Nate Lewis Presentation Reflection

Energy and Biofuels is a topic within environmental science that has an interest to me. I think its an issue we can do a lot about, and with research and dedication, we will be able to save our earth. I feel that Nate Lewis approached this situation is a very effective way. He provided data, research, problem, as well as a solution. I personally wish he addressed algae as a potential solution, but it is possible that this presentation was given before algae was fully discovered.

His evidence was very compelling, he provided a lot of data that left me in shock, and disbelief. Throughout the entire presentation, I kept thinking to myself, " How did we let our environment get this bad?" I know we didn't do it on purpose, but honestly, we have become reliant on fossil fuels. Fossil fuels not only fuel our cars and electricity, but they fuel our lives. We have entered a world completely dependent on a single source.

I got the impression that Nate Lewis was suggesting Coal as a efficient source. He kept explaining how inexpensive it was, and how it is non-renewable, but we have a lot to work with. I don't think anything non-renewable is a effective solution, and something we should not consider to save our environment.

Artist Statement

The Process of turning algae into an environmentally friendly fuel source, isn't a process commonly known. When I first heard about it, I didn't think it was possible, and only envisioned algae as pool and fish tank scum. I researched the different species of algae, and found out how easily it was grown, and the many things it is used for.

As I looked into algae as a Bio fuel, I was shocked to discover how important this issue is to the environmental world, and to each and every one of us. Since most people are unaware that algae is a renewable source of energy, I wanted my film to educate people of the different options available. I became interested in showing people the importance of preserving our natural resources, and finding an alternate source to fossil fuels.

"Algae gasoline is a biofuel that makes sense - Green Mesh." York Blog. N.p., 1 Nov. 2009. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Biodiesel from microalgae beats bioethanol." Science Direct: Trends in Biotechnology. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2009. .

Geiger , Bob. "Alga-produced gas a possible alternative to fossil fuels." The Daily Reporter . N.p., 28 Aug. 2009. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .
Newman, Stefani. "HowStuffWorks "How Algae Biodiesel Works"." Howstuffworks "Science". N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

Wheatgrass!

Origin: The human consumption of wheatgrass began in the 1930s as a result of experiments by Charles F. Schnabel. Schnabel started promoting his discovery to feed mills, chemists and the food industry. Two large corporations, Quaker Oats and American Dairies Inc., invested millions of dollars in further research, development and production of products for animals and humans.

Nutrition:The average dosage taken by consumers of wheatgrass is 3.5 grams in either powder or tablet form and can also consume a fresh-squeezed 30 ml shot once daily or for more therapeutic benefits. For detoxification, some users may increase their intake to 3–4 times per day. Wheatgrass increases red blood-cell count and lowers blood pressure. It cleanses the blood, organs and gastrointestinal tract of debris. Wheatgrass also stimulates metabolism and the body’s enzyme systems by enriching the blood.

Interesting Facts:
Fifteen pounds of wheatgrass is equal in overall nutritional value to 350 pounds of ordinary garden vegetable.



Wheatgrass juice is 70% chlorophyll, the first product of light and contains more light energy than any other element.


Wheatgrass juice is high in enzymes, great for blood disorders of all kinds, and improves digestion.

Wheatgrass turns gray hair to its natural color again and greatly increases energy levels when consumed daily.

Algae- Senior Project

Early oil explorers relied heavily on intuition and guesswork to find the precious 'black gold.' Fossil fuels, coal, oil and natural gas, are a non-renewable source of energy. Formed from plants and animals that lived up to 300 million years ago, fossil fuels are found in deposits beneath the earth, but are there another sustainable fuel sources that can also be found within the ocean?
At current coal usage, the supply will last 1500 years. However at a 5% growth rate the supply will last only 86 years. We can expect even greater usage as other fossil fuels become scarce. The way our country uses oil is absurd. When are we going to realize we cannot rely on fossil fuels forever?


Scientists are looking for species of algae that are rich in lipids, which is where they can extract the oil.

Algae is very prolific, it has a 28 day life cycle from inception to when its ready to be harvested. If you think about that in contrast to other plants, sources that take a lot of time like corn, the potential number of crops you can get per harvest is high.

If you think about algae as a source of biomass, it grows quickly compared to other sources.

When your talking about algae biofuels, your talking about using one small part of algae, which is the lipids and the oils it contains. It also has inherent value to beyond that. The remaining parts of the algae could be turned into animal feed or as a human nutrient supplement.

The only chance algae is going to become commercial is if they are collocated next to a power plant, or a wastewater treatment plant. The economics and benefits of how its needs can come together, and more beneficiary than a field of algae alone.

One of the biggest issues of algae is water. The good news is that algae doesn’t require fresh water. It is capable of growing in fresh water, but a number of species grow in brackish or saline water.

There is a plant species out there that holds a lot of promise. It takes sunlight, water, CO2, nutrients to grow, All of these aspects are abundant in certain areas, and would solve a lot of our problems, such as CO2 reduction, and wastewater reduction.




SOURCES:

1. Campbell , Matthew . "Algae as a renewable source for liquid fuel ." Guelth University . N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2009. . - Algae biomass can be carbon neutral and produced intensively on relatively small areas of marginal land. - The quality of the fuel product is comparable to petroleum diesel and can be incorporated with minimal change into the existing fuel infrastructure. - Innovated techniques, including the use of industrial and domestic waste as fertilizer, could be applied to further increase biodiesel production. - The world’s oil production is expected to decline in between one and ten decades. - Our reliance on fossil fuels has caused carbon dioxide enrichment in the atmosphere and is the primary contributor to the generally accepted phenomenon global warming. - Two/Thirds of the world’s energy consumption is derived from liquid fuels - Biodiesel is a biofuel derived from organic oils, plant or animal, through the Process of tranesterification Species: Chrorella Oil Content: 28-32% Species: Nitzschia Oil Content: 45-47% Species: Nannochloropsis Oil Content: 31- 68% Species: Schizochytrium Oil Content: 50-77%
2. Hossain , Sharif. "Biodiesel Fuel Production from Algae as renewable energy ." American Journal of Biochemistry and Biotechnology . N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2009. . - Algae produce 7 to 31 times greater oil than palm oil. - Very simple to exact oil from algae - best algae for biodiesel would be micro algae - microalgae has more oil than macro algae and faster and easier to grow - microalgae can provide several different types of renewable biofuels - Algae are an economical choice for biodiesel production because of its availability and low cost. - Results prove that Biodiesel can be produced from algae Treatment: Spirogyra Fresh weight Petri dish: 24.5 grams Dry Weight: 8.09 grams, 33 % Extracted Oil: 1.8 grams, 7.5% Biomass: 3.5 grams, 43.3% Treatment: Oedogonium Fresh weight Petri dish: 34.2 grams Dry Weight: 11.3 grams, 34.8% Extracted Oil: 3.0 grams, 9.2% Biomass: 3.8 grams, 33.6%

Propogation Paper, Final Draft

Plant Propagation is the process of planting seeds in which there are two different processes. Sexual propagating is the process where seeds are used for reproduction through sowing involving the floral parts of a plant. By drawing the genes of two parents, a third new individual is created. Uniting the pollen of the male with the egg of the female, a seed is produced. The advantage of sexual propagation is that it is usually cheaper and quicker than other methods. It is also the only way to obtain new varieties of certain species and a way to avoid transmission of certain diseases and helps maintain healthy genetic variation.

Asexual propagation may be easier and faster in some plant species and is the best way to maintain a species. The major methods of asexual propagation are cuttings, rooting a severed piece of the parent plant, layering, rooting a part of the parent plant and then severing it, division, plants with more than one rooted crown divided and planted separately, and grafting, joining two plant parts from different varieties. Also known as vegetative reproduction, gardeners have the ability to multiply and clone plants rapidly.

An important aspect of obtaining quality plants starts with the seed. The seed is made up of three components, the outer seed coat to protect the seed, the endosperm, containing the seeds food reserve, and the embryo, which is the plant itself. High quality seeds will not contain seed of any other crop, weeds, or other debris. Many fruits and vegetables come in hybrid varieties, which have more uniformity and have specific disease resistance characteristics, but tend to cost more than open pollinated types.

There are four essential components for successful germination: water, light, oxygen and heat. The water is the first step, and the amount of continuous supply of water is important to ensure germination. Once the seed has started to germinate, a sudden dry period will cause the embryo to dry out and kill the seed. Light is required to stimulate the germination of the seed. The medium in which the seeds are placed should be loose and in well-aerated soil so that is the oxygen supply isn’t limited or reduced, causing germination to be severely inhibited. Some seeds will germinate over a wide range of temperatures, whereas others require a narrow range. Maintaining proper temperatures to achieve maximum germination percentages is important.

Monsanto is a United States base corporation in the agricultural biotechnology business. As the producer of “Roundup,” they’re the world’s leading producer of herbicide glyphosate. Holding 90% of the market share of genetically engineered seeds, Monsanto is the leading producer for the commercial market, making it the world’s largest conventional seed company. The growth hormone and the marketing of genetically engineered seeds have made Monsanto the center of attention for many anti-globalization movements and environmental activists. Activists are worried about the unintended harm to other organisms. Monsanto has made over 112 lawsuits against farmers for claims of seed patent violations. Unfortunately for most farmers, they settle with Monsanto because they cannot afford a time consuming lawsuit.

With anything, Genetically Modified foods and organisms have its pros and cons. GM foods are crops created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques. These plants have been modified in labs to enhance desired traits such as improved nutritional content and increased resistance to herbicides. The benefit to having GM’s crops is to enhance the taste and quality, increased nutrients and improves the resistance to disease and herbicides. They also lead to new products and growing techniques. This could be seen as a pro as well as a con. Pro in the sense that we are able to adapt and create new species and food products, and con because it encourages the use of herbicides that are not specific for weed species and kill native plants.

With the recent controversial studies about the effects of genetically modified corn pollen on monarch butterflies have brought the issue of genetic engineering to the attention of many. A lab study was published showing that the pollen from corn caused high mortality rates in monarch butterflies. Monarch caterpillars consume milkweed plants, not corn, but the fear is that the pollen from the corn is combining with the milkweed plants in neighboring farms and could potentially harm the monarch butterfly population. According to the FDA, there are over 40 pant varieties of GM crops that meet all federal requirements for commercialization. Genetically modified fruits and vegetables are available on produce stands, but are more likely to be in highly processed foods such as vegetable oils and breakfast cereals. In 2000, thirteen countries grew genetically engineered crops, with the United States producing the majority. Soybeans, corn, cotton and potatoes are the most widely grown crops and were modified for herbicide tolerance, and insect pest resistance.

Propagation is the key for successful gardening and planting. It is involved with the quality of our fruits and vegetables. The herbicides and pesticides we put in our food affect our overall health, and our future of fresh fruits and vegetables. If we contaminate all of our organic fruits and vegetables, we run the risk of not being able to reproduce them ever again. The importance of keeping our food organic is that if we have organic foods, we are in control of our food distribution. We employ farms and distributors. We rely less on other countries to provide food for America.




Annotated Bibliography:
"AZ Master Gardener Manual: Plant Propagation." College of Agriculture and Life Sciences homepage. 5 Oct. 2009 . This website explained in detail the differences between asexual propagation and sexual propagation.

"Seed Propagation: Landscaping: Home & Garden Television." HGTV - Decorating, Home Improvement, Landscaping Ideas, Kitchen and Bathroom Design: Home & Garden Television. 9 Oct. 2009.
This website focuses on how seeds are more efficient than starters. One reason being, they are a lot more cost effective, and they have a higher potential to grow plants that are larger in size. They have stronger roots, and are most likely live longer.

"PLANT PROPAGATION." HCS. 9 Oct. 2009. 9 <>.
This website talked about bringing plants and seeds from foreign country to another. This is how many serious insect and disease pests are introduced into different countries. A nonnative plant may become a noxious weed, and might affect the growth and reproduction of other plants.

"Saving Heirloom Seeds | Suite101.com." Vegetable Gardens: Heirloom vegetables, farmers markets, container, raised bed and community gardening, reviews of gardening tools, tips on fertilizers, irrigation, pest control and more. | Suite101.com. 12 Oct. 2009. Time isolation is where you time your plantings so that different varieties of the same plant don't flower at the same time, and won't pollinate each other. To keep your heirloom seeds pure, you should carefully plan your garden design and plant your vegetable garden with pollination needs in mind.

"Plant propagation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 5 Oct. 2009 . The differences between sexual and asexual propagation and what each of them is used for.

"Monsanto - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 14 Oct. 2009 . This website discussed Monsanto the corporation, and their involvement with the food industry. Also their involvement with legal issues.

"Genetically Modified food: Harmful or helpful? ." Discovery Guides. 10 Oct. 2009 . Focusing on the aspects of genetically modified foods, this website goes into detail about specific cases involving the negatives of GMO's.
"Plant Propagation by Stem Cuttings: Instructions for the Home Gardener." North Carolina Cooperative Extension: Home. 14 Oct. 2009 . This website focused on the process of stem cuttings and the process of asexual propagation.

Algae Research

Notes:
-Biofuel from algae could be a meaningful part of the solution in the future because of its potential as an economically viable, low emissions transportation fuel.

-Algae produce bio-oil that can be processed into biofuels similar in structure to today’s gasoline and diesel fuels.

-Algae can be grown using land and water unsuitable for plant or food production, unlike some other first- and second-generation biofuel feedstocks.

-Growing algae consume carbon dioxide; this provides greenhouse gas mitigation benefits.

-large quantities of algae can be grown quickly.

-bio-oils from photosynthetic algae could be used to manufacture a full range of fuels including gasoline, diesel fuel and jet fuel that meet the same specifications as today’s products.

"Algae biofuels." Exxon Mobil Corporation. 22 Oct. 2009 .
One thing I found interesting about this source is that is is from Exxon Mobil, one of the largest oil and gas company. To me it seems ironic for an oil company to be spending over $1.5 million in activities that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.


-Algae are tiny biological factories that use photosynthesis to transform carbon dioxide and sunlight into energy so efficiently that they can double their weight several times a day.

-algae produce oil and can generate 15 times more oil per acre than other plants used for biofuels, such as corn and switchgrass.

-algae — at least in theory — should grow even better when fed extra carbon dioxide (the main greenhouse gas) and organic material like sewage. If so, algae could produce biofuel while cleaning up other problems.

-Proving that the algae can thrive with increased inputs of either carbon dioxide or untreated sewage solids will confirm its industrial ecology possibilities.

University of Virginia (2008, August 19). Algae: Biofuel Of The Future?. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 21, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2008/08/080818184434.htm
This source was written by the science daily, therfor mostly discussing the scientific aspect to the process of gathering algae and working with algae.

Propagation Paper, Draft 1

Plant Propagation is the process of planting in seeds in which there are two different processes. Sexual propagating is the process where seeds are be used for reproduction through sowing involving the floral parts of a plant. By drawing the genes of two parents, a third new individual is created. Uniting the pollen of the male with the egg of the female, a seed is produced. The advantage of sexual propagation is that it is usually cheaper and quicker than other methods. It is also the only way to obtain new varieties of certain species and a way to avoid transmission of certain diseases.

Asexual propagation may be easier and faster in some plant species, and is the best way to maintain a species. The major methods of asexual propagation are cuttings, rooting a severed piece of the parent plant, layering, rooting a part of the parent plant and then severing it, division, plants with more than one rooted crown divided and planted separately, and grafting, joining two plant parts from different varieties. Also known as vegetative reproduction, gardeners have the ability to multiply and clone plants rapidly.

The seed is made up of three aspects, the outer seed coat to protect the seed, the endosperm, containing the seeds food reserve, and the embryo, which is the plant itself. An important aspect of obtaining quality plants starts with the seed. Good seeds will not contain seed of any other crop, weeds, or other debris. Many fruits and vegetables come in hybrid varieties, which have more uniformity and have specific disease resistance characteristics, but tend to cost more then open pollinated types.

There are four essential components for successful germination: water, light, oxygen and heat. The water is the first step, and the amount of continuous supply of water is important to ensure germination. Once the seed has started to germinate, a sudden dry period will cause the embryo to dry out and kill the seed. Light is required to stimulate the germination of the seed. The medium in which the seeds are placed should be loose and well-aerated soul so that is the oxygen supply isn’t limited or reduced, causing germination to be severely inhibited. Some seeds will germinate over a wide range of temperatures, whereas others require a narrow range. Maintaining proper temperatures to achieve maximum germination percentages is important.

Monsanto is a United States base corporation in the agricultural biotechnology business. As the producer of “Roundup,” they’re the world’s leading producer of herbicide glyphosate. Holding 90% of the market share of genetically engineered seeds, Monsanto is the leading producer for the commercial market, making it the world’s largest conventional seed company. The bovine growth hormone and the marketing of genetically engineered seeds have made Monsanto the center of attention for many anti-globalization movements and environmental activists. Activists are worried about the unintended harm to other organisms. Over 112 lawsuits have been made my Monsanto against farmers for claims of seed patent violations. Unfortunately for most farmers, they settle with Monsanto because they cannot afford a time consuming lawsuit.

With anything, Genetically Modified foods and organisms have its pros and cons. GM foods are crops planted for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques. These plants have been modified in labs to enhance desired traits such as improved nutritional content and increased resistance to herbicides. The benefit to having GM’s in your crops is to enhance the taste and quality, increased nutrients and improves the resistance to disease and herbicides. They also lead to new products and growing techniques. As helpful as that sounds, there are also many risks. The potential transfer of antibiotic resistance markers causes unknown effects on human health. By using GM’s we are allowing a few companies to dominate the world food production, and increasing dependence on industrialized nations on developing countries.

With the recent controversial studies about the effects of genetically modified corn pollen on monarch butterflies have brought the issue of genetic engineering to the attention of many. A lab study was published showing that the pollen from corn caused high mortality rates in monarch butterflies. Monarch caterpillars consume milkweed plants, not corn, but the fear is that the pollen from the corn is combining with the milkweed plants in neighboring farms and could potentially harm the monarch butterfly population. According to the FDA, there are over 40 pant varieties of GM crops that meet all federal requirements for commercialization. Most genetically modifies whole fruits and vegetables aren’t available on produce stands, but are more likely to be in highly processed foods such as vegetable oils and breakfast cereals. In 2000, thirteen countries grew genetically engineered crops, and out of these the United States produced the majority. Soybeans, Born, cotton and potatoes are the most widely grown crops and were modified for herbicide tolerance, and insect pest resistance.

Annotated Bibliography:

"AZ Master Gardener Manual: Plant Propagation." College of Agriculture and Life Sciences homepage. 5 Oct. 2009 . This website explained in detail the differences between asexual propagation and sexual propagation.

"Seed Propagation: Landscaping: Home & Garden Television." HGTV - Decorating, Home Improvement, Landscaping Ideas, Kitchen and Bathroom Design: Home & Garden Television. 9 Oct. 2009.

This website focuses on how seeds are more efficient than starters. One reason being, they are a lot more cost effective, and they have a higher potential to grow plants that are larger in size. They have stronger roots, and are most likely live longer.

"PLANT PROPAGATION." HCS. 9 Oct. 2009. 9 <>.

This website talked about bringing plants and seeds from foreign country to another. This is how many serious insect and disease pests are introduced into different countries. A nonnative plant may become a noxious weed, and might affect the growth and reproduction of other plants.

"Saving Heirloom Seeds | Suite101.com." Vegetable Gardens: Heirloom vegetables, farmers markets, container, raised bed and community gardening, reviews of gardening tools, tips on fertilizers, irrigation, pest control and more. | Suite101.com. 12 Oct. 2009. Time isolation is where you time your plantings so that different varieties of the same plant don't flower at the same time, and won't pollinate each other. To keep your heirloom seeds pure, you should carefully plan your garden design and plant your vegetable garden with pollination needs in mind.

"Plant propagation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 5 Oct. 2009 . The differences between sexual and asexual propagation and what each of them is used for.

"Monsanto - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 14 Oct. 2009 . This website discussed Monsanto the corporation, and their involvement with the food industry. Also their involvement with legal issues.

"Genetically Modified food: Harmful or helpful? ." Discovery Guides. 10 Oct. 2009 . Focusing on the aspects of genetically modified foods, this website goes into detail about specific cases involving the negatives of GMO's.

"Plant Propagation by Stem Cuttings: Instructions for the Home Gardener." North Carolina Cooperative Extension: Home. 14 Oct. 2009 . This website focused on the process of stem cuttings and the process of asexual propagation.