by Global Patriot on February 26, 2010
Most of us take electricity for granted, and couldn’t imagine life without it, but 1.6 billion people, nearly 25% of humanity, currently live without access to electricity. In most cases, their only source of light once the sun goes down comes from candles or kerosene lamps.
Even during the day, inadequate lighting inside school rooms will marginalize a child’s education, and light coming from kerosene lamps is so poor that children can only see their schoolbooks if they are almost on top of the flame, directly inhaling even more of the toxic smoke. The opportunity for a child to read and study after sundown has a significant effect on their education, and thus, their entire life.
Light Up The World is an organization determined to make a difference in this area by providing light sources based on renewable energy. They’ve sponsored projects in Afghanistan, Ecuador, Honduras, India, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Sierra Leone, Costa Rica, Papua New Guinea and many other countries.
- For our end-use clients, sustainable light and energy translates to furtherance of education, household safety, a cleaner indoor environment and significant economic savings.
- For local distributors sustainable light and energy products translate into livelihood and family support.
- For communities, these products offer economic renewal and reduced pressure on scarce resources such as wood for fuel and new opportunities for clean water distribution.
- Globally, these products contribute to reduced greenhouse gas and other pollution.
Typical LED Lighting System
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by Global Patriot on February 24, 2010
Branding, advertising and philanthropy have been around for centuries, but in the past decade there has been a shift in some quarters of corporate America, a shift that is still focused on branding, but which chooses to support worthwhile causes rather than just producing more marketing material for public consumption. My Brand = Doing Good.
Pepsi has gained a substantial measure of attention in this regard with the recent introduction of their Pepsi Refresh Project. With grants ranging from $5,000 to $250,000 per project they have devised a campaign that appeals to a variety of charitable needs within the categories of Health, Arts & Culture, Food & Shelter, The Planet, Neighborhoods and Education. Do you have an idea that needs funding?
They are also sponsoring a Celebrity Challenge on Facebook, and the initial competition is between Kevin Bacon and Demi Moore. In the videos below they explain what they would do with the $250,000 prize money. Watch them both, then cast your vote!
Voting ends February 28 – Cast your Vote for Kevin Bacon or Demi Moore’s Refresh Project!
What are your thoughts on how corporations can play a role in supporting causes?
by Global Patriot on February 21, 2010
The heavy use of oil and gas based products to heat our homes and fuel our transportation infrastructure has captured much of the media attention in recent years, but increasingly the spotlight has been directed on the use of coal with respect to the generation of electricity.
An article on Planet Earth Fundamentals lead to a follow up post titled Fossil Fuel Fundamentals – Oil. As opposed to a liquid that is pumped from the ground and refined into various products before use, coal is first mined (underground or surface removal) then burned to power our homes and factories.
Strip Coal Mining Operation
While we appreciate having the lights on, and powering our appliances and machinery, we pay a high price by burning coal to do so. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, this is the impact of an average coal-fire power plant. (There are more than 600 coal-fired plants in the United States!)
A typical 500-megawatt coal-fired power plant draws about 2.2 billion gallons of water each year from nearby water bodies, such as lakes, rivers, or oceans, to create steam for turning its turbines.
This is enough water to support a city of approximately 250,000 people.
- 3,700,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), the primary human cause of global warming–as much carbon dioxide as cutting down 161 million trees.
- 10,000 tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2), which causes acid rain that damages forests, lakes, and buildings, and forms small airborne particles that can penetrate deep into lungs.
- 500 tons of small airborne particles, which can cause chronic bronchitis, aggravated asthma, and premature death, as well as haze obstructing visibility.
- 10,200 tons of nitrogen oxide (NOx), as much as would be emitted by half a million late-model cars. NOx leads to formation of ozone (smog) which inflames the lungs, burning through lung tissue making people more susceptible to respiratory illness.
- 720 tons of carbon monoxide (CO), which causes headaches and place additional stress on people with heart disease.
- 220 tons of hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds (VOC), which form ozone.
- 170 pounds of mercury, where just 1/70th of a teaspoon deposited on a 25-acre lake can make the fish unsafe to eat.
- 225 pounds of arsenic, which will cause cancer in one out of 100 people who drink water containing 50 parts per billion.
- 114 pounds of lead, 4 pounds of cadmium, other toxic heavy metals, and trace amounts of uranium.
Unregulated Coal Ash Site
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