ENN: Environmental News Network -- Know Your Environment

Last week, guest author Paul Batistelli contributed an article about the controversy surrounding fracking in ENN’s Spotlight section. This week, Paul argues the case for and against fracking…

The case for fracking

• Economic growth

In the United States, companies have struck natural gas gold in the Marcellus Shale formation in Pennsylvania, the Bakken in North Dakota and the Barnett Shale, Eagle Ford and Permian Basin in Texas. The number of drillers that have flocked to these areas have added significant economic value. According to the Dallas Morning News fracking has added about 1.6 million jobs in the United States, with the average worker earning $107,000 per year. In addition to job growth, it estimates that drilling could contribute $197 billion to the GDP by 2015 and double the amount by 2035.

• Lower natural gas rates

The boom in natural gas has caused the prices of the commodity to drop, decreasing energy bills for millions of Americans. Aside from heating and cooking with natural gas, homes across the nation can use electricity generated by the fossil fuel. Because of the low price of natural gas, many power plants have turned to the commodity instead of coal to generate electricity. In deregulated markets like Texas, energy rates charged by companies that purchase power from natural gas distributors may be lower than those who rely on coal-generated electricity.

• Cleaner electricity

Cost savings aren’t the only reason to use natural gas to generate electricity. Natural gas is a cleaner-burning fuel, meaning it produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions than its coal or oil counterparts. The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions released a report in June stating carbon emissions are at their lowest levels since 1994, partially because of the substitution of natural gas for other fossil fuels.

The case against fracking

• Harmful chemicals

The water pushed into shale rock formations is swimming with chemicals that help kill bacteria and dissolve minerals. Though the exact chemical cocktail used can vary by driller, 65 of the known chemicals used in fracking are considered hazardous. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notes that some of the chemicals can cause adverse health effects with prolonged exposure, including damage to the kidneys, liver, brain, heart and blood stream. And because the fracking industry in exempt from the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, the hazardous waste created in the process is unregulated.

• High water use

It’s not just a drop of water being used to frack natural gas, it’s millions of gallons. That much water use is an environmental concern for any state, but in drought-stricken areas like Texas, it’s an even bigger issue. Barnett Shale fracking in North Texas used more than a billion gallons of groundwater in 2009 alone, according to the Austin-American Statesman.  And because of the chemicals in the water, it can’t be treated and reused for alternative purposes. Worse yet, it’s possible the fluids pumped in the ground are contaminating drinking water, which the EPA is currently investigating.

• Methane gas

Though natural gas is thought to burn cleaner than coal, fracking is not without a carbon footprint. When a well is fracked for natural gas, methane escapes as well. Many believe the extra release of methane gas cancels out any climate advantage of fewer carbon dioxide emissions.  Furthermore, it’s thought the added methane gas puts people’s lives in danger, from both water contamination and the risk of explosions at fracking sites.

Paul Batistelli freelances in the energy field for the promotion of a greener society and energy means. He works to raise awareness on ecological issues, energy dependency, and reducing carbon footprints. He currently resides in Dallas, TX with his lab, Copeland.

Drilling image and anti-drilling image via Shutterstock.

I can’t remember a time in my life when I did not watch Discovery Channel’s Shark Week. Shark Week is my favorite week of the year. I’m not sure exactly what it is that draws me to Shark Week but I always make sure to watch every show at least once. I especially like shows that focus on some of the more unique species like the Saw Shark and the Greenland Sleeper Shark.

Unfortunately, over the past few years I have found the Shark Week programming more and more disappointing. Instead of shows highlighting new research or rarely seen behaviors, lately, Shark Week has been focusing on specials relating to popular culture and sensationalism. This year’s opening show, ‘Megalodon: The Monster Shark Lives’ was especially disappointing.

‘Megalodon’ is a faux-documentary, similar to Animal Planet’s ‘Mermaids’, investigating the possibility that the “dinosaur” shark Megalodon still exists. Watching ‘Megal0don’ left me thinking “Seriously?”.

I love monster movies more than most. If there’s a movie with a giant mutant creature terrorizing a city, I have most likely already seen it. But there is already a channel that specializes in that kind of fantasy, and it’s called the Sci Fi Channel. Pieces like ‘Megalodon’ have little education value and unfortunately ‘Megalodon’ also had limited entertainment value. I think I learned more about global warming and the perils facing modern sharks from the ridiculous Sci-Fi film “Sharknado” then from “Megalodon”.

I also am annoyed by Shark Week’s fascination with Great White Sharks and other “man-eaters”. There are so many species of sharks, why not show diversity to match that. I understand Great White Sharks and Tiger Sharks are the creatures of nightmares with their “soul-less eyes” and their undiscerning appetite, respectively, but am I the only person who gets sick of the repetitiveness and fascination with confrontation? Even in the shows that are supposed to focus on unique behaviors of the Great White Shark like ‘Return of Jaws’ and ‘Spawn of Jaws’, the focus of the show is more on the process of tagging the sharks then analyzing the data collected.

As of today there are three nights left of shark week. Though I will watch then all, the only show I am really looking forward to is “Alien Sharks of the Deep” which is set to show on Thursday August 8th at 10 PM Eastern Time.

Hopefully the negative reaction to this years Shark Week as a result of “Megalodon” will inspire Discovery Channel to improve the Shark Week Line Up for 2014.

Below you will find some of my favorite shark videos from the Discovery and National Geographic Channels :

How Mako Sharks Speed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcO1UHVNkEI

Alaskan Salmon Shark Breaching: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOyPr28TLmg

Bull Sharks in Indian Rivers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiXcAL3otQ4

Octupus Kills Small Shark: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeV7yvNIScY

Tiger Shark Learns to Hunt Albatross: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd0E1h5Yr-4&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLivjPDlt6ApQ8vBgHkeEjeRJjzqUGv9dV

Nurse Sharks Mating: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uYhW-g5E4

Great Whites Feeding on Whale Carcass: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T20vkGZxULo

Shark Tooth via Shutterstock

Eco-friendly education determines ways through which we can better ourselves, our society, and our environment. Currently, educational institutions seem to be overloaded with the need for budget cuts. These reports come from administrators all over the country who suggest reducing resources in order to grow efficiently.  Therefore, at this stage, education needs to adhere to the requirements and demands of scholars so as to grow green, save money and resources, and be stewards of our environment. Below are a few listed ways in which the schools could start greening themselves for an equitable survival.

Offer green certified improvement for the staff

Experts need to be taken to schools to show the staff the proper ways of adjusting learners as well as the institution throughout the working day. This features reinforcing the useful need to model the behaviors of scholars.

Class responsibilities to the environment

According to educational professionals at SolidEssay.com, which is a college paper writing service, positive roles played by the class towards their teachers and each other allows students to actively work together in coming up with solutions to respond to the greening process.

Reduction of electricity use

A large school can hold an average of 3500 computers; these machine needs to be running most of the time throughout the year. If the machines can run less hours in a week, the energy consumption would decrease thus encouraging a lower pay in terms of electricity per unit used.

Similarly, the staff can also unplug unneeded appliances and electrical leaks as well as other indispensable items at rest. This means that the power wastage will be reduced. This is according to the future of dream green organizations.

Greenhouse Gases

Foods consumed should also be examined. If schools could keep track of the fraction dimension and come up with a conclusion on how students eat, it can make different adjustments in reducing the general consumption. However, all this comes about by the styles of packaging and transportation of the bottled foods.

In conclusion, we all need to remember that every goal of human life is lingered at sustaining the capability it can hold to prolong the lives of human beings. Therefore, it is beneficial to follow a greener lifestyle.

Author bio: Evelyn is a professional freelance writer working for SolidEssay.com, which is a college essay writing service, where she helps students with their writing assignments. Learn how to write an outline in APA format.

Book image via Shutterstock.

For most people summertime means taking time off work and finally taking a much needed vacation.  Though there are many transportation options available for getting to your vacation destination, many people (myself included) rely on taking a car because of the cheaper cost, the freedom it provides, and because many road trips are fun. While vacations are usually about relaxing and being carefree consider the following “green” tips:

-Before your leave your home, make sure to turn off your AC and unplug any other unneeded technologies. If no one is home there is no need to waste electricity (and money)

– If you have a choice in the vehicle you use opt for a hybrid or a car that uses less fuel. If you don’t own a hybrid consider renting a car. Car rentals are usually pretty cheap when multiple people chip in and give the trip an extra bit of specialness.

– Pack as light as possible. Excess pounds can affect a cars fuel efficiency.

– Instead of rolling down your car windows use the AC. Rolled down windows affect the aerodynamics of your car.

– Try to stay within the speed limits. Cars are usually most fuel efficient went going between 50 and 60 miles per hour.

-Opt for local goods when stopping (I like to pick up Amish licorice while driving through Pennsylvania).  Stop at local food stands along the road for fresh fruit, vegetables, and baked goods.

-Instead of buying new water and soda bottles whenever you stop, bring reusable bottles to reduce your trash output.

-If stopping or staying at a National Park be sure to follow the parks safety and preservation guidelines. Clean up after yourself! Nature is something to be shared and treated with respect.

-If you plan on smoking in your car during your trip do not throw finished cigarettes out the window, during the summer vegetation can be very dry and a risk for wild fires.

-If you are going on a long road trip and plan on staying in a hotel consider staying at a place that is green certified. Green certification relates to a business’s operational and sustainability practices including energy and water conservation, air quality, and housekeeping practices.

RoadTripping Couple via Shutterstock

CIRCA MAY 2010: Stencil graffiti piece by Banksy on a building on Mission St, circa May 2010 in San Francisco, CA

Graffiti is more than just “punks” using spray cans to sign their name in hopes of gaining neighborhood infamy. Graffiti is an art. Every artist has their own personal style and set of techniques that they use to make works of art.

Graffiti transforms everyday scenery into something more and provides artists a public medium to express their creativity and opinions. Recently two graffiti artists’, the well known Banksy and the lesser known Narcelio Grud, works have caught my eye. Their use of graffiti to address environmental and social issues is captivating to say the least. For those readers who are not fans of graffiti, hopefully these artists’ murals will change your mind.

Banksy

Besides being a graffiti artist Bansky (the pseudonym he goes by since graffiti is technically vandalism and illegal) is also a film director, political activist, and painter. Though Banksy is based out of England his works can be found in countries around the world. Banksy has done many works addressing a range of environmental issues including global warming, pollution, wildlife, consumerism, and land development.

Narcelio Grud

Narcelio Grud’s most recent work in Brazil titled “Tropical Hungry” addresses the issue of food waste and hunger. Grud painted an open mouth using only discarded produce from a local market in Fortaleza, Brazil. To document the process of the piece an accompanying video is available on vimeo.

Banksy Mural via Shutterstock

*Photo for Editorial Use Only. Use of this image in advertising or for promotional purposes is prohibited.  

A wedding is supposed to be one of the most important events in a person’s life.  In order make their wedding day magical and memorable couples spend thousands upon thousands of dollars (according to Earth911 the cost of the average US wedding is now up to $30,000) and plan the event down to the smallest details. Unfortunately planning a wedding can be overwhelming and couples might not think of the environmental impact involved in throwing the perfect marital extravaganza.  According to Green Bride Guide the average wedding will produce an average of 62 tons of carbon dioxide and 400-600 lbs of garbage.

As a (early/belated) wedding gift to my readers I have compiled some helpful tips for throwing a greener wedding.

Invitations and Other Paper Goods

Between Save-The- Dates, Invitations, RSVP cards, and Thank You Notes many trees are sacrificed in the process of invite guests to a wedding. Though doing everything through email or online RSVP websites would be the ultimate way to reduce a weddings reliance on paper goods ,most brides and grooms want something a little classier and more substantial.  Some ways to reduce the impact of invitations include opting for invitations made from recycled paper or opting for invitations made from alternative fibers like hemp and bamboo. Consolidating inserts and invitation mailings are another way to reduce the amount paper used.

Location

It seems like everyone I know not so secretly dreams of an exotic beach destination wedding so they can feel at one with nature when they get married. Unfortunately exotic destination weddings aren’t a very green option when you consider the environmental impact of all the travel. When planning the location for a wedding try to consider the amount of travel required by guests. Reducing travel time not only cuts the carbon footprint of the wedding but also lessens the stress for your guests.

The Dress

Shows like Say Yes to the Dress show brides spending thousands of dollars on blinged out gowns that they will only wear once.  This is a great option for the many women who want a dress of their own that they can  keep for memories after the wedding is over but a new trend in wedding dresses is buying (and selling) a recycled a gown. Not only does this allow the bride to save money but dress recycling is also eco friendly.

Another, more traditional, dress recycling option is wearing a family member’s old wedding dress and either having it fit at a tailor or repurposing it.

Sites to buy used gowns include: preownedweddingdresses.com, Smartbride Boutique, Recycled Bride, Wore It Once, and Bravo Bride

Decorations

There are many options for bride and grooms who want to think green when decorating. There are many websites where brides and grooms can buy, swap, and sell decorations.

Sites to buy used wedding supplies include: Recycled Bride, Bravo Bride, SmartBride Boutique Bride to Bride Boutique, My Bridal Stuff and Ruffled.

The Feast

When planning your menu think local or opt for organic catering.  Try to serve food that is in season instead of food that requires a thousand mile journey to make it to your plate. A fun idea is to serve beer and wine from a local brewery or winery.

Also, if you have extra food after the wedding you can plan to donate it to a local food kitchen.

Crafting

Crafting takes time and energy but it is also a great way to reduce the environmental impact of your wedding.  Crafting is a fun way to personalize a wedding and can be used to improve all aspects of your wedding.  Fun ideas include creating invitations from recycled cereal boxes, making center pieces out of vintage vases and flowers, and homemade wedding favors.

There is a never-ending supply of wedding craft ideas on pages like Pinterest or you can easily come up with one of your own.

Bride and Groom via Shutterstock

Photo Credit:  Still From Elemental

As a blog writer for ENN I write articles hoping to raise the awareness of our readers of the environmental issues that impact their daily lives and to then inspire them to take action.  From experience I know that being aware of environmental injustice and taking action towards fixing those injustices are two separate things. It seems to take a personal connection with nature and inner strength that I can’t always seem to express or inspire effectively.

I recently got the chance to interview Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee, the co-director, producer, and co-composer of the documentary Elemental, which follows 3 diverse environmental activists from around the world. The film takes a personal look at its protagonist’s inspirations and the struggles they encounter on their journeys.  Besides his involvement in Elemental, Vaughan-Lee is also the founder of the Global Oneness Project, an online magazine that explores the connectivity between culture, ecology, and beauty through film, photography, and essays.

ENN: In your movie Elemental, the three protagonists choose very different paths to activism yet they all share a similar passion for their causes. Besides a strong passion for cause what do you think are factors that make an activist successful?

E-VL: I think that perseverance is probably the key to success. Because all activists, regardless of the different kind of obstacles they are trying to overcome or the issues they are working on, they are going to require a lot of work and they are going to have to overcome many obstacles. You have to not just have passion for your cause but I think perseverance and a will to keep going in the face of tremendous adversity … I think leadership is probably an important characteristic. All of our subjects had that … (Also) A deep emotional connection that is more than just a reaction based on anger and frustration…(Anger and frustration) can work in the short term but doesn’t always necessarily work (in the long term).

ENN: Environmental activism sometimes gets a bad rap. Did making Elemental change any of your opinions of environmental activism or environmental activists?

EV-L: I think there are many ways that people are activists and the problem is the media brand(s) activists as people who are on the fringes of society. (People) who gather in street protests, who break windows or put up big banners on the side of buildings. (People) that are anti-capitalist and anti American and anti patriotic.  And I don’t think that’s true. There are activists that definitely fit that stereotype but there are many activists who are moms with 3 kids who drive minivans…It’s just in my opinion, a branding that people have bought into of what a typical activist is like.

Jay (Harman) in our film is not a typical activist.  He drives a Honda truck with a big engine. He lives in pretty large houses and he is not the guy out there on the picket line with a bandanna over his mouth during a WTO. He’s a guy who’s thinking about things and his activism comes out in a different way. I think there are a million ways that people can be activists and not all of them are in that stereotype.

ENN: What made you decide to make Elemental?

EV-L:I am obviously very passionate about environmental issues. This film does not hide our agenda as filmmakers and we were interested in telling a story that explored the deep connection we all have with the natural world… Not through fact seekers and information being delivered by talking heads and experts. But to do it through human story, grounded in emotion, following a narrative of hope. It came from a desire to find an effective way to share an important philosophical idea I believe in.

ENN: Are there any environmental issues that you have a passion for? Or one that you wish received more attention?

EV-L: I think I wish they all had more attention… I’m a surfer so I spend a lot of time in the water so I am specifically concerned about what’s happening to our coastal lines, what’s happening to our water quality, and how that’s affecting our beaches, how it’s affecting marine mammal life. I wish more was being done about that. But in general I wish there was more attention and more being done about all these (environmental) issues because they are so connected. They are so fundamental to our way of life that we need radical overhaul in the way we address them and the amount of time and resources and energy that is put into trying to address them.

ENN: Let me change the subject. The cinematography in Elemental was poignant yet beautiful. What kind of advice would you give to an amateur (I’m referring to myself and the video I posted in last week’s blog on cicadas) trying to document nature?

EV-L: Nature takes time to document. That’s something I found over doing photography for many years for Elemental and other projects. If you take more time you are going to get a better end result. With nature you have to wait for the right light, you have to wait for the right sheen to make itself known.  The clouds… Whether you’re waiting for wildlife.

I think if you’re going to be spending time in nature, you need to have patience, you need to slow down. You need to be willing to spend a lot of time in nature. For Elemental we spent many, many, many days, (and) weeks over the course of several years shooting imagery. Some that never made it into the film.

To Watch the Trailer for Elemental Visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDNz3oFjDhM

To Rent or Buy Elemental Visit: https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/elemental/id643536264?Is=1

The next time I went to Sunset Park my goal was to find a mating pair. When I had first visited Sunset Park it had been the beginning of the emergence, with only a dozen or so empty shells on the ground. Only a few cicadas were resting on the trees. This time every step I took there had to be thousands of shells beneath me. The tree trunks were now covered in cicadas who’s wings had not developed and were unable to fly. Flying cicadas kept on crashing into me on their way to a new perch. But the biggest difference was the sound. When I had first visited their had been no sound. Now It was as if the sound was coming from everywhere at once.

Once I got used to the noise I began examining the cicadas on the branches of a smaller tree because I had heard adults like to be on bright branches. I finally found a pair attached, back to back. I slowly urged the couple on to my hand  and then took them back home. My unrealistic goal, was that once they finished mating, the female would lay eggs on one of the branches I had put in their cage, and I would get to experience their 17 year development first hand. I could have a pet that lived for 17 years. How many people can say that about their pet cat or dog?

I am so happy that I got the chance to appreciate the Cicada Brood II phenomena. I have been a self crowned entomologist since I was little (I also have taken courses in IPM and Medical Entomology but do not have an official degree in the field) and getting to experience Brood II  first-hand is my idea of winning the lottery.

I have documented my experience so far with Brood II and I hope it brings as much pleasure to you as it has for me.

Enjoy!

“Everything dies baby that’s a fact, but maybe everything that dies someday comes back”

-Bruce Springsteen (Atlantic City)

Western burial traditions have been known to not be the most eco-friendly. Practices like burying coffins in concrete vaults interrupt the natural process of decomposition and embalming bodies in formaldehyde introduces hazardous toxins to the environment.  Fortunately, over the last few years, there has been a change in attitude, with more and more people opting for more green options.

Instead of using coffins with elaborate metal work or made from wood that has not been sustainably sourced, green burials opt for biodegradable options like wicker or cardboard. There are also new embalming fluids made from non-toxic and biodegradable oils or the option of using dry ice. Green burials are actually cheaper than traditional burials, though not as cheap as cremation.

Cremation, which can be considered greener then a traditional burial because it requires less resources, emits carcinogens during incineration. To reduce the impact of incineration it is recommended to make sure all medical devices are removed from the body prior of incineration, or to make a donation to a carbon fund.

The Green Burial Council, a non profit, provides the information needed to help “consumers” make educated choices for their burial.

Another burial option, that’s a little less traditional, is the mixing of ashes with concrete, then placing the structure in the ocean as a start up for reefs.  I remember hearing about this option a few years ago and finding it quite whimsical. There are two main companies involved with the underwater burials, The Great Burial Reef and Eternal Reefs.

Thinking about how your body will impact the environment after life has left the body can feel intimidating and scary. We have limited control of how or when life ends, which makes it even more important to begin considering burial options as early as possible.

Arlington Cemetery via Shutterstock

When I first read about NASA’s $125,000 grant to Systems and Materials Research Corporation to create a 3-D food printer, I was excited, confused, and a little weirded out. A range of thoughts and questions ran through my mind. What would the food be made out of? Would it taste and feel like real food, or would it instead resemble an edible piece of cardboard? What are the benefits for astronauts of printing out food versus unwrapping a package of freeze dried ice cream? Could a food printer benefit people of earth as well as rocket men, or is it just a expensive pet project?

So why does NASA need a food printer? It turns out that normal space food has a limited shelf life. If NASA ever wants to get humans back into space, and attempt long distance space travel, their food needs to last at least 15 years.  A 3D food printer uses ingredients (carbs, sugars, proteins, macro and micro nutrients) in powder form. Powder form is moisture-free, allowing the ingredients to last for up to 30 years.

Anjan Contractor,  the conceptualizor of the 3D food printer, has visions for the food printer that reach beyond outer space. He believes that the food printer can be used to end world hunger and combat future food shortages.

Contractor’s 3D printer has many components that can lend themselves to fighting hunger on earth. 3D printers can use alternative food sources that humans wouldn’t normally eat, like  algae, grass, duckweed, and insects, as ingredients. Using alternative ingredients would increase access to food and cheapen the cost.

Another technological benefit of Contractor’s 3D Printer is that it would allow people to personalize the nutrition in their food. That way, a person can eat food specific to their unique dietary needs.

The type of food Contractor is focusing on now for the grant from NASA is Pizza. Pizza is made in layers,  which make it easier for the printer to make. The layers allow the printer to focus on one ingredient at a time.

I am extremely curious to see what a “printed” pizza looks like and whether it can stand up to the real thing. At the moment,  the idea that 3D printer that creates food can be the answer to world hunger seems ridiculous, but the same could have been said about most breakthroughs.

If you are as bedazzled and befuddled by the food printer as I am,  below are some links that might help you better conceptualizing a food printer. Enjoy!

Diagram of 3D Food Printer

TNO’s Video on Printing Food

TedX Food of the Future

Sample 3D Food Made from Insects:TNO Research

Suprised Printing Woman via Shutterstock

Sample 3D Food by TNO Research