Ecological Technology

Can we solve our current energy crisis in an ecologically friendly manner? Can we gain better understanding on ecological systems when viewed from a technological perspective? The answer is a big yes but only if our intellect is up to the challenge.

Ecology, the branch of science that deals with the interactions of living organisms and their environment, a term derived from two Greek words which mean "the study of the home" while technology is the totality of the means employed to provide objects necessary for human sustenance and comfort.

Since humans are the dominant "life form" on this planet, and are viewed as the cause célèbre for all of our ecological problems. Paradoxically, it is us that can only solve the problems that we create in the first place. One of the problems that we face today is our increasing demand for energy generation that is not necessarily environmentally friendly to begin with. How we go about solving this must go hand in hand on how we will protect our environment just to keep our planet habitable in the future. All the energy that mankind utilizes, whether renewable or not, all come from nature. Only a handful of scientists like R.

Buckminster Fuller view ecosystems as an interrelationship between matter and energy or more aptly living organisms and energy.

All ecosystems are governed by: "The Laws of Thermodynamics", this is the relationship between matter and energy in a system. The First Law of Thermodynamics states that "the sum total energy in a system is constant" i.e. energy can neither be created nor destroyed. The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that there is a tendency toward entropy or maximum disorganization of a structure and the loss of usable energy. These laws prevent us from formulating an easy solution to our energy problem in an ecologically friendly manner. But first, let's check out how nature manages energy to sustain an ecosystem.

In autotrophic based ecosystems, the energy that is stored through net primary production by photosynthetic organisms is used to support higher trophic levels. Energy flows only one way through these levels with decreasing amount at each level. The energy that is captured by the autotrophs (photosynthetic plants) does not revert back to the sun. And also; what energy that flows to the herbivore does not flow back to the photosynthetic plants, and so on, as it moves through the various trophic levels, energy is no longer available to the previous level. The important implication of this unidirectional flow of energy in an ecosystem is that the system would collapse if the primary source of energy, like the sun is cut off.

The next major fact to be noted is the progressive decrease in energy at each trophic level. This fact can be explained by the energy lost as heat in metabolic activity and manifests here as respiration. This particular ecosystem also has a large amount of unutilized energy. Even if more of this "unutilized energy" is being used in a more efficient system, there would still be considerable loss due to respiration. Thus, even with more efficient energy utilization, considerable energy would still be required to maintain the system.

These factors-Unidirectional energy flow and inefficient energy utilization-account for the requirement of a steady stream of energy to avoid the collapse of an ecosystem. An ecosystem simply cannot itself when deprived of a source of energy input for an extended period of time.

Ringo Bonsubre is a Computer Engineering Graduate with Degree in Education.His works includes Blogs on Environmental Issues and All About Hybrid Cars

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The Blue Green Alliance

The Blue Green alliance is an important ingredient of the essential environmental movement. The Blue Green Alliance works directly with industry to create a safer cleaner world environment. The principal concerns of Blue Green Alliance are fair trade, global warming, and a reduction of toxins in the environment and promotion of clean energy.

The Blue Green Alliance was created by bond between a large grassroots environmental institute of over 750, 000 members and the United Steelworkers union of over 850,000 members to attend to the need for a safer and cleaner world environment. In the United States the Blue Green Alliance is specifically between environmentalists and labor unions. The aim of the Blue Green Alliance is to educate the country against the concerning idea that being environmentally friendly has an unconstructive impact on labor and industry.

The principle vision of the Blue Green Alliance is to encourage labor friendly tactics in the struggle against global warning. Certainly alliance has been successful in gaining attention in politically motivated presidential campaigns.

The executive director David Foster is established in headquarters in Minneapolis Minnesota. The future plans of the Blue Green alliance is to establish divisions in steel workers offices right across the United States, with the objective of maintaining close contact between the two organizations.

Indeed many politicians do feel that the Blue Green alliance is what our country needs for the future and have not hesitated to offer their support.

The Blue Green alliance is without question rapidly growing. With attention on Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Washington the Blue Green Alliance is attentive to the creation of a sound job market utilizing renewable energy sources and energy efficient procedure. Plans for expansion of the work of the alliance to other states is already underway, with 17 campaigns established the Blue Green alliance is certainly not lagging. A coalition has been established in California with the goal to clean up drinking water polluted with toxic chemical. The devastating hurricanes of Rita and Katrina have seen the Blue Green Alliance working tirelessly on efforts to clean toxic soil hampering the ability of many people to return to their homes. The blue Green Alliance successfully joined in protest against the dumping of toxic chemicals into them beautiful Jordan River. These initiatives and many more have continued to prove the value of the alliance, ensuring success well into the future.

The importance of the projects the Blue Green alliance undertakes has encouraged appeal from both government offices and the general public. The alliance genuinely helps people and our world environment. This is a primary factor in the success and rapid growth of this essential alliance.

Global warming is a threat that will affect generations to come. The atmosphere surrounding us that supports life is a God-given gift. It must be protected. We should be leaders in efforts to curb global warming, not resistant followers. Erin Hunt is an avid writer and activist. She discovered that many are still unaware of the dangers of global warming and thus created a website to educate others on how they can play a role in the fight against global warming. Find out how you can make a difference at http://www.fightagainstglobalwarming.com

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