Greenpeace Recognizes Climate Change Action by Companies
Friday, April 30th, 2010
Greenpeace has formulated a 100 point scale to measure climate change contributions by companies. It awards 50 points for “climate solutions”, 35 for lobbying and making public statements about climate change, and the remaining points for renewable energy use and setting emission targets.
Cisco received top award with 62 points for its telecommuting, green building design and energy management initiatives, among others. The company had also set a target for reducing emissions by 25 percent during the five year period from 2007 to 2012. The company’s executives were also present at United Nations’ Copenhagen climate negotiations last year.
Ericsson, who came second, had carried out a life-cycle analysis of IT solutions like phones and Internet communication comparing it to the traditional solution of driving to a physical workplace.
The third placed IBM provided a range of emission-cutting services, including smart grid software and supply chain carbon management. IBM also publicized the results of its congestion pricing project in Stockholm that had reduced traffic by 18 percent over a one year period.
Google scored for it public advocacy, particularly its CEO Eric Schmidt’s November 2008 speech calling for federal support for research and development, energy efficiency and broadband infrastructure. However, the company came in for criticism for not disclosing its emissions.
Read the news report at New York Times
Tags: climate change, corporate responsibility, greenpeace
Posted in corporate responsibility, environment, renewable energy, sustainable development | No Comments »
Cognitive Health of the Elderly: The Long Lasting Memories Project
Thursday, April 29th, 2010
A European Commission funded project with a memorable name, Long Lasting Memories Project, seeks to find an innovative solution to the cognitive health problems of the elderly. With a growing population of the elderly, the issue of helping them maintain their cognitive abilities is becoming a major one for society. The basic aim of the project is to find innovative solutions that enable the elderly to pursue an independent and healthy lifestyle.
The project is funded under the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (ICT PSP/2008/1) of the European Commission. A workshop is planned for May 20, 2010 at Athens to present the preliminary results of the development, integration, and pilot planning efforts of the consortium that is executing the project. It will look at the full range of issues related to the LLM service, from policy matters such as ethics, to technical and scientific concerns, to logistical and commercialization issues.
The LLM consortium includes the project coordinator, Aristotelio Panepistimio Thessalonikis/Medical School (GR), and project partners, Athena Research and Innovation Center in Information Communication & Knowledge Technologies / Institute for Language and Speech Processing (GR), CEIT RALTEC gemeinnuetzige GmbH (AT), E-SENIORS: INITIATION DES SENIORS AUX NTIC ASSOCIATION (FR), Fundacion INTRAS (ES), GENIKO NOSOKOMEIO ATHINAS IPPOKRATEIO / Health Centre Vyronas (GR), Global Security Intelligence (UK), Investigacion y Desarrollo Informatico EIKON SL (ES), Tero Ltd (GR), and Universitat Konstanz (DE).
Read the full news release at PRWeb.
Tags: cognitive health, elderly cognitive problems, elderly population
Posted in cognitive impairment, cognitive science | 1 Comment »
Nanotechnology Initiative to Utilize European Neutron and Accelerator Facilities
Wednesday, April 28th, 2010
One key characteristic of nanotechnology is that it affects practically every other technology. Technologies from communications through health and medicine, energy, environment and climate change to transportation can benefit from this new technology.
However, research into nanotechnolgy requires tools that involve high technology. At nanoscale, i.e. at one-billionth of a meter, you cannot see or touch things. At this scale, properties of materials also tend to be different from what they at normal scale. Extremely sophisticated tools are needed to identify what is happening at nanoscale.
A “Grand European Initiative” now seeks to utilize the unique analytical potential available at the European Neutron and Accelerator based x-ray facilities. A five-year-long study of scientists and experts in Europe resulted in the development of the GENNENSYS project – Grand European initiative on Nanoscience and nanotechnology using NEutron and SYnchrotron radiation Sources.
The key objectives of the GENNESYS task forces were:
o To assess the “state of the art” of nanoscience and technology in Europe;
o To identify future needs, opportunities and priorities in the field of nanomaterials science for solving urgent problems in Europe and around the world;
o To articulate fundamental scientific challenges, society needs and industrial potentials in this field;
o To define recommendations and objectives for future research, technologies, and development strategies which will lead to major advances;
o To pinpoint areas of research into nanomaterials science and technology that will most benefit from joint research strategies with synchrotron radiation and neutron facilities;
o To review and forecast the effects that a strategic use of large-scale facilities by nanomaterials scientists will have on the facilities;
o To provide evidence of the societal impact of the field and provide a forum for coordinated community-wide communications between basic researchers, industry, policy-makers and the public, respectively;
o To establish a strategic European research programme encapsulated “Nanomaterials research and technology for future technologies exploiting neutron and accelerator-based x-ray facilities”.
Download the nearly 500 page report of the task force from GENNESYS_2009.PDF.
Tags: impact of nanotechnology on other technologies, nanotechnology, nanotechnology issues
Posted in nanotechnology | No Comments »
Biotechnology and the United Nations Organization
Monday, April 26th, 2010
Biotechnology is relevant for economic development, as it can contribute to increased food availability for people, more efficient use of energy, and to health and medicine. Economic development typically leads to global warming through various emissions from factories, transport vehicles and increased domestic consumption of various products. Biotechnology has the potential to help development with minimal impact on global warming.
The United Nations has various agencies that help support more equitable and sustainable development efforts. Many of these organizations find biotechnology relevant in their respective fields of operations. See this page for a list of UN Organizations to whom biotechnology is relevant. Biotechnology has thus become a focus area for UN and the organization is taking several initiatives with this focus.
A Biotechnology Forum is being established “to offer a neutral space for discussion, effective knowledge-sharing, and partnership-building among a broad range of public and private stakeholders.” The forum will keep member states current on developments in the life sciences, and on best practices and safety issues. A series of briefings and workshops are planned during May 2010 to December 2011.
The UN’s Biotechnology Inititative attempts “to identify priorities and mobilize efforts in the most relevant potential applications of biotechnology” for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the scheduled 2015. The immediate aim of the initiative is to produce a report on the “potential of existing and future contributions that the life sciences revolution could make to the achievement of the MDGs.”
Read more about the UN Initiative at its website.
Tags: biotech potential in different areas, biotechnology, united nations initiative
Posted in biotechnology, sustainable development | No Comments »
Catching Them Young with Nanotechnology
Sunday, April 25th, 2010
The Oklahoma Nanotechnology Initiative (ONI) seeks to create statewide awareness about emerging nanotechnology in the state of Oklahoma. It also seeks to explore the potential of nanotechnology industry and what it can do for Oklahoma. In particular, ONI seeks to encourage nanotechnology businesses to select the state as their location.
The ONI website provides information about everything nano. There are sections for nano news, nano products, nano companies in the state, nano t-shirts and a nanotechnology video, among others. There is even a small window for streaming nanotechnology tidbits. One great initiative is a PowerPoint presentation on Nanotechnology for Students.
The presentation starts with the attention catching statement that the ‘Next “Big Thing” is very, very, very small,’ and goes on to quote The National Science and Technology Council, “Nanotechnology is an enabling technology that will change the nature of almost every human-made object in the next century.”
“Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter at nanometer scale to create novel structures, devices and systems,” the next slide begins to elaborate on the applications of the technology. New materials (structures), sensors (devices) and NEMS (nanoelectromechanical systems) are provided as examples, to arouse the curiosity of the curious.
The presentation includes links to several educational resources on nanotechnology such as NanoKids for students and NanoZone for teachers. There are also links to more advanced resources such as the nanotech page of NASA.
ONI seems determined to catch them young with nanotechnology.
Tags: education, nanodevices, nanomaterials, nanosystems, nanotechnology
Posted in education, nanotechnology | 2 Comments »
The Second Green Revolution will Need GM Technology
Saturday, April 24th, 2010
In the article titled How Science Could Spark a Second Green Revolution, the author reports that a Pennsylvania State University professor and his colleagues have been working to develop crops with longer roots. Growing steeper and deeper into the ground, these roots will be able to find more moisture and nutrients.
According to the report, the team has been able to identify root traits that can produce “two or three times more food without fertilizer.” The professor, Jonathan Lynch, uses traditional cross-breeding techniques, and has also identified an unrecognized trait in corn that can improve yields eightfold in drought conditions.
The focus on root traits and drought resistant crops has a sound basis. In the first green revolution, focus was on fertilizer use and improved irrigation to increase agricultural productivity. However, with diminishing availability of good land, we need crops that can grow under hostile conditions.
Crops will have to be cultivated on marginal lands where both water and artificial fertilizer will be scarce. Additionally, climate change is likely to make presently agriculture-friendly regions drier and hotter. It is in this context that crops with roots that can get water and nutrients from deeper soil become significant.
Though Lynch had used traditional cross-breeding techniques, it is generally considered that Genetically Modified (GM) crops hold the key to the second green revolution. Though GM crops are facing opposition on safety and other considerations, genetic engineering seems to be only real solution for the likely food shortages in the future, according to many experts.
Read the full article at Checkbiotech.
Tags: biotechnology, crop science, cross breeding, drought resistance, genetic modification
Posted in biotechnology, crop science, genetic modification | No Comments »
Keeping Communication Channels Open in Disaster-affected and poor Infrastructure Areas
Friday, April 23rd, 2010
Catapult Technology, Ltd., an Information Technology contractor based in Bethesda, MD, has won a $58.7 million task order with the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) within the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The order involves keeping communications channels open in disaster-affected areas around the world to enable OFDA to provide its disaster relief effectively.
As the Chairman of Catapult remarked, functioning communications services can mean the difference between life and death when unexpected disaster strikes. The Chairman added that the company is well-equipped to keep the communications channels open in such cases.
Under the contract, Catapult will:
- Support the IT/Communications capacity for a number of Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DART).
- Support OFDA’s IT and communications services for the delivery of humanitarian assistance in response to international disasters, potentially several sites concurrently and often in remote, developing areas with little or no infrastructure.
- Provide support both at USAID Washington, DC headquarters, as well as in the field.
The work will involve program management; system operations and maintenance; systems development; communications and field operations support; IT equipment procurement, maintenance, storage and distribution; and providing network connectivity among several sites in the U.S., Latin America, and field locations.
Catapult Technology, Ltd.is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (SDVO) contractor. Read the full news release at PRWeb.
Tags: business, communications, disaster relief, information technology, USAID
Posted in business, communications, information technology | No Comments »
Reserve Batteries and Nanotechnology
Thursday, April 22nd, 2010
Reserve batteries are inactive batteries that can be activated in different ways. The basic principle of these batteries is to keep the electrolyte and electrode separate till activation becomes necessary. The activation can be initiated with water, air, heat and mechanical means.
Reserve batteries are different from backup batteries in that the latter are already active. The continued activated state can result in exhaustion of the power. Reserve batteries can carry their power for years till activated.
Reserve batteries find applications in varied contexts, including military applications, consumer products and advanced systems.
The traditional reserve batteries needed separate storage for the electrolyte and some mechanical means to bring it into contact with the electrode for activation. It was difficult to miniaturize it and the mechanical activation also meant slow power ramp up. These traditional batteries cannot also be integrated into microprocessor chips.
New generation nancotechnology based reserve batteries claim to eliminate these handicaps. Using nanoscale components, miniaturization is no problem. Nanotechnology also makes it possible to achieve the controlled chemical reactions involved in power generation in ways compatible with semiconductor processing, and do it far more quickly.
Read about the technology at mPhase Technologies website.
Tags: battery technology, nanotechnology, reserve battery
Posted in energy generation, energy storage, nanotechnology, technology commercialization | 1 Comment »
Nanotechnology Regulations Expected Soon
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010
At nano levels, materials can behave unexpectedly. Neutral materials can become toxic; the minute particles can penetrate the barrier of human (or animal) skin and reach internal systems, such as the bloodstream, where they can cause harm. In fact, the cosmetic industry had imposed a ban on itself preventing the use of nanomaterials in “invisible” sunscreens.
As a new technology, regulators in most countries do not know what they are dealing with. It is difficult to identify likely hazards and draft regulations to safeguard against these. Regulations have hence been slow in appearing.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of USA has been reportedly evaluating its options for regulating use of nanomaterials. The tone was set by EPA’s administrator by laying out principles for the safety assessments of chemical substances.
It was the general view that manufacturers should be responsible for providing safety data on new and existing chemical substances. Significant New Use Rules (SNUR), mandatory data submission and test rules are being visualized for regulating nanomaterials as the voluntary Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program (NMSP) has reportedly produced disappointing results.
The disappointment about NMSP resulted from inadequate data for science-based decision-making on the safety of new materials. EPA has in the meanwhile been taking quiet enforcement actions against nanomaterial producers.
Read the news report at Nanotechnology Now.
Tags: nanomaterials, nanotechnology, new technology regulations, safety of new materials
Posted in nanomaterials, nanotechnology, safety regulations | No Comments »
Master of Science Program in Computer Science and Journalism
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010
The Columbia University School of Journalism is launching a dual masters program in journalism and computer science, in association with the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science at the New York university. The proposal is now awaiting the approval of the country’s Department of Education.
The program will involve two semesters of coursework in journalism and three in computer science.
The university spokesperson pointed out that with the unprecedented access to news now possible, the present should be the golden age of journalism. More people have access to news and they have access to more sources.
The spokespeson felt that most news organizations have not fully embraced the digital revolution. The proposed course is intended to train journalists who also have computer-related technical skills such as data mining and computational imaging, for example.
Graduates from the course will have “both the editorial and technological skills to produce new applications and online tools that could help redefine journalism in a fast-changing digital media environment.”
This is believed to be “he first truly integrated program of its kind,” according to a univesity spokesperson. The news report adds that the Columbia University School of Journalism, established in 1912, became the first graduate school of journalism in America in 1935.
Read the news release at redOrbit.
Tags: education, information technology, journalism and computing, masters program in journalism
Posted in education, information technology, training | No Comments »
