Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: bacteria, biofuel, CO2, Craig Venter, methane, natural gas
The objective for the genetically modified bacteria which are currently a major project of the Craig Venter lab is for the bacteria to “eat CO2 and produce methane“. If they manage to develop these bacteria to consume CO2 on a larger scale, they could help not only to reduce the overproduction of CO2 but also to serve as biofuel factories.
Read the full story on Yahoo news: Famed geneticist creating life form that turns CO2 into fuel
Illustration: Natural gas production by country, wikipedia
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: balance, Dutch, energy, fossil fuels, Netherlands, nutrition, obesity
Most people find it easy to understand the problem of over-consumption of fossil fuels. The fossil fuels like oil and coal are being exploited faster than they are generated by nature, and we will end up in a situation where we can no longer depend on fossil fuels to supply the world energy expenditure. That is why a lot of time and money is spent on researching alternative sustainable energy sources, which will not be affected or depleted when we expend them.
Another energy issue that somehow many people find difficult to understand is the energy balance on a personal level. However, the problem is the opposite. On average the energy intake of the population in most western countries by far exceeds the energy expenditure, and as a result we see more and more people of serious overweight. Treating obesity is an extremely difficult task, but prevention is, in theory, very easy: “maintain the energy balance”. If you uptake more energy, you have to expend more energy, in order not to gain weight.
The Dutch Nutrition Centre acknowledges increasing obesity as a national problem, and they have employed a Master Plan to help the Dutch maintain their energy balance. I am looking forward to see the same kind of initiative taken in the rest of the European countries with increasing obesity in their population.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: packaging, pollution, refill, shampoo, soap, transport
Because the wrapping and packaging of a refill can be a whole lot less than the packaging of the original (and if it isn’t, it does not make much sense). The reduced packaging reduces the space required for transport, i.e. more can be transported in less space, and fewer trucks and transports will be necessary to bring the product to your shop. In the end, the more you save on packaging the more you save on polluting transport.
But what if you do not always use the same soap/shampoo/cleaning liquid? No problem. The soap will not mind what bottle or tube it is in. You can basically refill any brand with any brand. And why don’t you get yourself one of those fancy soap dispensers while you are at it – they will encourage your refill habit.
