We Will Because We Can

WE WILL BECAUSE WE CAN

By Anton Antonio

December 7, 2015

Angelia Gabrena Ong was crowned 2015 Miss Earth at the Marx Halle in Vienna, Austria on Saturday night (early Sunday morning, Manila time), giving the Philippines back-to-back titles in this particular beauty contest.  Angelia, a 25-year-old marketing management student at the De La Salle-College of St. Benilde, beat more than 80 contestants from around the world.  She succeeded the crown from 2014 Miss Earth Jamie Harrell, also a Filipina.  It is the first time in 15 years since two Filipinas won the title in a row.

In the “question and answer” portion of the pageant, Angelia was asked:  “Dear Ms. Philippines… The slogan of Miss Earth in the last fifteen years is ‘Beauty for a Cause’.  If you are asked to propose a new slogan for the next fifteen years, what would it be?”  And to this question, she answered:  “If I were to make a slogan for Miss Earth for the next fifteen years that will be ‘We Will Because We Can”.  I want to let everybody know that all things are possible and all things are feasible if we work together. We will because we can!”

The possibility that this question will pop-up in the contest was discussed and processed sometime in July this year as Angelia was preparing for the pageant.  When she first told me about this slogan, I honestly had serious reservations on its applicability to the entire Miss Earth concept.  I must admit that it was indeed an attention-getting slogan and conviction statement… but should there be another choice?  However, when Angel (as I would call her) began to articulate on her chosen slogan, I became convinced to give it a shot.  Angel spoke from the heart and firmly believed in her slogan… she can intelligently defend it any day of the week and twice on a Sunday.  [I hasten to add that I am Angel’s “de facto” (or “impacto” as my close friends will say) coach for environmental concerns.]

Most, if not all, of the contestants were as pretty and beautiful as Angel… but what made her a cut above the rest was her answer and slogan:  “We Will Because We Can!”

Thoughts to promote positive action…

(Please visit, like and share Pro-EARTH Crusaders on Facebook or follow me at http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/ and http://twitter.com/EarthCrusader/)

REFERENCE:

GMA Network News, (2015).  Retrieved on December 7, 2015 from http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/546913/lifestyle/philippines-angelia-ong-wins-2015-miss-earth-title

Chemical and Particulate Air Pollutants

CHEMICAL AND PARTICULATE AIR POLLUTANTS

By Anton Antonio

December 6, 2015

Talking about air pollution seems simple.  The chemical and particulate matters in the atmosphere, however, are a complex concoction of chemical elements.  The following are the six most common and basic chemicals elements, in gaseous form, that are in the atmosphere:

CARBON DIOXIDE is a colorless, odorless gas produced by burning carbon and organic compounds and by respiration.  It is naturally present in air, about 0.03 percent, and is absorbed by plants in photosynthesis.  This is where plants and trees play the biggest role.

SULPHUR OXIDE refers to all sulphur oxides, the two major ones being sulphur dioxide and sulphur trioxide.  Sulphur dioxide is a colorless gas with a pungent, irritating odor and taste.  It is highly soluble in water forming weakly acidic sulphurous acid.  When sulphur dioxide combines with oxygen in the air some sulphur trioxide is slowly formed.  Sulphur trioxide rapidly combines with water to produce sulphuric acid.  The lifespan of sulphur oxides in the atmosphere is from 4 to 10 days.  Sulphur dioxide is used in many industrial processes such as chemical preparation, refining, pulp-making and solvent extraction.  Sulphur dioxide is also used in the preparation and preservation of food because it prevents bacterial growth and the browning of fruits.

NITROGEN OXIDE is any of several oxides of nitrogen most of which are produced in combustion and are considered to be atmospheric pollutants such as (1) NITRIC OXIDE – a colorless toxic gas formed in many reactions in which nitric acid is reduced, as in reaction with copper.  It reacts immediately with oxygen to form nitrogen dioxide; (2) NITROGEN DIOXIDE – a reddish-brown gas with a pungent and irritating odor.  It transforms into the air to form gaseous nitric acid and toxic organic nitrates.  It also plays a major role in atmospheric reactions that produce ground-level ozone, a major component of smog.  It is a precursor to nitrates, which contribute to increased respirable particle levels in the atmosphere; and, (3) NITROUS OXIDE – a colorless, sweet-smelling, sweet tasting, non-flammable, slightly water-soluble gas that sometimes produces a feeling of exhilaration when inhaled.  It is used chiefly as an anaesthetic in dentistry and surgery, in the manufacture of chemicals, and as an aerosol.

VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (or VOCs) are organic chemicals that have a high vapour pressure at ordinary room temperature.  Their high vapour pressure results from a low boiling point, which causes large numbers of molecules to evaporate or sublimate from the liquid or solid form of the compound and enter the surrounding air.

SUSPENDED PARTICLES AND DROPLETS could be anything from solid particles and chemical droplets that are suspended in the atmosphere.

RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES are considered radioactive because the nucleus of each atom is unstable and give out nuclear radiation in the form of alpha particles, beta particles or gamma rays.  Radiation could be detected using a Geiger counter.

It might not be practical to study in detail the origins, formation, constitution and effects of these gaseous-chemical elements as chemists will do.  But it is important for us to be at least aware of them in our day-to-day activities as we, somewhere and sometime, will most certainly come across these.  At least we will be aware of the fact that they are chemical and particulate air pollutants.

Thoughts to promote positive action…

(Please visit, like and share Pro-EARTH Crusaders on Facebook or follow me at http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/ and http://twitter.com/EarthCrusader/)

Food Choices

FOOD CHOICES

By Anton Antonio

December 5, 2015

The Climate Talks still being held in Paris, France is drawing different reactions from various interest and advocacy groups.  Let’s take the following article for example…

“MEAT THE BIGGEST CLIMATE-CHANGE ISSUE NO WORLD LEADER IS TALKING ABOUT IN PARIS…

The goal of the UN Climate Conference (COP21) in Paris is to address the most pressing issues facing our planet’s environment and work to make global policy-level change to mitigate the worst possible impacts of climate change.  While there are many topics at the table ranging from fossil fuel emissions to handling droughts and food shortages… there is one thing that isn’t being talked about that MIGHT just be the singular thing than can save us from the brink of total destruction.  The role our food choices play in climate change.  The UN Food and Agriculture Organization accredits 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions to the animal agriculture industry.  That’s more than the entire transportation sector.  But that’s not where it ends.  This destructive industry currently occupies over half of the world’s arable land resources and uses the majority of our freshwater store.  Additionally, this system causes rampant air and water pollution, land degradation, deforestation and is pushing countless species to the brink of extinction.  And yet, one in eight people still suffer from food scarcity.  As Nil Zacharias, co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of One Green Planet says, “The real war against climate change is being fought on our plates, multiple times a day with every food choice we make.”  So while this topic might not be the center of discussion at COP21, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t something that we all can’t take action against.  In fact, you can start making a difference with your next meal!  By simply leaving meat off your plate, you can HALVE your carbon footprint – if everyone in the world made an effort to even eat less meat and dairy, it would make an enormous difference.  “Years from now, when we tell the inspiring story of how our broken food system was transformed into a more equitable and sustainable one, will you be on the right or wrong side of history?” asks Zacharias; a question that is more important than even for the world’s leaders to consider, and yet, many have yet to recognize.  Are you tired of waiting for legislation and ready to make a change to save the future right now?” (One Green Planet)

The proponents of this initiative are obviously skewed towards vegetable consumption over meat consumption.  I personally feel that this is pushing anti-climate change movement to the extreme as it already infringe (meaning: actively break in terms of a law, agreement, etc.) on the rights of people to make consumption choices.  I still believe that food preferences must be respected.  Climate change mitigation efforts must focus on food security… and not on food choices.

Thoughts to promote positive action…

(Please visit, like and share Pro-EARTH Crusaders on Facebook or follow me at http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/ and http://twitter.com/EarthCrusader/)

REFERENCE:

One Green Planet, (2015). “Meat the Biggest Climate-Change Issue No World Leader is Talking About in Paris”. Retrieved on December 5, 2015 from http://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/meat-biggest-climate-change-issue-no-world-leader-is-talking-about-in-paris/

Sustainable Energy for All

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FOR ALL

By Anton Antonio

December 4, 2015

“Sustainable Energy for All or SE4ALL is a global initiative led by Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, to (1) achieve universal energy access, (2) improve energy efficiency, and (3) increase the use of renewable energy.  It was launched to coincide with the designation of 2012 as the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All by the UN general Assembly in December 2010.  UN General Assembly Resolution 65/151, which was passed on 20 December 2010, designated 2012 as the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All.  This was in recognition of the growing importance of energy for economic development and climate change mitigation.  It also attempted to correct what many working on energy and development issues had for many years argued was a major error in not including action on energy poverty in the Millennium Development Goals.  Ban Ki-moon made sustainable energy one of the five priorities that would guide his second five-year term.  In June 2009 he established the Secretary-General’s Advisory Group on Energy and Climate Change (AGECC), which published its final report on 28 April 2010.  The recommendations from this report formed the basis of the Sustainable Energy for All initiative launched in 2011.  The Sustainable Energy for All initiative is intended to attract global attention and public and private commitments to meeting three objectives by 2030: (a) Ensuring universal access to modern energy services; (b) Doubling the rate of improvement in energy efficiency; and, (c) Doubling the state of renewable energy in the global energy mix.” (Wikipedia)

The world’s two most urgent energy challenges are: (1) 3 billion people lack access to affordable, modern energy services for cooking, heating and productive uses; 1.5 billion people lack access to electricity and 1 billion people depend on unreliable power grids; and, 1.2 billion people lack access to electricity and still use fire for their household lighting, cooking and heating needs; and, (2) Smoke from polluting and inefficient cooking, lighting and heating devices kill nearly 2 million people every year, primarily women and children.  To draw global attention and spur positive action to these problems and issues, the UN General Assembly designated 2012 as the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All.

Thoughts to promote positive action…

(Please visit, like and share Pro-EARTH Crusaders on Facebook or follow me at http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/ and http://twitter.com/EarthCrusader/)

REFERENCES:

Wikipedia, (2015) “Sustainable Energy for All”.  Retrieved on December 4, 2015 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_Energy_for_All

UN Foundation, (2015). “Sustainable Energy for All”. Retrieved on December 1, 2015 from http://www.unfoundation.org/what-we-do/campaigns-and-initiatives/sustainable-energy-for-all/?referrer=https://www.google.com.ph/

Sea Level Rise

SEA LEVEL RISE (Part 2)

By Anton Antonio

December 3, 2015

“Sea level rise is serious and worrisome.  Some areas in Metro Manila have traditionally been flood prone because of clogged waterways and high tide.  Factor-in sea level rise and we have a perfect formula for disaster… the effect and impact of such is simply unthinkable.” (Antonio, 2015)  Articles like “Sea Level Rise” (http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/2015/08/sea-level-rise.html) are very hard to write simply because the message is sad.  Well, this one has the same effect on me… but it needs to be written if only to increase the level of awareness on the impact of sea level rise.  Let’s start with this researched material.  Please read…

RAPIDLY MELTING GLACIER HAS ENOUGH MASS TO RAISE SEA LEVELS BY NEARLY 2 FEET

By Samantha Page

November 13, 2015

Say goodbye to the beaches of your youth.  A massive glacier in Greenland is on the verge of collapse, researchers have found.  From 1996 to 2010, the edge of the glacier lost 2.2 miles into the ocean.  But over just the next five years, it lost another 2.2 miles.  The rapidly diminishing ice block, Zachariae Isstrom, has enough mass to raise the level of sea by nearly two feet.  “The destabilization of this marine-based sector will increase sea-level rise from the Greenland Ice Sheet for decades to come” the researchers write in their report, published Thursday in Science.  The depletion of Greenland’s glaciers is due largely to warming ocean waters, the researchers said.  According to earlier studies, 90 percent of global warming is taking place in the ocean.  Because Greenland’s glaciers extend deep into the ocean, they are particularly exposed to changing temperatures.  “North Greenland glaciers are changing rapidly,” lead author Jeremie Mouginot, an associate project scientist in the Department of Earth System Science at the University of California, Irvine, said in a statement.  “The shape and dynamics of Zachariae Isstrom have changed dramatically over the last few years.  The glacier is now breaking up and calving (Please see note No. 1.) high volumes of icebergs into the ocean, which will result in rising sea levels for decades to come.”  There are actually two glaciers rapidly depleting in the northeast section of Greenland: the Zachariae Isstrom and Nioghalvjerdsfjorden.  Combined, they represent more than three feet of sea level rise.  There are also glaciers melting on the west side of the country.  Altogether, the ice sheet of Greenland holds enough water to raise sea levels by 20 feet.  “If you see Greenland as a boat, it’s like we’re taking water from every side now,” Jeremie Mouginot, an author of the report from the University of California-Irvine, told the Washington Post.  A century’s worth of data analyzed in a study over the summer showed that the world’s glaciers are melting faster than now they ever have before.  Even if global warming stopped today, they would continue to melt, the researchers found.  That is obviously bad news for sea level rise.  It’s amazing to think that glaciers up in Greenland hold enough water to inundate our entire coastline, but it’s true.  To put it to scale, according to an extensive report in the New York Times, Greenland’s ice sheets held 75 percent of the world’s freshwater at the beginning of the industrial age.  A mapping tool released in September gives users an opportunity to see what their city will look like under different sea level scenarios.  The project posits that without global action, carbon pollution cause sea level to rise 14 to 33 feet – but even at smaller numbers, U.S. cities such as New Orleans and Miami are likely to be threatened, and it could be too late to stop it.”

Now that the information on the ill effects of rising sea levels has expanded to additional not-so-happy details, it really is an abomination to write about it.  But, again, this is all intended to warn everyone on the unfortunate impacts of sea level rise.

Thoughts to promote positive action…

(Please visit, like and share Pro-EARTH Crusaders on Facebook or follow me at http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/ and http://twitter.com/EarthCrusader/)

NOTES: 

1. CALVING - Ice calving, also known as glacier calving or iceberg calving, is the breaking off of chunks of ice at the edge of a glacier.  It is a form of ablation (Please see Note No. 2.) or ice disruption.  It is the sudden release and breaking away of a mass of ice from a glacier, iceberg, ice front, ice shelf, or crevasse.
2. ABLATION – The removal of snow and ice by melting or evaporation, typically from a glacier or iceberg.

REFERENCES:

Antonio, A.C., (2015). “Sea Level Rise”.  Retrieved on December 3, 2015 from http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/2015/08/sea-level-rise.html

ThinkProgress.com, (2015).  “Another Glacier is Dying”.  Retrieved on December 3, 2015 from http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/11/13/3722002/another-glacier-is-dying/

Intended Nationally Determined Contributions

INTENDED NATIONALLY DETERMINED CONTRIBUTIONS

By Anton Antonio

December 2, 2015

The entire world is abuzz about the Climate Talks presently being held in Paris, France.  Prior to the arrival of world leaders in Paris, their respective INDCs were already submitted.  But what are INDCs or Paris pledges?  Here is a researched material on this subject matter…

“What is an INDC?  Countries across the globe committed to create a new international climate agreement by the conclusion of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris in December 2015.  In preparation, countries have agreed to publicly outline what post-2020 climate actions they intend to take under a new international agreement, known as their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs).  The INDCs will largely determine whether the world achieves an ambitious 2015 agreement and is put on a path toward a low-carbon, climate-resilient future.

How does the process work?  The process for INDCs pairs national policy-setting – in which countries determine their contributions in the context of their national priorities, circumstances and capabilities – with a global framework that drives collective action toward a low-carbon, climate-resilient future.  The INDCs can create a constructive feedback loop between national and international decision-making on climate change.  INDCs are primary means for governments to communicate internationally the steps they will take to address climate change in their own countries.  INDCs will reflect each country’s ambition for reducing emissions, taking into account its domestic circumstances and capabilities.  Some countries may also address how they’ll adapt to climate change impacts, and what support they need from, or will provide to, adopt low-carbon pathways and to build climate resilience.

When will we see them?  A number of countries have already submitted their INDCs, including the European Union, the United States, Russia and Mexico.  Many other countries are expected to communicate their INDCs before October 2015.  All INDCs submitted to the Secretariat by October 1^st will be included in a synthesis report by the UNFCCC Secretariat that will be released by November 1^st.  The report will reflect the aggregate emissions impact of available INDCs ahead of COP21.

What makes a good INDC?  Well-designed INDC will signal to the world that the country is doing its part to combat climate change and limit future climate risks.  Countries should follow a transparent process when preparing their INDC in order to build thrust and accountability with domestic and international stakeholders.  A good INDC should be ambitious, leading to transformation in carbon-intensive sectors and industry; transparent, so that stake holders can track progress and ensure countries meet their stated goals; and equitable, so that each country does its fair share to address climate change.  It is important that INDCs be clearly communicated so domestic and international stakeholders can anticipate how these actions will contribute to global emissions reductions and climate resilience in the future.  An INDC should also articulate how the country is integrating climate change into other national priorities, such as sustainable development and poverty reduction, and send signals to the private sector to contribute to these efforts.”  (World Resources Institute)

The key elements in an INDC are they should be ambitious, transparent and equitable that will support and translate to inclusive growth, sustainable development and poverty reduction.  These are the best guarantees of a sustainable and successful Intended Nationally Determined Contributions.

Thoughts to promote positive action…

(Please visit, like and share Pro-EARTH Crusaders on Facebook or follow me at http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/ and http://twitter.com/EarthCrusader/)

REFERENCE:

World Resources Institute, (2015). “INDC”. Retrieved on December 2, 2015 from http://www.wri.org/indc-definition

Mitigating Climate Change

MITIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE

By Anton Antonio

December 1, 2015

I really do not know if this is by design or just providential.  The first days of the month this year seems to trigger my mind to publish and blog about coal.  On June 1, 2015, I blogged about “Coal Plant in Palawan” and exactly a month after (July 1, 2015), I again wrote the article titled “The Coal War in Palawan”.  Today, I inevitably will touch again on the proposed coal plants in Palawan.

The proponents in the establishment of a coal power plant in Palawan are projecting a helpless image that seems to give the impression that putting up a coal-powered plant in this island-province is the only alternative… that it has to be coal… that it’s coal or nothing.  Well, this was the situation some six months ago and they probably have not heard of the Cebu renewable energy initiative.

The Cebu initiative is all about a local company, SunAsia Energy, which is investing P5.6 billion that would establish one of the biggest solar farms in the Philippines.  The solar farm is located on a 70-hectare lot in Toledo City with a planned capacity of 60 megawatts (MW).  Scheduled to be operational by February 15, 2016, the solar plant is expected to generate an annual capacity of more than 861,000 megawatt hours.

The better part of the solar farm project and facility is the infrastructure where grass will be allowed to grow under and between some 5,000 arrays of solar panels.  This will function as grazing area where livestock could be raised.  The Toledo City power plant could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.72 metric tons of carbon footprint in the next 20 years.  This, together with other solar farms and power plants that are being established in the country, should be a substantial contribution of the Philippines in mitigating climate change.

Thoughts to promote positive action…

(Please visit, like and share Pro-EARTH Crusaders on Facebook or follow me at http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/ and http://twitter.com/EarthCrusader/)

REFERENCES:

Antonio, A. C., (2015).  “Coal Plant in Palawan”. Retrieved on December 1, 2015 from http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/2015/06/coal-plant-in-palawan.html

Antonio, A. C., (2015).  “The Coal War in Palawan”. Retrieved on December 1, 2015 from

http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-coal-war-in-palawan.html