Ethanol saves oil and reduces pollution

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Ethanol saves oil and reduces pollution, or so we are being told. But the truth is a completely different one and no one wants to talk about that.

Ethanol, one of the so-called biofuels, the other is biodiesel, is produced, primarily, especially in the USA, from corn (maize), with biodiesel, mainly, being made from palm oil. The latter shall, however, not stand for discussion here at the moment.

So, they tell us that ethanol saves oil and reduces pollution but no one speaks about the oil-based products and the diesel required to put the corn into the ground, to spray it with pesticides, to harvest it and to process it. The fact is that the public is being sold a lie.

For every bushel of corn produced to ethanol half a gallon of oil is needed (for the metrically minded person a bushel is just a little of quarter of a metric ton and half a gallon US equals about two liters) in the form of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, fuel for the drilling of the crop, etc. And then more fuel, in the form of energy, is required for the processing of the maize into ethanol, followed by yet more fuel to get the ethanol to the filling stations. That about covers the fuel, predominately in the form of oil, being used.

Now we come to reduction of the pollution, which does not exist, for the plants which process the corn into ethanol create pollution, the fertilizers and the pesticides do, and so on.

When everything, I should reckon, is calculated then the problem is rather the opposite to an improvement and it could almost be a case of higher use of fuel to create a fuel.

The only reason that the companies making ethanol make ethanol is because of the government subsidies that that attached to it. Otherwise it simply would not be profitable and they would not make it. And the same is the case as regards to biodiesel which has been shown to have far more dangerous emissions, especially of nanoparticles, than ordinary oil-based diesel and those nanoparticles are reckoned to be the causal agent for the increase of asthma, especially in children.

So, are we jumping from the proverbial frying pan into the fire? It very much would appear to be the case.

In addition to that bio-diesel and bio-ethanol both use valuable land. In the former case it is a variety of crops, often palm oil palm, that are grown in tropical rainforest areas and lead to the destruction of said forests while in the latter case it is corn or other crops that are grown on fields that would be much better used for the growing of food for human consumption.

Time for a serious rethink, methinks...

© 2016

Risk is essential to childhood – as are scrapes, grazes, falls and panic

Children need to be exposed to risky play. For ‘helicopter parents’, this might be difficult - but kids need to learn to manage danger themselves

Following the all-party parliamentary group report on a fit and healthy childhood, diligent parents everywhere are wondering how much risk they should introduce into their children’s lives. The report stated that: “Risky play, involving perhaps rough and tumble, height, speed, playing near potentially dangerous elements such as water, cliffs and exploring alone with the possibility of getting lost, gives children a feeling of thrill and excitement

Risk is an essential component of a balanced childhood. Exposure to healthy risk, particularly physical, enables children to experience fear, and learn the strengths and limitations of their own body. However, before you book a one-way ticket to Beachy Head for you and the toddler, or dump the iPad-loving six-year-old in the woods with just a compass, let’s think about this more carefully.

For this generation of children, shuttled from padded soft play, to school, to club, to sofa, we’ve got a lot of work to do before they come over all Bear Grylls. As parents, many of us are unaccustomed to allowing even the tiniest degree of danger to enter the lives of our children. Surely it’s the job of a good parent to keep them safe? That’s why roaming distance (how far children play from home) has decreased by 90% in the past 30 years.

Read more here.

Q&A With Cycle Farm

Bicycles and growing cycles—everything’s a-spinning to keep this small-scale farm in business.

Why reinvent the wheel? While that might seem unnecessary, farmers like Trish Jenkins and Jeremy Smith often have innovative minds, dreaming up ways to do things more efficiently and, well, simply better. Their Cycle Farm, in the northern Black Hills of South Dakota, is a small, diversified mixed vegetable farm. With over 40 different crops and an active CSA, the duo is committed to building community through the use of human-powered and regenerative farming practices. We spoke with Trish Jenkins about the creative ways they use bicycles on their farm to keep things in motion.

1. Why did you name your farm Cycle Farm?

Trish Jenkins: We’re excited about bicycles as transportation and smart, efficient tools for small scale farms— they’re also irresistibly fun, engaging and offer a great way to interact with your community, neighborhood or city. The name Cycle Farm encapsulates our love for bicycles, as well as honors all the profoundly important natural cycles that we work with as farmers—everything from days and seasons, life and death, to soil nutrient cycling and the hydrologic cycle. We’re committed to producing food in a way that fosters soil health and promotes a diverse local ecology, and part of this is minimizing our inputs and fossil fuel use by using bicycles and human power.

Read more here.

Aldi LED 5W Trekking Torch – Product Review

Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Aldi LED Trekking Torch 5W
Product Ref: 093239024654200
£ 6.99

The brand of this torch is Cree LEDs and it is available in all black or a black and green combination. The material of the body is aluminium and galvanized steel. Run time estimated to be 3.5 - 7 hours depending on whether full power or low power operation used.

As per almost usual with battery-powered products at Aldi batteries are included. Also included is a nylon web belt pouch with a “Velcro” closure. As the torch does come with a pen-style clip the pouch is, to some extent, rather superfluous.

The torch has a claimed beam length of 130m, which is difficult to check, obviously, unless one can actually measure it, but let me put it this way that this is so far the small LED torch, what our American cousins refer to as a flashlight, with the farthest reach.

It has a 3 mode operation, 100%, 50% and off, is said to be waterproof as well as impact and shock resistant. I am glad that it does not have a flash mode, as do so many, as I do find that one rather a useless one.

The light can be switched between beam and flood by pulling the outer part of the head of the torch forward or back. Back is flood and forward full beam.

What I especially like about this torch is that, unlike so many LED ones nowadays, it does not employ a carrier for 3 AAA batteries but uses 2 AA ones behind each other and thus avoiding the problem often encountered with the carriers where one battery may not connect properly and thus the light output drops.

This torch, I would reckon, is equally useful for outdoors activities and trekking as well as for use by security personnel.

This torch is part of the Aldi special buys and thus means it is only available as and when and thus it is advisable to stuck up when they are there. Having tested it I wish I would have gotten another one as a spare.

Rating: From what I have seen so far the Aldi LED Trekking Torch 5W will have to get 5 out of 5.

© 2016

Disclosure statement: Unlike generally when reviewing a product this one was actually purchased and reviewed because it was liked. It was not provided by Aldi nor their suppliers nor the manufacturer of the product.

Build Better Garden Soil With Free Organic Fertilizers!

Avoid high fertilizer costs — here are your best organic fertilizers, including two that you won’t even have to pay for! Build better garden soil using organic fertilizers found in your very own backyard.

As more and more people recognize the many benefits of organic gardening methods, a fresh crop of organic fertilizers are sprouting on store shelves. Many are overpriced, and some are stunning rip-offs that reputable stores and catalogs should be ashamed to sell. The really amazing thing is that two of the best organic fertilizers are easily available to most of us absolutely free! (See below) It’s definitely a buyer-beware world out there. If you’re not careful, you could pay five, 10 or 4,000 times more than necessary to get the nitrogen and other nutrients you need. Here's what we found when we evaluated the pricing for 21 fertilizers:

The Best Free Fertilizers

All products labeled as “fertilizer” must be labeled with their content of the three major plant nutrients — nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium (N-P-K). Most organic fertilizers are bulkier than synthetic chemical products, so their N-P-K percentages are typically lower than synthetic products, and their application rates are higher.

Also, because organic products are biologically active, their N-P-K numbers may change somewhat from batch to batch and over time. Because of this, it can be hard for producers to comply with the labeling laws. As a result, some excellent organic fertilizer options, such as compost, often are not even labeled as a “fertilizer.” One of the best free fertilizers, grass clippings, break down so quickly that they can’t be bagged and sold.

But make no mistake, compost and grass clippings do what fertilizers are supposed to do: They enrich the garden soil with nutrients that plants and microscopic soil life-forms are eager to use. In most areas, you can easily collect grass clippings from your neighborhood, bagged and set out ready to bring home. And many communities make yardwaste compost (made mainly from grass clippings and leaves) available for free.

So, if you can get free clippings or compost, how much should you use? Here are guidelines prepared with help from soil scientists at Woods End Laboratory in Maine.

Grass Clippings: Just Half an Inch Will Do!

Grass clippings are one of the best organic fertilizers. Not only because it’s easy to find free local sources, but also because the clippings do double duty preventing weeds and conserving garden soil moisture when used as mulch — two things other fertilizers cannot do. Nitrogen content of clippings will vary, with fresh grass collected in spring from fertilized lawns topping 5 percent nitrogen, while clippings from later in the year or from unfertilized lawns will likely contain around 2 percent nitrogen. (Be sure to avoid clippings from those “perfect” lawns that have been treated with herbicides.)

Read more here.

Weed-Control Goats

Goats are a natural way to keep weeds under control without the use of herbicides or heavy equipment.

Goats are useful animals, providing us with milk, meat and wool. They have fulfilled these important roles for thousands of years, enabling humankind to survive and thrive on just about every continent. In today’s world, where most people buy their meat and dairy in the grocery store and wear clothing made from synthetic materials, some goats have found new ways to help humans get through the day. These special goats — represented by many goat breeds — serve as goats in 4-H, pack goats for hikers and companion goats.

Another goat activity that is gaining interest throughout the United States is vegetation control. Weedsare tasty to most goats, which are natural browsers. This makes the use of goats an excellent method to control unwanted vegetation without the use of herbicides or heavy equipment.

This method of using goats to keep weeds to a minimum, called “mitigation,” helps reduce the risk of brush fires. In the Western United States, the use of goats for weed control is becoming popular. Some goat owners have started their own small businesses, hiring their goats out to land owners and even government municipalities for vegetation control.

Read more here.

Microplastics in the sea a growing threat to human health, United Nations warns

More than a quarter of fish in markets in Indonesia and California contain plastic particles

Millions of tons of tiny debris from plastic bags, bottles and clothes in the world’s oceans present a serious threat to human health and marine ecosystems.

This is the stark warning issued by the United Nations in a report on the most dangerous environmental problems facing the world today.

Global plastic production has increased dramatically in recent years. Between 2004 and 2014, the amount of plastic produced rose by 38 per cent, the report said.

And poor waste disposal means when we have finished with our takeaway containers, cigarette butts and party balloons, they are worn down into trillions of ever-smaller particles by the waves.

There is a growing presence of these microplastics, particles of under 5mm in length, in the world’s oceans.

In 2010, between 4.8 million and 12.7 million tons of plastic was washed into the seas and has since shown up in the stomachs of whales, plankton and other marine life.

Read more here.

5-hour Energy creator to roll out pedal-powered energy solution in India

Pedaling for an hour on Manoj Bhargava's 'Free Electric' hybrid bike can supply 24 hours of electricity for a rural household.

In a world where up to half of the population either has no access to electricity whatsoever, or only severely limited access, a home energy device powered by humans could have a big impact in the developing world, and one philanthropist is willing to put his money where his mouth is in order to potentially change the lives of billions.

Manoj Bhargava, founder of the company that makes the popular energy-boosting supplement 5-hour Energy, is worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $4 billion, and instead of spending that money on luxury items or a lavish lifestyle, he's focused on making a difference in the world, in part by tackling some of the pressing issues of our time, most notably energy and water. Bhargava has pledged 90% of his wealth to charity and research via the Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett-led Giving Pledge, saying:

Read more here.

Why Mulching Is Important

Before you plant your spring crops, prepare your garden soil with a healthy dose of mulch.

By now, you’ve probably heard that mulch is an essential component of a successful farm or garden. Garden mulch is a layer of organic material that is spread on the ground to protect or improve soil. Mulch materials can range from “brown” mulch (carbon)— shredded leaves, newspaper, straw, or wood chips—to “green” mulch (nitrogen)—grass clippings, cut weeds or herbs or manure. It can also contain compost soil and living mulches. While it’s common practice to put mulch down in the garden at the end of the growing season, mulches also help in the spring garden and throughout the growing season.

Here’s what you need to know in order to integrate mulching into your gardening schedule.

Why Mulch?

Mulching is a simple act that can cause big benefits to your growing season. As you’re waiting for yourspring seeds to germinate so you can transplant them into the garden, refresh the beds with a layer of mulch to create a welcoming habitat for your new crops.

• Mulch Insulates and Protects: It insulates soil to protect soil organisms and plant roots from extreme weather, as well as insulate them from sudden fluctuations, such as freezing temperatures, drying sun or compaction from heavy rains.
• Mulch Improves Diversity and Soil Health: It protects soil organisms, like worms, insects, and soil microbes, which will help protect against pests. These soil critters work double-duty: As the soil organisms break down the mulch, it will enrich the soil. Mulch also helps to prevent soil erosion, allowing you to keep more of your healthy soil right where you want it: in your garden.
• Mulch Regulates Moisture: Because mulch will reduce evaporation, it helps maintain even moisture level, protecting soil organisms and plant roots from shock and cutting down on the need to water.
• Mulch Reduces Weeds: This works in two ways: first, reducing the amount of sunlight weed seeds are exposed to so fewer germinate, and second, by preventing weed seeds from settling on soil and germinating. Researchers at Michigan State University discovered that the brown leaf mulch’s suppression of weeds increased when paired with a green mulch source, such as grass clippings.

Read more here.

When Houston ended glass recycling this 8-year-old saw a healthy business opportunity

Eight-year-old Tristan “Pan” Berlanga never dreamed of starting his own business. “I’ve always wanted to be a basketball player,” he says as he and his business partner, 28-year-old David Krohn, drive through a neighborhood in Houston’s Old Sixth Ward.

Krohn slows the truck down, reading the house numbers out loud. The bed of his new pickup truck is already littered with empty beer and wine bottles loosely packed in boxes and bags. They stop in front of a gray house with a big double driveway and leave the truck running as they walk around the back. Moments later Pan returns wrestling a paper bag almost as big as he is. It’s filled with glass bottles. You can hear them clinking against each other as he hauls his load to the truck. “There is a lot more back there,” he says a little out of breath. “We could use your help.”

“We didn’t even know what we were going to do with the glass when we started.”

Pan and Krohn started their company, Hauling Glass, in April after the city of Houston decided to cut glass recycling from its curbside pickup program. Krohn, a friend of Pan’s family, came over one night talking about how the city was going to stop picking up glass. “I told David, why don’t we pick it up ourselves,” the third grader said. “And that’s how it started.”

With help from friends and family, the team goes door to door in Krohn’s pickup, collecting glass, and bringing it to an empty lot owned by Pan’s father. “Things just grew organically,” Krohn said. “We didn’t even know what we were going to do with the glass when we started.”

Read more here.