Daniela Muhawi

Marquiss Wind Power - Blowing Away the Energy Bill. It may be annoying to hear wind whip its way around your home forcing windows to rattle and trees to bend and creak under its pressure. But with new wind technology, at least it is no longer wasted energy. The patented ducted wind turbine designed by Marquiss Wind Power (MWP) takes advantage of winds that inevitably blow across rooftops. Right now, the technology is intended to be used in commercial and industrial buildings but who knows where else these turbines will find themselves in the future. The Marquiss Wind Power homepage explains why wind turbines are so appealing: - An ROI of 2 - 7 years - Payback twice as fast as solar - Allows for "rolling back the power grid" during high wind times - Enables businesses to publicly embrace a green power source In addition to the points above, wind power has the potential to generate power all day and...

Carbon dioxide goes into more products than we think. Sodas contain the pressurized gas, quick inflatable life jackets on planes contain CO2, it is used as a pesticide, dry cleaners use CO2 as an alternative to more toxic chemicals, CO2 is commonly used in the oil industry to force the oil to the surface and it is emitted by power plants. Unfortunately, carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, may have adverse effects on the environment while its absorption by the ocean has already changed oceanic environments. With these concerns in mind, a group of retired Aerospace engineers formed Clean Energy Systems in Rancho Cordova, CA, with the goal of creating power without the release of adverse chemicals into the environment. Having worked at Aerojet Corporation, it is no surprise that these engineers integrate rocket engine technology into the design of the systems. CES has achieved the goal of converting coal to...

Alcohol has played a major part in human history: Celebrations are synonymous with alcohol; religious ceremonies involve paying tribute with a sip of wine; alcohol fends off infection; many foods just would not be the same without a dash of Cabernet. Ethanol has also played a role as a fuel source. Lamps were fueled by ethanol in the early 1800's while certain Ford models were developed to run on the liquid in the early 1900s. The popularity of ethanol as a fuel dwindled with time, but has made a comeback in recent years. Ethanol, also known as grain or drinking alcohol, is produced through the fairly simple process of fermentation where micro-organisms like yeast digest the sugars in plants to ethanol. Lignol Biofuel, a Canadian Bio-fuel company that recently commercialized a unique 'cellulose to ethanol' technology, plans to take advantage of the renewable fuel demands. Their website...

Petroleum (crude oil) is a vital part of our society. Billions of cars are dependant on the fuel drilled out of the ground, but petroleum also constitutes the base for many industries including plastics, pharmaceuticals, pesticides and even fertilizers. Unfortunately, getting petroleum is a dirty process and until now, has involved wasting millions of gallons of water (used to force oil to the surface). The shiny black oil is found in porous rock formations underneath the earth's crust. These petroleum reservoirs are made up of the crude oil, the natural gases that float on top of the oil and saline water that flows underneath. Extracting the petroleum involves drilling through the crust which then allows the oil to flow upwards through pre-made tubing. Natural pressures under the oil are not always enough to induce the black liquid to ooze and sputter upwards, and in these cases...

Machines driven by wind are nothing new: Windmills date back to as far as 200 B.C where Persian farmers used these mesmerizing contraptions for grinding grains. Windmills are still popular today, especially in Europe where it is impossible not to see a windmill when touring areas like Denmark. Wind energy has been manipulated for centuries and with demand for electricity constantly peaking, it is no wonder that companies are throwing ideas around for more advanced and ecologically friendly ways of generating wind power. Airtricity develops wind turbines that are dispersed throughout Europe. These wind farms, made up of as many as 100 turbines have been built on hills, coasts and offshore sea beds...

Billions of animals are killed every year to support demand for their parts. It might be hard for some to imagine, but ostrich skin boots, kangaroo skin soccer balls and chairs made from a stuffed elephant's foot are just some of the items available for purchase. Tiger or seal penis soups, bear gall bladders and pangolin meat are another option if the consumer wants to eat a novelty item rather than decorate their home with one. The practice of selling a variety of animals worldwide for slaughter or for the pet industry is a multi-BILLION dollar business and causes irreversible damage to habitats, wildlife populations and local cultures. Organizations like Wildlife Alliance educate local communities on the subject of animal trade in the hopes that doing so reduces demand for these products while also working with governments to provide an alternative means of income for families whose only form of...

Almost 2 billion people use kerosene lamps to light their homes- Many individuals fall victim to burns when these lamps get knocked over, suffer through the stench of burning oil and children are sent to hospitals after accidentally ingesting the kerosene. Not only are these lamps dangerous, especially when fueled with gasoline out of desperation, but they are costly. Founder and CEO of http://www.dlightdesign.com/, Sam Goldman, spent the better part of his 28 years growing up in South America, Africa, India and the Middle East. Goldman seems to feel comfortable in any environment. He explains his involvement in rural towns while growing up in his blog: "I remember: * caravans of camels passing by our house in Mauritania, * Boy Scouts trips to the Kyber Pass in Pakistan shooting AK47's smuggled out of Afghanistan, * boat trips in the Amazon looking for river otters during school break in Peru, * drinking yak...

Ecoworld has repeatedly focused on the benefits of solar energy - It is taking advantage of a renewable resource, getting cheaper every year, has basically no maintenance costs associated with it and even better; the excess power generated by these panels can be sold back to the local power grid! The concept is simple: The sun's rays are absorbed and converted to electricity. Unfortunately, the popularity of solar panels is marred by the high cost associated with the product. Installing photovoltaics on your roof is a major investment. It is important to note that once installed, however, the solar panels will pay for themselves within an average of five to ten years. Other good news is that costs are still decreasing and soon even the most skeptical consumer won't be able to argue the benefits of getting electricity practically for free. Soliant Energy, based in Pasadena, CA has made huge...

Gold has always been a symbol of wealth, power and beauty. It is also the most malleable metal, where a single gram of the dark yellow material can be pounded into a full square meter sheet. This precious metal is not just limited to jewelry and decoration. Gold is also used in holistic medicine. Since medieval times, it has been assumed that something so rare and precious could be nothing but healthy . With that in mind, many foods are decorated with gold leaf and flakes to add to their appeal, but the metal leaves the body unchanged. Jewelry is usually what is associated with gold and 80% of the mined metal goes into these accessories. Unfortunately, not many people know how the gold traveled from various mines to a fiance's finger or a favorite necklace. The whole process is a dirty one. Gold mining has devastating impacts on the environment and local communities. "No Dirty Gold" is a website...

THE GRAND OASIS: ECOWORLD'S TOP ECO-TOURS FOR 2008 Visit a family of gorillas on your next family vacation. (Photo: Terra Incognita Ecotours) Have you ever looked a beautiful pristine place shining brightly on your computer's screensaver and thought how much you would like to be there right now? For some people, a couch, cold drink and a decent video rental make up the key ingredients for their perfect vacation. What is a vacation anyway? The dictionary defines the word as "time away from work", but for many of us, the ideal vacation doesn't just mean a quick escape from the job, but an escape from the day to day lives we've become accustomed to. Working the 8-5 jobs leaves many drained and...