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Showing posts with the label arid

Australia Gets Weather Extremes

Australia is the first nation to experience the repercussions from climate change.  The weather has changed permanently.  A four day conference of Australian and New Zealand scientists met and the outcome was not good. "Climate fatigue" is when scientists keep telling the public what is happening and it is ignored.   Politicians are the most harden anti-science group.  They keep saying that climate change is not proven.  Yet a premise in any other area is accepted as proved with less evidence.  A letter signed by 150 scientists was sent to PM Malcolm Turnbull asking for something to be done.  The letter was not even acknowledged. January was the hottest month ever recorded in Brisbane and Sydney.  Heatwaves from now on will be record breakers.  This is ominous.  It means more bushfires.   Ironically,  we are not just getting extended dries.  Floods are happening more often.  There is a move toward weather extremes. The next epoch which has been created my Man h

Tequila's Agave Plant Ideal to Make Ethanol

Yet another plant is suggested as a savior for our fuel hungry future. Agave is a succulent, normally used to produce the alcoholic drink tequila. Its use to make this drink is no coincidence - agave is rich in sugar. It is ideal for making ethanol. Australia is looking for a plant that will grow in arid areas. Sugarcane will grow on marginal land but not in semi-desert regions. Agave will grow where it hardly ever rains, so it will not take fertile land away from food growers. A pilot test farm has been established at Ayr in Queensland. Agave is a winner. It gives back five times more energy than is used to produce it. And it makes less greenhouse gas than the manufacture of sugar cane ethanol. Corn is widely used at present to make ethanol. The quality, however, is variable. Ethanol from agave is superior. Another benefit is that the woody by-product from the plant can be used in making the motor vehicle fuel. http://www.adventure--australia.blogspot.com/ http://www.tysau