WHY PENGUINS DON'T FLY?

It has been a long time puzzle for everyone that why Penguin being a bird is unable to fly. After a detailed study, scientists have confirmed that a wing that is good for flying cannot also be good for diving and swimming and vice versa. Penguins are extensively found in Antartica and they depend on sea life creatures like krill, fish, squid for food to survive. So it is highly adapted for life in the water and spends about half of their lives on land and half in the oceans. This penguin's underwater adeptness may have cost it its ability to fly. There are several long-standing theories about why birds cannot fly. One theory states that some species became flightless because of a lack of predators on the ground. The other explains the 'bio-mechanical hypothesis - When the bird is flying and diving, it has to use its wings to do two different things. The bio-mechanical hypothesis is that you cannot build a wing that is good at doing both. 

The only exception creature to this theory is Guillemot, a seabird which is good at flying as well as swimming and it looks almost similar to Penguin. When the amount of energy that the bird was using is analyzed, it has to spend much more energy while flying at an incredible speed to stay in the air.

SOLAR PANELS FOR YOUR HOME

In recent days, people all over the world are being endangered by two things; natural disaster and rise in energy prices. To substantiate it, the recent tsunami attack in Japan and earth quakes in the islands around Thailand really scares the entire world as no one can stop it. Since it damages some fuel and energy producers like the nuclear reactors got affected in Japan, the energy prices continue to rise, slowly and steadily. With the growth of world population and decreasing supply of fossil fuels, there is no reason to believe the energy resources being made. It’s the perfect time to switch to renewable resources like wind power or solar power which is the solution to these devastating problems. With the increase in global warming, everyone should realize that solar power is the reliable energy for the future and also we need to adopt a resource that goes ‘Go Green’. 

Converting the solar energy power into different forms of energy to be used by us is possible through solar PV systems with the help of solar panels. Solar panels are made up of small PV (Photovoltaic) cells. The PV cells capture the sun’s rays and then eventually convert it into electricity. The generated electricity will be stored in the battery so that it can be used when needed in the future using an inverter. Building these systems from scratch is cheap and easy; all the required raw materials can be easily bought from the local hardware store. Having solar panels as alternative sources of electricity for house or building facilities or appliances, we can save up to 80 percent of overall electric use making it more popular for energy-conscious home or building owners. It has been the best alternative method for energy needs both in a residential and commercial capacity.  With global warming becoming an ever increasing concern, it is no wonder we are seeking other energy options. They have also become exceptionally efficient, more environmentally sound and less expensive. Large scale companies also started using solar panels to avoid pay fuel costs and air clean-up expenses along with variable fuel charges.

With numerous advantages, why don’t people install this in home as it helps to save environment in great extent. Having solar panels in your home can significantly reduce your electricity bill or even eliminate your bill altogether through the use of solar panels. Getting solar panels for your home is the best way of cost cutting and you could save some thousands every year. The most popular set up for solar panels is having the panels attached to the roof. This gives the panels the biggest coverage area and exposes them to the most rays of the sun. By doing so, one can use solar energy at home in terms of solar cookers, solar heating systems, solar lighting systems etc. Generally, solar panels have an average lifetime for 25-30 years requiring no or little maintenance. The procedure is very simple and you can choose to do-it-yourself or hire a contractor to perform the installation. The Costs varies from state to state and county to county and factors like system type, residential location, type of credit available can help offset the cost of solar home power installation. In case of any doubts, you can inquire more about solar panels through internet or ask your local solar panel shop. It’s the perfect way to make use of the world’s free resources.

CHINA TOWARDS GREEN ENVIRONMENT

Whenever some survey results related to pollution causing countries are announced, we can expect China in the list. But to everyone’s surprise it has taken lot of steps to create green environment and to sustain it, it is the leader in clean energy efforts now outstripping the United States and Japan and leaving Australia lagging far behind. China is now commanding the largest market share of clean energy investment at a global level as a result. It shuts down more than 100 small coal-fired power plants for cleaner coal stations by 2011, which would reduce emissions by 15 per cent. It also offered subsidies worth billions of yuan for green energy projects, aiming to generate 15 per cent of the nation's total energy from renewable sources by 2020. It is to be noted that none of the countries took any steps to control pollution after last year's global climate summit at Copenhagen.

ADVENTUROUS & AWESOME ALASKA

Those who love travelling, Alaska would be an unforgettable place giving unmemorable fun and adventurous experience. Alaska has always been a destination for a perfect vacation for all the travelers as it offers all kind of sport, fun and attraction. Glaciers and the mountains should be your first step in your Alaska journey if you want to explore the beauty of this amazing place. Is there anyone who dislikes the glaciers and its beauty? I am sure no one would and to sustain it, thousands of tourists are visiting Alaska each year only to observe the coastal glaciers, part of the Kenai Fjords National Park. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge gives stunning views and experience, especially if you want to see the legendary Alaska Mountains and to enjoy the Arctic coast.

Denali State Park is a place famous for winter sports. If you visit Alaska during October or November, don’t miss hiking on the Mount McKinley. It is so adventurous. You can also find the Yukon River which is more than 1000 miles long with fascinating history. If is the first time and not aware of anything there, don’t worry as The National Park Service is providing different explore tours. The 11–day Best of Alaska package is known as the best, for it is offering visiting cities, traveling by land and sea and adventurous activities in the wildlife parks.

Alaskan cruises are more popular when it comes to an exploring journey. The cruise ships start from Vancouver and Seattle. Every year, the cruise liners are showing the stunning nature of Alaska during May to September. In the month of June and July, you can enjoy viewing the Orcas – one of the most famous Alaskan types of whales. Gulf of Alaska Cruise is more prominent of all cruises. It is also known as Glacier Route Cruise and it follows the most beautiful Alaskan glaciers.

GREEN TRANSPORT

You worry a lot about the environment and do everything you can to reduce your carbon footprint -- the emissions of greenhouse gases that drive dangerous climate change. Think twice about 'green' transport, say scientists. So you always prefer to take the train or the bus rather than a plane, and avoid using a car whenever you can, faithful to the belief that this inflicts less harm to the planet. These are hidden or displaced emissions that ramp up the simple "tailpipe" tally, which is based on how much carbon is spewed out by the fossil fuels used to make a trip. In some circumstances, it could be more eco-friendly to drive into a city -- even in an SUV, rather than take a suburban train. "There's no overall solution that's the same all the time."

Boston has a metro system with high energy efficiency. The trouble is, 82 percent of the energy to drive it comes from dirty fossil fuels. San Francisco's local railway is less energy-efficient than Boston's. But it turns out to be rather greener, as only 49 percent of the electricity is derived from the fossils.

The paper points out that the "tailpipe" quotient does not include emissions that come from building transport infrastructure -- railways, airport terminals, roads and so on. These often unacknowledged factors add substantially to the global-warming burden. In fact, they add 63 percent to the "tailpipe" emissions of a car, 31 percent to those of a plane, and 55 percent to those of a train.

A saloon (sedan) car may be responsible for less greenhouse gas per km travelled per person than a suburban train that is a quarter full, the researchers calculate. So getting a complete view of the ultimate environmental cost of the type of transport, over its entire lifespan, should help decision-makers to make smarter investments. For travelling distances up to, say, 1,000 kms (600 miles), we can ask questions as to whether it's better to invest in a long-distance railway, improving the air corridor or boosting car occupancy. Lets follow the safest mode of transport and save our environment.