Essentials for Every Pathology Lab

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Pathology is a specialized area of medicine that is concerned with the origins and causes of disease. If you are considering opening up a pathology lab, you will need the right equipment. Without high-quality medical machinery, you risk getting inaccurate and unreliable results.

Error-ridden results can be detrimental in a pathology lab. It could lead to the wrong diagnosis and, therefore, the wrong treatments being administered.

Of course, you’ll also need a great team of staff, but that’s a subject for another article! Here, we’re going to the key pieces of equipment that you’ll need for your pathology lab.

essential equipment for pathology lab

1. Freezers

When you’ve got multiple samples to process and analyze, you’ll need somewhere to store them.

Any pathologist will know that controlling the temperature of samples is essential to maintaining their quality. That’s why you’ll need at least one large controlled rate freezer.

Most freezers have pre-set temperatures, which ensures you can store your samples at the optimal temperature. This will maintain cell culture viability so you can get accurate, reliable results.

2. Microscopes

If there’s one piece of equipment that every pathology lab needs, it’s a microscope. In fact, most labs will need several microscopes to check multiple samples at once.

Microscopes are necessary to enlarge tiny cell or tissue samples so that you can analyze them in more detail. You’ll be able to spot any abnormalities in tissue cell structure or the presence of bacteria in a blood sample.

Without microscopes, it would be almost impossible to detect some diseases and illnesses. Make sure to invest in at least two or three microscopes that can magnify to a high level.

3. Centrifuges

If you need to separate the various components of blood in a sample, a centrifuge is exactly what you’ll be using. It’s a sophisticated piece of machinery that separates your sample according to density, making it possible for you to analyze a small section of the cells and tissues.

There are different types of centrifugal machines that you can get. The best one for your pathology lab will depend on your specific needs.

4. Incubators and Water Baths

Just like you have got your freezers to keep your cell and tissue samples cool, you will also need something to keep them warm.

Incubators and water baths are used to heat your samples to the optimal temperatures for cell health and growth. They can also be used to heat flammable chemicals prior to using them.

Your incubators are essential to maintain or speed up the growth of your samples. If your cell cultures aren’t kept at the perfect temperature, you risk the cells dying or the sample being unusable and ending up in the medical waste bin.

Incubators and water baths can be set to a specific temperature and humidity to provide the environmental conditions for your sample to grow. Often, growing a cell sample is necessary for its testing and analysis.

Both incubators and water baths come in varying sizes and styles. Make sure to find an option that is large enough to meet the demands of your pathology lab.

سوسة النخيل الاحمر : التهديد الحقيقي لشجر النخيل في الشرق الاوسط

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التهديد الحقيقي في الوقت الحاضر لشجر المخيل هو بسبب سوسة النخيل . هذا المخلوق موطنه اساسا من جنوب اسيا , ولكنه نشر اجنحته عبر العالم . تستطيع ان تدمر هذة السوسة بساتين النخيل , او زيت النخيل او جوز الهند , خلال ال30 سنة الاخيرة استطاعت هذة السوسة و التي احيانا يطلق عليها سوسة التمر من اختراق 60 دولة وقد وصلت الى الشرق الاوسط , شمال افريقيا , وجنوب اوروبا عبر الكاريبي .

طوارئ في الشرق الاوسط 

بدات هذة السوسة في الظهور في السعودية و الامارات في منتصف الثمانينات , اليوم مزارع شجر النخيل في جنوب غرب السعودية اصبحت مصابه , في نهاية التسعينات وجدت هذة السوسة في الاردن و اسرائيل و السلطة الوطنية الفلسطينية .

سوسة النخيل الاحمر لدية إصابة عنيفة لاكثر من 40 نوع من النخيل , إنها مدمرة على الاقتصاديين المحلي و العالمي وتسبب خسائر في ملايين الدنانير سنويا , مزارعي النخيل في هذة المنطقة يقدر الجدية في المشكله .

تحدي  للكشف

سوسة النخيل ليس من السهل تحديدها في المزارع , انثى السوسة تبيض 300 بيضة داخل جذع النخله , تفقص البيض بعد 2-5 ايام , لذلك , عندما تكون في مرحلة اليرقه , تفتح جحور اخرى في جذع النخيل , هذة السوسة تاكل و تدمر النخله من الداخل , مرحلة اليرقات حوالي 55 يوم و بعدها تنتقل الى المرحلة الانتقالية , السوسة البالغه تظهر بعد 2-3 اسابيع , لذلك دورة الحياة حوالي 4 اشهر .

بسبب ان مراحل تطور السوسة تتم خلال الجذع يصبح من الصعب اكتشافها , عندما يتم اكتشافها يكون متأخر كثيرا .وتكون النخلة ضعيفة و تصبح بنية اللون .

الضعف هو نتيجة الفجوات التي بداخل الجذع , ويصبح ما داخل النخلة عبارة عن مادة لزجه (عصيده ) وتكون هناك رائحه سيئة مثل اسهال طفل صغير .

نظام محاصرة 

كيف استطاعت المزارع اكتشاف وجود هذة الحشرات داخل النخيل ؟ انه سؤال ممتع , كما تستطيع الكلاب ان تشم الروائح الكريهه ,العمال الموسميين الجيدين مع خبرة و دقة في السمع يستطيعوا ان يسمعوا القضم داخل الجذع . عندما يتم اكتشاف ذلك فانه يتم قطع المقطع , ووضع بقية الأشجار في الحجز لحين أن يتم تعقيمها في المبيدات الحشرية , يستطيعوا ان يضعوا كمائن مخصبة في المبيدات الحشريه . لالتقاط السوسة الناضجه .

الطرق الحالية لالتقاط السوسة , تتضمن مصائد فيرمونات , البخاخ الكيميائي و الذي يتضمن ايضا الاوراق ,ويتم حقن الجذوع . السيطرة البيلوجية مثل البكتيريا , الفطريات و الديدان الخيطية لا تستطيع التصرف بعدوانية بشكل كاف ضد عدوانية السوسة . غزو السوسة تحتاج الى معالجة عنيفة و طويله باستخدام السموم الكيماوية لهزيمة هذا الغازي القوي.

التجاهل ليس نعمه

كما ان هناك انواع لديها اشكالية , الناس غير مدركين لإمكانيات التهديد لصناعة الزراعه , في جنوب اسيا , هذة السوسة من الاطعمه الشهية ,لذلك الناس بذلوا جهود كبيرة لاستيراد السوسة عبر الحدود , قوانين قطع الحدود موجوده لكن من  خلال المسافرين الذين ينقلون اشجار نخيل صغيرة كزينه و لا يعلموا ان هناك اصابة في هذة الاشجار . كما تم تقديم العديد من الانواع , تنمو في بيئة جديدة و تتكاثر بسرعه .

جنوب كاليفورنيا لديهم ممارسة كبيرة للتأثير المدمر لسوسة النخيل الاحمر . وحيث ان الجو عبر العالم زادت رطوبته حول العالم , اصبح اكثر ملائمه لاجتياح الاصناف .

وقت للفعل

المجتمع الدولي و الفاو يقومون بتقديم استراتيجيات لتحديد استيراد شجر النخيل بناءا على حجمها , المقترح الحالي هو حظر استيراد أي نخيل , انها اكبر من قطرها من 6سم من الدول التي تعاني من المرض , ولكن تعزيز التشريعات و التعامل مع العدوى تحتاج التمويل و طرق ماهرة في الزراعه و دوائر الجمارك .

ترجمة: المهندسة رنا الحجايا

حاصله على الماجستير في هندسة مصادر المياه و البيئة ,و حاصله على الدبلوم المتخصص في العمل الاجتماعي للاجئين و المهاجرين من الجامعه الالمانية . مواليد الكرك عام 1977  وهي من المهتمين في المشاريع البيئية و خاصه مشاريع المياه , سبق ان عملت كرئيسة بلدية لدورتين و هي من الناشطات في المجال السياسي و البيئي , لها العديد من المقالات السياسية و الاجتماعية . و عملت كمستشارة لتنمية المجتمع المحلي و البيئة و كعضو ناشط في العديد من الجمعيات الخيرية.

5 Ways to Conserve the Environment From Your Home

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The environment has numerous benefits that it offers to us which is the reason as to why it needs to be well conserved. There are a lot of measures that one can take to help in environmental conservation. However, it is a task that begins from our own homes. We have a lot of pollutants in our homes and we can prevent these from going into the environment through simple acts. Below are 5 simple tips to conserve the environment from home:

1. Minimizing wastage of food

Food waste causes a lot of environmental pollution. Statistics have proven that a significant percentage of food gets wasted every day around the globe. Wasted food is thrown away into landfills where it emits emit methane gas, a highly potent greenhouse gas, which causes climate change.

We can ensure that we reduce the level of methane gas that goes into the atmosphere by managing our consumption of food by preparing food that is just enough.

food waste disposal

2. Installing bins

Bins also help to ensure that you do not litter unnecessarily, thus ensuring that the environment is kept clean. There are various places where one can purchase affordable bins that they can use in their home. Jack Martin from Backyard Bins (https://www.backyardbins.com.au/) advises clients that when planning to declutter, one should go through their possessions and select the items that they most often use and separate them from the items they do not use. They should then take to storage the possessions that are still valuable and throw out the possessions that are not valuable. These can be put in bins and recycled or put to better use.

Plastic-recycling-bin-Oman

What makes this company stand out is the fact that they aim at recycling waste and thus helping to reduce environmental pollution. Their bins come in varying sizes where you can choose the size that will be perfect to suit your needs. Their bins can be used to collect garbage not only from your home but also from your garden thus making it more convenient.

3. Recycling and reusing

You can also go an extra mile in caring for the environment by recycling. There are various items in a home that you can use more than once so as to reduce your domestic waste. Some of these include plastic containers and plastic bags.

Disposing these off after using them once is a hazard to the environment as plastic is not biodegradable. You can also use the services of a bin and rubbish collection company that recycle the waste that they collect from households.

4. Getting into gardening

There is usually a lot of space in our homes that is left bare and unused. However, we can turn such spaces outside our houses to little and manageable gardens. Having a garden gives a reflection of green around us.

A green look in our surroundings give us the feel of being more responsible of our environment. Having a garden will give you additional waste in your household and you can dispose of this waste by having bins that will cater for both your household needs and your garden needs.

5. Using better cleaning methods

When you are cleaning your household, there are cleaning ingredients that you can use that can be hazardous to our surrounding. These include bleach, soaps and other cleaning agents that contain toxic substances that can cause harm to human health if they are deposited to the environment.

How COVID-19 Improved Building Cleanliness

Instead of using strong and harmful cleaning agents, one can decide to make their own soap using substances that are more environmental friendly. One can also carry out research to find out the varieties of cleaning agents available that are environmentally friendly.

6. Limit shopping

It is enjoyable to go on a shopping spree every now and then. However, carrying out excessive shopping can be a cause for environmental pollution. When you shop a lot of products for your household, it means that you increase your household waste due to the packaging tins and papers that you have to throw away.

Having a lot of shopping will also lead to wastage as you will not have the zeal to reduce food wastage. When people carry out excessive shopping, it also leads to an increase in production levels. Overproduction causes pollution as it means that the industries have a lot of waste to dispose off. The resources that are also used to make these products will also be depleted.

Conclusion

The environment is the source of everything that we require in our daily life starting from our food, to our clothes and to the paper that we write on. For this reason we should practice daily habits from our homes that will help us to conserve the environment. Each of the above methods will take little effort to practice. All that these methods need is a little discipline and also the passion to protect one’s surroundings.

الحس البيئي – البعد النفسي والروحي

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الحس البيئي كمفهوم كان محط حوار جمعني عبر وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي مع الخبير العماني في الشأن البيئي المهندس يحيى البلوشي، ووجدت ان ذلك يدخل ضمن واقع مؤثرات العلاقة التي تربط الانسان مع المحيط البيئي ما دفعني الى اعتبار ان الحس البيئي يتمثل في منظومة المشاعر والاحاسيس النفسية والروحية والقيم والمفاهيم المرتبطة بالعلاقة الانسانية مع البيئات الطبيعية والمحيط البيئي للانسان وتلك العلاقة والارتباط الوجداني يترك اثره المباشر والفعلي في تكون قيم السلوك الرشيد والمسؤولية الاخلاقية للفرد والمجتمع في تبني ثقافة العلاقة الموزونة والنهج الواعي في تنظيم العلاقة السليمة مع النظم البيئية وصونها من مختلف اشكال التلويث والتدمير وبناء ثقافة مجتمعية تساهم في تحقيق إستدامة معالم النظام البيئي.

المحفز الفعلي في تكوين الحس البيئي للفرد والجماعة يتمثل في القيمة المادية والمعيشية والروحية للبيئات الطبيعية كمصدر للحياة واستدامة البقاء، وأيضا في عنصر الخطر الذي تتسببه الممارسات غير الرشيدة وتدمير نظم البيئات الطبيعية المصدر الحيوي لحياة وبقاء الانسان، وانعدام المسؤولية الاخلاقية في العلاقة مع نظافة المحيط البيئي وتلويث محيطه الحيوي والتسبب في الاخلال بالامن البيئي للانسان.

الأثر الفعلي لذلك الواقع يمكن ان نلمسه في سياق قراءة الاحداث المرتبطة بواقع العلاقة مع معالم النظام البيئي، وتتجسد تلك الاحداث في جوانب العلاقة غير المسؤولة وغير الاخلاقية مع نظم البيئات الطبيعية والمحيط البيئي للانسان المتمثلة في استخدام البيئة في العمليات الحربية والقاء النفايات في البيئات الطبيعية وإغراق وطمر النفايات الخطيرة في أراضي ومياه الدول، وتنفيذ الانشطة التنموية غير المدروسة والتسبب في تدمير معالم البيئات الطبيعية وتلويث المحيط البيئي بالمخلفات والغلاف الجوي بالانبعاثات الخطيرة-

وكذلك المواقف الملموسة للانسان التي تجسد مشاعره وأحاسيسه في تفعيل المواقف الإيجابية التي تدفع باتجاه تجنيب النظام البيئي خطر تدهوره، وذللك الواقع يندرج ضمن معادلة ردات الفعل الانساني في قمع الانشطة المدمرة للبيئة وبناء المقومات القانونية والادارية والفنية والرقابية كادوات مهمة في تنظيم العلاقة مع معالم البيئات الطبيعية وصون إستدامة النظام البيئي.

هنا يمكن القول ان الخطر الذي يهدد مصالح الانسان يؤدي الى ردت الفعل وتلك هي المشاعر الانسانية التي تجسد واقع الحس البيئي، وان ما توصلت اليه البشرية من تفاهمات وتحديد المعايير الدولية في شأن تنظيم العلاقة مع النظام البيئي وبناء القواعد القانونية والادارية والرقابية كأدوات ردع للمخالفات والتجاوزات في العلاقة مع البيئة وفرض المسار السليم في تنظيم العلاقة المتبادلة بين الانسان والنظم البيئية لصون حياة الانسان وإستدامة بقائه على البسيطة تمثل تجسيدا فعليا لمضمون وجوهر الحس البيئي.

الامن الغذائي في الشرق الاوسط

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food-security-arabعلى الرغم من حقيقة ان منطقه الشرق الاوسط تنعم بميراث جغرافي غني بالنفط و الغاز والمعادن الا انها تعاني في الوقت نفسه من شح في المياه ومناطق قاحله تأخذ حيزا كبيرا من مشاكلها الديموغرافيه و الاجتماعية والاقتصاديه. فمن الصعب أن تنمو المحاصيل في منطقة الشرق الاوسط بسبب نقص المياه ومحدوديه الاراضي الصالحة للزراعه. و من الجدير بالذكر ان المنطقه  معرضه بشده للتقلبات في الاسواق الدوليه  وذلك بسبب اعتمادها الكبير على الحبوب المستورده و المواد الغذائيه.

وفقا لتقرير صدر عام 2009 من قبل البنك الدولي, ومنظمه الامم المتحدة للغذاء والزراعه (الفاو) و الصندوق الدولي للتنميه الغذائيه فأن  ” الدول العربيه من اكبر مستوردي الحبوب في العالم. معظم الاستيراد  اي على الاقل 50% من الغذاء تستهلك من قبلهم”.  في الماضي القريب اعتادت بلدان مثل مصر, سوريا او العراق ان تكون مخزن الحبوب وصومعته  ولكن قطاع الزراعه في تلك البلدان عانى بسبب سوء اداره الحكومات,وفرض الاسعار  وقله الاستثمارات. و في الحقيقة, فان كافة الدول العربيه تعد مستورد رئيسي للحبوب.

تواجه دول الشرق المتوسط ارتفاع الاسعار في اسواق الغذاء العالميه. ويعزى ذلك الى المنافسه  على المنتجات الغذائيه نفسها (الطحين, الذره, فول الصويا,البروتين الحيواني, الخ…) من مناطق اخرى في العالم وخاصه اسيا, حيث ترتفع مستويات الدخل ويزداد  الطلب على غذاء اكثر وافضل. وبالطبع فأن ارتفاع اسعار الغذاء ادى الى زياده عدد الفقراء المدقعين  ملايين في دول الشرق الاوسط الاقل ثراء.

و لجعل الامور اسوأ بشأن مشكلة  الامدادت الغذائية, فان الاسواق العالميه شهدت اضطرابات شديده في السنوات القليله الماضيه من عواصف , وفيضانات و جفاف من روسيا الى الارجنتين الى استراليا. هذه الظواهر الطبيعيه مزقت نسيج  اليات السوق العالميه التي ترتكز عليها  التجاره الدوليه للغذاء . حيث ان اسعار المواد الغذائيه الاساسيه اصبحت في مستويات خطيره تقترب او تتجاوز ذروتها عام 2008.

من كل دول الشرق المتوسط  التي  تعاني من ازمه الغذاء الحاليه  تعد اليمن الاسوا شكلا.  يقول تقرير برنامج الامم المتحده للغذاء العالمي ان سبعه ملايين يمني من اصل واحد وعشرين مليون هو ” جائع فعلا” , مما يجعل اليمن واحدا من الاحد عشر بلدا في العالم  الاكثر انعداما للامن الغذائي .

يجري ضخ المياه الجوفيه بما يتجاوز معدل التغذية, و اضحت المياه الجوفيه الاعمق تستنزف  ونتيجه لذلك  فان منسوب المياه الجوفيه يهبط بمعدل 2 متر سنويا, ومع هبوط منسوب المياه فان محصول الحبوب تقلص بنسبه  الثلث في الاربعين سنه الماضيه في حين واصل الطلب على الغذاء في الارتفاع. وكنتيجه لذلك , فان اليمن  تستورد ما يزيد عن 80 % من محاصيلها .

عدد قليل من المزارع في المملكه العربيه السعوديه لا تروى, حيث ان  معظمها يعتمد على الابار الجوفيه.  وتعتبر مياه البحر المحلاه المستخدمه  لسد احتياجات المدن السعوديه من المياه ذات كلفه عاليه لتستخدم في عمليه الري. وقد ادى انعدام الامن الغذائي  المتزايد في السعوديه الى شراء او استئجار اراضي في بلدانٍ مختلفة, بما فيها افقر البلدان واكثرها جوعا كاثيوبيا و السودان.

في حقيقة الامر فان السعوديه تخطط لانتاج الغذاء لها بالاعتماد على اراضي ومياه الدول الاخرى وذلك لمواجهه زياده الطلب على الغذاء مع ارتفاع الكثافة السكانيه لديها. لسوء الحظ  فان نقل الاراضي الزراعيه  من زراعة الكفاف الى تصدير المحاصيل ادى الى مزيدٍ من نقص الغذاء. و من خلال محاولتها لضمان امنها الغذائي من خلال سيطرتها  للعقود الزراعيه  فان الدول الغنيه بذلك تخلق نقص جديدا  في الغذاء في اجزاء اخرى في العالم.   

نظرا لانخفاض تدفق نهر الفرات و دجله , فان المحاصيل الزراعية السوريه و العراقيه تضررت بشده . ونظرا لعدم ضمان ماقد يحصل في المستقبل بشأن امدادت النهر من المياه فان المزارعين في كلا  البلدين بدءوا بحفر الابار و ضخ المياه للري.

ستكون الدول العربيه من اكبر المستورديين للغذاء , وبالتالي ينبغي عليها تحسيين موانئها  و اماكن التخزين و اداره مخاطر الاستيراد.

 لقد تراجع محصول سوريا من الحبوب بما نسبته الخمس منذ  ذروته في عام 2001 حيث بلغ 7 ملايين طن. و في العراق تراجع ايضا محصول الحبوب الربع منذ بلغ ذروته 4.5 مليون طن في عام 2002. الاردن و مع 6 ملايين نسمه  فانها في وضع لا تحسد عليه زراعيا فمنذ اربعين عاما او اكثر كانت تنتج 300,000 طن من الحبوب سنويا , اليوم فانها تنتج 60,000 طن مما يستوجب استيراد ما يزيد عن 90% من احتياجاتها للحبوب.

مع تزايد نسبة السكان وزياده الضغط على موارد المياه  , يتوجب  على الحكومات اتخاذ الاجراءات العاجله   لمنع ازمه الغذاء التي تلوح في الافق. فقد كشف تقرير حديث  للبنك الدولي قصور كبير في العديد من موانئ الدول العربيه  وطرق تخزينها للحبوب  مقارنة مع غيرها من مستوردي الحبوب مثل هولندا و كوريا الجنوبيه.

مرافق الموانئ , بطئ خدمة  الجمارك و عمليه النقل غير الفعاله من الميناء الى الصوامع كلها عوامل تسهم في تدهور الوضع الغذائي. ستكون الدول العربيه من اكبر المستورديين للغذاء , وبالتالي ينبغي عليها تحسيين موانئها  و اماكن التخزين و اداره مخاطر الاستيراد.

ترجمة

سلام عبدالكريم عبابنه

مهندسه مدنية في شركة المسار المتحده للمقاولات – مهتمه في مجال البيئه و الطاقة المتجدده

Environmental Benefits of Tire Recycling

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It is estimated that there are more than a billion passenger vehicles in the world. Imagine the number of tires that will be eventually disposed of. In the United States alone, an estimated 300 million tires are discarded every year. Where do you think those tires would end up?

With the size, volume, and inherent durability of tires getting rid of them is no walk in the park. Fortunately, tire recycling has made substantial improvements in the past several years thanks to innovative technologies.

The next time you are to replace your car tires, make it a point to recycle them. Those tires may be used as a planter in your yard. If you can’t think of a way to recycle tires, you can take them to a local tire retailer or contact your city’s waste management office.

Scrap_Tires

Tire recycling has been beneficial to the environment in more ways than one. Among the many environmental benefits of this process are:

Conserve landfill space

Because of their round and hollow shape, tires can take up significant space in landfills. According to Popular Mechanics, around 11 percent of old tires are dumped into landfills where it would take hundreds of years for the rubber to decompose. And because of their size, tires can easily fill up an infinite resource like landfill space.

With tire recycling, landfill space can be conserved. Big and bulky tires are eliminated, leaving more space in landfills for things that cannot be easily recycled.

Additionally, the elimination of tires in landfills can prevent water pollution. It is said that tires can take up to 75 percent of the airspace in landfills. The void space in tires holds large amounts of methane gas which causes the rubber to bubble to the surface. This can damage the landfill liners designed to prevent contaminants from causing pollution to local surface and groundwater.

Prevent diseases caused by pests

Discarded old tires left in backyards, empty lots, and riverbeds are not only an ugly sight; these also serve as homes to rodents and insects that can carry diseases.

Like most unused structures such as unused vehicles, old tires make good homes for rodents. Tires give warmth to rats and mice, so you should not be surprised to realize that the old tires you left in your backyard could be where those household pests are nesting in. Rats also use a tower of tires to take a path into homes where they can ravage for food.

Rodents carry numerous diseases that can be passed on to humans. Rodent urine, for instance, can cause leptospirosis or Weil’s disease. This ailment can bring about symptoms such as life-threatening meningitis, kidney failure, and liver damage. Salmonellosis is another disease that can be passed on to humans by rodents, particularly when a person gets in contact with droppings or feces of rats or mice. Other ailments that may be passed on from rodents to humans are rat-bite fever and Rickettsial diseases.

Insects, particularly mosquitoes, can also breed in old tires. There are three main reasons why mosquitoes breed in old tires. One, unused tires can easily be filled with water which can be a good breeding ground for female mosquitoes. Moreover, tires can become filled with leaves that mosquitoes can feed on.

It should be noted that both female and male mosquitoes eat plant matter like plant leaves for energy. Female mosquitoes, meanwhile, suck blood for breeding purposes.

Finally, tires are thick enough to provide insulation and protection for the eggs of mosquitoes. It is not surprising, therefore, that those insects love to breed in old tires. Mosquitoes are notorious, too, for carrying countless diseases. From Dengue fever to Zika to Yellow Fever to Malaria, the list of mosquito-borne diseases is long.

With tire recycling, you can prevent old tires from becoming homes to rodents and mosquitoes and consequently, eliminate the risks of those pests from spreading various diseases.

Prevent pollution caused by tire fires

Old tires sitting in empty lots are also prone to fires. Accidents, arson, or lightning, among others, can cause these tires to catch fire.

Tire fires have two types, both of which have damaging effects on the environment. The first type, slow-burning fire or pyrolysis, results to smoke carrying toxic materials. The second type is a fast-burning fire which contains harmful elements like sulfur dioxide and Carmon dioxide.

Putting off tire fire is no easy task. Allowing tires to burn themselves out means letting substantial amounts of smoke, soot, and toxic gasses to damage the environment. Smothering the fire with dirt but this can also cause the tires to smolder underground for many years. Using a combination of water and foaming agent may put the fire out but this may contaminate groundwater.

Recycling tires, in short, will mean that fewer tires in the world end up as fire hazards.

Create new products

Tire recycling can also turn scrap tires into useful products such as crumb rubber and tire-derived fuel. On the industrial side, tire-derived fuel is a by-product of tire recycling that releases few harmful emissions. Compared to normal fuel from coal, tire-derived fuel is more energy efficient. It is used in cement kilns and paper mills as a supplemental fuel. It can improve boiler efficiency, lower production costs, and reduce air emissions.

Other industries also extract and reuse materials from old tires such as steel and nylon. Recycled steel produced by tire recycling plants is brought and reused by steelworks firms. Nylon, meanwhile, is used as noise insulation in industrial plants.

There are other useful products created from scrap tires. Old tires can be reused into rubberized asphalt which offers more skid resistance compared to normal paving materials. DIY crafters, on the other hand, reused old tires into garden planters, outdoor furniture, and home playground equipment.

Also Read: Advancements in Tire Shredding Technology

Conclusion

Indeed, our society has found different ways to recycle one of the toughest everyday materials today. Tires don’t have to end up in landfills because there are many ways to recycle and reuse them. Recycling tires is good for our environment.

So, the next time you are to replace your car tires, make it a point to recycle them. Those tires may be used as a planter in your yard. If you can’t think of a way to recycle tires, you can take them to a local tire retailer or contact your city’s waste management office.

Effective Energy Management for Businesses

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energy-management-middle-east-businessesMiddle East has been witnessing a rapid increase in energy consumption due to high degree of industrialization, high standards of living and exponential increase in population. Infact, the level of primary energy consumption in the Middle East is among the highest worldwide.  These factors have made businesses in Middle East to realize that effective energy management is not only good for the businesses but also an essential requirement.

In recent years, many businesses in the Middle East have come up with dynamic strategies to achieve immediate reduction in energy consumption. This trend towards effective energy management is expected to continue to grow in the region in the coming years on account on changing regulations and growing awareness on energy conservation.

Ingredients of Effective Energy Management Plan

For an energy management plan to succeed, the entire organization including its employees and management team, should be committed to the implementation of energy management strategy whose main elements are:

  • Goal-setting: how much energy reduction do you want to achieve?
  • Number-crunching: how much energy do you consume?
  • Identifying energy-guzzlers: What are major consumption units and what measures can be taken to reduce consumption
  • Technology and automation: Smart metering, schedule-based lighting, occupancy sensors, HVAC control and latest technological innovation provides an active approach to energy management
  • Continuous review and management: Regular performance monitoring is essential to check the progress towards your energy-saving goals. 

Hurdles to Overcome

​Lack of incentives to reduce energy consumption is a major hurdle faced by businesses in the Middle East. In the GCC region, electricity is usually provided at heavily subsidized rates which fail to provide the motivation to the consumer to reduce energy consumption. Most of the commercial buildings in the Middle East consume huge amount of energy in the form of HVAC, lighting, ventilation etc., and there is a real need to make such buildings ‘ energy smart’ in the real sense of the word.

An energy smart building - Siemens headquarters at Masdar

An energy smart building – Siemens headquarters at Masdar

Role of Technology

Technology plays a vital role in reducing energy consumption as energy-savings are not limited to power consumption by HVAC, lighting or ventilations, but also encompass optimization of energy use, building infrastructure, supply chain networks, product design, transportation networks etc. Businesses in the Middle East may strive for energy-smart buildings, smart grid systems and renewable energy sources (like rooptop solar and biogas systems) to improve their long-term sustainability and more effective cost-management.

Carbon Capture and Storage: Prospects in GCC

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Gulf Cooperation Council countries are burgeoning economies which are highly dependent on hydrocarbons to fuel their needs for economic growth. GCC nations are fully aware of the mounting consequences of increasing levels of CO­2 on the environment, mainly attributed to soaring energy demand of domestic and industrial sector. Regional countries are undertaking concrete steps and measures to reduce their carbon footprint through the introduction of renewable energy and energy efficiency measures. Among other options, Carbon Capture and Storage, popularly known as CCS, can be an attractive proposition for GCC nations.

What is CCS

Carbon capture and storage (or carbon capture and sequestration) is the process of capturing waste carbon dioxide from large point sources, such as fossil fuel power plants, transporting it to a storage site, and depositing it where it will not enter the atmosphere, normally an underground geological formation. CCS is a potential means of mitigating the contribution of fossil fuel emissions to global warming and ocean acidification. As at September 2012, the Global CCS Institute identified 75 large-scale integrated projects in its 2012 Global Status of CCS report. 16 of these projects are in operation or in construction capturing around 36 million tonnes of CO2 per annum.

Among notable CCS projects world, In Salah project in Algeria is a fully operational onshore gas field with CO2 injection. CO2 is separated from produced gas and reinjected in the producing hydrocarbon reservoir zones. Since 2004, about 1 Mt/a of CO2 has been captured during natural gas extraction and injected into the Krechba geologic formation at a depth of 1,800m. The Krechba formation is expected to store 17Mt CO2 over the life of the project.

CCS Prospects in GCC

GCC accounts for 0.6% of the global population but ironically contributes 2.4% of the global GHG emissions per capita.  GCC countries are among the top-14 per capita emitters of carbon dioxide in the world. The GCC region is witnessing rapid economic growth and massive industrialization which has led to almost 8% growth in power consumption each year. The region is heavily dependent on hydrocarbons combustion for power generation and operation of energy-intensive industries.

There is an urgent need for carbon abatement measures for the industrial sector in Middle East nations as increasing carbon dioxide emissions will have serious repercussions for GCC and adjoining regions. Some of the potential impacts can be rise in sea level, droughts, heat waves, sandstorms, damage to ecosystem, water scarcity and loss of biodiversity. Carbon dioxide emissions reductions can be achieved from point sources such as refineries, power plants, manufacturing industries etc.

At the regional level, GCC nations have both the drivers and environmental gains to adopt the CCS technologies. Some of the GCC countries are already engaged in R&D initiatives, for example, Saudi Arabia has KACST- Technology Innovation Center on Carbon Capture and Sequestration while Saudi Aramco have their own CCS R&D program for CCS. In Qatar there is the Qatar Carbonate and Carbon Storage Research Center while Bahrain has Sitra Carbon Capture System. Recently, Masdar and ADNOC launched Middle East first Joint Venture for carbon capture usage and storage. On a multilateral level, back to 2007, King Abdullah pledged $300 million to finance a research program on the future of energy, environment and climate change. In addition, a sum of $150 million from Qatar, Kuwait and UAE has been allocated to support CCS research.

To sum up, CCS is a viable option to help GCC countries maintain their hydrocarbons-driven economies while enabling low-carbon electricity generation from existing hydrocarbons powerplants.

Re-thinking Sustainable Innovation: A New Development Discourse

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The climate change presents a challenge to science and policy makers to articulate a new discourse for  sustainable development. Although, the Middle East, the cradle of civilization, was  a fertile land, it was transformed by modern technology and new models of development into a vulnerable ecosystem.

sustainable-development-jordan

The Paradox

The paradox is that we are witnessing high levels of poverty despite a growth in global GDP. Also, our natural capital is being degraded at an alarming rate. This is evident when we look at global indicators; i.e., the planet has lost half its mangrove in the last century, and about 70% of its total wetlands. These losses are due to urban and agricultural growth.  In essence, pollution, desertification and deforestation can be attributed to a set of policies including free trade agreements and foreign debt owed by less developed countries that make them convert ecosystems into commodities.

For example, the investment of global firms in the developing countries and acquisition of  over 1000 hectares of land in Ghana by international corporations for planting jatropha to produce bio-fuel resulted in disruption in local society and ecology.  But we notice that there  is a shortcoming in the carbon policy that addresses climate change since it allocates more attention and value to present not the future.  We cannot invest on a dead planet and if we view that our Earth is dead, we will kill what is alive.

Reclaiming sacred relationship with Nature

The core climate issue is a conceptual one which stems from a worldview of the Earth as a machine and where humans are viewed as observers and positioned  outside  the domain of Nature. Hence, it is imperative to reclaim our sacred relationship with Nature. Besides, it is insightful to reframe the “climate debate” to embody a new perspective that the the Earth as a living organism and humans are responsible to take care of ecosystems and  species.

We are engaged in the wrong debate with respect to climate and carbon dioxide emissions. The issue is not simply about the temperature of the earth but rather our ecological footprints. Simply said, the indicators for a resilient and sustainable future are underpinned by a shift in consumption patterns, development model and lifestyles.

The healing of the planet can be achieved through changing how we value ecosystems and interact with nature and cosmos.  Realizing that the ecological crisis is simply a moral crisis is a key for change. Besides, re-think sustainable innovation is a matter of mindset and perspective where humans need to recognize that Nature is finite,  living and intelligent. Everything in Nature is connected to everything.

Another issue in climate and ecological crisis is how we value and create money. Paradoxically, lending money is the basis for money creation and money originates as credit to those who will pay it back with interest. This creates misconceptions of the value of nature since it is looked at Nature as a commodity to be utilized for urban development. This economic model is not sustainable and should be re-thought.

What is Sustainable Innovation

Sustainable innovation is about green design of new products and processes. Green accounting in a green economy era calls for a shift in metrics from GDP to ecosystem services and from dependence on fossil oil to a transition to renewable energy including solar and wind.

More importantly, the doom and gloom story does not convey a positive discourse.  It is wise to change our story from fear for human survival to healing and love to Nature and life. It is not inspiring to wait till crisis takes place to force humans to respond.

Circular economy and sharing economy illuminate new positive future that considers new models and principles for sustainability. These include climate funding, zero-pollution, waste-to-energy schemes, energy audit and efficiency, recycling and ecosystem restoration, cleaner production, green chemistry, green university, green procurement and sustainability reporting. All these innovations in products, processes, organization, marketing, and business models are attainable through design thinking, biomimcry and learning from nature.

Conclusion

In sum, the environmental crisis propels us to change our priorities and to view our planet in a holistic manner and to respect  the local needs by thinking of environmental justice.

Red Palm Weevil – A Real Threat to Date Palms in Middle East

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A modern day threat to agriculture across the globe is the red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus). This creature is native to South Asia but it rather rapidly spreading its wings and crossing the globe. The red palm weevil can completely destroy palm groves, be it coconut, date or palm oil. Over the immediate past 30 years, the red palm weevil (also known as red date weevil) has penetrated over 60 countries and is now reaching the Middle East,  northern Africa, southern Europe and across to the Caribbean.

Emergence in the Middle East

The weevil began to appear in Saudi Arabia and the UAE in the mid-1980s. Today, date palm farms in the south-west of Saudi Arabia have become infested. By the end of the 1990’s it was found in Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority Territories.

red palm weevil

The red palm weevil has a drastic effect on over 40 different species of palms.  They are equally devastating on the local and global economy causing economic losses in the order of millions of dollars annually. Leading date farmers in this region appreciate the seriousness of the problem.

A Challenge to Detect

The red palm weevil is not easy to spot in the palm grove. The female weevil lays up to 300 eggs inside the trunk of the palm. The eggs hatch within 2-5 days. Then, when the weevil is in the larvae stage, it burrows further into the palm trunk. The weevil is eating and destroying the palm from the inside. The larval stage averages 55 days and then moves into the pupa stage. The adult weevil emerges after 2-3 weeks. So the life cycle is around 4 months.

 

Because the stages of the life cycle are taking place within the palm tree, it is challenging to detect. By the time the weevil is detected,   it is often too late. This is when the palm is droopy and turning brown.  The droopiness is due to the hollowed out interior of the trunk. The inside of the palm is now a mush with a strong odour which has been described as smelling like baby diarrhea.

Trapping Systems

How have farms detected the presence of these creatures inside their palms? An interesting question as dogs can be trained to identify the foul scent. A well seasoned farmer with experience and acute hearing can hear the weevil gnawing inside the palm trunk. Once detected, the palm can be chopped down and the area placed in quarantine while the remaining palms are aggressively treated with insecticides. It is also possible to set traps impregnated with insecticide, to capture the mature weevil.

Current trapping methods include pheromone traps. Chemical spraying especially of the crown foliage  and stem injection are deployed. Biological controls such as bacteria, fungi and nematodes cannot act aggressively enough to control the weevil infestation. A weevil infestation requires an aggressive and lengthy period of pest management with toxic chemicals to defeat the hardy invader.

Ignorance is Not Bliss

As with many problematic species, people are not aware of the potential threat to the agricultural industry. In South Asia, the weevil is a delicacy to eat. Therefore, people have taken great effort to import the weevil across borders. Border crossing regulations exist but travelers will still try to bring small decorative palm trees across borders not knowing that they might well be already infested with weevil larvae.  As with many introduced species, they thrive in their new environment and rapidly multiply.

date-palm-biomass

Southern California has already experienced the devastating effects of the red date weevil. As the climates in regions across the globe increase and wetter, the environment becomes more suitable to the invasive species.

Time for Action

The global community and FAO are introducing strategies to limit the import of date palms across borders based on a size factor. The present proposal is to ban all imports of palms  that are bigger than 6cm diameter from already known infested countries. But enforcing regulating and handling infestations requires funding and an astute agricultural and customs departments.

The Harmful Impacts of Tire-Burning Kilns

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Decorative arts such as woodworking, weaving as well as ceramics and other pottery have a long and honored tradition.  In fact, some of the earliest examples of pottery originated from the Middle East from the time of 6500 BC. In order to meet the ceramic industry’s high energy demand, much of the developing world, MENA in particular, is resorting to cheaper alternatives such as fueling kilns by burning tires and other harmful materials. Though modern technology has led to clean and efficient kiln usage in the developed world, these options come with a high price tag when referring to industrial demands for ceramics and other fired products.

Burning of tires and other rubber materials as a primary source of energy for kilns is particularly concerning.  In other areas of the world, like India, where the concerns lie in the harmful effects of coal-fired kilns, areas like Morocco and other North African countries are dealing with harmful impacts of tire burning. While burning tires does provide an efficient source of energy, the harmful effects of such burning far exceed the benefits.

hazards of tire burning

Scrap tires are used as a supplement to traditional fuels such as coal or wood fuel because of their high heating value. Typically, for each pound of scrap tire rubber burned it equates to 15,000 BTUs of energy and a single tire can burn for up to 50 minutes.  This equates to 25 percent more energy being produced than coal. Regardless of the efficiency, the fumes that are being released from tire burning have been shown to be extremely toxic to human health and harmful to the environment.

Why Tire Burning is Harmful for Public Health?

Open tire fire emissions include “criteria” pollutants, such as particulates, carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur oxides (SOx), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). They also include “non-criteria” hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), such as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs),dioxins, furans, hydrogen chloride, benzene, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); and metals such as cadmium, nickel, zinc, mercury, chromium, and vanadium.

Both criteria and non-criteria pollutants can cause significant short and long term health effects.  Depending on the length and degree of exposure, these health effects could include irritation of the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes, respiratory effects, central nervous system depression, and cancer.  The EPA suggests that any unprotected exposure to these emissions be avoided.

Furthermore, uncontrolled tire burning has been proven to be 16 times more mutagenic, meaning capable of inducing genetic mutation, than traditional residential wood combustion in a fireplace, and 13,000 times more mutagenic than coal-fired utility emissions with good combustion efficiency and add-on controls.

Especially troubling is the exposure that children living within these communities are inadvertently being subjected to. Children, fetuses, nursing babies, elderly, asthmatics, and immune suppressed individuals are all much more vulnerable to the pollutants released burning tires. Even a nursing woman can transfer the pollutions she inhales to a baby through the fat in her breast milk. During breast-feeding, infants are exposed to higher concentrations of organic pollutants than at any subsequent time in their lives. Burning tires only adds to that toxic burden.

Saving money on fuel by burning tires should not take precedence over public health. Unfortunately, in small villages and other underdeveloped areas where tire-burning kilns sustain much of the local economy, exposure to these toxins is inevitable with the current practices being employed.

The Huge Environmental Costs of Tire Burning

In addition to the negative effects tire burning has on the health of humans, it also has environmental costs that have not yet been discussed. The three main effects tire burning has on the environment is air, water, and soil pollution.  The air pollution caused from the tire-burning kilns is significant. The black fumes contain heavy metals and other harmful pollutants that linger in the air and can lead to acute to chronic health hazards.

tire dump in Kuwait

A massive fire erupted at Jahra tire dumpsite in Kuwait in April 2012

In terms of water and soil pollution, according to the EPA, “for every million tires consumed by fire, about 55,000 gallons of runoff oil can pollute the environment unless contained and collected”. If uncontained, this runoff can then be carried away by rainwater to local water sources contaminating them.

Additionally, the remaining residue can cause two types of pollution; these are immediate pollution by liquid decomposition products penetrating soil, and gradual pollution from leaching of ash and unburned residues following rainfall or other water entry.

While the burning of tires is not considered recycling, there is an argument regarding whether it is worse to landfill tires or reuse them to recover energy.  While even in the United States the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes that the use of tire-derived fuels is a viable alternative to the use of fossil fuels, there are other factors that need to be considered.

For instance, in more developed areas of the world, regulations are in place such as the Clean Air Act which minimizes the amount of emissions being released by businesses as well as the fact that technology exists that can help clean and filter the emissions before they are released into the air.

On the other hand, in less developed areas of the world, environmental regulations and technology of this magnitude may not exist thus, exposing those citizens to more of the environmental and health related effects of uncontrolled tire burning.  While many factors contribute to either argument, all in all this particularly issue is under examined and results in the impairment of health and the safety of entire communities in the developing world.

5 Unique and Advanced Solar Lights You Must Have

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The world is turning to solar power due to depleting natural resources. Energy efficiency is something that everyone is thinking about at the current moment. It is due to the rising energy bill prices and the costs associated with alternative energy sources. The most viable option for people these days is to make use of the energy available for free.

Despite the initial investment being higher, people are turning to unique and advanced solar lights. These advanced solar lights can perform multiple tasks, like being able to provide power for the CCTV to operate in different places, and more.

Must Have Solar Light Models

Top 5 Must Have Solar Light Models

There are various types of solar lights available on the market. Each of them is unique in their design, type, and the way they operate. We look at some of the most significant kinds you might want to have in your office, residence, or other places.

Solar lights are categorized into two main types: those used indoors and those used outdoors. However, despite being categorized into two different types, they both use the same technology. With the light and heat from the sun, they convert it to energy.

1. Solar Light With CCTV

We discussed the importance of solar power and how it has revolutionized the world. Due to its immense popularity, manufacturers have come up with unique ideas. Integrating solar light with CCTV camera has been one of the best innovations in recent times.

Security is one of the primary concerns for many homes and offices around the world. With an integrated CCTV camera in the solar light, you get a multipurpose, unique solar light for your residence or commercial establishment.

In some cases, if you do not want the lights to be on all night, you can opt for the ones with motion detectors. These motion detectors will switch on when motion is detected and switch off after a few minutes of no motion detection.

The integrated camera works in coordination with the solar light. In some cases, the sensors for the light and the camera are the same. However, some manufacturers offer solar lights with different sensors for cameras and different ones for the lights.

2. Solar Parking Lot Lights

Having a good parking light is crucial, not just for commercial establishments but also for homes that have a driveway. These lights need not be too bright but offer just the required amount of light while you park your vehicle and walk back out.

Installing solar parking lot lights can be one of the best things that you can do for your home or your commercial establishment. These lights store enough energy to light up the parking lot throughout the whole night. Often, these are powered by LED bulbs.

However, you have the choice of selecting between different bulb options from different manufacturers. It can be between halogen, LED, or others that the manufacturer provides. It depends on personal preference, energy consumption, and convenience.

3. Solar Light That Synchronizes with the Sun

Some manufacturers can provide you with solar lights that do not require you to switch them on or off. Once the sun rises, the lights turn off automatically. Likewise, the light turns off once the sunsets. It is one of the most energy-efficient products on the market.

These lights may be a costlier option, but they require little to no maintenance. Once they are installed, they work automatically without any human intervention. It is also an option people prefer to use at their homes and offices. These are typical outdoor units.

They can also be installed in gardens, patios, or other outdoor spaces like lawns. However, these can be a little costlier as there is more complex technology in their operation. It is considered the only downside to these solar lights.

4. Solar Shed Lights

Solar shed lights are typically used indoors in sheds and other closed spaces. These are often designed to detect motion and switch on automatically when you open the door. They can be connected to solar panels and will work perfectly fine when used indoors.

Many homeowners have begun using these solar lights. It is in a bid to ensure that they are not connected to their regular energy or utility bills. After installation, these lights do not require maintenance or do not consume your regular energy.

5. Solar Lawn Lights

Although these are not very advanced or unique in technology, we decided to list them here. It is because you can have them work with sensors as well. Installing them on your lawn can mean that they switch on and off when motion is detected.

solar lights in parking lot

They can add essence to your lawn with the lighting option they provide. You can take a stroll on your patio and see the lights coming up. Moreover, anyone who tries to break into your house would be in for a rude surprise when the entire lawn lights up.

These are not as costly, can store energy, and be charged enough to work with the lowest available sunlight. You can have them installed in both gardens, lawns, pathways on the terrace, and so on. You would be surprised at the amount of light they are capable of producing.

What To Consider Before Purchasing Solar Lights?

A few things should be considered before you purchase solar lights. One of the main things that you should look at is the batteries. The energy efficiency of the battery is vital as it determines how long the solar lights can be powered at night. You can consider motion detector lights if you are in a bid to conserve power. So, longevity and the type of battery used would be important considerations.

Conclusion

We must begin to use solar power for all our needs. Governments all over have started to insist on the importance of using solar power. Once you decide to install solar-powered lights at home, you can choose the most advanced options available. These can help you save a lot of money that you would otherwise spend on energy bills.

You will also be able to add an extra layer of security to your home when you choose to install solar-powered lights with CCTV cameras integrated into them. You can select the best manufacturers for your purchases of solar lights to get the best quality.