Marlene McKay » Environment and Green

Fuel from salt water?

Marlene — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:51:27 +0000

A friend of mine sent me a link to a blog that was talking about how someone has found a way to burn salt water, and that the possibility was there to further develop that to actually be able to run cars with that technology.

So I was just googling “fuel from salt water” and was reading the different links about it.

From what I can tell, right now it takes more energy to create the fuel than the fuel itself would generate, which makes it impractical. Perhaps someone can refine the process, but I also read that when the salt water DOES burn, it releases a deadly form of chlorine gas, which probably would not be a good thing!

So, I think that quite a bit of “tweaking” needs to be done for that technology to hit the mainstream use of running our cars on saltwater!

The Groundhog Promises Early Spring

Marlene — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 18:40:49 +0000

The official groundhog did not see his shadow this morning. So we should have an early Spring this year. I, for one, am more than ready for warmer weather.

The Heat Is On

Marlene — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:13:30 +0000

I can’t figure out why we are having such a heat wave when it is only June. This whole month it has been in the 90 degrees and people are really stressing out about it. Me included. I don’t do well in the heat and was looking forward to a nice spring that would bring everyone some happiness about dealing with all the issues that last winter brought for us to deal with.

Competitive solar power

Marlene — Wed, 26 May 2010 13:54:29 +0000

According to an article I read on a Reuters website, a study was written by the Clean Edge and environmental nonprofit Co-op America that declared solar power will be cost competitive with fossil fuels like natural gas and coal by 2015. I think that this is wonderful news; I’d like to see a lot more alternative energy sources developed and expanded as well!

I’d love to see solar energy, wind energy, and gasoline made from algae to be our every-day energy sources! I’m sick and tired of the constant price increases of gasoline, and being held hostage by the companies and countries that are raking in record (and obscene) profits from their oil.

Garden Time

Marlene — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 22:00:27 +0000

It is usually warmer by this time in April. I am getting antsy about getting my hands in the dirt and getting the garden planted and the yard in order. This was an unusually hard winter, one that we really deserve some nice weather to follow. I just wish I knew when that was going to be.

Toxic shower curtains

Marlene — Wed, 20 May 2009 13:52:58 +0000

I was reading an article in the LA Times about how recent research has determined that some new shower curtains give off toxic chemicals for up to an entire month after they have been opened. Not all, but many shower curtains are made with PVC, a type of vinyl that has been linked to many health hazards. Some shower curtains are made from a safer ethylene vinyl acetate, and some are made from fabric.

I think that in the future, when I buy a new shower curtain (or curtain liner!) I will look carefully at the label and see what it is made from before I buy it! If it’s made from PVC, I will be putting it back on the shelf!

Too much rain!

Marlene — Fri, 08 May 2009 13:44:43 +0000

There has been so much rain around here lately that it has been hard to do any outside work. My mother had hired some people to do some remodeling of her house and they got their trucks stuck up to the axles in her back yard! They tore her back yard up very badly trying to get unstuck! They also ruined her drain field for her septic system! What a mess! We told them that they were going to have to pay to have the lawn fixed, and the drain field, and they weren’t happy to hear that at all! But they should have known better than to have driven over the lawn and drain field! Big dummies!

Thinking green

Marlene — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:49:56 +0000

My youngest son has shamed me into replacing the standard incandescent light bulbs throughout the house with CFL bulbs. The CFL bulbs use less electricity, so that makes them environmentally friendly, and it will save money on the electric bill. It took a while for me to find 3-Way CFL bulbs, finally found them at the local ACE Hardware store.

There are a few older light fixtures in the ceiling that are too small for the CFL bulbs that I bought to fit into. So, I will have to keep my eyes open for different sizes and shapes of CFL bulbs to fit into those.

Ground hog day!

Marlene — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:59:40 +0000

Well, I heard that the groundhog saw his shadow this morning! Six more weeks of winter! I’m unhappy about that, I’m tired of the cold this year. I don’t know why it has bothered me more this year than usual. Though come to think of it, it is probably because I’ve got the thermostat set lower to save energy and money. That is probably the real reason! Thank goodness for long johns and warm sweaters!

The first day of winter

Marlene — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:44:51 +0000

Yesterday was the first day of winter, and the shortest daylight hours day for the season. I enjoy watching the beautiful snow blanketing the earth during the winter; it is so breathtaking beautiful when small amounts of ice cling to the branches of the trees and there is enough snow cover so that no grass is peeking through.

Having said that, I have to say that I’m glad that I work at home and don’t have to travel in bad weather and can just enjoy the beauty of the snow through my window, or put on my cross country skis and go skiing right outside my door. I truly do love the life up here, and the distinct four seasons that I can enjoy so many different types of outdoor activities!