This is the first in a three-part introductory series on water quality. This article focuses on potential contaminants that can negatively impact the quality of your water. The second article will give you information on bottled water. The final article discusses water filtration and water treatment options available to consumers.
Having reliable access to high quality drinking water is important for everybody. Many factors might affect your home water quality. The first thing people think about when they think about the quality of their home water is possible contamination. Contamination concerns are different for homes that receive their water from a local municipality than they are for those who receive their water from a well. Well water quality is often more of a concern because there are many more variables at play. However, city water has possible problems as well. In addition to contaminants that may be present in your water, the hardness of your water, whether it is from a city treatment facility or a well, can be an issue.
Possible Contaminants of City Water
Approximately 85% of homes in the United States get their home water delivered by a public water department. It is the responsibility of the municipality to ensure that the water delivered to our homes meets the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These regulations cover approximately 90 different substances and indicate what the maximum contaminant level is for each substance. Water is required to meet these specifications when it leaves the water treatment facility. However, just because our drinking water quality meets these water quality standards, it does not mean that it is completely safe.
Just because there is a water quality standard, that does not mean the standard is met or adhered to one hundred percent of the time. If a water treatment facility delivers water to the public with contaminant levels above those required by law, they must report that fact to the authorities, but there are rarely any consequences because enforcement of the Safe Drinking Water Act is lax. You can ask your local water department for a Consumer Confidence Report, which will list any pollutants that have been detected in your water over the past year. There have been reports of chemicals such as arsenic, uranium, bacteria, tetrachloroethylene, or radium in local drinking water sources.
In addition, some of the chemicals used to treat our water and make it safe to drink cause byproducts that themselves are unsafe. For example, water treatment facilities treat drinking water with chlorine to remove microbes and clean the water. A side effect is the formation of chlorination byproducts called trihalomethanes. These chlorination byproducts have been linked to an increased chance of cancer. There can be other unintentional contamination of public water supplies because the testing to make sure that the water is potable is done as it leaves the plant. Water sometimes sits in reservoirs before it is delivered to the customer and that adds an additional chance for contamination.
Possible Contaminants of Well Water
If you get your tap water from a private drinking water well, then the possible dangers associated with water quality are greater for you because you do not have government agencies regulating or testing the quality of your water constantly. It is your responsibility to make sure that your home water quality is acceptable for you and your family. There are some naturally occurring sources of contamination and others are caused by human activities. If you limit the activities around your private well, then you should be able to control the human aspects of water quality degradation, but you should still have your water quality tested at least once a year to make sure it is safe for consumption.
Some of the naturally occurring sources of water pollution are microorganisms, radionuclides, radon, heavy metals, and fluoride. Most microorganism contamination is a result of runoff from flooding. The water running over the ground can pick up bacteria and parasites from animal refuse and the soil. Underlying rock and soil can contain elements such as uranium and radium, which are radioactive, and they do pose a health risk. Radon is a gas that is produced when uranium starts to break down. That gas can find its way into your water supply and then into your home. Radon is most dangerous in the air, but radon in the water is a way to introduce the gas to your home. Heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, selenium, and lead are all present in rock and soil formations, but rarely in concentrations that would be harmful to your health. If these metals are present in high concentrations in your well water, it probably comes from a human pollution factor. Most people are surprised to hear that fluoride can be harmful because most public water treatment facilities add small amounts of fluoride to their drinking water to aid in dental health. However, large concentrations can lead to damaged bone tissue and are a real risk with private well water.
Local activities such as large-scale livestock operations, landfills, farming operations, mining, construction, manufacturing, and other industry can all affect the water quality of your well water. Livestock operations can be bad because the waste produced by thousands of animals has to go somewhere. Many farmers use the manure on their crops, but some of the waste migrates into the local water supply and can create water quality problems in your home. Pesticides and fertilizers can also be a source of pollution. Many chemical and industrial operations use harmful chemicals. These can contaminate the drinking water supply due to improper disposal of waste or accidental release. Your own activities can also put your water quality at risk. If you are not careful with normal household waste like cleaning solvents, used motor oil, paint, soaps, detergents, etc. they can contaminate your drink water. A cracked or faulty septic tank could also be a problem.
Water Hardness
Other than possible contaminants, water quality is also influenced by how hard your water is. Water hardness is a measurement of how high the mineral content is. The minerals that are present in hard water are primarily calcium and magnesium. While there is no evidence that water hardness has any adverse health effects, there is some anecdotal evidence that says hard water can cause dry skin.
Perhaps the most noticeable side effect of having hard water is that soap does not lather well in hard water. That is why you might notice a difference in how much lather forms when you wash your hair on vacation. If you have hard water at home, you tend to use more soap or shampoo to achieve the desired amount of lather when cleaning your body or hair. If you travel to a place with softer water, the same amount of soap or shampoo will produce much more lather than you are used to and you may feel like it is hard to rinse thoroughly.
About 85% of the households in the United States have what is considered hard water. That means that the water has at least 8 degrees of General Hardness or 80 milligrams of calcium oxide per liter of water. Some of the hardest water can be found in streams in Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, Arizona, and southern California. Some of the softest water can be found in parts of New England, the South Atlantic Gulf, the Pacific Northwest, and Hawaii.
Water Testing
If you are concerned about your water then you might want to consider water quality testing. You can either send your water to an accredited lab or purchase water quality testing kits that you can complete on your own. Obviously, you will get much more valuable results if you send your water to a lab because most in home water quality tests only show a positive or negative result and do not give you a quantitative answer. If you have well water, then you should test your water regularly. The EPA recommends at least once a year, but it is probably better to test it at least twice a year after the seasons change because spring and fall runoffs can cause many changes in your water quality.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Maria_K._Bernal
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
What is Water Purification? The Methods and Results of Filtering Water
Water purification is a procedure where unsafe elements are removed from a raw water source. The process is needed so that people are able to drink clean water without having to be adversely affected. Besides, the majority of drinking water is supposed to be for people to drink. In addition to that, water purification is also used for the following purposes:
· Pharmacology
· Medical
· Industrial
· Chemical
There are also different methods to which this process is used that include:
· Filtration
· Reverse Osmosis
· Water Softening
· Ultra filtration
With the water purification process, governments are involved in the quality of water their region will consume. They are responsible for having a low and a high end of points of contaminants. With this, there are elements that dictate how the water will be produced.
There are some countries that are required to keep certain amounts of chlorine in their water system after the water is processed at the treatment plant. The chlorine is used to lessen the chance of the water getting unclean or unsafe again during the distribution process.
Water purification is also responsible for removing elements such as:
· particles of organic material that is suspended, parasites
· algae
· bacteria
· fungi
· viruses
· calcium
· magnesium
During this cleansing process, the smell, taste and appearance may or may not be removed. These items are not necessarily a requirement to conduct the purification. Some people think that they can determine whether or not the water is safe just by examining it with their eyes.
This is far from the truth. You can boil water or use a filter and you still would not be able to remove all of the impurities form the water you drink. The same holds true for natural spring water, which was considered harmless a few centuries ago.
Even that has to go through testing to see if it needs to be treated prior to consumption. In order to determine an authentic process to purify the water, a chemical analysis would have to be conducted. Funds have to be available to do this because this type of analysis is not cheap to perform.
Water can also be purified by boiling, bleaching or using iodine. Boiling is one of the best ways to get rid of impurities in the water. It will get rid of viruses and bacteria. However, it is not advised to be used when going camping because of the amount of fuel that is used for this process.
However people choose to do it, they must make sure that they are using the guidelines and purifying the water the right way for human consumption.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Judy_J_Turner
· Pharmacology
· Medical
· Industrial
· Chemical
There are also different methods to which this process is used that include:
· Filtration
· Reverse Osmosis
· Water Softening
· Ultra filtration
With the water purification process, governments are involved in the quality of water their region will consume. They are responsible for having a low and a high end of points of contaminants. With this, there are elements that dictate how the water will be produced.
There are some countries that are required to keep certain amounts of chlorine in their water system after the water is processed at the treatment plant. The chlorine is used to lessen the chance of the water getting unclean or unsafe again during the distribution process.
Water purification is also responsible for removing elements such as:
· particles of organic material that is suspended, parasites
· algae
· bacteria
· fungi
· viruses
· calcium
· magnesium
During this cleansing process, the smell, taste and appearance may or may not be removed. These items are not necessarily a requirement to conduct the purification. Some people think that they can determine whether or not the water is safe just by examining it with their eyes.
This is far from the truth. You can boil water or use a filter and you still would not be able to remove all of the impurities form the water you drink. The same holds true for natural spring water, which was considered harmless a few centuries ago.
Even that has to go through testing to see if it needs to be treated prior to consumption. In order to determine an authentic process to purify the water, a chemical analysis would have to be conducted. Funds have to be available to do this because this type of analysis is not cheap to perform.
Water can also be purified by boiling, bleaching or using iodine. Boiling is one of the best ways to get rid of impurities in the water. It will get rid of viruses and bacteria. However, it is not advised to be used when going camping because of the amount of fuel that is used for this process.
However people choose to do it, they must make sure that they are using the guidelines and purifying the water the right way for human consumption.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Judy_J_Turner
Why Should We Test Our Water?
If water smells bad or looks a little hazy, then we instantly know that there is something wrong. Unfortunately, it is also very possible that what we are drinking is crystal clear, tasteless and odorless, only to find out that it can still be unsafe for us to drink or use for cooking our food.
Water is one thing that is essential to all living things. It is needed in order to survive. There are water testing test kits available for sale, which are a very good way to see if there are any substances and contaminants in our water that we just cannot detect.
Here are some of the reasons that we should regularly conduct a water test:
1. Almost 40% of the rivers in the United States fail to meet the standards of clean water. According to Clean Water Action, approximately 7 million Americans become sick every year due to tap water that is contaminated. Regular water testing conducted on the public supply will help ensure that environmental and health standards of the country's Environmental Protection Agency are met.
2. Municipal drinking water systems provide 90% of Americans with what they can drink. The law states that these supplies should regularly be tested for radioactive materials, toxic chemicals, pathogens and other contaminants. However, private water supplies are not tested. This responsibility generally lies with the property owners. If you find yourself about to purchase a home, it would be a good idea to test the water supply that can be found in the local area first.
3. A water test kit will be able to show the levels of harmful substances in the water. Harmful minerals and chemicals in what we drink can contribute to lead poisoning, heart disease and even cancer. Certain substances found in this resource can also change the taste of what we drink and what we eat.
4. If we have our water tested and find that it is below safety standards, then we can end the problem as soon as possible. By knowing that there is something wrong and that something must be done, a home purification system can be purchased in order to make the water more potable.
There are generally two ways of water testing. One way is to do it on your own by purchasing a home water test kit. You will need to get some from the tap, place it into a glass and simply follow the instructions found on the kit.
Another option is to obtain a sample from your home and take it to a local testing facility. Depending on where you live and what kind of testing facilities around you, this way of testing water could be hard.
Either way, we should make it a point to test our water on an annual basis. It doesn't matter whether we choose to test it ourselves, or if we ask a professional to do it. We must do our part to ensure that our family is drinking safe and clean water.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lena_M_Butler
Water is one thing that is essential to all living things. It is needed in order to survive. There are water testing test kits available for sale, which are a very good way to see if there are any substances and contaminants in our water that we just cannot detect.
Here are some of the reasons that we should regularly conduct a water test:
1. Almost 40% of the rivers in the United States fail to meet the standards of clean water. According to Clean Water Action, approximately 7 million Americans become sick every year due to tap water that is contaminated. Regular water testing conducted on the public supply will help ensure that environmental and health standards of the country's Environmental Protection Agency are met.
2. Municipal drinking water systems provide 90% of Americans with what they can drink. The law states that these supplies should regularly be tested for radioactive materials, toxic chemicals, pathogens and other contaminants. However, private water supplies are not tested. This responsibility generally lies with the property owners. If you find yourself about to purchase a home, it would be a good idea to test the water supply that can be found in the local area first.
3. A water test kit will be able to show the levels of harmful substances in the water. Harmful minerals and chemicals in what we drink can contribute to lead poisoning, heart disease and even cancer. Certain substances found in this resource can also change the taste of what we drink and what we eat.
4. If we have our water tested and find that it is below safety standards, then we can end the problem as soon as possible. By knowing that there is something wrong and that something must be done, a home purification system can be purchased in order to make the water more potable.
There are generally two ways of water testing. One way is to do it on your own by purchasing a home water test kit. You will need to get some from the tap, place it into a glass and simply follow the instructions found on the kit.
Another option is to obtain a sample from your home and take it to a local testing facility. Depending on where you live and what kind of testing facilities around you, this way of testing water could be hard.
Either way, we should make it a point to test our water on an annual basis. It doesn't matter whether we choose to test it ourselves, or if we ask a professional to do it. We must do our part to ensure that our family is drinking safe and clean water.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lena_M_Butler
What is the Best Water Bottle With a Filter?
When you think about a water bottle, you probably think of those cheaper bottles that you buy at the store. You probably fill up the bottle with some water, drink from it, and it doesn't even daze you that the water tastes like plastic. Who wants something like that anyways? You're going to find that many people just settle for cheap and that can be a bad thing, trust me!
If you're looking to find a bottle that's going to work for you, I wanted to tell you why you should look into a filtered water bottle. I don't know if you have drank from one before, but you're going to find that not only is there a huge difference in taste, you're going to save a ton of money when it comes time to purchasing water bottles.
Let's do the math for a second. Let's say that you spend $5 a week on a 24 pack of water. You're looking at $260 a year. If you pick up a nice filtered water bottle, you're probably going to spend $15 tops. Many filters on the market today are going to be able to filter out about 500 gallons of water, which can easily last you the entire year, if not more. Now, you see where I'm going to with this, right?
What are the best water bottle filters on the market?
Surprisingly, there are a lot of brands to choose from. Some of the highest rated ones on the market are from brands such as Clear2Go, New Wave, McNett, as well as Power. They all vary in shapes and sizes. Do you want a straw with yours? Do you want to drink straight from it? These are all questions that you're going to want o ask yourself.
When looking to purchase a bottle with a filter, make sure that it can filter out more than 500 gallons. Another thing to look into is to make sure that you can get a water bottle that is going to be durable. Check reviews, prices, and more. I would advise you that you shouldn't spend no more than $15 - $25 on a bottle. I had found that if you go online, you can generally get the best prices. By purchasing online, you're also going to be able to get a good idea on what other people think about the bottle.
Keep all these things in mind and you should be able to find one that works the best for you!
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Tessin
If you're looking to find a bottle that's going to work for you, I wanted to tell you why you should look into a filtered water bottle. I don't know if you have drank from one before, but you're going to find that not only is there a huge difference in taste, you're going to save a ton of money when it comes time to purchasing water bottles.
Let's do the math for a second. Let's say that you spend $5 a week on a 24 pack of water. You're looking at $260 a year. If you pick up a nice filtered water bottle, you're probably going to spend $15 tops. Many filters on the market today are going to be able to filter out about 500 gallons of water, which can easily last you the entire year, if not more. Now, you see where I'm going to with this, right?
What are the best water bottle filters on the market?
Surprisingly, there are a lot of brands to choose from. Some of the highest rated ones on the market are from brands such as Clear2Go, New Wave, McNett, as well as Power. They all vary in shapes and sizes. Do you want a straw with yours? Do you want to drink straight from it? These are all questions that you're going to want o ask yourself.
When looking to purchase a bottle with a filter, make sure that it can filter out more than 500 gallons. Another thing to look into is to make sure that you can get a water bottle that is going to be durable. Check reviews, prices, and more. I would advise you that you shouldn't spend no more than $15 - $25 on a bottle. I had found that if you go online, you can generally get the best prices. By purchasing online, you're also going to be able to get a good idea on what other people think about the bottle.
Keep all these things in mind and you should be able to find one that works the best for you!
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Tessin
Water Bottles with Filters
The times have changed and when you think of filling up with water in the past, you probably grabbed some awful old bottle off the shelf and it more than likely tasted like plastic!
It’s time to get rid of those older water bottles and switch to one that’s going to work for you. This is why I would recommend that you pick up a water bottle for your college days. You’re going to find that you’re going to get awfully thirsty during your lectures, as well as when you’re doing your homework. Instead of heading out to purchase $1.50 waters at the vending machine each day, you should consider a filtered water bottle.
Not only are these bottles going to be cheap, they are going to save you so much money over the long haul! They really only will cost you around $20 to maybe $40!
Listed below are 5 water bottles that you should check out that are going to work as a bottle, as well as filter the water coming through them.
Vitaminder LivPure Filtered Water Bottle (around $10): This relatively cheap water bottle is going to be the price of two cases of water, or even 7 bottles at the vending machine. It will improve the taste, as well as filters up to 500 bottles of water! You can also purchase replacement filters.
Portable Water Filter by ECOFLO (around $30): This cool water bottle not only is going to filter your water, but you can do it all within the bottle itself, making it very easy to use. They state that it is capable of 99.8% of reduction in all 4 areas of your water.
Brita 35391 Classic Pitcher (around $25): Yes, this is made from the popular filtering company, Brita. You’re going to fill your pitcher up, set it somewhere cold and with this kit, you’re going to get a handy dandy water bottle that you can use on the go.
ZeroWater ZJ-003 (around $70): This is a little on the expensive side, but what you’re going to find out is that you’re not going to have to carry around heavy pitcher, or a pallet of water. Instead, you can fill these water bottles on the go, making it very convenient for you.
Go Berkey Kit (around $140): Yes, this bottle is a little high, but if you’re going to be using it a lot, you may find that the investment is going to be well worth it. It comes included with a bottle, short stem, a carrying case, as well as a portable filter. It holds approximately 1 quart.
By going with one of these kits, you’re going to find that you can potentially save $100s over your college year. Since the filters rarely have to be changed ,the models above are going to be something that you’re going to want to look into!
It’s time to get rid of those older water bottles and switch to one that’s going to work for you. This is why I would recommend that you pick up a water bottle for your college days. You’re going to find that you’re going to get awfully thirsty during your lectures, as well as when you’re doing your homework. Instead of heading out to purchase $1.50 waters at the vending machine each day, you should consider a filtered water bottle.
Not only are these bottles going to be cheap, they are going to save you so much money over the long haul! They really only will cost you around $20 to maybe $40!
Listed below are 5 water bottles that you should check out that are going to work as a bottle, as well as filter the water coming through them.
Vitaminder LivPure Filtered Water Bottle (around $10): This relatively cheap water bottle is going to be the price of two cases of water, or even 7 bottles at the vending machine. It will improve the taste, as well as filters up to 500 bottles of water! You can also purchase replacement filters.
Portable Water Filter by ECOFLO (around $30): This cool water bottle not only is going to filter your water, but you can do it all within the bottle itself, making it very easy to use. They state that it is capable of 99.8% of reduction in all 4 areas of your water.
Brita 35391 Classic Pitcher (around $25): Yes, this is made from the popular filtering company, Brita. You’re going to fill your pitcher up, set it somewhere cold and with this kit, you’re going to get a handy dandy water bottle that you can use on the go.
ZeroWater ZJ-003 (around $70): This is a little on the expensive side, but what you’re going to find out is that you’re not going to have to carry around heavy pitcher, or a pallet of water. Instead, you can fill these water bottles on the go, making it very convenient for you.
Go Berkey Kit (around $140): Yes, this bottle is a little high, but if you’re going to be using it a lot, you may find that the investment is going to be well worth it. It comes included with a bottle, short stem, a carrying case, as well as a portable filter. It holds approximately 1 quart.
By going with one of these kits, you’re going to find that you can potentially save $100s over your college year. Since the filters rarely have to be changed ,the models above are going to be something that you’re going to want to look into!
Pure Drinking Water
To get pure drinking liquid that is good for you, it is a must to consider what type of water filtration system you want. You can filter only your drinking water, your bath water or the water for your entire home. The last of which would cost you a lot more to filter the water for your entire home, and it may not be entirely necessary if you do not intend to drink your bath water. Even so, filtering your home water supply would be more cost effective than buying bottled water and you would be saved from the dangers of tap water. Also if you are using one of the safer methods of water purification you will not be robbing yourself of essential minerals.
Ultraviolet purification systems are affordable and they work quite well. It allows us to have clean water which has been removed of harmful toxins. The ultraviolet liquid treatment is perhaps one of the most effective means of purifying water and there are many positive reasons to go with this method. For example, this system doesn't leave behind chemicals. The taste of the water won't be changed and there are no by-products. Consequently, in addition to producing safe drinking water, it is not harmful to your plumbing and septic system. Also keep in mind ultraviolet treatment will not remove the essential minerals that you need to have for nutritional value in the liquid supply. Pure drinking water is the most essential part of your diet and the diet of your family.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_D._Edwards
Ultraviolet purification systems are affordable and they work quite well. It allows us to have clean water which has been removed of harmful toxins. The ultraviolet liquid treatment is perhaps one of the most effective means of purifying water and there are many positive reasons to go with this method. For example, this system doesn't leave behind chemicals. The taste of the water won't be changed and there are no by-products. Consequently, in addition to producing safe drinking water, it is not harmful to your plumbing and septic system. Also keep in mind ultraviolet treatment will not remove the essential minerals that you need to have for nutritional value in the liquid supply. Pure drinking water is the most essential part of your diet and the diet of your family.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_D._Edwards
Are Plastic Water Bottles Eco Friendly
So you want to know are plastic water bottles eco friendly. The short answer is "no", no ands, ifs or buts, just a flat out "no". Here's why.
Plastics are derived from petrochemicals. Petrochemicals are byproducts of the process used to convert petroleum into gasoline or petrol. It is true that these byproducts will be available for as long as we are dependent on gasoline. But, what happens if we find alternative fuel sources?
Scientists started out using petrochemicals as a replacement for rubber. Rubber trees were scarce and not fast-growing. As the automobile industry grew, we needed more tires and more rubber. Petrochemicals became the solution.
Over the years, petrochemicals have been used to make a countless array of consumables. Here's one that may really surprise you. They are use in foods as artificial preservatives, flavourings and colourings.
This may also surprise you. The vitamins that you take every day are more than likely synthetic ones, derived from petrochemicals. The enteric coatings used to protect them may be made of petrochemicals.
There are natural alternatives for all of the consumables made from this petroleum waste. But, they do cost more.
Understanding the composition of the material is only part of the answer to; are plastic water bottles eco friendly. There is also the factor of biodegradability. These materials do not break down naturally in nature.
If they are not recycled, they will stay in the landfill for an unknown period of time, possibly for as long as the world exists. Most people do not recycle.
So, the bottled beverage companies have given you a different answer to; are plastic water bottles eco friendly. They told you that since they are using less plastic, the bottle is better, somehow.
While it might take up less space in a landfill, there are still all of the same issues of biodegradability and petrochemicals.
Environmental groups like the Sierra Club have estimated that three times the water found in a bottle for sale at your grocers is wasted during the production of the bottle. They are primarily concerned about how the bottled beverage industry is wasting our most precious natural resource; freshwater.
In areas surrounding deep wells where companies packaged "spring" waters, private wells and ponds have dried up.
The problem was so bad in one town that the companies were required to provide bottled beverages for all of the residents until the situation could be resolved.
What do you think? Are plastic water bottles eco friendly? It is impossible for them to be considered anything but the opposite.
The safest and best solution is to install a purifier in your home.
You can purchase glass or stainless steel containers and take your own beverages with you wherever you go.
You will be sure about exposure to contaminants, which is something you can never be sure of when you buy bottled beverages.
Remember what you have learned here about are plastic water bottles eco friendly. Try not to buy them if you can help it at all.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gordon_P_Hall
Plastics are derived from petrochemicals. Petrochemicals are byproducts of the process used to convert petroleum into gasoline or petrol. It is true that these byproducts will be available for as long as we are dependent on gasoline. But, what happens if we find alternative fuel sources?
Scientists started out using petrochemicals as a replacement for rubber. Rubber trees were scarce and not fast-growing. As the automobile industry grew, we needed more tires and more rubber. Petrochemicals became the solution.
Over the years, petrochemicals have been used to make a countless array of consumables. Here's one that may really surprise you. They are use in foods as artificial preservatives, flavourings and colourings.
This may also surprise you. The vitamins that you take every day are more than likely synthetic ones, derived from petrochemicals. The enteric coatings used to protect them may be made of petrochemicals.
There are natural alternatives for all of the consumables made from this petroleum waste. But, they do cost more.
Understanding the composition of the material is only part of the answer to; are plastic water bottles eco friendly. There is also the factor of biodegradability. These materials do not break down naturally in nature.
If they are not recycled, they will stay in the landfill for an unknown period of time, possibly for as long as the world exists. Most people do not recycle.
So, the bottled beverage companies have given you a different answer to; are plastic water bottles eco friendly. They told you that since they are using less plastic, the bottle is better, somehow.
While it might take up less space in a landfill, there are still all of the same issues of biodegradability and petrochemicals.
Environmental groups like the Sierra Club have estimated that three times the water found in a bottle for sale at your grocers is wasted during the production of the bottle. They are primarily concerned about how the bottled beverage industry is wasting our most precious natural resource; freshwater.
In areas surrounding deep wells where companies packaged "spring" waters, private wells and ponds have dried up.
The problem was so bad in one town that the companies were required to provide bottled beverages for all of the residents until the situation could be resolved.
What do you think? Are plastic water bottles eco friendly? It is impossible for them to be considered anything but the opposite.
The safest and best solution is to install a purifier in your home.
You can purchase glass or stainless steel containers and take your own beverages with you wherever you go.
You will be sure about exposure to contaminants, which is something you can never be sure of when you buy bottled beverages.
Remember what you have learned here about are plastic water bottles eco friendly. Try not to buy them if you can help it at all.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gordon_P_Hall
To Save the Environment Life
'Go green’ is perhaps the most repeated buzz word in global arena. Yes, we have come to a point where if we don’t contribute our bit, we will soon be subject to extinction just the way dinosaurs vanished from the earth. The life on earth is facing serious problems in form of global warming, air pollution, water pollution, dwindling natural resources, depleting ozone layer and waste disposal. We are constantly being talked about ‘save our environment’ because that is the most crucial thing facing the earth. We have always been taught about healthy environment and how important it is for us to conserve our natural resources. But then, not many of us can really claim to have taken steps that have helped in saving the environment. If we haven’t then it’s high time to take some major steps towards saving the environment.
Every goal, dream or vision begins with some tiny steps. Similarly, if we are imagining a clean and healthy environment as our legacy for the coming generations then we need to start from scratch. We don’t have to indulge in any serious measures and lengthy procedures. We have kept thinking about major issues like deforestation, fear of extinction being faced by precious animal life and pollution curb etc but we need to begin with simple, basic steps. If each one of us can just perform few basic tasks, we will have contributed a great deal in saving the environment.
Start with switching off the lights, fan, radio system or television before you leave the house or when they are not being used. If you have an air-conditioner, replace the air filters once a month. If you have computer or laptop at home, keep it in hibernation or sleep mode when you are not using. If you have gadgets and equipments, make sure to use them efficiently. Pay adequate attention to water heaters and refrigerators as they consume lot of power. Never ever waste water. Do not allow your buckets to overflow. Turn off the taps. Use showers judiciously. Do not pollute water bodies as water is perhaps the most precious natural resource.
Try to plant some trees every year. The way deforestation is taking place, planting few trees every year will go a long way in bringing back the balance to the planet earth. To reduce air pollution, use bicycles or public transport. Maintain your vehicles in top condition by clearing their exhaust pipes regularly and keeping the pollution under check. Try to use natural gas instead of petrol and diesel.
Use renewable source of energy. You always have the choice of reducing the use of plastic and rubber. Use paper bags and reusable canvas bags. Go for recycled products as they help saving the precious natural resources. It is always wise to use products that can be reused.
For business people, it is important to save paper. Print only when it is absolutely necessary. For correspondence, use emails instead of papers. Try to use reusable cups instead o disposable cups. Don’t use products that contain parts of animals like fur and ivory. These stuffs are leading to the extinction of animals. If you can, indulge in gardening and activities like composting. Go for organic foods that avoid usage of chemical fertilizers and synthetic nutrients. These are just few simple steps through which we can contribute towards saving the environment.
Every goal, dream or vision begins with some tiny steps. Similarly, if we are imagining a clean and healthy environment as our legacy for the coming generations then we need to start from scratch. We don’t have to indulge in any serious measures and lengthy procedures. We have kept thinking about major issues like deforestation, fear of extinction being faced by precious animal life and pollution curb etc but we need to begin with simple, basic steps. If each one of us can just perform few basic tasks, we will have contributed a great deal in saving the environment.
Start with switching off the lights, fan, radio system or television before you leave the house or when they are not being used. If you have an air-conditioner, replace the air filters once a month. If you have computer or laptop at home, keep it in hibernation or sleep mode when you are not using. If you have gadgets and equipments, make sure to use them efficiently. Pay adequate attention to water heaters and refrigerators as they consume lot of power. Never ever waste water. Do not allow your buckets to overflow. Turn off the taps. Use showers judiciously. Do not pollute water bodies as water is perhaps the most precious natural resource.
Try to plant some trees every year. The way deforestation is taking place, planting few trees every year will go a long way in bringing back the balance to the planet earth. To reduce air pollution, use bicycles or public transport. Maintain your vehicles in top condition by clearing their exhaust pipes regularly and keeping the pollution under check. Try to use natural gas instead of petrol and diesel.
Use renewable source of energy. You always have the choice of reducing the use of plastic and rubber. Use paper bags and reusable canvas bags. Go for recycled products as they help saving the precious natural resources. It is always wise to use products that can be reused.
For business people, it is important to save paper. Print only when it is absolutely necessary. For correspondence, use emails instead of papers. Try to use reusable cups instead o disposable cups. Don’t use products that contain parts of animals like fur and ivory. These stuffs are leading to the extinction of animals. If you can, indulge in gardening and activities like composting. Go for organic foods that avoid usage of chemical fertilizers and synthetic nutrients. These are just few simple steps through which we can contribute towards saving the environment.
Save the Environment
"Save the environment, save life" is a very important saying that is on top of every human mind these days. Many people are going the green way with a key objective to prevent nature and save the environment from the harmful effects of various human activities. With so much of pollution and ecological imbalance the present situation has become threatening. The issues are now alarming even to the best of environmentalists who are constantly and rigorously in search of ways and methodologies to save the environment that is gradually taking its toll on human life. Therefore it has become very important to take significant steps and save life.
There are many factors that have contributed to the threatening effects of the environment. The most alarming among them are global warming, depletion of ozone layer, air pollution, and water pollution.
Global warming is a life-threatening problem the world is facing today. It is a condition when the temperature of the earth rises due to the action of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. The emission of these gases into the atmosphere traps heat and light from the sun that rises the temperature of the earth. Though the issue has become life-threatening there are significant ways we can reduce its harmful effects. The most measurable step is to switch over to fuel-efficient cars that produce comparatively less amount of carbon dioxide emissions. As carbon dioxide is the leading cause of global warming, a drastic reduction of its emission into the atmosphere will be of great help to environment as well as to human life. There are other ways as well like insulating home, car pooling, planting a tree, and using more of public transportation.
Depletion of ozone layer is another alarming issue for the environmentalists. Ozone is an important component in the atmosphere that protects human from the harmful ultra-violet rays. Sadly, human activities have caused ozone depletion which can be disastrous if not controlled now. The key factor causing this depletion is the increase in the level of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC). In the stratosphere this compound breaks down to release a free chlorine atom that reacts with an ozone molecule to form chlorine monoxide and a molecule of oxygen. The resultant chlorine monoxide also reacts with ozone molecule to form a chlorine atom and two molecules of oxygen. The reaction keeps on repeating as and when a free chlorine atom is released. In the process amount of ozone in the stratosphere is drastically reduced which has become a serious concern. There are various ways to fight the issue like avoiding the use of aerosols, insulating home, and avoiding purchase of polystyrene products. It is also very important to keep a regular check of air-conditioner fitted in cars because any leakage in the coolant will release high amount of CFC.
Air pollution caused due to various human actions like smoking, forest destruction, excessive use of air-conditioners, and increasing reliability of private vehicles has considerably caused a serious threat to the environment. It is very significant to keep a control on the increasing pollution in order to save nature and life from the grip of destruction and disaster. To fight the problem the best ways are to use car pool or public transportation as much as possible, avoid both active and passive smoking, minimize the use of air-conditioner, stop the use of wood stoves, avoid purchase of formaldehyde products, remove asbestos if found anywhere at home, and make maximum use of energy-efficient appliances.
Water pollution is also increasing due to uncontrolled human activities. Air and water both are necessary for life and if polluted it will directly leave a distressing impact on human life. Take necessary steps to reduce water pollution by keeping a thorough check on the water supply. Do not dump or dispose any kind of chemical or toxic substance down the drain or in any kind of water body. There is also an urgency to do a periodic test or verification of the drinking water as it may contain bacteria, metals, and various other toxic chemicals.
Just one step ahead and you can save the environment, eventually save life on earth.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennie_Gandhi
There are many factors that have contributed to the threatening effects of the environment. The most alarming among them are global warming, depletion of ozone layer, air pollution, and water pollution.
Global warming is a life-threatening problem the world is facing today. It is a condition when the temperature of the earth rises due to the action of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. The emission of these gases into the atmosphere traps heat and light from the sun that rises the temperature of the earth. Though the issue has become life-threatening there are significant ways we can reduce its harmful effects. The most measurable step is to switch over to fuel-efficient cars that produce comparatively less amount of carbon dioxide emissions. As carbon dioxide is the leading cause of global warming, a drastic reduction of its emission into the atmosphere will be of great help to environment as well as to human life. There are other ways as well like insulating home, car pooling, planting a tree, and using more of public transportation.
Depletion of ozone layer is another alarming issue for the environmentalists. Ozone is an important component in the atmosphere that protects human from the harmful ultra-violet rays. Sadly, human activities have caused ozone depletion which can be disastrous if not controlled now. The key factor causing this depletion is the increase in the level of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC). In the stratosphere this compound breaks down to release a free chlorine atom that reacts with an ozone molecule to form chlorine monoxide and a molecule of oxygen. The resultant chlorine monoxide also reacts with ozone molecule to form a chlorine atom and two molecules of oxygen. The reaction keeps on repeating as and when a free chlorine atom is released. In the process amount of ozone in the stratosphere is drastically reduced which has become a serious concern. There are various ways to fight the issue like avoiding the use of aerosols, insulating home, and avoiding purchase of polystyrene products. It is also very important to keep a regular check of air-conditioner fitted in cars because any leakage in the coolant will release high amount of CFC.
Air pollution caused due to various human actions like smoking, forest destruction, excessive use of air-conditioners, and increasing reliability of private vehicles has considerably caused a serious threat to the environment. It is very significant to keep a control on the increasing pollution in order to save nature and life from the grip of destruction and disaster. To fight the problem the best ways are to use car pool or public transportation as much as possible, avoid both active and passive smoking, minimize the use of air-conditioner, stop the use of wood stoves, avoid purchase of formaldehyde products, remove asbestos if found anywhere at home, and make maximum use of energy-efficient appliances.
Water pollution is also increasing due to uncontrolled human activities. Air and water both are necessary for life and if polluted it will directly leave a distressing impact on human life. Take necessary steps to reduce water pollution by keeping a thorough check on the water supply. Do not dump or dispose any kind of chemical or toxic substance down the drain or in any kind of water body. There is also an urgency to do a periodic test or verification of the drinking water as it may contain bacteria, metals, and various other toxic chemicals.
Just one step ahead and you can save the environment, eventually save life on earth.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennie_Gandhi
Factors Responsible For Global Warming - Natural & Human Induced Activities
Nowadays, global warming has been an issue of consideration by world leaders as well as environmentalist; however, different solutions have been proffered on ways to control this social hazard. We know that lots of natural & human persuaded activities have been traced to global warming along with an increase of temperature in our planet.
This form is caused as a result of a progressive rise in the average temperature on the earth's surface as well as a result of sunlight being ensnared by a range of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane which are either released via natural components of the planet or human tempted activities.
Since so many years, global warming cynics and preserv
ationist have argued that human induced activities or natural disasters are the key factor for the rise of global warming and the drastic climatic change across the globe.
Some human induced factors which cause global warming:
Mining: Subsequent to a mining activity by digging the earth, a fat amount of methane gases beneath the surface of the earth are released into the air and then after for long time it can cause serious damaging effect to the atmosphere.
Pollution: We know that pollution is one of the major greeter as well as definitely a exhausting factor of the environment. Vehicle and industrial pollution are two major types of pollution which are directly associated with global warming.
Deforestation: As plants give out oxygen and absorbs carbon dioxide, unnecessary cutting of the trees by humans origins raise in the carbon dioxide and less oxygen in circulation.
Population: Due to raise of the global population the release of carbon dioxide generally increased which leads to more carbon dioxide in circulation and thereby causing global warming.
Natural factors which cause the global warming:
Solar variations: Due to the process of orbiting the sun, the earth alters angle as well as tilt over a period. And as an end result, the planet variants because of the level of sunlight received that also causes a significant rise in temperature.
Volcanic eruptions: Volcanic explosions also reason for global warming by the release carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
The release of methane gases: Greenhouse gas - Methane traps sunlight and thereby making the planet a bit warmer.
Mass extermination as well as climatic modify are just some of its many effects. Global warming regrettably has sustained to increase and has caused a major concern on how to balance its effect between developed, underdeveloped & developing countries of the world. It has an irresistible effect on the environment as well as plants, animals and human beings. However, extinction of animals or plant will equally affect man but since animal, plants and man depends on themselves for survival any extinction on one will adversely affect the other by mounting up pressure on the other.
This form is caused as a result of a progressive rise in the average temperature on the earth's surface as well as a result of sunlight being ensnared by a range of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane which are either released via natural components of the planet or human tempted activities.
Since so many years, global warming cynics and preserv
ationist have argued that human induced activities or natural disasters are the key factor for the rise of global warming and the drastic climatic change across the globe.Some human induced factors which cause global warming:
Mining: Subsequent to a mining activity by digging the earth, a fat amount of methane gases beneath the surface of the earth are released into the air and then after for long time it can cause serious damaging effect to the atmosphere.
Pollution: We know that pollution is one of the major greeter as well as definitely a exhausting factor of the environment. Vehicle and industrial pollution are two major types of pollution which are directly associated with global warming.
Deforestation: As plants give out oxygen and absorbs carbon dioxide, unnecessary cutting of the trees by humans origins raise in the carbon dioxide and less oxygen in circulation.
Population: Due to raise of the global population the release of carbon dioxide generally increased which leads to more carbon dioxide in circulation and thereby causing global warming.
Natural factors which cause the global warming:
Solar variations: Due to the process of orbiting the sun, the earth alters angle as well as tilt over a period. And as an end result, the planet variants because of the level of sunlight received that also causes a significant rise in temperature.
Volcanic eruptions: Volcanic explosions also reason for global warming by the release carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
The release of methane gases: Greenhouse gas - Methane traps sunlight and thereby making the planet a bit warmer.
Mass extermination as well as climatic modify are just some of its many effects. Global warming regrettably has sustained to increase and has caused a major concern on how to balance its effect between developed, underdeveloped & developing countries of the world. It has an irresistible effect on the environment as well as plants, animals and human beings. However, extinction of animals or plant will equally affect man but since animal, plants and man depends on themselves for survival any extinction on one will adversely affect the other by mounting up pressure on the other.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Natural purified Water
If you're like me, you're very concerned with the drinking and bathing quality of water. In fact, if you've found this site at all, then you must already know about how serious some of these concerns are.
As consumers and educated citizens, we've witnessed the huge trend of people turning towards natural health -- the rise of the organic food movement, the backlash against pesticides, the booming of local farmer's markets, and so forth -- and now, we're starting to wake up to the most important thing we can do for our health: drinking pure water.
The sad reality is, though, in an era of rising health consciousness, our drinking water purity is declining. Some comprehensive studies are now showing that there are over 2,100 toxins in our drinking water. These toxins include: chlorine, lead, chemicals that get into the water supply from large farming run offs, and corporate pollution.
All of this stuff may be found in your tap water.
People think they are protecting themselves by drinking bottled water. But bottled water may be the biggest scam of all. Bottled water may be no more pure than tap water. This is because there are simply no government standards that require bottled water be any better.
No less an authority than the FDA states: "Companies that market bottled water as being safer than tap water are defrauding the American public."
Don't you find it amazing that bottled water, ounce for ounce, can cost more than gasoline? And, if you're an environmentally conscious sort of person, you should also consider this statement: "It [the purchase of bottled water] causes millions of plastic bottles to be manufactured, transported and then disposed of in U.S. landfills, it's killing our planet, and for no good reason..." Eric Olsen, Natural Resources Defense Council.
So, what's the solution if you want to protect the health of you and your family, and that of the planet? The answer is the use of a home water filtration system.
But not just any filtration system. You see, there are significant differences between products. And more expensive does not necessarily mean better.
Let's consider a few points:
1) The best selling systems out there right now are so-called "reverse osmosis" or "distillation." These are actually not the optimal choice because although they can do a pretty good job of removing contaminants, they also remove the beneficial minerals that are vital for our health. Our bodies evolved to drink water with important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and more. Nowhere on earth does de-mineralized water appear naturally.
2) Many systems do not employ multi-filtration. This effectively means that some of the worst toxic offenders are not filtered out, and you may still be drinking some of that bad stuff you are trying to avoid.
3) Many of us don't consider the purity of the water we cook food with or the water we shower or bathe in. Remember: when you shower, the warm water opens up the pores of your skin and all of that water penetrates into it. Pure water is very beneficial for the skin and hydrates it. If you suffer from dryness, or any skin condition or disorder, it's even more important that you are bathing in purified water.
Now, there are many well known brands and companies out there that produce good, decent products. But dollar for dollar, there is none better than Aquasana. They have been voted "Best Buy" by Consumer Digest magazine five years running now.
And, because we are all on a budget, they have products for all budget ranges.
1. They sell products just for filtering shower water. Just a couple of the comments about this product include:
"It's like showering in natural spring water!" Jonathan Antin/Celebrity Hair Stylist, Host of Reality Show "Blow-Out"
2. They sell water filters just for individual faucets, such as your kitchen faucet.
3. They sell individual glass bottle filters you can take anywhere that replace
plastic bottled water.
4. And, of course, they sell a top rated whole house water purifier and filter.
As consumers and educated citizens, we've witnessed the huge trend of people turning towards natural health -- the rise of the organic food movement, the backlash against pesticides, the booming of local farmer's markets, and so forth -- and now, we're starting to wake up to the most important thing we can do for our health: drinking pure water.
The sad reality is, though, in an era of rising health consciousness, our drinking water purity is declining. Some comprehensive studies are now showing that there are over 2,100 toxins in our drinking water. These toxins include: chlorine, lead, chemicals that get into the water supply from large farming run offs, and corporate pollution.
All of this stuff may be found in your tap water.
People think they are protecting themselves by drinking bottled water. But bottled water may be the biggest scam of all. Bottled water may be no more pure than tap water. This is because there are simply no government standards that require bottled water be any better.
No less an authority than the FDA states: "Companies that market bottled water as being safer than tap water are defrauding the American public."
Don't you find it amazing that bottled water, ounce for ounce, can cost more than gasoline? And, if you're an environmentally conscious sort of person, you should also consider this statement: "It [the purchase of bottled water] causes millions of plastic bottles to be manufactured, transported and then disposed of in U.S. landfills, it's killing our planet, and for no good reason..." Eric Olsen, Natural Resources Defense Council.
So, what's the solution if you want to protect the health of you and your family, and that of the planet? The answer is the use of a home water filtration system.
But not just any filtration system. You see, there are significant differences between products. And more expensive does not necessarily mean better.
Let's consider a few points:
1) The best selling systems out there right now are so-called "reverse osmosis" or "distillation." These are actually not the optimal choice because although they can do a pretty good job of removing contaminants, they also remove the beneficial minerals that are vital for our health. Our bodies evolved to drink water with important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and more. Nowhere on earth does de-mineralized water appear naturally.
2) Many systems do not employ multi-filtration. This effectively means that some of the worst toxic offenders are not filtered out, and you may still be drinking some of that bad stuff you are trying to avoid.
3) Many of us don't consider the purity of the water we cook food with or the water we shower or bathe in. Remember: when you shower, the warm water opens up the pores of your skin and all of that water penetrates into it. Pure water is very beneficial for the skin and hydrates it. If you suffer from dryness, or any skin condition or disorder, it's even more important that you are bathing in purified water.
Now, there are many well known brands and companies out there that produce good, decent products. But dollar for dollar, there is none better than Aquasana. They have been voted "Best Buy" by Consumer Digest magazine five years running now.
And, because we are all on a budget, they have products for all budget ranges.
1. They sell products just for filtering shower water. Just a couple of the comments about this product include:
"It's like showering in natural spring water!" Jonathan Antin/Celebrity Hair Stylist, Host of Reality Show "Blow-Out"
2. They sell water filters just for individual faucets, such as your kitchen faucet.
3. They sell individual glass bottle filters you can take anywhere that replace
plastic bottled water.
4. And, of course, they sell a top rated whole house water purifier and filter.
Eco Friendly Shower Heads Protect Your Whole Family
If you are someone that finds yourself concerned about the state of the environment, then you might want to consider the use of eco friendly shower heads and tap water filters in your home. Even though I am sure you are doing the best that you can to cut down on the impact that contaminants are having on out ecosystem, you may have never considered how much filtering your water can help things. Most people only consider the purchase of a drinking water filter to be a worthwhile investment, and then they are only considering things from a health standpoint.
There is a growing concern about the state of our reservoir system, as it is literally teeming with chemical and biological pollutants. The presence of as many as 80,000 individual chemicals in our groundwater system is enough to make anyone want to protect themselves. Even those looking to preserve the health of their family rarely think about the need for high quality eco friendly shower heads in their home.
You might be surprised to know that you actually take in thousands of times more of the carcinogenic chemical chlorine while showering, than it is possible for you to ingest. Chlorine is a chemical, so it vaporizes much more rapidly than water does. What this means is that while you are breathing in steam during the course of your shower, what you are taking in is primarily chlorine.
You are also exposed to a steady flow of methane gas, and the chloroform that is produced when THMs hit the air. All of these chemical compounds quickly enter the bloodstream through the porous tissue of the lungs, and once there they accumulate in the soft tissue throughout your body. The purchase of eco friendly shower heads for your home can prevent your family from being exposed to as much as 90% of these chemicals.
Another thing that these appliances are good for is keeping you from absorbing toxic heavy metals like copper and lead into your system while taking a bath. You may be thinking to yourself that you never take baths, but I would be willing to bet that your children take them. From an environmental standpoint it make sense that you would install drinking water and showerhead filters as well, and I will explain to you why that is. Everyone concerned about the environment knows to be careful about what they allow to go down the sewer, or into the groundwater system.
Anything that enters the system, will eventually work its way back to the source of your drinking water. The water treatment facilities pump this contaminated water right back in, and since they can't filter out these contaminants, they send them straight back to you.
When these contaminants enter your home, what is not captured in a drinking glass will be cycled back through the system. Eco friendly shower heads and drinking water filters remove high percentages of contaminants, so what goes back into the reservoir is actually cleaner than what originally came out. Do you see now why eco friendly shower heads and drinking water filters are important to the environment? And to your health.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gordon_P_Hall
There is a growing concern about the state of our reservoir system, as it is literally teeming with chemical and biological pollutants. The presence of as many as 80,000 individual chemicals in our groundwater system is enough to make anyone want to protect themselves. Even those looking to preserve the health of their family rarely think about the need for high quality eco friendly shower heads in their home.
You might be surprised to know that you actually take in thousands of times more of the carcinogenic chemical chlorine while showering, than it is possible for you to ingest. Chlorine is a chemical, so it vaporizes much more rapidly than water does. What this means is that while you are breathing in steam during the course of your shower, what you are taking in is primarily chlorine.
You are also exposed to a steady flow of methane gas, and the chloroform that is produced when THMs hit the air. All of these chemical compounds quickly enter the bloodstream through the porous tissue of the lungs, and once there they accumulate in the soft tissue throughout your body. The purchase of eco friendly shower heads for your home can prevent your family from being exposed to as much as 90% of these chemicals.
Another thing that these appliances are good for is keeping you from absorbing toxic heavy metals like copper and lead into your system while taking a bath. You may be thinking to yourself that you never take baths, but I would be willing to bet that your children take them. From an environmental standpoint it make sense that you would install drinking water and showerhead filters as well, and I will explain to you why that is. Everyone concerned about the environment knows to be careful about what they allow to go down the sewer, or into the groundwater system.
Anything that enters the system, will eventually work its way back to the source of your drinking water. The water treatment facilities pump this contaminated water right back in, and since they can't filter out these contaminants, they send them straight back to you.
When these contaminants enter your home, what is not captured in a drinking glass will be cycled back through the system. Eco friendly shower heads and drinking water filters remove high percentages of contaminants, so what goes back into the reservoir is actually cleaner than what originally came out. Do you see now why eco friendly shower heads and drinking water filters are important to the environment? And to your health.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gordon_P_Hall
Green Living - Time to Go Green
There are many ways to initiate green living. In order to make your life a bit better and a bit greener, you need to take certain steps so that you do not harm the resources of this planet. The first step that you can include if you wish to start green living is efficient energy consumption.
Many people don't realize that they waste large amounts of energy in various unnecessary things that could otherwise be saved. Electrical energy is made by the use of thermal resources and there are very few plants that make use of non renewable resources. Hence, the more energy you waste, the more thermal resources would be used up of the planet. If all these resources get used up, this could be very harmful for the planet in a variety of ways.
At present, we are rapidly using the planet's resources to facilitate and make our lives better. But, if we cut down on them, we could certainly make living on this planet a bit better and much greener. You can practice a variety of small things that could certainly save you a lot of energy which could otherwise reduce the load on the planet. If you have a car that runs on diesel or petrol, it would be wise to convert it to CNG, which uses compressed natural gas that is not harmful in any way to the planet. What happen when you use petrol or diesel is that carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are released in to the atmosphere, which harms the planet's atmosphere as well as the ozone layer of the planet.
We need to take care of the planet, because we have certainly used it in a very harmful way. Other things that we can do and change if we want to live greener life are that we can cut down on our energy consumption. Some of the largest amounts of energy are consumed when people leave the lights of their homes on and do not bother to turn them off. The lights just keep on using energy even though they are not being used in any way.
Therefore, it is always wise and highly recommended that you shut off the lights before leaving any room so that you can save on energy. A go green movement has been initiated by the people, and it is gaining a lot of popularity as more and more people are changing their lives and living methods so that their stay on this planet becomes favorable for them as well as for the planet. You need to take care of the planet, because if we don't then there is no one else who will. We need to practice just a few things which would certainly not restrict our lives in any possible manner, but would certainly allow the planet to heal itself and become a better place for everyone to live in. Start green living, and support the planet, because it never gives up on you.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elaine_Simmons
Many people don't realize that they waste large amounts of energy in various unnecessary things that could otherwise be saved. Electrical energy is made by the use of thermal resources and there are very few plants that make use of non renewable resources. Hence, the more energy you waste, the more thermal resources would be used up of the planet. If all these resources get used up, this could be very harmful for the planet in a variety of ways.
At present, we are rapidly using the planet's resources to facilitate and make our lives better. But, if we cut down on them, we could certainly make living on this planet a bit better and much greener. You can practice a variety of small things that could certainly save you a lot of energy which could otherwise reduce the load on the planet. If you have a car that runs on diesel or petrol, it would be wise to convert it to CNG, which uses compressed natural gas that is not harmful in any way to the planet. What happen when you use petrol or diesel is that carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are released in to the atmosphere, which harms the planet's atmosphere as well as the ozone layer of the planet.
We need to take care of the planet, because we have certainly used it in a very harmful way. Other things that we can do and change if we want to live greener life are that we can cut down on our energy consumption. Some of the largest amounts of energy are consumed when people leave the lights of their homes on and do not bother to turn them off. The lights just keep on using energy even though they are not being used in any way.
Therefore, it is always wise and highly recommended that you shut off the lights before leaving any room so that you can save on energy. A go green movement has been initiated by the people, and it is gaining a lot of popularity as more and more people are changing their lives and living methods so that their stay on this planet becomes favorable for them as well as for the planet. You need to take care of the planet, because if we don't then there is no one else who will. We need to practice just a few things which would certainly not restrict our lives in any possible manner, but would certainly allow the planet to heal itself and become a better place for everyone to live in. Start green living, and support the planet, because it never gives up on you.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elaine_Simmons
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
The Ascent of Man
What separates man from other primates, or indeed other animals? Jacob Bronowski, a mathematician trained in physics, examines the scientific and intellectual history of humankind in his book The Ascent of Man. Though the book is based on the television series aired on BBC in the 1970s, it is far from outdated. Over 30 years after it was first published; The Ascent of Man still invokes pride in our past and instills hope for our future in the reader.
Covering a wide canvas from the dawn of man until the modern times, Bronowski examines how man has been the shaper of his surroundings rather than being shaped by it. Every other species has been adapted to fit into a certain ecological niche; they have evolved for a particular environment. Man, despite his comparatively weak physical attributes has been able to shape the world with his unique set of gifts. Bronowski believes that it was not so much biological evolution, but cultural evolution that has made man what he is today.
Tracing the evolution of human from their hunter gather phase to the present one, he says that the change in diet from plant to animal based materials gave humans more time free to spend on building capabilities to get food from sources that could not be tackled by brute force. The most marked effect of this was to foster group action and communication. The next single largest step in the ascent of man was the change from a nomadic way of life to village agriculture, made possible by a set of natural and human events. Settled agriculture creates a technology from which all sciences take off.
Taking the reader on a journey through time, Bronowski delights in the inventions and scientific discoveries made over the last ten thousand years- from the domestication of wheat in 8000 BC to the double helix structure of the DNA in the 1950s. He describes the tools that extend the human hand as an instrument of vision- they reveal new structures and make it possible to put them together in imaginative combinations.
By delving deep into the lives and thoughts of an extraordinary range of people, Bronowski discusses a wider range of complex subjects from Anthropology to Astronomy and from Mathematics to the Life Sciences. He reveals the linkages that bring together cultures by introducing us to Pythagoras, who found a basic relation between musical harmony and mathematics, Euclid, Ptolemy and Arab scholars who delighted in calculation and geometry. The author demonstrates how the spread of ideas along the trade routes - the spread of the numeral system for notation of numbers from the Arab world and the decimal system from India - changed mathematics forever.
From mathematics to astronomy is a logical step. The Mayan civilization housed their astronomers in pyramid like structures and developed calendars to trace the journey of the stars, Copernicus placed the sun at the centre of the planetary system and Galileo gave his life to prove that this was so. The lives of these people have a profound impact on the modern way of life. While no account of the ascent of man can leave out Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein, Bronowski describes more than their work. He shows us how they thought and how their characters defined their work.
The Industrial Revolution was the greatest discoverer of power- a time when new sources of energy were discovered and used. With this came many of the characteristics of the modern world that we abhor- the factory system with inhuman work hours, tyrannical bosses, pollution and the domination of men by machines. While bringing these to our notice, Bronowski does not leave out the other side of this age - the delight of discovery and the sense of fun in finding new ways of doing things. He believes that this revolution is as important as the Renaissance in the ascent of man- while one established the dignity of man; the other established the unity of nature.
Describing the theory of evolution by natural selection put forward by Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace, Bronowski says that it was the most important single scientific innovation of the nineteenth century. It shows that the world is in movement and that creation is not static; it changes with time unlike the physical world. Another discovery that has shaped biology is one by contemporary scientists, which express the cycle of life in a chemical form that links them to nature as a whole.
Turing to the physical sciences, Bronowski says that the aim of the physical sciences has been to give an exact picture of the material world. One achievement of physics in the twentieth century has been to prove that aim is unattainable! Physicists have shown that there is no absolute knowledge; all information is imperfect and we have to treat it with humility.
In the last chapter in book, titled The Long Childhood, Bronowski goes back to what makes man human and what has made the ascent of man possible. He says, "We are all afraid - for our confidence, for the future, for the world. That is the nature of the human imagination. Yet every man, every civilization has gone forward because of its engagement with what it has set itself to do. The personal commitment of man to his skill, the intellectual commitment and the emotional commitment working together as one, has made the Ascent of Man."
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ilmas_Futehally
Covering a wide canvas from the dawn of man until the modern times, Bronowski examines how man has been the shaper of his surroundings rather than being shaped by it. Every other species has been adapted to fit into a certain ecological niche; they have evolved for a particular environment. Man, despite his comparatively weak physical attributes has been able to shape the world with his unique set of gifts. Bronowski believes that it was not so much biological evolution, but cultural evolution that has made man what he is today.
Tracing the evolution of human from their hunter gather phase to the present one, he says that the change in diet from plant to animal based materials gave humans more time free to spend on building capabilities to get food from sources that could not be tackled by brute force. The most marked effect of this was to foster group action and communication. The next single largest step in the ascent of man was the change from a nomadic way of life to village agriculture, made possible by a set of natural and human events. Settled agriculture creates a technology from which all sciences take off.
Taking the reader on a journey through time, Bronowski delights in the inventions and scientific discoveries made over the last ten thousand years- from the domestication of wheat in 8000 BC to the double helix structure of the DNA in the 1950s. He describes the tools that extend the human hand as an instrument of vision- they reveal new structures and make it possible to put them together in imaginative combinations.
By delving deep into the lives and thoughts of an extraordinary range of people, Bronowski discusses a wider range of complex subjects from Anthropology to Astronomy and from Mathematics to the Life Sciences. He reveals the linkages that bring together cultures by introducing us to Pythagoras, who found a basic relation between musical harmony and mathematics, Euclid, Ptolemy and Arab scholars who delighted in calculation and geometry. The author demonstrates how the spread of ideas along the trade routes - the spread of the numeral system for notation of numbers from the Arab world and the decimal system from India - changed mathematics forever.
From mathematics to astronomy is a logical step. The Mayan civilization housed their astronomers in pyramid like structures and developed calendars to trace the journey of the stars, Copernicus placed the sun at the centre of the planetary system and Galileo gave his life to prove that this was so. The lives of these people have a profound impact on the modern way of life. While no account of the ascent of man can leave out Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein, Bronowski describes more than their work. He shows us how they thought and how their characters defined their work.
The Industrial Revolution was the greatest discoverer of power- a time when new sources of energy were discovered and used. With this came many of the characteristics of the modern world that we abhor- the factory system with inhuman work hours, tyrannical bosses, pollution and the domination of men by machines. While bringing these to our notice, Bronowski does not leave out the other side of this age - the delight of discovery and the sense of fun in finding new ways of doing things. He believes that this revolution is as important as the Renaissance in the ascent of man- while one established the dignity of man; the other established the unity of nature.
Describing the theory of evolution by natural selection put forward by Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace, Bronowski says that it was the most important single scientific innovation of the nineteenth century. It shows that the world is in movement and that creation is not static; it changes with time unlike the physical world. Another discovery that has shaped biology is one by contemporary scientists, which express the cycle of life in a chemical form that links them to nature as a whole.
Turing to the physical sciences, Bronowski says that the aim of the physical sciences has been to give an exact picture of the material world. One achievement of physics in the twentieth century has been to prove that aim is unattainable! Physicists have shown that there is no absolute knowledge; all information is imperfect and we have to treat it with humility.
In the last chapter in book, titled The Long Childhood, Bronowski goes back to what makes man human and what has made the ascent of man possible. He says, "We are all afraid - for our confidence, for the future, for the world. That is the nature of the human imagination. Yet every man, every civilization has gone forward because of its engagement with what it has set itself to do. The personal commitment of man to his skill, the intellectual commitment and the emotional commitment working together as one, has made the Ascent of Man."
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ilmas_Futehally
Biotechnology and Colours
Biotechnology and the world of colours have always been intertwined. Nature's hues and tints are captured in their natural or synthetic state in a variety of market products. The flower markets of natural blood-red roses and gene-designed blue roses recently released in Japan are apt examples.
To-date notwithstanding the awe-inspiring snip and tuck techniques of genetic engineering, the legendary 'Black Tulip' of French author Alexander Dumas still remains the 'Holy Grail of the Tulip world'. Several types from 'Tulip Queen of Night' (1944) to T.'Black Hero' (1984) constitute 'the category of the 'blackest of the officially 'purple' tulips'.
Nature's wealth of colours have inspired celebrity painters and poets ---French-born Hillarie Belloc describes in verse the morphology of The Microbe with its 'seven tufted tails with lots of pink and purple spots.'; and schoolchildren to explore the microbial world through the 'looking-glass' of Winogradsky's column with its purple and green bands ---consortia of the green and purple photosynthetic bacteria. Blue-green cyanobacteria contribute to the economy of Nature's important biogeochemical Cycles-the nitrogen cycle.
The Red Sea may derive its colour and name from the red-cyanobacterium -- Trichodesmium erythraeum, but the destruction of numerous fish is due to the Red Tide population of the plant-like red-brown dinoflagellates. Pigments help classify the brown, yellow, red and green algae; and protozoa and yeasts such as Euglena and Pichia. Nature's colour artistry occurs throughout the biospectrum incorporating interalia green and purple bacteria, antibiotic-producing species of Streptomyces and Nocardia, fungi that color cheeses, blue-green anoles, rainbow papaya and trout, and green fluorescent proteins responsible for the coloration of diverse corals and anemones. Green, yellow, orange-red and purple-blue chromoproteins are the raison d'etre of fabled reef colours varying in the spectrum of daylight conditions.
Verily, Nature's palette of pigments and paints underscores the need of bioresources centres to capture, classify and conserve the planet's biotreasury lest extinction result from benign neglect and commercial exploitation.
'Biomimicry...... is a new science that studies nature's best ideas and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems. ......Organisms use two methods to create colour without paint: internal pigments and the structural colour that makes tropical butterflies, peacocks, and hummingbirds so gorgeous. A peacock is a completely brown bird. Its "colours" result from light scattering off regularly spaced melanin rods, and interference effects through thin layers of keratin (the same stuff as your fingernails).'
New military clothing uses fluorescent colours, biosensors and bioinformatics at the nano-level to mimic natural phenomena of biomimicry and chameleonic colours. Geofabrics coloured for appropriate use contribute to landscape and urban management --- conservation of golf courses and park-lawns, and safeguarding creative and aesthetic instinct of humankind is embedded in of soil embankments and floral gardens.
The clean and green technologies. The first biodegradable green credit card was issued in 1997. 'Coral proteins put on the red light' in marine waters, and coloured glow fish function as indicators of pollution in aquatic reservoirs. Colours used in biotextile grafts make attractive and acceptable use of bioceramic materials in dentistry, medicine orthopaedics, tissue engineering and veterinary science.
Genetic research has contributed to understanding human eye and skin colour. The genesis of coat colours of cats, dogs, rabbits, ponies, etc. has been deciphered. The head colour of birds too. Coat colour alleles are used to produce sublines of mice for studies concerning ageing, cancer, cardiovascular, neurobiological and reproductive biology. The Big Blue mouse is used to research cancer and neurodegenerative disease. Yellow mice help localize gene mutations on specific chromosomes.Custom-made mice --- the albino, cream, brown and black models are research keys studying tumour biology. Indeed, 'the ability to follow coat colours' requires 'no complicated tools such as molecular genotyping' in 'the breeding and maintenance of mutant strains.'
Colours inspire, motivate and uplift humankind. Clinics and psychological facilities use soothing colours to aid convalescents. Colours exist in sports too. Winners express a sense of national achievement and pride in draping themselves in their national flags. In EURO 2004 - soccer and biopsychology met. To enhance local psychobiological advantage and patriotism the coach of the home team requested fans 'to wear something red or green' their national colours 'toface the orange shirts' of their opponents' in a qualifying match.
Corporate biotech is engaged in 'chasing the rainbow.' Former Vice-President Al Gore envisioned the 'pot of gold at the end of the biotechnology rainbow.' Entrepreneurs, however, focus their quest 'somewhere over the genetic rainbow'. UN policy-makers use colour-codes in combating, and designing solutions to problems of hunger and poverty. The UN Economic Commission for Africa in 2002 described 'Realizing the Promise of Green Biotechnology for the Poor' and 'Tackling the Diseases of Poverty through Red Biotechnology' ---technologies that involve using genetically-engineered mosquitoes with the potential to eradicate malaria; and gene modified foods ---golden rice and orange bananas, enriched with vitamin A to counteract the onset of blindness.
'Ethical challenges of green biotechnology for developing countries' arise, and, 'whether transgenic plants should carry distinguishing markers, such as distinguishing colours, so that they can be identified and not intermixed with other plants of the same species' is under review for use in regulatory work. In space biology research, transgenic plants using blue and green colours are being developed as biosensors to indicate presence of certain kinds of stress.
Nutritionists talk of a rainbow diet rich in micronutrients and vitamins that make food naturally attractive and appetizing for a 'good feel'status. Traditional medicine recommends eating naturally coloured foods possessing natural phytonutrients in their skin ingredients. A judicious choice of red (meat), green (salads), yellow (cereals and fruits) and violet (vegetables) foods contributes to the sustenance of long-term good health in combating artificial diabetes and obesity. Blue cheese and black truffles are delicacies without added food colorants; and supermarkets may soon offer carrots in red and purple with the orange variety. 'Research into different coloured carrots is not about making a fashion statement but about potential health improvements'.
In agro-trade, traffic-colours of amber and green define policies that distort trade of certain commodities. Amber box policies signify 'caution' relating to 'price supports, marketing loans and subsidies, and livestock quantities'. Green box policies cover 'research, pest and disease control, and crop insurance and conservation programs'. Blue box policies --a temporary WTO category that accommodates transatlantic negotiations, are 'redefined amber box policies concerning production limiting programs'.
Biotechnologies described in colours spotlight salient aspects of research for economic development. The Cordia-EuropaBio Convention 2003 in Vienna in 'Blue Biotechnology - Exploitation of Marine Resources' focused on the 'Ocean of Opportunities' for sustaining development through rational use of marine bioresources. Europe's catalytic role in 'Green Biotechnology in Africa' resides in collaborative biotech education, research, development, and market ventures.
In January 2004, a European Commission meeting at the Biosciences 'Technology Facility', University of York, UK, recognized that any 'biotechnology platform, developing bio-based products would have to be a concerted marriage of the 'White' together with the 'Green' and 'Blue' biotechnology sectors'. Unlocking of bottlenecks could be achieved through programmes utilizing 'the synergies between green, white and blue biotechnologies.'
In 2005, the 12th European Biotechnology Congress will use 4 biotech motors: white (industrial); red (pharmaceutical), green (food and feed) and blue (environment) in 'Bringing Genomes to Life' in Denmark.
The use of colour codes is seemingly the lingua franca of science policy in Germany. Sixty percent of the 253 biotechnological firms with some 43,000 employees in a survey by Hessen's Ministry of Economy were specializing in red biotechnology (diagnosis and treatment of diseases); 4% were specializing in green biotechnology (agriculture, food production); and, 1% was in grey biotechnology (pure industrial processes with an environmental nuance). In Baden-Württemberg, over half of the biotech companies excel in red biotechnology with smaller numbers in the grey and green sectors. German market studies emphasize the white and red biotechnologies. Red biotechnology accounts for some 86% of all biotech companies. Green biotechnology with 27% is followed by grey biotechnology with 10%.
In the USA, a 5 colour-coded security system from green (low) through blue (guarded), yellow (elevated), and orange (high) to red (severe) has been decreed. Adoption of protective and self-defense responses involves all levels of vigilance and preparedness to combat and neutralize the threats of terrorism and those of bioterrorism that aim at destruction of that country's security and its peoples. Colour alert systems for air pollution (USA) and inclement weather (Mozambique) are indicators of time available for precautionary action by people susceptible to asthmatic and respiratory diseases as well as in offsetting loss of life and bioeconomic resources.
In satire, a 'five (colour) level Mad Cow alert' exists. The alert levels range from eating cow parts (green) through limited beef consumption (blue) and exercise of planned protective measures (yellow) to symptomatic mooing and chewing of the cud (orange) to a switch to fermented food - tofu (red).
Using colours to describe biotechnology constitutes a new mechanism in:
- attracting school children to the microbial world in different environments;
- teaching biotechnology in graduate and medical schools; and
- providing sound bytes for use by non-technical policy-makers promoting the biotech powerhouse for sustainable development.
Dr. R. Colwell, Director, US National Foundation at a US-EC Biotech meeting in 2003 said: "If we could weave a Flag of Biotechnology, some say, it would feature three colours: red for medical applications, green for agricultural and white for industrial. In fact this flag may accrue even more colours over time as environmental and marine biotech and other applications add their stripes'.
In that context, the colour index below may be a useful guide with further additions as biotechnology and colours intertwine over time in promoting public perception and understanding of biotech applications for the cause of science, development, and the current and post human future of humankind.
Color Type Area of Biotech Activities
Red - Health, Medical, Diagnostics
Yellow - Food Biotechnology, Nutrition Science
Blue - Aquaculture, Coastal and Marine Biotech
Green - Agricultural, Environmental Biotechnology - Biofuels, Biofertilizers, Bioremediation, Geomicrobiology
Brown - Arid Zone and Desert Biotechnology
Dark - Bioterrorism, Biowarfare, Biocrimes, Anticrop warfare
Purple - Patents, Publications, Inventions, IPRs
White - Gene-based Bioindustries
Gold - Bioinformatics, Nanobiotechnology
Grey - Classical Fermentation and Bioprocess Technology
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yaamini_Lakshmi
To-date notwithstanding the awe-inspiring snip and tuck techniques of genetic engineering, the legendary 'Black Tulip' of French author Alexander Dumas still remains the 'Holy Grail of the Tulip world'. Several types from 'Tulip Queen of Night' (1944) to T.'Black Hero' (1984) constitute 'the category of the 'blackest of the officially 'purple' tulips'.
Nature's wealth of colours have inspired celebrity painters and poets ---French-born Hillarie Belloc describes in verse the morphology of The Microbe with its 'seven tufted tails with lots of pink and purple spots.'; and schoolchildren to explore the microbial world through the 'looking-glass' of Winogradsky's column with its purple and green bands ---consortia of the green and purple photosynthetic bacteria. Blue-green cyanobacteria contribute to the economy of Nature's important biogeochemical Cycles-the nitrogen cycle.
The Red Sea may derive its colour and name from the red-cyanobacterium -- Trichodesmium erythraeum, but the destruction of numerous fish is due to the Red Tide population of the plant-like red-brown dinoflagellates. Pigments help classify the brown, yellow, red and green algae; and protozoa and yeasts such as Euglena and Pichia. Nature's colour artistry occurs throughout the biospectrum incorporating interalia green and purple bacteria, antibiotic-producing species of Streptomyces and Nocardia, fungi that color cheeses, blue-green anoles, rainbow papaya and trout, and green fluorescent proteins responsible for the coloration of diverse corals and anemones. Green, yellow, orange-red and purple-blue chromoproteins are the raison d'etre of fabled reef colours varying in the spectrum of daylight conditions.
Verily, Nature's palette of pigments and paints underscores the need of bioresources centres to capture, classify and conserve the planet's biotreasury lest extinction result from benign neglect and commercial exploitation.
'Biomimicry...... is a new science that studies nature's best ideas and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems. ......Organisms use two methods to create colour without paint: internal pigments and the structural colour that makes tropical butterflies, peacocks, and hummingbirds so gorgeous. A peacock is a completely brown bird. Its "colours" result from light scattering off regularly spaced melanin rods, and interference effects through thin layers of keratin (the same stuff as your fingernails).'
New military clothing uses fluorescent colours, biosensors and bioinformatics at the nano-level to mimic natural phenomena of biomimicry and chameleonic colours. Geofabrics coloured for appropriate use contribute to landscape and urban management --- conservation of golf courses and park-lawns, and safeguarding creative and aesthetic instinct of humankind is embedded in of soil embankments and floral gardens.
The clean and green technologies. The first biodegradable green credit card was issued in 1997. 'Coral proteins put on the red light' in marine waters, and coloured glow fish function as indicators of pollution in aquatic reservoirs. Colours used in biotextile grafts make attractive and acceptable use of bioceramic materials in dentistry, medicine orthopaedics, tissue engineering and veterinary science.
Genetic research has contributed to understanding human eye and skin colour. The genesis of coat colours of cats, dogs, rabbits, ponies, etc. has been deciphered. The head colour of birds too. Coat colour alleles are used to produce sublines of mice for studies concerning ageing, cancer, cardiovascular, neurobiological and reproductive biology. The Big Blue mouse is used to research cancer and neurodegenerative disease. Yellow mice help localize gene mutations on specific chromosomes.Custom-made mice --- the albino, cream, brown and black models are research keys studying tumour biology. Indeed, 'the ability to follow coat colours' requires 'no complicated tools such as molecular genotyping' in 'the breeding and maintenance of mutant strains.'
Colours inspire, motivate and uplift humankind. Clinics and psychological facilities use soothing colours to aid convalescents. Colours exist in sports too. Winners express a sense of national achievement and pride in draping themselves in their national flags. In EURO 2004 - soccer and biopsychology met. To enhance local psychobiological advantage and patriotism the coach of the home team requested fans 'to wear something red or green' their national colours 'toface the orange shirts' of their opponents' in a qualifying match.
Corporate biotech is engaged in 'chasing the rainbow.' Former Vice-President Al Gore envisioned the 'pot of gold at the end of the biotechnology rainbow.' Entrepreneurs, however, focus their quest 'somewhere over the genetic rainbow'. UN policy-makers use colour-codes in combating, and designing solutions to problems of hunger and poverty. The UN Economic Commission for Africa in 2002 described 'Realizing the Promise of Green Biotechnology for the Poor' and 'Tackling the Diseases of Poverty through Red Biotechnology' ---technologies that involve using genetically-engineered mosquitoes with the potential to eradicate malaria; and gene modified foods ---golden rice and orange bananas, enriched with vitamin A to counteract the onset of blindness.
'Ethical challenges of green biotechnology for developing countries' arise, and, 'whether transgenic plants should carry distinguishing markers, such as distinguishing colours, so that they can be identified and not intermixed with other plants of the same species' is under review for use in regulatory work. In space biology research, transgenic plants using blue and green colours are being developed as biosensors to indicate presence of certain kinds of stress.
Nutritionists talk of a rainbow diet rich in micronutrients and vitamins that make food naturally attractive and appetizing for a 'good feel'status. Traditional medicine recommends eating naturally coloured foods possessing natural phytonutrients in their skin ingredients. A judicious choice of red (meat), green (salads), yellow (cereals and fruits) and violet (vegetables) foods contributes to the sustenance of long-term good health in combating artificial diabetes and obesity. Blue cheese and black truffles are delicacies without added food colorants; and supermarkets may soon offer carrots in red and purple with the orange variety. 'Research into different coloured carrots is not about making a fashion statement but about potential health improvements'.
In agro-trade, traffic-colours of amber and green define policies that distort trade of certain commodities. Amber box policies signify 'caution' relating to 'price supports, marketing loans and subsidies, and livestock quantities'. Green box policies cover 'research, pest and disease control, and crop insurance and conservation programs'. Blue box policies --a temporary WTO category that accommodates transatlantic negotiations, are 'redefined amber box policies concerning production limiting programs'.
Biotechnologies described in colours spotlight salient aspects of research for economic development. The Cordia-EuropaBio Convention 2003 in Vienna in 'Blue Biotechnology - Exploitation of Marine Resources' focused on the 'Ocean of Opportunities' for sustaining development through rational use of marine bioresources. Europe's catalytic role in 'Green Biotechnology in Africa' resides in collaborative biotech education, research, development, and market ventures.
In January 2004, a European Commission meeting at the Biosciences 'Technology Facility', University of York, UK, recognized that any 'biotechnology platform, developing bio-based products would have to be a concerted marriage of the 'White' together with the 'Green' and 'Blue' biotechnology sectors'. Unlocking of bottlenecks could be achieved through programmes utilizing 'the synergies between green, white and blue biotechnologies.'
In 2005, the 12th European Biotechnology Congress will use 4 biotech motors: white (industrial); red (pharmaceutical), green (food and feed) and blue (environment) in 'Bringing Genomes to Life' in Denmark.
The use of colour codes is seemingly the lingua franca of science policy in Germany. Sixty percent of the 253 biotechnological firms with some 43,000 employees in a survey by Hessen's Ministry of Economy were specializing in red biotechnology (diagnosis and treatment of diseases); 4% were specializing in green biotechnology (agriculture, food production); and, 1% was in grey biotechnology (pure industrial processes with an environmental nuance). In Baden-Württemberg, over half of the biotech companies excel in red biotechnology with smaller numbers in the grey and green sectors. German market studies emphasize the white and red biotechnologies. Red biotechnology accounts for some 86% of all biotech companies. Green biotechnology with 27% is followed by grey biotechnology with 10%.
In the USA, a 5 colour-coded security system from green (low) through blue (guarded), yellow (elevated), and orange (high) to red (severe) has been decreed. Adoption of protective and self-defense responses involves all levels of vigilance and preparedness to combat and neutralize the threats of terrorism and those of bioterrorism that aim at destruction of that country's security and its peoples. Colour alert systems for air pollution (USA) and inclement weather (Mozambique) are indicators of time available for precautionary action by people susceptible to asthmatic and respiratory diseases as well as in offsetting loss of life and bioeconomic resources.
In satire, a 'five (colour) level Mad Cow alert' exists. The alert levels range from eating cow parts (green) through limited beef consumption (blue) and exercise of planned protective measures (yellow) to symptomatic mooing and chewing of the cud (orange) to a switch to fermented food - tofu (red).
Using colours to describe biotechnology constitutes a new mechanism in:
- attracting school children to the microbial world in different environments;
- teaching biotechnology in graduate and medical schools; and
- providing sound bytes for use by non-technical policy-makers promoting the biotech powerhouse for sustainable development.
Dr. R. Colwell, Director, US National Foundation at a US-EC Biotech meeting in 2003 said: "If we could weave a Flag of Biotechnology, some say, it would feature three colours: red for medical applications, green for agricultural and white for industrial. In fact this flag may accrue even more colours over time as environmental and marine biotech and other applications add their stripes'.
In that context, the colour index below may be a useful guide with further additions as biotechnology and colours intertwine over time in promoting public perception and understanding of biotech applications for the cause of science, development, and the current and post human future of humankind.
Color Type Area of Biotech Activities
Red - Health, Medical, Diagnostics
Yellow - Food Biotechnology, Nutrition Science
Blue - Aquaculture, Coastal and Marine Biotech
Green - Agricultural, Environmental Biotechnology - Biofuels, Biofertilizers, Bioremediation, Geomicrobiology
Brown - Arid Zone and Desert Biotechnology
Dark - Bioterrorism, Biowarfare, Biocrimes, Anticrop warfare
Purple - Patents, Publications, Inventions, IPRs
White - Gene-based Bioindustries
Gold - Bioinformatics, Nanobiotechnology
Grey - Classical Fermentation and Bioprocess Technology
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yaamini_Lakshmi
Anatomy 101 - The Human Body From a Kid's Point of View
The human body is something you'd think would be a natural object of understanding for humans, but not a huge number of people can boast knowledge of everything concerning these temples within which we live. Explaining it to children can prove difficult too - so what sort of things can you do to help your descriptions when those inevitable questions come along?
Children can be a lot smarter than we sometimes imagine. Many kids go through childhood experiencing various 'obsessions', where they find an interest and research it thoroughly; learning all there is to know about the subject. Take dinosaurs for example, which are always a popular interest. Most of us can probably think of at least one child who's been through the phase of reading up all about the giant lizards, collecting toys, watching the TV programmes, etc - if it's not us ourselves. This natural enthusiasm for learning is something that should be kept in mind - children, and humans in general, are inquisitive beings that thirst for knowledge. So it's important to latch onto this early and ensure kids get the most out of that early enthusiasm.
There are plenty of ways to encourage learning, such as books, DVDs, computer software and even plain old conversation. Children ask 'why?' a lot when growing up - and so do adults, albeit most of us do it quietly these days - and parents and teachers should capitalise on this inclination by telling them why, or how, or even what. What's more is that you'll probably get to enjoy it too.
A lot of the ways that kids learn stuff are usually fun. The books they read, the films they watch and even educational cartoons are designed to be amusing as well as instructive. This can make a welcome change from the slightly more stoic way of learning that grown-ups are used to, revisiting the basics in a bright and colourful manner that can prove entertaining as well. Opening up a book to help you teach your child about the human body can be a fun experience since children's literature is more about getting information across in an entertaining fashion rather than what comes across as quite inaccessible and stuffy by comparison in later years.
On top of all this, you spend time with the child, helping them to develop better social abilities whilst strengthening your own bond.
So what is there on the topic of the human body in particular? Depending on how old the child is, you could teach with anything ranging from rousing renditions of "head, shoulders, knees and toes" and the "hokey cokey" to question-and-answer sessions or reading books, watching television programmes and DVDs or using interactive CD ROMs or the internet.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Singleton
Children can be a lot smarter than we sometimes imagine. Many kids go through childhood experiencing various 'obsessions', where they find an interest and research it thoroughly; learning all there is to know about the subject. Take dinosaurs for example, which are always a popular interest. Most of us can probably think of at least one child who's been through the phase of reading up all about the giant lizards, collecting toys, watching the TV programmes, etc - if it's not us ourselves. This natural enthusiasm for learning is something that should be kept in mind - children, and humans in general, are inquisitive beings that thirst for knowledge. So it's important to latch onto this early and ensure kids get the most out of that early enthusiasm.
There are plenty of ways to encourage learning, such as books, DVDs, computer software and even plain old conversation. Children ask 'why?' a lot when growing up - and so do adults, albeit most of us do it quietly these days - and parents and teachers should capitalise on this inclination by telling them why, or how, or even what. What's more is that you'll probably get to enjoy it too.
A lot of the ways that kids learn stuff are usually fun. The books they read, the films they watch and even educational cartoons are designed to be amusing as well as instructive. This can make a welcome change from the slightly more stoic way of learning that grown-ups are used to, revisiting the basics in a bright and colourful manner that can prove entertaining as well. Opening up a book to help you teach your child about the human body can be a fun experience since children's literature is more about getting information across in an entertaining fashion rather than what comes across as quite inaccessible and stuffy by comparison in later years.
On top of all this, you spend time with the child, helping them to develop better social abilities whilst strengthening your own bond.
So what is there on the topic of the human body in particular? Depending on how old the child is, you could teach with anything ranging from rousing renditions of "head, shoulders, knees and toes" and the "hokey cokey" to question-and-answer sessions or reading books, watching television programmes and DVDs or using interactive CD ROMs or the internet.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Singleton
Top 10 Popular Science Books
1. Annals of a Former World, by John McPhee
In patient, lyrical prose, McPhee takes the reader on a geologic journey through the United States. This volume was originally published as 4 books; each is centered on a road trip the author took with a geologist, observing the earth next to Eisenhower's great US highways for clues into its geologic past. Annals has this--no borders, idealistic, On the Road for geologists kind of feel (though a bit more grown-up.) I pick up Annals every once in a while when im in a relaxed mood, when im looking for a good example of literary science writing. Highly recommended as a companion for camping trips, if you can fit it into your pack.
2. Surely You're Joking, Mr, Feynman, by Richard Feynman
A string of excerpts from Feynman's life/career, Surely You're Joking is probably the popular science book I have read through the most times, not because it is short, but because it is at once compelling, understated, and full of indispensible scientific concepts. Richard Feynman has an uncanny ability to make physics easily digestible, his lectures are a testament to that and Surely You're Joking is no exception. Feynman's easy prose makes the reader feel like physics is understandable, as if he has laid out a diagram of the universe on his living room floor--no one is an outsider. It's delightful. Feynman's in my 'top 5 people I would give my right pinky finger to meet' category.
3. A Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson
The second heavy volume on the list, A Short History is packed with nearly everything. It takes a look at the science behind a lot of things--beauty, cells, evolution, the universe. Bryson rejects the traditional notion of a 'textbook' with this book, making science seem relevant in our daily lives AND putting this knowledge in the context of the universe--in space and time. Capturing the detailed nooks where science is often concentrated AND eliciting the wonder of the wider perspective is an accomplishment--savor it wherever you can find it. Great in audio book format.
4. The Richness of Life, collection of essays by Stephen Jay Gould
The idiosyncratic Gould has written articles in Natural History and many other science magazines for decades and is one of the most widely read modern science writers. In this collection of articles, Gould's highly intellectual, witty, and pin-accurate prose explains evolutionary theory, racism or baseball with a scientist's eye, but in a way that engages the layman. Gould's dedication to science shows in every piece. Delightful.
5. In the Shadow of Man, by Jane Goodall
A classic book--easy read, no jargon. Goodall's observations of chimpanzee's in the wild first brought to light one of man's most recent ancestors--the chimpanzee. This book chronicles some of Goodall's groundbreaking research through her own observations about chimp behavior. Once immersed in the book, I couldn't help but think--we are all just apes, evolved from or related to one another. Puts things in perspective.
6. The Canon, by Natalie Angier
Someone at the New York Times science desk once told me--"Natalie Angier is the queen of metaphor." I have to agree. The Canon is the best example of her witty prose winding the reader through simple scientific questions with difficult answers. In this book, Angier tackles what she has deemed the basic scientific concepts everyone should know: thinking scientifically, probabilities, calibration, physics, evolutionary biology, chemistry, molecular biology, astronomy and geology. Phew. I have to say--this could have been very text-book, but because of her writing style, is masterful. I actually have had many non-scientist friend recommend this to me, which is always a good sign.
7. Lives of a Cell: Notes of a Biology Watcher, by Lewis Thomas
Another collection of essays worth picking up, Thomas' book is a joy. Each essay packs a good amount of philosophy into it's literary package as Thomas meanders through simple topics and concepts in biology and makes larger connections (cells are like mini organisms, social animals work together like parts of a cell, etc.) Thomas often uses themes repetitively in his essays, so this collection is good for sporadic reading.
8. Universe in a Teacup, by K.C. Cole
Where can you find a book that successfully intertwines the discipline of mathematics, with the concepts of truth and beauty? Universe is just such a book; K.C.'s most popular and in some ways seminal volume. Metaphors she uses pack a punch. Her prose style is somewhat poetic, and in Universe, she proves adept at explain things like chaos or phase transitions are illuminating--not just because you finally understand some science concept that always seem so obscure, but because Cole has also given the you a new way to think about mathematics and the world alongside your new understanding. (Full disclosure--Cole was my academic mentor)
9. Enduring Love, by Ian McEwin
Ok, so not everyone would categorize this as a popular science book, but Ill include it anyway. Enduring Love is a fiction book, partially written from the perspective of a former scientist, but more importantly, it is a suspenseful story that lets the author's attitudes towards life bleed through each and every page. Ian McEwan is a well-know rationalist who believes that science is just as much a part of culture as anything else--a position with which I very much empathize. This is a literary tale, sure, but McEwin manages to mention scientific ideas all over the place, integrating science and its ways of thinking into the lives of his complex characters and slowly revealing situations. It's a page-turner.
10. Six Easy Pieces, Six Not-So-Easy Pieces, by Richard Feynman
I tried not to include any author twice, but I couldn't resist. Feynman is fantastic. Check out these books for fundamental lessons of physics.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Casey_Rentz
In patient, lyrical prose, McPhee takes the reader on a geologic journey through the United States. This volume was originally published as 4 books; each is centered on a road trip the author took with a geologist, observing the earth next to Eisenhower's great US highways for clues into its geologic past. Annals has this--no borders, idealistic, On the Road for geologists kind of feel (though a bit more grown-up.) I pick up Annals every once in a while when im in a relaxed mood, when im looking for a good example of literary science writing. Highly recommended as a companion for camping trips, if you can fit it into your pack.
2. Surely You're Joking, Mr, Feynman, by Richard Feynman
A string of excerpts from Feynman's life/career, Surely You're Joking is probably the popular science book I have read through the most times, not because it is short, but because it is at once compelling, understated, and full of indispensible scientific concepts. Richard Feynman has an uncanny ability to make physics easily digestible, his lectures are a testament to that and Surely You're Joking is no exception. Feynman's easy prose makes the reader feel like physics is understandable, as if he has laid out a diagram of the universe on his living room floor--no one is an outsider. It's delightful. Feynman's in my 'top 5 people I would give my right pinky finger to meet' category.
3. A Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson
The second heavy volume on the list, A Short History is packed with nearly everything. It takes a look at the science behind a lot of things--beauty, cells, evolution, the universe. Bryson rejects the traditional notion of a 'textbook' with this book, making science seem relevant in our daily lives AND putting this knowledge in the context of the universe--in space and time. Capturing the detailed nooks where science is often concentrated AND eliciting the wonder of the wider perspective is an accomplishment--savor it wherever you can find it. Great in audio book format.
4. The Richness of Life, collection of essays by Stephen Jay Gould
The idiosyncratic Gould has written articles in Natural History and many other science magazines for decades and is one of the most widely read modern science writers. In this collection of articles, Gould's highly intellectual, witty, and pin-accurate prose explains evolutionary theory, racism or baseball with a scientist's eye, but in a way that engages the layman. Gould's dedication to science shows in every piece. Delightful.
5. In the Shadow of Man, by Jane Goodall
A classic book--easy read, no jargon. Goodall's observations of chimpanzee's in the wild first brought to light one of man's most recent ancestors--the chimpanzee. This book chronicles some of Goodall's groundbreaking research through her own observations about chimp behavior. Once immersed in the book, I couldn't help but think--we are all just apes, evolved from or related to one another. Puts things in perspective.
6. The Canon, by Natalie Angier
Someone at the New York Times science desk once told me--"Natalie Angier is the queen of metaphor." I have to agree. The Canon is the best example of her witty prose winding the reader through simple scientific questions with difficult answers. In this book, Angier tackles what she has deemed the basic scientific concepts everyone should know: thinking scientifically, probabilities, calibration, physics, evolutionary biology, chemistry, molecular biology, astronomy and geology. Phew. I have to say--this could have been very text-book, but because of her writing style, is masterful. I actually have had many non-scientist friend recommend this to me, which is always a good sign.
7. Lives of a Cell: Notes of a Biology Watcher, by Lewis Thomas
Another collection of essays worth picking up, Thomas' book is a joy. Each essay packs a good amount of philosophy into it's literary package as Thomas meanders through simple topics and concepts in biology and makes larger connections (cells are like mini organisms, social animals work together like parts of a cell, etc.) Thomas often uses themes repetitively in his essays, so this collection is good for sporadic reading.
8. Universe in a Teacup, by K.C. Cole
Where can you find a book that successfully intertwines the discipline of mathematics, with the concepts of truth and beauty? Universe is just such a book; K.C.'s most popular and in some ways seminal volume. Metaphors she uses pack a punch. Her prose style is somewhat poetic, and in Universe, she proves adept at explain things like chaos or phase transitions are illuminating--not just because you finally understand some science concept that always seem so obscure, but because Cole has also given the you a new way to think about mathematics and the world alongside your new understanding. (Full disclosure--Cole was my academic mentor)
9. Enduring Love, by Ian McEwin
Ok, so not everyone would categorize this as a popular science book, but Ill include it anyway. Enduring Love is a fiction book, partially written from the perspective of a former scientist, but more importantly, it is a suspenseful story that lets the author's attitudes towards life bleed through each and every page. Ian McEwan is a well-know rationalist who believes that science is just as much a part of culture as anything else--a position with which I very much empathize. This is a literary tale, sure, but McEwin manages to mention scientific ideas all over the place, integrating science and its ways of thinking into the lives of his complex characters and slowly revealing situations. It's a page-turner.
10. Six Easy Pieces, Six Not-So-Easy Pieces, by Richard Feynman
I tried not to include any author twice, but I couldn't resist. Feynman is fantastic. Check out these books for fundamental lessons of physics.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Casey_Rentz
Biology, Science and Nature Books
Astronomy and Cosmology
Cosmology is the name given to a range of natural sciences, including both physics and astronomy that intends to provide an explanation for how the universe works as an integrated entity. Over the centuries, since the Pythagoreans in Greece during the 6th century BC considered the possibility that Earth was spherical, cosmology has come a long way and has integrated a variety of different fields of science.
Cosmology evolved from the observation of these Greeks who interpreted the natural laws of the heavenly bodies from which, eventually, the Ptolemaic model developed during the second century AD. Centuries later, during the 16th century, the Copernican system further developed the theories surrounding astronomy and cosmology - followed, in the 20th century, by the theories of special relativity and Albert Einstein's Theory of General Relativity. Overall, however, the case for cosmology states that the laws of physics work the same everywhere and that there is homogeneity throughout the universe.
'The Holographic Universe', written by Michael Talbot, tells its story in two parts: the first part devotes 55 pages to discussing David Bohm's holographic model of the universe - simplified into everyday language by Talbot. The second part of the book delves into events of the paranormal while, at the same time, attempting to rationalise the holographic model. Talbot introduces the reader to Karl Pribram as well as the philosophies of David Bohm.
Chemistry
Chemistry and biochemistry often go hand-in-hand, existing in parallel with other scientific disciplines such as dietetics [the science of food]. McCance and Widdowson, who produce 'The Composition of Foods' summarises food composition tables and updates much in the way of nutrition as a science. The foreword to the 6th edition has been written by Sir John Krebs while the actual volume itself provides an invaluable source of reference to dieticians and nutritionists the world over.
Meanwhile,'Principles of Biochemistry' by Nelson D has been described as a 'modern approach to biochemistry'. Personally, one of the best biochemistry books I have ever encountered was that written by Patterson - now, sadly, long since out of print. I attribute my successful pass in the biochemistry exams to the presence of Patterson which, by the time I had finished with it, was particularly dog-eared! Nelson D's 'Principles of Biochemistry' really is the next best thing to Patterson and a worthy successor.
Earth Sciences and Geography
Earth sciences are a catch-all term covering a different range of natural sciences from those mentioned above. These relate to the study of the earth and how different parts of it are interlinked to produce that homogenous whole that is the classic feature of the scientific world. If you are interested in the world around you then you may be interested in a lovely book by Gavin Pretor-Pinney. This book 'The Cloud Collector's Handbook' is full of charming pictures, below which you will find a short description of each cloud and space for you to record your own sightings. It certainly gives a new connotation to having your head in the clouds!
Education
If you think about it, there is all the difference in the world between someone who loves school and somebody who loves to learn: it doesn't necessarily follow that, if you love to learn, then you must enjoy school. Education, however, is all about learning for the sheer pleasure of gaining new information. This learning may or may not be associated with school: it can even cover any subject. Evidence of this can be seen in Richard Dawkins' book 'The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution'.
Dawkins goes about educating his readers, explaining to them how fossils can be dated accurately, all about plate tectonics etc, before going into the details of how these may be linked with the global distribution of plants and animals and the effects changes in these physical elements can have on them. Dawkins, whilst making it clear that he is aware [and who could not be?] of the great debate on creation v evolution, doesn't get drawn into the minutiae surrounding this eternal dispute.
Engineering and Technology
One book that I simply have to recommend is a fantastic book written by Jo Marchant. You will find it in our Science and Nature section under the heading of Engineering and Technology. The first thing to say is that this is not some dry and boring technical tome. This book relates the story behind a particularly ancient Greek artefact and what it took to decode its hidden mysteries. The book is called 'Decoding the Heavens: Solving the Mystery of the World's First Computer'. I wish Jo Marchant had found a more intriguing title for her book because this title really doesn't do this book justice.
The book relates the story of the Antikythera Mechanism which has been shown to have amazing capabilities as an astronomical calculator: scientists believe its complexity was at least 1500 years before its time. The Antikythera Mechanism artifact is a good 2,000 years old and was found during a dive in 1901. Scientists have been attempting to unravel its secrets ever since. So, if it's a true-life mystery you are interested, or a book that's a bit different I would strongly recommend this well-written and interesting book of Jo Marchant's.
There are innumerable other sub-genres to be found within our Science and Nature section, covering quite an array of subjects. If you are a fan of the border collie, Barbara Sykes writes a delightful treatise on 'Understanding Border Collies'. This is an excellent book written by somebody who really does understand the intricacies that go to make up this breed of dog and is an absolute 'must have' for all the lovers of border collies out there. Changing from dogs to elephants, I would certainly recommend 'The Elephant Whisperer: Learning about Life, Loyalty and Freedom from a Remarkable Herd of Elephants' - it will really pull on your heartstrings then have you howling with laughter! Check out all the other options within this section - you will probably amaze yourself at the treasure trove of titles hidden within our web pages!
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suleman_Thadha
Cosmology is the name given to a range of natural sciences, including both physics and astronomy that intends to provide an explanation for how the universe works as an integrated entity. Over the centuries, since the Pythagoreans in Greece during the 6th century BC considered the possibility that Earth was spherical, cosmology has come a long way and has integrated a variety of different fields of science.
Cosmology evolved from the observation of these Greeks who interpreted the natural laws of the heavenly bodies from which, eventually, the Ptolemaic model developed during the second century AD. Centuries later, during the 16th century, the Copernican system further developed the theories surrounding astronomy and cosmology - followed, in the 20th century, by the theories of special relativity and Albert Einstein's Theory of General Relativity. Overall, however, the case for cosmology states that the laws of physics work the same everywhere and that there is homogeneity throughout the universe.
'The Holographic Universe', written by Michael Talbot, tells its story in two parts: the first part devotes 55 pages to discussing David Bohm's holographic model of the universe - simplified into everyday language by Talbot. The second part of the book delves into events of the paranormal while, at the same time, attempting to rationalise the holographic model. Talbot introduces the reader to Karl Pribram as well as the philosophies of David Bohm.
Chemistry
Chemistry and biochemistry often go hand-in-hand, existing in parallel with other scientific disciplines such as dietetics [the science of food]. McCance and Widdowson, who produce 'The Composition of Foods' summarises food composition tables and updates much in the way of nutrition as a science. The foreword to the 6th edition has been written by Sir John Krebs while the actual volume itself provides an invaluable source of reference to dieticians and nutritionists the world over.
Meanwhile,'Principles of Biochemistry' by Nelson D has been described as a 'modern approach to biochemistry'. Personally, one of the best biochemistry books I have ever encountered was that written by Patterson - now, sadly, long since out of print. I attribute my successful pass in the biochemistry exams to the presence of Patterson which, by the time I had finished with it, was particularly dog-eared! Nelson D's 'Principles of Biochemistry' really is the next best thing to Patterson and a worthy successor.
Earth Sciences and Geography
Earth sciences are a catch-all term covering a different range of natural sciences from those mentioned above. These relate to the study of the earth and how different parts of it are interlinked to produce that homogenous whole that is the classic feature of the scientific world. If you are interested in the world around you then you may be interested in a lovely book by Gavin Pretor-Pinney. This book 'The Cloud Collector's Handbook' is full of charming pictures, below which you will find a short description of each cloud and space for you to record your own sightings. It certainly gives a new connotation to having your head in the clouds!
Education
If you think about it, there is all the difference in the world between someone who loves school and somebody who loves to learn: it doesn't necessarily follow that, if you love to learn, then you must enjoy school. Education, however, is all about learning for the sheer pleasure of gaining new information. This learning may or may not be associated with school: it can even cover any subject. Evidence of this can be seen in Richard Dawkins' book 'The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution'.
Dawkins goes about educating his readers, explaining to them how fossils can be dated accurately, all about plate tectonics etc, before going into the details of how these may be linked with the global distribution of plants and animals and the effects changes in these physical elements can have on them. Dawkins, whilst making it clear that he is aware [and who could not be?] of the great debate on creation v evolution, doesn't get drawn into the minutiae surrounding this eternal dispute.
Engineering and Technology
One book that I simply have to recommend is a fantastic book written by Jo Marchant. You will find it in our Science and Nature section under the heading of Engineering and Technology. The first thing to say is that this is not some dry and boring technical tome. This book relates the story behind a particularly ancient Greek artefact and what it took to decode its hidden mysteries. The book is called 'Decoding the Heavens: Solving the Mystery of the World's First Computer'. I wish Jo Marchant had found a more intriguing title for her book because this title really doesn't do this book justice.
The book relates the story of the Antikythera Mechanism which has been shown to have amazing capabilities as an astronomical calculator: scientists believe its complexity was at least 1500 years before its time. The Antikythera Mechanism artifact is a good 2,000 years old and was found during a dive in 1901. Scientists have been attempting to unravel its secrets ever since. So, if it's a true-life mystery you are interested, or a book that's a bit different I would strongly recommend this well-written and interesting book of Jo Marchant's.
There are innumerable other sub-genres to be found within our Science and Nature section, covering quite an array of subjects. If you are a fan of the border collie, Barbara Sykes writes a delightful treatise on 'Understanding Border Collies'. This is an excellent book written by somebody who really does understand the intricacies that go to make up this breed of dog and is an absolute 'must have' for all the lovers of border collies out there. Changing from dogs to elephants, I would certainly recommend 'The Elephant Whisperer: Learning about Life, Loyalty and Freedom from a Remarkable Herd of Elephants' - it will really pull on your heartstrings then have you howling with laughter! Check out all the other options within this section - you will probably amaze yourself at the treasure trove of titles hidden within our web pages!
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suleman_Thadha
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Why You Should Drink Filtered Tap Water
There are two major benefits to having filtered tap water flowing through your home.
One is that filtered water taste great. Many filtration systems alter the pH balance of the water, giving it a crisp taste. People are more likely to drink great wasting water than bland, ordinary water. Drinking more water is a very healthy habit as well.
The other major benefit of drinking filtered tap water is the benefit it could have to your health. Filtered water has many of the contaminants that are in ordinary tap water, removed or reduced.
You see, despite North America having one of the safest water supplies in the world, there still remain residues of many contaminants in it - even after city water treatment. Now ingesting these contaminants may not cause immediate death but could have a cumulative adverse effect on health.
Take chlorine for example, long used to disinfect water supplies all over the world. Chlorine is linked to asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Drinking chlorinated water and even taking a shower can exposure you to risks.
Taking a shower? Yes - whenever you take a hot shower the chlorine in water is vaporized and which point you inhale it. Therefore, imagine how less of a health risk taking a shower would be if it were chlorine-free filtered tap water that was coming out of your shower head.
There are many other contaminants in tap water that can affect one's health in the long term. Here is another for good measure - lead. This substance can leach from your plumbing system into your water. Lead can cause kidney and liver problems and is especially harmful to children.
So, it is best to get a quality filtration system that can produce clean, healthy filtered water throughout your entire home. Just make sure you due your due diligence before you buy a filtration unit, so that you know you are getting one of high quality.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Surgeon
One is that filtered water taste great. Many filtration systems alter the pH balance of the water, giving it a crisp taste. People are more likely to drink great wasting water than bland, ordinary water. Drinking more water is a very healthy habit as well.
The other major benefit of drinking filtered tap water is the benefit it could have to your health. Filtered water has many of the contaminants that are in ordinary tap water, removed or reduced.
You see, despite North America having one of the safest water supplies in the world, there still remain residues of many contaminants in it - even after city water treatment. Now ingesting these contaminants may not cause immediate death but could have a cumulative adverse effect on health.
Take chlorine for example, long used to disinfect water supplies all over the world. Chlorine is linked to asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Drinking chlorinated water and even taking a shower can exposure you to risks.
Taking a shower? Yes - whenever you take a hot shower the chlorine in water is vaporized and which point you inhale it. Therefore, imagine how less of a health risk taking a shower would be if it were chlorine-free filtered tap water that was coming out of your shower head.
There are many other contaminants in tap water that can affect one's health in the long term. Here is another for good measure - lead. This substance can leach from your plumbing system into your water. Lead can cause kidney and liver problems and is especially harmful to children.
So, it is best to get a quality filtration system that can produce clean, healthy filtered water throughout your entire home. Just make sure you due your due diligence before you buy a filtration unit, so that you know you are getting one of high quality.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Surgeon
Water Filters - Trihalomethanes
Much has been written about the concerns many consumers have over the dangers of chlorine in their tap water. This article takes a closer look at how and why chlorine in tap water can affect your health.
Trihalomethanes, often referred to as THM's, consist of a group of four chemicals that are when chlorine reacts with organic and inorganic matter in water. THM's are formed with other by-products as they go the business of disinfecting water.
The four trihalomethanes are: chloroform, romodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane, and bromoform. EPA standards allow for a maximum annual average level of 80 parts per billion.
The concern over THM's is that these by-products belong to the Cancer Group B carcinogens. This means that these contaminants have already been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. Another concern is that these by-products are not entirely stable. By that we mean that the levels of these by-products can increase according to pH, temperature, time, and the level of organic material they have to react with in the water.
It is important to remember that water treatment plants are required by regulation to maintain a certain level of residual chlorine in the water as it moves through the distribution system (water pipes). This residual chlorine is used to disinfect flowing water as it makes its way from the plant or water tank to your home. It is also important to remember that the minimum residual chlorine level must be maintained all the way to the very last point of discharge. What this means to you is that the closer you live to a treatment plant or water storage tank the higher the level of chlorine will be in your tap water.
Understanding the pro's and con's of chlorine can help consumers make better decisions on whether or not they want to remove chlorine and trihalomethanes from their tap water. In almost all cases, it is better to remove these contaminants than to leave them in the water. This is especially true for the THM's that are found in tap water.
It should also be noted that chlorine and THM's can be introduced into the body through showering. For this reason, most experts recommend homeowners install shower head water filters which are rated to remove both chlorine and THM's.
For point of use systems at homes, activated carbon filters are the most effective means of removing THM's from tap water. These POU filters are very affordable and easy to install. In addition, reverse osmosis units will also eliminate chlorine and trihalomethanes.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Tracey
Trihalomethanes, often referred to as THM's, consist of a group of four chemicals that are when chlorine reacts with organic and inorganic matter in water. THM's are formed with other by-products as they go the business of disinfecting water.
The four trihalomethanes are: chloroform, romodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane, and bromoform. EPA standards allow for a maximum annual average level of 80 parts per billion.
The concern over THM's is that these by-products belong to the Cancer Group B carcinogens. This means that these contaminants have already been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. Another concern is that these by-products are not entirely stable. By that we mean that the levels of these by-products can increase according to pH, temperature, time, and the level of organic material they have to react with in the water.
It is important to remember that water treatment plants are required by regulation to maintain a certain level of residual chlorine in the water as it moves through the distribution system (water pipes). This residual chlorine is used to disinfect flowing water as it makes its way from the plant or water tank to your home. It is also important to remember that the minimum residual chlorine level must be maintained all the way to the very last point of discharge. What this means to you is that the closer you live to a treatment plant or water storage tank the higher the level of chlorine will be in your tap water.
Understanding the pro's and con's of chlorine can help consumers make better decisions on whether or not they want to remove chlorine and trihalomethanes from their tap water. In almost all cases, it is better to remove these contaminants than to leave them in the water. This is especially true for the THM's that are found in tap water.
It should also be noted that chlorine and THM's can be introduced into the body through showering. For this reason, most experts recommend homeowners install shower head water filters which are rated to remove both chlorine and THM's.
For point of use systems at homes, activated carbon filters are the most effective means of removing THM's from tap water. These POU filters are very affordable and easy to install. In addition, reverse osmosis units will also eliminate chlorine and trihalomethanes.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Tracey
Three Symptoms of Poor Home Water Quality
Poor water quality is the leading cause of death in the world. Life as we know it needs water for survival but the desperate need for it can also be life's downfall. Contaminated and polluted water sources, when drank from, can cause diseases like dysentery, influenza, cryptosporidiosis, cholera, E. coli, and countless others. Because of the risks involved it is always a good idea to get your home water quality checked whenever you are even remotely suspicious.
The symptoms of poor water quality are easy to read as long as you know what you are looking for. If you feel that the quality of your tap water is not up to snuff you can send a sample in for testing. There are three main forms of water quality tests that can be performed by your water treatment plant and they are bacterial, mineral, and chemical tests. These tests will give you a better idea of the problem in your water and help guide you on the proper treatment path.
Here's what to look out for before you drink your household tap water:
Foul Odor:
Clean water should be completely odorless, so if your water has any sort of smell to it you could be dealing with a chemical or mineral imbalance. If your water has an unpleasant aroma and smells like sulfur, tin, or anything at all it is a good idea to have it tested.
Discoloration:
Sanitary water will have a clear color that you can see right through. If the water coming out of your tap is tinted a certain color (like that of rust, indigo, or murky green) you should have it tested right away because that is a clear sign that something is contaminating the water source.
Odd Taste:
If the water in your glass passes the discoloration test and the foul odor test but still has an odd taste to it when you bring it to your lips you are probably dealing with a subtle mineral imbalance or bacterial contaminant. If your water tastes funny make sure to stop drinking it immediately and have it tested for water quality.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Maria_K._Bernal
The symptoms of poor water quality are easy to read as long as you know what you are looking for. If you feel that the quality of your tap water is not up to snuff you can send a sample in for testing. There are three main forms of water quality tests that can be performed by your water treatment plant and they are bacterial, mineral, and chemical tests. These tests will give you a better idea of the problem in your water and help guide you on the proper treatment path.
Here's what to look out for before you drink your household tap water:
Foul Odor:
Clean water should be completely odorless, so if your water has any sort of smell to it you could be dealing with a chemical or mineral imbalance. If your water has an unpleasant aroma and smells like sulfur, tin, or anything at all it is a good idea to have it tested.
Discoloration:
Sanitary water will have a clear color that you can see right through. If the water coming out of your tap is tinted a certain color (like that of rust, indigo, or murky green) you should have it tested right away because that is a clear sign that something is contaminating the water source.
Odd Taste:
If the water in your glass passes the discoloration test and the foul odor test but still has an odd taste to it when you bring it to your lips you are probably dealing with a subtle mineral imbalance or bacterial contaminant. If your water tastes funny make sure to stop drinking it immediately and have it tested for water quality.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Maria_K._Bernal
EMI & RF Environmental Safety Concerns
Electromagnetic energy is an environmental issue that is often overlooked. This invisible environmental factor should be considered as carefully as air and water quality.
Standards have been set for acceptable electromagnetic energy levels in the environment. Organizations, such as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), have studied and identified levels and time limits above which human exposure should be restricted.
As required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has established standards and guidelines for evaluating the level of potential human exposure to emissions from licensed transmitters. OSHA's website states "...there are national consensus standards which OSHA could consider referencing in a general duty clause citation." Policies and procedures should be put in place to reduce the potential for being challenged on these issues and for properly responding if you are challenged.
Electromagnetic energy is generated over a wide spectrum of frequencies from many different sources. The frequencies addressed in this article include extremely low frequency (ELF), Radiofrequency (RF) and microwave (MW) radiation. The term "EME/RF" will be used here to refer to these frequencies.
ELF fields are produced by power lines, electrical wiring, and electrical equipment. RF and MW radiation is generated from many sources, including radios, cellular phones, the processing and cooking of foods, heat sealers, vinyl welders, high frequency welders, induction heaters, flow solder machines, communications transmitters, radar transmitters, ion implant equipment, and microwave drying equipment. These frequencies, along with visible and ultraviolet light, are known as non-ionizing radiation to distinguish them from the more dangerous X-rays, gamma rays and other higher energy level rays known as ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation is not addressed in this article.
Establishing a policy and implementing procedures to consider, identify and document the factors that influence the electromagnetic environment will help ensure that workers and the general public are appropriately protected from any potential adverse effects resulting from excessive exposure. While most devices typically would not result in levels of exposure high enough to cause injury, it is nevertheless important to ensure that human exposures are maintained well below levels that are suspected to be potentially harmful.
Electromagnetic environment evaluation procedures should be consistent and complete. The FCC has established maximum permissible exposure (MPE) levels for human exposure to RF. They have published guidelines and procedures for evaluating RF exposure for the general public and for personnel performing occupational tasks in a controlled area.
While the focus of the FCC is strictly on transmitters that they license, OSHA is very much concerned with the workplace. OSHA has published their own guidelines, which state that they agree with those of the FCC and other standards organizations. In the area of occupational protection against EME/RF exposure, the OSHA guidelines are a very clear blueprint for the responsibilities of building facilities management. The General Duty Clause of OSHA states that an employer is required "to furnish to each of his employees, employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees."
It is becoming more common for building rooftops to be used as wireless base station antenna sites. A building manager should ensure that all wireless carriers located on such facilities comply with the requirements to assess and document the RF environment. These requirements are not restricted to each carrier's individual contribution to the RF environment, but mandate that they evaluate the cumulative effects of all RF sources at each site, identify areas where the MPE is exceeded in which their equipment contributes 5% or more of the MPE, and take appropriate action. That action could involve signage, barriers to restrict access, or other methods to alert people to the potential danger and prevent excessive exposure.
Forward thinking building managers might utilize internal resources or an independent third party firm to perform an EME/RF audit of any part of their facility where a potential tenant wants to install equipment that may generate EME/RF energy. This should be made a routine part of the due diligence process in evaluating the lease application and the cost included in those fees. In the case of wireless licensees, each should be provided with an updated copy of the results of the new study. The FCC rules require that each licensee consider the cumulative effects of all transmitters. Existing tenants are more willing to share the necessary information with a building manager or independent third party than with a potential new competitor.
The liability that results from an unknown or undocumented electromagnetic environment presents a unique risk-management problem. An innovative solution to the problem, using the rooftop example, is to perform an audit of RF sources. A RF sweep of the rooftop using industry-accepted test equipment can identify "hot spots" where high levels of RF are of concern.
Then, a computer modeling study of the roof can be used to predict a "worst case scenario" and generate a color-coded map of the rooftop, with the safe, "green" areas in green, and other colors to alert personnel to any areas of concern. This map should be laminated and stored in a weather resistant enclosure that is well marked and placed where anyone entering the roof will see it, so that they will be aware of the environment.
Tens of thousands of occupational situations involve potentially hazardous exposure to non-ionizing radiation that could be at, near, or above recognized safety standards. Commercial and industrial uses outside the electronics industry continue to grow. High electromagnetic levels can affect the general population and, specifically, at risk individuals.
While it is important to recognize that most facilities are safely within the MPE limits, it is also important to be able to provide some documentation to show how that was determined for your facility if you are asked to do so. For most buildings, this is easy and low cost. For facilities with more complex EME/RF environments, more detailed analysis is required; however, documenting the environment there is more important because challenges are more likely in such cases.
People with implanted pacemakers are of particular concern. The manufacturers of pacemakers usually provide specifications relative to the electromagnetic environmental levels where the device should not be used. Those responsible for environmental issues should be aware of workers and others who may have pacemakers and ensure that they are not allowed to enter an area where the electromagnetic environment is not compatible with the pacemaker. RF energy can also affect the operation of hearing aids.
In addition to effects on humans, sufficiently high levels of RF energy can interfere with other electronic equipment such as computer systems, wireless devices, medical equipment (defibrillators), and RFID systems. Often, these types of equipment are vital to providing workplace safety. As with all environmental concerns, the electromagnetic environment must be managed with knowledge and responsibility.
Electromagnetic environmental safety is a risk management issue. By recognizing it as such, facility management is taking positive steps to protect the employees and visitors as well as avoiding potential litigation should an incident occur. The guidelines established by OSHA provide a clear blueprint for the responsibility of building facilities' managers. The first step is to establish a written policy for documenting and dealing with these issues.
It is also important to establish a procedure for documenting all potential sources of electromagnetic energy at and nearby the facility. Conducting periodic reviews will ensure that the information is current. Obtaining an expert evaluation and opinion as to the need for a detailed electromagnetic/RF environment audit is a prudent step. If recommended, study of the electromagnetic environment should be performed.
Depending on the facility, this may include measurements, theoretical modeling, or a combination of the two. It is vital to correct any deficiencies noted, post signage where appropriate, and restrict access where needed. OSHA's policy states that employers who have people working around devices which produce radiofrequency/ microwave radiation need to be sure that those devices are properly shielded to prevent leakage of radiation.
The FCC sets forth two tiers of MPE levels, one for general population/uncontrolled environments and another for occupational/controlled environments. Where electromagnetic hazards may exist, awareness training should be provided to personnel who find it necessary to enter the area. In facilities where RF exposure is high, specific areas of concern can be identified and access to those areas can be restricted or controlled.
In facilities where it is more desirable to utilize the less restrictive occupational/controlled exposure limits, certain requirements must be met. These include RF safety awareness training for anyone entering such facilities. Procedures should be instituted for working in the vicinity of the RF sources that will prevent exposures in excess of the guidelines. Since the MPE limits are based on time averaging, restricting the time an individual could be near an RF source is one example of a policy that could prevent excessive exposure to RF radiation. It is necessary to inquire of prospective new tenants regarding planned equipment that may contribute to the EME/RF environment and evaluate the cumulative threat thereof.
Management should also determine if prospective new tenants plan to use equipment that may be negatively impacted by the existing EME/RF environment. EME/RF emissions can cause potential hazards to both humans and the operation of equipment. In addition to the impact on personnel, the emissions from one device may have a deleterious effect on other devices in the area. In medical related facilities or other facilities used for sensitive testing, there may also be adverse effects on test results.
Just as there are safety precautions for operating a microwave oven, such as not operating it when empty, checking to see that the door seal is tight and using extreme caution if you have a pacemaker, there are safety precautions for the operation of business, industry and health related facilities. While it is important to know what the precautions are, it is also important to take action to protect the environment and those who work within the environment from the potential hazardous effects of EME/RF emissions. EME/RF radiation is an important safety aspect of facility management. By using professionals to survey the facility and determine the levels of EME/RF radiation, providing formal training of employees and adequate posting of hazardous areas, all personnel within the facility can be protected against excessive levels of EME/RF.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patrick_Stox
Standards have been set for acceptable electromagnetic energy levels in the environment. Organizations, such as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), have studied and identified levels and time limits above which human exposure should be restricted.
As required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has established standards and guidelines for evaluating the level of potential human exposure to emissions from licensed transmitters. OSHA's website states "...there are national consensus standards which OSHA could consider referencing in a general duty clause citation." Policies and procedures should be put in place to reduce the potential for being challenged on these issues and for properly responding if you are challenged.
Electromagnetic energy is generated over a wide spectrum of frequencies from many different sources. The frequencies addressed in this article include extremely low frequency (ELF), Radiofrequency (RF) and microwave (MW) radiation. The term "EME/RF" will be used here to refer to these frequencies.
ELF fields are produced by power lines, electrical wiring, and electrical equipment. RF and MW radiation is generated from many sources, including radios, cellular phones, the processing and cooking of foods, heat sealers, vinyl welders, high frequency welders, induction heaters, flow solder machines, communications transmitters, radar transmitters, ion implant equipment, and microwave drying equipment. These frequencies, along with visible and ultraviolet light, are known as non-ionizing radiation to distinguish them from the more dangerous X-rays, gamma rays and other higher energy level rays known as ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation is not addressed in this article.
Establishing a policy and implementing procedures to consider, identify and document the factors that influence the electromagnetic environment will help ensure that workers and the general public are appropriately protected from any potential adverse effects resulting from excessive exposure. While most devices typically would not result in levels of exposure high enough to cause injury, it is nevertheless important to ensure that human exposures are maintained well below levels that are suspected to be potentially harmful.
Electromagnetic environment evaluation procedures should be consistent and complete. The FCC has established maximum permissible exposure (MPE) levels for human exposure to RF. They have published guidelines and procedures for evaluating RF exposure for the general public and for personnel performing occupational tasks in a controlled area.
While the focus of the FCC is strictly on transmitters that they license, OSHA is very much concerned with the workplace. OSHA has published their own guidelines, which state that they agree with those of the FCC and other standards organizations. In the area of occupational protection against EME/RF exposure, the OSHA guidelines are a very clear blueprint for the responsibilities of building facilities management. The General Duty Clause of OSHA states that an employer is required "to furnish to each of his employees, employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees."
It is becoming more common for building rooftops to be used as wireless base station antenna sites. A building manager should ensure that all wireless carriers located on such facilities comply with the requirements to assess and document the RF environment. These requirements are not restricted to each carrier's individual contribution to the RF environment, but mandate that they evaluate the cumulative effects of all RF sources at each site, identify areas where the MPE is exceeded in which their equipment contributes 5% or more of the MPE, and take appropriate action. That action could involve signage, barriers to restrict access, or other methods to alert people to the potential danger and prevent excessive exposure.
Forward thinking building managers might utilize internal resources or an independent third party firm to perform an EME/RF audit of any part of their facility where a potential tenant wants to install equipment that may generate EME/RF energy. This should be made a routine part of the due diligence process in evaluating the lease application and the cost included in those fees. In the case of wireless licensees, each should be provided with an updated copy of the results of the new study. The FCC rules require that each licensee consider the cumulative effects of all transmitters. Existing tenants are more willing to share the necessary information with a building manager or independent third party than with a potential new competitor.
The liability that results from an unknown or undocumented electromagnetic environment presents a unique risk-management problem. An innovative solution to the problem, using the rooftop example, is to perform an audit of RF sources. A RF sweep of the rooftop using industry-accepted test equipment can identify "hot spots" where high levels of RF are of concern.
Then, a computer modeling study of the roof can be used to predict a "worst case scenario" and generate a color-coded map of the rooftop, with the safe, "green" areas in green, and other colors to alert personnel to any areas of concern. This map should be laminated and stored in a weather resistant enclosure that is well marked and placed where anyone entering the roof will see it, so that they will be aware of the environment.
Tens of thousands of occupational situations involve potentially hazardous exposure to non-ionizing radiation that could be at, near, or above recognized safety standards. Commercial and industrial uses outside the electronics industry continue to grow. High electromagnetic levels can affect the general population and, specifically, at risk individuals.
While it is important to recognize that most facilities are safely within the MPE limits, it is also important to be able to provide some documentation to show how that was determined for your facility if you are asked to do so. For most buildings, this is easy and low cost. For facilities with more complex EME/RF environments, more detailed analysis is required; however, documenting the environment there is more important because challenges are more likely in such cases.
People with implanted pacemakers are of particular concern. The manufacturers of pacemakers usually provide specifications relative to the electromagnetic environmental levels where the device should not be used. Those responsible for environmental issues should be aware of workers and others who may have pacemakers and ensure that they are not allowed to enter an area where the electromagnetic environment is not compatible with the pacemaker. RF energy can also affect the operation of hearing aids.
In addition to effects on humans, sufficiently high levels of RF energy can interfere with other electronic equipment such as computer systems, wireless devices, medical equipment (defibrillators), and RFID systems. Often, these types of equipment are vital to providing workplace safety. As with all environmental concerns, the electromagnetic environment must be managed with knowledge and responsibility.
Electromagnetic environmental safety is a risk management issue. By recognizing it as such, facility management is taking positive steps to protect the employees and visitors as well as avoiding potential litigation should an incident occur. The guidelines established by OSHA provide a clear blueprint for the responsibility of building facilities' managers. The first step is to establish a written policy for documenting and dealing with these issues.
It is also important to establish a procedure for documenting all potential sources of electromagnetic energy at and nearby the facility. Conducting periodic reviews will ensure that the information is current. Obtaining an expert evaluation and opinion as to the need for a detailed electromagnetic/RF environment audit is a prudent step. If recommended, study of the electromagnetic environment should be performed.
Depending on the facility, this may include measurements, theoretical modeling, or a combination of the two. It is vital to correct any deficiencies noted, post signage where appropriate, and restrict access where needed. OSHA's policy states that employers who have people working around devices which produce radiofrequency/ microwave radiation need to be sure that those devices are properly shielded to prevent leakage of radiation.
The FCC sets forth two tiers of MPE levels, one for general population/uncontrolled environments and another for occupational/controlled environments. Where electromagnetic hazards may exist, awareness training should be provided to personnel who find it necessary to enter the area. In facilities where RF exposure is high, specific areas of concern can be identified and access to those areas can be restricted or controlled.
In facilities where it is more desirable to utilize the less restrictive occupational/controlled exposure limits, certain requirements must be met. These include RF safety awareness training for anyone entering such facilities. Procedures should be instituted for working in the vicinity of the RF sources that will prevent exposures in excess of the guidelines. Since the MPE limits are based on time averaging, restricting the time an individual could be near an RF source is one example of a policy that could prevent excessive exposure to RF radiation. It is necessary to inquire of prospective new tenants regarding planned equipment that may contribute to the EME/RF environment and evaluate the cumulative threat thereof.
Management should also determine if prospective new tenants plan to use equipment that may be negatively impacted by the existing EME/RF environment. EME/RF emissions can cause potential hazards to both humans and the operation of equipment. In addition to the impact on personnel, the emissions from one device may have a deleterious effect on other devices in the area. In medical related facilities or other facilities used for sensitive testing, there may also be adverse effects on test results.
Just as there are safety precautions for operating a microwave oven, such as not operating it when empty, checking to see that the door seal is tight and using extreme caution if you have a pacemaker, there are safety precautions for the operation of business, industry and health related facilities. While it is important to know what the precautions are, it is also important to take action to protect the environment and those who work within the environment from the potential hazardous effects of EME/RF emissions. EME/RF radiation is an important safety aspect of facility management. By using professionals to survey the facility and determine the levels of EME/RF radiation, providing formal training of employees and adequate posting of hazardous areas, all personnel within the facility can be protected against excessive levels of EME/RF.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patrick_Stox
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