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By Bill Slawski, on April 8th, 2008
A post at MetaEfficient describes efforts by Costa Rica (Costa Rica Is 99% Powered By Renewable Energy) to be the first completely carbon neutral country.
The effort isn’t completely without controversy. In reaching that goal, new damns may need to be constructed. MetaEfficient tells us:
Costa Rica is a country rich with renewable energy. In fact, it gets about 99% of all its electrical energy from clean sources, and it’s aiming to be the first country to become carbon neutral (more about that below). Some of Costa Rica’s energy sources include geothermal energy, the burning of sugarcane waste and other biomass, solar and wind energy. However, the largest source of energy is hydroelectricity — its hydroelectric dams provide more than 82% of the country’s electricity.
But the electric needs of Costa Rica are increasing, and the government now wants to build new dams that would displace indigenous villages and flood valuable habitats. Local environmental groups are opposing the construction of new hydroelectric dams.
The cost of the new damns seems pretty high, and perhaps illegal under international treaties involving the rights of indigenous people that have been signed into law by the government of Costa Rica. From Intercontinental Cry, we get some news of the hydroelectricity project, Indigenous Groups Opposed to El Diquis Hydro Project, and the impact of one of that project:
Read: The Cost of Costa Rica’s Carbon Neutral Ambitions
By Bill Slawski, on April 7th, 2008
I was first introduced to the idea of Fair Trade a few years back when a nearby store opened, selling Fair Trade clothing, crafts, coffee, and chocolate. I’ve discovered since then that the term “Fair Trade” refers to a few different concepts.
There’s a Fair Trade certification, run in the US by TransFair USA.
Fair Trade certification is a market-based model benefiting over a million farmers and farm workers in 58 developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. When a consumer buys something with a Fair Trade label, they are making sure that the makers and growers of these products are getting a fair wage for their efforts.
What is covered under the TransFair USA Certification?
- Coffee,
- Tea and herbs,
- Cocoa and chocolate,
- Fresh fruit,
- Sugar,
- Rice,
- Flowers,
- Vanilla,
- Honey and spices
More than 35,000 retail establishments in the United States carry Fair Trade certified products.
Fair Trade means:
Read: What is Fair Trade?
- Fair prices
- Fair labor conditions
- Direct trade (removing middlemen)
- Democratic and transparent organizations
- Community development
- Environmental sustainable farming methods
By Bill Slawski, on April 6th, 2008
Land is one of our most valuable resources, and at the rate that world populations are growing, it’s one that is being elimated quickly, to the detriment of all of the species with which we share this globe.
If instead of sprawling across the land, we build upwards, two miles high into the sky, we could let much more of the world go undeveloped.
Dr. Eugene Tsui has a vision of such a building – The “Ultima” Tower, Two-mile High Sky City
Why build a two-mile high, one mile wide building? To prevent the uncontrolled blight of the natural landscape by rapacious developers and industry. At current rates the surface of the planet will be nearly totally covered with residential, commercial and apartment dwellings within the coming century. Large structures such as these bring nature upward to preserve the natural surroundings and to add natural surroundings in a controlled environment. This two-mile high, trumpet bell-shaped, tension structure is the most stable and aerodynamic shape ever conceived for a tall structure
It’s encouraging to see people reaching for the sky, and developing innovative ideas to face the challenges of the future.
Tags: environment, architecture, green
Read: The “Ultima” Tower, a Two-mile High Sky City
By Bill Slawski, on April 6th, 2008
A story in the Lohasian tells of a legal battle between an Aboriginal community in Australia and government and mining sources that want to develop land which holds an incredible amount of rock engravings.
Archaeologists estimate that the rock art of the area comprises anywhere between 500,000 and 1 million engravings – encompassing the worlds largest collection of engravings and petroglyphs. The site and the engraving pre date both Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids. While Mr Garrett acknowledges the economic potential of industry in the area, which generates thousands of jobs and billions for the Australian economy, he said that environment and heritage values must be considered at the “front end” of any development proposals to minimise further destruction.
The Aboriginal community set up a corporation that might give them some ability to control any development that happens, but they face quite a battle against corporations that have much more resources to back their efforts.
It would be a sin to see the history and heritage of the land overcome by developer’s interests.
By Bill Slawski, on April 6th, 2008
Interesting tale of a diamond miner who discovered a whole different kind of riches on the sea shelf outside of Namibia.
There aren’t too many marine-based diamond miners operating in the world, but the Australian ABC news web site tells of of one in Diamond miner discovers undersea wealth
Bonaparte’s chief executive Mike Woodborne says the southern African nation of Namibia, on the Atlantic coast is well known for its unique deposits of gems.”Off the coast in Namibia it’s renowned as a world unique deposit of gem quality diamonds,” he told AM.
“The diamonds have travelled 1,000 kilometres from the hinterland of Africa down mighty rivers like the Orange, where they’ve been tumbled through quite strenuous environments, only the best-quality survive.
“So off the coast of Namibia you’ll find 95 per cent gem quality diamonds strewn on the beaches above and below the present sea level.”
Bonaparte has also discovered the seabed off Namibia is rich in marine phosphates which can be used to make fertiliser.
While the story discusses the environmental impact of dredging, it deems to be dismissed lightly:
Read: Diamond miner discovers undersea wealth – Fertilizer
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