Archive for November, 2007
Recycling should be an activity practiced by households, individuals and businesses alike. If you don’t already recycle, here are some fun recycling facts that should help convince you to do so.
Facts about Recycling Metals:
- Nearly 350,000 aluminum cans are produced every minute worldwide. By recycling one aluminum can, enough energy is saved to run a TV for three hours. This is equivalent to using a half gallon of gas.
- Once a can is recycled, it can be formed into a new can withis six weeks.
- There is no limit to the amount of times a aluminum can can be recycled.
- During a one year period in the U.S., the recycling of steel saves enough energy to heat and light 18,000,000 homes.
- The energy saved by recycling one pound of steel can power a 60-watt bulb for over a day.
Facts about Recycling Paper:
- 500,000 trees must be cut down to produce each week’s Sunday newspaper.
- If all newspapers were recycled throughout the year, we would save about 250,000,000 trees per year!
- Roughly 1 billion trees worth of paper are thrown away every year in the U.S.
- About 27% of all the newspapers in America are recycled.
- The amount of paper and wood thrown away every year is equivalent to the energy needed to heat 50,000,000 homes for 20 years!
Facts about Recycling Glass
- By recycling one glass bottle, a 100-watt light bulb could run for four hours.
- By not recycling glass, it takes over 4,000 years for it to decompose in a landfill.
Hopefully these recycling facts will help convince you to recycle if you do not already do so!
November 28th, 2007
China is a very interesting country with many unique facts that you may find interesting. One-fifth of the world’s population lives in China. The most famous landmark in China, The Great Wall of China, began construction over 2,500 years ago and stands more than an astounding 5,000 km long.
China is home to 18% of the world’s poor. Nearly 150 million people in China live on less than one dollar per day. While there is still a large amount of people living under one dollar per day, from 1981-2001 more than 400 million people lifted themselves out of the one dollar per day poverty level.
While there is such a high poverty level, China still has the fastest growing economy of any nation in Asia. If you’re from America, you already know the large amount of work that is being sent overseas to China. The average income in China in 2005 was $1,290 but in 1980 the average income was only $280.
To learn about a fascinating engineering marvel currently under construction in China, please read our article “Three Gorges Dam: Disaster in the Making?“
November 28th, 2007
Although often debated, most scientists will assure you that global warming is occurring on our planet earth. Global warming is a change in climate which has been resulting in higher temperatures. According to NASA, the global overall temperature has increased 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880.
Human activities have increased the number of greenhouse gases, mainly carbon dioxide, in our atmosphere. Global Warming is a result of the burning of fossil fuels (emitting CO2) around the world. Fossil fuels are the main energy source for transportation worldwide. Global warming has caused a decrease in the number of glaciers and snow covered areas which has caused the world’s sea level to rise. Extreme weather patterns will become noticeable, certain species will become extinct and agriculture around the world will be effected if global warming continues at its current rate.
To decrease the rate of global warming, the population of the world as whole needs to begin using less fossil fuels and more alternative fuels such as solar, wind, and hydrogen energy.
November 23rd, 2007
Interesting Glacier Facts:
How much of Earth is covered with glaciers?
Roughly 10% of Earth is covered in glacier ice.
How much of Earth’s fresh water do glaciers hold?
Glaciers hold a suprising 75% of the world’s fresh water.
Why do glaciers appear to be blue?
Glaciers appear to be blue because ice asorbs all other colors and reflects blue.
Why don’t we use glaciers for a fresh water source?
In matter of fact, we do use glaciers for fresh water. In the state of Washington alone, glaciers provide 1.7 trillion gallons of water each summer due to melting.
What would happen if all the glaciers melted?
If the glaciers melted, the world’s sea level would rise by 230 feet.
For more information about glaciers, please visit National Snow and Ice Data Center.
November 21st, 2007
Interesting Volcano Facts:
How many active volcanoes are there on Earth?
There are roughly 1500 active volcanoes on Earth. Scientists know of about 80 that are under the world’s oceans.
What is the purpose of volcanoes?
Volcanoes are important to our planet. They can be considered “Earth’s safety valve” because they release the pressure that builds up inside our planet.
Where did the name “volcano” come from?
The origin of the name “volcano” came from ancient Greek mythology from the name Vulcan, god of fire.
Where is the world’s largest active volcano?
The world’s largest active volcano is Mauna Loa in Hawaii. It rises 13,677 feet above sea level. Mauna Loa is one of five volcanoes that form Hawaii.
How many people have died from volcanic eruptions?
It is estimated during the last 500 years that 200,000 people have lose their lives.
For more information on volcanoes, please visit Scholastic.
November 21st, 2007
Pangea is the super-continent that existed before the separation of today’s present day continents. In 1912, Alfred Wegner was the first to propose the theory of continental drift in which he claimed evidence of the once existing Pangea. Pangea existed during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras, nearly 250 million years ago. It is believed that Pangea began to break up into other continents around 180 million years ago during the Jurassic Period.
November 9th, 2007
Rainforests are home to two-thirds of our world’s animal and plant life. It was once estimated that hundreds of millions of wildlife species are still undiscovered in the rainforest. Rainforests only remain to cover 6% of Earth’s surface when the used to once cover 14%.
Experts estimate that we are losing 137 species of plant, animal and insect species due to deforestation. Not only do we lose certain wildlife forever, we are losing potential cures that could come from these plants. Scientists have only test less than 1% of all plant species for possible disease curing properties. The U.S. National Cancer Institute recognizes 3000 plants that are active against deadly cancer cells.
Rainforests are vital in other ways as well. The Amazon Rainforest provides 20% of the world’s oxygen. The world’s rainforests are vital for our longterm survival.
November 5th, 2007
Earth Day Flag
Earth Day is an important day in which the world unites to celebrate environmental progress in protecting our planet. The first Earth Day thought up of by Senator Gaylord Nelson occurred on April 22, 1970. Earth Day 2008 will be the next recognized Earth Day which will occur on March 20, 2008.
Protecting our planet is the main purpose of Earth Day. Visions of improving things like pollution problems are put into action. Since the introduction of Earth Day in 1970 the air quality has improved and restoration of abandoned industrial sites has increased.
November 5th, 2007
Fossil Fuels are a non-renewable source of energy formed from plants and animals that used to live up to 300 million years ago. Chemical energy is stored in these fuels, and when we burn these fuels the energy is released. Coal, natural gas and oil are the three fossil fuels that currently provide more than 85% of all the energy consumed in the United States. They account for 2/3 of all the electricity produced and nearly all transportation fuel comes from fossil fuels.
Fossil fuels produce around 6.3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide per year worldwide. Carbon dixoide is a greenhouse gas that contributes to the effects of global warming. Our dependence upon fossil fuels is still likely to increase over the next few decades even while new renewable fuels are being developed. With decreasing amounts of fossil fuels located on Earth, humans will have no other choice other than to switch to renewable resources. It’s already happening slowly, but time will only tell.
An optimistic time estimate on how long fossil fuels will last is displayed below (Oil & Gas Journal, World Oil):
Oil: 45 Years
Gas: 72 Years
Coal: 252 Years
November 2nd, 2007