CROWN AIMS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF OUR SOCIETY

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Princeton film festival explores broad range of environmental issues

Sometimes the best way to educate is to entertain; this has proven true by Princeton Public Library for the seventh straight year. Last weekend was the start of the annual Princeton Environmental Film Festival, the festival features more than 30 films that explore environmental sustainability from a wide range of perspectives. The film series will run from now through Feb. 10, with 13 days of free films for 2013. “An Inconvenient Truth” and “Who Killed the Electric Car?” pave the way to the annual festival. Curator Susan Conlon says the library was inspired to create the film festival after the overwhelming success of two environmentally themed films. “The festival is a way to bring these kinds of films to the community; to explore new ideas and become aware of different perspectives,” Conlon says. “There are often more than two sides to an issue, and these films really make you expand your thinking.” It isn’t just the quantity of the film yet the quality as well, Conlon stresses that while the majority of the films address environmental matters, every film was primarily selected not just because it addressed a specific issue, but because it was a well-made, entertaining film. As diverse as the films may be, Conlon notes that they are all linked by a common theme. This year’s films explore a wide range of topics and present perspectives from literally around the world. “We’re looking at making that connection between the natural and the built environment and what’s important to us about the places where we live our lives, whether it’s a beautiful coast, a city, polar ice or even a prison,” Conlon says. The festival will begin and end by two thought-provoking and intriguing films. “You’ve Been Trumped,” a film about mogul Donald Trump’s attempts to convert one of Scotland’s last areas of coastal wilderness into a golf resort and local residents’ crusade to “trump” his efforts and prevent construction was the first film to roll in the opening of the festival. The festival wrap up on Feb. 10 with “The Island President,” the story of Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed and his attempts to prevent his country from disappearing into the sea. The film features music by Radiohead. With all pride and gratitude the festival is proud to announce the screening of two Academy Award contenders. “Beasts of the Southern Wild” is a nominee for best picture featuring the youngest-ever best actress nominee Quvenzhané Wallis. “Chasing Ice,” a haunting look at glacial erosion, is nominated for best original song. Casey Coleman, associate producer of “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” is scheduled to participate in a post-screening Q&A session. Academy Award nominated films mentioned are among the films to be screened Further films to be screened include “Detropia,” a look at life in the struggling city of Detroit; “The House I Live In,” Eugene Jarecki’s examination of America’s war on drugs, and “An Original DUCKumentary,” which follows the life of a family of ducks and is narrated by actor Paul Giamatti. “I’m Carolyn Parker: The Good, the Mad and the Beautiful” by director Jonathan Demme records one New Orleans woman’s struggle to find normality in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. After the screening the discussion with Parker’s daughter will take place. The hosting question-and-answer sessions is just one of the much awaited event, the festival also features shows geared toward children and numerous panel discussions about environmental issues. One of the panels will address an issue close to those who have chosen to make this region their home, as it examines how climate change will factor into the development of coastal communities, especially in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Filmmaker Ben Kalina has an upcoming film “Shored Up,” about protecting and preserving the coastline in the light of rising sea levels. He will also act as one of the panels. Kalina says he had always wanted to create a film about barrier islands and the effects of rising seas. He was three years into the project when Sandy hit. “We were just about done, but once Sandy happened the entire structure of the film had to change dramatically,” Kalina says. “Sandy is now woven into the fabric of the film.” “The film is about getting people to step back and recognize the situation we’ve grown into. After Sandy, you don’t really have to explain what could happen anymore,” Kalina adds. “I’m not trying to answer the question of how we should move forward. But film can be very provocative and I hope ours provokes discussion.” The influence of Sandy on the film festival according to Conlon is it reveals that in addition to providing a sense of place, the films all share another common theme. “One lesson I think you’ll take away from all of the films is that people are really resilient,” Conlon says. “There’s something positive and reassuring about that.”

Monday, January 21, 2013

Authorities battle floods in Indonesia

Friday has been busy for Indonesian authorities as they were working to repair a dike that collapsed amid floods that swamped the capital as the water progressively receded from the main streets of the packed city. Although Jakarta has long been prone to floods because it is a low-laying city on the sea, their situation worsen as their scale over the last ten years as infrastructure development has not kept pace with city’s growth. Worst situation is being experienced by other Asian cities like Bangkok and more especially Manila as they had been vulnerable to widespread floods in recent years. Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, from the city's disaster mitigation agency, said electricity supplies had been cut to several areas to prevent electrocutions. Most deaths are because they were electrocuted or drowned. And as of yesterday, January 20, 2013, the death toll had risen to 14 after authorities pulled the three more bodies reported missing in the flooded basement of a building in central Jakarta. "Our focus now is to save more lives," Sutopo Purwo Nugroho added. Soon enough, life slowly got back to normal yet tens of thousands remained affected by the waters elsewhere in the city of 14 million people. The police and army deployed rubber boats to help evacuate or bring supplies to people, said Jakarta Police Spokesman Col. Rikwanto. Thursday after hours of rains that caused rivers and canals to burst their banks and flooded Jakarta, hundreds of soldiers used backhoes to attempt to repair a collapsed canal dike. Since 2007, this is now considered the most widespread when almost 80 died and more than half of the city as affected. And unlike 2007, Jakarta's downturn area was swamped this time around. At their peak, almost 250,000 people were affected by the floods, which covered about 30 percent of the city. Successive governments have done little to lessen the threat of flooding, the latest made worse by heavy downpours Wednesday and Thursday that added pressure to rivers already swollen by a long monsoon season. Some of the factors behind the floods are deforestation in the hills to the south of the city, chaotic planning and the rubbish that clogs the hundreds of waterways that crisscross the city. Corrupt city officials turn an eye to building violations and lack the skills and ability to build flood defenses. Indrado, a resident in Central Jakarta said, "We cannot only blame the government,” "We the people also have to support it by not littering rivers." “The floods should cause a rethink”, he further added.


Thursday, December 20, 2012

Crown Eco Management Why is natural gas better than coal boilers?

http://blog.crowncapitalmngt.com/why-is-natural-gas-better-than-coal-boilers/


The economic development of one country is dependent upon the ability of the authorities to set up a highly suitable, competitive and reliable electricity sector. Why is natural gas better than coal boilers?

Only when there is extreme environmental pressure or substantial reduction in loads that conversion from coal to 100% natural gas is possible.

Not until the 20th century until natural gas was used for production of energy, it was dismissed as a useless byproduct of crude oil production until then. But now natural gas accounts for 23 percent of the world’s energy consumption and still growing. The International Energy Agency predicts that the demand for natural gas will grow by approximately 44 percent through 2035.

Natural gas is the cleanest-burning conventional fuel not to mention it has been one of the most economical energy sources. It is an environmentally friendly and efficient source of energy. It produces lower levels of greenhouse gas emissions than heavier hydrocarbon fuels such as coal and oil. Natural gas fuels electric power generators, heats buildings and is used as a raw material in many consumer products, such as those made of traditional plastics. However, natural gas has never been a cheaper fuel than coal.



Coal is one of the longest-used and is considered as the most abundant fossil fuels on Earth. Coal mining has been going on since then 17th century. Coal burning boilers have also been around for a long time, and while they may not always be popular, these machines have some definite advantages in terms of costs and simplicity.

Because it is the most abundant it is the cheapest form of fossil fuel to burn. But coal boilers on the other hand have harmful effects on the environment and human health. Its emissions contain sulfur combines with air to create the poison gas sulfur oxide. When this gas releases into the atmosphere, it causes polluting rain. Extracting coal from mines further damages soil and water resources, adding to the disadvantages of using coal burning boilers.

While coal prices are expected to remain stable natural gas prices are expected to increase as higher cost natural gas reserves need to be developed to meet growing demand and offset losses from depleting gas wells. On the other hand, natural gas based technologies have a capital cost advantage.

Whatever the costs may be, don’t you think it is better to use natural gas rather than the coal boilers? Even though natural gas is more costly than coal boilers it is less harmful to the environment and to human health. It is always better to take into considerations the things that are more important than money. It is not wise to be thrifty over something that in a long run would back fire on you and worst your kids. Long term effects of coal boilers are scarier than the costs in terms of money that it will bring us today. Environmental effects and health issues will sure be more costly in the future.


Crown Eco Management Biomass Boiler Addresses Alaskans’ Environmental, Economic Concerns

http://blog.crowncapitalmngt.com/biomass-boiler-addresses-alaskans-environmental-economic-concerns/


Alaska, heavily forested, built on rock and surrounded by water, every commodity that enters the country arrives by air and sea. The use of oil is a struggle for both the economy and the environment. Oil must come from elsewhere and be transported but of course by additional fuel, fuel that is subject to oil price stability.

A site that could help giving a solution to the problem is the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center in Ketchikan. The site that provides information to more than a million visitors each year is also the site where a pilot biomass system is now coming to life. A two oil-fired boilers serving the 250,000-sq-ft center were replaced with a highly efficient system fueled by local wood was manufactured by Hurst Boiler & welding Company Inc.
Another good thing about the project is that the hot-water boiler was custom-designed to fit within very limited indoor space.

To address concerns towards issues related to building space, fuel costs, comfort, reliability, simplicity of operation more especially environmental concerns, the biomass boiler system was developed by Hurst representative Gregory W. Smith of Global Energy Solutions Inc. under the direction of E. Dane Ash, project manager for Tyonek-Alcan Pacific LLC.

The excessive use of fossil fuels has been long a problem in any point of the world more especially to Alaska, the boiler system was intended to highlight how biomass can reduce or eliminate the use of fossil fuels. The Hurst S100 Series Fire Tube 27 HP Hydronic Water Heating Boiler features a pre-heater to optimize combustion and an underfeed stoker with dry-ash-removal system. The new boiler requires heating for a minimum of nine months a year; it is located at lower level of the Discovery Center. To protect form extreme moisture the local wood densified into fuel pucks is delivered to an elevated walking-floor storage bin in a vestibule area that is designed especially for the woods. It is important to protect the woods because the biomass-fired boiler can burn any wood product with up to 50-percent moisture content. Not to worry, freezing is not an issue because the walking floor easily breaks up any frozen contents.





Many benefits come along with the use of this biomass boiler, the country saved as much as two-thirds of the fuel costs. There is almost no residual ash when densified pucks are used. But, tree clippings from the Ketchikan walking trails will be ground and fed into the boiler, eliminating the need for transport to a landfill, burning, and other methods of disposal. The system easily can be replicated for heat or heat/power generation up to 20,000 kw.
Systems that were improved by the new technology include municipal solid waste, as well as woody biomass for steam production and steam to power. In June 2011, Smith was a keynote speaker for the fifth annual Native American Economic Development Conference in Anaheim, California, he proudly flaunted the initiatives being implemented in Ketchikan and shared success stories of biomass-fired boiler systems installed on institutional campuses and in manufacturing facilities throughout the United States, particularly in challenging and remote locations.


Crown Eco Management What fossil fuel really do to america?

http://blog.crowncapitalmngt.com/what-fossil-fuel-really-do-to-america/


Fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas—are America’s primary source of energy. America’s annual consumption of fossil fuels grown rapidly. 89 % of these consumption are consumed by boilers, transportation, residential usage, fuels for direct heating of process. The balance is used for feed-stocks, raw materials, and other miscellaneous uses. And most of the dirty fuels such as coal and residual oil go into boilers.

Fuel burned are by far the largest single source of air pollution. This pollution is from sulfur oxide. It is also a significant source of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides. Boiler combustion is sufficiently important to warrant the effort to analyze the complete nature of the problems.

Fuel consumption in boilers is divided into three sectors: utility boilers producing steam for generation of electricity which is actually consuming probably 59%, industrial boilers producing steam or hot water for process heat,generation of electricity or space heat consuming about 24%, and boilers for space heating for commercial and institutional facilities consuming the 17%.




The fuels consumed by boilers in large quantities are natural gas, distillate oil, and coal. Additional energy is derived from the burning of waste such as bark, bagasse, liquid hydrocarbon waste materials, etc. These said fuels contribute only a small percent to energy requirements. But they may however present environmental problems. Although problems have not been address due to the fact that these problems are not full understood. New Sources performance Standards for burning boilers waste are to be developed in the near future.
For fossil fuels, various combination of consuming sectors and type of fuel, have independent significant and insignificant environmental consequences. Boilers have three different types, the atertube, firetube and cast iron therefore to determine the overall pollution due to boilers are hard to determine and complicated. In addition each type varies in type and application and other factors influencing the character and quantity of environmental discharges.

Due to the complexity of analyzing the impacts of boiler operation in the United States, U.S Environmental Protection Agency has given rise to a series of studies. These studies pave the way for a better understanding of the impacts of boilers in our environment and the development of ways to control specific pollutants.

Many of the environmental problems our country faces today result from our fossil fuel dependence. These impacts include global warming, air quality deterioration, oil spills, and acid rain.

Air pollution is one major effect of fuels. Several important pollutants are produced by fossil fuel combustion: carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and hydrocarbons. In addition, total suspended particulates contribute to air pollution, and nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons can combine in the atmosphere to form tropospheric ozone, the major constituent of smog. This is just one of the effects; there is water and land pollution, and thermal pollution.

Global warming is another thing. Among the gases emitted when fossil fuels are burned, one of the most significant is carbon dioxide, a gas that traps heat in the earth’s atmosphere. Over the last 150 years, burning fossil fuels has resulted in more than a 25 percent increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Fossil fuels are also implicated in increased levels of atmospheric methane and nitrous oxide, although they are not the major source of these gases.

Crown Eco Management Disaster scam jobs policies damages | Crown Eco Management

http://blog.crowncapitalmngt.com/disaster-scam-jobs-policies-damages/



Alarmed that hope was soon be gone on the emphasis on “green” energy, presidents Obama’s re-election has put a new optimism in the step of environmentalists restoring hope not just for more aggressive climate-change policy but to continue on the said project despite the unforeseen failure and serial bankruptcies of Solyndra and other green-energy in unison.

In 1970’s we were at the lowest in terms of energy resources are concerned because hydrocarbon energy such as oil, natural gas and coal were in short supply, expensive and were being imported from unstable regions overseas, we were then left with no choice but endow with renewable energy. The problem with hydrocarbon energy is that it produces eccentric amount of air pollution. As time passes by, technology has found a way to reduce air pollution. It appears that unpredictably, conventional domestic hydrocarbon energy has become abundant again despite unrelenting federal hostility.

The global-warming crusade is still hanging onto its dreams of political relevance. Why is this green energy important? Now that we had proven that green energy is the golden road to prosperity was in fact a lie, but somehow the strategy of forcing higher-cost energy sources on consumers and propping them up with taxpayer subsidies is somewhat been blinded from the laws of economics. Meaning we are all paying twice.




To be sure, if the government will support financially and authorize any form of economic activity, it will “create jobs.” However, as Ms. Furchtgott-Roth, author of Regulating to Disaster, she patiently explains, this kind of reasoning ignores the famous lesson of Frederic Bastiat about what is unseen: “What is seen according to Bastiat, are the jobs directly created by the government, and what is not seen are the workers displaced by the effects of increased taxes, tariffs and government regulation.” The idea could have been more believable if we actually got some of the green jobs. In fact, new employment in green-energy technologies has been little in number and very expensive. Expensive in the sense that sometimes approaching nearly $1 million per job created. So the advocates are actually fooling us, counting as “green jobs” such positions as janitors at solar-power facilities, museum docents, drivers of natural-gas-powered buses, home insulation installers and anyone who works at a bike shop. Even the Green Bay Packers could get counted under some schemes. In short, the green jobbers they are telling us are plainly reclassifying traditional occupations in order to elevate their numbers. And in other words, those are in fact disaster scam jobs.
So what are green jobs really are? No one knows all we know is the jobs they are talking about are frauds. When you shred the true-believing theology and economic illiteracy, what remains is the perfect cover for crony capitalism who would like us to believe in their phony promises. Nothing is making sense, it is as if everyone is making a fool at of his people, disaster scam job policies damage America’s economy.

Crown Eco Management Warning: Toxics are Lethal, Daily Dose of it to be Tracked | Crown Eco Management



The thought could be scary, knowing how much toxins you inhale everyday. Through the help of technology European researchers are gearing up to monitor thousands of people. Smartphones are given away to record the chemicals to which they are exposed every day.

Exposome, the term used by European Commission to study the effects of environmental exposures to human health. It was then hope that the four-year studies will benefit public health in ways that genome research so far has not. Exposone could reveal a warning or warnings of environmental health issues for use.

“There’s been too much emphasis on genetic factors, which contribute relatively little to disease compared with environmental factors,” says Martyn Smith, a toxicologist at the University of California, Berkeley, who is participating in the newly funded Exposomics project. Paolo Vineis, an environmental epi¬demiologist at Imperial College London, leads the €8.7-million project.

Some studies do not always succeed like the Genome-wide association studies, in which scientists search for genetic variants linked to disease. They have failed to fully explain why some people are more susceptible than others to chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes.




The new study will work this way, subjects will carry smartphones equipped with sensors to measure exposures, and their blood will be analyzed to monitor molecular changes. The majority of the participants are already concerned in other long-term health studies. In order to understand the triggers for conditions such as heart disease, asthma and lung cancer, goal is to look for biomarker differences between people walking through areas with low air pollution and those exposed to urban fumes. The idea is to differentiate the difference the toxins will cause the human health basing on their environment.
Vineis’s exposomics approach has already exposed gene-expression signatures that connect people’s leukaemia risk with their exposure to heavy metals and other toxic chemicals, for example.

The second project will focus on children and pregnant women. Since children’s bodies are smaller and their organs are still developing they are more susceptible to environmental influences, this is according to epidemiologist Martine Vrijheid, head of the project, at the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology in Barcelona, Spain.
The researchers will be focused on disease biomarkers to evaluate the consequence of environmental exposures on growth, obesity, immune development and asthma. Both projects will generate vast amounts of data. Vineis and Vrijheid are developing data-sharing policies to enable other researchers to mine the resource in order to have a more productive outcome so that they may be able to give appropriate warning to the public.

“We see this as a major priority,” says the institute’s David Balshaw. United States became interested in exposomics as well. This year the US National Research Count started to call for greater investments in exposome research. In further adieu the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences plans to make it a priority, although it has yet to invest in any projects as large as the European efforts, he added.