Tip: When Off-Balanced, Slow Down, Stay Grounded, Breath Deeply & Go Back to Healthy Living

Linda Novick O'Keefe: Giving Back and Getting Balanced: "Medical conditions caused by unhealthy living habits are largely to blame for the predicted drop in life expectancy. An astonishing 75% of health care costs in the United States are spent on chronic health conditions. That translates to 130 million Americans swallowing, injecting, inhaling, infusing, spraying or patting on prescription medication every month. Healthcare services that focus on preventative interventions and healthy living will play a key role in the effort to turn around this disconcerting prognosis and get us back on track."

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US: As Climate Change Worsens, Scientists Feel Increasing Pressure to Speak Out

As Climate Change Worsens, Scientists Feel Increasing Pressure to Speak Out | InsideClimate News: "Factors contributing to climate change are moving faster than predicted and pushing us toward planetary conditions unlike any humans have ever known—this was one of the salient themes to emerge from this month's meeting of the American Geophysical Union, the world's largest gathering of earth and space scientists. Some scientists think we've already crossed that boundary and are, as Jonathan Foley, director of the University of Minnesota Institute on the Environment, said, "in a very different world than we have ever seen before.""

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Tip: Stop Obesity by Supporting "Better Quality Maternal-Child Relationships

Teen Obesity Tied to Early Childhood Bond with Mom | Kids' Attachment to Parents & Stress Responses | MyHealthNewsDaily.com: "The researchers analyzed data from nearly 1,000 children from nine states who had taken part in the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, which is a long-term study of children born in 1991. Kids were considered to be obese teenagers if at age 15 their body mass index (BMI) was among the highest 5 percent of children. The researchers had assessed the bonds between the children and their mothers when the kids were 15-months old, 2-years old and 3-years old by watching 15-minute play sessions, and also observing the children's reactions to being briefly separated from their mothers. The findings showed that the lower the quality of the relationship in terms of the child's emotional security and the mother's sensitivity, the higher the risk that a child would be obese at age 15 years.

"

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Canada: "Can be a Clean-Energy Superpower"

"One of those key solutions will surely include Environment Canada's proposed electricity regulations scheduled to come out in 2012. These regulations will mean that coal-fired electrical generation plants will have to meet a strict performance standard based on parity with the emissions performance of high-efficiency natural gas generation. This will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality for Canadians. The regulations will mean the gradual phase out of traditional coal-fired electricity generation and will have a significant impact on reducing electricity emissions from coal and other sources. This is expected to result in a projected de-cline in the absolute level of greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation by 31 megatonnes between 2005 and 2020. This one step alone will position Canada as a leader in reducing CO2 emissions with real action, not just wishful thinking."
(see full article by clicking link Shaw: Canada can be a clean-energy superpower)
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Tip: Gardening offers Healthy Exercise and Keeps the Gardener & the Environment Healthy

ANN LOVEJOY | Healthy garden, healthier gardener » Kitsap Sun: "Gardening offers healthy exercise to people of all ages and ability levels. If you are strong and fit, you can enjoy double digging your vegetable beds and hauling blown down branches out of the woods. If gentle exercise suits you best, get out the rake. Raking leaves is splendid exercise, involving all the body's major muscle groups (arms and legs, back and shoulders, belly and butt). Best of all, steady raking builds strength as it burns off holiday calories. While winter is not a great time to muck about in the garden beds, it is a terrific time to do a bit of tidying and some leisurely pruning. Wet soil compacts easily, so stay out of the beds as much as possible. Do, however, continue to weed, pull ivy, cut down holly and Scotch broom, and dig out thistles. You'll be stretching to prune a high branch, bending to pull weeds, lifting sacks of compost, and pushing the wheelbarrow. Doing so, you'll be getting the same kind of resistance training people pay big bucks for at the gym. You'll be building stronger joints and healthier bones for free!"

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US: Newt Gingrich: Nancy Pelosi Climate Change Ad Is 'Dumbest Thing I've Done In The Last 4 Years'

Newt Gingrich: Nancy Pelosi Climate Change Ad Is 'Dumbest Thing I've Done In The Last 4 Years': "Gingrich's primary rivals continue to batter him over the decision, despite his repeated attempts to brush away the imagery of appearing in an ad campaign spearheaded by Al Gore and co-starring a vocal Democrat who was, at the time, preparing to push a cap-and-trade agenda. On Tuesday, Mitt Romney's press secretary, Andrea Saul, appeared on MSNBC and referred to the ad while slamming Gingrich as a "desperate candidate trying to revive his failing campaign." Earlier this month, Romney also used the commercial as evidence that Gingrich was an "extraordinarily unreliable leader in the conservative world.""

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Fighting Obesity Tip: Know your waist size is one of the more important ways to measure your health

<i>Dr. John:</i> Corn-syrup hazards, Nutcracker Syndrome, healthy-weight range | 9news.com: "BMI has certain limitations that can limit how accurate it is. It can overestimate body fat in those with muscular builds and underestimate body fat in older persons or those that have lost some muscle mass. A new measurement known as the BAI, Body Adiposity Index, is proving to be more accurate but is also a little more difficult to use. This method not only uses your height and weight but also adds your waist measurement into the equation to give you your overall body fat. And since we know your waist size is one of the more important ways to measure your health, this method seems to give a better idea of where you stand. To measure your own BAI you can go to http://www.intmath.com/functions-and-graphs/bmi-bai-comparison.php."

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UK: Solar subsidy changes could deal 'fatal blow' to industry

BBC News - Solar subsidy changes could deal 'fatal blow' to industry: "Government plans include restricting access to solar subsidies to houses meeting energy efficiency standards. Thousands of solar industry jobs could be at risk, the committees warn. On Thursday, a group of companies and environmental groups won a legal judgement against one of the changes. Central to their campaign was the Department of Energy and Climate Change's (Decc) plan to halve abruptly the level of feed-in tariff (FiT) that small-scale solar installations attract, from 43p per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to 21p."

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Hydroelectric Dam: The height of the water behind the dam is the relevant height for the potential energy calculation

How Much Dam Energy Can We Get? By Tom Murphy: "Hydroelectric dams exploit storage of gravitational potential energy. A mass, m, raised a height, h against gravity, g = 10 m/s², is given a potential energy E = mgh. The result will be in Joules if the input is expressed in meters, kilograms, and seconds (MKS, or SI units). Water has a density of ρ = 1000 kg/m³, so if we know how many cubic meters of water flow through the dam each second (F), the power available to the dam will be P = ηρFgh. We have inserted η to represent the efficiency of the dam—usually around 90% (η≈0.90)."

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Philippines: Disaster foretold 3 years ago, , but was dismissed by lawmakers as "too alarmist"

Philippine disaster foretold 3 years ago - Yahoo!: "Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan, chief executive of the World Wide Fund for Nature-Philippines (WWF), said Monday (December 19) the events in Northern Mindanao over the weekend mirrored the prediction. "It was an exact fit," Tan said.
Environmentalists said a simulation of the effects of extreme weather events from climate change such as saltwater intrusion, sea level rise and intense tropical cyclones, showed that major Philippine cities, including Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, were at risk of massive flooding.
The simulation of the effects of extreme weather phenomena was drafted in 2009 by the Philippine Imperative for Climate Change (PICC), WWF and Filipino scientists.
"At best, this might provide a very rough indicator of areas that may be more vulnerable to sea level rise, storm surge, saltwater intrusion or a combination thereof," the group's presentation said."

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Philippines: Senators urge improvement of disaster plan - Yahoo!

Senators urge improvement of disaster plan - Yahoo!: "Senator Edgardo Angara pointed out that the national weather bureau may have incorrectly estimated the amount of rainfall from “Sendong” (international name “Washi”).

Reports from a joint weather monitoring mission of U.S. and Japan saw rain falling at around 50 mm per hour while Pagasa estimated only 10-25 mm per hour of rainfall.

"Clearly, we still need to improve our disaster management and risk reduction systems," Angara said. "Government must push for concerted effort not only in improving our forecasting technologies but also in seeking the help of other nations, whenever we lack the infrastructure and expertise.""

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Philippines: With morgues full, Philippine flood victims buried

With morgues full, Philippine flood victims buried - Yahoo!: ""We've had flooding before but nothing like this," Cruz, the Iligan mayor said, recalling floods in the early 1950s. "We have a good drainage system but it as simply overwhelmed. The rainfall fell heavily on the mountains and this flowed down to two of our river systems and they overflowed and swept away houses and covered the highway and residential areas."
About 143,000 people were affected in 13 southern and central provinces, including 45,000 who fled to evacuation centers. About 7,000 houses were swept away, destroyed or damaged, the Office of Civil Defense said.
An estimated 35 percent of evacuees are children, said Trevor Clark, head of UNICEF in the southern Mindanao region. Running water and hygiene were major concerns, followed by a lack of clothing, blankets and even shoes for young children, he said."

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Tip: Avoid nonsterilized tap water as precaution to Brain-eating tap water amoeba

Brain-eating tap water amoeba kills at least two in Louisiana - National Human Rights | Examiner.com: "*

PRECAUTION:

> Refrain from activities in warm, untreated or poorly treated water, especially when water levels are low and temperatures are high.

> Hold the nose shut or use nose clips when swimming in warm fresh water.

> Avoid digging or stirring up underwater sediments while submerged in shallow, warm freshwater areas."

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Israel: Supports Clean Technology: Vodafone Ventures and Carmel Ventures Lead $9.2M Investment in CellEra to Bring Affordable Fuel Cells to Market

Vodafone Ventures and Carmel Ventures Lead $9.2M Investment in CellEra to Bring Affordable Fuel Cells to Market - PR Newswire - sacbee.com:

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Israel: Vodafone Ventures and Carmel Ventures Lead $9.2M Investment in CellEra to Bring Affordable Fuel Cells to Market - PR Newswire - sacbee.com

Vodafone Ventures and Carmel Ventures Lead $9.2M Investment in CellEra to Bring Affordable Fuel Cells to Market - PR Newswire - sacbee.com:

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Canada: We must still take climate change seriously

We must still take climate change seriously:

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Tip: Food that Fight Osteoporosis: Dairy products, almonds, broccoli, spinach, canned salmon with the bones, sardines, and soy products

How to Prevent Osteoporosis Page 2 | ThirdAge: "Proof positive that a sedentary lifestyle is the enemy of your bones is that when an arm or leg is in a cast, or when astronauts experience zero gravity, or when someone is bedridden, a phenomenon called skeletal unloading comes into play. If this goes on for weeks at a time, the number of bone cells plummets, the transfer into the bones of vital nutrients such as calcium and phosphorous slows down, and osteoprogenitor cells that can create new bone are not produced as rapidly. In a less dramatic but still detrimental way, your bones begin to deteriorate when you spend too much time sitting and not enough time moving."

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Tip: Things You Must Know to Prevent Osteoporosis: Calcium, Vitamin D & Exercise

How to Prevent Osteoporosis | ThirdAge: "Even if osteoporosis runs in your family, there is plenty you can do to make sure your bones stay as strong as possible.

According to the Mayo Clinic, three key factors affect your bone health throughout your life:

Whether you get adequate amounts of calcium
Whether you get adequate amounts of vitamin D
Whether you exercise regularly"

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HP Enables Organizations Worldwide to Expand Data Center Resources that Supports Growth, Maximizes Efficiency & Reduces Costs

HP Enables Organizations Worldwide to Expand Data Center Resources With HP POD - MarketWatch: "HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world's largest technology company, HP brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure to solve customer problems. More information about HP is available at http://www.hp.com .

(1) Based on internal HP testing. (2) Based on 2010 census reports. (3) Based on estimations by El Paso County. (4) Based on estimations by UCLA."

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California: Gov. vows to prepare Calif. for climate change

Gov. vows to prepare Calif. for climate change: "United Nations' top climate official on Thursday lauded California's efforts to help mitigate global warming by reducing greenhouse gases but said the state needs to more quickly adapt to the risks that extreme weather and a rising sea pose to agriculture and the coastline.

Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, joined scientists, California Gov. Jerry Brown and billionaire Sir Richard Branson at a conference at the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park."

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Tip: Take Few Minutes Every Morning to Close Your Eyes, pay attention to your Heart and declare how you wish to experience the day

Holidays: They're supposed to be fun - chicagotribune.com: "Most holiday stress stems from a few basic sources, Chopra said.

Being around family can trigger traumatic childhood memories for some people, prompting mood swings and depression. Others overindulge in sugar and alcohol, throwing their bodies for a loop. For many, the holidays become a subconscious competition of who can enjoy them most.

"Who's getting more presents, who has more attention, who is spending more money?" Chopra said. "We live in a society where our validation comes from the outside, and that is very difficult to overcome because people have been conditioned to care how people think of them.""

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Europe: Role of Caspian gas will increase in Europe's energy security

Experts: Role of Caspian gas will increase in Europe's energy security:

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NASA: Climate Change May Bring Big Ecosystem Changes

NASA - NASA - Climate Change May Bring Big Ecosystem Changes: "When faced with climate change, plant species often must "migrate" over multiple generations, as they can only survive, compete and reproduce within the range of climates to which they are evolutionarily and physiologically adapted. While Earth's plants and animals have evolved to migrate in response to seasonal environmental changes and to even larger transitions, such as the end of the last ice age, they often are not equipped to keep up with the rapidity of modern climate changes that are currently taking place. Human activities, such as agriculture and urbanization, are increasingly destroying Earth's natural habitats, and frequently block plants and animals from successfully migrating."

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Tip: Beat the Holiday Blues: B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin D and fish oil are all nutrients shown to impact on mood improvement

"Journaling, counselling, meditation, feeling gratitude for what is good in your life, supporting brain chemistry and balance in your body with regular meals that emphasize protein, fruit, veggies, raw nuts and seeds. B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin D and fish oil are all nutrients shown to impact on mood. Sometimes getting outside of ourselves and tuning into others can be a welcome distraction from our self." 'via Blog this' Keep your health on the front burner during the holidays - Entertainment - The Guardian:

Philadelphia: Alternative Energy Company generates hydrogen gas and heat for multiple applications requiring on-site, on-demand fuel sources

"AlumiFuel Power, Inc. API ( www.alumifuelpowerinc.com ), the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based wholly owned operating subsidiary of AlumiFuel Power Corporation, is an early production stage alternative energy company that generates hydrogen gas and steam/heat through the chemical reaction of aluminum, water, and proprietary additives. This technology is ideally suited for multiple applications requiring on-site, on-demand fuel sources, serving National Security and commercial customers. API's hydrogen feeds fuel cells for portable and back-up power; fills inflatable devices such as weather balloons; can replace costly, hard-to-handle and high pressure K-Cylinders; and provides fuel for flameless heater applications. Its hydrogen/heat output is also being designed and developed to drive fuel cell-based and turbine-based undersea propulsion systems and auxiliary power systems. API has significant differentiators in performance, adaptability, safety and cost-effectiveness in its target market applications, with no external power required and no toxic chemicals or by-products." 'via Blog this'AlumiFuel Power Progress Report on Development of PBIS-2000 Well Received by U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command - MarketWatch:

US: Yale University Project on Climate Change: Survey shows Most Americans Link Bad Weather to Climate Change

When asked about specific weather events, 67 percent of Americans strongly or somewhat strongly agreed that record-high temperatures in the U.S. in 2011 could be linked to climate change. Sixty-five percent said the same of the 2011 drought in Texas and Oklahoma. Sixty percent linked climate change to both the Mississippi River floods of spring 2011 and the record snowfalls in the U.S. in 2010 and 2011. Likewise, 57 percent said that Hurricane Irene, which hit the East Coast in late August, was worsened by climate change."

'via Blog this'Most Americans Link Bad Weather to Climate Change | Global Warming Perceptions & Public Opinion | Drought, Winter Storms & Hurricanes | LiveScience: "

Tip: Support Child's Healthy Emotional Development by "Containment" or setting limits on child's behavior

Limit Setting as Containment of Feelings - Child In Mind - Boston.com: "In its most concrete form it refers to the importance of setting limits on your child's behavior. For example, by giving a "time out" every time your child hits, you show him that this behavior will not be tolerated. In doing so, you protect him from the intensity of his feelings by making sure that things do not get out of control. When young children are so consumed with anger and frustration that they hit, they feel out of control, and clear limits help them learn to regulate and manage these difficult emotions. "

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China and Europe: Share a Huge Potential in Energy Cooperation to meet Climate Change

Deepen Cooperation to Meet the Energy Challenge | New Europe: "The combination of China’s 12th Five-Year Plan and Europe’s 2020 Strategy will create new spaces of cooperation in market, capital, technology and management. Urbanization will certainly become a new area of growth in our energy cooperation. We are confident that as both China and Europe move to meet the climate change, our complementary strength will help foster new progress in the market of low-carbon technology and new energy. We believe that a fair, just, stable and orderly international energy market mechanism serves the fundamental interest of both China and Europe. Energy cooperation is an important bond to strengthen China-EU relations. China is willing to work more closely with Europe to upgrade practical cooperation in the energy sector and to deepen China-EU relations."

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Canada: Formally pulls out of Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change

Canada formally pulls out of Kyoto Protocol on climate change - The Washington Post: "“To meet the targets under Kyoto for 2012 would be the equivalent of either removing every car, truck, ATV, tractor, ambulance, police car and vehicle of every kind from Canadian roads or closing down the entire farming and agriculture sector and cutting heat to every home, office, hospital, factory and building in Canada,” Kent said. Harper’s Conservative government is reluctant to hurt Canada’s booming oil sands sector, which is the country’s fastest growing source of greenhouse gases and a reason it has reneged on its Kyoto commitments. Canada has the world’s third-largest oil reserves, more than 170 billion barrels. Daily production of 1.5 million barrels from the oil sands is expected to increase to 3.7 million in 2025. Only Saudi Arabia and Venezuela have more reserves. But critics say the enormous amount of energy and water needed in the extraction process increases greenhouse gas emissions."

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Tip: Make Decisions when Mind is Balance because Emotions influence decision-making process

"Prof Aditya Murthy from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and Prof Vinod Venkatraman from Fox School of Business, Temple University, Philadelphia spoke on issues related to perceptual decision making systems and cognitive control during decision making. According to Dr Vinod, complex economic decisions, whether investing money for retirement or purchasing some new electronic gadget, often involve uncertainty about the likely consequences of our choices. He demonstrated, through his studies, that certain areas of the brain contribute to the strategic control in complex decision making, exploring which can also help in understanding interaction in social contexts."

'via Blog this'‘Emotions influence decision-making process’ - The Times of India:

Australia: Turning Algae from CO2 into Fuel. CO2 is not released into atmosphere, but it's going into a renewable source

"A lot of countries worldwide are facing taxation on the carbon dioxide pollution they emit, and many companies are looking to alternative companies like Algae Energy to help do something about it. "If a company is facing millions of dollars of taxation, they will think of an alternative not to face excess taxation," he said. The algae system is known as a closed loop system. A 40-foot shipping container module can be sent anywhere in the world, equipped with power and plumbing. Once algae is grown and harvested, it can be used to create oil. Another product is biomass, which can be used in burning, as in coal, and feedstock in cattle. "Even the byproducts of the unit is a sustainable solution," McConchie said. The company has been growing as fast as its algae. The company went public January 2011 in the Australian Stock Market and has recently been added to the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. In the New York Stock Exchange, they are traded under Foreign Depositories.
"

'via Blog this'Turning algae from carbon dioxide into fuel: Algae is nothing more than a plant. You need water, nutrients and carbon dioxide, and that's basically what Algae Energy uses to grow its system. Headquartered in Perth, Australia, in April the company opened a research and development and analysis facility in Cumming, 2460 Industrial Park Boulevard. Tray McConchie, business manager for Algae Energy, said technology, laboratory testing and fabrication of the company's modules are done in Cumming.

China & India: Will devise a new Global System for curbing emissions of greenhouse gases and make it operational by 2020

Free Markets, Carbon Tax Best Way to Fight Climate Change: View - Businessweek: "The best instrument for coordinating climate-change efforts is the price of carbon. The impact of any carbon-abatement plan -- emission quotas, cap and trade, carbon taxes -- can be measured by its effect on this price. The aim should be to equalize worldwide a gradually rising price of carbon. As a matter of practical politics, this flexibility is essential. It would allow governments to more easily tailor their climate-change policies to political and economic circumstances, altering them on the run if need be. The price of carbon would provide an international gauge of their abatement efforts, so that peer pressure could be brought to bear. For most countries, the simplest and clearest way to hit the price target would be with an outright carbon tax. The economic benefits are well known: By letting markets work, a tax achieves a given amount of emissions abatement at the lowest cost. The world needs to cap its greenhouse gas emissions, but there’s no obligation to do this in the most expensive, painful or disruptive way."

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Tip: Stop the Stigma Habit & Help Everyone Achieved Balanced Mental Health

Stigma removes minorities from various avenues of competition. "It is associated with unemployment, low earnings, lack of housing, diminished self-esteem, weak social support, new disorders or repeat episodes of existing problems, etc. Stigma can be instrumental or institutional causing resource limitations and unsupportive policies. To the perpetrators, stigma plays functions of reducing prevalence of “undesirable” behaviours and thus providing a means of social control, enhancing personal or group self-esteem and alleviating discomfort and anxiety on the part of the “normal”. Stop stigma today."

'via Blog this'Stop stigma in mental health:

Solar Experiment:"We need 0.05% of the land to capture adequate sunlight (the entire Earth) in 4.5 hours (1.25 hours) to satisfy our needs for a year"

"Catching energy from the Sun is pretty simple. Sit in the sun on a cool day and benefit from its warmth. Situate your house so that south-facing windows can swallow sunlight and offset (or obviate) conventional sources of heat. Use thermal collectors for domestic hot water and/or interior heating. Stick a PV panel outside and it will generate electricity provided it is not placed face-down. Concentrate sunlight to heat a fluid and/or create steam for electricity production in a heat engine (possibly combined with thermal storage). Lots of options, when the sun shines."

'via Blog this'Solar vs. Wind - Who Wins? at Oil Price:

Of the 1370 W/m² incident on the upper atmosphere from the Sun, 30% is reflected straight away without pausing long enough to say hello. About 20% is absorbed in the atmosphere and clouds, and 50% gets absorbed at ground level. Note that 7% of the energy budget goes into conduction and rising air (separate phenomena; the latter relating to wind). Virtually no heat is able to conduct through the thick atmosphere, so really this figure is all about convection, or moving air. For comparison, the energy consumption (conversion) rate of the human race is about 13 TW (13 trillion Watts), which works out to an average of about 2,000 W per person on the globe (Americans are 10 kW). We can also divide by the area of the globe to get a power density of 0.025 W per square meter, or 0.09 W/m² if we just count land area.

If 50% of the incoming solar radiation makes its way to the ground, then we have about 700 W/m² for the average terrestrial square meter facing the Sun. But the Sun puts this onto the projected ?R² area of the Earth (the disk of the Earth as seen from the Sun), while the actual 3-D globe has an area of 4?R². So we must divide by four to get the flux per unit area of actual terra firma, yielding 170 W/m². We can think of this factor of four as being made up of a factor of two for day and night, plus a factor of two because the Sun is not overhead all the time, resulting in a loss of intensity per square meter at the ground. A panel tilted to the site latitude can compensate for some of the slanted-sun-angle loss (for high latitudes, the ground always suffers from this geometric dilution, even at “high” noon), so that the ½ factor becomes 2/?, or 0.64, representing a global 30% boost over horizontal panels. In this scheme, we get 220 W/m² for our latitude-tilted panel (nearly independent of latitude, weather notwithstanding). The tilted panels will require more land to avoid self-shadowing, so that the amount of land area needed is stuck with the pre-adjusted value of 170 W/m².

Note how much bigger the solar potential is than our demand of 0.09 W/m² of land area. This implies that we need only 0.05% of the land to capture adequate sunlight, or that enough sunlight strikes land (the entire Earth) in 4.5 hours (1.25 hours) to satisfy our needs for a year. That’s a powerful resource!

But once we factor in efficiency—say 10% for simplicity and conservatism—we need ten times the land area computed above. Still, it’s a pittance. I have used the following graphic before to illustrate how much land would be occupied by solar photovoltaics (PV) at 8% efficiency to produce 18 TW of electrical output (note that about half of the 13 TW consumption today is lost in heat engines, so 18 TW of electricity more than satisfies our current demand)

Durban Climate Change Conference: More than 120 Countries now Support a Timetable towards a Legally Binding Agreement

"The world is within reach of a new deal to stop global warming", said Chris Huhne, the UK’s Energy and Climate Change Secretary. That obviously puts a substantial amount of pressure on countries that are not signed up to our vision and a number of them are beginning to back it and you saw that today with the US coming up and saying it’s in favour of a road map,” he said. “A comprehensive global agreement is not beyond our reach,” he said. “We can achieve when we display flexibility and the will to compromise. If we continue to choose co-operation over conflict, we can show that all nations are indeed united by a common ambition: to protect our planet and our people from the dangers of climate change.” The EU want a deal in place by 2015 but sources close to the talks say the date could be pushed back and emissions are unlikely to start coming down before 2020. Joseph Alcamo, the UN Environment programme chief scientist, pointed out that emissions need to peak within the decade or the world will be “locked in” to dangerous global warming."

'via Blog this'Durban Climate Change conference: world close to deal on global warming - Telegraph:

Tip: EXERCISE regularly, Physical inactivity, a risk factor for death from heart disease & stroke

"Researchers said changes in BMI might have a significant effect on death risk in obese people. A healthy score is between 18 and 25; overweight is 25 to less than 30; obese is 30 and over. Many people don’t realize they are actually obese or near that mark.

In Indiana, the obesity level just went over 30 percent (30.2 percent). Another third is overweight. So, we have a long way to go. But, hopefully, some of these people are at least exercising regularly so they are lessening their chances of dying an early death."

'via Blog this'Good news for overweight exercisers! | Fit For Life blog | The Indianapolis Star | IndyStar.com:

Carbon War Room: Solutions to Energy Problems have to come from New Technologies

"Business titan Sir Richard Branson, philanthropist extraordinaire, Chairman of Virgin Air, and an early investor in the green energy sector, has taken a lead role in the global search for biofuels for use in the airline industry. Appearing on MSNBC earlier this week, Mr. Branson laid out the rationale for investment in the green energy sector, and his long term commitment to the effort through the creation of the Carbon War Room. The Carbon War Room is a global, independent non-profit that brings together complementary NGO's, entrepreneurs, corporate entrepreneurs, financiers, and the climate change community to focus on gigaton-scale, market-based solutions to climate change."

'via Blog this'VG Energy Highlighted in Branson's "Carbon War Room" Jet Fuel Initiative - MarketWatch:

Update: Fishing Industry on Climate Change: Success happens when there is right mix of fishing regulations to rebuild depleted ecosystems

"Participants in Durban could offer a significant boost to fishing communities by committing to facilitate good resource governance and build adaptive capacity. Specifically, this means nurturing the social organization, assets, and learning that will provide a basis for adaptation. It also means that aid and fisheries contract money need to be fair, reflect the value of the fish, and promote social capacity development and improved ecosystems management. Additionally, most developed countries have failed to meet their international commitments of contributing just 0.7 percent of their Gross National Product (GNP) to international aid. New commitments to support the Green Climate Fund—created in part to help developing countries cope with climate change—also appear to be soft and need to be a higher priority. Honoring these commitments is necessary to move beyond disaster relief and toward the proactive assistance that will help both people and ecosystems successfully confront the growing threat of a warming planet."

'via Blog this'Global Fishing Communities Putting the Heat on Climate Change Talks – News Watch:

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."

'via Blog this'

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:

Renewable Energy: China is another good outlet, having recently announced that it will double its spending on clean energy

"The renewable energy market segment is seeing strong growth and the lowering of entry costs in many cases. But start up renewable energy companies are finding funding tough to come across with debt crises raising its head worldwide and major funding going towards web 2.0 tech companies. Whether its alternative energy, clean energy or green energy, long shots in the renewable energy market can come from anywhere. Start ups here are as abundant as in the IT market segments, with good cause too. Wind power is growing at the rate of 30% annually and solar production growth has averaged 40% per year since 2000. Add to that ,from 2007 through 2010, fed subsidies jumped from $5 billion to over $14 billion and 2010 entire investment into renewables was over $200 billion. An emerging company like Sunbelt International (SUNB), has eyed up both solar and wind power with expertise and quality products in both. The company looks to pass on economic savings, received through a manufacturing plant in China, to its clients. "

'via Blog this'The Friday Clean Energy Report: Sunbelt International Inc. (OTCBB:SUNB):

Update: Middle East: Extremely vulnerable to effects of climate change including severe droughts, water shortages, and flooding in coastal areas

Climate change: Why COP17 matters for the Middle East | Al-Masry Al-Youm: Today's News from Egypt: "The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) published a report last year entitled Mapping of Climate Change Threats and Human Development Impacts in the Arab Region. It revealed that with hotter, drier and less predictable climates, the amount of water running into the region's streams and rivers is set to fall by 20 to 30 percent by 2050. Expected consequences include food insecurity and more-rapid desertification, the report says. Since the region is home to six of the world's ten most water-scarce countries, the consequences could be far-reaching. Its citizens currently have access to an average of 1000 cubic meters of water a year, a figure seven times below the world average, and the figure is expected to shrink to 460 cubic meters by 2025. According to a report released last week by the World Meteorological Organization (IMO), all indicators point to an expected 20 percent decrease in the water resources of the Ethiopian Plateau, with a corresponding reduction in Nile water flowing to downstream countries. The report estimates an annual reduction of more than 11 billion cubic meters in Egypt and Sudan alone due to the effects of climate change."

'via Blog this'

Tip: Help kids get fit. School should consider having salad bar to promote Healthy Eating and urge kids to Avoid chips and soda

"Some doctors and public health officials have questioned how valuable body mass index is as a predictor of an individual child's overall fitness. Yet studies have shown in general that people with more body fat or greater body mass tend to have more long-term health risks. The test requires students to perform different activities and perform at a certain level, which varies by age, height, weight and gender. To be considered fit, for example, a 5-foot-6, 150-pound, 15-year-old ninth-grade boy would need to run a mile in nine minutes, perform at least 16 pushups, and do at least 24 sit-ups, among other requirements."

'via Blog this'Study finds one-third of children are too plump:

Update: If not stop, additional Coal-Fired Power Plants Projects will emit CO2 equivalent to CO2 emitted since the beginning of industrialization

""In Europe over 100 new coal-fired power plants are in a planning stage or under construction," according to the report. "Last year, 173 coal-fired power plants were approved for construction in India -- that is one power plant every two days." "All told, India has enough plants in the pipeline to expand its coal-fired capacity by 600% over the next two decades. "In China, two new coal plants are being completed per week," it says. "If China's carbon usage keeps up this pace, the country's CO2 emissions in 2030 will equal the entire world's CO2 production today." South Africa is singled out in the report as the 11th largest CO2 emitter worldwide, with particular attention devoted to Eskom's new coal-fired power plants Medupi and Kusile. "Eskom's newest projects are gargantuan," the report said. "The Medupi and Kusile power plants, 4 800MW each, will be six times as big as typical coal-fired power plants in Germany and will produce estimated emissions of over 60-million metric tonnes of CO2 annually." "It is estimated that some 40 new coal mines will be needed to supply both plants with fuel," says the report."

'via Blog this'Dirty energy financiers shamed - Newspaper - Mail & Guardian Online:

Update: Scientists studying grey wolves in Yellowstone national park have developed a method to predict how animals will respond to Climate Change

""We now have the tools to determine how wolves would react to climate change," said Tim Coulson, a professor of life sciences at Imperial College London, who led the study. "With any luck, in the future we can apply the methods developed from the wolves down to small mites or to large herbivores." The study used data that is already routinely collected on radio-collared wolves to get a glimpse of some basic responses to a changing environment – population numbers, genetics, body size, and the timing of key events in the wolf life cycle, such as when they first have pups. It also took account of changing genetics in the wolves' coats. Unlike in Europe, the grey wolves of Yellowstone actually have black or grey coats. Research scientists from the US department of the interior, Utah State University and the University of California travelled over the park by helicopter, tracking wolf packs. They shot the wolves from the air with darts, before descending to weigh them and take blood samples. The scientists collected more than a decade's worth of data from the 280 wolves living in the park."

'via Blog this'Climate change insight gleaned from Yellowstone wolves | Environment | The Guardian:

Tip: Eat plenty of fish and don’t play violent video games if you want to keep your brain healthy

"A diet that includes at least one serving of baked or broiled fish a week significantly reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life, according to one study. And young men who play violent video games damage parts of their brains that help them control their emotions, learn, organize, plan and problem-solve, according to the other. In the first study, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh compared the diets of 260 healthy men and women with brain scans. The 163 patients who ate fish every week were at almost five times less risk of contracting Alzheimer’s or dementia ten years later, Dr. Cyrus Raji said."

'via Blog this'Eat fish, limit violent video games for healthy brain, studies show - Chicago Sun-Times: The second study, carried out by researchers at Indiana University, found that young men aged 18-29 who played a violent video game for 10 hours over the course of a week had reduced activity in parts of their brain that allow them to control their emotions and aggressive behavior.

Update: Total and Amyris Partner to Produce Renewable Fuels & Jet Fuels Worldwide

Total and Amyris have agreed to expand their ongoing research and development collaboration to accelerate the deployment of Biofene(R) and develop renewable diesel based on this molecule produced from plant sugars. The ambitious R&D program, launched in 2010 and managed jointly by researchers from both companies, aims to develop the necessary stages to bring the next generation renewable fuels to market at commercial scale. Total has committed to contribute $105 million in funding for an existing $180 million program. In addition, Total and Amyris have agreed to form a 50-50 joint venture company that will have exclusive rights to produce and market renewable diesel and jet fuel worldwide, as well as non-exclusive rights to other renewable products such as drilling fluids, solvents, polymers and specific biolubricants. The venture aims to begin operations in the first quarter of 2012. "The creation of the joint venture and the implementation of the new renewable diesel R&D program are two more major steps forward for Total, which is aiming to become a key supplier in renewable fuels," commented Philippe Boisseau, President of Gas & Power at Total."

'via Blog thisTotal and Amyris Partner to Produce Renewable Fuels - MarketWatch: "

Update: The world is looking to the United States—and China—for leadership on Climate Change issue

"In extensive multi-country surveys covering a majority of the world’s population, majorities in almost every nation surveyed believe that global warming is a threat or a problem. Globally, the percentage of respondents holding this view is an overwhelming 84 percent. In the United States, the figure has declined slightly in recent years but remains a robust 70 percent (according to a 2010 Pew poll). Moreover, solid majorities in most countries—including the United States—believe that climate change is related to human activity and that, if it is left unchecked, they will be negatively affected by it in their lifetimes."

'via Blog this'Stewart M. Patrick: The Internationalist » Public More Willing than Politicians to Address Climate Change:At Durban, nations should not that 93 percent of Chinese citizens consider climate change a “serious” problem­ according to a 2009 WPO poll—and use it as a bargaining chip to encourage China to accept responsibility for addressing climate change. (read more, click link above)

Tip: Sleep very well to cure emotional pain (New Study: Overnight Therapy, REM sleep heals)

"MRI scans performed during REM sleep revealed that brain activity fell in the amygdala—the emotion-processing part of the brain—possibly allowing the more rational prefrontal cortex to soften the images' impact. (See an interactive brain map.) In addition, recordings of the subjects' electrical brain activity during sleep made with electroencephalograms showed a decrease in the levels of brain chemicals linked to stress. When people experience an emotional event, stress chemicals are released to flag and prioritize that event, essentially reminding the brain to work through it during sleep, according to Walker, whose study appeared November 23 in the journal Current Biology. "Somewhere between the initial event and the later point of recollecting, the brain has performed an elegant trick of divorcing emotions from memory, so it's no longer itself emotional," Walker said."

'via Blog this'Why Do We Dream? To Ease Painful Memories, Study Hints:

Alternative Energy: A new way of life and a new generation of wealth

"Because while natural gas will likely be our main source of power generation for decades to come, wind, solar, and geothermal will also be getting a bigger piece of that pie. And while we'll suck every last ounce of oil from anywhere we can economically produce it, we are actively developing alternative modes of transportation right now that will either require less oil or no oil at all. From natural gas trucks and buses to more efficient internal combustion engines to electric cars, this is happening right now. And this is our opportunity to make a choice...
Either embrace it and profit from it, or miscalculate the enormity of the change that is about to take place — much in the way the former Michigan Savings Bank president did when he insisted the automobile was nothing more than a novelty. When it comes to energy in the 21st century, the only novelty or fad is the outdated and delusional mentality that the world is not transitioning its energy economy to one that will rely less and less on finite resources." Jeff Siegel, Editor, Energy and Capital

'via Blog this'Alternative Energy Warnings:

United States: Agreed to take its emissions 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020

"Added together, all of the nations' proposed cuts — if successful — would lead to about 5.8 degrees F (3.2 degrees C) warming by the year 2100, a significant distance from the target of 3.6 degree F, according to calculations by the independent science-based project Climate Action Tracker. These voluntary commitments to reduce emissions are a "very, very positive sign," said Niklas Höhne, director of energy and climate policy for the independent research and consulting company Ecofys, one of the organizations behind Climate Action Tracker."

'via Blog this'Durban climate change talks: Experts see warmer world as inevitable - CSMonitor.com:

Tip: Avoid Playing Violent Games. New Brain Study reveals Emotion decreases after playing

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), scientists were able to document altered brain responses after video game play. What's more, some of those changes were still present a week later. "We found that functioning has been changed in the brain by violent video games," said Dr. Yang Wang, an assistant research professor in the department of radiology and imaging sciences at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. "We found that activation [of an area of the brain that controls emotion] is decreased after playing violent video games.""

'via Blog this'Violent Video Games May Alter Brain Function: Study - US News and World Report:

China: Top Nation in Total Clean Energy Investments

"Third Way cites data from Ernst and Young showing for the first time, in 2010, China beat the United States in terms of its attractiveness for renewable energy investment, receiving 20% of total global clean energy investment in 2010, compared with the 19% drawn by the United States. Just 7 years ago China had only 3% of the total, while the United States drew 20% of investment. Furthermore, China attracted US$54.4bn in clean energy financing in 2010, a 39% increase over 2009 and equal to the entire amount of clean energy investment worldwide in 2004. Similar financing in the United States stagnated last year at US$34.4bn, approximately equal to 2007 levels.

Leading innovations. In the realm of innovation, China is expected to lead the world in overall number of patents filed in 2011, surpassing the United States and Japan for the first time. China ranks second in the estimated number of people engaged in scientific and engineering research and development."

'via Blog this'Renewable Energy Focus - China passes US in clean energy investment:

Climate change is "a matter of life and death", South African President Jacob Zuma

But, "Canada will not make further cuts in its greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto Protocol, and may begin formally withdrawing next month. Though not a surprise, the news will anger poor countries that say the rich are reneging on pledges made 14 years ago when the protocol was signed. They see the protocol as the only way to make emission cuts legally binding. Also on the first day of the UN climate summit in South Africa, the UK was criticised over support for tar sands. In the main conference hall, delegates heard South African President Jacob Zuma call for meaningful progress. "For most people in the developing world and Africa, climate change is a matter of life and death," he said. "In these talks, states, parties will need to look beyond their national interests to find a global solution for the common good and benefit of all humanity.""

'via Blog this'BBC News - Climate summit sees Canadian strike on Kyoto treaty:

DURBAN CLIMATE CONFERENCE

• Summit will attempt to agree the roadmap for a future global deal on reducing carbon emissions
• Developing countries are insisting rich nations pledge further emission cuts under the Kyoto Protocol
• Delegates also aim to finalise some deals struck at last year's summit
• These include speeding up the roll-out of clean technology to developing nations…
• … and a system for managing the Green Climate Fund, scheduled to gather and distribute billions of dollars per year to developing countries
• Progress may also be made on funding forest protection

Tip: Dealing w/ Loss & Grief: Awareness is important to make sure we're not stuck & we can process emotions & move forward

"The experience of losing something we value is a part of life no one can escape from. Loss has many shapes and forms, it could be a relationship that comes to an end, a loved one dies, a break up comes, children leave or any other sort of transition that brings about a feeling of loss. When a feeling of loss happens, learning to cope is essential to be able to bounce back. When we lose something, we go through a period of grieving process which can generally start with denial and then go to feelings of anger, sadness and then acceptance"

'via Blog this'Roya R. Rad, MA, PsyD: 7 Steps for Dealing With Loss and Grief:

Renewable Energy: China targets for Sustainable Energy with the purpose of Environmental Safety

"China's 12th five-year plan (2012-2017) has a targeted annual GDP growth rate of 7% and the development of renewable energy with an investment of $640 billion to constitute 15% of China's energy needs by the year 2020, building housing for 36 million families and the promotion of social equity and rural development. China's overall prospects are explicated given specific caveat concerning China's distinctive pragmatic and cautious approach of implementing a market system along a political control by a one party system -- its longevity and stability will be subject to conjecture.

China's successful macroeconomic management during the 2007-2009 global great recessions was marked by a rapid recovery after exports dropped by 18% causing 21 million workers to be laid off, but 98% readily found jobs as the economy bounced back up and the unemployment rate dropped to 4% with a $586 billion stimulus package directed at creating employment.

Given China's performance, it is estimated that its per capita income will converge to that of the United States by 2040. Its GDP is already second to that of the United States. China envisages a population of 1.39 by 2020"

'via Blog this'Nake M. Kamrany: China's Growing Economic Strength in the 21st Century:

Durban: COP17: Nations meet for the 17th Conference of the parties to United Nations Convention on Climate Change

"Negotiators postponed until Durban the politically freighted question of whether to extend the frayed Kyoto Protocol, the 1997 agreement that requires most wealthy nations to trim their emissions while providing help to developing countries to pursue a cleaner energy path. Also still on the agenda are the structure of, and the sources of financing for, a climate adaptation and technology fund that is supposed to reach $100 billion a year by 2020.

One of the issues that is most contentious and least likely to be resolved involves the future of the Kyoto Protocol, which requires the major industrialized nations to meet targets on emissions reduction but imposes no mandates on developing countries, including emerging economic powers and sources of global greenhouse gas emissions like China, India, Brazil and South Africa."

'via Blog this'Nations Meet to Address Problems of Climate Change - NYTimes.com:

Tip: Coffee May Cut Endometrial Cancer (Nurses' Health Study - published by Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention)

"The research, published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, examined data from the Nurses' Health Study, one of the largest and longest-running investigations of factors that influence women's health. Out of the more than 67,000 women enrolled in the study, researchers found that women who drank more than four cups of coffee per day were linked to a 25 percent reduced risk of endometrial cancer. Women who drank two to three cups per day reduced that risk by 7 percent. "Women who regularly consumed coffee were at lower risk of endometrial cancer," said Dr. Edward Giovannucci. "Other studies had seen this association and because coffee lowers insulin levels and free estrogen levels, which are risk factors for endometrial cancer.""

'via Blog this'Coffee May Cut Endometrial Cancer Risk - ABC News:

Economic problems in Europe and elsewhere should not get in the way of a new pact to fight global warming

"Delegates from nearly 200 countries meet from Monday till Dec 9 in Durban as part of marathon U.N.-led negotiations on a broader pact to curb growing greenhouse gas emissions as the world faces rising sea levels and greater weather extremes. "After the financial crisis, every country has had its problems, but these problems are just temporary," Xie Zhenhua, vice-director of the National Development and Reform Commission, told reporters on Tuesday. Officials in Beijing have suggested economic turmoil in Europe and political unrest in North Africa have pushed climate change far down the list of global priorities, overshadowing next week's talks and undermining plans to provide cash and technical support to poor nations to adapt to climate change. "Climate change isn't unimportant at this stage, but it isn't so salient, and I think it will again draw the attention of the global community in 2015 after the (new round of) scientific assessments are carried out," said Xie."

'via Blog this'China: Economic woes no excuse for climate change inaction - CSMonitor.com:

Tip: Reconnect w/ Emotions thru Deep Breathing to Cure PTSD - Intrusive Thoughts, Emotional Numbness & Hypervigilance

"Science seems to be just catching up with ideas espoused by ancient practices such as yoga and meditation. "The goal of these kinds of practices is to change one's relationship to the trauma, change one's relationship to the negative emotions and intrusive thoughts that may arise as a consequence of the trauma," Davidson said. "By changing one's relationships to these disturbing emotions and thoughts, the goal is that eventually those emotions and thoughts will decrease in their intensity" "

'via Blog this'Veterans learn to use yoga and meditation exercises to reconnect with their emotions in a UW-Madison study:

Tip: Stop Toxic Relationships. Choose Genuine Love - the Emphatic Connection that encourages "Individuality of Each" as Essential to Healthy Intimacy

"A couple relationship can be described as toxic when, due to intense emotional reactivity and defensive interaction patterns, it no longer promotes, and instead harms the individual mental, emotional, and physical, well-being and growth of each partner. The relationship is increasingly off balance, a factor that is affected by, and directly affects the individual inner sense of balance, health and safety of each partner.

Partners in toxic relationships tend to relate to one another as extensions of the other or themselves, in other words, as preconceived projections. As a result, their exchanges, in particular, the daily acts of giving and receiving that are essential to nourish a relationship, are often misplaced, shallow or emotionally detached, and in moments of stress or crisis, mere desperate attempts for self-protection rooted in fear."

'via Blog this'Toxic Couple Relationships – Protective Neural Patterns & Scripted Roles (1 of 3) | Neuroscience and Relationships: Though the individual patterns of each couple are as unique as the individual partners themselves, nevertheless, most toxic collusion patterns between partners tend to fall into one or more of the following toxic role scripts:

1. Pursuer Versus Avoider Role Script – Expressed VS Internalized Anger

In this script, one person openly seeks the other’s cooperation to their demands, more often, specific actions their protective neural patterns insist ‘must’ occur for them to feel safe and loved in relation to the other. In contrast, the other person, in accordance with the requirements of their own pre-conditioned circuitry, seemingly agrees to go along, and in some cases, does so to the extent that they compromise their own value system to please the other. In due time, however, when the latter notices their efforts are taken for granted rather than appreciated, they increasingly resist their partner’s demands, however, they mostly resort to using methods of expressing their internalized anger in mostly hidden, indirect ways.

For example, Partner A regards certain activities as all-important and increasingly ‘urgent,’ such as discussing an issue or doing some activity together, i.e., having more frequent sex or spending more time together, and zealously seeks to engage Partner B’s participation. Meanwhile, Partner B, who seemed willing to go along with Partner A’s plan at the start of their relationship, increasingly, performs a juggling act in which they, on the one hand, start to vehemently resist complying with Partner A’s demands while also, on the other hand – with equal or greater intensity – to avoid upsetting or angering Partner A in any way.

Whereas Partner A has no problem expressing their anger, regards it as one of their strengths, or admits to having problems with anger, Partner B typically internalizes anger, and seeks to hide or deny feeling this emotion, from themselves as well from others; when they occasionally explode with anger, they consider it rare or more evidence of ‘frustration’ rather than anger.

2. Blamer Versus Blamee Role Script - Expressed VS Internalized Disappointment

In this patterned interaction, one person openly blames the other for their own unhappiness, angry outbursts or other ways they act out, and frequently complains of the other’s seeming lack of respect or appreciation, and so on. The other person inwardly blames themselves, and lives in dread of disappointing their partner. The latter wallows in feelings of guilt and disappointment, on the one hand, at themselves for failing to make their partner feel secure enough to stop them from getting upset, and on the other hand, increasingly, they feel disappointed with their partner’s unwillingness to accept them for who they are or to recognize the intense efforts they make to meet their demands.

For example, Partner A deals with stress by compulsively reminding Partner A what they need to do to stop upsetting or angering them, noting what upsets them, listing the ways their demands or expectations have not been met. In general, Partner A blames a lot of their problems, unhappiness or angry outbursts on Partner B, and may dramatically display their disappointment whenever specified demands or expectations are not met. In the meantime, Partner B accepts blame, holds themselves responsible for causing upsets, and deals with any stress by apologizing, appeasing, and promising to do whatever it takes to change what bothers Partner A in the future.

For the most part, no one dares to hold Partner A responsible for how they treat others, and to learn to regulate their own emotions, and, as a result, Partner A has little or no understanding of their role in exacerbating emotional turmoil with themselves, their partner and the couple relationship. Meanwhile, everyone expects Partner B to take care of things to keep the peace, and Partner B holds themselves completely responsible for the emotional ups and downs of their partner, and others in the family, i.e., children; in fact, Partner B may even feel proud of their ability to put-out-fires, to act as a mediator of sorts in smoothing out issues, even ones between Partner A and other family members.

3. Doing Versus Feeling Role Script - Expressed VS Internalized Depreciation

In this scenario, one person is connected to what they want or don’t want, and what to do to get fast results, is the doer and problem solver, who likes to get things done, to make decisions, and, comparing themselves to their partner, often complains about the other’s relativeindifference, inability or lack of initiative in getting things done. The other partner seeks to fix or control the feeling states of the former, more specifically, to stop them from ever getting upset or angry.

For example, Partner A wants Partner B to take action, to complete ‘to do’ lists and produce specific results, thus, continuously evaluates Partner B’s performance against certain standards, and, mistrusting Partner B’s ability to make even minor decisions, is often certain Partner B will let them down. Meanwhile, Partner B has been anxiously hoping that, by working hard to make Partner A happy, at some point, Partner A will stop withholding caring feelings of acceptance, love or admiration, etc., express their appreciation.

As Partner A’s ability to express these emotions is often limited, increasingly Partner B doubts their ability to fix Partner A’s feelingstoward them, begins to lose hope about fixing the relationship, and increasingly does not see a reason to work so hard, considering Partner A does not appreciate their efforts. Similarly, Partner A increasingly feels frustrated by Partner B’s resistance to ‘listen’ to them, and Partner A interprets not listening as expressions of lack of respect or appreciation. Partner A may also feel inadequate in their ability to control or persuade Partner B to give them what they need. Partner B feels emotionally flooded or shut down at the first sign of a negative evaluation, disapproval or anger, feeling increasingly worried about the future of their relationship, family, etc., if they fail to meet with Partner A’s expectations.

Partner A is also increasingly frustrated that Partner B will not state their wants or take initiative in making plans to get things done; in contrast, Partner B professes not to have wants, and views this as a way they seek to feel “valued” in the relationship, by focusing on their partner’s wants rather than their own.

4. Responsible Versus Negligent Role Script - Expressed VS Internalized Disregard

In this script, one person in the relationship takes on the role of the other person’s judge and jury, and makes open accusations, demands, tells the other what to do, how to dress, what to think, etc. Feeling dependent on their partner’s approval, Partner B, at least outwardly, seeks to please, to appease or to prevent conflict – and to dismiss anything that would indicate things are not going well in their relationship or family.

For example, Partner A intensely feels they are the ‘responsible’ one, duty bound to act in accordance with high standards to fulfill duties in the area of family, children or work, etc., and may regard Partner B as less capable, perhaps with varying degrees of disregard, i.e., feeling annoyed or mistrusting them to handle certain situations, such as handling finances or children. Partner A feels it’s their responsibility to hold Partner B’s feet to the fire, and does so with regular doses of scolding, accusations, and evidence of failed performance, etc.

What Partner B fears most is disappointing or failing to meet Partner A’s expectations, yet the more they attempt to meet with their partner’s expectations, the more inadequate they feel. At some point, Partner B may resist to the point of being unwilling to take any action, rather than risk failure.

Whereas Partner A outwardly disregards the value of Partner A, Partner B increasingly expresses their resentment or disregard of their partner’s feelings, with resistance. On the one hand, Partner B wants nothing more than to win over Partner A’s admiration; on the other hand, Partner B increasingly looks down at Partner A for the way they so casually dismiss or mistreat Partner A as well as others, i.e., the children.

5. Moral Versus Immoral Role Script - Expressed VS Internalized Contempt

In a script similar to #4 above, one person takes on the role of acting superior to the other – in this case, morally superior – and the other as morally unprincipled. The former sees themselves as righteous, and in position to judge the other with displays of righteous indignation, contempt or intimidation, accordingly – believed to be necessary to improve or benefit of the other. In contrast, the other outwardly accepts that they are morally inferior in comparison, and, resisting most attempts to conform to the moral standards of the other, apart from occasional attempts to appease them, they inwardly relish resisting what they view as unnecessarily confining moral codes.

For example, Partner A adheres to high moral standards, traditional values or ethical codes at home or church, etc., and is obsessed with getting Partner B to comply with these rules of conduct, i.e., going to church, dressing more appropriately, etc. Partner A feels it’s their responsibility to convert Partner B, to save them from themselves.

Meanwhile Partner B seems to accept Partner A’s “admonishments” as their lot, however, makes little or no attempt to change, although they may go along outwardly, i.e., attending church at the request of Partner A. Inside, Partner A feels morally superior to Partner B, while Partner B, feigning humility, is torn between feeling morally defective, and paying penitence by acting undeserving, subservient, etc., on the one hand, and consciously or subconsciously, delighting in rebelling against Partner A’s demands to change who they are as persons, on the other. Increasingly, Partner B may act out their contempt for what they see as Partner A’s harsh, self-righteous stance them, in hidden ways, expressing their contempt, using resistance to let Partner A know what they think of not only the moral standards, but also Partner A’s attempts to change them.

Update: India, Bhutan, Nepal & Bangladesh signed Declaration for Wide-Ranging Collaboration on Energy, Water, Food & Biodiversity Issues

"World Wildlife Fund (WWF), a leading conservation organisation, said in a statement that the deal signed at Bhutanese capital Thimphu could lead the way to similar climate adaptation plans being implemented to cover other threatened ecosystems. "The success of our initiative will not only have direct and immediate benefits for our own people, but we could be setting a worthy precedent for other countries that share similar conditions," Bhutan's Prime Minister Lyonchhoen Jigmi Y Thinley was quoted as saying in the statement.

The four nations reached the pact at the two-day "Climate Summit for a Living Himalayas" against the backdrop of melting glaciers, erratic weather conditions, changing rainfall patterns and increasing temperatures impacting the people and wildlife of the region.

Environment Secretary T Chatterjee represented India at the summit attended by high-level government officials, NGOs, leaders of civil society, and youth ambassadors from the four Eastern Himalayan nations. "The four nations broadly agreed to combine powers to increase access to 'affordable and reliable' clean energy resources and technology through a regional knowledge sharing mechanism."

'via Blog this'India inks climate change adaptation deal with neighbours - Hindustan Times:

Tip: Sweets can be deadly. Take it moderately & Incorporate Whole Foods to Increase Stamina & Improve Moods

Look at this: Typical Family Eating Set-up: "Wynes and her husband Ken were balancing busy careers with the demands of raising a family. Nothing was off the menu; hotdogs, Kraft Dinner and drivethroughs all made regular appearances. The turning point came five years ago when their youngest son Chase, in Grade 3 at the time, was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD). As a social worker, Wynes was familiar with the trial-and-error method of prescribing medication to children, but she decided to pursue a different approach for Chase.

"I heard kids talking about the negative side effects, saying things like 'I feel like everything's slowing down,' or 'I feel like I'm stuck in mud,'" she says.

Her maternal instinct kicked in and Wynes aggressively researched the effects of food on behaviour and moods. She discovered that certain foods can be harmful to emotions and thought processes. She eliminated foods containing simple sugars from her family's diet and incorporated whole foods proven to increase mental stamina and improve moods.

"The foods now are so manipulated that's there are not a lot of nutrients or actual food in them - it's all chemicals and fillers," she says."

'via Blog this'Treena Wynes fixes dinner:

Update: World Bank Provides Critical Support for Hydro Project Development (Alternative Energy)

The World Bank's projects and operations are designed to support low-income and middle-income countries' poverty reduction strategies. Countries develop strategies around a range of reforms and investments likely to improve people's lives, and the bank strives to align its assistance with each country's priorities and harmonize its aid program with other agencies to boost aid effectiveness.

The World Bank is engaged in hydro projects in all its regions, with efforts divided into: construction of new projects, rehabilitation of existing projects, other lending and capacity building, and analytical work. As demand grows for clean, reliable and affordable energy, the role of hydropower has increased over the past decade as developing nations move to harness their resources, according to the World Bank website. This critical renewable energy resource could be instrumental in bringing light and heat to 1.6 billion people who currently lack access, the World Bank says."

'via Blog this'Banks Provide Critical Support for Hydro Project Development: "One of its most recent hydro commitments, made in June 2011, is a $648 million loan through its International Bank for Reconstruction and Development to THDC India Ltd. for development of the 444 MW Vishnugad Pipalkoti project in Urrarakhand, India. The objectives of this project are to increase the supply of electricity to India's national grid through the addition of renewable, low-carbon energy and to strengthen the institutional capacity of THDC India with respect to the preparation and implementation of economically, environmentally and socially sustainable hydro projects.

With this loan, the project achieved full financial closure. Total project cost is expected to be $922 million, and it is to be completed by 2016. THDC India has a portfolio of hydro projects in Uttarakhand, Maharashtra and Bhutan with aggregate capacity of 8,868 MW.

In May 2011, The World Bank provided a $640 million loan to assist with development of the 1,040 MW Upper Cisokan pumped-storage project on the Upper Cisokan River in West Java, Indonesia. The objectives of this project are to increase the peaking capacity of the power generation system in an environmentally and socially sustainable way and to strengthen the institutional capacity of developer Perusahaan Listrik Negara in hydropower planning, development and operation. Total project cost is expected to be $800 million, with PLN providing the remaining $160 million. Work on the Upper Cisokan project is to be completed in 2016.

In addition, a $15 million World Bank loan announced in March 2011 is being used to aid work being performed by Jamaica's Ministry of Energy and Mining under its Energy Security and Efficiency Enhancement Project. This work includes strengthening Jamaica's energy sector regulatory and institutional framework, mobilizing investment financing, developing energy efficiency and renewable energy potential, preparing studies, recruiting a small hydro engineer, preparing a promotion package for three hydro plants, and conducting a performance review of existing hydroelectric projects.