Chemically Green
The Truth About Jatropha Curcas Biodiesel
(Piecing together the puzzle for Jatropha Curcas being a source for biodiesel)
I just received an interesting report about using Jatropha bushes for biodiesel production titled: “Best Practices For Long-Term Jatropha Development., A Position paper by KnowGenix.
Jatropha Curcas is being heavily planted for harvesting of it nuts to produce biodiesel. Jatropha has been the buzzword on the lips of many biofuel investors, Government Officials and researchers. The potential this plant has as an environmentally friendly and socially aware source of Biodiesel is astounding. As Jatropha is poised on the brink of commercialization, Jatropha investors have stepped up their efforts to develop a viable source of biodiesel, and some are already well on the road to success.
Check out the Chemically Green comment section where comments on investment opportunities for Jatropha Curcas have been received.
Biodiesel derived from Jatropha is fast becoming recognized as a viable source of alternative fuel to meet the rising fuel demands of countries around the world. As technological developments stand today, Jatropha has the potential to serve as fuel to power automobiles, combined heat and power (CHP) plants and cooking stoves, just to name a few.
(Jatropha Plant: Photo Credit World Politicsreview)
Mediocre Results Obtained when Jatropha is not maintained properly.
However, with so many new projects coming up, and a lack of RELIABLE information, many projects are only achieving mediocre results. Plagued with funding troubles, poor plantation management, and lack of understanding of the Jatropha Curcas plant, many projects are not performing at optimal productivity.
Knowing where to place your Jatropha project is critical, and requires a holistic view of certain key criteria for site selection. These include agro-climatic conditions, availability of labor, logistical consideration and local legislation.
The Jatropha Curcas L plant is an ‘energy species’, but it needs to be domesticated as a ‘tree crop’ for widespread commercial cultivation and application.
In order to achieve maximum commercial performance, it is crucial to understand the crop’s requirements, predict its possible interactions with the environment and develop practices for industrial cultivation.
(Jatropha Fruit Picture Credit: Woetan)
Most reported information on Jatropha Curcas does not give the whole picture and some of the major requirements for maintaining Jatropha Curcas.
1. True or False: Jatropha will grow in just about any dry or poor soil and takes little maintenance.
FALSE.
To get maximum yields from Jatropha, the soil must be cultivated, prepared and properly maintained for maximum fruit yields and more than one yearly crop. If planted in poor soil conditions, Jatropha will yield poor production or no production at all. Though reported to grow on marginal soils and land, Jartopha really needs decent quality land for maximum crop yields which will maintain any project for growing Jartropha.
2. True or False: Jatropha requires little water and will grow well even in drought conditions.
FALSE.
The use of water is the most important criteria for growing Jatropha. If sustainable fruit yields and several harvest per year are desired from Jatropha, the grown plants must be irrigated on a regular basis. In critical areas of water supply, the impact of indiscriminate removal of ground water in fragile ecosystems will have to be studied and appropriate actions taken to keep from depleting water supply during irrigation. Claims that Jatropa can grown in drought conditions or low rainfall areas is proving to be false and experience has shown Jatropha needs higher levels of water for optimum yields.
3. True of False: Jatropha is labor intensive for harvesting fruits.
TRUE.
Jatropha bushes are real compact and the fruits have to be picked by hand. Mechanical harvesting would damage the bush. Because Jatropha is such a compact bush, plant maintenance is labor intensive.
4. True or False: Jatropha contains toxins that might be harmful to man.
TRUE.
Jatropha contains a chemical toxin similar to Ricin, Curcin.
Main Toxins of Jatropha. MAIN TOXINS: Curcin - a phytotoxin (toxalbumin), found mainly in the seeds and also in the fruit and sap. Purgative oil - the seed yields 40% oil, known as hell oil, pinheon oil, oleum infernale or oleum ricini majoris, which contains small amounts of an irritant curcanoleic acid, which is related to ricinoleic acid and crotonoleic acid, the principle active ingredients of castor oil and croton oil respectively (Joubert et al., 1984). OTHER TOXINS: This genera also may contain hydrocyanic acid (CRC Critical Reviews in Toxicology 1977). There may be a dermatitis producing resin (Lampe & Fagerstrom, 1968). There may be an alkaloid, and a glycoside which produce cardiovascular and respiratory depression. Tetramethylpyrazine (TMPZ), an amide alkaloid has been obtained from the stem of J. podagrica (Ojewole & Odebiyi, 1981). Atropine-like effects have also been reported following ingestion of Jatropha multifida (Aplin 1976). For more details, please visit here
5. True or False: Jatropha Curcas has been used for medicines and possibly treatment of cancer tumors.
TRUE.
6. True or False: Millions of Dollars are being invested for growing Jatropha.
TRUE.
Check out CG previous post: Jatropha Curcas Update.
7. True or False: Many developing countries are working with Jatropha for new income sources.
TRUE.
8. True or False: Jatropha Curcas can be grown in many habitats through out the world.
FALSE.
Check out CG previous post: Jatropha Curcas Update.
9. TRUE OR FALSE: The meal left over from the Jatropha seeds after oil extraction make a good fertilizer for recycling.
True. The Meal after extraction an excellent organic manure (38%Protien N:P:K ration 2.7:1.2:1).
So what are the major considerations for growing Jatropha Curcas and other plants (Palm) for biodiesel?
To ensure sustained use of water supplies, land and natural resources, the development of biofuels must be planned, managed and maintained. Ecosystems and Rainforests through out the world, that are being destroyed for the sake of biofuels, must be stopped. Other major considerations are land competition for food vs. biofuel production, considerations on habitat destruction and animal species, availability of water, pollution of lands with fertilizers which can lead to soil erosion, safety of people who harvest phytoproducts for biofuel production and issues of developing large massive plants instead of small localized plants near the crops that will be used to manufacture biofuels.
(Jatropha Seeds Photo Credit: Nrfigueiredo)
Jatropha Curcas looks like it will be a main factor in the race to produce biodiesel.
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Attack of the Food Clones?
The FDA says that cloned food products may have entered the food chain.
Check out this LINK, FDA says cloned meats and milk o.k. for consumption by consumers.
EU not sure about safety of cloned animals. LINK
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Food and milk from the offspring of cloned animals may already have entered the U.S. food supply, the Food and Drug Administration said on Monday, but it would be impossible to know because there is no difference between cloned and conventional products.
The FDA said in January meat and milk from cloned cattle, swine and goats and their offspring were as safe to eat as products obtained from traditional animals. Before then, farmers and ranchers had followed a voluntary moratorium that prevented the sale of clones and their offspring.
Cloned animals in the food supply, What’s The Beef?
(Picture Credit: Guy Scoop)
Cloned offspring are in the food supply?
“It is theoretically possible” offspring from clones are in the food supply, said Siobhan DeLancey, an FDA spokeswoman. “I don’t know whether they are or not. I could imagine there are not very many of them.”
Many ranchers and dairy producers have already cloned animals for meat and milk production, but a voluntary moratorium initiated about five years ago by the FDA has largely kept them and their offspring out of grocery stores and restaurants.
However, ranchers say there is no doubt that some of the animals taken to slaughterhouses in the past couple of years have been fathered by clones.
(Picture Credit: Jay Duggers)
Even as the FDA unveiled its final rule, USDA asked in January for the cloning industry to prolong the ban on selling products from cloned animals during a “transition” period expected to last at least several months. That ban would not extend to meat and milk from the clone’s offspring.
Groups still protest using cloned offspring for food supply
(Picture Credit: Heath & B.L.T.)
But a study released this month by the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology found that 64 percent of Americans are uncomfortable with animal cloning and that 43 percent believe food from clones is unsafe.
Safety isn’t the only concern among consumers. Carol Tucker Foreman, director of the Food Policy Institute at the Consumer Federation of America, based in Washington, said the primary issue is that the food should be labeled so consumers can avoid products derived from clones if they wish.
Critics still contend not enough is known about the technology to ensure it is safe, and they also say the FDA needs to address concerns over animal cruelty and ethical issues. “It worries me that this technology is out of control in so many ways,” said Charles Margulis, a spokesman with the Center for Environmental Health. The possibility of offspring being in the food supply “is just another element of that,” he said.
Some meat processors say will not process cloned animals.
Despite the backing from FDA, major food companies including Tyson Foods Inc, the largest U.S. meat company, and Smithfield Foods, Inc. have said they would avoid using cloned animals because of safety concerns.
Christmas in July for Alaska This Year
The coldest summer ever? You might be looking at it, weather folks say. Not in Georgia, or the lower U.S. states, but Alaska.
Check out this article from the: Anchorage Daily News
Anchorage Alaska, (photo credit: retro traveler)
Right now the so-called summer of ‘08 is on pace to produce the fewest days ever recorded in which the temperature in Anchorage managed to reach 65 degrees.
That unhappy record was set in 1970, when the temperature only made it to the 65-degree mark, which many Alaskans consider a nice temperature, 16 days out of 365.
This year, however — with the summer just about over — there have been only seven 65-degree days so far. And that’s with just a few days of potential “balmy” days remaining and the forecast looking gloomy.
The current three-month outlook posted by the national Climate Prediction Center in Camp Springs, Md., calls for below-normal temperatures for the south coast of Alaska from August through October — turning to above-normal temperatures from October through December.
Want to Save at the Pump? Try Blending Fuel Pumps
Perhaps a break for consumer fuel prices
Picture Credit: (Cole_H(Old Skool)
Unity Biofuels plans to save consumers money with new blending fuel dispenser:
Clean energy company Unity Biofuels has announced that it is developing self-blending ethanol fuel dispensers, to help blend ethanol with gasoline directly in the pump and thus help consumers to avoid the associated blending fee, according to PetrolWorld.
Fuel subsidy to be passed on to consumer to reduce fuel prices:
According to Mr Jason Egli of Unity Biofuels, “Since the oil companies will not be pre-blending fuel for these pumps, Unity Biofuels will be getting the blenders credit, which will actually go back to the consumers and lower the prices on the E20 and higher blends. The company is seeking to use the credit to ensure that the customer ends up paying lower prices at the pump”.
Check out the rest of the story from Red Orbit.
Destroy Rainforests to Grow Sugar Cane?
One Side of the Story
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Primate scientist Jane Goodall said on Wednesday the race to grow crops for vehicle fuels is damaging rain forests in Asia, Africa and South America and adding to the emissions blamed for global warming.
Picture Credit: (Irene Roxanne)
“We’re cutting down forests now to grow sugarcane and palm oil for biofuels and our forests are being hacked into by so many interests that it makes them more and more important to save now,” Goodall said on the sidelines of the Clinton Global Initiative, former U.S. President Bill Clinton’s annual philanthropic meeting.
Palm Oil Pollution
As new oil supplies become harder to find, many countries such as Brazil and Indonesia are racing to grow domestic sources of vehicle fuels, such as ethanol from sugarcane and biodiesel from palm.
Rain Forests being sacrificed for Palm Oil and Sugar Cane Production
Goodall said “the problem is especially bad in the Indonesian rain forest where large amounts of palm nut oil is being made. Growers in Uganda — where her nonprofit group works to conserve Great Apes — are also looking to buy large parcels of rain forest and cut them down to grow sugar cane, while in Brazil, forest is cleared to grow sugar cane.”
Gorilla in the Mist. (Picture Credit: P Silver)
Final Comments from Jane Goodall
“Biofuel isn’t the answer to everything; it depends where it comes from,” she said. “All of this means better education on where fuels are coming from are needed.”
Another important point that was not mentioned in this article was with the destruction of forests and deforestation, then the animals that inhabit these forests are loosing ground for survival and possibly extinction.
Deforestation of the Amazon on the Rise?
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Deforestation of the Amazon has surged in recent months and is likely to rise in 2008 for the first time in four years, a senior Brazilian government scientist said on Wednesday. The rise raises questions over Brazil’s assertion that its environmental policies are effectively protecting the world’s biggest rain forest, whose destruction is a major source of carbon emissions that drive global warming.
Another Side of the Story
Brazilian Officials Defend using the rainforest for growing sugar cane.
From the International Harold Tribune:
BRASILIA, Brazil: Brazilian agricultural officials and biofuel industry representatives defended using already devastated parts of the Amazon rainforest to grow sugarcane for ethanol, denying such cultivation would harm the region.
Brazil’s part of the rainforest, covers 1.6 square miles
Brazil’s extensive use of ethanol and other biofuels has put it at the forefront of global efforts to fight climate change. But the country is also home to most of the Amazon rainforest, which scientists say plays an important role in cooling the Earth Brazil’s share of the Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest, covers an area of about 4.1 million square kilometers (1.6 million square miles); 20 percent of that land has been razed.
Environmentalists say that runoff from sugar mills will pollute the region regardless. And, because it’s cheaper to raze virgin forest than recover already-devastated lands, they warn illegal deforestation will be hard to control once Amazon sugar cane production reaches wide support.
Brazilian Official Comments
“Environmentally protected areas must be protected, but there are natural niches and others that man has already exploited that can be used to grow sugarcane,” said Frederico Duraes, head of agro-energy at the government’s agriculture research institute.
Final Comment
Hypocrisy at its best. Has anyone considered the long range effects on the environment, climate change and habitat destruction of complete ecosystems after the magnificent rainforests are destroyed and clear burned to kill all vegetation? It seems Brazil cares more about revenues from biodiesel products, but has little regard for its rainforest and its inhabitants. 20% of Brazil’s portion of the rainforest has already been destroyed. How many more acres of virgin rain forest will be destroyed for the biofuel’s cause. The is not a green movement, but a pitch black movement.
Is California loosing its Grip on Green?
California chemical ban bills are defeated.
An avalanche of lobbying buried two bills in the Assembly on Monday that sought to ban controversial chemicals from fast food containers, microwave popcorn bags and baby bottles.
From Sacbee.com:
The measures, Senate Bill 1713 by Sen. Carole Migden, D-San Francisco, and Senate Bill 1313, by Sen. Ellen Corbett, D-San Leandro, were the targets of large and well-heeled “working groups” of lobbyists employed by chemical companies, manufacturers and trade associations.
Bill to prohibit use of BPA, bisphenol A in children’s baby bottles defeated.
BPA Free (Picture Credit: m_a_ramos)
Migden’s bill would have banned the use of bisphenol A, or BPA, from containers for children less than 3 years of age, such as baby bottles and “sippie” cups.
Corbett’s bill sought to prohibit the use of perfluorinated compounds, or PFCs, from food packaging. The compounds, which are used to prevent grease from leaking through bags and wrappers, have already been abandoned by some companies, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has called for a voluntary ban by 2015.
Companies are currently replacing the perfluorinated compounds in their packaging even before the voluntary ban goes into effect.
Did California really need to pass these bills?
BPA free bottles are available for sale on regular basis.
The producers of these items had to make BPA free bottles to satisfy consumer demand. People made the difference and when involved in a major issue can and will make a difference
In response to consumer pressure, many manufacturers have stopped using BPA. In April 2008, Canada banned the use of BPA in all baby bottles and baby products, and at least 10 U.S. states have proposed and/or passed legislation that bans the chemical. Several major manufacturers of plastics have pro-actively stopped using BPA in their products. If this is the case, did the California government think about how much money it would cost taxpayers to pass the ban on BPA? Did the manufacturers of BPA free baby products decide to fight the bill because they are making safe bottles? Maybe the manufacturers thought consumers had enough since to read the bottle labels and knew that consumers were the ones that forced them to make a BPA free bottle?
Where was the public outcry from the consumers of California? Did California support these bills or if they did, it wasn’t mentioned in the Sacrobee.com article. Perhaps the people really did not care to support the bills.
European Food Safety Authority and the U.S. FDA say the BPA levels are safe, but they both regulate the use of plastics in baby bottles and other consumer products. In 2007, the European Food Safety Authority increased the level of BPA it deems safe. The FDA says that BPA can be “safely used as components of articles that contact food,” and as recently as April 2008, they stood behind the safety of polycarbonate plastic in baby bottles and other products.
Scource: BabyFit.com
How to Check Your Carbon Footprint
Would you like to measure your carbon footprint? Global Footprint Network has announced a new ecological footprint calculator. Currently there are calculators available for the U.S. and Australia, with more countries being added all the time. To use it, click on click here and then click one of the countries to help see how your living habits relate to your use of the planet’s resources. After you complete the test, you may find that your carbon footprint might be larger than you think.
I know that my shoe size is 12M, but according to the quiz it would need 4 Planet Earths to provide enough resources to support my current lifestyle. What’s yours?
Do We Need Air Conditioning Outdoors at the Summer Olympics?
NBC can talk to their viewers about saving the planet, but it’s the old hypocritical saying: Do what I say, Don’t do like I do.
Due to the warm humid air at the Beijing China Olympics, NBC is using air conditioning to cool off their commentators while conducting their interview outside. WTHR, the NBC affiliate for Indianapolis, reported from Beijing and described the NBC set used for the network’s two highest rated news broadcasts, “NBC Nightly News” and “Today,” as air conditioned – even though it is outdoors in balmy 85 degree weather.
(Picture Credit: Innamoo)
NBC, not so green? Is NBC helping add to pollution in the country of the world’s largest polluter?
Last fall, the network performed a publicity stunt on its November 4 broadcast of its highly rated Sunday Night NFL Football show, “Football Night in
Other media have criticized American over-dependence on air conditioning. According to Joe Klein of Time magazine, air conditioning represents an estimated 4 % of U.S. energy use.
“But that’s still pretty egregious,” Klein wrote for Time on June 25, in a column encouraging people to “kill their air conditioner” for the sake of the environment. “We used an estimated 4 quadrillion British thermal units on air-conditioning in 2006, which is more than the total energy usage of all but 21 countries. And a fair amount of that is peak usage — the sort that sends the electric grid crackling toward brownouts and meltdowns and increases the demand for the construction of more electric power plants.”
(Beijing China, Picture Credit: Addictive Picasso)
Funny, it seems that NBC and Time can preach to the masses about air conditioning and save the planet, but I wonder what their carbon footprint looks like?
Evidently, it is ok to add to the pollution level in the top polluting country in the world, as they speak: Do Like I Say, Don’t Do Like I Do.
Source: Business and Media Institute.
Is the Most Expensive Commodity in America Ignorance?
Americans might be starting to have a change of mind about buying smaller cars as gas and oil prices decline. Car shoppers who panicked in June and July about gas prices are losing interest in small compact cars as fuel prices have declined. Americans are starting to use more gasoline as prices continue to fall, and oil prices have dropped to $112.00 per barrel today (3 month low). Americans are folks who are addicted to their cars and if gasoline prices continue to fall, will the SUV’s or SUV’s hybrid outsell the smaller compact cars?
To Drive or Not to Drive?
Picture Credit: J.R. Trauben
Will Americans revert to their old driving habits and want to buy SUV’s again? Trends in automobile purchasing may be changing.
From USA Today:
As gas prices topped $4 a gallon for about seven weeks this summer, truck and SUV sales plummeted, and small-car sales soared. But Edmunds.com, which attracts about 50% of people using the Internet to research their next car purchase, says research interest in compact crossover SUVs now is on the rise.
“In May, June and July, people were just stunned” by $4 gas, says Jeremy Anwyl, CEO of Edmunds.com. Now, “It’s kind of a return to rationality, where the singular fixation on fuel economy is gone. As people think things through clearly and a little more calmly, they’ll make different decisions.”
But the future of compact and smaller cars may not be as bright as some predict. In addition to Edmunds.com’s report, a study by consulting group Acxiom found most buyers won’t look to small cars for their next purchase but may downsize in the class of vehicle they drive. Owners of big SUVs, for instance, would more likely buy a smaller SUV or crossover, not skip to a small car just to save gas.
One important fact to remember: The drop in the price of oil and gasoline has been affected by market conditions not because of our do-nothing government, who is on summer vacation.
Solutions that solve nothing, will they continue in the oil debate, or is America really serious about reducing the use of oil?
Read the rest of the story: USA Today
The New Land Grab: American Foreclosures
Picture Credit: Krakow 81
Will Oil Rich Funds buy Foreclosed American Homes as OPEC Countries post highest profits in 2008?
The Buying of America. Whether you realize it or not: There’s a new land grab starting in America.
Foreign money, which up to now has focused its attention on investing in iconic commercial real estate - like Barney’s New York and the Chrysler Building - is now moving to scoop up tens of thousands of discounted foreclosed homes across the country. Check out this earlier CG post.
“One sovereign fund, said to have earmarked $29 billion to purchase foreclosed residential real estate, recently hired a West Coast mortgage broker and is starting to search for bargains, The New York Post has learned.
The search, which is being carried out, in part, by Field Check Group mortgage consultant Mark Hanson, who was retained by the broker, Steve Iversen, is concentrating on single- and multi-family REO (real estate owned) homes, or homes that have already been taken over by the mortgagee.”
Sovereign Funds Will Buy The U.S. Homes
Neither Iversen nor Hanson would disclose the name of the client, but sources told The Post “it’s a sovereign fund.”
A Sovereign Fund Has Major Advantages:
A sovereign fund would have two distinct advantages over other investors - the depressed value of the US dollar makes the homes a bargain, and sovereign funds have deeper pockets.
The sovereign fund of Abu Dhabi, for example, has a reported $875 billion in assets, while Norway has $391 billion, Singapore has $303 billion and Kuwait has $264 billion in their sovereign funds, which are funded by proceeds from oil sales.
Houses selling for $1.00: Check this out
Foreclosures continue to rise: Check this out
Lenders that made loans to unqualified buyers during the height of the sub prime market now find themselves the owners of whole neighborhoods of vacant, deteriorating homes.
One dollar can get you a large soda at McDonald’s, a used VHS movie at 7-Eleven or a house in Detroit. The fact that a home on the city’s east side was listed for $1 recently shows how depressed the real estate market has become in one of America’s poorest big cities and it still took 19 days to find a buyer.
What happens after the houses are sold and purchased with foreign sovereign funds?
Picture Credit: Ginger
The foreclosed homes will be purchased by the foreign sovereign funds, when rented or sold, will mean more American dollars going to the rich oil funds. The Selling of America.
Source: New York Post
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