Heat Stress Information

NOAA produces a HEAT index chart that helps determine the risk for Heat Stress.

CDC - Healthy safe summer recommendations. -  Protect from Sun, Swim safety, Safe boating, Move, Drink water, and leave the fireworks to the professionals.

According to CBS NEWS, revised heat stroke guidelines from the National Athletic Trainer's Association (NATA) advises immediate cooling before transferring to a hospital. 

Basic principles: keep hydrated with water (no caffeine or alcohol) , rest more often, use shade or air conditioned space.   It is important to adapt to higher temperatures by gradually increasing the amount of time in the heat.  Drink water even when not thirsty.

Heat stroke and heat exhaustion are serious conditions that can occur. With heat stroke, the person will often be belligerant, irrational and may be hallucinating. 

http://navyadvancement.tpub.com/14325/css/14325_407.htm

Treatment of heat stroke

http://www.doctortipster.com/2926-heatstroke-sunstroke-symptoms-causes-riks-factors-treatment-and-prevention.html

Sewers provide renewable energy

Minnesota Public Radio reports on an effort in Brainard, Minnesota to recover the energy in sewers.  The Hidden Fuels group has been monitoring the temperatures of the city sewers to determine if it is feasible to use this heat energy to reduce the cost of heating buildings.  Essentially a closed loop heat pump system would be installed in the sewer system.  They would need to overcome problems working with a contaminated water system.  More information is provided by CERT (Clean Energy Resource Teams).



Earl Wolleat photo by Ann Schwartz http://www.cleanenergyresourceteams.org/blog/could-waste-heat-sewers-heat-buildings-untapped-energy-flowing-under-brainerd

Silica exposure during hydraulic fracturing

A study by the CDC found significant exposure to crystaline silica during hydraulic fracturing operations.  The sand in the process is used to keep holes open to allow the retrieval of natural gas. 
Respirable dust samples (116) were taken at 11 sites throughout the US.  47% of them exceeded the OSHA PEL for silica. 36% of the samples exceeded the NIOSH REL by more than a factor of 10.  This means that half faced respirators would not provide adequate protection.

http://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2012/05/silica-fracking/

There is also a field effort to determine chemical exposures to oil and natural gas workers.  NIOSH is funding this study and is looking for companies to volunteer to participate.

Slippery bottle can save 1 Billion tons of food waste

MIT researchers have developed a nontoxic slippery substance that allows liquids to easily flow out of bottles.  This has the potential to signficantly reduce food waste and reduce time wasted trying to get ketchup out of bottles.

http://www.fastcoexist.com/embed/89099ca915d05

Working safely with nanomaterials

The California Nanosafety Consortium of Higher Education released a Nanotookit in pdf. form on April 19, 2012.   It is a best practices document for researches using manufactured nano materials. A 2007 article in the Economist asked for something like the document above to be printed.   

There is an increase in research on nano particles.  Nano technology also plays an increasing role in hydraulic fracturing.  The number of US patents granted for nano technology has increased from 578 in the year 2000 to 4,398 in 2009. 

http://www.nanocleantechblog.com/tag/natural-gas/

http://nanopatentsandinnovations.blogspot.com/2010/01/2009-record-year-for-nanotechnology.html

Careful research into proper controls is needed.  Preliminary information appears to suggest that fractal structured nanoaggragates added to HEPA filters improves the filtration of nano particles.

Foot tile energy generation

UK designers have been capturing the energy of people's footsteps and using them to provide low level power for lighting systems and wifi networks.  Thomas K. Grose writes about a UK company, Pavegen Systems, that has been designing and installing pedestrian powered electrical power generating systems in schools and malls.  The pads are designed out of recyled tires or tyres if you are in the UK.

This would seem to be a natural fit in workout facilities and other high traffic areas.  The power is generated by a slight change in height caused by people stepping on the tile.  The current cost of the tile $50 each will need to drop further to make this economical.  The tile also needs battery storage.  The tile is tested to last at least 5 years. 

Could similar devices be used in roadways to power street lighting?  What other applications do you envision?

http://www.pavegen.com/images/other-applications.jpg

http://inhabitat.com/files/Pavegen-Systems-Energy-Genrating-Pavement-4.jpg

Safety tips for businesses after a flood

The Hartford loss control department has published safey tips for businesses after a flood event.   The sheet covers building security, electrical safety, structural safety and keeping an eye out for snakes and other creatures that may have chosen the building as a safe place to ride out the storm.

Flood in patient care area - N. Carlson

Amphibious Car

Two for the price of six.  Not really a good trade off but there is some James Bond like coolness to this new amphibious car.

Amphibious car - 8 minutes

At a price tag of around $260,000, this will certainly limit the number of people who could afford the multiple use vehicle.  CNN also has a video that includes an interview with the creators of the car.



Geoengineering consequences

Ron Meador from MinnPost offers up an analysis of several geoengineering solutions to alter the earth's climate and some of the unintended consequences.  One of the more intriging plans from Global Thermostat is to use large towers placed all over the globe to break carbon dioxide into oxygen and carbon. Only 2 trillion dollars and 30 years of filtering are required for this to work. 



http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/tag/global-thermostat/

Bill Gates has been sponsoring research on carbon capture.  The goal is to get the cost of capture under $100 per ton.  Estimates for the current cost range up to around $600 per ton. Three other companies aside from Global Thermostat: Global Research Technologies, Global Engineering, Kilamanjaro Engineering are working on possible solutions.

This report is an update to my earlier posts on geoengineering and capturing and using carbon dioxide.

Tornado rebuilding hazards

The IAQ video network has produced a video on ways to avoid environmental hazards when rebuilding after a tornado.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBbpajoiYcE