(GE’s first HPC free model)

Scientists continue to discover gases more damaging to the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. GE just announced Tuesday it will be the first refrigerator producer to eliminate a gas called HFC (Hydroflorocarbon) 134a from its frig insulation materials. HFCs have 1,430 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide.

Before using HFCs, frig manufacturers used CFCs as a blowing agent and refrigerant. But then CFCs were banned because of their effect on the ozone. Were HFCs that great of a replacement?

GE is the first frig manufacturer to propose eliminating HFCs from their processing. One potential replacement gas is cyclopentane, a hydrocarbon molecule with a global warming potential of 3 to 10. GE has already converted one factory to cyclopentane, which will eliminate 400,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year (equivalent to 78,000 cars taken off the road).

Frig companies are also working to recapture some of the harmful gases still locked in the insulation of trashed refrigerators.

The question(s) is(are) then, (a) why didn’t they replace CFC with cyclopentane back in the 1970s?, (b) are scientists going to discover some environmentally damaging impact of cyclopentane 20 years from now?, and (c) is anyone designing a carbon neutral refrigerator?

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/26/when-refrigerators-warm-the-planet/#more-100107

Many astronaut corps are now asking themselves what do to next, especially considering that NASA’s space program has been shut down. According to the New York Times article titled “With ‘Coolest Job Ever’ Ending, Astronauts Seek Next Frontier,” shuttle missions such as The Endeavour and the Atlantis are going to be the last launches that we see.

The end of active space shuttles could be foreseen back in 2009, which was the case for John M. Grunsfeld. After his last flight in May of 2009 he asked Dr. Peggy Whitson, head of NASA’s astronaut office, what his chances were of going on another mission. Her response was “Slim to none.”

Grunsfeld has since left NASA, and he is currently the deputy director of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore. Many other NASA employees have since left to seek employment in other areas. Last year alone 20 astronauts left the active-duty roster and 61 remain; this is down from a peak of close to 150 astronauts in 2000.

Despite the disappointment with NASA ending its space shuttle program, there are other options to get into space! For instance, former NASA astronaut Garrett E. Reisman now works for SpaceX, which was founded by Internet entrepreneur Elon Musk. Reisman has since logged in more than three months in space and has conducted work on the space station’s robotic arm. He is now working on a rocket called Falcon 9 and a spacecraft called the Dragon.

Many of the former NASA astronauts are still “wistful” about the lost opportunity of flying on one of the few remaining flights, but it is nice to know that there is still opportunity for current and aspiring astronauts and engineers within other areas.

New York Times, 4/23/2011

The Cape Wind project is a plan to construct a wind park about five miles off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The park would be located in a region, Horseshoe Shoal, with strong, consistent winds, and far enough away from shipping and commercial boat traffic. The 130 turbines would be nearly silent from close distance, not audible at all from land, would not affect telecommunications and will include safety lights. It would produce an enough electricity to satisfy about 75 percent of the energy needs of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Supporters of the project claim that the project will help produce cleaner air and lower greenhouse gas emissions, help make the country more energy independent, lower energy costs, and create thousands of jobs (both long- and short-term).

Most opponents, while supporting sustainable energy in theory, claim that Cape Wind would simply be located in the wrong location. Critics have stated the the project could diminish real estate costs, harm birds, destroy the fishing industry that relies on Nantucket Sound and ruin the aesthetic appeal of an otherwise untarnished horizon over the beaches of Cape Cod.

Opponents have also stated the leaders of the project are more concerned with ecotourism than with producing sustainable energy. Leaders of the project seem to be of the same mindset as Stephen Mather, the first Director of the National Park Service, who was concerned with bringing people to national parks, not merely with conservation. The project is still in the process of being approved, but it will take leadership that can unite the interests of all invested parties in order for it to succeed.

Here are computer simulations of how the wind farm would appear from the coast. Do you support or oppose Cape Wind? How can all interests be reconciled so that the project can begin?

As a portion of NASA’s informative and educational program, the organization has created a website for the Hubble Telescope, featuring satellite images directly from the Hubble Telescope, as well as interactive demos that allow individuals to simulate solar system events. One specific interactive program is the black hole simulator, which is incredible. “Experiencing a Black Hole” … The introduction video provides users with an educational presentation of the formation of black holes, the issues associated with them and the methods we can undergo to comprehend them. Among the many facets of physical geography, I believe that the availability of information to understand the solar system is extremely critical. Only a few, privileged individuals have had the opportunity to directly experience space  and all of its phenomenons…with this website, individuals of all ages can come to understand the energy, time and process required to travel through space (and almost feel like you’re flying through space too!) The Black Hole simulation prompts users to consider all elements of space, ranging from the definitions of planets, stars and nebulae to estimating light years from earth and lightspeed required for travel. Since the solar system almost completely inaccessible for direct experiences, this website executes its mission of space education in an engaging manner.

The climate is vital and is talked about everyday. People argue about climate change and the impact on global warming, or if global warming exists. This website allows one to search up any city in the world and provides am ample amount of useful statistics. The website breaks the data into counties and provides data about average rainfall, average minimum temperature, average maximum temperature, heating degree days, cooling degree days, and even 24-hour average temperatures. They break down the data further into months and various times of year.

Visit World Climate!

This website is all about clouds.  The author of this blog, Kelly Dulay, has committed to taking videos and pictures of clouds everyday for one full year.  The videos are amazing and the pictures are all so complex and different.  The artist has classified his photographs according to month and time of day.  This website is a wonderful combination of art and geography.  The artist includes his philosophy on producing and creating art in the “About” section of the blog.  Enjoy!