Biofuels are liquid fuels and blending components (i.e., a mixture of components used to produce motor gasoline) produced from biomass feedstock — organic matter used as a renewable energy source. Biofuels are used primarily for transportation purposes. Basically, these are fuels derived from an organic source that you can use to fuel your various vessels of transportation. Biofuels primarily serve as an alternative to other fuels, such as oil and its derivatives.
Archive for the ‘Give Page’ Category
Biofuels are…
Monday, March 8th, 2010So you want your name on the side of that building, huh?
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010People have all sorts of motivations for giving money to charitable causes – sometimes it’s as simple as wanting to announce to the world that you supported a new hospital wing by having your name on that building. In order for a building to sport your name, it usually requires a charitable gift in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions. Of course, every organization has their own policies when it comes to naming stuff after big donors (as do the donors themselves!) – there are no hard and fast rules. But donors giving at that level are often heavily involved with the organization, for example serving on the board of directors, or at least having frequent fancy lunches with the CEO or Executive Director of the organization.
Scientists Stumble Upon Potential Key To Eternal Youth In Stem Cell Research
Friday, February 26th, 2010An unprecedented breakthrough in stem cell research may hold the key to combating a terrible disease and unlocking the gate to immortality…
- In the process of working with a new type of cell—induced pluripotent stem cells, a stem cell similar to embryonic stem cells but made from ordinary skin cells—a team of researchers at the Children’s Hospital Boston and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute were able to reverse the aging process of a rare genetic disease.
- The disease, dyskeratosis congenita, is a blood marrow disorder that causes premature aging, warped fingernails (among other symptoms) and an increased risk of cancer. In the process of creating iPS cells from diseased patients’ skin cells, the scientists found that a gene in the cells multiplied three-fold, helping to restore telomeres (little caps on the ends of the chromosomes that carry DNA), which are integral in the process of aging and death in cells. Replenishing the telomeres could, in theory, help reverse the aging process.
- About half of the people with the disease have bone marrow failure (meaning that their bone marrow stops making blood and immune cells properly), and of those people, many often die during bone marrow transplants. However, researchers think that bone marrow transplants from a patient’s own cells may be a gentler process.
Facts & Figures
- Dyskeratosis congenita is a very rare disease and is usually diagnosed between the ages of 10 and 30.
- In dyskeratosis congenita, the cells lose telomerase, an enzyme that helps maintain the telomeres. As telomeres deteriorate, cells age, and disease and death follow.
- In cancer, telomerase apparently helps tumor cells become immortal and proliferate. Experimental cancer drugs target telomerase.
- TERC helps rejuvenate telomeres, and researchers suspect that tumor cells employ TERC in order to achieve immortality.
- Researchers speculate that replenishing TERC might help the sufferers of dsykeratosis congenita.
Best Quote
“We’re not saying we’ve found the fountain of youth, but the process of creating iPS cells recapitulates some of the biology that our species uses to rejuvenate itself in each generation.” – Suneet Agarwal, Researcher at Harvard Stem Cell Institute
Hybrid Recall – Environmentalists In Danger Behind the Wheel
Friday, February 26th, 2010Environmentally conscientious drivers liable to be harmed by the source of their enviro-friendliness!
- On February 11th, 2010, Japanese car manufacturer Toyota recalled 400,000 Priuses and other hybrid models in response to allegations and customer complaints of brake deficiencies.
- A software glitch in the cars’ braking systems apparently causes brief, terror-inducing delays in the braking capacity on bumpy or icy roads. However, to date, no accidents or injuries have been reported.
- Over the past several months, Toyota owners have experienced other problems with the quality and safety of their various models, leading to over 7 million Toyotas being recalled.
Facts & Figures
- The braking glitch fix takes approximately 40 minutes.
- The recall applies to 223,000 hybrids that were sold in Japan, 133,00 Priuses and 14,500 Lexus HS 250h vehicles in the U.S., and around 53,000 Priuses throughout Europe.
- In 2009, Toyota recalled roughly 3.8 million of its vehicles to fix floor mats that would “entrap” gas pedals.
- Toyota has received over 80 complaints on the 2009-2010 Corolla concerning the car’s “hard-to-handle” steering.
Best Quote
“If the company had paid more attention to consumers’ viewpoint, it could have realized that there was a safety problem.” – Ryusuke Itazaki, Chief of the Recall Department at Japan’s Transport Ministry
The Secret Society for Creative Philanthropy
Tuesday, February 9th, 2010Philanthropy obviously isn’t just about huge tax breaks, benefit galas, and getting your name on that new science center. Caring for other people can happen in all kinds of wonderful ways…
- Courtney Martin, a 30-year-old writer in Brooklyn, was suddenly faced with a large sum of money. So she took $1,000, distributed it evenly among 10 people, and asked each participant to give the money away that month.
- These small-scale philanthropists formed the Secret Society for Creative Philanthropy, and the variety of ways (traditional and decidedly non-traditional) they spread their $100 was an exercise in thoughtful giving.
- In a demonstration of good will inspiring more good will, several participants in Ms. Martin’s project decided to add an additional $100 of their own to the $100 they were supposed to give away.
Facts & Figures
- The Secret Society for Creative Philanthropy is in its fourth year, and inducted 16 members this year.
- Some of this year’s donation projects: Converted the money into 10,000 pennies to leave on sidewalks around the country, head-side-up; Anonymously tipped their favorite drugstore cashier; Donated to nonprofits working in Haiti; Bought a dish for a friend who was instructed to regift it; Converted NYC children’s writing into bound books; Tipped the bartender exceptionally well; Handed the cash to a local woman who scavenges for bottles and cans to turn in for their deposit value.
Can we do this thing on an installment plan?
Friday, January 8th, 2010Maybe you like the idea of supporting your favorite cause on a regular basis, but you don’t want the hassle of sending them a check every four weeks. Luckily, some organizations have taken this complaint into consideration. With recurring donations, you can make sure your charity of choice gets a steady flow of aid without constantly having to remember to shell out the cash.
Recurring donations can be set up over the Internet, and they just require a credit card number, an email account, and a billing address. You select a charity and enter the amount you want to give each month (which can be changed or canceled at any time) and that amount is charged to your card. If you choose to give money to an organization with a set monetary goal and that goal is reached (i.e., the organization doesn’t need donations anymore), you’ll receive a notification via email, and you can select a new charity if you wish. What’s more, with recurring donations you set up an account where an online record is kept of all your transactions to date, so it’s simple to find appropriate documentation when you’re applying for tax deductions.
So if you have one favorite charity and you just want to keep sending your money there, recurring donations can be a quick, easy, and convenient way to keep giving.
Paul McCartney is involved with PETA?
Thursday, January 7th, 2010Yes, that is right, the former Beatle is a spokesperson for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). There are many reasons why celebrities would get with a involved a charity, foundation, or organization.
The most important reason is that celebrities can bring attention to a cause that may otherwise be ignored – ordinary people tend to notice when famous people do things, including an advertisement or a commercial for a specific charity. Charities will often ask a high-profile individual to attend a benefit or a function for these purposes.
The celebrity has his or her reasons also. Any PR rep would tell you that having your name attached to a charitable cause is good press and good exposure. Additionally, a lot of celebrities do not want to seem one-dimensional, and being part of a charity or foundation shows their multi-dimensionality. Finally, for some it is a personal issue: Sheryl Crow, a survivor of breast cancer, is one of the main proponents for the nonprofit Stand Up To Cancer.
Julia “Butterfly” Hill on Climate, Purpose, and Practical Solutions to Big Problems
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
On Dec. 10, 1997, 23-year Julia “Butterfly” Hill climbed into a 180-foot California Coast redwood tree. Her goal was to live in the tree for as long as it took to prevent its destruction and the destruction of the forest where it had lived for more than 1,000 years. During the two years she spent in “Luna” (as she affectionately named the tree), she attracted worldwide attention for her use of nonviolent action in defense of the forest she cared so deeply about. Julia went up the tree an unknown campaigner and came down an international symbol. Her actions, both during her time in the tree and in the years since, are an attempt to heal the rift between humans and the natural environment. TILE had a conversation with her, almost ten years after she descended from her perch in the redwood forest.
TILE: You’ve dedicated your life to protecting the planet; was there a defining moment that set you on this path?
Julia: Growing up, I was taught to appreciate and respect the Natural World. Nature was my playground and the place I went to for safety. I grew up poor and experienced a lot of violence, and Nature is where i went to get away as well as to play. As my family travelled quite a bit, we were often in cities. But even if all I could find was one tree, I would go to it. The first time I saw an ad for Greenpeace in a magazine, I was about 13 years old. I tore it out and hung it on my wall. It was a picture of the little raft boat trying to stop a seal-slaughter ship and getting hit with huge hoses of water. I thought that was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. Then, in my Junior year of high school, I got involved in helping launch the first environmental club on our campus called S.A.F.E. (Student Activists For Earth.) We started a recycling program on campus and a tree-planting program and rode our bikes and walked during the homecoming parade instead of driving around in cars. We were the crazy artist radicals in that extremely conservative school and in town.
I would have to say, though, that the truly defining moment was when I entered the Ancient Redwoods of California while travelling with friends in 1997. And then I walked into my first clear-cut and was absolutely horrified at the blatant destruction. It literally looked like a bomb had been set off in the middle of the forest. Then, when I found out that 97% of the original Redwoods had already been destroyed and that they were still continuing to use extremely toxic and destructive logging practices, something in my gut told me I had to act!
I call these moments the “choiceless choice.” We see an injustice or a need in the world, and we could choose to be silent and walk away, and yet something deep inside us is so compelling that we can’t do that. We have to say, “Yes” to that calling no matter how overwhelming or dangerous it might at first seem.
TILE: What, in your opinion, is the most important thing young people concerned with Climate Change can do today?
Julia: There are so many things we all can do to affect climate change:
We can choose to become vegan (not eat animals for food.) The farming of animals for food contributes to over half of all Climate Change emissions according to scientists and studies and the World Watch Institute. If someone is not ready to go vegan, going vegetarian is a good first step and also, even just beginning with reducing the amount of meat that someone eats makes a difference.
We can walk, ride bikes, and take public transportation as much as possible. I haven’t owned a car since I was 18 which was almost 18 years ago.
We can ask our parents to get involved, lobby their representatives in government. We can write letters to the editors of papers talking about our concerns as young people about this issue. We can get our schools and homes to adopt energy-saving tools and practices like energy-efficient light bulbs, turning down thermostats in the winter (even a couple degrees can make a huge difference in energy reduction), and using recycled paper (deforestation is a huge contributor to global warming.)
TILE: You came down from Luna almost ten years ago and have worked tirelessly on behalf of many worthy causes and organizations. What are you most passionate about that you’re working on now?
Julia: I love that I get to use my life to contribute to the good work of individuals and organizations all over the world. Some of the ongoing projects that I support are Women’s Earth Alliance (womensearthalliance.org), South Central Farmers (southcentralfarmers.org), The Engage Network (engagenet.org), and What’s Your Tree (whatsyourtree.org).
TILE: What are concrete ways young people can make sound environmental choices with their consumer dollars?
Julia: Shop at thrift stores!! We have to make it COOL TO CARE! Using things/resources that have already been used is a fantastic way to reduce carbon emissions because the manufacturing process of goods is another big contributor to climate change. Plus, shopping at thrift stores means we are shopping local which is also important. Almost all of my clothes come from thrift stores.
When we shop at a large corporate chain, on average, only approximately 3 – 8 cents on every dollar stays in our community. The rest leaves and goes to CEOs, Corporate managers, Headquarter buildings, etc… When we shop locally, approximately 55 – 90 cents per dollar on average stays in our community. That’s a BIG difference!
If we have farmer’s markets, it is best to buy as much of our food there as possible. If we don’t have farmer’s markets where we live, we need to get involved in working to get them started. Also, if we have yards, we can start gardens and grow some of our own food.
If we are buying new things, it is best to buy organic, local, energy-efficient, and recycled. The more we invest in these things with our dollars, the more we invest in a healthy and beautiful future for us all!
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