Carbon is the 15th most abundant element in the earth’s crust. It is the fourth most abundant element in the universe by mass. The exploitation of carbon is behind the success story of the industrial revolution. We have been able to harness the carbon in fossil fuels to power our machines, cars and airplanes. It is hard to imagine life nowadays without the benefits that fossil fuels have given us.

The uses of carbon do not stop there. Diamond is a form of carbon. It fascinates us in terms of its brilliance. Its hardness also makes it a useful cutting tool. The most common form of carbon is graphite. This is used to make motors turn around thanks to carbon brushes. These work because carbon is also a conductor despite not being a metal. It is for this reason that EDM works. This is a process where electricity is sent between two eletrodes, one of which is a graphite electrode. The gap between the electrodes causes a spark that can be used to cut the hardest metals to a high level of accuracy.

Over the last 20 years carbon has been central to nanotechnology that is able to make systems at a molecular level.

It is thus a shame that our use of carbon is also simultaneously our potential ruin. As fossil fuels are burnt they release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere that is inert. This traps solar heat and causes global warming. The dangers of global warming cannot be overemphasized as it thrreatens to raise sea levels by over 200 feet and submerge 60% of the world’s land mass.

It is the job of engineers and scientists to find ways to use carbon without changing the global climate. This is the main challenge in the 21st Century.

With so much pollution and environmental degradation , it it now more important than ever to involve our kids in helping save the earth. Everyone has a role in nature preservation. Each of us, no matter how young or old, can contribute to saving the planet, or least slow down the destruction process.

In celebration of Earth Day 2012, we aim to help you raise awareness on in your family, especially your kids on how to foster a connection with the Mother Earth and develop a personal sense of responsibility in making this world a better place.

1. Take your child to a local zoo or garden.

This will help your child develop a sense of connection to other living things, not just humans. You probably have a penguin park or even a small zoo in yur city. That way, you don’t have to travek far to areas outside where you live – that means less carbon footprint as well.

2. Ask your child to help you in the garden.

If you don’t have enough space to grow a garden outside, you can coach your child in taking care of a plant grown inside a pot. You can use these moments to teach your child important lessons in taking care of the environment. In addition, having a greehouse, even a small one, will help you illustrate the damaging effects of global warming, and discuss what your child can do to help stop this, no matter how small and insiginificant it may seem.

3. Get animal-themed toys.

When you give your child stuffed animals – whether it be as common as a bear or as exotic as an iguana, they’ll learn more about these animals helping them deepen their knowledge about nature. Even a crabbie sandbox will help your little ones associate this pincer creature to the sea.

Although these steps may not seem to make much difference in the world, the relationship your children develop with nature will help him love and protect it. Now, imagine if all parents around the world will do this, we will really make an impact.

These days it is all to easy to forget the important relationship we have with our planet. Many scholars agree that the Native American Worldview is one that respects nature, with strong family values where the views of all are taken into account. Western societies today cannot necessarily be seen in the same terms. The recent popularity of the Occupy movement and the 99% of the population against the 1% who control all the wealth shows just how divided we have become.

While many people can relate to this feeling of alienation and disconnect with society and by extension nature, the question becomes, what can we do about it? Each of us will have our own opinion on how best we are to move forward. Some are happy to maintain the status quo while an increasing number are becoming active in trying to make a change.

I believe that we cannot carry on raping the planet that we live on. There are only a finite number of trees growing in South America. If we continue cutting them down at the rate we are going, it will not be long until the rain forests are gone. The same is true of the ice in the arctic. The fact of the matter is that the way we’re living now is going to impact upon future generations. To be honest, we may well see the changes in our own lifetime!

For my part, I’m trying to reduce my “footprint” on the planet. Some of the things I’m doing reducing the amount of needless purchase I make. Waste is waste. Of course I re-cycle. But by reducing what I buy, I have even less of a need. Also I try to by in season, local produce where I can. It’s well known that animal foods “cost” more in terms of resources to produce them. So why not think about eating more fruits and vegetables? Youtube is a good starting spot to discover the best juicer to use. Ideally one that can juice all sorts of different produce is the best option. That way, you’ll only need to buy one of them.

Getting back to Native Americans, they lives in harmony with nature. Perhaps we could do the same.

A 2006 report into the rubber production industry in Thailand highlighted the ecological damage that these types of industries have on the wider environment. Thailand is the world’s chief producer and exporter of natural rubber and in 2004 produced 2.9 million cubic tonnes of the stuff. We still live in a world where rubber is a main constituent of thousands of products. Look around you and the need for natural rubber becomes obvious. From the soles of our feet, in the trainers or flip flops we wear, to the tyres on our cars and the toys that our children play with, rubber is everywhere.

The need for rubber is not in itself the problem. The problem lies in the old world production techniques and the treatment, or lack of treatment, of the waste products that production produces. In countries like Thailand where rubber is produced we can already see a massive problem in both air and water pollution from this industry. The main cause of air pollution comes from the smoke particles created from the burning of wood fuels in the process. The particles and odour pollution are an immediate threat to the health of the workers.

Furthermore the production of rubber leads to a lot of waste water which, time and again, is not being treated properly. Clearly the technology exists to combat these production pollutants but they are not being implemented and the economic reasons for these failings are clear. Such conditions in the UK or US would simply be unthinkable, but out of sight is out of mind and the lack of regulations and political will in these third world countries mean a fix anytime soon is unlikely. Certainly if foreign investment is being pumped into these industries then those companies from the west should be held accountable for the waste they produce. If the industry is made up of local companies then there is a much trickier question of how best to intervene.

Certainly action should be taken sooner rather than later, least we wish to see waste pollution washing around the coastlines of our favourite beach resorts in Thailand.

Those seeking to live closer to nature could do a lot worse than making the decision to live full time in an RV. When you live in a recreational vehicle, you can go anywhere anytime. This lets you follow the seasons to the most attractive places the country has to offer – it is hard for me to imagine a more desirable lifestyle than this!

My home of choice for this type of living is a Toy hauler RV. These are great vehicles which offer even more environmental benefits than a typical Class A Motorhome. With a Toyhauler you can carry a small motorbike – or even a bicycle – along with on your travels.

This means that though you may use some gas getting from point A to point B on your travels, once you arrive you have very little environmental footprint. Using a bicycle to travel locally uses no gas, and even a motorbike is very fuel efficient.

Plus, with one of these means of transportation in your toy hauler RV, you can really get close to nature. Imagine taking your bike down a remote trail in a National Forest.  You can really get away from it all. Perhaps you can simple go somewhere remote and sit there quietly for a few hours.

Sit among the trees, listen to the birds, and quietly watch squirrels go about their business. It is amazing what natural wonders you will see if you can just sit still for a while. When the wildlife forgets you are there you can really get to enjoy it!

Overall I would heartily recommend living in an RV toy hauler for any fan of Mother Nature. It certainly beats stick house living both for ecological benefits and for the potential enjoyment of the countryside to be had!

As world population continues to grow, and as the world’s natural resources continue to become dangerously depleted more and more people are beginning to pay attention to the potential of renewable resources. These resources are fast growing trees and plants that can keep up with consumer demand. Some good examples of renewable resources include bamboo, cork trees, water hyacinth, rattan and coconut palms. This post will look at a few of the benefits to be gained from the commercial cultivation of coconuts.

The origin of the coconut is in doubt. Since the fruit of the coconut palm can survive saline conditions and float for thousands of miles before washing up on a beach and starting to grow at a prodigious rate, it is hard to say where the first coconuts were located. They now cover all of the tropical countries. Coconut palms have become essential to the economy of many local communities. In India and in several islands in the South Pacific the coconut is referred to as the ’tree of life’.

The coconut palm takes only 7 years to reach maturity. It produces over 100 cocounts a year. A coconut palm will flourish without pesticides or fertilizers. They produce coconuts for about 75 years. After which time they can be cut down. Although the coconut is not a tree it produces timber that is hard and that can be used to make flooring, furniture and many other household items. Coconut timber is an excellent substitiute for hardwoods that often take over 100 years to reach maturity. The more people that buy coconut flooring etc. the better the chance we have of saving invaluable bio reserves such as the Amazon Rainforest.

Not only is coconut timber a great alternative to hardwood, but also the fruit from the coconut is an important source of nutrition and medicine. Interestingly enough, the coconut is not a nut it is a drupe. Young green coconuts hold coconut water. This is a remarkable liquid. It is an exact match with human blood plasma. Coconut water contains more electrolytes than any sports drink. For this reason coconut water is a great rehydration drink. Coconut water also helps to balance the PH in the body and helps many people around the world to control diabetes.

Older coconuts contain coconut milk. This is a great substitute for cow’s milk. Coconut milk contains calcium, protein and a range of vitamins and minerals including potassium, magnesium and sodium. For those suffering from lactose intolerance, coconut milk is ideal. It can be used in cooking and in smoothies and shakes. Coconut milk can replace cow’s milk for growing children. Considering coconuts are not pumped full of antibiotics and other drugs like most dairy cows, coconut milk is preferrable for anyone with children.

Coconut power does not end there. Coconut oil contains mostly medium chain triglycerides that are readily absorbed by the body and converted into energy. Coconut oil helps boost energy levels and help people to lose weight. Moreover, coconut oil also contains lauric acid. This is a fatty acid also found in human breast milk. It is antimicrobial, anti-viral and antibacterial. It helps to protect the body against disease. Research has also shown that coconut oil also helps to stimulate the thyroid gland and has been used successfully to treat serious diseases such as cancer and AIDS.

It is clear that the coconut is a very powerful plant. Not only does it grow quickly, provide money for farmers but it also helps to keep people healthy. It really is the tree of life.

One of the longest running debates is about the relative influences of nature and nurture on the development of a living organism. As our understanding of genetics has improved the debate has become ever more complex.

Scientists are beginning to isolate genes that are responsible for aging, body characteristics, different types of handicaps and susceptibilities to various diseases. What is in the DNA must be regarded as ’nature’ since it comes prior to any influences from the environment. It is, however, a big jump to try to connect certain ’unsocial’ behaviours with genes. The science is far from certain and it leads down the road to the possibility that certain babies with the ’wrong genes’ should be aborted before birth or killed shortly after birth. This is like the scenario of the movie ’Minority Report’ where people are punished before they commit a crime.

Environment plays a huge part in determining human personality. Environment starts in the mother’s womb. If a mother is starved during her term the baby will be over-weight all its life as its body will have learned to horde calories. Babies that are given up for adoption, even those just 6 months old, remember a sense of rejection, and are more likely to develop anti-social tendencies in the future.

We must use hard science to test the relative importance of nature and nurture. It is real science that has given us simultaneous design, vaccinations, aerospace technologies, the digital age, cars, solar energy and so many other useful inventions for our lives. Once we can remove the politics from the debate of nature versus nurture we will be in a better position to decide on certain ethical matters and to improve both mankind’s and nature’s lot.