Tip: Teens' brain are wired to risk. Parents can help by rewarding good behavior instead of emphasizing punishment of negative behavior

National Institutes of Health has shown, the prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain associated with inhibition of risky behavior, doesn't get fully developed until age 25. The connections between the prefrontal cortex and other areas of the brain are also developing in teenagers. And a number of deep structures in the brain are influenced by changes in hormones, which may lead to heightened emotions.
The way that brain regions talk to one another in teenagers may explain teens' sometimes confounding behavior, scientists say. Even in their mid-teens, adolescents can make quick, efficient, correct decisions; in the heat of the moment, though, the brain's deep emotional centers will win out over reason.
"It's not like these brain parts aren't there. It's how they get wired and become fine-tuned with experiences," said BJ Casey, director of the Sackler Institute at Weill Medical College of Cornell University."
Why teens are wired for risk - CNN.com: "
'via Blog this'

Ways to Mitigate Climate Change: Germany would shutter all its 17 nuclear power plants bet 2015-2022 in favor of Alternative Energy

Germany's Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (German Development Bank) is to underwrite renewable energy and energy efficiency investments in Germany with $137.3 billion over the next five years, Germany Trade and Invest reported. Overall, the German government's 6th Energy Research Program has made an extraordinary $274.6 billion available for joint funding initiatives in energy storage research over the next three years.

It is by any yardstick an extraordinary (and expensive) commitment that may well have the collateral benefit of unlocking similar funding worldwide for renewable energy projects.

The new Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau loans and projects are designed to underwrite a broad array of energy areas, including energy efficiency and smart grids, as well as wind and solar energy generation. Last year Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau financed 40 percent of all photovoltaic installations in Germany."
Germany Sets Aside 0 Billion for Renewable Energy at Oil Price: "
'via Blog this'

Update: 25 million people a year have been displaced due to weather-related events since 2008, the challenges of human migration due to climate change

"The United Nations estimates there were 210 million international migrants in 2010. A further 740 million were internal migrants in 2009.

The report estimates there will be between 154 and 179 million people living in rural coastal floodplains by 2060 who will be unable to move away due to poverty.

These trapped communities will need to be made more resilient to environmental events.

Up to 192 million people will also move into urban coastal floodplains in Africa and Asia by 2060 in search of work and a better economic situation.

This kind of migration could be beneficial by opening up new sources of income which help people become stronger and more resilient, enabling households to stay in a place for longer, the report said.

Migration should be considered when funds are being allocated at U.N. climate talks in November in Durban, South Africa, the report said."
Climate-driven migration challenge underestimated | Reuters:

The report, by the government-backed Foresight Program, examined the likely movement of people both within and between countries to 2060. It found the greatest risks will be borne by people who are unable or unwilling to relocate.

John Beddington, chief scientific adviser to the British government said an average 25 million people a year have been displaced due to weather-related events since 2008, which will likely rise as such events become more extreme and frequent.
'via Blog this'

Tip: To achieve holistic wellness is also to educate the public on how to stay healthy thru clean, natural diet & nature-friendly lifestyle worldwide

Our goal is to educate the public on how to stay as healthy as possible. Correcting mechanisms of pathology requires a receptive public, one that is willing to alter diet and lifestyle for their own benefit. One can easily extrapolate that in order to have a clean, natural, chemical free diet, issues of environmental toxicity can no longer be tolerated. We would now have a society of proactive people whose goal is to protect their health, the health of their children and grandchildren as well as preserve nature"

Focus on optimization of health not only depends on a working knowledge of genetics, but a deeper understanding of cause and effect through a working knowledge of epigenetics. Integrative medicine (the practice of conventional and holistic medicine) seeks to relate cause and effect in the treatment and prevention of illness by addressing the causative factors in the patient's diet, lifestyle and environment. When the medical profession embraces the duality of symptom care and the optimization of health by addressing epigenetic influences on gene expression, we will begin to see a decrease in morbidity and an overall improvement in quality of life.


'via Blog this' read more: Dr. Robert A. Kornfeld: 6 Medical Myths Even Your Doctor May Still Believe: "

"Americans are not prepared for the daily impact that reduced oil supplies will have on their everyday lives..."

The release of Energy Armageddon coincides with the anniversary of the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973, which began on October 18, 1973 when OPEC announced an oil embargo against the United States, and ended in March of 1974. Industry sources estimated that the overall cost of the oil disruption to the US economy was estimated at $8 trillion in today's dollars. The coming oil shortage will be a permanent worldwide shortage, not a temporary one.

Booming economies were built on cheap energy, made possible by cheap, abundant oil. ENERGY ARMAGEDDON is the book that describes the interplay between the world economy, the oil industry, human nature and limited natural resources and poses the most important question of the 21st Century - how will we survive and prosper without cheap, abundant oil?

Access to the message contained in Energy Armageddon is so important, that an electronic version is being made available at no cost until January 31, 2012. To download Energy Armageddon, please go to www.bobhackney.com ."
Energy Armageddon - Oil Starvation in the 21st Century by Robert C. Hackney, Describes the Devastating Effect of the End of the Oil Era - MarketWatch: "
'via Blog this'

Alternative Energy Update: 'CLEANTECH NJ 2011 brings "Angel Investors" to mitigate effects of climate change on Oct 25 @ Woodbridge Hilton, Iselin, NJ

"Gaston Kroub, a Locke Lord partner, will participate on a panel, "The National Renewable Energy Roadmap: Planning, Funding, Developing Technologies," which will examine the current state of various cleantech sectors, the promise of each and what investors find attractive. Also confirmed for the panel are Mary Grikas, vice president, communications, PetraSolar; Serpil Guran, director of Rutgers EcoComplex; and Daniel A. Gross, partner, Hudson Clean Energy.

A second panel, "N.J.'s Dynamic Energy Future," will explore the future of New Jersey's renewable energy sector and how it is likely to be affected by changes in market conditions, state and federal policy initiatives and financial incentives. The panel, moderated by Tom Johnson, co-founder, energy and environment writer for NJ Spotlight, will feature Neil Cooper, co-founding and co-managing partner at SORINROYERCOOPER LLC; Jamie Hahn, managing director, Solis Partners; Richard F.X. Johnson, senior vice president, Matrix Development Group; and Guarav Naik, principal, GeoGenix."
'CLEANTECH NJ 2011' Expands Sponsor Lineup With Addition of Locke Lord LLP and PR Newswire - MarketWatch:
'via Blog this'

Irish business leaders supports low-carbon economy, environmental sustainability, reducing carbon footprint for competitive edge!

Highlights from the CDP Ireland Report 2011:
> 33 Irish companies responded this year, compared with 29 responses in 2010 (and 16 in 2009).
> 19 of the largest businesses listed on the ISEQ participated in the project.
> Eight Irish businesses scored over 75pc for the quality of their disclosures, including: Bewley's; Bord na Mona; CRH plc; DCC; Diageo plc; Endesa; Smurfit Kappa Group plc; and Tesco plc.
> 90pc of respondents have emissions reduction actions in place; although only 48% have set themselves reduction targets.
> 74pc of ISEQ companies that responded published additional information (such as CSR and Sustainability Reports), indicating that larger Irish organisations are giving increased attention to the management of climate change issues well beyond the completion of the CDP questionnaire, said CDP Ireland today."

Irish firms start to see fiscal benefits of carbon reporting - Green Tech - Green Tech | siliconrepublic.com - Ireland's Technology News Service: "

The 2011 CDP report for Ireland was launched in the Convention Centre Dublin. A key theme from the 'Preparing for the Low Carbon Economy' report is that the 'tone at the top' influences the wider organisation's view and commitment to addressing climate change. In all 72pc of respondents reported that responsibility for climate change issues rested at board level, demonstrating the significant importance of this issue to Irish companies.

'via Blog this'