Green-News: Wednesday 4.22.09
- The only artificial trees I’ve heard of are fake Christmas trees and maybe the stuff you put in aquariums, but experts claim building big towers filled with various materials that absorb carbon dioxide, nicknamed trees, could help reduce climate change, provided they prove profitable. The idea is still in its infancy; ENN reports.
- Speaking of global warming, according to a new study by the National Center for Atmospheric Research, researchers recommend nations need to significantly lower emissions, by 70% this century. Stressing this will prevent massive losses of sea ice and permafrost, which contribute to the rise in sea levels; via Environmental Leader.
- Now, from fake plants to real plants, scientists believe a tiny aquatic plant, called duckweed, may be used to clean up animal poop at industrial hog farms. Duckweed breaks down waste and produces ten times more starch than corn and can be used to make ethanol cheaper and faster; from EurekAlert!
- In Indonesia palm oil is a savior. Apparently, a palm tree can bare fruit for more than 30 years and the global demand for palm oil has created a thriving industry, employing many of the local villagers. The problem is palm tree plantations are uprooting tropical forests, and threatening endangered species; World Watch Institute explains.
- Not sure if this is truly green news, but doctors in Russia found a five-centimeter fir tree growing in a patient’s lung. The man complained of intense chest pains and was coughing up blood. Doctors suspected a tumor, but were startled to find a branch with needles and everything; via DiscoBlog.
- New findings in the journal Environmental Health reveal various cleaning agents, such as solvents and disinfectants, used in hospitals contain hazardous chemicals which may pose health risks to workers, harming airways and irritating the skin. This is doubly bad in poorly ventilated areas like bathrooms; Reuters investigates.
Image credit: JPhilipson
Hi Gerry
Palm oil is a saviour? The global demand for palm oil? Hmmmm.
I think that palm oil and "modified" palm oil is basically a replacement for trans fats, and is shoved at us by the food industry. The only demand for it might be the Weston Price Foundation followers who think sat fat is a superfood.
I notice here in Canada that I can't find many "wraps" that don't have it in (the Ezekiel wraps are an exception).
I can tell the oily wraps by feel, I don't even need to read the ingredients, they have a squelchy feel to them (this helps them bend around the filling I guess).
Cheers, Steve