Sustainable Development: A Crucial Challenge For The Future

October 13th, 2008

Albert Einstein once said that, in order for mankind to survive, people should develop a substantially new manner of thinking. For decades since, world leaders have seeked this “new manner of thinking” until finally they came up with a viable answersustainable development.

Sustainable development is a strategy by which communities seek economic development approaches that also benefit the local environment and quality of life. Where traditional approaches can lead to congestion, sprawl, pollution and resource over-consumption, sustainable development offers real, lasting solutions that will strengthen the future.

More simply put, sustainable development provides a framework under which communities can use resources efficiently, create efficient infrastructures, protect and enhance quality of life, and create new businesses to strengthen their economies. It can help create healthy communities that can sustain this generation, as well as those of the future.

Communities of the future will be very different from the communities of today. They’re different because of a whole new set of socio-economic, technological, and global forces. Prime movers will need to understand such forces, and only by applying this understanding can communities be sustained and benefit from an increasingly complex future.

While sustainability has its roots in the environmental traditions of the past, it is also greatly influenced by forces unique to this decade. These forces include limited resources, urbanization, scientific knowledge, technology, social awareness, and health & safety requirements. All of these should be acknowledged for their impact on and potential opportunities for the community. Properly harnessed, these forces can play important roles in achieving the goals of sustainable development.

Benefits of sustainable development
Sustainable development is good business from social, economic, and environmental perspectives. When tied to a community’s vision, it can successfully resolve many key issues faced by communities today. Within the context of the existing environment, sustainable development is especially effective in a tangible way.

Take the numerous sustainable development programs of Shell Philippines Exploration BV (SPEX) for example. Through Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc. (PSFI), SPEX has initiated various programs to uplift economic, social and environmental conditions in the locales where it operates. For its Malampaya Deep Water Gas to Power project, SPEX took all three factors into consideration prior to making important business decisions. This tedious process eventually won one for SPEX a place among the ten coveted citations from the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

SPEX’ initiatives that merited the United Nations award are the Malampaya project, which in itself is an economically sound project that creates job opportunities and attracts foreign investors; youth empowerment programs like Sanayan sa Kakayahang Agrikultura (SAKA), a program for out-of-school-youths and Sanayan sa Kakayahang Industriyal (SKIL), a one-year course on various industrial skills geared towards long-term employment; environmental preservation programs like the Mindoro Biodiversity Conservation Program, Malampaya Sound Ecological Study Program and Subic Bay Bat Habitat Restoration Program; and health-inclined initiatives like the Kilusan Ligtas Malaria and sharing well-equipped health facilities with the community.

All these sustainable development programs place a high value on the quality of life and infuse technology with purpose. They optimize key resources, including human resources, and are responsive and proactive. Whether by mitigating natural hazards, preventing crime, or attracting economic development, SPEX’ programs do not simply react to circumstances or events but take action to prevent threats to community well-being and to maximize good opportunities to preserve the Philippine heritage.

**The Malampaya Deep Water Gas-to-Power project represents the largest and most significant industrial investment in the history of the Philippines. It heralds the birth of the country’s natural gas industry that will enable the supply of clean, environment-friendly fuel slated to provide 2,700 megawatts of power to Luzon for a period of 20 years. This meets 30% of Luzon’s power generation requirements. Malampaya paves the way for high economic benefits to the Philippines, providing the country a considerably long-term revenue stream of approximately US$8-10 billion to the government over the life of the project, in addition to foreign exchange savings of the same magnitude.

About the Author: Karla Gae L. Pascua is a senior copywriter at one of Philippine’s leading public relations agencies. Pascua has been writing professionally for over a decade, seven years of which were under the stewardship of the industry’s acknowledged father of public relations, former UST professor, and journalism textbook author, Charlie Agatep.

Source: www.isnare.com

Why an Education in Nanotechnology

October 13th, 2008

This article is intended to encourage young people to become nanoscientist
The unabashed purpose of this article is to encourage young people to become nanoscientist, nanotechnician or nanoengineers.

In every few decades a new science emerges which has a great effect on the world’s population. One important example was the development of the printing press. This new science made it possible to permit large masses of people to communicate with each other and thus to be informed about the various politics and religions of the world. Prior to the presses invention people could only publish by copying writings by hand. As a result only a few had manuscripts of any kind. For this reason very few people could read or write. This condition changed rapidly as printed material became available. People had to learn how to build presses and to operate the presses. Those people who could build and operate a printing press were in great demand. Many became independent publishers. Some formed their own companies and became very wealthy while building publishing empires.

Environmentalists will love nanoscience. Nanoscience devices will be able to first duplicate themselves until large numbers are available then will be able to disassemble molecules. At the present time environmentalists are attempting to persuade congress to spend millions of dollars to clean up an Eastern river of PCB’s. A few nanodevices could be placed in the river and, controlled by computer, duplicate themselves until thousands were available. The nanodevices could then be directed to attack the molecules of PCB and break them down into atoms, primarily carbon, nitrogen,

As amazing as the above products are, by far the greatest developments will be in the medical field. Some theorize that nanomotors can be combined with DNA to keep the animal body healthy. The DNA would be programmed and a computer would monitor the body at all times. Any variation from the normal would cause nanomotors to be sent to the source of the problem. Whether the problem was a cut finger or a cancerous tumor, the nanomotors, guided by the DNA, would correct the problem by healing the cut or destroying the tumor.

A nanometer is one billionth of a meter. Usually 3 or 4 atoms fit in a nanometer. Nanoscience is the study of atoms and molecules and their manipulation to form novel products and nanodevices. Nanotechnology takes the atoms and molecules and uses them as building blocks to build larger objects.

What courses of study should one take: More courses are necessary than in any other field. Nanoscience is applicable to so many different studies that a much broader education is required. Some of the more required courses are described below.

The most important course is chemistry. By definition nanoscience is the study of the manipulation of atoms and molecules. Chemistry is the study of atoms and molecules and their combining and un-combining.

Along with chemistry, a very essential course is microscopy. Microscopes have been developed which can make atoms visible, they also can be used to manipulate atoms. This feature is necessary in using atoms as building blocks to construct nanodevices including nanomotors. Most of the benefits of nanoscience depend very much on the scientist’s ability to build nanomotors.

Microbiology Nanoscience has been suggested as a very valuable tool for use in medicine. To use it effectively one needs to be familiar with every cell in the body. Microbiology is the study of the body both human and animal. Fortunately the discoveries involving DNA has advanced this study remarkably. It is contemplated DNA will act as a surveillance to test for disease. The nanomotors will then take over and provide the control for the disease. Doctors are expected to evolve into body engineers rather than physicians. The control can be accomplished without any cutting. There could be no pain; no scarring and results would be accomplished over night. The budding nanotechnician could work on eliminating the need for vaccine by building an artificial immune system. The life expectancy of humans would rapidly increase to 120 years. Childbirth would become painless It would seem an education in microbiology, as part of training in nanoscience would be invaluable.

WHERE CAN NANOSCIENCE OR NANOTECHNOLOGY OR NANOENGINEERING DEGREES BE OBTAINED

At present there are only a few Universities that offer a degree in nanoscience, but this is changing as fast as curriculums can be put together. If you have a favorite university you wish to attend then contact them and find out what they offer, and what they plan to offer in the future. While not many offer degrees, many do offer courses. Some also have labs where hands on experience can be obtained.

About the Author

John is a graduate of Oklahoma State University with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He is a retired Patent Agent and former Patent Examiner. He worked for several years as an oil field engineer. John has been a successful trader, in both stocks and futures, for many years. He has written article and published letters about both stocks and futures markets. Many articles and letters are about trading systems and observances he has made over the years. He is a member of several technical societies and keeps abreast of the latest advances in science and technology.