Soy Cleans Oil Spills?

A recent study believes that soy may be a good alternative for cleaning up oil spills. Chemical dispersions have been used to clean up the oil that is spilled in the ocean. These chemical dispersions harm the oceanic life. Ram B. Gupta and his colleagues decided to see if there was another solution. The lab discovered that soy was a great substitute that wasn't harmful to the oceanic life and got the job done.

For more information:
http://phys.org/news/2015-04-soy-good-bakingand-crude-oil.html

Ecological Footprint Update:

I have been struggling with remembering to use my reusable cup. I slipped up a couple of times when I was in a hurry and I needed something to wake me up and keep me alert. I  realized last week that I was substituting my coffee drinks with other things like naked juice's and other products that have individual plastic containers. I think that by consuming those drinks is counter intuitive for me when I am trying to reduce my rate of using coffee cups. I have decided to avoid buying these products as well.

I have been able to keep up with walking to school everyday and I haven't gotten any new clothes so I believe that I am doing pretty well on those two fronts.

New ways to trap energy

 An, article from the New York Times released on April 22 of this year discusses the  experimentation of wave energy. Melbourne, Australia has started to pave the way for new ways to find renewable energy untapped by humanity. A military base has buoys that are beneath the Indian Ocean surface that generates 5% of their electricity. The design of the buoys under the waves protects them from the rough waves that break on the ocean’s surface. These buoys also help a desalination plant that changes salt water into fresh water which is a third of the military’s water supply. However, this renewable energy source is still in the experimental phase because of fierce storms and winds that can easily damage the equipment. It is difficult for companies to get funding for these projects because it is new. Continual advancements are planned for the future of this energy source in hopes that it will become a sustainable source of energy that can be used throughout the coasts of the world.

For more information:

 http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/23/business/energy-environment/catching-waves-and-turning-them-into-electricity.html?ref=earth&_r=0

Written Assignment #2

Aussie Hair Insurance (leave in-conditioner)

Ingredients:

Amodimethicone

PPG-2 Methyk Ether

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Polyquaternium-11

DMDM Hydantoin

Fragrance

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract

Silk Extract

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Disodium Edta

Polysorbate 80

Aminomethyl Propanol

Cetrimonium Chloride

Trideceth-12

Citric Acid

 

I use this leave in conditioner to help untangle my hair after taking a shower every day. I have extremely thick hair that tangles easily and this spray works to help remove the tangles without having to pull out a lot of my hair. I had a difficult time finding a product that I could use that would fulfill this purpose. I started using this product a couple years ago when one of my close friends who also had long hair recommended it to me.

I would have a difficult  time if  I  removed this product from my life because it really does make a difference whenever I comb out my hair. I looked into some alternative products that could alleviate the moderate risk that occurs when using this product.  In particular the Fragrance ingredient which was the most harmful ingredient in the product according to the  EWG website.The Fragrance ingredient is known to affect people that have sensitive skin according to the U.S Food and Drug administration website.  I found a website called the Honest Co.  Through this site I was able to find a product called honest conditioner detangle spray which is a similar to the product that I use now. I looked it up on the EWG website and it did not appear to have any ingredients that were harmful.  The Honest Co has a reputation that is clean without dyes, preservatives, or other harmful ingredients in their products. The fragrance ingredient was eliminated from the honest conditioner spray. Many of the other less harmful ingredients were also removed from the spray and replaced with alternative ingredients that were less harmful.
 Overall, the price for the honest spray is more expensive than the Aussie spray. Although Aussie's spray is known to cause irritation to the skin  I haven’t had a problem with it. I would possibly consider switching to use this new product.

AUSSIE HAIR INSURANCE LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER SPRAY (2009 formulation). (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2015, from http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/product/125820/AUSSIE_HAIR_INSURANCE_LEAVE-IN_CONDITIONER_SPRAY_(2009_formulation)/

FRAGRANCE. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2015, from http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/702512/FRAGRANCE/

Conditioning Detangler. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2015, from https://www.honest.com/bath-and-body/conditioning-detangler

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2015, from http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ProductsIngredients/Ingredients/ucm388821.htm

What do you think about composting bodies?

I read an article entitled, A Project to Turn Corpses into Compost,  from the New York Times, released an article to day to see if decomposing bodies can be composted.  Katrina Spade an architect came up with this new innovative idea that would “grow new life” from a nutrient filled body. It would solve the problem of urban cemeteries filling up. The plan is creating a composting facility that would accommodate up to thirty decomposing bodies at one time. Her plan is to build the first human compost facility in Seattle, WA.  Families would have a ceremony to drop off their deceased family members and be able to come back in a couple weeks or couple months and take some of the compost and plant a garden in remembrance of the loved one. There are many different legal laws, society, and religious opinions that oppose this new idea. I am not really sure that I know what to think about this idea. What are your thoughts about this idea?

Here is the article Link: (If you want more information)

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/14/science/a-project-to-turn-corpses-into-compost.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

 

Environmental Goals Update:

·         I have been walking to and from school every day! It has been a good exercise and I have been enjoying it. Except for today when it was pouring rain… I was pretty miserable and I really wanted to take the bus home, but instead I persevered and got completely soaked. L

·         I have been using my reusable mug for any coffee I buy. One of my roommates went with me to get coffee over the weekend and when she saw me taking my reusable mug for coffee. She grabbed hers and we both got coffee in our reusable mugs. J

Quiz results: Ecological Footprint Quiz by Center for Sustainable Economy

Quiz results: Ecological Footprint Quiz by Center for Sustainable Economy

My Goals to Reduce My Enviornmental Footprint

The greatest amount of my environmental footprint is my carbon emissions. I have decided on three methods to decrease my impact on the environment. I will reduce the amount of waste that I use, buy used clothing products that I might need, and reduce my carbon emission I release into the atmosphere.

My first goal is to use a reusable cup whenever I get a Starbucks drink or any other coffee drink for the quarter. I spend way too much money on coffee drinks in general. I would save a lot of cups from being used and my waste will be reduced.

Thrift shopping is something that I stared getting interested in when I came to college. I like to be able to buy multiple items of clothing for a relatively small price. Buying used clothing is a form of recycling. My second goal would be to only buy clothing/shoes/accessories from a second hand store that I need. I don’t shop much and I believe that this is a reasonable goal to be able to achieve.

For my third goal I thought I would walk to and from school every day. It takes me 20 to 25 minutes to walk depending on where I need to go on campus. The springtime is nice in Bellingham and walking to school and back would be good exercise. If I walk instead of taking the bus I will reduce my carbon emission which is my greatest environmental footprint.

My Carbon Footprint Results:



 

Restoring the environment while on vacation

The actor Leonardo DiCaprio is a leader well known for is involvement in environmental concerns.  An article, entitled Leonardo DiCaprio builds an eco-resort was printed in the New York Times last week. He and a partner purchased an island off the coast of Belize that is 104 acres for his new resort. DiCaprio is determined to restore the island after it has had harmful activities that have impacted its environment in a negative way. The goal is to not only restore the island to its original state, but to make it even more healthier than before. DiCaprio's ecofriendly resort builds on the ecotourism that reduces the impact that people have on a location when they travel. Leonardo Dicaprio has been a known leader of his generation and he continues to be a part of the change and restoration of this world. For more information about the article go to:
 http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/05/realestate/an-idea-hits-the-beach.html