Bio-Fuel

• In recent years, the term “biofuel” has come to mean the last category – ethanol and diesel, made from crops including corn, sugarcane and rapeseed.
• A recent UK government publication declared that biofuels reduced emissions “by 50-60% compared to fossil fuels”.
• Ethanol for fuel is made through fermentation.
• Sixty percent of new cars can run on a fuel mix which includes 85% ethanol.

 Problems:

• Asian countries may be tempted to replace rainforest with more palm oil plantations, reduce habitat for animals and wild plants still further 
• If increased proportions of food crops such as corn or soy are used for fuel, that may push prices up, affecting food supplies for less prosperous citizens.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6294133.stm

comment:

Ethanol might be the latest renewable source of energy. In the future, this may alleviate issues on scarce and depleting resources. Advancement in technologies also has helped human to utilise this new source of energy more efficiently.

Questions:

1. “Decaying, dying, dead.” Is this a fair assessment of the environment in your part of the world?

2. Is man destroying the environment too rapidly?

by Julianti Ng

The Other Side Of India’s Tech Boom

Source: Fortune magazine, July 23, 2007

Some useful information and how they can be used in essay:

• In New Delhi alone, about 10 000 people, some young children, dismantle old computers and other equipment–know as e-waste, searching for gold, copper, paladium or anything to turn to cash. (poverty)

• Recyclers expose themselves to toxic metals but it is a main source of income for them

• E-waste recycling is a booming business in India

• A study by Toxics Link, an advocacy group in New Delhi, found that metals from 183 defunct computers could yield as much as $24 000 (environment; recycling)

• India currently produces 150 000 tons of e-waste a year and illegally imports at least that amount from the West. (impact of improving technology)

• India currently has only 22 computers for every 1000 people but that number is projected to increase to 120 in the next five years (improvement in technology in LDCs)

• European firms that have come to India with plans to start recycling canters are also put off by the lack of regulation, said Ravi Agarwal, the director of Toxics Link.

• India has only 2 government-recognised e-waste recycling facilities, in Chennai and Bangalore. Together they recycle less than 1% of India’s total e-waste. (Environment)

by huiting

China awakens to need for safety and quality

Source: World News, The Straits Times, 14th July 2007

Summary :

Zheng Xiaoyu, the former head of China’s State Food and Drug Administration, was executed this week after his conviction for accepting massive bribes in return for certifying the sale of shoddy goods and fake medicines. It was meant as a warning to other corrupt officials. The scandals about the quality of Chinese products have now reached worrying proportions, threatening not only the country’s image, but also its foreign trade.