Renewable Energy Wedges: Power Surge Documentary

Power Surge Documentary

I watched an amazing documentary the other day talking about renewable energy wedges as a solution to our energy and carbon emissions problem. The main points of this presentation were that energy is needed for everything, our current energy is depleting the planet, and that we need to find solutions. The video said that the U.S. has invested a large amount of money looking for clean energy solutions to help solve this problem.

The main task is to cut carbon emissions.

The wedge theory states, there is a problem between where we are and where we need to be. He broke it into a triangle, which represents the total amount of carbon dioxide that we must avoid putting into the atmosphere in the next 50 years. The ideal target is controversial because it is a difference of 7 billion tons per year. There are 15 possible "wedge" solutions each equaling 1 billion ton carbon emissions. The gap, like stated before, is 7 billion tons, so the gap can be filled with any 7 of the 15 wedges. The wedges can be duplicated. Some of the 15 wedge solutions include:

• Efficiency (easiest & cheapest)
• Tripling the number of nuclear power plants over 50 years
• Cleaning coal plants by burying their carbon emissions
• Sun, which means solar panels and/or wind turbines

There are many possible solutions to this problem with the wedge model.

Interestingly enough, some people are disregarding this theory/solution. The wedge theory is successful in that it takes a bigger problem and breaks in down into smaller pieces, thus, making It simple. Some believe that this theory is oversimplifying the problem to where people (the public) are too relaxed about it and feel that it is so simple that it's nearly solved. An article titled: Did Princeton Professor’s “Wedges” Theory Oversimplify Cutting?, discusses this “problem."(Source) It is so bizarre to me that for so many problems we have in the world today, we struggle to find a solution, and many solutions are difficult or costly, etc and we have now found one that seems attainable and people complain because its too simple.

I enjoyed this video, and it was interesting to hear more about the wedges. I have heard the wedges talked about in other classes, and, in my opinion, this documentary could have been improved by going more in depth about the stability wedges. By, possibly, describing how they find that each wedge is equal to each other. They showed that each wedge is equal to 1 billion tons of carbon but how did they find that out. I am interested in the calculations. Also, the wedges could be improved by discussing the other system feedbacks and impacts each one causes along with the economic impact. Some wedges are going to create more jobs, some are going to need more raw materials than others, etc.

The Future of Wind Energy

   Currently wind turbines tower 300 feet above the landscape and capture only a fraction of the Earth's potential wind energy. That is why the University of Delaware and Stanford University are researching new methods of wind energy generation. In the picture above, a turbine drone is taking off in a field in California. The drone is able to travel nearly 5 miles high to reach the jet stream where wind speeds near their peak. By taking wind energy into the air, this technology allows us to capture much more energy and saves us from looking at giant wind turbines in our back yard.
      Another advancement in wind energy is the capability of wind turbines to produce fresh water from the humidity in the air. Developer Eole Water’s has outfitted his smaller wind turbines with a compressor that work as a dehumidifier, producing 1,200 liters of water a day. While functional, the turbine is currently in the testing phase. Several countries in arid climates are interested in these turbines.

      With the advancement of technology comes hope for a sustainable future. If countries invest in such sustainable infrastructure we can provide a healthy world for future generations. High altitude power generation and the integration of water harvesting can help many areas in the world with extreme water issues while providing green energy for their communities.

Cheetah Extinction

Cheetah Extinction

Throughout the ages the cheetah population has had drastic increases and decreases.  Approximately 20,000 years ago, cheetahs were extremely abundant and roamed vast areas of the world. There’s proof they once inhabited 4 different continents: Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. Although there were great numbers, a shift in climate change resulted in an extreme mass extinction of all but one species of cheetah. It’s estimated that only 7 may have remained alive through this period. 

Cheetahs eventually made a comeback but are now suffering from many genetic problems. When numbers were low, it forced them to take part in inbreeding. Inbreeding took away all genetic diversity from these animals. When cheetah blood is tested, it appears as if each cheetah is a twin to one another. Most mammals have a distinct difference in their genetic makeup, but cheetahs, on the other hand, have almost 99% of the same genes.   

As a result of genetic issues, cheetahs suffer from problems such as poor sperm quality, low birth survival rate, and are more likely to contract disease and viruses. If these animals contract a disease, it could have the potential to wipe out the entire population. In animals with a diverse gene pool,  this problem is unlikely because when a disease is contracted it only attacks the animals with a certain type of gene. 

Without genetic diversity, cheetahs will not be able to adapt. Efforts are currently being made to help with cheetah survival. Zoos and scientists are working together to add genetic diversity to the remaining population. Techniques such as artificial insemination help with the poor sperm quality. Eggs and sperm are being gathered from all over the world in hopes of adding as much genetic diversity to the cheetah population as possible.

Goodbye Land Animals

                                   Goodbye Land Animals

Endangered species is always an environmental issue that researchers are trying to solve. A recent study in nature suggested that without some form of radical change 25% of the world's land animals will become extinct within the next 50 years.

Habitat loss is by far the most widespread cause of species endangerment. This is usually due to human expansion and construction. Forests are cut down to create more land for agriculture or building and coastal marshlands are drained for the same reason. Agricultural activity such as removal of hedgerows and pesticide spraying have removed both habitat and food supply for many species. As habitat loss combines with other ecological disruptions, many species find it increasingly difficult to breed. This leads to a gradual decline in numbers until the point is reached where the species is no longer sustainable.

Pollution is a major disrupter and destroyer of ecosystems and this was graphically illustrated following the April 2010 Deep-water Horizon oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. This devastated many marine ecosystems and caused the death of countless seabirds and marine creatures.

Climate change can alter the delicate balance of an ecosystem. Relatively minor changes in temperature can allow some species to thrive, while others perish. More dramatic climate changes can lead to the melting of ice caps and glaciers. On a worldwide basis, the resulting rise in sea levels can disrupt the ecosystems of many species, including humans.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) maintains a Red List of Threatened Species. This is the most comprehensive inventory of the global status of plant and animal species. IUCN calculates that around 40% of the world's organisms are endangered.

The world and the species that inhabit it are vital to us all. Either directly or indirectly our world provides us with clean air, food, water, shelter, energy, soil, medicines, protection from natural disasters, as well as recreation, diversity, and beauty.

We need to start noticing that this is a fragile world. Many of its diverse species are in danger of being lost forever; basically the choice is ours if we want to save the world, or not.

Steps to Saving the Salt Creek Tiger Beetle

Before moving to Nebraska, not once had I ever heard about the Salt Creek tiger beetle, Cicindela nevadica lincolniana. Last year in one of my Natural Resources classes, I was asked to write a paragraph explaining the importance of the small beetle.  Not knowing anything at all, I vaguely wrote about how if the species were to go extinct, it would lead to many other damages or threats.  I handed in my assignment, which was mainly given to check attendance, and walked away thinking nothing more of it.

Since then, the Salt Creek tiger beetle has been brought up in conversation during many of my classes, and besides hearing what teachers and other students have said, I still was not understanding the importance of the beetle or what is being done to protect it. I didn’t even know what one looked like for that matter.  Last week for my Principles of Ecology lab, we took a field trip out to Nine Mile Prairie, but stopped along the way to look at the Salt Creek.  I never leave Lincoln really, unless it is to go back home to Minnesota, so it was my first time ever encountering the salt creek.  It didn’t look like much to me at first, but after realizing the fact that it is the home of an endangered species that is only native to Nebraska, made it much more interesting and special.  After class, I then went home and Googled the Salt Creek tiger beetle, realizing that by this time I should know much more about it.  I was surprised by how interested I was in what I found, and felt lame because I had failed to look it up sooner. 

Above is a picture os a Salt Creek tiger beetle

The beetle was officially declared an endangered species under the federal Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2005, and when last counted in 2009 only 194 individuals were recorded. The small (about .5 inches) beetles are known to occupy roughly 1,933 acres of land, declared as critical habitat in Saunders and Landcaster Counties. Critical habitat is defined by the Endangered Species Act as a geographic area containing features essential for the conservation of a threatened or endangered species and may require special management considerations or protection.  In 2009, the Nebraska Ecological Services Field Office released a recovery outline for the beetle, going into depth about the special management and protection efforts that need to take place in the beetles’ habitat.  Their initial action plan contains 7 steps, which are:

1.     Listing and critical habitat

·      Listed as an endangered species by the Fish and Wildlife Service in 2009.

2.     Protect existing populations

·      Recent declines in population numbers must be stopped.

3.     Species reintroduction

·      There are nine potential reintroduction areas with suitable habitat.

4.     Establish sustainable populations

·      Each population has a minimum of 500 to 1,000 individuals.

5.     Research

·      Includes monitoring populations, researching groundwater, and evaluating restoration practices.

6.     Outreach

·      Initiate efforts to inform the public, particularly landowners.

7.     Land use planning

·      Evaluate potential problems between land development and locations of recovery to determine reintroduction efforts.

For more information on the Salt Creek tiger beetle, visit these websites:

http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/invertebrates/saltcreektiger/

http://journalstar.com/news/local/article_93a4473e-4265-11df-9ce8-001cc4c002e0.html

Fossil Fuel Use

300 Years of FOSSIL FUELS in 300 Seconds

This is a youtube informational video presented by the Post Carbon Institute from 2010 exploring the last three hundred years of fossil fuel use by humans in a five and a half minute long video.  The sped up footage of an artist drawing cartoons is stimulating and fast-paced.  The speaker uses common language and basic world history to explain how we as a civilization have come to depend on fossil fuels.  

I think this is an exemplary case of communicating large and complex environmental issues to the general public and inciting action.

According to their website, the Post Carbon Institute is an organization that "provides individuals, communities, businesses, and governments with the resources needed to understand and respond to the interrelated economic, energy, environmental, and equity crises that define the 21st century. We envision a world of resilient communities and re-localized economies that thrive within ecological bounds."  Their goals are to: build awareness and understanding; foster collaboration; integrate knowledge; and inspire action.

Check out the Post Carbon Institute's website:

http://www.postcarbon.org/

Make a Change for the Better

This year has been one for the record books. Ocean temperatures, Arctic Ocean ice and a tough Midwestern drought plagued much of the United States this past summer. According to the March 2012 Climate Change in the American Mind survey, 14% of American’s attribute these natural phenomena to chance alone, the other 86% believe a climate change is to blame.

Lets say we go along with this theory of climate change for one minute. Of the three recent events that were listed, all of them had to do with water in one of the three stages, liquid rainfall, ice and evaporation. Water is one of the most important natural resources on the planet, with salt water making up about 70%. The massive storage capacity of our planet for heat and energy reflects the differences in climates throughout the world.

Above image of plankton bloom courtesy of NASA on May 18^th, 2012

  

Above image of plankton bloom courtesy of NASA on July 15^th, 2012

This past month alone has seen record ocean temperatures off the coast of New England. The average ocean temperature for the past three decades is 48 degrees and within the first half of 2012 hit a new record with 3 degrees warmer. This increase in heat has led to one of the earliest and longest lasting plankton blooms in history. Plankton, a stage one producer within the food chain, influences the spawning times of marine species that use the blooms as a source of food. With the uncertainty of a main food source, marine organisms may not be able to keep up with this years commercial fishing rates. As a consequence, many commercial fisheries are moving North and East to cooler waters to catch a better harvest.

            Mike Fogarty, head of Ecosystem Assessment Program, says, "What this early start means for the Northeast shelf ecosystem and its marine life is unknown. What is known is that things are changing, and we need to continue monitoring and adapting to these changes."

Above image of Arctic Ice Cap courtesy of NASA

Along with raising sea temperatures comes a new record low for the amount of ice contained within the frozen cap of the Arctic Ocean. On September 16th, 2012, the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) recorded the arctic cap to be 1.32 million sq/miles across, a whole 290,000 sq/miles less than the previous record in 2007, which is roughly the size of Texas.

In result of oceanic changes, researchers at the National Aeronautics Space Administration are developing a study to focus on the effect of higher salinity in oceans due to an increase in temperature. SPURS, or the Salinity Processes in the Upper Ocean Regional Study, are unmanned devices placed out in the ocean for the collection of seasonal variation data in ocean salinity. With this information, a better understanding of Earth's rainfall patterns will emerge and scientists may be able to predict ozonic changes due to greenhouse gasses. Hopefully this information will adjust some opinions about climate change.