Montana: Biofuel: Camelina has potential to create jobs, reduce dependency on fossil fuels & decrease carbon emissions

"Camelina has a number of advantages over its competitors, including using far less water, thus allowing it to be grown on marginal land, thereby not taking food acreage out of production. Furthermore camelina has a relatively short growing season of 80 to 100 days, requires no special equipment to harvest, and the silage remaining after processing can be fed to livestock and poultry, with the added side benefit of increasing their omega-3 production. Now the U.S. Department of Agriculture has given camelina production a major shot in the arm by selecting 40 counties in Montana for a pilot program of federally backed camelina crop insurance. The counties covered are Big Horn, Blaine, Broadwater, Carbon, Carter, Cascade, Chouteau, Custer, Daniels, Dawson, Fallon, Fergus, Garfield, Glacier, Golden Valley, Hill, Judith Basin, Lewis and Clark, Liberty, McCone, Meagher, Musselshell, Park, Petroleum, Phillips, Pondera, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Roosevelt, Rosebud, Sheridan, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Teton, Toole, Treasure, Valley, Wheatland, Wibaux and Yellowstone."

'via Blog this'U.S. Biofuel Camelina Production Set to Soar at Oil Price:

Tip: Cure the root of Addiction by Understanding & Finding Ways to Manage Stress

We have chemical and hormonal changes to deal with stress. A well know chemical is the stress hormone cortisol which is increased and it leads to an increase of another chemical, adrenaline. The body gears up immediately in the face of stressful stimuli. It goes to our energy stores, and releases glucose and insulin so that our muscles have the energy to deal with the stress. These body chemicals are sustained at high rates to compensate for the stress, and as such, they can impact the body adversely over time. Additionally, the choices we make to handle this stress can influence how those stress hormones affect us. Drugs like alcohol, nicotine and cocaine, and also high-fat, high-calorie comfort foods, are powerful modifiers of the stress system. They will change our stress pathways and affect the way your body is able to control our stress response. And so, after a period of bingeing, our body’s stress response system eventually wears out. However, folks will continue to take those drugs and alcohol to compensate a weakened system. This is often what we see in addiction."

'via Blog this'Healthy Living: Holiday Stress - WABI TV5:Does that mean we cannot revitalize our stress responses such as the adrenals? In fact, our body is forgiving and they can recover when we take away those toxins. What is not clear is how long that process takes. The problem, though, is that while your adrenals are still recovering, you are more likely to be stressed. And stress affects abstinence and increases chances of a relapse. So then we are caught in a vicious cycle of quickly degenerating health because both the stress and the substances are working together to wear down our body systems and our stress axis, our liver, kidney, heart, blood pressure. All this can also lead to certain types of cancer. We don’t really know which comes first, but we do know that these are all complex multi-factoral diseases. That means they don’t have one single factor that leads to the disease state. And there are factors that can make a person even more vulnerable to stress-related diseases and addiction: early trauma suffered in childhood, cumulative adversity, socio-economic status, education and also things like genetics and personality traits.

Durban, South Africa: Bishop's call to view the issue as a moral imperative

Putting Planet First in Climate Change Talks | Africa | English: ""Climate change is a moral issue and it must be met by the moral principles of justice, equity, compassion, love. And that we’ve got to really realize, that we’ve got to put the wellbeing of the planet and people before our financial considerations,” said retired Anglican Bishop Geoff Davies, coordinator of the Southern African Faith Communities Environment Institute."

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Tip: You have to take time for yourself, at least an hour a day, that's the key. If you won't make it a priority, it won't be a priority.

"A year ago, Bob Pearson was full of excuses. He didn't have time to work out. He didn't know how to prepare the right foods. Just the thought of trying to be healthier was overwhelming. “There are a million excuses,” the Hampshire resident says. “A year ago, I was 300 pounds, and I was just miserable.”"'via Blog this'New body, new life for Fittest Loser contestants -There are no more excuses now. Since winning the 2011 Fittest Loser Challenge sponsored by the Daily Herald, Pearson has taken control of his health. DailyHerald.com:

Update: World's Leading Clean Technology Manufacturer of Microturbine Energy Systems, Capstone, extends OEM agreement for GE's Heat Recovery Solutions

"The original agreement has been extended through January 2016. In addition, GE will provide parts support to Capstone through 2020. Capstone has seen significant interest in the Clean Cycle generator, both with Capstone's microturbine and in other waste heat applications. The addition of Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technology to the California Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) means that qualifying California utility customers can receive up to a $1,250/kW rebate to help reduce the cost of installing the Capstone waste heat application.
The SGIP was modified by a California Public Utilities Commission decision that made Organic Rankine Cycle/Waste Heat-to-Power systems eligible for the SGIP along with a list of other greenhouse gas-reducing technologies, including microturbines. Capstone has received several orders for the Clean Cycle product and began shipping units more than 18 months ago."

'via Blog this'Capstone Extends Agreement With GE; Products Eligible for Incentive Under California Self-Generation Incentive Program - MarketWatch:

Update: Canada, Japan and Russia all announced last year their rejection of Kyoto's second commitment period, starting in 2013

While "China's top climate negotiator Xie Zenhua, in his first meeting with reporters, said China wanted to ensure all previous commitments by the industrial countries were met before entering into the next phase. If that happened, he said, China could discuss a post-2020 deal. "The framework, I think, should be a legally binding one, or some documents to that effect." But Xie set several "preconditions," including an extension of the Kyoto commitments for industrial countries, honoring commitments on immediate and long-term financial aid to poor countries, and delivery on promises of new technologies to develop low-carbon economies. U.S. envoy Todd Stern said the United States has no objection to a post-2020 treaty, as long as it treats everyone the same. Countries must accept "obligations and commitments that have the same legal force," Stern said."

'via Blog this'Negotiations begin at climate conference – USATODAY.com:

Tip: Secure the heart of that special person we seek, and to make a difference in some way – to matter and bring value to the relationship

"A growing body of scientific evidence shows that the way we express love and care for one another, from the time we are infants and throughout our lives, directly affects the health and physical structure of our brains and nervous systems. Certain actions, ones that convey emotional messages of kindness, caring and love, can affect positive changes on partners and their relationship by releasing certain hormones, such as oxytocin, which amps up the love-connection pathways of the brain. Oxytocin is a hormone that is released by the pituitary gland and stimulates the release of other chemical hormones in the heart."

'via Blog this'20 Ways to Amp Up The Love (Boost Oxytocin Naturally) In Your Couple Relationship | Neuroscience and Relationships: