bio-fuels, eco-news & events, caring for the chronically ill or injured

-- Quote of the Day --

Re: When someone becomes ill or injured...

“…Almost anything that you do will help. …Figure out what you can do and offer something specific – such as ‘Can I come by on Thursday afternoons and mow the lawn?’ …Appoint a Captain of Kindness so that when people come up to you and say ‘What can I do to help?’ you can say, well Joan Smith is my Captain of Kindness, so you can contact her if you’d like to help. …The Captain of Kindness can ask for things that the patient may not be comfortable asking for – like money. …(Patients) appreciate getting a card from someone, but they really appreciate the person who gives them many cards – it means that person is continually thinking about them. It is hard to support someone long term, and that is why it is more meaningful. I would say, just do what you can do. …My job is to… help cancer survivors function at their highest level. I’m working with hospitals to …provide the kinds of services that survivors really need and are worthy of. …It is our job to make sure that people do not live with more fatigue and disability and pain then they have to.”
~ Julie Silver – March 31, 2009

This quote was taken from a Conscious Discussions talk radio show interview titled - Cancer: Hope from Survivor's Wisdom. I encourage our blog readers to check out this archived interview by clicking on the hyper-links here, or via the link on the right.

* * This week's prize draw includes the science fiction novel Beyond Mars - Crimson Fleet, AND 5 science-fiction art posters - all signed by the author - AND, Timothy Fleming's historical-fiction CIA thriller novel Murder Of An American Nazi.

Email: LDBRUMMET@YAHOO.COM with “prize” in the subject line. Deadline: Sunday morning - May 17th. - an estimated value of $80(US)!!!

-- Eco-Event --

Where: NATURES EXPRESS, 2949 5th Ave. at Quince St . San Diego, CA (USA)
When: May 13, 2009, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Admission: FREE - discussing renewable energy, water, food & sustainable communities.
Contact: Kai Peetoom – 619-843-1664

May 10-16 – Bike to Work Week (Canada): Here in Canada there are all kinds of activities and events promoting bicycle transportation. Some businesses have been getting on board with this by offering bikes for loan while their vehicles are being worked on. Locally our recreation center is offering discounts to people who bicycle to the arena regularly. I saw at least a half dozen events this week in our little city to promote bicycling, I'm sure your area has similar things going on. To find out about events that might be happening in your area check out the local community notice boards or local publications.

-- Positive Eco-News --

The Weekender Newspaper (serving the Kootenay/Boundary regions of BC, Canada) reported on innovative bio-diesel fuel powered buses in Oslo, Norway. Apparently 2.1 gallons of fuel can be generated per person annually from gasses collected from sewage treatment plants. The goal is to power all of the city’s public transportation vehicles with bio-methane. What this means is all that methane is no longer being released into the environment – let us remember that methane is said to be between 22 to 70 times more destructive to the environment than carbon dioxide. Oslo’s initiative would reduce carbon dioxide emissions in their city by 30,000 tonnes.

Lille, France – Stockholm, Sweden – and Vancouver, Canada are all experimenting with this fuel for their bus fleets. According to the article I mentioned earlier, the proposed and highly controversial Gregory Canyon Landfill is currently working with companies that are known renewable energy and fuel facility industry experts to convert the methane gas generated by the disposal of municipal waste and bio-solids on-site vehicle fuel - this fuel could potentially be supplied to the solid waste collection trucks and would certainly be a huge savings for the city and waste management teams as well as providing an excellent way to reduce greenhouse gases. The controversy with this landfill, as with many other proposed landfill sites, is finding the correct location - one that has the least possible impact on the environment. According to Ted Griswold (of Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP ) the proposed location for this particular landfill site is a delicate river bank habitat: "The river is habitat to several endangered species including the Arroyo Toad, Least Bells Vireo and Southwest Willow Flycatcher. ...over an aquifer that is a significant water source for local Indian tribes, farmers and downstream municipalities."

So obviously there needs to be some serious consideration for each new landfill site. However the point being, there is no reason why a new landfill cannot capture methane gas with today's technology and power city and public buildings - ensuring a local energy supply and creating local jobs. There is no excuse for landfills these days, in my opinion - of course, for the lack of alternative opportunities for waste management such as on-site reuse centers that offer any item that might have reuse potential from demolition and construction projects to carpets, planting pots, bikes, parts and furniture. Organic composting facilities should be available on-site as well and there are so many ways to encourage participation from restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, staff rooms and households. But of course I stray from my topic...

Bio-methane can be produced from human sewage, animal manure and composting organics among other materials, and results in very little land use (compared to traditional fossil fuel production), using materials that do not require fertilizers or pesticides, and the process rarely needs additional water resources.

Bio-fuels are less expensive than traditional fuels, and tend to have reduced emissions - as 73% less nitrogen oxide, 98% less fine particulate matter and can result in a 92% noise reduction. Of course these numbers might vary depending on the type of bio-fuel.

Bio-refineries, those that burn waste materials such as trail debris, yard waste, tree trimmings, wood chips and construction debris – are another interesting issue for bio-fuel enthusiasts to debate. One can look at the side that advocates waste reduction, energy production that reduces dependence on fossil fuels, or the job creation aspects of this –or- one can look at the transportation issues, fuel material choice and clean burning issues. The Internet is ripe with debates about both bio-fuels and landfills.

Find Dave & Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio shows & free resources & articles at www.brummet.ca