As regional shortages of fresh water become more prevalent, solar distillation using a single-effect basin holds promise as a method to bring low-cost, clean, and ecologically-responsible water to remote area dwellers. Compound parabolic concentrators (CPCs) can be used to direct more light onto the still increasing the throughput and efficiency of these passive solar devices. A computer program has been developed that uses the properties of materials and the solar energy characteristics of the site to calculate the increase in output of water due to reflectors of different height. For reflector 2.5 times the width of the still, the output per unit area per day roughly triples with only ~10% increase in cost and moderate maintenance (weekly tilts), indicating that CPCs have a significant economic advantage in producing solar distilled water.

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Ashok Gadgil of Berkeley Lab has developed a low-cost and highly efficient method to remove arsenic from water to less than 10 parts per billion (ppb) – the World Health Organization and U.S. EPA standard for drinking water. The technology has been tested in Bangladesh and Cambodia and proven effective. The cost of the treatment is projected to be substantially less than current technologies because it uses a material that is already a waste product to remove the arsenic.

This invention “Arsenic Removal Using Bottom Ash” or ARUBA is based on coating the surfaces of particles of bottom ash (a finely powdered and sterile waste material from coal-fired power plants) with ferric (hydr)oxide . The manufacturing process is conducted at room-temperature and atmospheric pressure. Thus, the material can be produced with relatively simple equipment at low cost.

Removing arsenic from contaminated drinking water is simple. ARUBA is mixed into the water, where it reacts with and immobilizes arsenic by adsorption and/or co-precipitation. The resulting complex can be filtered or settled out of the water, and is safe enough for disposal in municipal landfills, per EPA standards.

Bottom ash is much less expensive than solid ferric oxide particles, which are often used as a filter media to bond arsenic species. Moreover, it has a high surface to volume ratio meaning that less material is required for water treatment, and hence less waste is produced.

The cost of raw materials needed for ARUBA production is expected to be low- less than 0.5 cents ($0.005) per kg ARUBA. Based on field results over three trips to Bangladesh in 2007 and 2008, treating 1 liter of Bangladesh groundwater at an initial arsenic concentration of 400 ppb requires approximately 4-5 grams of ARUBA

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If you are a vegan or vegetarian with a secret stash of candy, jelly beans or dark chocolate, join the club. A constant craving for carbs with occasional headaches, muscle or joint pain may be due to a slight deficiency of protein.

The symptoms of a severe protein deficiency include:

• Edema (swelling)
• Thinning brittle hair and/or hair loss
• Ridges in finger and toe nails
• Skin rashes; dry skin
• Weakness
• Constant Fatigue
• Muscle soreness and cramps
• Slow healing
• Skin ulcers
• Sleep issues
• Frequent headache
• Nausea
• Fainting
• Depression/anxiety

Sooo, what can we do to reverse this condition? Carnivores and omnivores simply chow down on anything that moves. Vegans and vegetarians have a slightly more complicated problem, but one that’s nonetheless manageable. Here’s a list of protein sources found in Kingdom Plantae:

• Seeds, sprouted
• Nuts
• Beans
• Lentils
• Whole grains (in order from highest to lowest protein content): Wheat, amaranth, oats, rye, triticale, teff, spelt, wild rice, barley, buckwheat, quinoa, millet, sorghum, corn, rice.
• Soy
• Peas
• Peanuts
• Spinach
• Potato
• Sweet potato
• Algae
• Seaweed

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Understanding different types of plastics is crucial when making decisions on items for your family and home. Recycling numbers, ranging 1 through 7, are used to specify what type of plastic is contained in an item and in turn how that item may be recycled. They are found inside an M.C. Escher style triangle of arrows turned in on themselves on the bottom of most plastic containers. Of the seven different types of plastic available on the American market, all are based on a different resin. Each of these seven varies in both its effect on environmental safety and ease of recycling. What follows is a general outline of most types of plastics along with their most common uses.

PLASTIC #1: POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE (PET OR PETE)
Common uses: 2 liter soda bottles, single use water bottle containers, cooking oil bottles, peanut butter jars.
This is the most widely recycled plastic. Commonly recycled, PET is semi-rigid and very lightweight. It’s best suited for single-use containers as it can break down when exposed to light and heat, causing it to leach. PET can also be recycled into fabric, similar in strength and appearance to virgin nylon.

PLASTIC #2: HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE (HDPE)
Common uses: detergent bottles, milk jugs.
HDPE is a sturdy and reliable non-leaching translucent plastic. HDPE resists UV penetration, which can damage and discolor the plastic. Dishwasher-safe and able to withstand temperatures from -148 to 176° F (-100 to 80° C), it’s ideal for food and beverage storage.

PLASTIC #3: POLYVINYL CHLORIDE (PVC)
Common uses: plastic pipes, outdoor furniture, shrink wrap, water bottles, salad dressing and liquid detergent containers.
Most PVC vinyl products contain phthalates, which mimic human hormones and also affect various life forms including fish and invertebrates adversely. For this reason, we do not recommend products made from PVC for food storage.

PLASTIC #4: LOW DENSITY POLYETHYLENE (LDPE)
Common uses: dry cleaning bags, produce bags, trash can liners, food storage containers.
LDPE are safe, non-leaching plastics. Flexible, impact-resistant and microwave-proof, it’s dishwasher-safe and able to withstand temperatures from -148 to 176° F (-100 to 80° C). Safe for use with food and beverages.

PLASTIC #5: POLYPROPYLENE (PP)
Common uses: bottle caps, food containers, drinking straws.
BPA-free, polypropylene is commonly used for injection molding. It’s resistance to high heat generally makes it microwave and dishwasher safe, as well as a good option for food and beverage storage.

PLASTIC #6: POLYSTYRENE (PS)
Common uses: packaging pellets or “Styrofoam peanuts,” cups, plastic tableware, meat trays, to-go “clam shell” containers.
Polystyrene foam is a major component of plastic debris in the ocean, where it becomes toxic to marine life. Currently, the majority of polystyrene products are not recycled. This material should be avoided.

PLASTIC #7: OTHER
Common uses: LEXAN, certain kinds of food containers and Tupperware.
This plastic category includes any plastic other than the above named types. These containers can be any of the several different types of plastic polymers.
Polycarbonate is the most commonly-known #7 plastic. Proven to leach BPA, it is not recommended for food storage. Not all “other” plastic is polycarbonate, however. Plastics labeled #7 can also be a combination of several safe plastics. You should engage in due-diligence when making decisions about #7 plastics.

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Want to know why GMO foods are not labeled as such? The following “Representatives” have voted against legislation that would require truth in labeling. Well, we each have a vote too.

Alexander (R-TN), Ayotte (R-NH), Baldwin (D-WI), Barrasso (R-WY), Baucus (D-MT), Blunt (R-MO), Boozman (R-AR), Brown (D-OH), Burr (R-NC), Carper (D-DE), Casey (D-PA), Chambliss (R-GA), Coats (R-IN), Coburn (R-OK), Cochran (R-MS), Collins (R-ME), Coons (D-DE), Corker (R-TN), Cornyn (R-TX), Cowan (D-MA) ,Crapo (R-ID) ,Cruz (R-TX) ,Donnelly (D-IN), Durbin (D-IL) ,Enzi (R-WY) ,Fischer (R-NE) ,Franken (D-MN), Gillibrand (D-NY), Graham (R-SC), Grassley (R-IA), Hagan (D-NC), Harkin (D-IA), Hatch (R-UT), Heitkamp (D-ND), Heller (R-NV), Hoeven (R-ND), Inhofe (R-OK), Isakson (R-GA), Johanns (R-NE), Johnson (D-SD), Johnson (R-WI), Kaine (D-VA), Kirk (R-IL), Klobuchar (D-MN), Landrieu (D-LA), Lee (R-UT), Levin (D-MI), McCain (R-AZ), McCaskill (D-MO), McConnell (R-KY), Menendez (D-NJ), Moran (R-KS), Nelson (D-FL), Paul (R-KY), Portman (R-OH), Pryor (D-AR), Risch (R-ID), Roberts (R-KS), Rubio (R-FL), Scott (R-SC), Sessions (R-AL), Shaheen (D-NH), Shelby (R-AL), Stabenow (D-MI), Thune (R-SD), Toomey (R-PA), Udall (D-CO), Vitter (R-LA), Warner (D-VA), Warren (D-MA), Wicker (R-MS)

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SunnyBot is about the size of a large desk lamp and is equipped with an on-board mirror that continuously adjusts to reflect the sun’s rays on a chosen area. It is integrated with a dual-axis microcomputer that’s powered by a row of solar cells and comes with an optional feedback system. The device redirects 7,000 lumens (equal to a single 500 watt halogen lamp) with a range at just over 656 feet.

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Stacey Irvine looks surprisingly well for a 17-year-old who’s eaten only chicken nuggets since she was 2. She claims never to have tasted fruits or vegetables, but admits to sometimes eating fries and toast. “McDonald’s chicken nuggets are my favorite,” said Stacey. “I share 20 with my boyfriend.” She also enjoys nuggets from KFC and the supermarket.

Stacey recently went to the hospital after passing out from struggling to breathe, doctors told her that she absolutely had to eat more healthily. She’s been told in no uncertain terms that she will die if she carries on like this, but Stacey says she can’t eat anything else.

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A 2005 report by the Office of Inspector General for the USDA was critical of government oversight of field tests of GMO crops. The report said there was a risk “that regulated genetically engineered organisms… will inadvertently persist in the environment before they are deemed safe to grow without regulation.”

While the reports noted problems with government oversight, USDA itself lists 21 “major incidents of noncompliance” from 1995 through 2011. Five of those involved Monsanto and included a failure by the company to properly monitor test fields, a failure to follow certain test planting protocols and a failure to properly notify regulators about test activities.

A report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office in 2008 highlighted several gaps in regulations designed to prevent genetically altered crops from escaping test plots.

The report’s conclusions were based on USDA data that there were 712 violations of its regulations from 2003 to 2007, including 98 that could lead to a possible release of unauthorized crops.

The GAO study said the USDA lacked the resources to conduct routine testing on areas adjacent to the GMO crops. Instead, the report found, the government relied on biotechnology companies to voluntarily provide test results.

Many international buyers will not accept genetically modified grain, and several U.S. food companies also reject GMOs. When Monsanto in 2004 shelved its Roundup Ready wheat research, the move came amid a backlash from foreign buyers who said they would reject U.S. wheat if DNA-altered wheat was commercialized.

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The latest expansion of Google’s Knowledge Graph will make nutrition information more accessible. The new nutrition service is rolling out to those in the U.S. over the next 10 days, Google said. It will be available on desktop and mobile search, but only in English at this point. Google promised to add additional foods, and make this feature available in other languages in the future.
The Web giant announced plans to add nutritional information for more than 1,000 fruits, vegetables, meats, and meals directly into search. This means that when you Google something like “how much protein is in a banana?” or “how many calories are in an avocado?” you’ll get the answers right away, without having to click through to any of the actual search results.
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