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Posted by Admin at 7:04 PM, Friday, May 07, 2010

Making Hollow Objects without Injection Molding

In unversities, you may have been taught about injection molding. Injection molding is currently the main technology for making hollow plastic objects such as toys, dolls and plastic flowers. What is little mentioned is the fact that injection molding is an energy intensive process, in which lots of electricity is used on melting plastic resins and injecting the molten plastic into cavity of a mold. Although our standard of living wouldn't have been so good without injection molding, this technology is a real burden to the environment. In my humble opinion, injection molding should be replaced for the sake of the environment, although not many people would agree.

Fortunately, one of our members has developed another technology which enables hollow structures to be fabricated photolithographically without injection molding. The new technology is particularly suitable for making micro parts embedded with cavities. Unlike injection molding, the new technology is very suitable for fabricating ultra-small hollow parts with sub-millimetre resolution. More importantly, since this technology involves virtually thermal melting process, it saves a lot of electricity.

The new technology features the use of preferential surface photo-polymerization to form suspended shells over a selected area. The final structures fabricated in this technology can be:

* hollow or having suspended shell(s);

* installed on a substrate or lift-off from a substrate;

* conical, spherical, etc and etc;

* with areas ranging from a few microns to a few centimeters;

This techology and its derivatives have been patented in many places (e.g. GB 2416599 ). However, if you are seriously interested, you can get it under a license. Please feel free to contact us at b l o g @ p o l y m e r f a b . c o . u k. Equally, you can also fill in the following form to contact us:

Your Name:

Your Email:

Subject:

Your message:


Reference:

[1] UK Patent GB2416599 A 

[2] UK Patent GB2404454 A 

[3] European Patent EP1659450A1 


Edited on: Saturday, May 08, 2010 5:12 AM
Categories: For Scientists and Engineers, Go Green


Posted by Admin at 4:20 PM, Saturday, April 03, 2010

How to Remove Mercury Ions from Water

Scientists from Iran have shown that activated carbon produced from walnut shells can cost-effectively adsorb mercury ions from water. On the other hands, I have done some experiments on activated carbon derivated from walnut shells [6]. According to the results of my own experiments, activated carbon from walnut shells is apparently much better for filtering mercurous ions as compared to activated carbon from bamboo.

In additon to mercury ions, activated carbon from walnut shells can also filter ions of some other toxic metals, including cadmium ions [2], zinc ions [3], copper ions [3, 4], lead ions [3], nickel ions [5], and some other oily contaminants.

For more details about my work or other scientists' work, check out the links in the reference section.

[1] Removal of mercury from water by carbonaceous sorbents derived from walnut shell 

[2] Removal of Dissolved Cadmium by Adsorption onto Walnut and Almond Shell Charcoal: Comparison with Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) 

[3] The use of nutshell carbons in drinking water filters for removal of trace metals 

[4] Removal of Copper(II) Ions from Aqueous Solutions by Walnut-, Hazelnut- and Almond-Shells 

[5] Sorption of nickel ions from aqueous solutions using activated carbon derived from walnut shell waste 

[6] How to Remove Hg Ions from Water 


Edited on: Monday, April 26, 2010 11:21 PM
Categories: DIY Library, Go Green


Posted by Admin at 10:17 PM, Friday, February 05, 2010

Self-watering Hanging Planter

Do you want to grow your own vegetables without a backyard garden? If your answer is yes, then this self-watering hanging planter is for you. This planter is designed for the people who don't want to water their plants everyday. It is not difficult ot make. All you need is to recycle the plastic soda bottles which would otherwise be landfilled. The following figure illustrates how simple this planter is:

 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS 


Edited on: Monday, April 26, 2010 4:14 PM
Categories: DIY Library, Go Green


Posted by Admin at 2:42 PM, Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Another Slow Drip Irrigation System

Are you tired of watering your trees every day? Do not worry. Here is another slow drip irrigation system for you so that you can enjoy holidays peacefully. In addition, this system offers a simple way to recycle plastic bottles, off-date soya milk as well as used carbon cartridges. Unlike the previous system, this one allows you to refill the bottle conveniently:

CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS 


Edited on: Monday, April 26, 2010 9:01 PM
Categories: DIY Library, Go Green


Posted by Admin at 10:34 PM, Monday, December 21, 2009

How to recycle plastic bottles into water filters

A water filter based on activated carbon can be very expensive. In the UK, for example, a very simple one can be purchased at £30 each. However, you can make a better water filter without paying a penny. All you need is to recycle the plastic soda bottles which would otherwise be landfilled. The following figure and URL point to article about a method of recycling plastic bottles into water filters. I wouldn't say this method is perfect. But at least, with this method, you can demonstrate to your friends how to go-green while travelling:

CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS 


Edited on: Monday, April 26, 2010 4:19 PM
Categories: DIY Library, Go Green


Posted by Admin at 8:53 PM, Sunday, December 06, 2009

How to Grow Papaya Trees

Papayas are fast-growing plants. In Asia, it does not take longer than a year for young sprouts to develop into fruiting trees. Once their roots are well-developed, they have the ability to grow to an incredible height, keeping the fruits out of reach of the children. For me, papayas are ideal candidates for going green in an urban area. The URL presents a new method for growing papaya trees. I have already experimented this method with positive results:

CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS 


Edited on: Monday, April 26, 2010 4:42 PM
Categories: DIY Library, Go Green


Posted by Admin at 2:29 PM, Sunday, October 11, 2009

Mercury Poisoning and Meat Consumption - Updated on 21 February 2010

The University of Hongkong has in 1998 conducted a study on the connection between Hongkong male subfertility and fish consumption [1 ]. According to the study, non-vegetarians living in Hongkong have dangeriously high concentration of mercury in their hair samples.

Mercury concentrations found in the hair of 159 Hong Kong males aged 25–72 (mean age=37 years) was positively correlated with age and was significantly higher in Hong Kong subjects than in European and Finnish subjects (1.2 and 2.1 ppm, respectively).

Mercury in the hair of 117 subfertile Hong Kong males (4.5 ppm, P<0.05) was significantly higher than mercury levels found in hair collected from 42 fertile Hong Kong males (3.9 ppm).

The mercury content in the hair of subfertile males was found to be approximately 40% higher than that of fertile males of similar age.

Female subjects had significantly lower levels of hair mercury than males in similar age groups. The hair mercury concentrations of females were found to be 60% less than male participants in the similar age group. Perhaps, the difference in hair mercury concentrations between male and female subjects is due to the role of the sex hormones on mercury toxicity. As suggested in Mark and David Geier's work [9 , 10], the male hormone testosterone potentates the mercury toxicity, while female hormones tend to mask some of the toxic effects of mercury.

Scientists point out that female subjects who are exposed to mercury can have irregular periods.

However, hair analysis on 16 vegans having not consumed any fish, shellfish or meat for at least the last 5 years reveals that the vegans' mean hair mercury concentration was only 0.38 ppm --- that is, about 11 times lower than those of the meat-eating subjects. This figure suggests that vegans are almost immune from mercury poisoning.

According to another study carried out in Taiwan [2 ], mean concentrations of hair mercury of vegetarian, general population living in the main city, fishing village, outlying islands and fishing workers are 0.5±0.5、2.4±1.8、4.4±3.3、4.6±7.4 and 9.1±13.6 mg/kg respectively. The same research also reveals that food mercury is detected, in decreasing order of mercury concentration, in fish, nonfish seafood, eggs, meats, soybean products, vegetables, cereals, dairy products and fruit.

Mercury is a potent neurotoxin. Unlike other minerals, mercury is highly destructive and totally useless in human bodies. Unlike other metals, mercury is the only metal which is known to be destructive to the nerve tissues in snails [3 ]. There are no such things as safe levels of blood mercury concentration. According to Boyd E. Haley, PhD, a biochemistry professor at the University of Kentucky, even an extremely low level of mercury can cause neurological diseases, including feeling of foggy brain, chronic fatigue Syndrome and even behavioral disorder.

Results from both studies demonstrated how meat eating subjects a person to a substantially higher risk of mercury poisoning.

Forms of Mercury

Mercury exists in bodies of animals in three forms: elemental, inorganic and organic. All forms of mercury exhibit toxicity in different ways.

Elemental mercury

Elemental mercury is usually absorbed as vapor Mercury vaporises even at room temperature. This form of mercury is usually found in dental amalgam fillings (~50% mercury concentration), from which mercury vapor can be easily visualized in black light [3 ].

Because elemental mercury is lipid solulable, elemental mercury vapor can cross the blood brain barrier in the presence of lipids, alcohol or other more powerful organic solvents. Over time, it can cause damage in the central nervous system, kidney malfunction, respiratory failure, and death.. Since elemental mercury can readily escape from one animal's mouth in the form of vapor it is not impossible for this form of mercury poisoning to be spread from one individual to another.

Observable symptoms associated with elemental mercury poisoning include: 1) mood swings, nervousness, irritability, and other emotional changes, 2) insomnia, 3) headache, 4) abnormal sensations, 5) muscle twitching, 6) tremors, 7) weakness, 8) muscle atrophy, and 9) decreased cognitive functions. [15 ].

About 80 percent of inhaled elemental mercury is absorbed into the blood stream through the alveoli. About 0.01% of ingested elemental mercury is absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract. Once absorbed , elemental mercury accumulates in the kidneys, erythrocytes, bone marrow, liver, spleen, lungs, skin and hair. The elimination half-life of elemental mercury in the body is approximately 60 to 77 days.

Inorganic mercury

Inorganic mercury is usually referred as mercury salts. Inorganic mercury compounds have been used in pharmaceuticals, fungicides, Chinese medicines and antiseptics.

It is widely believed that mercury salts in the blood stream cannot cross the blood-brain barrier[5 ]. This means that, when mercury in the brain becomes inorganic for whatever reasons, it will not get out of the brain until it is removed through the use of chelating agents capable of crossing the blood brain barrier.

The UCLA study found evidence linking inorganic mercury in the blood to tissues known to be targets for the toxin, such as the liver, the immune system and the pituitary gland [4 ]. The same study also reveals a connection between levels of the pituitary hormone lutropin and chronic mercury exposure, which might help explain mercury's link to neurodegenerative disease. Inorganic mercury usually comes from meat products.

In general, symptoms associated with inorganic mercury poisoning includes skin rashes and inflammation (dermatitis). Ingesting a large amount of inorganic mercury can lead to bloody diarrhea. Inorganic mercury that is absorbed in the intestinal tissue can spread to other organ systems, causing mood swings and memory loss or renal damage. Muscle weakness may also occur. [15  ].

Organic mercury

The most toxic form of mercury is organic mercury. Organic Mercury includes, but not limited to, methylmercury. Methyl mercury was soon detected in all species of fish and in fish-consuming animals. The source of organic mercury appeared to be inorganic mercury biomethylated by microorganisms in sea animals.

Absorption of methylmercury in the gastrointestinal tract is almost 95%. Its distribution in a human body is surprisingly uniform and this distribution process is usually completed within 30 hours. About 10% of absorbed methylmercury ends up in the brain, and about 5% in the blood. According to the EPA in the US, the mercury concentration in red blood cells is approximately 20 times the concentration in plasma. There is no such thing as placental barrier for methylmercury. It is believed that levels of methylmercury in cord blood is proportional to but slightly higher than levels in maternal blood. Levels of methylmercury in the fetal brain are about 5-7 times that in maternal blood [32].

Methylmercury accumulates in growing scalp hair. Because of this, methylmercury concentrations in hair samples as measured in human hair forensic studies are always an excellent indicator of mercury exposure. Methylmercury can be found in fish, seafood, fungicides, herbicides, and wood preservatives are readily absorbed by living organisms.

Symptoms associated with organic mercury poisoning are mainly neurological malfunctions, and especially in a fetus, impaired neurological development. Other observable symptoms include: 1) peripheral vision impairment, 2) stinging or needle-like sensations in the extremities and mouth, 3) loss of coordination, 4) muscle weakness, and 5) other impairments of speech and hearing. [15 ]

Unlike inorganic mercury, both elemental mercury vapor and organic mercury can pass the blood brain barrier by way of the blood circulation.

Sources of Mercury

Mercury poisoning can occur from ingestion, inhalation and/or dermal absorption.

1/ Mercury From Food

A study by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1995 reveals that mercury from food is by far the most significant source of mercury accumulation in the human body. The mercury ingested from food sources is usually organic.

According to another study carried out in Taiwan [2  ], food mercury is found predominantly in fishes and other sea animals. Fishes and other sea animals retain methylmercury, of which up to 90 per cent can be stored in the body's tissues.

The same study [2 ] also reveals that meat products and eggs contain some degree of mercury. Concentrations of mercury in meat of the animals can be as high as those in fish and seafood, depending on what they eats during their lifetime. Many other studies echo the similar findings[13, 14  ]. In one study [13 ], for example, scientists detected mercury and lead in meat and milk, and they believe that this is probably because of the soil intake of animals during grazing. Meat mainly stores inorganic mercury, of which 10 percent is absorbed in the human body.

Mercury has also been detected in some other less-mentioned food sources, including brassicas, mushrooms, and processed food items high in high fructose corn syrup. According to a study in the US [12 ], food items containing mercury-contaminated high fructose corn syrup are listed in the following table:


Product Name Total mercury detected (ppt) Laboratory detection limit (ppt)
Quaker Oatmeal to Go 350 80
Jack Daniel’s Barbecue Sauce (Heinz) 300 100
Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup 257 50
Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce 200 100
Nutri‐Grain Strawberry Cereal Bars 180 80
Manwich Bold Sloppy Joe 150 80
Market Pantry Grape Jelly 130 80
Smucker’s Strawberry Jelly 100 80
Pop‐Tarts Frosted Blueberry 100 80
Hunt’s Tomato Ketchup 87 50
Wish‐Bone Western Sweet & Smooth 72 50
Coca‐Cola Classic 62 50
Yoplait Strawberry Yogurt 60 20
Minute Maid Berry Punch 40 30
Yoo‐hoo Chocolate Drink 30 20
Nesquik Chocolate Milk 30 20
Kemps Fat Free Chocolate Milk 30 20

Suggestion: Avoid all artificially sweetened foodstuffs.

2/ Mercury From Amalgam fillings

By far, use of mercury from amalgam fillings is the main cause of exposure to elemental and inorganic mercury [35 ].

Mercury can readily vaporize even at room temperature [3 ]. It is believed that population with amalgum fillings, mercury thermometer spillage, electrical switches and other related accidents are most vulnerable to this form of mercury poisoning. By estimation, a single dental amalgam filling with a surface area of only 0.4 sq.cm can release as much as 15 micrograms of mercury vapor everyday primarily through mechanical chewing and evaporation. The mercury vapor from the amalgams is lipid soluble and passes readily through cell membranes and across the blood brain barrier. Over time, it accumulates in the human body, causes damage to the nerve tissues and continues to plague the body during the entire life of the filling through chewing, brushing, and the intake of hot fluids.

So far, Sweden, Norway and Denmark have already banned the use of amalgam mercury dental fillings. Germany has banned one type of amalgam from further use in Germany.

3/ Mercury From Polluted Environment

Another major source of mercury accumulation in human bodies is atmospheric mercury from human activities, including mining, coal combustion, agricultural use of mercury and waste incineration.

Most of the atmospheric mercury comes from combustion facilities, notably coal fire plants. In the US and Canada, the second largest source of atmospheric mercury is the combined incineration of municipal and medical waste. Medical waste includes dental amalgam waste. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, medical waste incinerators in the US emit 70,000 pounds of mercury into the atmosphere each year, making medical use of the metal one of the leading contributors to mercury pollution.

The use of mercury in amalgam fillings is also a burden to the environment. It causes not only mercury emissions to air during cremation, but also contamination to water systems as a result of dental practices. Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Norway and Canada have banned the use of mercury based amalgam dental fillings.

Execretments from non-vegetarian animals [1] and individuals with amalgam fillings [35] also contain mercury. Since atmospheric mercury can be spread by waste incineration, our failure to maintain a vegan lifestyle free of mercury amalgam fillings is also factor contributing to mercury pollution.

Mercury usually remains in the atmosphere for approximately 1 year. Atmospheric mercury vapor can spread thousand miles away from the point sources by processes not yet fully understood. For instance, a study revealed that mercury levels even in the arctic water were not very different from levels in more southern latitudes. According to some scientists, the mercury vapor is first oxidated into a water-soluble ions in the upper atmosphere, which is then recycled back to the ground as rainwater. This cycle continues in a way to spread the mercury pollution to other remote regions.

According to scientists around the world [7 ], 75% of mercury emissions comes from human activities. Unless we press for go-green movement, the pollution from our environment will continue to pose threat to the public health.

4/ Mercury from Tobacco Smoking

According to a "by the way" study documented in [ 6 ]  , the smoke coming off of an additive free tobacco cigarette has approximately 0.014 mg/m3 of mercury, as opposed to 0.004 mg/m3 of mercury from the exhaled smoke of the smoker smoking the same cigarette. In other words, the smoker absorbs approximately 10/14 of mercury in tobacco smoke into his/her own body.

So, if the measurement documented in [6]  is accurate, then the smoker effectively deposits at least 8.214 nanograms of mercury per puff into his/her lung. The finding documented in [6]  also suggests that the most dangerous to others in the vicinity of a smoker is not the exhaled second-hand smoke.

According to information from a Canadian government webpage [7 ], tobacco smoke is one of the contributors of burden of mercury in human bodies, because mercury from the soil is taken into the plant primarily by the growing root and subsequently translocated to the leaves along with other nutrients. The webpage says, "Cigarette smoke contains up to 11.5 nanograms of mercury per cigarette in mainstream smoke and up to 16.6 nanograms of mercury per cigarette in side stream smoke." It should be understood that the normal acceptable treshold of mercury concentration in air is 5 ng/m3.

So, if the measurement documented in Ref [6]  is accurate, then each smoker effectively deposits at least 8.214 nanograms of mercury per puff into his/her lung. The finding documented in [6]  also suggests that the most dangerous to others in the vicinity of a smoker is not the exhaled second-hand smoke. Relatively speaking, the amount of mercury from tabacco smoke is relatively small. However, as will be explained later, smoking is known to deplete the serum glutathione, which is the body's natural chelating agent for removal of mercury.

5/ Mercury from beauty products

Since pearl shells contain mercury and some other heavy metals, all pearl based beauty products contain mercury. In fact, some manufacturers even intentionally add mercury into their non-pearl based beauty products in a way to attain their expected whitening effects.

According manufacturers of some mercury-containing beacuty products, the whitening effects of these products do not last for longer than three months. Perhaps, this is due to the fact that the half-life of all forms of mercury in the blood stream is at most half a year. In three months' time, approximately half of the transdermally absorbed mercury will be excreted if the subjects have enough glutathione in the body. The unexcreted mercury toxicity in the blood will be spread to the central nervous system by ways of blood circulation.

All mercury containing beauty products should be avoided at all costs.

6/ Thimerosal-containing vaccines

(will be added later)

7/ Other sources of mercury

  1. Fungicides (some)
  2. Limestones
  3. Some prescription drugs
  4. Polluted Water
  5. Diuretics (some)
  6. Button Batteries
  7. Broken energy saving lamps

Symptoms of Mercury Poisoning

Short-term inhalation of mercury vapour causes difficulty in breathing, cough and chest tightness (or so-called blocking of the heart charka) within a few hours. In theory, the non-neurological symptoms as a result of exposure to mercury is not expected to last forever. This is because the half-life of elemental mercury in blood for an average individual is just about 77 days. If one lives a strict vegan and amalgam-free lifestyle in a pollution-free environment for at least three months, most of the mercury burden in the blood will disappear, gradually and naturally.

Long-term exposure to mercury or mercury based compounds causes damage to the central nervous system. Very unfortunately, symptoms of mercury poisoning related to the central nervous system can take months, years or even decades to become noticable. The reason is simple. Since mercury has strong affinity for sulfhydryl-groups on amino acids, it bonds firmly to tissues in the central nervous system. Once attached to the nerve tissues, mercury can be rapidly transported inside the axon of the nerves to the spinal cord and brainstem. In the absence of any chelating agents, mercury will remain in the central nervous system for at least 15 years. Typically, the half-life of mercury in the central nervous system can be anywhere between 15 and 35 years.

Mercury is stored preferentially in the pituitary gland, hypothalamus, thyroid gland, adrenal gland, and occipital cortex. Once stored, mercury causes direct damage to these gland. Since the pituitary gland (or so-called the third eye) is involved, most mercury toxic individuals often experience frequent urination and difficulty in meditation. When the thyroid gland is affected, secondary effects on metabolism can appear.

Mercury causes direct damage to the central nervous system. The most common signs of chronic mercury-induced nervous damage include tremor of the hands, tremors in the tongue and eyelids. Ultimately, a mercury toxic individual usually has difficulty walking and balancing.

Mercury toxic individuals can easily become mentally unstable. Signs of mercury-induced mental disruption include: wide mood swings, short-tempered, fear, sadness or pleasure without clear reason, disappointed in all the criticism, lack of confidence, hallucinations, memory loss and inability to concentrate.

Mercury toxicity is associated with cognitive decline. Mercury toxic individuals are usually reluctant to accept new ideas or to learn something new. Typically, the higher the mercury level in the body, the lower the intelligence.

Mercury poisoning is positively associated with a variety of health problems. These health problems can be physical or psychological. Physical Health Problems associated with mercury poisoning include:

  1. Autism
  2. Chronic fatigue
  3. Amyotropic lateral sclerosis
  4. Ankylosing spondylitis
  5. Myasthenia gravis
  6. Paresthesias (loss of sensation) and neuralgia
  7. Vision, taste, smell and hearing disturbances
  8. Vertigo and tinnitus
  9. Multiple Sclerosis
  10. Parkinson’s disease
  11. Alzheimer’s’ disease
  12. Other dementias
  13. Hypothyroidism/Cold Extremities
  14. Infertility
  15. Poor libido
  16. Impotency
  17. Underactive thyroid
  18. Other Endocrine problems
  19. Rheumatoid arthritis
  20. Juvenile arthritis
  21. Lupus erythromatosus
  22. Other autoimmune diseases
  23. Multiple chemical sensitivities*
  24. Diabetes
  25. Hypertension
  26. Fibromyalgia
  27. Sciatica
  28. Gastritis and Colitis
  29. Irritable bowel syndrome
  30. Crohn’s disease
  31. Sleep disorders
  32. Yeast syndrome

Psychological health problem associated with mercury poisoning includes:

  1. “Brain fog” or poor focus/concentration*
  2. Rage or being quick to anger*
  3. Mood Swings
  4. Indecisiveness*
  5. Panic attacks
  6. Attention deficit (ADHD)
  7. Hyperactivity
  8. Learning disabilities
  9. Depression
  10. Unexplainable sadness*
  11. Joylessness*
  12. Fearfulness*
  13. Obsessive-compulsive disorder
  14. Manic-depressive disorder (now known as bipolar disorder)
  15. Anorexia nervosa
  16. Bulimia

Can We Self-diagnose Mercury Toxicity?

It is not impossible to determine if one becomes a possible victim of mercury poisoning, even without any test instrument or health care providers. In general, mercury poisoning can become a possibility if any combination of the following conditions is observed:

  1. sneezing when looking directly at the sun
  2. chest tightness
  3. excessive hair loss
  4. excessive salivation
  5. frequent urination
  6. persistent fatigue
  7. unbearable headache
  8. oral inflammation
  9. gum disease --- including dark line of mercury sulfide on gums, loosening and loss of teeth
  10. constant runny nose
  11. sinusitis
  12. ringing in the ears, or tinnitus
  13. memory deterioration
  14. brain fog
  15. tremor of the hands, tongue and/or eyelids
  16. "needle sensation" at lymph nodes under arms, in groin and in the liver region
  17. irregular heartbeat
  18. metallic taste in the mouth
  19. difficulty in concentration
  20. hearing and vision disturbances
  21. chewing one's own tooth while asleep
  22. dry eyes

Half-lives of Mercury in the Human Body

The half-life of elemental mercury in the blood is approximately 60 to 77 days. The half-life of organic mercury in the blood can be anywhere between 50 days to 125 days. The half-life of mercury in the central nervous system is anywhere between 15 years to 30 years.

In other words, if one's blood brain barrier is not leaky, the mercury in the blood will be excreted naturally within half a year. However, in the absence of any chelating agents, the mercury in the brain or the central nervous system can last for decades. If one managed to avoid any intake of mercury, his/her brain mercury will be definitely higher than the blood mercury. This is exactly what we need for safe chelation of mercury.

Effects of Sex Hormones on Mercury Toxcities

According to a theory advanced by Mark and David Geier [9 , 10], the male hormone testosterone potentiates the mercury toxicity, while female hormones tend to mask some of the toxic effects of mercury. Geier's research group used the ratio in length of send and fourth figers to estimate the levels of testosterone in prenatal amniotic fluids in autistic children. They successfully observed that the severity of autism correlates with levels of testosterone in prenatal amniotic fluid, suggesting that testosterone may play a key role in mercury-induced neurological disorders. The researchers also propose the use of testosterone-lowering therapies to mitigate the toxicities of mercury. They say that treatments that address the role of testosterone in mercury toxicity could benefit patients with other disorders in which mercury appears to play a role. These, they say, include Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, obesity, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), asthma, and a variety of autoimmune disorders.

Previous studies have shown that female hormone progesterone not only supports the normal development of neurons in the brain, but also offers a protective effect on damaged brain tissue [36 ]. Perhaps, this is the real reason why female hormones tend to suppress some of the toxic effects of mercury.

Hormone therapy has already been practised in some countries or being investigated as a way of preventing cardiovascular and mental diseases [11 ]. However, it has been shown that the risks exceeded the benefits. There is no evidence suggesting that hormone replacement therapies would significantly alter the total amount of mercury accumulated in the human body. In fact, according to some of evidence gathered by the author, some of the toxic effects (including chest tightness, sensitivity to sunlight, mental exhaustion and persistent fatigue) are almost unaffected by replacement of sex hormones. Hormone replacement therapy is unlikely the permanent solution to the problem, because the mercury in the blood or central nervous system will not be removed through a hormone replacement therapy.

Glutathione, the Body's Natural Chelating Agent for Removal of Mercury

Glutathione is the body's natural chelating agent for removal of mercury and many other heavy metals. Glutathione in human declines with age. Perhaps, this explains why glutathione deficiency is believed to be a factor that worsens many degenerative diseases associated with mercury poisoning.

Cadmium, lead, mercury and nickel are glutathione-depleting metals [25]. Production of glutathione in our bodies declines with age or in the presence of oxidative stress. Since our bodies do not have an unlimited supply of glutathione, and since our bodies need glutathione for removal of heavy metals, the presence of any of these metals in the body will slow down the excretion of mercury, cadmium, lead and/or nickel.

It is impossible to increase the body's glutathione levels by taking oral glutathione supplements. The reason is because, before it is absorbed, the ingested glutathione is usually broken down by in the gastrointestinal tract, most notably the liver, by an enzyme called gamma-glutamyltranspeeptidease. However, glutathione can be taken by injection or by inhalation.

Mercury Build-up Contributes to Glutathione Deficiency.

Many studies have independently shown that cadmium, mercury, nickel and lead deplete glutathione and protein-bound sulfhydryl groups, setting free oxidative radicals of superoxide ion, hydrogen peroxide as well as hydroxyl radicals [25]. Glutathione deficiency is associated with many degenerative diseases, including, but not limited to, rheumatoid arthritis and chronic fatigue syndrome.

However, food based nickel is not as worrying as other glutathione-depleting metals. Although nickel depletes glutathione, independent studies have shown that 27% of nickel sulphate given to humans in drinking water was systematiically absorbed compared with only 1% when it was given in food [26, 27, 31]. Vitamin E and some other food-based antioxidants can mitigate the toxicities of nickel, which is usually poorly absorbed in the body [28]. The elimination half-life of nickel is also very short. According a study [29], urinary elimination half life for orally absorbed nickel of 17 - 48 hours has been observed.

However, stainless steel implant is a different story. Nickel is usually added to the stainless steel alloy to make the alloy non-magnetic. A stainless steel implant releases a significant amount of nickel ions to the blood stream 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Regardless of how short the life time of nickel in the body is, the continuous supply of nickel ions will eventually deplete most of the glutathione, thus weakening the body's immune system to chelate mercury, lead and cadmium [33 , 34 ]. Since production of glutathione declines with age, elderly people with stainless steel implants are particularly prone to nickel toxicity due to the shortage of glutathione in their bodies.

Biological half-lives of cadmium, lead, mercury and nickel are tabulated as follows:

Elements Half-life
Cadmium in Kidney 6 to 38 years
Cadmium in Liver 4 to 19 years
Cadmium in bone ~30 years
Lead in bone ~10 years
Lead in adult human blood 28 to 36 days
Lead in soft-tissue ~40 days
Organic mercury in blood 70 days
Organic mercury in the head region 60 to 400 days
Organic mercury in brain 15 to 30+ years
Inorganic mercury in liver 90 days
Elemental mercury in the body 60 to 77 days
Nickel in serum/blood 11 hours

Gamma-glutamyltransferase, a Body's Enzyme that Leads to Depletion of Glutathione

Gamma-glutamyltransferase is basically a marker of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is a well-known cause contributing to depletion of glutathione stores and a compensatory increase in Gamma-glutamyltransferase. However, there is evidence suggesting that gamma-glutamyltransfera is not only a marker of oxidative stress, but also a pro-oxidant that release free radicals to cause oxidative stress [22 ][23 ][24 ].

Found in many tissues, most notably the liver, gamma-glutamyltransferase has been routinely used as a non-invasive marker for liver and bile disorders. It is also a risk marker for a multiplicity of other chronic diseases, most of which are mercury related. People with high serum gamma-glutamyltransferase usually have higher mortality.

A study from German Cancer Research Center even reveals that gamma-glutamyltransferase is a strong risk indicator of all-cause occupational disability and is in particular associated with disability pension due to diseases of the digestive system, musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular, and mental diseases [20 ].

Scientists have identified that gamma-glutamyltransferase is positively associated with alcohol consumption, meat intake and smoking. [17 ]

Other factors positively associated with increased levels of gamma-glutamyltransferase include body mass index, diabetes mellitus, serum total cholesterol, and air flow obstruction [21 ].

On the other hand, gamma-glutamyltransferase was found to be inversely associated with intake of plant-based foods, physical activity and lung function.

Contrary to many people think, one study suggests that vitamin supplements were found to be positively associated with gamma-glutamyltransferase [17 ].

Many drugs are known to elevate the gamma-glutamyltransferase levels. These drugs include, but not limited to, barbiturates, phenytoin.[18 ], NSAIDs, St. John's wort, and aspirin.

Why A Strict Vegan Lifestyle is Very Important?

As mentioned previously, food mercury has been detected in Taiwan, in decreasing order of mercury concentration, in fish, nonfish seafoods, eggs, meats, soybean products, vegetables, cereals, dairy products and fruit. In addition, scientists have also detected mercury in mushrooms and many products containing high-fructose corn syrup. It is counter-productive to overload our bodies with more mercury by consuming meat-based foodstuffs. A vegan lifestyle is the best defence against bioaccumulation of mercury through the food chain.

Although meat products contain less mercury than fishes and seafoods, scientists have discovered that meat intake is positively associated with the gamma-glutamyltransferase activity. As opposed to the non-heme iron from plant-based diets, heme iron in meat products is a catalyst in generating oxidative stress which elevates the gamma-glutamyltransferase activity. The increase in gamma-glutamyltransferase activity contributes to uptake of mercury in the body. Heme metabolism is also related to metabolic changes seen in ageing and age-related disorders and highlights the possible role in iron deficiency [37 ].

To chelate the brain mercury safely, we need to make sure the brain mercury concentration is substantially higher than the blood mercury concentration. If we fail to keep this concentration gradient across the blood brain barrier, then the mercury in the blood will diffuse back into the brain during the chelation process, ending up with more mercury in the brain. The mercury in the blood will be excreted naturally within half a year. The mercury in the brain will, however, last for decades. If one managed to avoid any mercury by staying in a strict vegan lifestyle, his/her brain mercury concentration will be naturally higher than the blood mercury concentration. This is exactly what is required for safe chelation of mercury from the body.

Why Vitamin D is Very Important?

Vitamin D is known to increase the glutathione levels. However, glutathione is the body's natural chelating agent to remove mercury. Glutathione is also the safest chelating agent for chelation of brain mercury. This means we can increase the intake of vitamin D in a way to increase our body defense against mercury poisoning. But where can we get eougth vitamin D?

The cheapest and easest way to get more vitamin D is through exposure to ultraviolet-B light. This ultraviolet-B light can come from the sun, electric plasma from tesla coils or simply a UV-B lamp. Vitamin D is naturally produced in the skin in the presence of ultraviolet-B light. Increase in vitamin D from the skin will elevate the levels of activated vitamin D in the brain. The activated vitamin D will in turn elevate the glutathione levels.

In fact, many victims of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome have experienced a temporary relief in many symptoms after half an hour's exposure to sunlight. [16 ].

Why Meat, Caffeine, Alcohol and Cigarette Smoke Are So Bad?

Intake of meat, caffeine, alcohol and cigarette smoke elevate the serum gamma-glutamyltranspeeptidease, which, in turn, depletes glutathione. But glutathione is necessary for removal of mercury from the body.

On the other hand, elemental mercury and organic mercury in the human body are dissolvable in lipid and alcohol. Alcohol that has been absorbed after a drinking session can accelerate mobilization of mercury from the blood stream into the brain by way of blood circulation. Remember, in the absence of any chelating agent, the mercury redistributed to the brain or the central nervous system will stay there for at least 15 years.

Which Drugs or Chemicals Deplete Glutathione?

Glutathione-depleting drugs or agents include, but limited to, alcohol, caffeine and acetaminophen (including tylenol and panadol).

As well, drugs that increase the serum gamma-glutamyltransferase can indirectly deplete glutathione, because gamma-glutamyltransferase is an enzyme known to breakdown glutathione. These drugs include barbiturates and phenytoin, NSAIDs, St. John's wort, and aspirin.

What Else will Increase the Serum Glutathione?

Alpha Lipoic Acid is known to increase the production of glutathione. Experimental evidence from Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University [18 ] suggests that alpha lipoic acid tends to restore levels of glutathione, a protective antioxidant and detoxification compound, to those of a young animal. It is also one of the few chelating agents which can cross the blood brain barrier, chelating mercury and some other heavy metals from the brain.

According to the reseach findings from Linus Pauling Institute at lpha Lipoic Acid Oregon State University [19 ], alpha lipoic acid, together with Acetyl-L-carnitine, has been found to significantly increase the ability of "geriatric" beagle dogs to learn a new task. The cognitive gain in animals is possibly due to the fact that alpha lipoic acid increases production of glutathione, which is necessary for removal of mercury.

In addition, alpha lipoic acid has the following benefits:

  1. It acts as a strong anti-inflammatory agent against many degenerative diseases.
  2. It acts as a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes the free radicals in the body.
  3. It alleviates glaucoma and protects the lens and retina of the eyes from degeneration.
  4. It helps to detoxify the liver.
  5. It can lower blood sugar levels.

Alpha-lipoic acid is a naturally occurring compound. Our bodies can produce alpha lipoic acid, but only to a limited extent.

However, alpha lipoic acid is not without any side effects. Excessive dose of alpha lipoic acid can lead to nausea, low blood sugar and stomach upset.

Reference

[1] M. D. Dickman, C. K. M. Leung and M. K. H. Leong, "Hong Kong male subfertility links to mercury in human hair and fish  ", The Science of The Total Environment Volume 214, Issues 1-3, 18 June 1998, Pages 165-174

[2] Yi-chun Chen, "The relationship of mercury intake from food consumption and hair mercury level of Taiwan population ", Doctoral Dissertation, Chung San University, July, 2009.

[3] Smoking Teeth = Poisoning Gas 

[4] Blood Mercury Levels Rising Among U.S. Women 

[5] Mercury Toxicity (I) 

[6] Timothy Ray, "The Mitigation of Mercury Vapor Inhalation and Exhalation in People with Dental Amalgam Fillings", Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, November 2002, #232

[7] "Scientists highlight mercury threat ", BBC News, World Edition, Friday, 13 September, 2002, 20:03 GMT 21:03 UK

[8] How Mercury Kills the Brain ~ Autism

[9] Testosterone: a Key to Understanding Mercury-Autism Link? 

[10] Mark R. Geier and David A. Geier, "The potential importance of steroids in the treatment of autistic spectrum disorders and other disorders involving mercury toxicity", Medical Hypotheses, Vol. 64, No. 5, 2005, 946-54. Address: Mark R. Geier, Genetic Centers of America, 114 Redgate Court, Silver Spring, MD 20905.

[11] Hormone replacement in Brazil 

[12] MERCURY Found in Thousands of Foods & Soda's Containing High Fructose Corn Syrup! 

[13] Dose, Absorption, Distribution, Biotransformation, and Excretion of Mercury 

[14] Vegetarian diets and exposure to organochlorine pollutants, lead, and mercury 

[15] Charles P. Davis, "Mercury Poisoning", emedicinehealth

[16] How to Manage Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Intelligently 

[17] Duk-Hee Lee, Lyn M Steffen and David R Jacobs, Jr, "Association between serum {gamma}-glutamyltransferase and dietary factors: the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study ", American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 79, No. 4, 600-605, April 2004

[18] Lipoic Acid Explored As Anti-Aging Compound 

[19] You Can Teach An Old Dog New Tricks -- With The Right Diet 

[20] Claessen H, Brenner H, Drath C, Arndt V, "Gamma-glutamyltransferase and disability pension: A cohort study of construction workers in Germany ", Hepatology. 2009 Dec 4.

[21] " γ-Glutamyl transferase and airflow obstruction in middle-aged men",   European Journal of Internal Medicine, Volume 16, Issue 5, Pages 348-351, H.Sakuta, T.Suzuki, H.Yasuda, T.Ito

[22] Paolicchi A, Tongiani R, Tonarelli P, Comporti M, Pompella A. "gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase-dependent lipid peroxidation in isolated hepatocytes and HepG2 hepatoma cells" 

[23] Drozdz R, Parmentier C, Hachad H, Leroy P, Siest G, Wellman M. "gamma-Glutamyltransferase dependent generation of reactive oxygen species from a glutathione/transferrin system." 

[24] Enoiu M, Aberkane H, Salazar JF, Leroy P, Groffen J, Siest G, Wellman M.,"Evidence for the pro-oxidant effect of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase-related enzyme. "

[25] Oxidative mechanisms in the toxicity of metal ions. 

[26] International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) (1991). Chemical. Environmental Health Criteria 108: Nickel. WHO. Geneva.

[27] Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (2005). Toxicological Profile for Nickel. US Department of Health and Human Services. Atlanta, US.

[28] Differences in the effect of vitamin E on nickel sulfide or nickel chloride-induced chromosomal aberrations in mammalian cells.  

[29] Exacerbation of Nickel Induced Oxidative Response by Vitamin E 

[30] World Health Organization (WHO) (2000). Air Quality Guidelines for Europe. WHO Regional Publications, European Series, No. 91. 2nd edition. WHO Regional Office for Europe. Copenhagen.

[31] Nickel - Kinetics and Metabolism 

[32] Cernichiari E, Brewer R, Myers GJ, Marsh DO, Lapham LW, Cox C, Shamlaye CF, Berlin M, Davidson PW, Clarkson TW. Monitoring methylmercury during pregnancy: maternal hair predicts fetal brain exposure. Neurotoxicology 16(4):705-710 (1995).

[33] Comparative study of antioxidant enzymes in tissues surrounding implant in rabbits. 

[34] Cr (VI) inhibits DNA, RNA and protein syntheses in hepatocytes: involvement of glutathione reductase, reduced glutathione and DT-diaphorase. 

[35] Amalgam derived mercury in feces 

[36] Sex hormone progesterone to get head injury trial  

[37] Heme, iron, and the mitochondrial decay of ageing. 

Disclaimer:

1/ The information in this article is not a substitue for medical advice. However, the author is NOT here to encourage you to seek advice from incompetent doctors without even researching into the problem.

2/ Most of the information in this article is pieced together from a variety of sources and has been filtered according to the author's knowledge and experience. Howevrer, this does not necessarily mean the information appearing in this article is accurate and free of errors. The author believes in the judgement, intelligence and wisdom of the readers of such contents to discern for themselves among the information which is valid, worthy or otherwise.

3/ This article will be actively updated whenever correction is warranted and/or new information on mercury poisoning becomes available. If there are any errors found in this article, please let me know and I will be happy to correct them.


Edited on: Monday, April 26, 2010 7:16 PM
Categories: Be Veg, For Scientists and Engineers, Go Green, Health


Posted by Admin at 1:16 PM, Wednesday, July 15, 2009

An Urgent Message from Supreme Master Ching Hai

Welcome,respected dignitaries,media members,notable speakers,and all noble conference participants,hallo. As a very concerned citizen of the world,I humbly greet you,thank you and respectfully salute all of you here today who have come with open hearts and minds for the welfare of this beautiful and beloved planet that we call home.

I am deeply grateful for the conference that is being held here today in Veracruz,Mexico,to address the urgency of global warming due to climate change which,sadly,has killed hundreds of thousands and affects hundreds of millions of humans,not included other species. It is my hope that it will raise higher awareness and inspire action toward the most serious international issue of our time.

The information communicated and the noble work being done here today is of paramount importance.

It is an honor to share the planet with dedicated people such as yourselves,who strive for the betterment of others. We all know that climate change is a grave issue; we all know what it is,and that the current critical condition of our planet calls for immediate and wise action from every one of us.

Please do take note of all info from this conference today and spread them far and wide to save our world from perishing. I take the opportunity to inform you the general urgent scenario,though perhaps some of you or many of you have already known.

URGENT SCENARIO

You see,Our current course of climate change is worse than the worst case scenario projected by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),with the damaging and often fatal effects already being seen through such extreme events as hurricanes,flooding,droughts and heat waves.

Even if the world reduces greenhouse gas emissions,the planet will take time to recover from the gases already in the atmosphere.

This is why it is necessary to focus on short-lived gases,namely methane. Methane traps at least 72 times more heat than CO2,averaged over a 20 year period. Methane's biggest source is the livestock industry,which is indeed one of the top causes of global warming that must be stopped.

But first,please allow me to share just some of the latest evidence of the impacts of climate change on humans’ and animals’ lives.

A) ARCTIC MELT

Here we have first,Arctic melt. The Arctic,or North Pole,may be ice-free by 2012,70 years ahead of IPCC estimations. Without the protective ice to reflect sunlight,90 percent of the sun's heat can enter the open water,thus accelerating global warming.

The change in Arctic ice cover is dramatic,with climatologists saying that only 10 percent now is older and thick ice,while over 90 percent is newly formed and thin.

Another Arctic change is the thawing of permafrost,a normally frozen layer of earth containing methane stores. The thawing of this layer in recent years has caused methane to be released,with atmospheric levels that have risen sharply since 2004. Further global warming beyond a 2 degree Celsius rise could cause billions of tons more of methane to be released into the atmosphere,leading to mass extinctions of life

on this planet.

As the massive ice sheets of Greenland and the Antarctic continue to melt as well,catastrophic sea level rise and stronger storms are expected to follow.

If the entire West Antarctic sheet melts,global average sea levels would rise at least by 3.3,3.5 meters,affecting over 3.2 billion people - that is half of the world population - who live within 200 miles of coastline. And US scientists from the National Snow and Ice Data Center now say that if all of Antarctica were to melt,the sea level could rise to a much higher level than expected,some say even up to 70 meters,which means more deadly to all lives on Earth.

B) LANDS SINKING & CLIMATE REFUGEES

Next problem: We have lands sinking and climate refugees. Right now,at least 18 islands have completely submerged around the world,with more than 40 other island nations at risk from rising sea levels. A report from the International Organization for Migration stated that there may be 200 million,or even up to 1 billion people will be climate refugees by 2050,or within our lifetime.

These are people who must leave their island or coastal homes due to rising sea levels or permafrost melts that cause entire communities or nations to sink and collapse.

C) GLACIER RETREAT & WATER SHORTAGE

Next problem we have: Glacier retreat and water shortage. Most of the planet’s glaciers will be gone within a few decades,jeopardizing the survival of more than 2 billion people.

One billion of these people will suffer the effects of the Himalayan glacier retreats,which have been occurring at a pace more rapid than anywhere in the world,with two-thirds of the region's more than 18,000 glaciers receding. The initial effects of glacier melt are destructive floods and landslides.

As the glacial ice retreat continues,reduced rainfall,devastating droughts and water shortages are the result.

D) OCEANIC DEAD ZONES

Next: Oceanic dead zones. Climate change is creating areas of sea known as dead zones,which now number more than 400. These arise due to fertilizer runoff largely from livestock,contributing to the lack of oxygen which is necessary to support life.

E) RECORD HEAT

Now,we have also record heat. The past decade has twice,at least,seen the hottest average annual temperatures ever recorded in our planet’s history. In 2003,a record heat wave hit Europe,

claiming tens of thousands of lives. Heat waves also preceded the worst wildfires ever in Australia’s history.

F) STORMS INCREASING

Next: Storms increasing. The intensity and duration of hurricanes and tropical storms have been noted to increase by 100% over the past 30 years,which scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the USA say is likely due to climate-related increases in ocean temperature.

G) WILDLIFE DISAPPEARING

Next we have wildlife disappearance. Leading ecologists say that the decline of wildlife due to species extinction is so rapid that there is no modern comparison.

Scientists also now predicted that the Earth’s 16,000 endangered species may become extinct 100 times faster than previously thought.

H) DROUGHT & DESERTIFICATION

Next,we have drought,desertification. In Nepal and Australia,wildfires this year have been severely intensified by drought conditions.

In Africa,people in Somalia,Ethiopia and Sudan,to name just a few,have been crippled by drought. According to the United Nations,desertification,which often results from felling too many trees and damages that occurs from such activities as cattle grazing,is affecting the well-being of more than 1.2 billion people in more than 100 countries at risk.

Precious fresh water supplies are also drying up,such as aquifers under the major cities of Beijing,Delhi,Bangkok,and dozens of other regions such as the Midwestern United States; while the rivers Ganges,Jordan,Nile,and Yangtze have been reduced to a trickle for much of the year.

In China’s worst drought in five decades,vital crops were lost in at least 12 northern provinces,costing the nation billions of US dollars in drought relief to farmers with losses.

I) HUMAN HEALTH

Next we have the human health problem. According to Swiss-based research,climate change is already responsible for some 315,000 deaths a year,with another 325 million people who are severely affected. This comes in addition to an economic loss of US$125 billion every year.

The worst affected are developing nations in Africa,with other very threatened areas being in South Asia and small island nations.

SOLUTION

Okay,We have enough with problem,but we have solutions to this problem. It might not be that early,but it’s still not too late,we still can rescue our home,planet home. Okay,Number one solutionis vegan,

organic vegan. Veganism will save our world.

I will report to you one by one how vegan would save our world. Luckily,there are easy actions we can take.

I will list them for your reference. Now,many of these areas where we are seeing such devastating effects of climate change,such as Arctic melt,lands sinking,water shortage from glacier melt,and even storms increasing are all directly related to the Earth’s temperature increasing.

So,we must cool the planet,first and foremost. And the best way to stop global warming is to stop producing the greenhouse gases that create the heat.

Logical,no? Yes.We already know about the efforts to reduce emissions such as from industry and transportation. But changes in these sectors are taking too much time – more than we can afford at this rate,at this hour. One of the most effective and fastest ways to reduce the heat

in the atmosphere is to eliminate methane production.

Methane not only traps up to 72 times more heat than carbon,it also goes away from the atmosphere much faster than CO2. So if we stop producing methane,the atmosphere will cool more quickly than if we stop producing carbon dioxide.

See what I mean?Organic vegan will produce beneficial cooling effect as it will cut down methane and other greenhouse gases which are fatal to our survival.

1) Eliminating Methane

We can start by cutting down on the biggest methane producer in the world,that is,animal raising. So,to cool the planet most quickly,we have to stop consuming meat in order to stop the livestock raising industry,and thus stop greenhouse gases,methane and other toxic gases from the animal industry.

If everyone in the world would adopt this simple but most powerful practice of an animal-free diet,then we could reverse the effect of global warming in no time. We would then have time to actually be able to adopt longer-term measures such as more green technology,to also remove the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

In fact,if we neglect to stop meat production,either all these green efforts will be cancelled out in effect,or we may lose the planet before we are even having a chance to install any green technology such as the wind power or solar power,or more hybrid cars,for that reason.

Please also keep in mind that although livestock has been reported to generate 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions — which is more than the world's transportation sectors combined—this is actually an underestimate because recently revised calculations have placed it at generating possibly more than 50% of total global emissions.

I repeat: Livestock has been recalculated as to generate possibly more than 50% of total global emissions – more than 50% is from livestock industry. So that was the number one solution.

2) Eliminating Other Gases Now,

number two: eliminating other gases. Besides methane,other lethal toxic gases are emitted by the livestock industry as well.

It is the largest source at 65% of global nitrous oxide,a greenhouse gas with approximately 300 times the warming potential of CO2; it emits also 64% of all ammonia,which causes acid rain and hydrogen sulfide,a fatal gas. So to stop livestock production is to eliminate all these deadly gases,

as well as methane.

3) Halting Dead Zones

Number three: Halting dead zones. There are other huge benefits gained by halting livestock production. Oceanic dead zones,for example,are caused primarily by fertilizer runoff from agriculture that is mainly used for animal feed.

Dead zones are a serious threat to the ocean’s ecosystems,but they can be revived if we stop polluting them with our livestock-related activities.

Stop fishing,too,then marine life will rebound. Since the heavy fishing that caused the sardines to disappear from the coast of Namibia,eruptions of harmful gases have created a dead zone that is destroying the area's ecosystems due to the absence of that one humble but eco-beneficial,powerful species. Can you imagine?Just the sardines.

So we have to stop fishing as well as all animal products,to protect our living ocean and water bodies,which is crucial to our survival. You know it.

4) Stopping Desertification

Now number four: we have to stop desertification. We can. Desertification is another climate change effect that is linked to livestock,again.

For example,in Mexico,recent research stated that 47% of your country has already taken the toil of desertification,has become desert,due to damage from the cattle industry.

you see And another 50-70% of the country of Mexico is also suffering from some degree of drought. Overgrazing by livestock,which occupies nearly a third of our Earth’s land surface worldwide,is a major cause of desertification and other damages,and is responsible for more than 50% of land erosion.

Now,we must stop livestock grazing to protect our soil and protect our life.

5) Stopping Water shortage

Number five: We can stop water shortage.

While droughts are plaguing more populations,we cannot afford to waste water.

Meat production uses massive amounts of water,as you know. It takes up to 1,200 gallons of fresh and good clean water to produce just one serving of beef.

In contrast,a full vegan meal costs only 98 gallons of water. That is like 90 plus percent less. So,if we want to stop water shortage and to preserve precious water we have to stop animal products.

6) Banning Deforestation

Now,six: we can stop deforestation. We have to ban deforestation. And we have to plant more trees,of course. Wherever there’s erosion or empty land we have to plant trees. Ok. Now,Deforestation is also largely driven by meat production. With the United Nations estimating that deforestation accounts for approximately 20% of all greenhouse gas emissions,nearly all deforestation itself is related to meat production.

Eighty percent of cleared Amazon forest is designated as a cattle grazing area to prepare the animals for slaughter,and the remainder is planted as soy crops used also largely for animal feed.

So to stop animal products is to protect our precious forest,the lungs of our Earth,and the crucial factor for our survival.

7) Alleviating Financial Cost Now,

seven: We have to alleviate financial cost. See,Our leaders are worried about the cost of mitigating climate change. However,the good news is,if the world shifted to a reduced,or meatless diet,animal-free diet,then we could reduce the cost by half or more. That means,that means we would reduce tens of trillions of US dollars.

If the world shifted to vegan diet we could save more than 80% of the cost,or approximately US$32 trillion.

8) Minimized Health Cost Number

eight: we must minimize health costs. The health risks of eating meat are more and more evident these days. Livestock are routinely given excessive hormones and antibiotics,which then,when consumed as meat can in turn endanger human health. There are also toxic byproducts in slaughter places such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide.

These poisonous substances have caused deaths among workers due to their extreme toxicity.

As a so-called food,meat is simply one of the most unhealthy,poisonous,unhygienic items that could ever be ingested by humans.

We should never eat meat at all if we love and cherish our health and our life. We will live longer without meat,healthier,wiser without meat. Meat has been scientifically shown to cause all kinds of cancers,

also heart disease,high blood pressure,stroke and obesity. The list goes on and on and on.All these diseases kill millions of people every year. millions Millions of people die due to meat related diseases,and making millions of others seriously sick and disabled as well.

There is no end to tragedies caused by the meat diet. Meat eating is a no-no. We should know this by now through all the scientific and medical evidence. Please stop eating meat.

Just even for your health’s sake. You want to live long for your children and your grandchildren,and live healthily. We did not even mention the filthy condition,the confined environments where the animals are kept until their slaughter,which promote the transmission of diseases such as the swine flu virus. In fact,some meat-transmitted diseases,like the human form of mad cow disease,are tragically fatal in every case.

Whoever contracts mad cow disease is doomed to die,sadly and sorrowfully. sadly,etc.

Other contaminants such as E. coli,salmonella,etc.,

can also causeserious health problems,long-term damages,sometimes even leading to death. In short,simply saying no to meat will make us richer,healthier,and most importantly,it will make us a wiser person,and a great hero. Because it is the only timely way that we ensure the survival of our children and grandchildren.

CLOSING

To conclude my report:

Respected,honorable,wise,beloved,esteemed audience members,we now can see how imperative it is to stop the warming of the planet with the greenest of all green policies and actions,the most compassionate,the most heroic,the most life-saving action,that is: the vegan diet,organic vegan to be exact. It’s better for your health as well. It is the long-term insurance against climate change. We must be the solution and encourage others with all the convincing and supporting scientific,physical and moral data that is available to us so they do the same. Adopting a plant-based diet can halt as much as 80% of global warming,eradicate world hunger,stop war,promote peace,and it will free up the Earth’s water as well as many other precious resources,offering a lifeline for the planet and for humanity.

In short,it will very quickly halt many of the global problems facing us right now. Therefore,it is vital that we change our lifestyle – it’s very easy to do it – setting a noble example for others to follow,and do our part to bring to the public’s attention the urgent climate change issues and its solutions;

the foremost being the vegan diet,to safeguard our precious planet. It is time to walk the talk,because there is not much time left now.

In coming here today,it is quite clear that all of you already know that the issues at hand are very urgent and need to resolve immediately.

Thank you all statespersons,media members,speakers,conference participants,ladies and gentlemen,for all your time and care in coming here today. And thank you all noble persons involved in organizing this awakening event.

I truly appreciate your sincerity and willingness to join with those who share the same goal,for taking initiatives to inform the public,and for wanting to implement prompt actions. Together we can usher in a new golden era where we can all live the noble qualities of love,compassion and benevolence as was intended,live up to the principles of nonviolence and forgiveness,exemplifying the human standard of virtuous living,righteous living,and live a more sustainable life in peace,joy and harmony with each other,with all our co-inhabitants - humans,animals,plants,trees alike.

I am quite sure that this conference will contribute greatly to the worldwide efforts of all nations to save our planet.

My most heartfelt gratitude to all who took part in making this a reality. May Heaven bless you,your loved ones and your countries. And may all your noble endeavors be graced with glorious success!

Now,due to my travel,regrettably it’s not feasible to reply to your questions. But should you have any,I will be glad to reply to the best of my knowledge on a later date on Supreme Master Television. Or you can log on to the internet,www.SupremeMasterTV.com,to get the required answer to your questions.

God bless us all. God loves us all.

Thank you for you attention. Thank you for everything you do for the planet.

SOURCE: http://www.suprememastertv.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=sos_video&wr_id=117&goto_url=&url= 


Edited on: Monday, April 26, 2010 7:16 PM
Categories: Be Veg, Climate Change, For Economists and Investors, For Scientists and Engineers, Go Green, Save the Planet


Posted by Admin at 6:54 AM, Sunday, May 31, 2009

Gold Stained Glass Windows Purify the Air

Scientists from Queensland University of Technology have discovered that stained glass windows painted with gold paint purify the air when heated by the sun. Gold paint in the glass windows contain trace of gold nanoparticles. in the presence of sunlight, electrons in these gold nanoparticles become activated and oscillate. The magnetic field strength of the electrons is magnified by resonance with the electromagnetic field of sunlight by up to 100 times, which is enough to destroy molecules of some airborne pollutants.....

CLICK HERE FOR MORE 


Edited on: Sunday, May 31, 2009 6:56 AM
Categories: Climate Change, For Scientists and Engineers, Go Green, News Archives


Posted by Admin at 11:17 PM, Sunday, April 26, 2009

How to make a drip irrigation system from a plastic bottle

Tied of watering your garden everyday? Or do you need to leave your plants alone for weeks because of travelling? Perhaps, you need an automatic drip irrigation system. What follows describes a system that is exactly what we need. This system can be readily made from a recycled plastic bottle without any electrical drill or solder iron. It can keep your plants watered for months without you having to pay for electricity.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE 

Keywords: be veg, go green, save the planet, vegan/vegetarian, vegan, vegetarian, ahimsa, vegan meat, vegan t-shirt, vegetarian-restaurant, vegan-restaurant, meat-free, non-dairy, dairy-free, egg-free, no-smoking, no-drinking


Edited on: Monday, April 26, 2010 4:39 PM
Categories: DIY Library, Go Green


How to grow mung bean plants

This entry describes a procedure for growing mung bean plants in a self-watering planter. Why mung beans? Mung bean plant is one of the edible vegetables that are highly resistant to drought. It can extend its roots deeper into the soil in response to drought. It is moderate in both moisture and temperature needs. During this critical time, when many places are affected by drought because of the unprecedented climate change, mung bean is perhaps one of the most interesting food sources for survival.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE 

Keywords: be veg, go green, save the planet, vegan/vegetarian, vegan, vegetarian, ahimsa, vegan meat, vegan t-shirt, vegetarian-restaurant, vegan-restaurant, meat-free, non-dairy, dairy-free, egg-free, no-smoking, no-drinking


Edited on: Monday, April 26, 2010 4:43 PM
Categories: DIY Library, Go Green


Posted by Admin at 9:44 PM, Friday, April 24, 2009

Tesla on vegetarianism, no smoking and no drinking

A MACHINE TO END WAR. Liberty, February 1937 by Nikola Tesla as told to George Sylvester Viereck: "MORE people die or grow sick from polluted water than from coffee, tea, tobacco, and other stimulants. I myself eschew all stimulants. I also practically abstain from meat. I am convinced that within a century coffee, tea, and tobacco will be no longer in vogue. Alcohol, however, will still be used. It is not a stimulant but a veritable elixir of life. The abolition of stimulants will not come about forcibly. It will simply be no longer fashionable to poison the system with harmful ingredients. Bernarr Macfadden has shown how it is possible to provide palatable food based upon natural products such as milk, honey, and wheat. I believe that the food which is served today in his penny restaurants will be the basis of epicurean meals in the smartest banquet halls of the twenty-first century. There will be enough wheat and wheat products to feed the entire world, including the teeming millions of China and India, now chronically on the verge of starvation. The earth is bountiful, and where her bounty fails, nitrogen drawn from the air will refertilize her womb. I developed a process for this purpose in 1900."

THE PROBLEM OF INCREASING HUMAN ENERGY WITH SPECIAL REFERENCES TO THE HARNESSING OF THE SUN'S ENERGY. by Nikola Tesla, Century Illustrated Magazine, June 1900: "A thousand other evils might be mentioned, but all put together, in their bearing upon the problem under discussion, they could not equal a single one, the want of food, brought on by poverty, destitution, and famine. Millions of individuals die yearly for want of food, thus keeping down the mass. Even in our enlightened communities, and not withstanding the many charitable efforts, this is still, in all probability, the chief evil. I do not mean here absolute want of food, but want of healthful nutriment. How to provide good and plentiful food is, therefore, a most important question of the day. On the general principles the raising of cattle as a means of providing food is objectionable, because, in the sense interpreted above, it must undoubtedly tend to the addition of mass of a "smaller velocity." It is certainly preferable to raise vegetables, and I think, therefore, that vegetarianism is a commendable departure from the established barbarious habit. That we can subsist on plant food and perform our work even to advantage is not a theory, but a well-demonstrated fact. Many races living almost exclusively on vegetables are of superior physique and strength. There is no doubt that some plant food, such as oatmeal, is more economical than meat, and superior to it in regard to both mechanical and mental performance. Such food, moreover, taxes our digestive organs decidedly less, and, in making us more contented and sociable, produces an amount of good difficult to estimate. In view of these facts every effort should be made to stop the wanton and cruel slaughter of animals, which must be destructive to our morals. To free ourselves from animal instincts and appetites, which keep us down, we should begin at the very root from which we spring: we should effect a radical reform in the character of the food. There seems to be no philosophical necessity for food. We can conceive of organized beings living without nourishment, and deriving all the energy they need for the performance of their lifefunctions from the ambient medium. In a crystal we have the clear evidence of the existence of a formative life-principle, and though we cannot understand the life of a crystal, it is none the less a living being."

SPEECH ON BEHALF EDISON MEDAL PRIZE, A speech delivered before the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, May 18, 1917: "On this occasion, you might want me to say something of a personal and more intimate character bearing on my work. One of the speakers suggested: "Tell us something about yourself, about your early struggles." If I am not mistaken in this surmise I will, with your approval, dwell briefly on this rather delicate subject. I may say, also, that I am deeply religious at heart, although not in the Orthodox meaning, and that I give myself to the constant enjoyment of belleving that the greatest mysteries of our being are still to be fathomed and that, all the evidence of the senses and the teachings of exact and dry sciences to the contrary notwithstanding, death itself may not be the termination of the wonderful metamorphoses we witness. In this way I have managed to maintain an undisturbed peace of mind, to make myself proof against adversity, and to achieve contentment and happiness to a point of extracting some satisfaction even from the darker side of life, the trials and tribulations of existence. I have fame and untold wealth, more than all this, and yet - how many articles have been written in which I was declared to be an impractical unsuccesful man, and how many poor, struggling writers, have called me a visionary. Such is the folly and shortsightedness of the world!"

PRODIGAL GENIUS, The Life of Nikola Tesla by John J. O'Neill (1944): With the passing decades, Tesla shifted away from a meat diet. He substituted fish, always boiled, and finally eliminated the meat entirely.He later almost entirely eliminated the fish and lived on a vegetarian diet. Milk was his main standby, and toward the end of his life it was the principal item of diet, served warm.

As a youth he drank a great deal of coffee, and, while he gradually became aware that he suffered unfavorable influences from it, he found it a difficult habit to break. When he finally made the decision to drink no more of it, he adhered to his good intentions but was forced to recognize the fact that the desire for it remained. He combated this by ordering with each meal a pot of his favorite coffee, and having a cup of it poured so that he would get the aroma. It required ten years for the aroma of the coffee to transform itself into a nuisance so that he felt secure in no longer having it served. Tea and cocoa he also considered injurious.

He was a heavy smoker in his youth, mostly of cigars. A sister who seemed fatally ill, when he was in his early twenties, said she would try to get better if he would give up smoking. He did so immediately. His sister recovered, and he never smoked again.

Keywords: be veg, go green, save the planet, vegan/vegetarian, vegan, vegetarian, ahimsa, vegan meat, vegan t-shirt, vegetarian restaurant, vegan restaurant, meat-free, be veg, go green, save the planet, vegan/vegetarian, vegan, vegetarian, ahimsa, vegan meat, vegan t-shirt, vegetarian restaurant, vegan restaurant, meat-free


Edited on: Monday, April 26, 2010 7:14 PM
Categories: Be Veg, For Scientists and Engineers, Go Green, Save the Planet


Posted by Admin at 4:24 AM, Monday, March 09, 2009

What to plant during this critical time?

During this time, most places are negatively affected by many envirnomental problems. These problems include unprecedented drought, erratic water pattern, lack of good quality soil on the ground and the widespread pollution. The presentation in the following youtube video suggests several solutions to these problems. Some of these solutions have already been adopted with success at least in my home. Instead of waiting for your government's help, I suggest you take a look at these solution and experiment them. Remember, you do not need a backyard garden or a very large piece of land to try this:

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Edited on: Tuesday, April 27, 2010 2:15 AM
Categories: Be Veg, Go Green, Save the Planet


Posted by Admin at 7:10 PM, Friday, February 20, 2009

Experiment: Effects of greenhouse gases on global temperature

A lot of stories are being circulated on the internet in an attempt to discredit the theory of man-made climate change. Some websites even challenge the conventional greenhouse theories. In the light of this problem, the author has conducted a very simple experiment that hopefully will help to clarify the basic understanding of man-made climate change.

In this experiment, a solar cooker  was used to observe the effects of greenhouse gases on temperature. The purpose of this experiment was to better understand the role of greenhouse gases on climate change.

Procedures

Step 1: Prepare the following materials:

* two metal cans, both of which are painted in black.

* two plastic bags.

* a solar cooker (for example, this one ).

* an infrared thermometer or any other non-contact temperature measuring device.

Step 2: Each metal can is placed in a tightly closed plastic bag. One bag is filled with air and the other bag is filled with predominately carbon dioxide.

Step 3: Use the solar cooker to heat up both cans under sunny and cloudy skies. The experimental setup is shown in the following figure:

 

Figure 1. Experimental setup for proving the role of carbon dioxide on climate change

Step 4. Use the infrared thermometer provided to measure the temperature of the metal cans under sunny and cloudy weathers.

Experimental results under a cloudy sky

The follwing figure shows the temperatures of both metal cans (that is, one enclosed in carbon dioxide and the other enclosed in air) under a cloudy sky.

Before the measurement, both cans have been carefully treated to the same temperature.

As shown in the following figure, the temperature of the can enclosed in carbon dioxide were noticably higher.

Figure 2. Temperature of the cans in cloudy weather

Experimental results under a sunny sky

Under a sunny sky, the temperatures of both cans rose up so quickly to the point that I could not manually record the temperature of each can.

Before the experment, both cans were at 36 degree C.

After about 5 minutes, I broke both plastic bags and removed both metal cans from the solar cooker, allowing the metal cans to cool down naturally. At that time, the temperature of the can enclosed in carbon dioxde gas reached 95 degree C, while the can enclosed in air reached 85 degree C.

During the cooling phase, I measured the temperature of each can again. The follwing figure shows the temperatures of both cans after being removed from the solar cooker.

As shown in the following figure, the temperature of the can enclosed in carbon dioxide were noticably higher.

Figure 3. Temperature of the cans in sunny weather

Concluding remarks

In this experiment, the gases inside each bag act as a greenhouse enclosure. Each black metal can acts as a blackbody radiator that absorbs solar radiations and that radiates predominately infrared light at room temperature. The results of this experiment suggest that greenhouse effects due to increased concentration of carbon dioxide contribute to a noticable heat gain in the blackbody radiator (i.e. the metal can enclosed in carbon dioxide).

In the earth context, the reflective surface of the solar cooker is equivalent to the icy glacier regions of the earth. The black metal can is the non-reflective surface of the earth. The gases inside each bag is our atmosphere. The heat gain in the black metal can as a result of increased carbon dioxide represents global warming (or climate change).

While this experiment may be easy to understand, the implication of the results is stunning. In the Arctic region, the sea ice is supposed to reflect solar radiations. However, it has been reported that, as shown in following figure, the northen hemisphere has experienced significant ice loss over the past few years. According to NASA, the total Arctic sea ice has decreased by 38% since 1979. This suggests that the area of the reflective surface on the northern hemisphere is shrinking, increasing exposing the non-reflective surface that serves as blackbody radiators. Therein, the blackbody radiators include not only the non-reflective surface, but also those surface and undersea volcanoes. Our experimental results have already demonstrated that increase in carbon dioxide level will lead to noticable heat gain in a blackbody radiator. It is not difficult to understand why some parts of the earth experience an unprecedented hot climate.

Figure 4. Northern Hemisphere Sea Ice Anomaly (credit due to Arctic Climate Research at the University of Illinois)

The ozone hole over Antarctic has not been patched, while some other regions of our ozone layer have experienced serve ozone loss during the past few years. In the absence of any sunshine, say during the evening time, some heat or other blackbody radiations on the planet lose to outerspace through the broken ozone layer, making some places unprecedentedly cold. However, when the sunshire reappears during the daytime, the solar radiations penetrate through the same thinned regions of the ozone layer, heating up the same places that are bitterly cold during the evening time.

It is important to understand that, at the time of this writing, we are still at a solar minimum. This means any rebound in solar radiations will potentially lead to further ice loss in the polar regions.

It is also important to understand that carbon dioxide is not the only greenhouse gas that contributes to atmospheric greenhouse effects. There are many other more potent greenhouse gases whose concentrations are on the rise as of right now. Methane is one of those. If this trend is to continue, and if the sun refuses to be quiet during the upcoming solar cycle 24, then we will be in deep deep trouble!

Keywords: be veg, go green, save the planet, vegan/vegetarian, vegan, vegetarian, ahimsa, vegan meat, vegan t-shirt, vegetarian-restaurant, vegan-restaurant, meat-free, non-dairy, dairy-free, egg-free, no-smoking, no-drinking


Edited on: Monday, April 26, 2010 8:39 PM
Categories: Climate Change, For Scientists and Engineers, Go Green


Posted by Admin at 12:59 AM, Monday, February 16, 2009

How to enjoy solar cooking --- Grilling sweet potatoes

Solar panel cooker is not a efficient cooker. There are better alternatives available. However, its cost is low enough by low income communities around the globe. In the following experiment, we will demonstrate that food stuff can be grilled in a solar panel cooker without a metallic pot.

Method

Step 1: Get hold of the required materials. All you need are:

A steal or bamboo steamer.

A sweet potato.

A sheet of aluminium foil with one side painted in black.

A microwavable box or a high temperature plastic bag.

A solar cooker .

 

Figure 1. The required materials other than solar oven (Photo taken at 10:30, 11 Feb 2009)

Step 2. Wrap the sweet potato in blackened aluminium foil. To minimize contamination, it is important not to let the black side of the aluminium foil to touch the sweet potato. The black side of the aluminium foil is designed to absorb infrared radiations and, as such, it should face outwards.

To play safe, the sweet potato can be wrapped in clean foil in the first place, and then wrapped in blackened aluminium foil.

 

Figure 2. Sweet potato to be wrapped in blackened aluminium foil, with the black side faces outwards. (Photo taken at around 10:30, 11 Feb 2009)

Step 3. Place the wrapped sweet potato from step 2 into the microwave box (or high temperature plastic bag). Use the steam steamer to support the sweet potato. The microwave box (or high temperature plastic bag) acts as a greenhouse enclosure.

Figure 3. Sweet potato supported by the steamer and enclosed inside the microwave box. (Photo taken at around 10:30, 11 Feb 2009)

Step 4. Start solar grilling at around 11:00.

 

Figure 4. Solar grilling at around 11:00. (Photo taken at around 10:30, 11 Feb 2009. At that time, the starting temperature was about 23 deg C. )

Step 5. Wait until afternoon. Enjoy your meal.

Figure 5a. In two hours, the greenhouse enclosure was filled water vapor, suggesting that sweet potatoes may reach a temperature above 100 deg C.

Figure 5b. Sweet potato fully grilled. (Photo taken at around 14:30, 11 Feb 2009. At that time, the temperature was about 79 deg C. )

Concluding remarks

While this experiment shows how we can enjoy solar cooking without a metal pot, the implication of this experiment is stunning. We have demonstrated the fact that localized heating has been easily achieved as a result of the combined effects of the greenhouse enclosure and the blackbody radiators.

The icy ground in the north pole of this planet is largely reflective. As a reflective layer that reflects the solar radiations to outerspace, the icy ground blocks the solar radiations from penetrating into the ocean bed, thus keeping the toxic gases frozen underneath the ocean. However, the ground and water underneath the ice layer are mostly non-reflective and they can become new blackbody radiators which absorb more sun heat if the ice layer covering them are not there. As of right now, however, the concentration of the greenhouse gases is on the rise to an unprecedented level, whilst the icy areas in the northern hemisphere are shrinking.

Have you ever imaged what will happen in the coming future if the ice cap in the north pole of this planet continues to melt, exposing the non-reflective ground? The ocean bed in the north pole is full of toxic gases. According to a report , the methane gas in Arctic is beginning to bubble to the surface from the ocean bed, thanks to the sun heat that penetrates into the ocean bed. Methane is not the only harmful gas underneath the ocean that is to be released into the atmosphere. If this cycle continues unchecked, a runaway greenhouse effect occurs and the excessive build-up of methane in our atmosphere will sooner or later cause mass extinction. This event is not unprecedented in historical record.


Edited on: Monday, April 26, 2010 5:23 PM
Categories: Be Veg, DIY Library, Go Green


Posted by Admin at 10:10 PM, Sunday, February 15, 2009

How to make your own solar oven

Inspired by Solar International Cooking's Cookit , the following is the method that I have been using to construct my own solar panel cookers for months. The method to be described here is basically the same as the version supplied by Solar International Cooking, with exception that all the round corners of the original version are now replaced with sharp corners.

Like many other solar panel cookers, this one looks deceptively simple and does not cost a lot of money to build. However, its usefulness and efficiency surprise many. We have already used it to grill sweet potatoes with great success.

Many vegetarian meals involve prolonged cooking of grains and beans at a moderate temperature. Most panel cookers do not need a hugh investment to start with, as opposed to other more efficient but less cost-effective counterparts. I believe panel solar cooking is a way to go for those who want to be vegetarian without taxing the environment.

Solar cooking involves no carbon footprint. Panel cookers can be built inexpensively. You can run multiple panel cookers in parallel without incurring additional costs so that you can serve a large group of people. I believe portable panel cooker is a must-have item during the time of disasters. Even in the absence of any disasters, you can extend the idea of solar cooking using panel cookers to other go-green related applications, such as pasteurizing potting soil and solar distillation.

How to assemble and how to use your own solar oven

Step 1: First of all, get hold of the following materials:

Two rolls of adhesive aluminum tape.

One can of black spray paint. (Ideally, the paint should be non-toxic when dry.)

One high temperature plastic bag. (If you can't find one, just buy a glass container or microwavable box)

One piece of 4 feet x 3 feet cardboard paper. (Note: If you cannot find a sheet of cardboard that is bigger enough to cover 3 feet by 4 f feet, you can join several pieces of cardboard paper together in a way to make up the same area.)

One metal food pot (Note: If foot pot is too expensive for you, you substitute it with a sheet of aluminium foil. We will teach you how to cook without a metal pot in next post.)

One steel or bamboo steamer

Step 2: Cut the cardboard according to the solid line of the following plan. (Note that, instead of having round corners in the plan, as was done in the version from Solar International Cooking, I prefer to have sharp corners.):

Figure 1: Solar Oven Plan

Step 3: Cover one side of the sheet of cardboard with adhesive aluminium tape. Then, you are done. What you end up with shouldn't be overly different from the one shown in the following figure. Like it or not, this lousy thing is called a solar oven:

Figure 2: The thing so-called solar oven.

Step 4. Lay the solar oven flat with the shiny side up. Fold the solar oven from step 3 according to the fold lines shown in Figure 1. Close the front flap with clothes pins left and right. The final sharp should look like the following diagram:

  

Figure 3a. Schematic of the Solar oven.

Figure 3b. Photo of the solar oven that we made from scrap cardboard.

Step 5: Blacken the exterior of the food pot with black paint (See the following figure):

Figure 4: Paint the exterior of your food pot with black paint.

Step 6: Put food stuff into the blacken foot pot (see the following figure):

Figure 5: Put food stuff into the pot.

Step 7: Place a steamer into a high temperature plastic bag or glass container. Technically, the high temperature plastic bag or glass container is equivalent to a greenhouse enclosure. The steamer will be used to support the foot pot from step 6 (see the following figure):

Figure 6: Place the steamer into the bag

Step 8: Place the food pot from step 6 into the bag. The food pot should be well supported by the steamer (see the following diagram):

Figure 7: Place the the pot into the bag in a manner that the pot is supported by the steamer.

Step 9: Make sure the bag is filled with air. Now, close the bag with a string (see the following figure):

Figure 8: Close the bag with a string.

Step 10. Place the bag enclosing the foot pot onto the solar oven for cooking. Make sure the solar oven is in the sunny area:

Figure 9a: Final setup --- schematic

Figure 9b: Final setup --- photo


Edited on: Monday, April 26, 2010 4:28 PM
Categories: DIY Library, For Scientists and Engineers, Go Green, Renewable Energy


Posted by Admin at 1:25 AM, Friday, February 13, 2009

Global Warming Forecast to Delay Ozone Layer Recovery

Since the launch of this blog, I have quoted a lot of literatures on the link between climate change and the ozone layer. This one is another example. The reason is because, I believe, the unprecedented coolness in many places is probably due to leakage of heat on earth through the broken ozone layer. (EDIT: Since the recent volcano eruption in Iceland, I discovered the ambient temperature is more stable than before. It is unclear whether or not this is due to the fact that the sulphur dioxide is shielding the earth surface from the solar UV radiations.

"BALTIMORE, Maryland, February 6, 2009 (ENS) - Increasing greenhouse gases could stall the recovery of stratospheric ozone in some regions of the Earth, according to new research by a team from Johns Hopkins University. The scientists warn that increased rates of skin cancer in those regions might result.

"Darryn Waugh, a professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Johns Hopkins University, and his colleagues reported Thursday that climate change could provoke variations in the circulation of air in the lower stratosphere in tropical and southern mid-latitudes, including Australia and South America.

"The circulation changes would cause ozone levels in these areas never to return to levels that were present before decline began, even after ozone-depleting substances have been wiped out from the atmosphere.

"In tropical and southern mid-latitudes, Waugh says, "Global warming causes changes in the speed that the air is transported into and through the lower stratosphere. You're moving the air through it quicker, so less ozone gets formed."

CLICK HERE FOR THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE 

CLICK HERE FOR THE LEAD RESEARCHER'S WEBSITE 




Posted by Admin at 10:46 PM, Friday, January 09, 2009

pH preference of various plants

Plants have their own soil pH perference. If they are not grown on soil of the correct acidity, the amount of nutrients available for their absorption will decreases. The following list summarizes the soil pH preference of different plants. However, this is not an exclusive list.

Flowers, Ornamental Trees, & Shrubs

  • Abelia 6.0 - 8.0
  • Acacia 6.0 - 8.0
  • Acanthus 6.0 - 7.0
  • Aconitum 5.0 - 6.0
  • Adonis 6.0 - 8.0
  • Ageratum 6.0 - 7.5
  • Ailanthus 6.0 - 7.5
  • Ajuga 4.0 - 6.0
  • Althea 6.0 - 7.5
  • Alyssum 6.0 - 7.5
  • Amaranthus 6.0 - 6.5
  • Anchusa 6.0 - 7.5
  • Androsace 5.0 - 6.0
  • Anemone 6.0 - 7.5
  • Anthyllis 5.0 - 6.0
  • Arbutus 4.0 - 6.0
  • Arenaria 6.0 - 8.0
  • Aristea 6.0 - 7.5
  • Armeria 6.0 - 7.5
  • Arnica 5.0 - 6.5
  • Asperula 6.0 - 8.0
  • Asphodoline 6.0 - 8.0
  • Aster 5.5 - 7.5
  • Aubrieta 6.0 - 7.5
  • Avena 6.0 - 7.5
  • Azalea 4.5 - 6.0
  • Beauty Bush 6.0 - 7.5
  • Bergenia 6.0 - 7.5
  • Bluebell 6.0 - 7.5
  • Broom 5.0 - 6.0
  • Buddleia 6.0 - 7.0
  • Buphthalum 6.0 - 8.0
  • Calendula 5.5 - 7.0
  • Camassis 6.0 - 8.0
  • Candytuft 6.0 - 7.5
  • Canna 6.0 - 8.0
  • Canterbury Bells 6.0 - 7.5
  • Carnation 6.0 - 7.5
  • Catalpa 6.0 - 8.0
  • Celosia 6.0 - 7.0
  • Centaurea 5.0 - 6.5
  • Cerastium 6.0 - 7.0
  • Chrysanthemum 6.0 - 7.0
  • Cissus 6.0 - 7.5
  • Cistus 6.0 - 7.5
  • Clarkia 6.0 - 6.5
  • Clianthus 6.0 - 7.5
  • Clematis 5.5 - 7.0
  • Colchicum 5.5 - 6.5
  • Columbine 6.0 - 7.0
  • Convolvulus 6.0 - 8.0
  • Coreopsis 5.0 - 6.0
  • Coronilla 6.5 - 7.5
  • Corydalis 6.0 - 8.0
  • Cosmos 5.0 - 8.0
  • Cotoneaster 6.0 - 8.0
  • Crab Apple 6.0 - 7.5
  • Crocus 6.0 - 8.0
  • Cynoglossum 6.0 - 7.5
  • Daffodil 6.0 - 6.5
  • Dahlia 6.0 - 7.5
  • Day Lily 6.0 - 8.0
  • Delphinium 6.0 - 7.5
  • Deutzia 6.0 - 7.5
  • Dianthus 6.0 - 7.5
  • Dogwood 5.0 - 7.0
  • Edelweiss 6.5 - 7.5
  • Elaeagnus 5.0 - 7.5
  • Enkianthus 5.0 - 6.0
  • Erica 4.5 - 6.0
  • Euphorbia 6.0 - 7.0
  • Everlasting Flower 5.0 - 6.0
  • Firethorn 6.0 - 8.0
  • Forget-me-not 6.0 - 8.0
  • Forsythia 6.0 - 8.0
  • Foxglove 6.0 - 7.5
  • Fritillaria 6.0 - 7.5
  • Fuchsia 5.5 - 6.5
  • Gaillardia 6.0 - 7.5
  • Gazania 5.5 - 7.0
  • Gentiana 5.0 - 7.5
  • Geum 6.0 - 7.5
  • Gladiolus 6.0 - 7.0
  • Globularia 5.5 - 7.0
  • Godetia 6.0 - 7.5
  • Golden Rod 5.0 - 7.0
  • Gourd 6.0 - 7.0
  • Grass, Bent 5.5 - 6.5
  • Grass, Clover 6.0 - 7.0
  • Grass, Fescue 6.0 - 7.5
  • Grass, Meadow 6.0 - 7.5
  • Grass, Pampas 6.0 - 8.0
  • Grass, Rye 6.0 - 7.0
  • Gypsophila 6.0 - 7.5
  • Hawthorn 6.0 - 7.0
  • Helianthus 5.0 - 7.0
  • Helleborus 6.0 - 7.5
  • Holly 5.0 - 6.5
  • Hollyhock 6.0 - 7.5
  • Honeysuckle 6.0 - 7.5
  • Hyacinth 6.5 - 7.5
  • Hydrangea, Blue 4.0 - 5.0
  • Hydrangea, Pink 6.0 - 7.0
  • Hydrangea, White 6.5 - 8.0
  • Hypericum 5.5 - 7.0
  • Iris 5.0 - 6.5
  • Ivy 6.0 - 7.5
  • Juniper 5.0 - 6.5
  • Kalmia 4.5 - 5.5
  • Kerria 6.0 - 7.0
  • Laburnum 6.0 - 7.0
  • Laurel 5.0 - 6.0
  • Lavender 6.5 - 7.5
  • Listris 5.5 - 7.5
  • Ligustrum 5.0 - 7.5
  • Lilac 6.0 - 7.5
  • Lily Of The Valley 4.5 - 6.0
  • Lithospernum 5.0 - 6.5
  • Lobelia 6.0 - 7.5
  • Lupinus 5.5 - 7.0
  • Magnolia 5.0 - 6.0
  • Mahonia 6.0 - 7.0
  • Marguerite 6.0 - 7.5
  • Marigold 5.5 - 7.0
  • Molinia 4.0 - 5.0
  • Moraea 5.5 - 6.5
  • Morning Glory 6.0 - 7.5
  • Moss 6.0 - 8.0
  • Moss, Sphagnum 3.5 - 5.0
  • Myosotis 6.0 - 7.0
  • Narcissus 6.0 - 7.5
  • Nasturtium 5.5 - 7.5
  • Nicotiana 5.5 - 6.5
  • Pachysandra 5.0 - 8.0
  • Paeonia 6.0 - 7.5
  • Pansy 5.5 - 7.0
  • Passion Flower 6.0 - 8.0
  • Pasque Flower 5.0 - 6.0
  • Paulownia 6.0 - 8.0
  • Pea, Sweet 6.0 - 7.5
  • Penstemon 5.5 - 7.0
  • Paeonia 6.0 - 7.5
  • Periwinkle 6.0 - 7.5
  • Petunia 6.0 - 7.5
  • Pinks 6.0 - 7.5
  • Polygonum 6.0 - 7.5
  • Polyanthus 6.0 - 7.5
  • Poppy 6.0 - 7.5
  • Portulaca 5.5 - 7.5
  • Primrose 5.5 - 6.5
  • Primula 6.0 - 7.5
  • Privet 6.0 - 7.0
  • Prunella 6.0 - 7.5
  • Prunus 6.5 - 7.5
  • Pyracantha 5.0 - 6.0
  • Pyrethrum 6.0 - 7.5
  • Red Hot Poker 6.0 - 7.5
  • Rhododendron 4.5 - 6.0
  • Rose, Hybrid Tea 5.5 - 7.0
  • Rose, Climbing 6.0 - 7.0
  • Rose, Rambling 5.5 - 7.0
  • Salvia 6.0 - 7.5
  • Saintpaulia 6.0 - 7.0
  • Scabiosa 5.0 - 7.5
  • Sea Grape 5.0 - 6.5
  • Sedum 6.0 - 8.0
  • Snapdragon 5.5 - 7.0
  • Snowdrop 6.0 - 8.0
  • Soapwort 6.0 - 7.5
  • Speedwell 5.5 - 6.5
  • Spiraea 6.0 - 7.5
  • Spruce 4.0 - 5.0
  • Stock 6.0 - 7.5
  • Stonecrop 6.5 - 7.5
  • Sumach 5.0 - 6.5
  • Sunflower 6.0 - 7.5
  • Sweet William 6.0 - 7.5
  • Syringe 6.0 - 8.0
  • Tamarix 6.5 - 8.0
  • Tobacco 5.5 - 7.5
  • Trillium 5.0 - 6.5
  • Tulip 6.0 - 7.0
  • Viburnum 5.0 - 7.5
  • Viola 5.5 - 6.5
  • Violet 5.0 - 7.5
  • Virginia Creeper 5.0 - 7.5
  • Wallflower 5.5 - 7.5
  • Water Lily 5.5 - 6.5
  • Weigela 6.0 - 7.0
  • Wistaria 6.0 - 8.0
  • Zinnia 5.5 - 7.5

Fruits

  • Almond (resistant to drought, cold temperatures and high soil pH) 7.90 - 8.50
  • Apple 5.0 - 6.5
  • Apricot 6.0 - 7.0
  • Avocado 6.0 - 7.5
  • Banana 5.0 - 7.0
  • Blackberry 5.0 - 6.0
  • Cherry 6.0 - 7.5
  • Cranberry 5.5 - 6.5
  • Currant, Black 6.0 - 8.0
  • Currant, Red 5.5 - 7.0
  • Currant, White 6.0 - 8.0
  • Damson 6.0 - 7.5
  • Gooseberry 5.0 - 6.5
  • Grapevine 6.0 - 7.0
  • Grapefruit 6.0 - 7.5
  • Hazelnut 6.0 - 7.0
  • Hop 6.0 - 7.5
  • Lemon 6.0 - 7.0
  • Lychee 6.0 - 7.0
  • Mango 5.0 - 6.0
  • Melon 5.5 - 6.5
  • Mulberry 6.0 - 7.5
  • Nectarine 6.0 - 7.5
  • Papaw 6.0 - 7.5
  • Peach 6.0 - 7.5
  • Pear 6.0 - 7.5
  • Pineapple 5.0 - 6.0
  • Plum 6.0 - 7.5
  • Pomegranate 5.5 - 6.5
  • Quince 6.0 - 7.5
  • Raspberry 5.0 - 6.5
  • Rhubarb 5.5 - 7.0
  • Strawberry 5.0 - 7.5
  • Watermelon 5.5 - 6.5

Houseplants & Greenhouse Plants

  • Abutilon 5.5 - 6.5
  • Acorus 5.0 - 6.5
  • Aechmea 5.0 - 5.5
  • African Violet 6.0 - 7.0
  • Aglaonema 5.0 - 6.0
  • Amaryllis 5.5 - 6.5
  • Anthurium 5.0 - 6.0
  • Aphelandra 5.0 - 6.0
  • Araucaria 5.0 - 6.0
  • Asparagus Fern 6.0 - 8.0
  • Aspidistra 4.0 - 5.5
  • Azalea 4.5 - 6.0
  • Begonia 5.5 - 7.0
  • Bird Of Paradise 6.0 - 6.5
  • Bishop's Cap 5.0 - 6.0
  • Black-eyed Susan 5.5 - 7.5
  • Blood Leaf 5.5 - 6.5
  • Bottlebrush 6.0 - 7.5
  • Bougainvillea 5.5 - 7.5
  • Bromeliads 5.0 - 7.5
  • Butterfly Flower 6.0 - 7.5
  • Cacti 4.5 - 6.0
  • Calceolaria 6.0 - 7.0
  • Caladium 6.0 - 7.5
  • Calla Lily 6.0 - 7.0
  • Camellia 4.5 - 5.5
  • Campanula 5.5 - 6.5
  • Capsicum 5.0 - 6.5
  • Cardinal Flower 5.0 - 6.0
  • Castor Oil Plant 5.5 - 6.5
  • Century Plant 5.0 - 6.5
  • Chinese Primrose 6.0 - 7.5
  • Christmas Cactus 5.0 - 6.5
  • Cineraria 5.5 - 7.0
  • Clerodendrum 5.0 - 6.0
  • Clivia 5.5 - 6.5
  • Cockscomb 6.0 - 7.0
  • Coffee Plant 5.0 - 6.0
  • Coleus 6.0 - 7.0
  • Columnea 4.5 - 5.5
  • Coral Berry 5.5 - 7.5
  • Crassula 5.0 - 6.0
  • Creeping Fig 5.0 - 6.0
  • Croton 5.0 - 6.0
  • Crown Of Thorns 6.0 - 7.5
  • Cuphea 6.0 - 7.5
  • Cyclamen 6.0 - 7.0
  • Cyperus 5.0 - 7.5
  • Dieffenbachia 5.0 - 6.0
  • Dipladenia 6.0 - 7.5
  • Dizygotheca 6.0 - 7.5
  • Dracaena 5.0 - 6.0
  • Easter Lily 6.0 - 7.0
  • Elephant's Ear 5.0 - 6.0
  • Episcia 6.0 - 7.0
  • Eucalyptus 6.0 - 8.0
  • Euonymus 5.5 - 7.0
  • Fern, Bird's Nest 5.0 - 5.5
  • Fern, Boston 5.5 - 6.5
  • Fern, Button 6.0 - 8.0
  • Fern, Christmas 6.0 - 7.5
  • Fern, Cloak 6.0 - 7.5
  • Fern, Feather 5.5 - 6.5
  • Fern, Hart's Tongue 7.0 - 8.0
  • Fern, Holly 4.5 - 6.0
  • Fern, Maidenhair 6.0 - 8.0
  • Fern, Rabbits Foot 6.0 - 7.5
  • Fern, Spleenwort 6.0 - 7.5
  • Fig 5.0 - 6.0
  • Fittonia 5.5 - 6.5
  • Freesia 6.0 - 7.5
  • Gardenia 5.0 - 6.0
  • Genista 6.5 - 7.5
  • Geranium 6.0 - 8.0
  • Gloxinia 5.5 - 6.5
  • Grape Ivy 5.0 - 6.5
  • Grevillea 5.5 - 6.5
  • Gynura 5.5 - 6.5
  • Hedera (Ivy) 6.0 - 7.5
  • Heliotropium 6.0 - 8.0
  • Helxine 5.0 - 5.5
  • Herringbone Plant 5.0 - 6.0
  • Hibiscus 6.0 - 8.0
  • Hoya 5.0 - 6.5
  • Impatiens 5.5 - 6.5
  • Iresine 5.0 - 6.5
  • Ivy Tree 6.0 - 7.0
  • Jacaranda 6.0 - 7.5
  • Japanese Sedge 6.0 - 8.0
  • Jasminum 6.0 - 7.5
  • Jerusalem Cherry 6.0 - 7.5
  • Jessamine 5.5 - 7.0
  • Kalanchoe 6.0 - 7.5
  • Kangaroo Thorn 6.0 - 8.0
  • Kangaroo Vine 5.0 - 6.5
  • Lace Flower 6.0 - 7.0
  • Lantana 5.5 - 7.0
  • Laurus 5.0 - 6.0
  • Lemon Plant 6.0 - 7.5
  • Mimosa 5.0 - 7.0
  • Mind Your Own Business 5.0 - 5.5
  • Monsters 5.0 - 6.0
  • Myrtle 6.0 - 8.0
  • Never Never Plant 5.0 - 6.0
  • Nicodemia 6.0 - 8.0
  • Oleander 6.0 - 7.5
  • Oplismenus 5.0 - 6.0
  • Orchid 4.5 - 5.5
  • Oxalis 6.0 - 8.0
  • Palms 6.0 - 7.5
  • Pandanus 5.0 - 6.0
  • Patient Lucy 5.5 - 6.5
  • Peacock Plant 5.0 - 6.0
  • Pellionia 5.0 - 6.0
  • Peperomia 5.0 - 6.0
  • Philodendron 5.0 - 6.0
  • Piles 6.0 - 8.0
  • Plumbago 5.5 - 6.5
  • Podocarpus 5.0 - 6.5
  • Poinsettia 6.0 - 7.5
  • Polyscias 6.0 - 7.5
  • Prayer Plant 5.0 - 6.0
  • Punica 5.5 - 6.5
  • Rubber Plant 5.0 - 6.0
  • Sansevieria 4.5 - 7.0
  • Saxifraga 6.0 - 8.0
  • Schizanthus 6.0 - 7.0
  • Scindapsus 5.0 - 6.0
  • Selaginella 6.0 - 7.0
  • Shrimp Plant 5.5 - 6.5
  • Spanish Bayonet 6.0 - 7.5
  • Spider Plant 6.0 - 7.5
  • Succulents 5.0 - 6.5
  • Syngonium 5.0 - 6.0
  • Thunbergia 5.5 - 7.5
  • Tolmiea 5.0 - 6.0
  • Tradescantia 5.0 - 6.0
  • Umbrella Tree 5.0 - 7.5
  • Venus Fly Trap 4.0 - 5.0
  • Weeping Fig 5.0 - 6.0
  • Yucca 6.0 - 7.5
  • Zebrina 5.0 - 6.0

Vegetable & Herb

  • Artichoke 6.5 - 7.5
  • Asparagus 6.0 - 8.0
  • Basil 5.5 - 6.5
  • Bean 6.0 - 7.5
  • Beetroot 6.0 - 7.5
  • Broccoli 6.0 - 7.0
  • Brussels 6.0 - 7.5
  • Cabbage 6.0 - 7.5
  • Calabrese 6.5 - 7.5
  • Carrot 5.5 - 7.0
  • Cauliflower 5.5 - 7.5
  • Celery 6.0 - 7.0
  • Chicory 5.0 - 6.5
  • Chinese Cabbage 6.0 - 7.5
  • Chives 6.0 - 7.0
  • Corn, Sweet 5.5 - 7.5
  • Cress 6.0 - 7.0
  • Courgettes 5.5 - 7.0
  • Cucumber 5.5 - 7.5
  • Fennel 5.0 - 6.0
  • Garlic 5.5 - 7.5
  • Ginger 6.0 - 8.0
  • Horseradish 6.0 - 7.0
  • Kale 6.0 - 7.5
  • Kohlrabi 6.0 - 7.5
  • Leek 6.0 - 8.0
  • Lentil 5.5 - 7.0
  • Lettuce 6.0 - 7.0
  • Marjoram 6.0 - 8.0
  • Marrow 6.0 - 7.5
  • Millet 6.0 - 6.5
  • Mint 7.0 - 8.0
  • Mushroom 6.5 - 7.5
  • Mustard 6.0 - 7.5
  • Olive 5.5 - 6.5
  • Onion 6.0 - 7.0
  • Paprika 7.0 - 8.5
  • Parsley 5.0 - 7.0
  • Parsnip 5.5 - 7.5
  • Pea 6.0 - 7.5
  • Peanut 5.0 - 6.5
  • Pepper 5.5 - 7.0
  • Peppermint 6.0 - 7.5
  • Pistacio 5.0 - 6.0
  • Potato, Sweet 4.5 - 6.0
  • Potato 5.5 - 6.0
  • Pumpkin 5.5 - 7.5
  • Radish 6.0 - 7.0
  • Rice 5.0 - 6.5
  • Rosemary 5.0 - 6.0
  • Sage 5.5 - 6.5
  • Shallot 5.5 - 7.0
  • Sorghum 5.5 - 7.5
  • Soybean 5.5 - 6.5
  • Spearmint 5.5 - 7.5
  • Spinach 6.0 - 7.5
  • Swede 5.5 - 7.0
  • Thyme 5.5 - 7.0
  • Tomato 5.5 - 7.5
  • Turnip 5.5 - 7.0
  • Watercress 6.0 - 8.0

Note:

1) If the soil is overly acidic, lime or lime compounds (ground limestone, marl, hydrated lime) should be added to raise the pH or reduce the acidity of the soil.

2) If the soil is overly alkaline, sulphur or coffee should be used to lower pH or increase the acidity of the soil. The PH of coffee is anywhere between 4.9 to 6. I personally prefer coffee as a soil amendment, because it is one of the most convenient sources of nitrogen.

3) Whilst different plants have different PH preference, most garden crops will do well with a soil pH of 6.2 to 6.8.

4) A pH of 6.5 is found to be the most favorable for the availability of all plant nutrients [1].

Reference [1]: http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/resmgmt/publist/600series/637100-1.pdf 


Edited on: Tuesday, April 27, 2010 2:15 AM
Categories: Go Green


How to grow sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are relatively easy to grow. They can be grown indoor in a container. They are started from slips or a cut sweet potatoes.. You can either order sweet potatoes slips from Internet or grow your own slips from store bought sweet potatoes. What follows is a procedure for planting sweet potatoes and sweet potatoes viines.

Part I: Sprouting and growing sweet potato vines

Follow the following steps:

1) Buy a sweet potato from the supermarket. Make sure the sweet potato you bought is not a cooked one.

2) Use toothpicks to hold the sweet potato in place. Then, immerse the sweet potato into a jar of water.

4) In about one month's time, if the ambient temperature is not way too off, the sprouts will emerge. The sprouts are called slips. Each sweet potato can produce up to 50 slip sprouts! The slips will eventually go to soil, from which they eventually grow new sweet potatoes.

Sweet potato vines can be eatened as ordinary vegetables. In case you just want to eat the vines, you don't need to grow new sweet potatoes unless you want to propagate your sweet potatoes. The vines are also very tasty.

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Part II; Planting sweet potatoes slips to grow new sweet potatoes

Once your sweet potatoes have sprouted, the vines can be eaten as ordinary vegetables. At this stage, you are also ready to plant the slips to grow new sweet potatoes. To do this, follow the following steps:

1) Carefully cut the slips off the mother potatoes. Each of the slips should be about 6 inches long. If any of the slips is too long, just cut it into two halves and plant both.

2) Submerge the slips into a shallow jar of water.

3) In about one week, new roots will be formed. When the roots are about one inch long, the slips should be ready for planting in soil.

4) Finally, plant the slips in soil. Dig holes on the ground first. Then, insert a slip onto each hole. Finally, fill the hole with sand or sandy soil.

Sweet potatoes are pretty drought resistant. They do not need too much watering. According to my experience, watering once a week is more than enough.

Part III; Harvesting sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes should be ready to harvest in about 3 to 4 months, depending on the ambient conditions. They prefer temperatures above 50F at night and below 90F during the day. Any temperature outside this range will hinder their growth.


Edited on: Monday, April 26, 2010 8:45 PM
Categories: DIY Library, Go Green


Posted by Admin at 8:07 PM, Monday, January 05, 2009

Self-watering planter from recycled soft-drink bottles (膠樽廢物利用, 不用日日淋水,慳水環保種植方法 ) - Updated on 10 December 2009

What follows is a way for making your own self-watering planter. This self-watering planter uses the well-known capillary effect to maintain a steady stream of moisture for the plant growth. With this self-watering planter, you don't need to water your plant every day.

This planter is not difficult to understand. Basically, it comprises a water reservoir and a soil container. Between the water reservoir and the soil container, there is some type of wicking structure that wicks water out of the water reservoir. The wicking action, together with the evaporation effect due to the sun heat, draws the water from the water reservoir up into the soil. As a result, the soil contines to be wet without running into a waterlogged situation.

1. Materials required: a pair of sissors, a wire cutter, a soft-drink bottle, a plant, a few pieces of kitchen towels, a few cotton strings.

2. Use a pair of scissors to cut the soft-drink bottle into two halves --- that is, the upper half and the lower half. Be careful, don't cut yourself.

3. Use the wire cutter to create an opening on the bottle cap. This opening should be large enough to accommodate a wicking structure, which, in this case, is a piece of kitchen towel.

4. Insert about two cotton strings into the mouth of the soft-drink bottle. Herein, the cotton strings is referred as wicking structure.

5. Position the bottle cap in a way that the side opening of the bottle cap fits the wicking structure. Then, screw the bottle cap on tightly.

6. Use a thumbtack to puncture as many holes around the bottleneck as possible. This step is highly important, because the root system of your plant will need to breath. Without enough holes around the bottleneck, your plant can die of lack of oxygen and get root rot.

7. Pour water to the lower half of the soft-drink bottle to 1/2~1/3 full.

8. The next step is to turn the upper half of the soft-drink bottle upside down and place it onto the lower-half, with the bottle cap pointing downward. Now, the wicking structure should be partially immersed into the water.

9. Before filling any soil, add another piece of kitchen towel into the upper half of the soft-drink bottle. At this stage, you can even cover the base of the soil container with compost teas dry leaves and other dry kitchen wastes.

10. Add some soil or purchased potting mix:

11. Sow your seed or transplant your plant.

12. Fill the planter with more soil, trim off the rest of the kitchen towel which remains on the edge of the planter and soak the soil with water:

32. There is no need to water the plant unless the water reservior is running out of water. If there is not enough water left in the water reservoir, then add some water onto the soil. The excess water as a result of over-watering will eventually drain off into the water reservoir, but most of the fertilizers and other important minerals will not get carried away. After serveral days, the wicking structure will draw water up again.

Notes:

a) The cotton strings absorb water through capillary action. The capillary action that moves water up into the soil is subjected to the resistance due to the gravity. It is important to plant your plant as deep as possible so that the root can readily access the moisture. However, planting your plant in too deep will encourage stem rot.

b) If you don't have any platistic bottle, then find one from the nearby rubbish bin.

c) If you don't have any cotton strings, then use kitchen towels, shoelaces, pieces of scrap cloth, old newspaper or whatever similar.


Edited on: Monday, April 26, 2010 4:11 PM
Categories: DIY Library, Go Green


Posted by Admin at 11:51 AM, Sunday, December 21, 2008

How to make your own all-purpose fertilizer for your plants

It is not difficult to make your own fertlizer with the cheapest available materials from the surpermarket. And in fact, this fertilizer is a very good one. All my trees are healthy and strong simply because of this fertilizer. Do not waste your money on those expensive fertilizers. They are not environmental friendly.

All you need are:

One 12oz can of beer;

One cup of epsom salt;

3 cloves of garlic;

two cups of tap water;

A small bottle of ammonia ( 125ml, 25%)

1/10 of toilet soap (optional)

Here are the steps you need for making the fertlizer:

1/ Crush a clove of garlic into small pieces and mix them with a can of beer, a cup of epsom salt, two cups of the tap water and the ammonia.

2/ Place the mixture from step 1 into a closed bottle, and wait for 1 day.

3/ Use two tablespoons of the mixture from step 2 per gallon of water for a twice per month feeding.

Beer is considered a source of carbohydrates for the microbes which convert food matter in the soil to food elements that plants can utilize.

Ammonia and beer provides nitrogen, which could be absorbed quickly by plants, depending on a few other factors, such as temperature. However, ammonia is very expensive in my area. I normally don't add too much ammonia. Instead, I prefer to plant some mung beans around the plant which I want to fertlize.

Garlic can act as an insect repellent and/or fungicide, which repell pests and eliminates fungi that can kill the plants.

Epsom salt is a source of magnesium that is essestial to plant development. It is required by plants to produce chlorophyll. Leaf yellowing is the deficiency symptom. Magnesium is absorbed through both roots and leaves of plant. It not only helps plants absorb phosphorus , but also increases a plant's natural resistance to disease.

Soap is optional. When mixed with the solution, soap becomes a very powerful insect repellent. However, due to its alkalinity, soap is not suitable for feeding acid-loving plants.

I am a first time gardener with no previous experience of planting and harvesting. I planted my corns on 7 October, 2009. So far, I have applied this fertilzier onto my corn plants three times. The following photographs were taken on 19 December, 2009. Honestly, I am not sure if this "miracle" came from the soil or from this fertilizer:

Figure 1: A zoom-in photograph showing a corn ear.

Figure 2: Another photograph showing some corn ears


Edited on: Monday, April 26, 2010 4:38 PM
Categories: DIY Library, Go Green


Posted by Admin at 12:29 PM, Thursday, November 27, 2008

Going Veg Is Enough to Save the Planet, Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Monaco, May 4, 2008

Even if everyone in the whole population of the planet eats only half vegetarian, we can save the planet already. That’s the best and the quickest way. Because meat is not only about the land, it’s about the water, medicine, energy, pollution from transportation, and the conscience; that’s what makes people sick.

So if you can tell people to be vegetarian, that’s the best thing you can do for them and for the planet. Then we can even keep all the airplanes; we can keep all the cars; we can keep all the things now, because CO2 is not as bad as “conscience sickness,” and not as bad as spending so much water on animal raising, and wasting land, and deforestation and transportation. If we eat vegetarian, we still can keep all the airplanes, cars, trains and even everything as usual. We don’t even need to rely on the government, because the government cannot always do everything. The government cannot forbid people to eat meat, for example. Maybe they can, but they don’t want to do it.

So, the individual is the best to save the planet. Just go vegetarian, and we’ll save a lot of methane gas, a lot of transportation pollution, a lot of wasted water and land - land that we can cultivate, with enough food for everyone. And the food we feed the animals, we can feed the hungry. We would never go hungry. The whole planet can be fed if people go vegetarian. And then we can even keep all the styles that we have now, like the airplane. Of course it’s the best if we don’t. But even if we still have cars, airplanes and trains and so on, if the planet’s people are vegetarian, then we can save the planet still. Not everyone knows that. So, tell whoever you can to save the planet. But even if we cannot, then we cannot.

One more thing about the climate that everyone worries about: If we have the blessing of the government, it would be good. But otherwise, everyone can do it. Just be vegetarian, and we can save it. We can save a lot. Because of the bad karma, “As you sow so shall you reap,” if we do bad things, then we get bad things. It’s not just about the physical energy or even the ways of war and all that. The bad karma will come back on us, and no one can save us, not even God. Because even if God tells us to do this and we don’t do it, Hes lets us be free. If you want to make a mistake, it’s your freedom. God is not someone who controls you all the time. It would be good if Hes does some controlling, but Hes doesn’t do that.

So we have to control ourselves; we have to know what’s good and what’s bad. Read the Bible or the scripture of your religion. Really study well to see what the scripture tells you to do. All the tips in any scripture of any religion tell you how to survive here, how you can save the planet, how to live well and how to go to Heaven afterwards. It’s all in the scriptures; it’s not me saying anything.

To view the complete Supreme Master Television coverage of this exclusive discussion, please visit the following link: http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/BMD640.php


Edited on: Monday, April 26, 2010 6:57 PM
Categories: Be Veg, For Economists and Investors, For Scientists and Engineers, Go Green, Save the Planet


Methane – More Potent than CO2, by Brisbane News Group, Australia (Originally in English)

As the world’s governments strive to implement solutions to combat climate change, its effects continue to increase and intensify with more frequent and severe storms, floods, droughts, heat waves, hurricanes and more.

The most prominent recent information shows that methane is up to 25 times more potent, per ton, than CO2 in causing global warming. These calculations are based on averaging the heating impact of methane over 100 years. However, after only a decade, methane is barely traceable and almost disappears after 20 years, thus averaging it over a century dramatically reduces its impact. And as we don’t have 100 years left to reduce our greenhouse gases, more recent calculations averaged over a period of 20 years rate methane as 72 times more potent.

Methane emissions are produced from natural sources such as oceans, permafrost, some wetlands, and also from human-made sources. Human-produced methane is one of the largest emitters especially from biomass burning (the burning of vegetation for land clearing and land-use change) and the livestock industry. Methane from the energy sector such as coal mines, oil refineries and leaking gas pipelines can be minimized through technological changes and advancements. But it is the methane from the livestock industry that is the worst human-derived emitter, as recently stated by Dr. Kirk Smith, Professor of Global Environmental Health at the University of California, Berkley. He said, “And that is something that we all contribute to, all of us who eat meat and I must say, drink milk as well.” Fortunately then, reducing methane levels is something that all of us can have a hand in right now by consuming less meat and dairy products. Professor Smith verifies this by boldly stating: “The immediate fix is to eat less meat.”

Currently, governments worldwide are focusing on strategies to reduce CO2 emissions; however, this latest information about methane points to the fact that we should be concentrating on methane reduction much more. Dr. Smith added, “Methane is the second most well-known greenhouse gas but is much more powerful.” He described it as an insidious gas; one that is not only an intense greenhouse gas but one that also helps create ground-level ozone, which is damaging to human health. If high levels of methane reduce oxygen concentration in the atmosphere to below 19.5% then asphyxia can occur. Increased levels can also be highly flammable forming explosive mixtures with air.

Dr. Kirk Smith believes that climate scientists need to stress the dire consequences of methane more. “Sure we have to deal with CO2, but if you want to make an impact on climate in the next 20 years, the place to do it is with the shorter-lived greenhouse gases, most important of which is methane.” Nations worldwide need to take heed of this advice and make the reduction of methane top priority by placing the animal-free diet at the forefront of all greenhouse gas reduction strategies; because, as Dr. Smith explained, “The biggest single source of human-caused methane emissions is livestock.” Reducing global methane levels right away will also buy us more time to transition into using sustainable energies.

Put simply, the science is now telling us that methane is several times more powerful in warming the planet than CO2 and that we need to drastically reduce our methane emissions immediately for the sake of the Earth and all her inhabitants. The quickest and most effective way to make this happen is something that all individuals can do and that is to adopt an animal-free or vegan diet.

To view Supreme Master Television’s full interview with Dr. Kirk Smith please go to:

http://video.Godsdirectcontact.net/magazine/AW643.php

References:

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/the-missing-link-in-the-garnaut-report-20080709-3cjh.html?page=-1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methane


Edited on: Monday, April 26, 2010 9:25 PM
Categories: Be Veg, Climate Change, For Scientists and Engineers, Go Green, Save the Planet


Saving the Planet through Loving Kindness, Teleconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai, New York, USA, July 13, 2008

So after we save the planet, of course people will be different. They have to be different now in order to save the planet already. So, your part is to be positive. Save the planet first and things will change after. It’s not you alone who can save the planet. It’s the people who change their consciousness. If they would be veg, go green, and do good, then that means they have changed for the better. Their consciousness has gone up to a higher level; then of course they merit the Earth and could continue to live here and also their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and so on. At that time people will be in a higher level of consciousness and things will be clearer to them and to all. We will live in peace and love.

(Source: This is a web page of URL: http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/news/200/mt_0.htm )

You have to envision a positive world, the Heaven on Earth that you would like it to be. You have to envision the nobler world, the positive world, the beautiful world, the Heaven world.

Saving the world is a compassionate act.. Even if the world is not saved, you are. You are saved by your loving kindness. Your merit will be multifold because you want to save others. This is the point that many of you still don’t get. If you want to save the world, if you want to do anything toward this goal, you’re enlarging your nobility, your Heavenly attribute. So if you spread the encouragement to save the planet, if you go veg, if you go green, if you do good deeds or you help others because you want to save other beings’ lives on Earth, then you have a saintly quality. You reawaken your holiness. It’s not just about saving the physical planet and the physical lives.. It’s also about how great you are for wanting to do so and actually partaking in this life-saving crusade.

So if people do want to be veg, go green, and do good because they want to save the planet, then their spirit is noble. They have elevated themselves. And I hope you continue the way you’re doing. Even if you cannot save the planet, you save yourself. Let’s put it this way: If we cannot save the whole planet, we will be able to save some souls, the ones who will walk the way with us, the ones who, due to your diligent spreading of the news, will return to their original noble Self. Those people will be saved at least.


Edited on: Monday, April 26, 2010 6:55 PM
Categories: Be Veg, Go Green, Save the Planet


Posted by Admin at 1:47 PM, Monday, November 10, 2008

Plants suitable for container gardening

According to my research from different sources, the following plants that can be planted in containers:

Herbs
Sage, Rosemary, Chives, Dill, Basil, Saw Palmetto,Thyme, Cilantro (Coriander), Chamomile (Camomile), Garlic, Mint, Oregano, Lemon Balm, Calendula, Lavender, Catnip, Anise, Nasturtium
French Tarragon, Fennel (Sweet Florence) Summer Savory, Sweet, Marjoram, Scented Geraniums, Parsnip, Peanuts, Sesame, Ginger
Vegetables and Fruit
Apple, Cucumber, Cherry, Fig, Eggplant, Lettuce, Squash, Tomato
Spinach, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Bean, Radish, Blueberry, Potato, Turnip, Plum, Corn, Sweet potatoes
Flowers
Lily of the Nile Chrysanthemum, Asparagus Fern, Bird of Paradise, Daylily, African Daisy, Begonia, Ground Ivy, Lantana, Petunias, Poor Man’s Orchid, Black-eyed Susan, Zinnia, Iceland Poppy, Marigold, Pansy/Viola, Dwarf,Snapdragon, Columbine, Hellebore, Lamb’s Ear, Rock Jasmine
(Bulbs: Tulips Daffodils Snowdrop Hyacinth Iris Bluebell Tiger Flower)
Shrubs and Trees
Crape Myrtle, Bougainvillea
Odds and Ends
Dwarf Pomegranate, Black Bamboo, Christmas Cacti, Aloe

Edited on: Monday, April 26, 2010 8:41 PM
Categories: Go Green


Posted by Admin at 4:17 AM, Monday, July 28, 2008

Change Ourselves to Save the Planet - Master Ching Hai

Mr. Roland Jung, Asia Affairs Advisor of the US Democratic Party: We are well aware that humankind’s daily habits and the changes of the sun are affecting the Earth’s climate in many ways. It is predicted that in 2010, the Earth’s climate will experience a massive change due to a great explosion of the sun’s sunspots. It has also been predicted the climate will cause an oil crisis, or kind of an oil shock. Therefore, it seems that there is a need for worldwide awareness and change concerning global warming. I would like to ask Your specific opinion and message concerning this. What do You think we need to do as preparation?

Master Ching Hai: Thank you, Mr. Jung. Against this kind of great upheaval of calamities, the only refuge that we can take is in Heaven’s grace, by being virtuous, compassionate and a true believer of God, and praying for God’s grace; then we can be saved. We should start to change our way of living now. We have to change. We have to. That’s the only way we can save ourselves and the planet, and the whole world and all the beings in it; because as the saying goes in ancient India, “Any nation that produces 10 great persons worthy in the eyes of Heaven will not know destruction.”

So, what is meant by 10 great personages? That means the person who is truly a human being: He is compassionate, he is spiritually elevated, and he is unconditional and selfless. He is serving others and remembers God. For doing that, we are a little bit far. So, if we really want to save the world, that’s the only way we can. Otherwise, even if we dig a hole into the mountain or under the ground to stay away from the sun’s heat, or we go up in the mountain to avoid the sea rising, there are other calamities that will be coming our way. Anyone who has any belief in any religion should study their scriptures again, and do exactly what is commanded therein because “As you sow, so shall you reap.” All the religions have told us that.

So, now we come back to the ancient saying in India that 10 persons who are virtuous can save a nation. How do we do this? In the ancient times, the nations were smaller than they are now and 10 persons in each country should be enough. But for our expanded community nowadays, we need more than 10 persons in a community. I would say it depends on the population also. New York, for example, we would call a nation in the old times. In New York, we probably need a million people to be virtuous, upright and spiritually elevated, in order to save New York.

So, I think we have to do it faster than what we are doing now. I’m glad the governments are doing something and all the celebrities, the distinguished people and organizations just like you today, are concerned and trying to push with all the vital actions to save the planet and to stop global warming. I’m very happy about that, but maybe we should move faster and take more action: The vegetarian diet is number one. Green energy is number two. Everyone must work together to be frugal and protect the environment and the animals. It’s not that difficult. It’s just the habits that we have to change, that’s all.


Edited on: Monday, April 26, 2010 6:50 PM
Categories: Be Veg, Climate Change, For Scientists and Engineers, Go Green, Save the Planet