Smoke and Water, Environmental Downs And Ups

Smoke and Water, Environmental Downs and Ups

Ecosystem, , ,

Mentatul Monthly Focus
February 2019 Edition
– The Environment –

1. Nine years after such information was widely available, I finally got to understand just how insanely terrible sea shipping is for our planet. Consider that a single massive cargo ship puts out more cancer and asthma-causing pollutants than 50 million cars.

2. A 23.8 meters high wave was recorded in the Southern hemisphere. For reference, that’s about as high as a 6-stories building.

3. Ocean heat buildup is a major problem, one that is seriously underestimated.

4. In November 2016, the Environment Ministry of Japan warned that the country will produce 800,000 tons of solar waste by 2040, and it can’t yet handle those volumes. That same year, the International Renewable Energy Agency estimated that there were already 250,000 metric tons of solar panel waste worldwide and that this number would grow to 78 million by 2050.

5. Is global warming worrying you? Do you think we’ve run out of time? Well, here’s some good news. If we, as a species, would for once work together, we could actually achieve negative carbon emissions.

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Earth's Tune

Earth’s Humming a Little Tune

Science,

Well, it’s only “little” when considering the ultralow frequencies involved. In fact, it’s a massive tune. It’s a world-wide phenomenon and probably as old (thus long) as the Earth itself. The linked article summarizes years of research into a perpetual hum that has been detected in places such as Antarctica, Algeria and on the floor of the Indian Ocean.

The coming decades will clarify the relation between our body and certain facts about the environment on this planet, particularly previously-hidden “features” such as this humming. I’m going to keep my ears on the ground for more news about the Earth’s song. See what I did there?

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Bitcoin Logo

Does Cryptocurrency Have a Future?

Economy, ,

The cryptocurrency craze is on! Social media websites have been swarmed by advertisers hoping to entice people to jump on the Bitcoin wagon or tempting them to invest in any of the ICOs (initial coin offerings) popping up almost on a weekly basis for various competing cryptocurrencies. It’s almost hysterical.

The Bitcoin has grown by more than 1200% in about a year. That’s a staggering development no matter who you ask. Many analysts warn that the bubble will soon burst, but they’ve been saying this for months and the Bitcoin is still growing.

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Berta Caceres

To Be or Not to Be an Activist

Politics, Recommendations,

Being an activist has never been easy. Even in the 21st century, the death sentence for speaking the wrong words can be delivered unexpectedly by those that happen to disagree for whatever reason. This happens despite millennia of social development, now culminating with a sharp rise in our ability to exercise the right for free speech thanks to the Internet.

Last month, just before UK’s referendum on whether or not they should stay in the European Union, a member of parliament was killed, probably because she was holding peaceful views in a country that is increasingly dominated by hate. Jo Cox was stabbed, shot, and then stabbed again, in a horrifying illustration of how the wrong politics and education have mutilated our society.

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Stock Market Drives Companies Insane

How the Stock Market Drives Companies Insane

Analysis, Economy, , , ,

In the past decade, we’ve witnessed countless cases of companies breaking the law or harming the environment in their frenetic quest for profits. The most recent high profile case is Volkswagen’s cheating in the emissions scandal. Or was the toxic spill from a mine in Brazil worse? In case we’re undecided, perhaps the disastrous explosion in China can take the prize? All of these happened in the space of four months in 2015.

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