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.
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.
"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 . . 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 effect 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.
In Class, we had a Socratic Seminar regarding the text, Farmer in Chief, a letter written to the president elect from Michael Pollan. I thought this article was interesting, informational, a tad repetitive but overall a successful article. I really enjoyed how the author stated the problem, gave factual and his opinions, and proposed a probable solution. In articles similar to this, I have found there is a lot of blame, and solutions that don't always fix the full problem. I found this article to be easy to read and comprehend, but also containted enough statisics to be credible.
In our discussion, we talked about a lot of things. We started talking about the economic crisis, and ended up talking about health care, and how the problem starts in the classroom. That was my point that I tried to make. If we want to effect our future, we need to educate our youth at an early stage, before it is to late. Some of our families have taught us about eating organic, and the benefits of doing so. Not everyone has that oppertunity putting them at a disadvantage.
The question that I brought to the table was, " What would happen if we give the food industrial a specific, limited amount of fossil fuels there are allowed to use?" If we gaven them a limited amount, they would have to plan out what they wanted to use it on. It's like monopoly, the childhood game.Your given a specific amount of money, and you can't buy everything you see, but sometimes it's in your best investment to do so. Some things cannot be grown in the United States. Does that mean we have to elliminate the item, or limit or consumption of it and get it imported? Things like fruit, vegetables, and meat is easily producd anywhere. Certain spices can only be grown in South America and other places. Instead of importing fruits, vegetables and meat from South America, we should import what we don't have.
We had a guest today that came into class to talk about his experiences and the work that he does relating to Environmental Science. He talked a lot about Biofuels, which was really handy for me because I'm hoping to do my senior project on Algal Biofuels, a type of biofuels. He focused mainly on glycerin, and vegetable oil as a fuel. He inspired me to look more into algal biofuels, and see what I can use it for, like he used the vegebus ran on vegetable oil.
