Microwaves to reduce carbon dioxide?
A New Zealand company which says it has patented world-first industrial technology to microwave forest waste is planning to offer charcoal to farmers and horticulturists who want to boost the quality of their soils. The New Zealand Herald reports that the technology can capture significant amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and hold it for 10,000 years by putting the charcoal into topsoils, and at the same time improve plant growth.
The company, Carbonscape, has begun initial batch scale production of the "biochar" at its Marlborough plant. Forestry Minister Jim Anderton officially opened the plant today and said the technology "appears to be a huge breakthrough in charcoal development".
A Carbonscape spokesman, Nick Gerritsen, said simply burning biomass, such as wood waste, was generally considered carbon neutral because it's assumed that the carbon released to the atmosphere will be re-absorbed in trees that eventually grow to replace the original forest. But putting the biochar into the soil is considered carbon-negative because it actually reduces atmospheric carbon.
For the full story, visit The New Zealand Herald. Information came from Resource Recovery Forum www.resourcenotwaste.org
Crude oil from Algae?
A US company that claims it can produce “green” crude oil from algae has raised more than US$100 million ($127 million) to help commercialise its technology. San Diego-based Sapphire Energy said the funds will enable it to build the first commercial facility. The company aims to produce “green crude” at a commercial scale within the next five years at a cost of US$50 to $80 a barrel.
The company uses algae, which it has genetically modified to maximise the plant's internal production of fats. The fats or lipids are then harvested. It says the production uses just sunlight, CO2 and non-potable water - and it can all be done on land unsuited for agriculture.
The resulting green crude can be refined like normal crude in existing facilities, using existing energy infrastructure to be turned into fuel products such as petrol, jet fuel and diesel products.
Sourced from www.EnvironmentalManagementNews.net
What next – Electronic Cigarettes?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned against using electronic cigarettes, saying there was no evidence to prove they were safe or helped smokers break the habit. First made in China and sold mainly over the internet in countries including Brazil, Britain, Canada and Israel, they have grown in popularity despite a lack of regulatory approval, it said.
A typical electronic cigarette is made of metal tube with a chamber which holds liquid nicotine in a rechargeable cartridge. Users puff on it but do not light it, leading some to use it to evade smoking bans in public places, according to the WHO.
However, they inhale a fine mist of nicotine into their lungs, "plus potentially many other toxic compounds which we are not sure of", said to Douglas Bettcher, acting director of the WHO's Tobacco Free Initiative.
"The World Health Organisation knows of absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever that would confirm that the electronic cigarette is a safe and effective smoking cessation device," Mr Bettcher said. "Toxicological tests and clinical trials have not been performed on this product," he said.
The electronic cigarette has yet to be shown to be a legitimate therapy like nicotine gum, patches or lozenges that help wean smokers from nicotine addiction, the UN agency said.
Story originally from Reuters and supplied by Glen Moore, Director of Wollongong’s Science Centre and Planetarium (http://sciencecentre.uow.edu.au )
Boost for Chinese medicine research
The scientific study of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in Australia is receiving a major boost with a range of initiatives recently launched by the National Institute of Complementary Medicine (NICM)*.
For more information go to: http://pubapps.uws.edu.au/news/index.php?act=view&story_id=2300
Making E-Biz Work for You
Presented by David Turner from Austrade, this is a full day package presented as part of an Australia-wide program to update businesses on effective use of the internet when exporting, including tips on website development.
Date: Monday, October 13
Time: 9 am - 12 noon
Venue: Wollongong City Council, Level 9
Cost: Free (includes morning tea)
RSVP: Kimella on 4225 9055 or kimella.batkin@business.nsw.gov.au
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