Technology - Luminaid: Shining a light on disasters Haiti’s devastating earthquake in 2010 shattered the country’s infrastructure, but for one designer it proved to be an illuminating moment. Before you read this, close the door, draw the curtains, and turn out the lights. If you are reading on your laptop, momentarily close the lid. Now that you are back, think about how it felt. Chances are it was not too disorientating or frightening. Now imagine that days earlier there had been a massive earthquake. Two years ago, that was the situation in Haiti, following a catastrophic quake. But along with the influx of aid agencies, technologists, engineers and designers all offered their help to Haitians to try and rebuild their homes and their nation. She immediately spotted an area where she could help. "Lighting was something that seemed a little bit overlooked," she said. "We read stories about how people felt very unsafe at night, especially women and children," says Sreshta. The idea, like the product itself, couldn't be simpler.
The Modern Survivalist | Beeswax Wrap that Keeps Food Fresh | Abeego Tracking Frackers From the Sky | Innovation Ever since the natural gas boom took off in Pennsylvania in 2006, some people living near the drilling rigs have complained of headaches, gastrointestinal ailments, skin problems and asthma. They suspect that exposure to the chemicals used in the drilling practice called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, triggers the symptoms. But there’s a hitch: the exact locations of many active fracking sites remain a closely guarded secret. Brian Schwartz, an environmental epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and his colleagues have teamed up with Geisinger Health System, a health services organization in Pennsylvania, to analyze the digital medical records of more than 400,000 patients in the state in order to assess the impacts of fracking on neonatal and respiratory health. While the scientists will track where these people live, says Schwartz, state regulators cannot tell them where the active well pads and waste pits are located. “It’s a big planet,” says Amos.
Flooring, Building, Design and Housing News | BuildDirect Klean Kanteen: Stainless Steel Bottles, Mugs, Cups and Canisters New technique removes even trace amounts of heavy metals from water A new process has been developed for removing trace amounts of heavy metals from water (Photo: Luis nunes alberto) Image Gallery (2 images) Once released into the environment from industrial sources, trace amounts of heavy metals can remain present in waterways for decades or even centuries, in concentrations that are still high enough to pose a health risk. Known as the cyclic electrowinning/precipitation (CEP) system, the process involves increasing the concentration of heavy metals in water samples, until it's high enough to be effectively removed. Things get started when metal-tainted water is fed into a tank, and an acid or base (such as sodium hydroxide) is added to change the water's pH value. Although this technique alone holds promise, the settled precipitate forms into a toxic sludge, which is difficult to safely dispose of. A paper on the Brown University research was recently published in the Chemical Engineering Journal. About the Author Post a CommentRelated Articles
Greenluv Clever Plastic-Free and Low-Tech Ways to Store Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Lloyd Alter/CC BY 2.0 Many fruits and vegetables taste better eaten the day they’re harvested from the garden. But what if you need to store your crop before you can prepare it? It’s possible to store your fruits and veggies using old technology and avoiding plastic altogether for zero waste storage. HowTo: Store Fruits and Vegetables. Tips and tricks to extend the life of your produce without plastic. The Ecology Center Farmers' Markets produced a large list of ways to store your produce without using plastic to push the markets and customers toward zero waste. Fruits. Apples- Store on a cool counter or shelf for up to two weeks. Citrus- Store in a cool place with good airflow, never in an air‐tight container. Apricots/Nectarines- On a cool counter or fridge if fully ripe Cherries- Store in an airtight container. Berries -Don’t forget they’re fragile. Strawberries- Don’t like to be wet. Veggies. Asparagus- Place them loosely in a glass or bowl upright with water at room temperature.
Researchers find alarming decline in bumblebees plastic free camping | Plastic Manners A plastic tally is long overdue. I missed one month and then felt irked about the second. So I decided that it would be much cooler to actually skip the monthly tallies and collect a summer’s worth of plastics. Here she blows: 3 month's worth of plastics The first thing to note in terms of the tally, is that I am not sourcing milk from the raw milk dairy anymore and hence there are lids on the table. The other thing to note is Kisha’s food. And then, there are beer caps. The others are miscellaneous this, thats, and others. I had gone way out of my way to get take out sushi without the trash. Why must you put trash on my plate? All in all, not bad for a full summer’s worth of plastic hey, particularly given the amount of camping, traveling, and picnicking we did. Taina: “Go get us some goodies.” Brandon: “Why should I go, I don’t even want goodies?! Taina: “Because you’re the guy.” Brandon: “Under any other circumstance, maybe. Taina: “Nah. Brandon: (No comment. Taina: (No comment. Onward.
Plastic-Free Camping: Is It Possible? This past weekend, my friends and I went on a lovely camping trip. We took the train out to the Indiana Dunes National Lake Shore on Friday and then spent our time laying on the beach, swimming in the cool waters of Lake Michigan, and even partying with a friend's family (his Dad has a house on the beach). We also made some nice campfires and spent hours under the stars talking and drinking whiskey. Yes, it was a wonderful little vacation, but it had its downside. I think I may have used more plastic this weekend than I have in the entire year put together. And it was all my fault. I didn't go to the grocery store the night before our camping trip because someone stole the wheel off my bike, my primary mode of transportation and the vehicle I use for my grocery shopping. But I'll get over it. Still, the experience got me thinking. What's a girl to do? I guess I'll have to consider adding this to the "What I Haven't Given Up" List.