What’s Going on in our Aquifers?

By: Jessica Robertson

Most of us rely daily on ground water stored in aquifers, whether it provides our drinking water or our morning shower or whether it irrigates the crops that we consume. We don’t often think about the goings on that occur deep underground before we see any of that water, but the aquifers are an important habitat for complex microbial life. This interesting ecosystem may hold a promising answer for removing harmful carbon dioxide from our atmosphere.

Deep underwater in the aquifers, oxygen content is very low, if present at all. Microbes must rely on other substances, namely minerals like iron and sulfur, to produce energy. The byproducts of the microbes’ “breathing” these solid minerals are reactive ions that will readily interact with other chemical compounds present in the aquifer. These reactions can dramatically shape the environmental state of the nearby water, soil, or rock, and, importantly, the crops watered by groundwater.

When samples of some deep aquifer microbes were studied, it was determined that even though iron is a better source of energy, many organisms were using iron and sulfur, an unusual combination. With the pH of many aquifers being more alkaline than surface waters, reconsideration of microbial energy calculations showed that sulfur is more important to deep aquifer dwelling microbes than previously known. With interactions occurring between different species of microbes and their dependence on each others’ reactions, even without measureable levels of a given byproduct, the amount of energy cycling through the aquifer could be very high.

What this new understanding means is significant. Carbon sequestration has become difficult in light of new findings suggesting that soil is a less efficient carbon capturer than previously assumed. With the high levels of reactive ions residing in the deep aquifers thanks to the symbiotic relationships between mineral-fueled microbes, it may be possible to inject harmful carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the aquifers; it will react with ions there, forming stable and solid compounds and sinking to the bottom of the aquifers, never to seep to the surface again.

Finding this new information regarding these deep-water microbes has been an illuminating piece of the puzzle that is carbon sequestration. Now knowing more details of the dependent relationship of iron- and sulfur- reducing microbes, it may be possible to clean up our atmosphere. 

Technology Grows on Trees

By: Jessica Robertson

A newly discovered process can turn trees into energy storage devices, essentially. Cellulose, the most common organic polymer on earth, is the main ingredient in trees. And when cellulose is reacted simply with ammonia, it can be transformed into a form of activated carbon, called a nitrogen-doped nanoporous carbon membrane, that can serve as the electrode of a supercapacitor. 

Besides the simplicity and cost-efficiency of this new approach, the process is also impressive in its earth-friendliness. The only byproduct of the reaction is methane, which, when properly harnessed and not released into the atmosphere, is a safe and advantageous compound, useful for fuel or other industrial purposes. Furthermore, the cheap wood that can be used as the reactant in this approach does not deplete the food supply. The carbon membranes that are produced in this reaction are extremely thin, meaning a small amount of wood creates a large number of the desired supercapacitors, dispelling fears that the process would deplete the forests for the sake of energy.

Supercapacitors are highly efficient energy storage devices, recharging faster than batteries and holding much more energy. They promise better results in industry and electronics, and they could be the solution for evening out the power flow from variable alternative energy systems like solar and wind energies. They increase efficiency in hybrid cars, and prevent energy loss by capturing what would otherwise be wasted. These potential benefits of supercapacitors have been known for some time, but the high cost of such technology prevented any substantial incorporation of their strengths into many industries. This new, low cost process to create supercapacitors has the potential to shift significantly the environmental impact of modern industry. 

Earth Day Top Tens

By: Daniela Silva

For this earth day, here at Beyond the Facade we whipped up for you our top 10 great tips to help you give a little more back to earth and give  yourself a great reason to feel good too. Whether it be new habits you want to incorporate into your weekly to-do’s or to just simply join in once and awhile on the fun of giving the earth some lovin’. This is definitely the list for you!

1.  Recycle Plastic Bags - One trillion plastic bags are used annually and contribute to the waste found in our landfills and our oceans. 46,000 pieces of plastic per every square mile floats aimlessly in our oceans and even worse it takes 1,000 years for one plastic bag to degrade. This means marine life not limited to sea turtles can potentially eat and choke on these pieces and die. To help, instead of throwing away your bags recycle or keep your plastic bags around for your next grocery trip, or a aid to help carry things from here to there. Spend a little extra and invest in some colourful and durable reusable bags you see being offered in most grocery and convenience stores they last longer and they look much better.

2. Make your own Household Cleaners- Yes you read correct and no it is not that hard! There is a dangerous amount of chemicals in your household cleaners and there's a lot of that on your hands and feet as you read this right now; If you have young children you understand why it is important why these chemicals do not get onto their hands and into their mouths.

A simple yet powerful disinfectant can be made with three simple ingredients:

white vinegar,

tea tree oil,

distilled water.

If you want to add a punch to your disinfectant you can always add a little bit of dish soap, but with this and a squeeze bottle you're golden to clean whatever surface you so choose to tackle.

3. Plant Herbs - Indoors or outdoors planting herbs are an excellent way of knowing where your food comes from, and is a organic production of flavour you can add to your meals any day. Your home will become more lively with the new flora and your children can decorate the plant pots in which you plant the seeds. A family get-together its a win-win!

4. Make a Cheap Compost bin- Don't throw out your scraps, compost them! Organic materials can be thrown into your compost bin, egg shells, ground coffee, nut shells, fruit cores and more can be used to make a rich dark compost perfect for your lawn to boost and give extra nutrients. All you need is a trash can with a locking lid, a stand to keep it from weighing down on your grass, a drill to make 25 - 30 holes to spread and let the compost release moisture.

Remember to mix the compost and allow the mixture to sit for 30 days minimum to allow for weed seeds to die from the internal heat of the compost, you do not want any surprises to bloom in your garden!

5. Upcycle - Upcycling is new, its cool and trendy. You can upcycle just about anything from furniture to décor, clothing to art; nothing is left uncycled and there's a ton of DYI's out there to give you step by step tutorials on accomplishing what you wish to do. For this earth day, why not give it a go, or plan to dedicate some time to upcycling some old furniture that just doesn't cut it in your living room any more?

No one needs to know you've been using how-to’s and tutorials. Get creative!

6. Farmers market - By buying food locally, you are supporting the local farmers that need it the most and gives them a fighting chance at surviving the globalization economy. The food is seasonal and is ripened naturally without chemicals or gassing; also processed with a minimal amount of processing.

The humane treatment of animals is also a plus side for most animals from small scale farmers are spared from feed lots and cramped cages and given hormone free foods and left to graze grasses the way they were meant to. Meats, poultry and eggs all are great to be bought in farmers markets. So not only are you diving into the centre of fresh and healthy produce but into a kaleidoscope of untapped wellness  as well.

7. Phantom energy - It is as scary as it sounds, phantom energy is when electricity is being sucked up by appliances even when they are turned off or in standby mode. Usually responsible for approximately 10% of your annual household electricity bill this is not only an energy sucker but a money sucker as well.

Electricity costs are expected to rise by 50% in the upcoming year, and you can combat this simply by unplugging your big gadgets such as your TV’s and gaming systems when they are not in use and small household appliances.

8. Water Usage - Now, if anyone told me to cut back on my shower, I wouldn't give them the time of day. Considering the fact that on average showers and baths are the main culprit of water usage in the home amounting for 35% of household water usage, following toilet use and laundry.

To help reduce the amount of water being used you can install a low-flow shower head, use less water in your baths and install aerators in your taps. When shopping for a new home, look at eco option toilets, or you will almost literally be flushing money down the toilet with all the water you will be wasting.

With laundry, front loading washers use less water and use the movement to agitate the clothing to remove dirt and grime, for top loading uses a agitator and more water to slosh things around, use a drying rack to save on electricity.

9. Recycle (Duh!) - One of the  easiest things you can do to help is to recycle! By recycling one ton of paper you can save up to 17 trees, and although it may seem like a lot a recycling facility goes through 300 tons of paper each week this equals to 5100 trees.

With an effort in recycling, a little opportunity and some awareness you can contribute your recycling program in your community  and make a difference.

10. Share some love - Environmentally friendly acts don’t just come out of the blue, they always start somewhere and they start with you! Share this list with friends and incorporate it with your children. Being green should be something that we do without thinking twice about it. Be smart, be green be a earth lovin’ machine! Have a very happy Earth day!

Five Ways to Show Earth Love from the Kitchen

By: Jessica Robertson

For many of us, our kitchen is the centre of our home life. Food makes fellowship, and fellowship makes happiness. With all that good stuff flowing out of the kitchen, let’s be conscious of the impact we’re making on the earth to keep the good coming.

Be kind to the earth from your very own kitchen with these five simple tips.

1.      Big Money

Obviously, the big energy saver would be to switch out those old, energy-guzzling appliances for their newer green counterparts. If that’s an option for you, go for it! The environment will thank you. If that’s a little too pricey of a change for your taste, keep reading.

2.      Be Smart

Save energy the old fashioned way, by making wise choices. Covering a pot makes water boil twice as fast, using half the energy. Use the toaster oven for one-portion cooking. Turn the stove off a few minutes before you’re done cooking, and let the lingering heat do the remaining work. It’s the small things that add up to big changes!

3.      Eat Raw

Not only are raw foods like fruits and veggies and nuts great for your health, they’re great choices for the planet! They don’t require cooking, so they save tons of energy, and they also require less packaging, so you contribute less waste to the landfill. It’s a win-win-win.

4.      Less Plastic

Speaking of landfills, they’re full of our food containers, grocery bags, plastic packaging, and the list goes on. Reducing our use of these readily disposable – but hardly biodegradable – objects is surprisingly easy. A few small changes include storing leftovers in glass rather than plastic (which is also an infinitely wiser choice for your health, by the way), buying food in bulk and dividing it into glass containers at home to reduce wasted packaging, and bringing your own totes to the grocery store.

5.      Wash Nice

Be careful what you wash with. Many popular kitchen soaps and cleaning products are petroleum-based or brimming with other harmful chemicals. We may forget about the soap once it’s down the drain, but it doesn't bio degrade. It’s harmful to our animals, the earth, and us, so choose better cleaners that are plant-based instead. A few earth-friendly brands are likely available in your neighbourhood grocery store.

Keep the love flowing from your kitchen to your friends, family, and the earth!

She Sells Seashells (and Energy?) by the Seashore

By: Jessica Robertson

The power of the ocean is undeniable. With new technology, that power could be harnessed in such a way that seashells and seafood won’t be our greatest export from the watery giant for much longer.

Renewable energy falls into the top-priority category among global sustainability issues; the more avenues we have for garnering clean, renewable energy, the better for our planet. The ocean is full of frighteningly powerful, high-energy water, and turning that power into electricity would be emission-free, and genius. Good thing the plans, though in their infancy, are underway!

Some of the biggest names in the energy industry are teaming up to turn these ideas into reality. Lockheed Martin, Scottish PowerRenewables, MeyGen, UC Berkeley, and the US Navy are just a few of the familiar names on these impressive projects. Five types of power-generating machines are under testing, either in the lab or in the open seas, currently.

Two of the projects, particularly, are standouts. The largest wave energy project, already in the water off the coasts of Australia, consists of special buoys anchored to the ocean floor; as waves roll, the buoy moves with the wave and the anchor stays intact, causing the tension to power a hydraulic pump. The energy moves through wires to the coast, where it is stored; one single buoy’s energy can power an astounding maximum of 10,000 homes. While that number is staggering, the most effective prototype, it seems, is known as the magic carpet. Intended to be placed off the coast of California, on the sea floor, the giant mats absorb the energy that is normally dissipated into the sand on the bottom of the ocean. Careful placement of the mats, avoiding coral reefs and other marine habitats, could also create “safe zones” to protect harbors during wild storms and prevent erosion due to their ability to absorb up to 90% of waves’ energy.  Just a one square-meter patch of the mat creates enough power for two homes. Open-ocean trials are scheduled to begin in April 2016.

One familiar approach, designed similarly to wind turbines, underwater turbines rely on the tidal pull of the water rather than waves, turning the arms of the machine and creating a steady source of energy. Water turbines, though, present a significant threat to marine life that may be hurt by the many moving mechanical parts; efforts are being made to prevent any collateral damage to the environment. Another proposal, called the Sea Serpent, is at work floating off the coasts of Scotland, where jointed segments flex along with the movement of the waves to power hydraulic pumps and store energy that is delivered to the shore by underwater cables.

All the models must be designed to survive the ferocious storms that the ocean can deliver, and the fifth model banks on its simplicity to survive. As the low profile machine floats atop the water, it funnels high-pressure water through a pump to shore, where the majority of the machinery remains to convert the water pressure into electricity. This design has already proven itself in its two-and-a-half-year lifetime working on the seas.

Each of the projects has its challenges, but the real vision of clean and renewable energy helps overcome the hurdles that arise with the advent of new technology. 

Loving Your Luscious Locks

Kate M. Serrano

 They say the hair is our crowning glory. Some conditions and medications does not only affect the body, they can cause serious damage on the hair too. How the hair looks says a lot about a person’s health. Here are some “hair issues” worth considering and some easy prevention steps.

Dandruff.  Doctors are not sure how we get it but a theory suggests that it may be due to an overgrowth of fungus, stress, weather conditions or obesity. Although the itching and flakes can be quite embarrassing, dandruff is not contagious. Anti-dandruff shampoos may be used to decrease the build-up of dandruff, and there is no right or wrong shampoo for this. You may need to try several dandruff shampoos to see which one works best. If it doesn’t help, it’s time to consult your doctor.

Sun Damage. Too much exposure to the sun can make hair brittle, break and split easily. Worst, it can make it dry as a mop. Hair care products are to be chosen carefully especially for those with thinning hair. It is important to choose a shampoo that provides sunscreen protection. And for days when you need to be out in the sun for long, it doesn’t hurt to wear a hat or bring along an umbrella.

Crash Diets. In extreme cases, crash diets can cause hair damage. Hair needs a good dose of protein and vitamins to stay healthy and often times low calorie diets do not provide the sufficient nutrients it needs. If vitamin deficiency is high, this could result to hair loss. To help keep hair healthy and shiny, your hair food list should consist of salmon, walnuts, spinach, carrots, oysters, whole grains, vegetables and cashew. And the double whammy – anything that is good for the hair is also good for the heart.

Overstyling. You may look like Barbie popping out of a magazine but too much blow drying, ironing, coloring, bleaching and even over-brushing weakens hair. This makes hair dry and dull. It may not cause permanent damage but over-styling may lead to a point where your only option is to cut off your locks and start over.

Hair care may often be neglected in our effort to look good at all times but the formula is very simple. When it comes to hair, doing less leads to a healthier tress.

An Environmental Story of Resiliency and Commitment

By: Jessica Robertson

The U.S. state of California has long been a leader in hydroelectricity production, but in 2013, a major drought dropped the state to its lowest levels of hydroelectricity production in over two decades. But, how did they manage to keep the power flowing without water? The state’s commitment to clean energy and a never-die spirit keep pushing them through with hardly a worry.

            Even though the drought has hit agriculture and water tables hard, the state can lean on its good planning, natural gas, and newly introduced renewable energy sources to keep the lights on. With prior experience in energy crises, California regulations do well to prepare for even the worst-case scenarios; so, spirits are high.

            The boost in renewable energy programs, like solar and wind power and even geothermal energy, has helped ease the burden of the drought. These new initiatives, specifically, have bolstered the energy-generation capacity; the pressure caused by the lack of hydroelectricity in the time of drought has amped up the importance and efficiency of these relatively new projects.  However, sunshine and wind cannot be called upon on a whim; natural gas has stepped in to provide the energy when the renewable resources cannot.

            Recent rain and snowstorms have hinted that the drought may be on its way out. However, the precipitation totals are incredibly lower than average, leaving a long way to go before danger is at bay and before energy costs can remain low. Experts say that even though the recent storms have brought much-needed relief, it may take up to a year to see real recovery. The state is hopeful that despite the drought, if it is here to stay, they can remain committed to clean and renewable energy. 

Honey; not so sweet anymore.

By: Daniela Silva

Honey becomes more valuable after every drop consumed, due to the astonishing decline of our apinae friends. Honey bees of all different species are dropping dead from various diseases and viruses, yet; this has not become a serious concern for many. With the rapid collapse of hives and species it has become brutally detrimental to our ecosystem and our flora; and detrimental to our future perseverance. Colony collapse disorder and many other diseases are contributing to the demise of our bees; a crucial part of life.

Colony collapse disorder; also known as spring dwindle, fall dwindle disease, autumn collapse and disappearing disease has been observed to  affect beehives worldwide creating disastrous effects for the apinae. The bees become hesitant to eat, young bees will take over most of the workforce until the hive becomes dormant of adult bees.Many disappear without a trace and are presumed dead. However the hive is not completely left alone, capped brood still remain and the queen remains in the hive

It is presumed that pesticides and insecticides may be the prime source of colony collapse disorder, however scientists are not certain and continue to study this phenomenon. Without bees, we are looking at the endangerment of a vast majority of our flora, ecosystems and animals who depend on bees for the pollination of their food source then have to completely alter the way they live; possibly leading to the endangerment of animal species.

The way this can affect us is through pharmaceuticals; due to the fact that most medicines are plant based.Without the production of plants we would lose many different medications that people depend on such as morphine. Bio fuel will become scarce; making us dependent on fossil fuels and non renewable energies. Most importantly, the air we breathe will become polluted and life will become unsustainable. Our ecosystem relies on this species, and we need to further take charge and protect these small creatures. Do your part and limit the use of pesticides and insecticides. Your life may depend on it.