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5/25/09
National
Chapter 19
Recently the U.S. Energy Information Administration released the fossil fuel CO2 emissions and they have decreased by 2.8%. This is the highest mark since 1982 when the U.S. had a sagging economy and had declining energy use. Also, the amount of energy used to produce one unit of GDP dropped 3.3 percent last year. The amount of CO2 emitted per unit of GDP was even more dramatic at 3.8 percent. Since 1990, U.S. carbon dioxide intensity has dropped 29.3 percent. The electric power sector is the highest emitter of CO2 in the U.S.
This is a good sign that all of our efforts to reduce carbon emissions are actually working. The biggest thing I thought that was in this article was that the amount of energy used to produce one unit of GDP dropped 3.3 percent last year. This shows that our economy is still growing but we are finding new, better ways to produce the energy needed to boost the economy.
GDP- Total market value of all final goods and services produced in a country in a given year.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Pennsylvania wants to allow power companies to capture carbon dioxide emissions and put them into the ground.
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/news/index.ssf?/base/news-0/124331070829120.xml&coll=3
5/26/09
Regional
Chapter 19
In Pennsylvania, lawmakers want to create a tower that will take carbon dioxide emissions out of utilities and dispose of them in the ground. Carbon capture and sequestration would take a stream of compressed carbon dioxide directly from electric utilities and pump it underground into depleted oil fields, shale formations and aquifers thousands of feet below ground. There, hopefully the gas will be permanently stored. Pennsylvania could store at least 100 years worth of the state's current emissions. Some environmental groups and companies say that this technology is decades from actually being possible and will require a lot of money and research. With their current plan, Pennsylvania says that this can all occur by 2015.
This sounds like a great idea that has very little harmful side effects. If these carbon towers are created, it can really help our fight against global warming. Hopefully, many countries around the world will adopt this new technology and the world can severely lower their carbon emissions. The only bad thing about this is that it could cost a lot of money and could cause earthquakes or poison the water supply. I really like this idea and I think Pennsylvania should really pursue this new technology.
sequestration- To set apart; segregate.
5/26/09
Regional
Chapter 19
In Pennsylvania, lawmakers want to create a tower that will take carbon dioxide emissions out of utilities and dispose of them in the ground. Carbon capture and sequestration would take a stream of compressed carbon dioxide directly from electric utilities and pump it underground into depleted oil fields, shale formations and aquifers thousands of feet below ground. There, hopefully the gas will be permanently stored. Pennsylvania could store at least 100 years worth of the state's current emissions. Some environmental groups and companies say that this technology is decades from actually being possible and will require a lot of money and research. With their current plan, Pennsylvania says that this can all occur by 2015.
This sounds like a great idea that has very little harmful side effects. If these carbon towers are created, it can really help our fight against global warming. Hopefully, many countries around the world will adopt this new technology and the world can severely lower their carbon emissions. The only bad thing about this is that it could cost a lot of money and could cause earthquakes or poison the water supply. I really like this idea and I think Pennsylvania should really pursue this new technology.
sequestration- To set apart; segregate.
Heading to Texas, Hudson’s Toxic Mud Stirs Town
newyorktimes.com 5/30/09
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/31/science/earth/31waste.html?_r=1&ref=science
National
Chapter 22
In Eunice, New Mexico they are going to bury 2.5 million cubic yards of toxic PCBs that are being dredged from the bottom of the Hudson River in New York. Surprisingly, this is being welcomed by this town because it means more jobs for their residents. Since their are many oil fields nearby, these workers are used to working with toxic materials and have dealt with more dangerous chemicals before. A problem with dumping toxic sludge in this area is that some people are afraid that it is too close to the giant Ogallala aquifer and this toxic sludge could infiltrate into this aquifer. Some of the residents in nearby towns oppose of the dumping of the PCBs in their area. They say it is too close and they don't want to risk their children s health for some economic gain. The PCBs will be transported in trains and will be wrapped up in heavy plastic, like a burrito. Two major problems that could arise is if the train gets in an accident or if the wind blows the toxic soil before it is buried. Both of these could be huge environmental disasters.
I think that this is a good economic opportunity for the small towns surrounding it but I am a little skeptical about some major problems that can arise. I hope that they really secure it well and nothing goes wrong because this has the potential to be a huge environmental disaster and could make the EPA look foolish. Overall, this is kind of risky but hopefully it will all work out and provide economic opportunity for a depressed area.
Ogallala Aquifer- A vast but shallow underground water table aquifer located beneath the Great Plains. Yields about 30% of the nations drinking water.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/31/science/earth/31waste.html?_r=1&ref=science
National
Chapter 22
In Eunice, New Mexico they are going to bury 2.5 million cubic yards of toxic PCBs that are being dredged from the bottom of the Hudson River in New York. Surprisingly, this is being welcomed by this town because it means more jobs for their residents. Since their are many oil fields nearby, these workers are used to working with toxic materials and have dealt with more dangerous chemicals before. A problem with dumping toxic sludge in this area is that some people are afraid that it is too close to the giant Ogallala aquifer and this toxic sludge could infiltrate into this aquifer. Some of the residents in nearby towns oppose of the dumping of the PCBs in their area. They say it is too close and they don't want to risk their children s health for some economic gain. The PCBs will be transported in trains and will be wrapped up in heavy plastic, like a burrito. Two major problems that could arise is if the train gets in an accident or if the wind blows the toxic soil before it is buried. Both of these could be huge environmental disasters.
I think that this is a good economic opportunity for the small towns surrounding it but I am a little skeptical about some major problems that can arise. I hope that they really secure it well and nothing goes wrong because this has the potential to be a huge environmental disaster and could make the EPA look foolish. Overall, this is kind of risky but hopefully it will all work out and provide economic opportunity for a depressed area.
Ogallala Aquifer- A vast but shallow underground water table aquifer located beneath the Great Plains. Yields about 30% of the nations drinking water.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Hudson River dredging finally under way
http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2009/may/16/0516_startdredging/ 5/16/09
Regional
Chapter 21
On Friday, May 15, the EPA started dredging the contaminated Hudson River. The river is contaminated with PCBs from General Electric Co. capacitor plants in Hudson Falls and Fort Edwards. These plants discharged as much as 1.3 million pounds of PCBs into the river for 30 years, ending in 1977. The first phase of thee project will remove 250,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment containing around 20,300 kilograms of PCBs from a six mile part of the river and will dig approximately 2 feet deep . All of the PCBs will be transported to a hazardous waste site in Andrews, Texas. The EPA ordered GE to pay for the cleanup in 2002 but was delayed because of legal issues and complexity of the project. Some people of the anti-dredging group CEASE dislike the dredging and called it a "funeral".
I think that this dredging will really help the Hudson River ecosystem by getting rid of a bulk of the PCBs in the river. The PCBs are very dangerous and should have been taken out years ago. The one thing that worries me is that this could damage the bottom of the river but I think the positives outweigh the negatives. It is also good that GE is paying for this because they caused this major problem and they should have to deal with it. When the PCBs are dumped into the toxic waste site in Texas, they could cause problems there but hopefully they are far away from any people. The dredging of the Hudson River is good and I don't understand why some people are against the dredging.
PCB- a mixture of up to 209 chlorinated chemicals. Although PCBs are no longer produced in the US where they were once known under the trade name Aroclor, PCBs are still found in the environment. A number of adverse health effects have associated with exposure to PCBs.
Regional
Chapter 21
On Friday, May 15, the EPA started dredging the contaminated Hudson River. The river is contaminated with PCBs from General Electric Co. capacitor plants in Hudson Falls and Fort Edwards. These plants discharged as much as 1.3 million pounds of PCBs into the river for 30 years, ending in 1977. The first phase of thee project will remove 250,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment containing around 20,300 kilograms of PCBs from a six mile part of the river and will dig approximately 2 feet deep . All of the PCBs will be transported to a hazardous waste site in Andrews, Texas. The EPA ordered GE to pay for the cleanup in 2002 but was delayed because of legal issues and complexity of the project. Some people of the anti-dredging group CEASE dislike the dredging and called it a "funeral".
I think that this dredging will really help the Hudson River ecosystem by getting rid of a bulk of the PCBs in the river. The PCBs are very dangerous and should have been taken out years ago. The one thing that worries me is that this could damage the bottom of the river but I think the positives outweigh the negatives. It is also good that GE is paying for this because they caused this major problem and they should have to deal with it. When the PCBs are dumped into the toxic waste site in Texas, they could cause problems there but hopefully they are far away from any people. The dredging of the Hudson River is good and I don't understand why some people are against the dredging.
PCB- a mixture of up to 209 chlorinated chemicals. Although PCBs are no longer produced in the US where they were once known under the trade name Aroclor, PCBs are still found in the environment. A number of adverse health effects have associated with exposure to PCBs.
China Is Said to Plan Strict Gas Mileage Rules
newyorktimes.com 5/27/09
global
chapter 19
China is said to have stricter gas mileage laws than the ones that President Barack Obama is talking about imposing. This is due to China worrying that they are relying to heavily on imported oil. This new plan would require Chinese manufactures to improve their fuel efficiency by an additional 18% by 2015. In China, small cars are subject to 1 percent sales tax while cars with the largest engines are subject to 40% sales tax. China also wants to improve their gas mileage laws because they are worries of increased air pollution and this could really help this growing problem. It is estimated that the average new car will be required to get 42.2 miles per gallon in China. If the U.S. passes the new bill that Barack Obama is imposing, it will require each automaker to reach a corporate average of 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016. China claims that most new cars in China already get about 35.8 miles per gallon.
With China imposing new gas mileage laws, the whole world will hopefully follow in their footsteps. I really think this is a good sign that the world is recognizing the growing problems with air pollution and our reliance on non-renewable resources. One thing that bothers me is that the United States can't keep up with China's miles per gallon laws and will be about 8 miles per gallon lower than China. This might be due to the U.S. having bigger cars and families. Overall, this is very good and hopefully the rest of the world will follow these two countries and implement stricter gas mileage rules.
global
chapter 19
China is said to have stricter gas mileage laws than the ones that President Barack Obama is talking about imposing. This is due to China worrying that they are relying to heavily on imported oil. This new plan would require Chinese manufactures to improve their fuel efficiency by an additional 18% by 2015. In China, small cars are subject to 1 percent sales tax while cars with the largest engines are subject to 40% sales tax. China also wants to improve their gas mileage laws because they are worries of increased air pollution and this could really help this growing problem. It is estimated that the average new car will be required to get 42.2 miles per gallon in China. If the U.S. passes the new bill that Barack Obama is imposing, it will require each automaker to reach a corporate average of 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016. China claims that most new cars in China already get about 35.8 miles per gallon.
With China imposing new gas mileage laws, the whole world will hopefully follow in their footsteps. I really think this is a good sign that the world is recognizing the growing problems with air pollution and our reliance on non-renewable resources. One thing that bothers me is that the United States can't keep up with China's miles per gallon laws and will be about 8 miles per gallon lower than China. This might be due to the U.S. having bigger cars and families. Overall, this is very good and hopefully the rest of the world will follow these two countries and implement stricter gas mileage rules.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
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