Global Energy is Out of Balance

 

A new study released by NASA provides further evidence that greenhouse gases are the main driving force behind global warming.

The study looked at the planet's energy imbalance, which calculates the difference between the amount of solar energy absorbed by the surface of the Earth and the amount that's sent back to space as heat. According to the calculations derived from the study, between 2005 and 2010 the Earth absorbed more heat than it gave off, in spite of lower than usual solar activity.

When the imbalance is positive — that is, when the planet absorbs more heat than it gives off — it means that global temperatures are growing warmer.

"The fact that we still see a positive imbalance despite the prolonged solar minimum isn't a surprise given what we've learned about the climate system," explained James Hansen, director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies. "But it's worth noting because this provides unequivocal evidence that the sun is not the dominant driver of global warming,"

The data was gathered using a network of floating temperature monitoring devices, which NASA has dubbed Argo. The data gathered from the 3,400 floats was then combined with ground-based and satellite data to form the basis of the study.

New "Vacs From the Sea" Made from Recycled Plastic

After months scouring for discarded plastic around the world, the folks over at Sweden-based Electrolux have introduced their new limited edition Vacs from the Sea collection. The five vacuums dubbed the North Sea, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Pacific Ocean, and Baltic Sea Edition were each created using recycled plastic collected from the ocean in which it gets its name.

The plastic debris was collected with the help of organizations and people already active in the cause.  Each unique Vac from the Sea was designed to represent on of the five oceans/seas and is completely functional. Electrolux currently produces Green Range vacuum cleaners made from 70 percent recycled plastic, but it wants to reach 100 percent.

The vacs will go on display soon to raise awareness about the waves of plastic garbage floating in our oceans that could easily be used to create sustainable products here on dry land. One of these bad boys will also be auctioned off and the revenue will go toward research. The pollution of our world effects us all, so take part in the Ocean Initiatives to make our world a better place for us and our little marine friends. 

Turning Plastic Waste Into Land: Recycled Island

There's a lot of discarded plastic floating around the oceans, and now a Dutch architecture firm, Whim, has revealed plans to recycle that plastic and turn it into a giant, floating city the size of Hawaii.

According to the company's Web site, the project has three main goals: to clear the plastic waste from the oceans, to create new land, and to make that land sustainable. The plan is to not only turn the plastic waste into a livable island, but to also make that island both green and sustainable. Electricity would be provided through solar and blue energy sources, and possibly wind turbines as well. The proposed island would also make use of compost toilets and seaweed farms.

The proposal has already gained support in the form of a grant from the Netherlands Architecture Fund. If the island is built, it will be located in the North Pacific Gyre, which is home to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

You can learn more about the project at RecycledIsland.com.

Plastic Bottles Used To Build School In The Philippines

The town of San Pablo, Philippines has come up with a creative way of recycling old plastic bottles: by using them to build a new school.

Residents of the city recently gathered as many plastic 1.5 and 2 liter bottles as they could find, and then used them as building material for a brand new school. The bottles are held in place with adobe, a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and other organic materials. Surprisingly, in addition to being much cheaper, adobe is actually around three times stronger than concrete, making this "bottle school," as it's affectionately known, quite the sturdy structure.

25 Plastic Bottles Equals One Truck Carpet

Ford is once again utilizing recycled materials in its cars, this time by making carpets out of old plastic bottles.

The upcoming Ford Escape will feature a carpet made from recycled 20-ounce plastic bottles. Each carpet amounts to 25 bottles. Based on current sales, this means that around four million bottles will be reused over the next year.

"It's a good use of recycled product and keeps it out of landfills," Ford materials engineer Laura Sinclair said.

The carpets are tested with a device that simulates five or more years of wear within as little as 10-15 minutes. For the bottle carpets, the engineers are able to increase durability simply by adding additional bottles, which are then turned into polyester fibers. More fibers means reduced wear.

Ford has also experimented with using dandelions for rubber car components and using soy and old tires to create new gaskets and seals.