Home heating from the sun
Clean and abundant solar power has
been making inroads into home
energy needs since the 1970’s. Solar
can be utilized as a form of heat, such as with solar water heating, and increasingly for electricity, in the form of solar photovoltaics.
Water heating is one of the most costeffective uses of solar energy, including heating water for showers, dishwashers and clothes washers, however back up power is needed. According to Natural Resources Canada, the typical solar water heater can provide enough energy to meet about one half of the water heating needs of a family of four. Consumers can also buy freezeprotected solar water heaters, so they can
rely on the sun’s energy year round. The use of a photovoltaic module in a solar water
heater allows it to operate even during a power outage.
Photovoltaic or solar cells are made of silicon and allow the creation of electricity directly
Home heating from the sun from sunlight. Until recently, their use has been limited because of high manufacturing costs, so while they may have become preferred sources of power for orbital satellites, home use has been a lot less common. Costs have been steadily declining
over the past 15 years, and with many places now giving tax rebates, it is estimated that
solar electric power can now pay for itself in five to ten years.
Solar power has been demonstrated to be a safe, reliable and generally maintenance-free
source of power. Most modules on the market come with warranties exceeding 20 years, and experience has shown they will perform much longer.
Passive solar is the cheapest method of free energy. Passive solar techniques do not rely on
mechanics, but involve selecting materials with favorable thermal properties, designing spaces that naturally circulate air and positioning a building with an eye to the sun.
Burger King Whopper
In 2001, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) launched a campaign against Burger King in order to pressure the chain to implement stringent animal handling standards among its suppliers and slaughterhouses. Burger King which was coined "Murder King" by PETA in their five year campaign, received two letters from BK’s product safety manager, Steve Weiffenbach, on March 14th and 20th, 2007 outlining the company’s new supply guidelines.
According to the letters, BK has started purchasing ten percent of its pork from suppliers who do not use sow gestation crates. They intend to double that number by the end of 2007.
Gestation crates are the fate of commerciallyfarmed pigs. Female pigs have a short fourmonth
pregnancy and in that time they are moved to what is called a fallowing crate to give birth and nurse their young for three weeks before they are taken away. The sow is then re-impregnated. When the time comes that the sow does not produce, which is defined by seven days post weaning, they are sent to slaughter. In addition, BK said that they would start purchasing two percent of its eggs from hens not confined to small cages. They hope that percentage will also double by the end of 2007.
www.freefarmanimals.org
City Chickens Out
Richmond, British Columbia, has become the first city in North America to go "cage-free." City council voted unanimously to recommend the removal of eggs from caged hens from all city-run facilities. The motion called for
use of only certified organic, free-range or free-run whole chicken eggs.
Council also recommended that residents and businesses choose certified organic,free-range eggs.
This large-scale organic initiative was a result of the hard work of the Vancouver Humane Society. The organization has extensively
lobbied businesses and institutions on the issue, sometimes with the support of BC native Pamela Anderson.
In the past year, the University of Guelph and Vancouver’s Langara College also went cagefree.
According to the SPCA, about 98 percent of Canada’s 26 million egg-laying hens are raised in small wire cages where they are so closely packed, they can barely move and are unable to flap their wings, dust-bathe, nest or perch.
Egg enthusiasts boast that the colour and nutrition of cage-free is superior. n
For more on Canadian battery and free-range egg farms check out www.chickenout.ca
Tyson’s Chickens Say “NO” TO DRUGS
 Tyson Foods, the world’s largest chicken processor, and a multinational food giant, has decided that all of their fresh chicken will now be raised without antibiotics.
The $26 billion Arkansas-based company, who contract with over 6000 chicken farmers in the USA, say their antibiotic-free, “natural” bird will be available to consumers at an affordable price.
"According to our research, 91 percent of consumers agree it’s important to have fresh chicken produced and labelled "raised without antibiotics," Tyson CEO Dick Bond said.
Tyson Foods has received considerable heat in the past for its caged-bird environments and inhumane slaughter practices. Questions have also been asked about high levels of arsenic found in their birds. Arsenic is mixedwith feed to control intestinal parasites and promote growth. Tyson Foods abandoned arsenic in 2004.
With the food bar being constantly raised by consumers, farmers and grassroots companies, it is gratifying to see larger businesses make positive steps to more responsible food policies.
Exploring the Symptoms of a Changing World
Drought
Australia is entering into its "worst drought in a thousand years," with many regions entering their fifth year of moisture shortages. Sydney’s largest reservoir is now only 40 percent full, and many smaller communities will face shortages. 72,000 farmers are effected and the country faces a severe drop in crop yields. There is one suicide amongst the farming population every four days, twice the national average.
Pandemic
Health experts have been monitoring a new and extremely severe influenza virus - the H5N1 strain - for almost eight years. In 1997, the strain which formerly only infected birds, spread to humans in Hong Kong. 18 cases were reported, which included six deaths. Since mid-2003, this virus has caused severe outbreaks in poultry ... the largest on record.
So far over 100 human cases have been laboratory confirmed in four Asian countries - Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. More than half of those people died.
Although the virus does not spread easily from birds to humans, H5N1 does have the ability to evolve into something as contagious as the flu. If that happens a pandemic could begin.
 Genocide
The ongoing human tragedy unfolding in the Darfur region of western Sudan is in many ways an environmental conflict. With alleged government support, nomadic Janjaweed tribesmen are intent on driving black Sudanese farmers away from increasingly rare water sources and arable land. Rape, slaughter and mutilation … they’ve got it all. There is no doubt that desertification in Sudan is increasing the scale of genocidal actions. In the last five years it is estimated that over 400,000 murders have been committed.
I’ve got worms!
BY DUANE LAIRD
“No, no,” he said. “I’ve got a worm composter!”
George, our mailman came to my door the other day, all smiles, and said "I’ve got worms!", to which I replied that there were several good doctors that could help him. "No, no," he said. "I’ve got a worm composter!"
I had been showing off the garden and my compost piles to George a few weeks ago, and he was excited with the idea of recycling his kitchen waste but lives in an apartment. Worm composters are the perfect solution.
Taking up little space, simple to start and maintain, a worm composter provides a happy place for your worms, who in turn will process five to ten pounds of fruit and vegetable peels, pulverized egg shells, tea bags and coffee grounds every week, leaving behind worm casings, compost "tea", and no odour.
Getting started is easy. There are several worm composting kits available that come with everything you need to create a worm ranch. A model called the Cascade Worm Factory comes complete with the bins, a manual and 10,000 worms. For the more adventurous, there is Worms Eat My Garbage by Mary Appelhof, an excellent guide available in your library that will take you through constructing a worm composter out of wood, scavenging through horse dung piles for your own red wigglers and setting up the correct environment. Most municipal recycling programs also offer courses and resources in worm composting. Check yours today, and happy ranching!
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