Environmental News

about @300, carbonation of silicate rocks is a fundamental geological (slow) control of atmospheric [CO2]. its mirror image is volcanic exhalation of CO2. Volcanoes also deliver silicate rocks to the surface. In (deep) hot places, carbonate and silicate don't hook up. Up here, they do, but slowly.

Concrete is a synthetic 'half-carbonated' rock used for construction. I find it fascinating that this rock can be so conveniently shaped, but that's off to the side.

Must break silicate rocks into small pieces (which importantly means large surface areas) for this carbonation to proceed at useful rates. Earth's best surface grinders are glaciers leading to another related area of carbon cycling.

==
In soil pores, [CO2] is much higher than atmospheric, so that's where you'd put 'rock flour' if you want carbonation to happen.

 

Introduction to an interesting topic, by way of a freely downloadable publication:

One thing leads to another: Causal chains link health, development, and conservation -- ScienceDaily

 

Back to soils, another thing about glacial rock flour is that it has lots of available nutrients:

Can Greenlandic mud help feed the world? | ScienceNordic

It is not correct that tropical soils are all old and nutrient poor. Volcanic soils are found in tropics are very nutrient rich. Common knowledge? One would hope. As long as your volcano is not angry at the moment (most take long vacations), local agriculture should be very good.

So, to do that Nordic thing, Greenlandic mud is one option. Whether it's your best option depends on what else might be closer.

Also you're going to need a truck. A big truck.

 

Very tiny news except for a few of us

Termites are clearly related to cockroaches, and for a long time had their own 'Order' alongside Blattodea (cockroaches). Now powers that be have voted and termites got demoted.

This is not the worst taxonomic injustice for insects, which I would claim relates to ants, bees and wasps all clumped together. There are connections, with ants and termites being the only truly social insects. Also they relegate wings to rare use. I think each should have their own 'Order' because these are very fundamental differences.

 

OK, touchy subject. US coal-fired power plants are on the dip. I suppose that economical access to gas-turbine E and renewable E are driving factors. I do not suppose that aggressive enforcement of clean-power plan is a driving factor currently. US electrical demand is now about flat, which can be partially attributed to +use efficiency and part to slow +GDP.

But y'know, it does not really matter. Less burning of the worst stuff is good for air quality. Less scraping and holing for coal will yield benefits, when that happens. Smaller produced coal-ash piles will be beneficial when that happens. Coal is a three-way-dirty thing; best we could do in earlier centuries. But now, c'mon. Seriously.

If this is political then off the thread goes. Not a great loss we've (I've) made it too long already. I'll just start another here and behave slightly better.

Uneeda link:

Coal continues its downward slide as more coal-fired plants close

 

When Marco Polo (allegedly) marveled that black rocks were burned in China such that people could take hot baths whenever, it was marvelous.

That was quite a long time ago, and other things are marvelous now.

 

There are rocks and rocks. Was it obvious I was talking about coal? Massage stones are basalt, lava that did not quite get topside, but were later smoothed in river transit.

Really don't know why they'd do more than a heating pad, but there is frisson and it allows spa staff to spend less time at your station.

When I do 'spa' here, it involves dead-skin-eating fish. They really tickle, so you kinda need to meditate.

 

I thought some readers might like to know that this organisation* exists:

Global biodiversity 'crisis' to be assessed at major summit

IPBES | Science and policy for people and nature

They do not often appear in mass media.

 

In response to Federal Judge's request. Several organizations have offered tutorials in response. Here I link only to one, but other linked are welcome, in particular those contrary:

Ars answers a federal judge’s questions about climate change | Ars Technica

 

In regions with low water availability, but with fog (clouds near the ground), fog water can be collected:

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsami.7b17488

That is not new. I must obtain a copy because apparently authors think vertical-strand fog collectors are new. Bah. I made my first one 37 years ago and I was not the first.

Depending on how prior literature is presented, authors may need a slappin'.

 

In about the same era. Caltech folks collected fog water on roof of some campus building with a big motor spinning long wires. Device was incredibly dangerous.

==
If you live in coal-burning or other heavily industrial area, do not drink fog water. Too much flavor

 

Conversely, if you live in a clean place, by all means drink rain or fog. For water connoisseurs, it is the best. Use a clean bucket; actually I recommend glass.

Teflon is absurdly expensive and if we go there we'd also need to talk about perfluorooctanoic acid. Would rather stay in my happy place now.

 

Hobbyist glass fish tanks are not expensive and widely available. So much fun science can be done on your roof.

Happy place

 

Using thread as catchall. US Energy Information Administration in 2016. One chart covering 2012 to 2040:



Of course projections may not be accurate. But my overview is
Coal and nuclear stay near current size
Methane and renewables are similar size throughout and grow at similar rates.
Fuels that add CO2 increase through 2040 by ~43%
Electricity gen increase by ~68%.

Rest of energy story at this 'flyover' resolution is transportation section. That's where most petroleum goes.