Month: June 2018

CAP AND TRADE POLICIES

CAP AND TRADE POLICIES

INTRODUCTION

Politicians are proposing or implementing Cap and Trade policies with the intended goal of reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. This a worthwhile goal that we should all support. However, when legislators and attorneys write the rules of Cap and Trade the process becomes unnecessarily complicated. The basic premise of Cap and Trade is that Companies that exceed GHG emission standards should pay a penalty or purchase an allowance for polluting from Companies that do not pollute. It is claimed that this process will encourage the polluters to not pollute in order to cut costs. In this paper we propose that money from penalties assessed under Cap and Trade policies be used to help CO2 sequestration through reforestation in locations recommended by the scientists.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT THE SCIENTISTS TELL US

To study the effects of GHG emissions we need to look first at the magnitude of the problem and then review possible solutions. A brief summary of the facts follows. Continue reading “CAP AND TRADE POLICIES”

VENTILATION- HOW MUCH IS NECESSARY?

 

VENTILATION – HOW MUCH IS NECESSARY ?

INTRODUCTION

Adequate ventilation is a key factor in achieving indoor air quality (IAQ).Our goal is to remove particulates and VOCs from our indoor environment. We can achieve this goal through ventilation, through portable air cleaners or a combination of both. The proper balance between the two will depend on our specific situation.

A brand new home will have been designed to meet local building standards, which in most places specify ventilation requirements. Since new buildings are designed mostly for energy savings they are typically built to minimize energy losses and are therefore tightly insulated, minimizing air infiltration. But new buildings make use of synthetic materials that introduce new contaminants such as volatile organic compounds (VOC) s.

So, if you have a brand new home you cannot assume that you have good indoor air quality. On the other hand, if you live in an older home you probably have a large outside air infiltration. Depending on your location, this air infiltration may carry pollutants which you must remove along with the pollutants created indoors from normal living. Furthermore, your older air ventilation system, if any, may not be adequate.

In this article we will examine common sense approaches for improving indoor air quality. Continue reading “VENTILATION- HOW MUCH IS NECESSARY?”