World’s Largest Wind Farm to Be Built in the US

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World’s Largest Wind Farm to Be Built in the US

http://www.triplepundit.com/2009/12/worlds-largest-wind-farm-in-us/

By BC Upham

December 14th, 2009

The use of wind turbines, would leads to the reduction of burning fossil fuels which the pollute the air. The reduction of greenhouse admissions then leads to global warming which causes animals to adapt or move due to the moving climate. The extinction of animals due to global warming reduces the biodiversity in the region which therefore relates to miller.

The enormous Wind farm will be built in Oregon.

Caithness Energy will begin construction next year in Oregon on the world’s biggest wind farm, with 845 MW of capacity. The Shepherd’s Flat wind farm will utilize 338 of General Electrics next-generation 2.5 MW turbines (its 1.5 MW model is the world’s most popular, with 12,000 in use) spread out across 30 square miles of terrain just south of the Columbia River in north-central Oregon. The farm is predicted to generate about 2 billion kilowatt-hours per year, enough power for 235,000 homes. The $2 billion project will generate about 400 jobs during construction, and 35 running the farm, according to New York-based Caithness. General Electric will also provide ten years of maintenance for its turbines as part of its $1.4 billion contract.

kilowatt-- a unit of power, equal to 1000 watts.

New Study: Green Buildings Lead to Increased Productivity

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New Study: Green Buildings Lead to Increased Productivity

http://featured.matternetwork.com/2009/11/new-study-green-buildings-lead.cfm

November 04, 2009 by Green Economy Post

This article relates to the textbook because this building is attempting to lower their ecological footprint by making this new building energy efficient.

The study was done by San Diego University but these green buildings are shooting up all over the country.

These new green buildings are a win, win situation. They actually become cheaper to build because they have to add smaller heating and cooling units because of how well the building is insulated. They also believe that these green buildings actually are physically better for the tenants living inside of them. The study examines a wide-range of issues related to the difficulties of measuring office productivity, various (potential) impacts on productivity, and studies related to these issues. Across these buildings and tenants, they calculated an average salary/benefits of $106,644. And, when comparing “green” to non-green buildings, their work showed a reduction in sick leave of 2.88 days per year, on average, and a 4.88% productivity improvement. That translates, based on the salaries, to a value to the employer of $1,228.54 due to reduced sick leave and $5,204 due to productivity increases. Healthier buildings reduce sick time and increase productivity.

productivity- having the power of producing; generative; creative: a productive effort.

DOE Allocates $30.6 Million to Hydroelectric Projects

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DOE Allocates $30.6 Million to Hydroelectric Projects

http://www.matternetwork.com/2009/11/doe-allocates-306-million-hydroelectric.cfm

November 05, 2009

by Renewable Energy World

This article relates to the miller textbook because the whole point of using these alternative energy sources is to limit the use of fossil fuels which are polluting or earth by depositing carbon emissions and several other harmful green house gases.

These hydroelectric projects are conducted all over the country but they are being produced in York, Pennsylvania.

Up to $30.6 million in economic stimulus funds will be used to finance seven hydroelectric projects nationwide. The additional funding means Voth Hydro, a manufacturer of hydroelectric turbines, will be able to retain 40 jobs at its manufacturing facility in York, Pa. They will also lower the carbon emissions that are being deposited into the atmosphere by being an alternate energy source to fossil fuels.

hydroelectric- pertaining to the generation and distribution of electricity derived from the energy of falling water or any other hydraulic source.

In Japan’s Managed Landscape,

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In Japan’s Managed Landscape,a Struggle to Save the Bears

http://e360.yale.edu/content/feature.msp?id=2204

by winifred bird

29 Oct 2009

This article relates to miller because it is speaking about how the Japanese Black Bear is becoming instinct. They are becoming an endangered species due to human intervention.

This article pertains to the woodlands in Japan.

These black bears in the Japanese woodlands are disappearing because of human deforestation. Although most of Japan is forest it is inhabital for these bears. As the demand for timber in the construction and industrial sectors skyrocketed, the government subsidized large-scale planting of Japanese cedar and Japanese cypress plantations. Today, such plantations make up 41 percent of Japan’s forests, and in some prefectures the figure is higher than 60 percent. And what natural forest remains has been fragmented by roads and other development, leaving less and less room for Japan’s bears and putting them in conflict with humans — a clash that is rapidly driving down bear populations.

JBFA- Japan Bear and Forest Association

China to move residents, keep lead smelters going

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China to move residents, keep lead smelters going

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE59I15420091019?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews

Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:50am EDT

reporting by Chris Buckley

This article relates Miller because lead has been deposited in the soil and due to the soil cycle the lead ends up in the plants and animals and then eventually into the people of the surrounding towns. The pollution is also getting into the air that the people are breathing in, this has to do with the Carbon cycle. More carbon and other harmful toxins are being polluted into the air and it is disrupting the surrounding people and ecosystems.

The area that this article pertains to is Jiyuan County, China.

China plans to move 15,000 residents in its biggest lead smelting area away from the plants in order to allow them to keep operating, after tests showed over 1,000 children had excessive lead in their blood. The mayor of Jiyuan, Zhao Suping, said 15,000 people in 10 villages around the plants would move at a total cost of about 1 billion yuan ($150 million), allowing lead plants including China's largest, owned by Yuguang Gold and Lead, to keep operating, the China Daily reported over the weekend.

I believe that China needs to enforce stricter laws to prohibit the intoxication of there people. China needs to take better care of its people and place more laws on big businesses. I think that the UN should also get involved because this is polluting our earth and many other countries that China are also being affected by the extensive pollution the Chinese are producing.

smelters- a person who owns or works in a place where ores are smelted.

Toyota launches new hybrid, Honda warms to electric

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Toyota launches new hybrid, Honda warms to electric

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE59J1ID20091020?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews

Tue Oct 20, 2009 7:11am EDT

This article pertains to the miller textbook because it dealing with the reduction of green house gasses. These new hybrid cars will reduce each cars carbon emissions which will then reduce the global warming rate.
Honda's new electric cars will first be sold in the United States Europe and Japan. Although the other hybrid cars these other Japanese car manufactures are selling and be sold all over the world.

Toyota, the world's largest automaker, said they aims to sell 36,000 units a year of its new Sai hybrid sedan in Japan, taking another step toward its goal of selling 1 million hybrid vehicles annually worldwide soon after 2010. Toyota is still miles ahead of competitors in the fast-growing hybrid field, which has enjoyed tailwinds especially in Japan thanks to generous subsidies and reduced taxes on cleaner cars. Toyota and Nissan Motor Co have announced plans to offer plug-in electric vehicles globally by 2012, while General Motors' Chevrolet Volt is expected to hit showrooms next year.

Obviously the Japanese car manufactures have a lead in the hybrid and electric car "race" but, the American car manufactures are catching up and may be even succeeding in the "mpg" competition. The Chevy Volt coming out is coming out next year and will be a car with zero carbon emissions. This competition between major car manufactures to produce the most fuel efficient cars can only be a good thing. This will help produce more fuel efficient cars therefore lowering carbon emissions which will then lead to the reduction of global warming.

bottleneck- a narrow entrance or passageway.

El Niño to Help Steer U.S. Winter Weather

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El Niño to Help Steer U.S. Winter Weather http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/40597

From: R. Greenway, ENN Published October 17, 2009 01:42 PM

This article directly relates to the material that we are covering in class. We went over wind and ocean current patterns and we learned how and why El Nino is created. This article shows effects El Nino has on the rest of the country.

The area the entire El Nino weather pattern covers has to do with East Asia and North America. This article explains how El Nino is going to alter our countries winter season in different ways across the country.

El Niño in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean is expected to be a dominant climate factor that will influence the December through February winter weather in the United States.Warmer ocean water in the equatorial Pacific shifts the patterns of tropical rainfall that in turn change the strength and position of the jetstream and storms over the Pacific Ocean and the U.S."

I believe that the effects of El Nino should be known across the country; so that people are ready for the unexpected weather and are prepared for the worst possible scenario.

jet stream- strong, generally westerly winds concentrated in a relatively narrow and shallow stream in the upper troposphere of the earth.

London Testing a New Way to Refill Your Water Bottle

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London Testing a New Way to Refill Your Water Bottle

http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/40576

From: Mary Catherine O'Connor

Published October 12, 2009 07:31 AM

This article relates to miller because when bottles are thrown out they either are dumped in land fills, recycled or burned. When they are burned it gives off carbon dioxide and harmful toxins as well. If they are dumped in landfills they sit there for over 500 years until they decompose. Unless recycled water bottles are harmful for the environment.

This specific article is taken place in London, England, although dumping and burning or water bottles is done all over the world.

London is testing a new-tech "fountain" to do just that in an effort to reduce the number of water bottles in trash. The refilling stations—called Hydra Chills—are being installed this month at the Hammersmith bus station and at the Tower Bridge museum. The machines can fill bottles of up to 500 milliliters (about 17 ounces) with chilled water—but not for free. There is a 20 pence charge to use the machines, and this will be donated to Waste Watch, a UK environmental nonprofit.

albeit- although; even if

Global Warming Threatens to Upset Arctic Carbon Trapping

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Global Warming Threatens to Upset Arctic Carbon Trapping

http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/40586

From: R. Greenway, ENN

Published October 15, 2009 06:35 AM

This article reflects how the Arctic can effect the global climate by becoming a possible source of global atmospheric carbon dioxide. This can be related to what we are learning in class because it is speaking about the climate and how a major addition of carbon dioxide will affect it.

The area that this article pertains to is the arctic circle but this can effect the entire global climate.

The article shows that the arctic and or the polar icecaps could potentially alter the Earth’s climate by becoming a possible source of global atmospheric carbon dioxide. The arctic now traps or absorbs up to 25 percent of this gas but climate change could alter that amount. Since the last ice age the arctic has been serving as a carbon sink and has contained zero to 25 percent of the global carbon sink. But the rapid rate of climate change in the Arctic, about twice that of lower latitudes, could eliminate the sink and instead, possibly make the Arctic a source of carbon dioxide.

I think that this just another reason why the we as a people should take more action when dealing with limiting our pollution rate and find greener ways to live or life's. Global Warming is a major issue and should be taken more seriously instead of several different countries. We only have one earth and we need to take care of it so that in years to come, people can go about living regular lives.

permafrost- perennially frozen subsoil; in arctic or subarctic regions

Green Gunk Bad Sign for Lake Erie

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Green gunk bad sign for Lake Erie http://www.windsorstar.com/technology/Green%20gunk%20sign%20Lake%20Erie/1970183/story.html
By Craig Pearson, The Windsor StarSeptember 6, 2009




In Lake Erie there was an outburst in algea and the algea was due to several weeks of warm temperatures and low wind, as well as more nutrients in the water. The algae would eventually die, drop to the bottom, decompose, and use up all the oxygen in the lake. The Candian government decieded to design a way to limit phosphorus by banning it from detergent and mandating better sewage treatment. The overall concept, on how this relates to what we are learning in class is the phosporus and oxygen cycles are being altered in this aquatic ecosystem because of human intervention. When sewage is dumped in the water it contains more phosporous than there natuarlly is in the lake.

The area that this article pertains to is Lake Eire. Although this article was only subjected to this area, this very same problem may be happening all over the world.

In Lake there have been an abundance of outbreaks of blue-green algea. Cyanobacteria has gathered in massive quantities the last couple of weeks because of warm temperatures and low wind, as well as more nutrients in the water. The algae would eventually die, drop to the bottom, decompose, and use up all the oxygen in the lake. In the U.S., the Obama administration has announced that it will spend $450 million on Great Lakes restoration and cleanup, nearly doubling the federal budget on Great Lakes programs. Algae feeds on nitrogen and phosphorous. If the blue-green algae gets enough phosphorus, it can produce its own nitrogen, essentially help to feed itself. The main problem with cyanobacteria is that they produce toxins. These toxins can kill plants fish and animals. This is a problem that needs to be contained.

I think that we should stop dumping our phosfous filled waste into these great lakes because it is not only bad for the enviroment it can lead to a completely dead lake. If we made this mess it is our duty to fix this mess before it is to late.

detergent- any of a group of synthetic, organic, liquid or water-soluble cleaning agents that, unlike soap, are not prepared from fats and oils, are not inactivated by hard water, and have wetting-agent and emulsifying-agent properties.