I'm Seeing Green

Carbon Monoxide Alert

Carbon dioxide continues to increase world-wide. According to this report by the National oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (image from NOAA)

Last year alone global levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, the primary driver of global climate change, increased by 0.6 percent, or 19 billion tons. Additionally methane rose by 27 million tons after nearly a decade with little or no increase. NOAA scientists released these and other preliminary findings today as part of an annual update to the agency’s greenhouse gas index, which tracks  data from 60 sites around the world.

The burning of coal, oil, and gas, known as fossil fuels, is the primary source of increasing carbon dioxide emissions. Earth's oceans, vegetation, and soils soak up half of these emissions. The rest stays in the air for centuries or longer. Twenty percent of the 2007 fossil fuel emissions of carbon dioxide are expected to remain in the atmosphere for thousands of years, according to the latest scientific assessment by the International Panel on Climate Change.

Most of the increase is due to increased use of fossil fuels, which are on the rise worldwide.

Methane is also on the rise, for the first time since 1998, according to the report; methane is particularly destructive because it causes a "positive feedback loop," or causes its own increase.

A two-for-one offer that does a world of good

Nicholas Negroponte, an MIT computer science expert, is the brain behind a low price laptop which was initially slated to sell for $100 (and mocked here by Bill Gates, who separates his philanthropic impulses from the profit motive at Microsoft.) Well, it's become a reality at one laptop per child , though the price has gone up by a a factor of two.

But the deal is that you get one if you buy one for the total of $399.

Starting November 12, One Laptop Per Child will be offering a Give 1 Get 1 Program for a brief window of time in North America. For $399, you will be purchasing two XO laptops—one that will be sent to empower a child to learn in a developing nation, and one that will be sent to your child at home. If you're interested in Give 1 Get 1, we'll be happy to send you a reminder email. Just sign up in the box to the left and you'll receive your reminder prior to the November 12 launch date.

The machine is not Windows-based (naturally) so it is will not run the vast majority of software available, but that's not its purpose. It comes with software that does the basic functions - word processing, Web browser PDF reader and some games. Remember, its meant for third world schools.                        [image from NY Times]

It's green in color and green in function...it uses only 2 watts on the average (a normal one uses 60) and the battery lasts for 2000 charges (vs 500.)

The New York Time's David Pogue gave it a positive review:

In November, you’ll be able to buy a new laptop that’s spillproof, rainproof, dustproof and drop-proof. It’s fanless, it’s silent and it weighs 3.2 pounds. One battery charge will power six hours of heavy activity, or 24 hours of reading. The laptop has a built-in video camera, microphone, memory-card slot, graphics tablet, game-pad controllers and a screen that rotates into a tablet configuration.

But the XO deserves to overcome those fears. Despite all the obstacles and doubters, O.L.P.C. has come up with a laptop that’s tough and simple enough for hot, humid, dusty locales; cool enough to keep young minds engaged, both at school and at home; and open, flexible and collaborative enough to support a million different teaching and learning styles. It’s a technological breakthrough, for sure.

Now let’s just hope it breaks through the human barriers [emphasis added].