Assignment 2
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Water under the Sahara
In last weeks lectures we looked at sustainable development at a local level, on how different size towns need different kinds of resoarses, for example the difference between Anacothy and Limerick city. However an interesting point was made on Friday that there is a massive amount of water found deep under the Sahara desert that has been there with millions of years.
I decided to look this up and found out some interesting stuff on a thing called “The Sahara Forest Project”. I also came across this point, “cover less than 1% of the earths deserts with concentrating solar power plants could produce 100% of the electricity used in the whole world. In addition to oil, gas, minerals and underground water reserves, potential investors and governments have set their eyes on the Sahara as a source of infinite energy. The staggering temperature degrees apparently can turn the arid desert into a gigantic storehouse of solar energy.
The Sahara Forest Project was first proposed at the third Claverton Energy Group Conference in April 13, 2008. The project aims to provide a source of renewable energy, food and water to desert regions around the world, by using two technologies: Seawater Greenhouse technology (SG) and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP). The former creates fresh water from seawater via especially designed greenhouses, which also provide food-growing environment; while the latter produces electricity from sunlight at a fraction of the cost of photovoltaics, via special mirrors used to condense (or concentrate) sunlight to create heat, which then is used to drive conventional steam turbines to generate the needed electricity. It was estimated that it will cost around $59 billion to begin producing energy by 2020, and that to start sending significant amounts of energy from North Africa to Europe one needs to spend about $465 billion over the next 40 years. Who knows, maybe North African countries will have something more valuable in the future than oil today. The French President Nicolas Sarkozy proposed the construction of a new solar-power station in the Sahara when he founded the Mediterranean Union. Oil will certainly run out, very soon, and other sources of energy must be found. The Sun is the only permanent source of pure and clean energy in our Solar System.
Production+Consumption
Last week we discussed production and consumption, and just how many products we consume every day. It made me think that we need a more sustainable rate of consumption of products as we use so many everyday.
Sustainable production and consumption is the use of goods and services that respond to basic needs and bring a better qualify of life, while minimizing the use of natural resources, toxic materials and emissions of waste and pollutants over the life cycle, so as not to negitively effect the needs of future generations. Sustainable production and consumption involves business, government, communities and households contributing to environmental quality through the efficient production and use of natural resources, the minimization of wastes, and the optimization of products and services. Eco-efficiency is the more efficient use of materials and energy in order to reduce economic costs and environmental impacts. This is widely considered a pragmatic approach, particularly among business, but it has been noted that improved unit efficiency does not necessarily lead to lower consumption levels. Economic output may rise with constant or reduced resource inputs.
Foxconn..
In last weeks lecture we were introduced to economics and CSR. The idea is that corporations have a social responsibility to take care of their employees. One corporation however, that I was introduced to was Foxconn, which has a very bad image with the way they treat their employees.
Foxconn is a multi-million dollar corporation that makes technologies for various well known companies such as Apple and Samsung and products such as the iphone, ipad playstation and the xbox. It is the largest exporter in China and the largest private-sector employer in China.Foxconn has been involved in several controversies, mostly relating to how it manages employees in China, where it is the largest private employer. In 2012, the fair labour association was hired by Apple to audit working conditions at Foxconn.Allegations of poor working conditions have been made on a number of occasions. News reports highlight the long working hours, discrimination against mainland Chinese workers by their Taiwanese co-workers, and lack of working relationships at the company. Although Foxconn was found to be compliant in the majority of areas when Apple audited the maker of its ipods and iphones, the audit did substantiate a few of the allegations. There are two suicide events associated with Foxconn. A 25-year-old male, committed suicide in July 2009. In reaction to a spate of worker suicides where fourteen died in 2010, a report by twenty Chinese universities described Foxconn factories as labour camps and detailed widespread worker abuse and illegal overtime. In response to the suicides, Foxconn installed suicide-prevention netting at some facilities. In January 2012, 150 workers in Wuhan threatened to commit mass suicide because of worsening work conditions. The employees had asked for a raise but were told they could either quit with compensation or keep their jobs with no raise. The employees quit, but did not receive their compensation.
An example of the nettinf Foxconn put up to tackle its employee suicide problem.
Some of Foxconn’s products.
Law and Economics
In last weeks lectures we looked at law and economics in the world today in developed countries and under developed countries.
Ever since Ireland joined the EU in 1973 it became part of a union that would have to eventually comply to rules and regulations handed down from the EU commission. As it stands Ireland hasnt complied to many regulations that have come in in recent years and is behind in enforcing them. This is usually due to the lack of ability or resources to enforce them. However some is due to people of the country apposing them. For example the eu suggested that Ireland should stop cutting turf in its bogs. This was oviously for environmental reasons and due to the fact that Ireland’s bogs are unique and should be preserved. This is all well and good in theory but the fact is there are alot of lively hoods tied up in our bogs. The cutting and processing of turf also provides alot of jobs with the likes of Bord na Mona not to mention part of our proud traditions of this country. This law has met huge opposition amoung people. In reality the government will never truely be able to enforce this because they will never be able to stop people cutting turf.
Ireland also has to sort out its domestic sourage problem in relation to the septic tanks in the country. All septic tanks have 2 be inspected and have to be replaced if they doing damage to the ground or getting into a water coarse. This was suppose to be brought in a few years ago and if it was people might be able to afford it. But the government failed to do this and then expect people to just go with it even thought there are hundreds of households that cant afford it. Ireland will be faced with big fines from the eu if it does not do these things by the deadline.
Pollution Haven Hypothesis..
In last weeks lectures we found out about economics. One topic that i thought was interesting was the ”pollution haven hypothesis”.
Pollution haven hypothesis argues that the industries that produce high levels of pollution i.e. dirty industries, have been migrating from developed economies to the developing world. It is argued that the environmental concerns of the developed economies caused them to have to obey strict environmental regulations, which have increased the cost of production of the dirty industries at home. On the other hand, the developing countries with their low wages and lack of environmental regulations have been attractive alternative producers in these sectors. At the same time this migration is also beneficial for developing countries that are in need of financial resources for industrial development. Consequently, developing countries provide pollution havens for dirty industries. In this process while the dirty industries have been migrating to the developing countries, the developed countries also have become net importers of these sectors. In this study the pollution haven argument for Turkey, for 1994-1997 period is examined. The study focuses on the pollution haven hypothesis from trade perspective by looking at the manufacturing industry data at 4-digit ISIC detail by using the panel data approach. It is found that exports increase as the dirtiness of the industries increases, providing some evidence for the pollution haven hypothesis.
An example of a dirty industry. “A steel mill in England”.
Blog 6 ..Biodiesel
In last weeks lectures one point we were introduced to was the use of biodiesel for fuel. The main drive for biodiesel is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Blends of biodiesel and conventional hydrocarbon-based diesel are products distributed for use in the retail diesel fuel marketplace. Much of the world uses a system known as the “B” factor to state the amount of biodiesel in any fuel mix.100% biodiesel is reffered to as B100, 20% biodiesel with 80% standard diesel is known as B20 and so on.
Biodiesel can be used in all most all modern diesel engines as 100% biodiesel or as a mix with normal diesel. In Ireland now there has to be 10% mix of biodiesel in agricultural green diesel. This was brought in to help reduce the amount of Co2 emissions in the agriculture industry. Biodiesel use has been increasing in the United States. In the UK, all fuel suppliers are obliged to include 5% renewable fuel in all transport fuel sold in the UK by 2010. For road diesel, this effectively means 5% biodiesel (B5). Biodiesel also has a lot of good properties in terms of your car maintainance. Biodiesel is a good lubricant, which reduces fuel system wear, which can increase the life of fuel injectors and pumps.
A picture of biodiesel in its finished state.
According to EPA biodiesel from soy oil results, on average, in a 57% reduction in greenhouse gases compared to fossil diesel, and biodiesel produced from waste grease results in an 86% reduction.
