Plastic-Eating Fungi Found In The Amazon May Solve World’s Waste Problem

Giving waste water the power to clean itself Microbial reverse-electrodialysis cell. (A) Main components of the microbial reverse electrodialysis cell (MRC), showing the membrane stack between the electrodes, the reference electrodes and the circuit containing a load (resistor). (C) Expanded view of the membrane stack showing flow path of the high (HC) and low (LC) concentrate solutions of ammonium bicarbonate. A technique that combines two novel forms of renewable energy — one relying on bacteria and the other on salt water — generates more electricity than either one alone and cleans waste water at the same time. The Pennsylvania State University researchers show that this configuration can achieve maximum power densities of 3 watts per meter squared, much higher than either technology can achieve on its own. One method for converting this energy to a useable form is to use microbial fuel cells (MFC). Ref.: Cusick, R.

With 1bn hungry and 1bn obese, what is the future of the world's resources? The price of food is rising alongside consumer demand, but at what cost to our future? With starving millions sharing the planet with a similar number who are overweight, is there a danger that our food resources will dry up? Every bite we take has consequences. Every mouthful we digest has an impact. Not just on our bodies, but on the planet. Amid fears of shortages, the food we eat can no longer be taken for granted. The UN says almost 1billion people are undernourished as poorer countries cannot cope with the cost of commodities such as wheat, maize, sugar and meat. It predicts the world’s population will jump from 7billion to 9billion by 2050. ‘There’s overproduction and oversupply of food,’ insists Tim Lang, professor of food policy at City University London. ‘There is more than enough food to feed the world right now.’ He believes the problem is one of distribution: ‘We in the West are getting too much food and the developing world is not getting enough.’

Wind farm scrapped over fears for birds | Environment A £1.5bn wind farm that could have powered almost 400,000 homes has been rejected by the government because it might kill 90 small birds a year. Over £10m, and three and a half years of planning, have been wasted on the 540 megawatt Docking Shoal offshore wind farm near the Lincolnshire and north Norfolk coast which was turned down by the Department of Energy and Climate Change on Friday. "It appears to come down to 94 sandwich terns," said a spokesman for Centrica, the parent group of British Gas which proposed the scheme. The rejection of Docking Shoal came as a second Centrica wind farm in the same area was given the go-ahead – the 580MW Race Bank project. A third 560MW project in the region, known as Dudgeon and operated by Warwick Energy, has also been given the green light by energy minister Charles Hendry. The RSPB admitted it had opposed the Docking Shoal wind farm but said it supported the other schemes in the area.

US researchers build 'waste water generator' 2 March 2012Last updated at 08:28 By Neil Bowdler Science and health reporter, BBC News The prototype uses two separate technologies to generate electricity Researchers in the US have built a prototype device which they say can generate electricity from waste water. The team at Pennsylvania State University says the technology would simultaneously treat the water. They suggest the process could be adopted in developing countries, providing clean water and power for homes. Details are published in the journal Science. Scientists in the Netherlands have for some years been exploring the idea of generating renewable power along the country's coastline, where fresh water from rivers meets the salt water of the sea. Using a process called reverse electrodialysis (RED), fresh water and seawater are placed in intermittent chambers separated by membranes, and an electrochemical charge is created. A Norwegian company is developing a similar technology using saline and fresh water.

Laser 'unprinter' wipes photocopied ink from paper 15 March 2012Last updated at 11:46 ET A close-up image of a sheet of "unphotocopied" paper reveals most of the toner has been removed A process to "unphotocopy" toner ink from paper has been developed by engineers at the University of Cambridge. The process involves using short laser pulses to erase words and images by heating the printed material to the point that they vaporise. The researchers say it works with commonly used papers and toner inks and is more eco-friendly than recycling. However, they add that more research is needed to bring a product to market. "When you fire the laser, it hits the thin toner layer and heats it up until the point that you vaporise it," the team's lead author, David Leal-Ayala told the BBC. "Toner is mostly composed of carbon and a plastic polymer. In their study, published in the Proceedings of The Royal Society A journal and reported by New Scientist, the engineers acknowledge that they are not the first to have thought of the idea. Green pulses

Global mining boom is leading to landgrab, says report | Environment Huichol people near Real de Catorce, Mexico, who are trying to stop a $100m mining project by First Majestic Silver Corp. Photograph: Christian Palma/AP The global mining, oil and gas industries have expanded so fast in the last decade they are now leading to large-scale "landgrabbing" and threatening farming and water supplies, according to a report by environment and development groups in Europe, Africa and India. "The catalogue of devastation is growing. We are no longer talking about isolated pockets of destruction and pollution. In just 10 years, iron ore production has more than doubled, coal has risen 45% and metals like lithium by 125%. "Industrial wastelands are being formed by vast open-pit mines and mountain top removal, and the poisoning of water systems, deforestation, and the contamination of topsoil," says the report by the Gaia foundation and groups including Friends of the Earth International, Grain, Oilwatch and Navdanya in India.

BBC Nature - Can UK wildlife cope with drought? 27 February 2012Last updated at 10:41 By Anna-Louise Taylor BBC News Wildlife will suffer if the current drought conditions in the southern and eastern parts of England continue into spring, some experts fear. So which animals and plants will be hit hardest if there is no significant rainfall in the next two months? "It's this time of year when the weather starts warming up and frogs start breeding - but they haven't been breeding," says John Wilkinson, research and monitoring officer at the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust (ARC). "Toads have been seen out and about, but there are no reports yet of toads breeding either." Amphibians are just one of the groups of animals that nature observers fear may have problems reproducing this year, as groundwater levels are even lower now than in the infamously dry summer of 1976, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Continue reading the main story How will the UK's habitats fare? Breeding trouble:

Drought summit as rivers in England dry up 20 February 2012Last updated at 13:51 Caroline Spelman, who chaired the summit, says people should start saving water now Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman has hosted a drought summit as parts of England struggle with groundwater levels lower than in 1976. She invited water companies, farmers and wildlife groups to discuss the situation in south-east England, East Anglia and the East Midlands. Ms Spelman said beforehand the meeting was to work out "preventative measures" that could be taken now. Anglian Water said some reservoir levels are 20% lower then normal. Anglian spokesman Kieran Nelson said: "This year the recharge period started later, it's taking longer and it's going much more slowly. "But we need months of torrential rain, to be quite honest. Continue reading the main story North-south drought divide Richard BlackEnvironment correspondent, BBC News Piping water from wet north to dry south has seemed like a good idea to a long line of people. And the text gave the answer - no.

Gasplasma - Gasification and Plasma Conversion Technology by Advanced Plasma Power (APP) Advanced Plasma Power (“APP”) is THE provider of the Gasplasma® energy from waste technology. An APP Gasplasma® plant can help you: Generate renewable power and biofuels from municipal wasteReduce landfill – contributing towards a zero waste solutionExtract valuable recycling materials from municipal wasteNeutralise any harmful substances from municipal waste Gasplasma® is designed to: Process 150,000 tonnes per year of Municipal Solid Waste (“MSW”) / 90,000 tonnes per year of Refuse Derived Fuel (“RDF”)Generate renewable power for around 15,000 homes and enough renewable heat for around 700 homesOnly take up around 10,000sqm – the size of a football pitchHave a stack just 10m (32ft) above the eaves of the building Gasplasma® plant options: 3 Stage - Gasplasma® plant with Materials Recycling & Fuel Preparation front-end2 Stage - Gasplasma® plant without Fuel Preparation front-endCore Gasplasma® technology 1. 2. 3. 1. Fluid bed gasifierPlasma converterGas cooling and conditioning 2.

Drought fears for Britain prompt water summit 16 February 2012Last updated at 10:18 Parts of south-west England saw 45 days without any rain in the summer of 1976 The environment secretary is to meet water companies, farmers and wildlife groups amid fears that parts of Britain may face the worst drought since 1976. Parts of south-east England, East Anglia and the east Midlands are among the worst affected areas. Trevor Bishop, head of water resources at the Environment Agency (EA), says it is "planning for the worst". Water restrictions could be introduced unless heavy and prolonged rainfall takes place before April, the EA warns. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) called Monday's summit to look at how to deal with the drought. Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman will meet water companies - who are encouraging customers to cut down on consumption - along with other concerned groups. A lack of rainfall over the past few months means groundwater levels are still falling in many areas. Stranded fish “Start Quote

Illegal logging makes billions for gangs, report says 20 March 2012Last updated at 21:11 ET By Richard Black Environment correspondent Illegal logging has been blamed for a number of flooding incidents, notably in the Philippines Illegal logging generates $10-15bn (£7.5-11bn) around the world, according to new analysis from the World Bank. Its report, Justice for Forests, says that most illegal logging operations are run by organised crime, and much of the profit goes to corrupt officials. Countries affected include Indonesia, Madagascar and several in West Africa. The bank says that pursuing loggers through the criminal justice system has made a major impact in some nations, and urges others to do the same. It also recommends that aid donors should fund programmes that strengthen the capacity of law enforcement and legal authorities to tackle the illegal timber trade. The analysts calculate that an area of forest the size of a soccer pitch is illegally logged every second. Chainsaws of supply

Our green future’s at risk from shortfall in rare metals - Green Living - Go Green Wales’ bid to become a leader in low carbon technologies could be at risk unless action is taken to address the shortfall in supply of essential metals, an international conference of scientists in Wales will hear this week. The development of low-carbon transport, wind power and environmentally-friendly technology relies on the availability of “strategic metals”, so called for their importance as well as their restricted supply in the world. Given these metals are distributed unevenly in varying but finite quantities in the earth’s crust, 97% of the world’s rare earth elements (REE) are produced in China, while 80% of the world’s platinum and rhodium used in modern autocatalysts and fuel cells come from a single source in South Africa. Unless new sources of these valuable metals are discovered, the development of new green technologies, including cars and computers, may grind to a halt.

Catan: Oil Springs