may not be very safe for ecosystems, like slash and burn farming techniques. However, tribal communities are usually still much more eco-friendly because many of them do not rely completely on electrical items (like cell phones or computers).

Q. What are some nonrenewable resources?

A. Some nonrenewable resources are fossil fuels.

Q. What are some renewable resources?

A. Some renewable resources are trees, fish, oil, gold, copper and bronze.