Gulf of Mexico Seafood Getting Passing Grades From Ongoing U.S. Federal Food Safety Tests

It’s now exactly one year to the month since BP’s Deepwater Horizon offshore rig exploded - killing 11 people and releasing oil into the Gulf of Mexico for nearly three months, until mid-July.

Pelican covered in oil soon after the BP disaster. Image credit: Lord Mariser (Flicker CC).

At the time, the U.S. Geological Society estimated that the rig was gushing out crude oil at a rate of 12,000 to 25,000 barrels per day, spewing out a total of about 4.9 million barrels (206 million gallons) by the time the well was sealed.

Many politicians called it the worst environmental disaster in the nation’s history, doing massive damage to the region’s ecosystems, though the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) did tests that gave a more optimistic view.

The same month that the well was sealed, NOAA began testing the sea life for pollutants, declaring the seafood safe to eat, and reopening the Gulf waters.

Trying to further reassure the public, Dr. Margaret Hamburg, commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, said in a statement, “We need the American public to be confident in the seafood coming from the Gulf, and the testing that has been done has not indicated any level of concerns.”

Those words didn’t do too much to calm public concerns about Gulf seafood and NOAA has found it necessary to continue to test the sea life to reassure the public that it’s safe to eat.

Last week, NOAA announced that it was continuing to “re-test the seafood from the Gulf of Mexico to demonstrate to Americans and to worldwide consumers that it is safe to eat” and that this re-testing will continue into the summer.

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The Amazon Rainforest – Earth’s Brazilian Lung Being Burned Down For Profit

Tropical rainforests are the lungs of the planet. Photosynthesis makes them massive carbon absorbers, regulating global climate. These rainforests generate most of the world’s rainfall and form a cooling band around the equator, acting as the Earth’s thermostat.

Amazon deforestation through burning. Photo courtesy Chris Neill/Marine Biological Laboratory.Cutting down forests causes two major problems - removing the planet’s natural carbon absorber, and adding more carbon into the atmosphere because many trees are cleared by burning. Too much carbon dioxide heats up the atmosphere, which then causes erratic global weather patterns.

Today in Brazil it’s still a lot cheaper to clearcut into the virgin Amazon rainforest to open up new pastures for grazing cattle than it is to rehabilitate existing pastures, says a new report from Brighter Green, a public policy action group.

“The most severe deforestation is occurring in South America, particularly in the Brazilian Amazon,” says a United Nations report. The information comes through the use of over 200 satellite images, maps, and graphs that highlight the most pervasive environmental issues in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Brazil is dealing with the conflicting goals of conserving its rainforest and continuing to be an export leader in agricultural commodities – most extensively beef and soybean.

Nearly 100 countries import fresh and frozen beef from Brazil, including Russia, Iran, China, (through Hong Kong), Egypt, Algeria, Lebanon, and Venezuela. In 2009, these exports were valued at $6.3 billion. Brazil’s cattle population - numbering about 190 million - is the world’s second largest behind India.

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Solar Power Companies Donating Money and Equipment to Help Japan’s Tsunami Sufferers

Like so many others that have been stunned by the effects of the recent earthquake, aftershocks, and tsunami that have hammered Japan, many in the solar industry have felt a need to contribute to the relief efforts.

Japanese refugees rest inside a school gymnasium where hundreds took shelter in Sendai, northeastern Japan, on Monday, March 14, 2011 following Friday’s massive earthquake and the ensuing tsunami. (Associated Press Photo/David Guttenfelder)

DynGlobal said that it will support “the victims of the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan by providing solar powered generators.” The self-contained mobile solar generators will be able to operate 24 hours-a-day.

DynGlobal said its waterproof 12-volt solar generators will be able to power most life-sustaining electrical equipment, including the company’s water purification systems, small medical devices, and mini-refrigerators, as well as rechargeable telephones, radios, cameras, televisions, and computers. The company will work closely with the U.S. military, non-profits, and foreign agencies.

On the financing side, MAGE SOLAR has just established a disaster relief fund that has raised $35,000 so far. Sylvia Minton, senior vice president of corporate affairs, is managing fund raising and relief efforts.

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Businesses In Cold Weather Regions Harnessing Solar Power To Bring Down Utility Costs

A Minnesota man cleaning his solar panels. Photo by cleantechnica.com.

When most people think of the northern latitudes, they think of cold harsh winters, short days, and this year - tons of snow. This isn’t what most people would consider suitable climate for generating solar power, but major companies are betting otherwise.

While the common assumption is that solar power needs a lot of sun and hot weather to be worthwhile – this is only partly true. Like with other electrical devices, heat isn’t a solar panel’s friend.

Brightstar Solar, a New England-based company that designs and installs photovoltaic systems, explains it this way:

As temperatures rise, the efficiency of solar panels decreases. Heat causes electrical resistance to the flow of electrons. On days where the temperature is more than 75 degrees, the electrical resistance makes the voltage fall and thereby producing less kilowatts per hour.

Photovoltaic systems still produce energy on cloudy days. The electricity production may not be as high as on a sunny day, but your system will still produce electricity because there is still some irradiance. Under a light overcast day, panels might generate about half as much power as under full sun.

When a home or business is also connected to a power grid, the photovoltaic system works with the grid, so the utility makes up for the electrical shortfall. The reverse is also true. When the photovoltaic system generates more energy than the building requires, the excess power is exported to the utility grid, reversing the electrical meter – effectively giving you money back from the utility company.

All this has become increasingly common knowledge to businesses looking to lower their utility bills. Already around the world are some solar projects in the works that are definitely worth mentioning.

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Final Year To File For Major Income Tax Credits For Energy Efficient Home Improvements

Graphic courtesy of taxresolutioninstitute.com.

Income tax season is here again and it’s time to start getting everything together – tax documents, receipts, and any other papers that can help you get a few more dollars back.

This tax season is especially important for anyone that has bought and installed energy efficiency devices, materials, or appliances in their home over the last two years. This will be the last time that you will be able to file for major tax credits (tax refunds) of up to $1,500 for these types improvements.

For any products that you buy this year and in the future, there will be a lifetime $500 tax credit cap. It’s a little complicated, but basically it means that no matter how much you pay for any home energy efficiency products this year, when the time comes to file taxes next year, the most you can get back is $500. For example, if you get a $400 tax credit this year, then next year when you file, the most you can get is $100.

The good news is that for filings that you make this year, the tax credit cap is $1,500. These tax credits only apply for your permanent residence (where you live most of the time).

The types of home energy efficiency devices, materials, and appliances that qualify for tax credits include:

• Windows, doors, and skylights.
• Insulation and home sealing products.
• Electric heat pump water heaters.
• Corn, pellet, and wood burning biomass stoves.

For any devices, materials, or appliances that you file on your tax returns for 2010, you should also have (for your own piece of mind) a manufacturer’s certification statement. This is a statement from the manufacturer saying that the product you bought qualifies for a tax credit.

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