Just how environmentally friendly are electric vehicles?

Hey all,

I just had to share this with you, remember we had some discussions about electric car, and many people still seem to think that we would be just shifting the problem. Well, the research has now been done, and looking at LCA of the whole electric car, including the batteries. You can find the article, very interesting outcomes: Just how environmentally friendly are electric vehicles?

Obviously, electric cars are winning the fight, even though researchers had only looked at coal, nuclear and gas electric power, and also they assumed that electric technology would remain same, and also assumed current oil prices.
What do you guys think?

The underwear washing machine.

Designer: Yoon Kisang

Reusing water is what's best for underwear. Seriously basically everyone wears underwear and most of those people have clean underwear on, or at least underwear that was clean when they put them on. Mr. Klein uses reused and reusable water. It doesn't need a restrictive hose coming on into it. It's all transportable. It uses the water, filters the water, then uses that water again. And you know you should be washing your underwear regularly so you'd better get on top of this.

'Green tax' push resumes

Hi all,

Another good article with some good news, this time in Thailand: 'Green tax' push resumes . I think this could be a real win win situation, as companies and industries would be able to invest easier in green technology and waste management, and the government would not spend so much cleaner after those dirty industries, and instead concentrate themselves on other green energy and technology promotion. Really hope that they don't slow down this bill anymore, and also hope that home owners would get some tax incentives regarding solar panel equipment and such.

Obama says electric car battery prices to tumble

Hi guys,

This a good article. Please read it here: Obama says electric car battery prices to tumble. I think that it's very good that the US government is supporting the battery industry, as we know the electric cars are going to take over the market. As they are all predicting, the prices will go down. I just hope they do have come up with proper regulations on recycling, as obviously that would be major issue. Also, charging of the electric cars should be from renewable energy to make them even more greener.

Solar Concept Tent

The Orange tent is a concept idea which aims to be the "Tent of the Future". It was designed by Orange and is covered with fabric solar panels allowing you to make sure your essential gadgets can always be kept charged.
The Tent Concept harnesses solar energy by using photovoltaic fabric around the top of the tent. This power is then channelled down to a wireless charging pouch where you can place your phone and other similar gadgets to keep charged. The fabric that captures the energy also moves to match the direction of the sun to harness it's rays at all times of the day.

Read more at : http://www.gadgetvenue.com/orange-solar-concept-tent-06233617/

Nokia Unveils Bike-Powered Cell Phone Chargers

Nokia has released a padal powered cell phone charger kit slated for developing nations where the power supply is limited, unreliable or expensive. The kit includes a bottle-dynamo, like the ones used to power a bike light, plus a cell phone holder that attaches to the handlebars. Nokia hopes to begin selling the kits by the end of 2010 for around 15 euros in countries that have a large bicycling population. These dynamos are great sources of renewable and human power and make it that much easier for people to want to choose biking as their main mode of transportation.

Nokia says that charging times will vary according to they cyclist as the phone, but riding for a mere 10 minutes about 6 mph (10 kph) will produce enough power for 28 minutes of talk time or 37 hours of atandby time. You can even go as slow as 4 mph and still rechange your phone, although it will certainly take longer to charge it. The device is designed for any phone with a 2 mm charger jack.

The first powered chargers will be made avaliable in Kenya for around 15 euros and then go on sale later this year worldwide. When they unveiled the charger, Nokia also showed off four new cell phones designed for developing nations where the electricity supply is limited. The handsets are designed to have a long battery life with six weeks worth of standby time.

Sugar > Electricity

In Florida, a sugar mill facility called Florida Crystals powers their business operation and 60,000 homes with electricity generated from burning bagasse (and wood waste when it is not sugar cane season).

The reason sugar cane can be used to make sugar and generate electricity is that it is very efficient in converting sunlight into energy. Florida Crystals estimates it saves hundreds of thousands of tons of carbon emissions by burning bagasse to run its facility, rather than fossil fuels. It is one of the largest sugar producers in the U.S. and runs the largest biomass plant in North America.

read full article at http://green.yahoo.com/blog/care2/23/sugar-can-make-electricity.html;_ylt=Am9emfK_3IZFc9T4qWvYNu6AV8cX

Better Place's battery-swapping electric taxi test takes off in Tokyo

Better Place continues baby-stepping its way to battery-swapping domination with the launch of its 90-day trial of a trio of taxis in Tokyo. The test, implemented in conjunction with taxi firm Nihon Kotsu, kicked off with ribbon cutting and a demonstration of some converted Qashqai having their power packs replaced in the latest iteration of BP's battery switcher. Unlike the previous version shown in Yokohama last year, this one has integrated charging with "optimal thermal management" and storage for 12 packs. Incidentally, the cells within the packs are not from Nissan, as one might expect, but from A123 Systems instead.The taxis will be available from 8 AM till 2 AM around the Roppongi district and, if you are really curious about how the system works, there is a visitors' center on-site as well. Can't swing a trip to Tokyo? Hit the jump for video showing off the system following the official press release.

Read more at : http://green.autoblog.com/2010/04/27/better-places-battery-swapping-electric-taxi-test-takes-off-in

2010 MDI AIRPod First Drive

The heart of the 2010 MDI AIRPod is a piston engine that has been specially adapted by MDI to run on compressed air. The expansion of the compressed air within the cylinders moves the pistons. The engine is “fueled” by a system of high-pressure air tanks. Built by EADS, an aerospace firm, the tanks are constructed of lightweight carbon-fiber. Though the tanks are presently limited to a capacity of 80 liters (21.1 gallons) at 200 bars of pressure (2,900 psi), MDI plans an increase to 200 liters (53 gallons) and 300 bars of pressure (4,400 psi, which is actually substantially less than the 10,000-psi rating of hydrogen tanks used in fuel-cell vehicles) for the first production models of the AIRPod, set to be built by the end of this year.

Running on Air

A flick of a switch and the 2010 MDI AIRPod fires to life. The engine is mounted in the center of the car, beneath the seats, emitting a friendly tappa-tappa-tappa that's more John Deere than Millennium Falcon. The tiny 180cc, two-cylinder engine is rated at 5.4 horsepower and 11 pound-feet of torque with 261 psi of air pressure. An MDI spokesperson explains to us that upgrades will also boost power for the upcoming AIRPod GT model to 6 kW — still just 8 hp.
One thing you won't find in an AIRPod is a steering wheel. Steering is controlled by a joystick mounted on the right armrest of the driver seat. Acceleration and braking were originally supposed to be controlled by this stick, but MDI confided that the system proved awkward to use. Small aluminum gas and brake pedals now sprout from the floor. A small instrument panel with displays for speed and driving range is planned, but, like the forthcoming acoustic insulation around the engine, had not been fitted to this prototype.

Air Power Goes Global

In Europe, a fleet of one dozen 2010 MDI AIRPods is already set to serve as passenger and cargo shuttles in cooperation with Air France and KLM airlines. The first delivery occurred within days of our test-drive, and MDI workers were busy constructing the other AIRPods that will participate in this six-month trial at Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris and Schipol airport in Amsterdam.
MDI confirms that similar arrangements are under discussion with governments, private companies and universities around the world. This includes the U.S. — though MDI remains tight-lipped about specifics. One matter the company did clarify was an erroneous report that its air-powered vehicles could arrive in America by the end of the year. The U.S. remains a top priority, according to MDI, but sales there remain three to four years into the future.
MDI has already licensed its air-power technology to Indian carmaker Tata Motors. Ratan Tata, CEO of Tata Motors and the Tata Group, recently reaffirmed his company's commitment to zero-emissions vehicles, including electrics and air power. However, MDI says that its agreement limits sales of any air-powered Tata vehicle to India only.
In Europe, commercial sales of the AIRPod are scheduled to begin in France by the end of this year. The starting price of €6,000 ($8,380) will be nearly halved, thanks to various bonuses and green-car sales incentives awarded by the government. By the end of 2010, MDI hopes to begin production of larger and more refined models like the OneFlowAIR convertible. The company also claims that air-power engines are scalable, meaning that air-powered sedans, trucks and even buses are on the drawing board.

Twirling Battery

This spinning kinetic cell phone battery is a smart solution for times when your phone is dangerously low on juice. With a simple twirl of your finger, you can charge your battery with enough energy to provide a couple more minutes of talk time or a number of minutes of standby. As we gear up for the 2010 Greener Gadgets Design Competition we’re thrilled to see innovative ideas like this, so if you have a great idea for a green gadget submit it today!

Designed by Song Teaho & Hyejin Lee, the cell phone battery is recharged by simply placing it on your finger and twirling. As the diagrams indicate, twirling the battery 130 times will generate enough power to provide you 2 more minutes of talk time or 25 minutes of standby power. If a cell phone battery like this ever gets manufactured and becomes popular, expect to see the next dance craze centered around twirling your finger.

With extra research and development, clean energy charging technologies like this one, will advance even further. But until we design and manufacture greener gadgets powered by the with photovoltaic or kinetic energy, we can’t stray too far from outlet.

NISSAN SEEKS DEEPER CUTS IN ECO-CAR TAXES E85 INCENTIVE SEEN AS UNFAIR

I will suggest to read this news. By using this web:

http://www.bdo-thaitax.com/bdo/in-the-news/2369

I think Thai government can reduce car tax to attract customer to buy car more . And Thailand can respond to reduce pollution from global warming. But I think the old Thai government choose the wrong energy to use gasoline. Why don't to use natural gas ? Because in Thailand has natural gas more than gasoline.

The Story of Cap & Trade

Arsenal swap red shirts for green strip

Dear all,

As the football fever is hitting tipping point, I thought this might be interesting to highlight as well:
Arsenal swap red shirts for green strip . This is the team I support, and I am glad that Nike have gone to recycled plastic to produce these high tech football kits, including several teams currently competing at the world cup. In addition, they manage to cut 30% in energy use in production. I think this is a good example that being green would actually make economic sense to large companies. Hope more like these initiatives would follow.

Carbon Cycle Cartoon

Dear all,

I found this clip on youtube. The clip has very good explanation.
I hope that it will benefit all of you to read about "carbon cycle"

Thailand ready to be bioplastics hub

Hi all,

Please click on the title for the full article: Thailand ready to be bioplastics hub. This is very good, really hope that Thailand concentrates on the bioplastic material, as Bell already explained to us that the current Plastic manufacturing machines can be used to produce bioplastic, and that it is only the raw material that is expensive. However, with a clear government policy, and incentives, this could be really competitive, as the article mentions, Thailand has an abundance in raw material. I just hope that we do not fall into a trap of only producing certain plants for this purpose, but that they would also use waste products from other byproducts, so that we would have a win-win situation. Whats your take on that?

Alternative Energy and Fuel News:

Dear all,

Please find the link in order to read the original text.


Alternative Energy and Fuel News:



The Nuclear Power Resurgence: How Safe Are the New Reactors?


In my opinion, Absolutely, Nuclear plant can produce the electricity more than normal plant.

How about natural disaster in United State?

How about radioactive after cooling the reactor?

How about the nuclear waste?

"that does not mean radiation would escape, since the reactors have containment buildings and systems designed to prevent releases of radioactivity", said Russ Bell, director of new plant licensing at the industry’s Nuclear Energy Institute in Washington.

When comparing the price between nuclear powerplant and wind plant. I think the cost is very similar. Why US government don't think about how bad of their natural disasters. e.g. Hurricane Catrian, Tornado, earth quake and terrorist.

Jack May be the Only Sparrow Left!

Recognize this kind of bird? When I was a child I use to see them in front of my house, in the garden, on my roof, even saved some of their chicks when they fell from their nest. They were quite annoying though. Coming into my house building nests. My father and I chased them all the time.There use to be a lot. But! Where have all they gone?

These few months, I just realized that my house does not have any nests of "Sparrows" anymore. Then I heard some news last month (I cannot recall the certain date) that in Su-Panburi province, there were tons of sparrows lying breathless on the dry floor. According to the news, scientists said that they are dehydrated due to the overheat. 

I have discussed about this situation with one of my colleagues; she is from Ayuttaya. She said that this situation also occurs in her province. In addition, this problem does not occur only in Thailand, it is a global issue. There is another assumption and conclusion in Britain for the cause of the endangered. The study by Dr Sainudeen Pattazhy, Associate Professor of  Zoology at SN College at Kollam found that the extinction of these "house sparrows" is mainly from urbanization.

These small birds are very sensitive to mobile phone's electromagnetic radiation. Meaning that in the urban areas of countless people having cell phones, the radiation from the phone may kill the birds.

As you can see, environmental problems such as urbanization and climate change impacts these small birds a lot, more than it directly does to human. But note that every animal has its duty and role in the ecology system. Though house sparrows does not seem to have benefits to human directly, they somehow do. 

There are still living house sparrows in Thailand, not all are dead by the heat and dehydration or electromagnetic radiation. Lets be concerned about things around us. We are still lucky to be able to live and continue harming the nature lets do something else than harming. 

information from http://www.deccanherald.com/content/77210/house-sparrow-listed-endangered-species.html

see also the extinction in India http://www.indiatogether.org/2005/aug/env-sparrow.htm

Peepoople

The Peepoo is a personal single use toilet, that sanitizes human excreta shortly after defecation, preventing the faeces from contaminating the immediate and larger environment.The toilet is a high technology product for a low economy. As with the original Tetra-Pak, it uses a minimum of material while providing maximum hygiene.Recognizing consumer needs, the Peepoo is formulated from a bottom up perspective putting the user’s need first. Ergonomically designed to be easy and hygienic to use, simple and rational to produce, and thus possible to be sold to groups with the weakest purchasing power, the Peepoo offers a sanitation choice for both individuals and society at large.

The Peepoo is personal, as in personal computer; it is mobile, as in mobile phone; and micro, as in Microsoft. User-friendly and advanced, yet simple and cheap, the Peepoo offers a high degree of contemporary status.The Peepoo is personal in the sense that it can be used whenever and wherever needed. It can be used NOW, there is no need to wait for public or political action. As the Peepoo is never used, never occupied, and always clean, it allows the user complete privacy.The Peepoo can work as an every day toilet or as a complementary sanitation system at night, at work, or at school. Due to its low price, it can be used regularly at home or only when ill. It can be given as a gift.Since no investments or up-front money are needed, the use of the Peepoo does not encumber the future.

I think only we have normal idea. It can get something to help and develop sanitation. But we must do to protect disease from human distribution to environmental too.

From ; www.peepoople.com

The future of the gas station

In the future most cars will use energy from solar, wind and water. Air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions will decrease.

During the years 2010-2012 automobile manufacturer plans to introduce 35 models car batteries. In the near future, these cars need charging. The problem is that we will charge car anywhere?

Electricity to charge these batteries can be made at home.If most people want the adoption of these cars,we need to have a network of Electric charge stations.

For example, Israel is a country where gas is expensive. The Better Place company has invested in electric charging stations. Car owners must pay to recharge the battery.This will reduce car prices by one-third or more. However, customers must agree to buy from manufacturers that use Better Place's battery only.

Tax breaks could help green plastics

Hi all,

I just read another good article, and I think this could be of interest to Bell: Tax breaks could help green plastics. We were just discussing this with Aii, Bell and myself over lunch yesterday, that tax incentives would really help to encourage local plastic producers to switch to bioplastic, as there is no change needed in machinery, however, raw material is still more expensive. Hopefully these proposed tax breaks will go though in Thailand, and Bell's factory can produce some of this bioplastic, will be very cool to see actually. What do you think guys? (esp. Bell :)). And hopefully such tax breaks for green products could be extended to solar panels, etc..

Better living in the Bin

Hey guys,

As we were discussing today about the Eco Town and such, I just came across this article in the Nation. Better living in the Bin. Very interesting, the way he can make use of the containers. This is a great example again for reusing something which people think is garbage, plus he makes them in such a way that they are energy efficient, and using recycled materials. In addition, this could really cater to low income families, as long as it is designed in a nice way, so that they don't feel neglected. What are you comments on this?

Japanese town testing solar-powered EVs

Hi all,

I had posted an article before, but i put it as a comment to the Course intro :). i will post another article this way then: Japanese town testing solar-powered EVs
This is a very good example of making sure the Electric Vehicles (EV) are truly zero emissions, as critics always claim that if you charge your car from normal electric grid, that electricity comes from coal, oil, and gas, and thus it would still have high carbon footprint. But when the electricity comes from clean renewable energy, then this would make perfect sense. I'm also thinking about solar home charging kits for cars, maybe install them as shade in your garage. What do you guys think? This would definitely work in Thailand, with all the sun we have...

British Airways announced plans to build factory to produce Bio fuels for aircraft.

The Birtish Airways plan to build factory to produce Bio fuels in the European Union cooperate with the US Insitute of Energy Solena.

Of the plant will produce biomass fuel from local waste using plasma technology for waste disposal process and Fischer Tropsch process.

The Fischer Tropsch process is set of chemical reactions that convert a mixture of carbonmonoxide and hydrogen into liquid hydrocarbons. The process,a key component of gas to liquids technology produces a petroleam substitute,typically from coal,natural gas or biomass for us as synthetic lubrication oil and as synthetic fuel.The Fischer Tropsch received intermittent attention as a source of low-sulfur diesel fuel and to address the supply or cost of the petroleum derived hydrocarbons.

The British Airways's biomass plant located east of london has the potential to change the waste of energy up to 500,000 tons,which can be used as bio fuels is 60 million liters per year. The bio fuel will be used in aircraft of Bristish Airways.

In addition,the project aims to reduce greenhouse gases 95% by reducing waste at landfills to reduce methane emissions and the plant can produce electricity from biomass waste to 20 MW per year.

High-yield agriculture slows pace of global warming, say researchers

Dear All,

Please click the link, illustrating below inorder to read the full story.

High-yield agriculture slows pace of global warming, say researchers

Photosynthesis

Stages of Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is a two stage process. The first process is the Light Dependent Process (Light Reactions), requires the direct energy of light to make energy carrier molecules that are used in the second process. The Light Independent Process (or Dark Reactions) occurs when the products of the Light Reaction are used to form C-C covalent bonds of carbohydrates. The Dark Reactions can usually occur in the dark, if the energy carriers from the light process are present. Recent evidence suggests that a major enzyme of the Dark Reaction is indirectly stimulated by light, thus the term Dark Reaction is somewhat of a misnomer. The Light Reactions occur in the grana and the Dark Reactions take place in the stroma of the chloroplasts.

Light Reactions
In the Light Dependent Processes (Light Reactions) light strikes chlorophyll a in such a way as to excite electrons to a higher energy state. In a series of reactions the energy is converted (along an electron transport process) into ATP (energy in living life) and NADPH ( bring hydrogen to use in electron transport to make ATP and water ). Water is split in the process, releasing oxygen as a by-product of the reaction. The ATP and NADPH are used to make C-C bonds in the Light Independent Process (Dark Reactions).
In the Light Independent Process, carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (or water for aquatic/marine organisms) is captured and modified by the addition of Hydrogen to form carbohydrates (general formula of carbohydrates is [CH2O]n). The incorporation of carbon dioxide into organic compounds is known as carbon fixation. The energy for this comes from the first phase of the photosynthetic process. Living systems cannot directly utilize light energy, but can, through a complicated series of reactions, convert it into C-C bond energy that can be released by glycolysis and other metabolic processes.

Photosystems are arrangements of chlorophyll and other pigments packed into thylakoids. Many Prokaryotes have only one photosystem, Photosystem II (so numbered because, while it was most likely the first to evolve, it was the second one discovered). Eukaryotes have Photosystem II plus Photosystem I. Photosystem I uses chlorophyll a, in the form referred to as P700. Photosystem II uses a form of chlorophyll a known as P680. Both "active" forms of chlorophyll a function in photosynthesis due to their association with proteins in the thylakoid membrane.

Photophosphorylation is the process of converting energy from a light-excited electron into the pyrophosphate bond of an ADP molecule. This occurs when the electrons from water are excited by the light in the presence of P680. The energy transfer is similar to the chemiosmotic electron transport occurring in the mitochondria. Light energy causes the removal of an electron from a molecule of P680 that is part of Photosystem II. The P680 requires an electron, which is taken from a water molecule, breaking the water into H+ ions and O-2 ions. These O-2 ions combine to form the diatomic O2 that is released. The electron is "boosted" to a higher energy state and attached to a primary electron acceptor, which begins a series of redox reactions, passing the electron through a series of electron carriers, eventually attaching it to a molecule in Photosystem I. Light acts on a molecule of P700 in Photosystem I, causing an electron to be "boosted" to a still higher potential. The electron is attached to a different primary electron acceptor (that is a different molecule from the one associated with Photosystem II). The electron is passed again through a series of redox reactions, eventually being attached to NADP+ and H+ to form NADPH, an energy carrier needed in the Light Independent Reaction. The electron from Photosystem II replaces the excited electron in the P700 molecule. There is thus a continuous flow of electrons from water to NADPH. This energy is used in Carbon Fixation. Cyclic Electron Flow occurs in some eukaryotes and primitive photosynthetic bacteria. No NADPH is produced, only ATP. This occurs when cells may require additional ATP, or when there is no NADP+ to reduce to NADPH. In Photosystem II, the pumping to H ions into the thylakoid and the conversion of ADP + P into ATP is driven by electron gradients established in the thylakoid membrane.
Halobacteria, which grow in extremely salty water, are facultative aerobes, they can grow when oxygen is absent. Purple pigments, known as retinal (a pigment also found in the human eye) act similar to chlorophyll. The complex of retinal and membrane proteins is known as bacteriorhodopsin, which generates electrons which establish a proton gradient that powers an ADP-ATP pump, generating ATP from sunlight without chlorophyll. This supports the theory that chemiosmotic processes are universal in their ability to generate ATP.

Dark Reaction
Carbon-Fixing Reactions are also known as the Dark Reactions (or Light Independent Reactions). Carbon dioxide enters single-celled and aquatic autotrophs ( use light ) through no specialized structures, diffusing into the cells. Land plants must guard against drying out (desiccation) and so have evolved specialized structures known as stomata to allow gas to enter and leave the leaf. The Calvin Cycle occurs in the stroma of chloroplasts (where would it occur in a prokaryote?). Carbon dioxide is captured by the chemical ribulose biphosphate (RuBP). RuBP is a 5-C chemical. Six molecules of carbon dioxide enter the Calvin Cycle, eventually producing one molecule of glucose. The reactions in this process were worked out by Melvin Calvin (shown below).


" One of the new areas, cultivated both in Donner and the Old Radiation Laboratory, was the study of organic compounds labeled with carbon-14. Melvin Calvin took charge of this work at the end of the war in order to provide raw materials for John Lawrence's researches and for his own study of photosynthesis. Using carbon-14, available in plenty from Hanford reactors, and the new techniques of ion exchange, paper chromatography, and radioautography, Calvin and his many associates mapped the complete path of carbon in photosynthesis. The accomplishment brought him the Nobel prize in chemistry in 1961. (The preceding information was excerpted from the text of the Fall 1981 issue of LBL Newsmagazine.) Citation Caption: LBL News, Vol.6, No.3, Fall 1981 Melvin Calvin shown with some of the apparatus he used to study the role of carbon in photosynthesis."

The first stable product of the Calvin Cycle is phosphoglycerate (PGA), a 3-C chemical. The energy from ATP and NADPH energy carriers generated by the photosystems is used to attach phosphates to (phosphorylate) the PGA. Eventually there are 12 molecules of glyceraldehyde phosphate (also known as phosphoglyceraldehyde or PGAL, a 3-C), two of which are removed from the cycle to make a glucose. The remaining PGAL molecules are converted by ATP energy to reform 6 RuBP molecules, and thus start the cycle again. Remember the complexity of life, each reaction in this process, as in Kreb's Cycle, is catalyzed by a different reaction-specific enzyme.

Into Deep

Recently, in every single news channel, you may have been seeing reports about deep holes occurring throughout the world-- China, Guatemala, and even in Kao Yai, Thailand. What are they and where do they come from OR they are, ever since, there?


They are Sinkholes. According to http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215689/sinkwhat.html; "A sink hole is the  erosion of land. It forms when underground water dissolves minerals in the ground. This creates a buried hole.  Eventually, the hole becomes large enough that the land on top caves in.  Sinkholes are common in land containing limestone,  because limestone is soft and has water holes like a sponge. It also dissolves  in water." (See picture 1 for an easier understanding) 

picure 1.

Therefore, we can assume that constructions on limestone areas in Thailand; for example, in Saraburi, Petchaburi, Krabi, Nakhon Rajasima, Pang-Nga should be aware of this disaster. As we know, the world is changing like flipping a pancake, things that never happened can, at anytime, happen so always be prepared.


However, though Bangkok is not located in limestone areas like those provinces mentioned above, it is still in the risk of having one (or more) because this terrible disaster is also caused by human, from pumping up groundwater for people's consumption.


Phra Nakhon side of Bangkok (around the Temple of the Emerald Buddha) use to be canals in the early Ratanakhosin era that even people from the west use to call Bangkok as the "Venice of the East!" But when westerns came they also brought their technology and knowledge with them. Economy became more important than tradition, ROADS became more important than canals. That is why the government of Siam piled up the canals and make them as streets for cars and convenient transportation system. Though time passes the canals are still there underneath the streets of Phra Nakhon. About a century after, the population growth rapidly increased also the need of water consumption. Since people know that underneath Bangkok lies a large source of water, they pumped it up for their, also, our, consumption. By doing so continuously, the groundwater source decreases. This will cause the constructions in those areas to slowly collapse. But at this time of total disaster and the stimulation from climate change, things may be worse than we could imagine. Just like in Guatemala, the roads of Phra Nakhon could possibly be like picture 2.

picture 2

Is there anything we could do to fix the past? How about trying to find a solution and protection for this.

Course Details

Course Description
Global environment, water cycle, soils, atmosphere and biosphere, ecological balance, biodiversity, issues of population, population growth, society and culture, energy problems in local and international levels, technological change.

Course Objective(s)
The goal of the course is to provide an overview and synthesis of the major issues of environmental science, so that students have a broad perspective in considering environmental issues at local, regional and global scales. Students will get a working knowledge of the significant components of environmental issues and their management, specifically they will:
i)understand the interdisciplinary nature of environmental science and management;
ii) be able to critically evaluate scientific publications;
iii) understand the basic science behind global environmental issues such as ozone depletion and climate change;
iv) be familiar with the causes of habitat loss around the world, including desertification and other types of land transformation;
v) be able to evaluate major physical and biogeochemical cycles, including the cycling of water, carbon, nutrients, and pollutants;
vi) be aware of the importance of biodiversity and the benefits that biodiversity provides for humans;
vii) recognize the part that population growth, consumption, development and technological change plays in environmental issues; and
viii) understand the concept of sustainable development and its application to environmental issues.

Welcome to the Course ENIE 501 Basic Principles of Environmental Science

First of all, Welcome to international course in Master of Science in Industrial Ecology and Environment, Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University.

I develop this webblog for the students to learn and share their ideas about environmental science. Moreover, this space will be shared for enhancing the knowledge and experiences among classmates and lecturers.

I hope all of you will learn from discussion. Don't forget to shoot for at least 1 post and at least two comments every week.