Converting to the Hydrogen Economy

By: Colleen Spiegel-2027

Yes, we can convert to a hydrogen economy. Don’t roll your eyes at me. It’s true. A total conversion to a hydrogen economy is possible in the near future. How is that (you may ask)? Well, we need an interim solution. I’m sure most of you already know how fuel cells work, but for those who don’t, let me explain very quickly…

There are many types of fuel cells, but the most common one is called a proton exchange membrane or PEM fuel cell. This type of fuel cell usually uses hydrogen, but other fuel types can also be used (such as methanol, ethanol etc). When methanol or ethanol is used, the name of the fuel cell changes to “direct methanol fuel cell” or “direct ethanol fuel cell”. Now, hydrogen is fed into the fuel cell, and a platinum/carbon catalyst breaks the hydrogen into protons and electrons. Since protons and electrons are charged species, they cannot exist for very long in nature because they are unstable. Everything in nature moves toward neutralization or a balance of energies. For example, if something is very hot in nature, the heat is distributed to its surroundings, and eventually the temperature of the very hot object equals the temperature of the environment. In the case of ions, positively and negatively charged molecules cannot survive for very long without combining with another molecule to make it more stable. Now let’s get back to the discussion at hand — so in the fuel cell, the hydrogen is broken into protons and electrons. Normally protons and electrons would not be able to stay in the ionic form very long, but because the platinum/carbon catalyst layer is connected to the persulfonic acid membrane layer, the hydrogen protons are able to travel through the membrane to the cathode side of the fuel cell. In the meantime, the electrons are attracted to the hydrogen flow field plate, which is also pressed against the fuel cell layer and is highly conductive. The electrons are then drawn from the fuel cell catalyst layer to power the load. The protons that traveled over to the cathode through the membrane then combine with oxygen coming into the fuel cell and create water. Interesting stuff, huh?

Okay Colleen, how a fuel cell works is interesting, but how are we going to convert over to the hydrogen economy? Well, first I had to explain how the hydrogen is actually used — and now I will get into how our current economy can be converted into a hydrogen one. So, do you know where hydrogen currently comes from? There is a lot of information out there on how fuel cells work, the benefits of fuel cells, and how we would be much better off using them. But, rarely do these articles get into the sticky situation of discussing where the hydrogen comes from. Well, as many of you probably know, hydrogen is not available on this planet in a purely gaseous form. It’s found everywhere in nature, but it is combined with other elements to form other types of molecules. Therefore, the hydrogen has to be manufactured. Many of you will not like to hear this (and I even cringe at saying it), but most of the hydrogen gas currently produced is created from petroleum-based fuels. Aha (you say)! I knew there was a catch to this! Okay, okay, okay I admit — it does seem to be a sticky situation. But, at least we currently have a way that hydrogen is manufactured. At first glance it seems like this may not be any better than our current solution — but it is. The reason why this is a better solution is because hydrogen can be manufactured using many different methods. The interim solution for converting to a hydrogen economy would be to use petroleum-based fuels and coal. Now you’re probably thinking — this person must be totally out of whack! Well, speaking from an engineer’s perspective, coal is not that bad of an interim solution. There are many reasons why I say this:

1. Experts estimate that there is only 30 years of petroleum-based fuels left on this planet.
2. In the United States alone, it is estimated that we have 300 years of fuel from coal that can be utilized.
3. Countries that tap into their coal resources can be more independent, stronger and richer than countries that rely on petroleum-based fuels.
4. The Clean Coal Technologies program in the United States (instituted in 1986), has commercialized numerous technologies for preventing pollution caused by coal processing. Coal is no longer the “dirty fuel” that it used to be.
5. There are already numerous coal processing plants across the United States and many parts of the world. In the United States, half of the electricity is generated by coal. Therefore, new plants may not need to be constructed. We can have plants that generate electricity and hydrogen. A current project that’s utilizing this concept is the FutureGen project, which is funded by the United States government and private industry.

Recession - An 5 Renewable Energy Innovations

By Lorraine Mclnerney

The recession may mean that money is tight as far as business is concerned, and a gloomy outlook might be what is pervading the markets. But existing and potential businesses should not allow this negative mindset to dismay them. What is bad news for graduates and job-seekers, might just be good news for employers. At the moment there is such a huge surplus in graduates seeking employment that when a employer is seeking to recruit workers they will have the cream of the crop to select from. This will enable, for instance, start-up companies to take on the best possible candidates for the jobs they need to fill, and in turn will enable the company to provide the best possible service to its customers.

The news that graduates are leaving college at a particularly unfortunate time has been a prevalent issue in almost every newspaper in the first few months of 2009. In March of this year, President of the High Court Mr Justice Richard Johnson admitted that the 32 new solicitors receiving their parchment at the Law Society were graduating at a “pretty tricky time”. New figures from the Law Society show growing unemployment in the profession. But despite all the negative reports regarding jobs for graduates, there has been some good news; PriceWaterHouseCoppers launched its 2009 Graduate Recruitment Campaign which will provide jobs for over 250 graduates.

The Wall Street Journal’s Economic Forecasting Survey of October 2008 predicted a rise in unemployment to 6.8 percent in 2009, and this might be said to reflect the situation just about everywhere. So, concerning Company formation, a new enterprise might just have the potential to succeed in these afflicted times due to there being a surplus in qualified candidates for the business to employ. Hence, the service or product a company wishes to provide will have the potential to be of the highest possible quality.

Our Ailing Economy - The Natural Order of Things?

Whose idea was it that it is our responsibility to keep businesses in business? When did it become one step away from mandatory that we buy a new car every two years? Why is it that most of us buy a home that we can barely afford? Who benefits from the use of a credit card, we, the consumers, or the bank owners? These rhetorical questions have glaring answers, answers that should tell us that something is dreadfully wrong with our economic system, and with our society.

As a kid growing up in the 60s, I watched TV, as most American kids did. I remember many of the ads, cigarettes, toys, cars, over the counter remedies, foods, household goods and supplies, and many other items relating to everyday life in America. For the most part, the ads showed us what was available, what it did, and where we could get it. At that time, there were laws against “False advertising”. To my recollection, the only companies who were playing dirty pool were the cigarette companies, directing their ads at young, impressionable teenagers.

Fast forward to the late 80s, no smoking on TV, but false advertising in just about every ad that flashed across your 35 inch cathode ray picture tube, and it’s been downhill ever since. In my estimation, no less than 60% of what you see in between your favorite shows is from health care, pharmaceutical companies, and other businesses directly related. Some of the products include: Pain killers, antacids, cold/flu remedies, magic weight loss pills, hair growth pills, anti-oxidant pills, and these are just the over the counter drugs. We now watch thirty and sixty second skits that tell us it’s normal to have headaches, backaches, cholesterol, diabetes, GI conditions, sleep disorders, ED by the time we’re 35, and, just about the silliest of them all, restless leg syndrome.

We’re told, not just in ads, but in “documentaries” and movies, that if we’d eaten certain foods in our lifetime, we are likely to get cancer, if we don’t eat certain foods, we are likely to get cancer, if we don’t take enough of a certain vitamin, or enough of the latest miracle preventative, we’re likely to get cancer. If we eat this, we’ll have high cholesterol, if we eat that, diabetes, etc. We’re led to believe that we must regulate our blood sugar from one minute to the next, or something dreadful will happen to us. There are prescription drugs, advertised directly to us, what could be the reason for that? How many of you have forgotten that the body is designed to balance itself, that food is to nourish our body, not destroy it, and as long as we eat balanced meals, and we eat a variety of foods, we will be fine.

You get a cold, your body will heal itself. It’s not normal to get headaches, there is no cholesterol gene, and there is no fat gene. There are no shortcuts to being slim and healthy, and there is certainly no magic pill that will replace good eating habits and exercise. If you eat Chips Ahoy, Doritos, drink buckets of Coke, and the couch is your favorite place to be, you’re gonna have problems. If you eat the same 5 meals week after week for years and years, you’re gonna have problems. If you cook all your food to death, that’s right - problems. You don’t get sick, you don’t come down with this condition or that condition because you have a lack of drugs in your body, this stuff happens because you do not eat properly, you are afraid to get up off your couch, and you believe all the nonsense that you see on your TV. Think about that before you read on.

Well, folks, the health care and pharmaceuticals are not the only ones playing dirty. Insurance companies, banks, cell phone companies, the auto industry, fast food chains, most retailers, just about every business that we can think of has their ownership and upper management pulling every trick in the book and then some, to literally steal your hard earned money. Certain types of insurance have been made mandatory by the government, with more on the way, how’s that for advertising? Approximately two months ago, I heard a story on one of the TV News networks, about a doctor somewhere in Oregon, who was offering free services.

Well, the story said that the government stepped in and said that it was against the law to do such a thing. On the same network, about a week ago, there was a report about the government telling farmers that they could not grow more than a certain amount of wheat - on their own property - they did this by hiding behind some law regarding interstate commerce. Also on the same network, I saw a report about how the elite was very upset and angered by President Obama’s proposal that they not be allowed to hide their money in foreign banks. This particular network wholeheartedly agreed that the president’s proposal was a terrible thing. This author applauds our president, should this bill pass.

Well, it’s becoming common knowledge that most large corporations will stop at nothing to get our money - lie, cheat, steal, exploit workers in any way possible, and, now that it may become illegal for them to hide their wealth in offshore bank accounts, they are up in arms. It’s not enough that they can afford high powered lawyers who know how to hide money, and get out of paying their fair share of taxes. And please, we’re not talking dollar amounts here, we’re talking percentages - if I’m required to pay 40% of my earnings to the IRS, and to the government in the form of hidden taxes, then the same should apply to the wealthy.

We need to find ways to combat these atrocities. Some of the things that I do include, boycotting anything possible that is produced or offered by large corporations, buy from the small businessman whenever possible. I only use my credit card if I can pay the balance as soon as I get the bill. When I buy a new car, I keep it for at least five years, no matter how pushy and obnoxious the salesman is. I barter whenever possible - and you want to see something that the government hates, just wait and see what happens if there ever comes a time when barter is practiced by many - you’ll see just how fast, and how violently they find ways to ban it.

Choosing the Best Porcelain Doll For Your Finished Dollhouse

By Patrick Cannon

Congratulations, you have a dollhouse, you have furniture and now you need a porcelain doll. You have created an idyllic imaginary world for you, your children and for many future generations to enjoy. Your environment is perfect for someone, but whom? Finding the best porcelain doll for your world is an important step and deserves as much attention to detail as you paid to the furnishings.

What is the best porcelain doll? Simply put, the best one is one you and your family enjoy. A porcelain doll speaks to you in a unique voice. Think of the search for your doll like bird watching, every sound matters. Sometimes the smallest birds, with the tiniest and most delicate songs, are the most beautiful. With a little careful listening, you and your family will definitely find the best porcelain doll. However, there are some things to consider before purchasing your best doll.

One thing to consider is the era and décor of the dollhouse. A delicate porcelain geisha doll would feel out of place in a Victorian era dollhouse, but would be right at home in an antique oriental dollhouse. A Victorian era porcelain doll would feel uneasy residing in a modern looking ranch style dollhouse, but would be very comfortable in a more natural setting. Her lacy, flowing gowns and sense of propriety feels just right standing among the ornate decorations of the Victorian era dollhouses. A 1920’s era Flapper doll cries out for a dollhouse that reflects her independence, and would not be comfortable in a more straight-laced environment. The Victorian era porcelain doll wants to have a place to sew and a place to receive guests.

The Flapper screams for room to dance, and needs a place where she is free to speak her mind.

A second consideration is the scale of the dollhouse. Choosing a porcelain doll that stands 16 inches tall for a dollhouse standing only 20 inches could be disastrous. The best porcelain doll for any dollhouse not only fits the decoration, but also fits in the dollhouse. She should be comfortable in the furniture, and should not fear hitting her head on the ceiling when she stands to move to the next room. Her skirts do not want to rearrange the furniture every time she moves around the house, and you want to spend your time playing, not putting the furnishings back where they belong.

Did you purchase a new-to-you antique dollhouse? Quite often, the best porcelain doll was crafted in the same era as the dollhouse, but may be impossible to find. Finding a porcelain doll created in the 1800’s for example, may prove to be a fruitless search. Even if you do find a porcelain doll created in the same era as your new antique dollhouse, it may be outrageously expensive or severely damaged. An antique replica doll gives the same look and feel, while being easier to locate and purchase.