Why Floating Solar Panels Are The 'Wave' Of The Future

As the world looks for ways to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and move towards renewable energy sources, solar power has emerged as one of the most promising options. Solar panels have been installed on rooftops and in fields for years, but there is a new application for this technology that is taking the world by storm: floating solar panels.

Floating solar panels are not just a novel way to generate renewable energy – they also come with a host of other benefits. For example, they can be used to provide shade and cooling for reservoirs, which can help to reduce evaporation. They can also be used to generate power in remote locations where it is not possible to install traditional ground-mounted solar panels.

Floating Solar Panel Electricity Production

Solar panels installed on a structure that floats on a body of water, often a reservoir or a lake, are referred to as floating solar or floating photovoltaics.

Since 2016, the market for this renewable energy method has expanded fast. Throughout 2007 to 2013, the very first 20 plants with capacity of around a dozen kWp were constructed. In 2020, produced power reached 3 GW, with 10 GW anticipated by 2025.

The price of a floating installation is 20-25% greater than the cost of a land installation.

Positives of Floating Solar Panel Installations and related electricity production

The fundamental advantage of floating photovoltaic systems is the fact that they not require any land, aside from the small areas required for the electric cabinet and grid hookups. Their cost is equivalent to that of land-based systems, however floating photovoltaic systems offer an excellent option for reducing land consumption.

Floating photovoltaic power systems are much more streamlined than land-based systems, have simpler management, and thus are easier to build and dismantle. The significant aspect is that there aren't permanent structures, such as those used for land-based plants. Therefore, the installation is completely reversible.

Water conservation and water quality is improved by the solar panels partially covering water bodies. This benefit is influenced by both the climate and the amount of the covered surface.

Cooling the floating structure is basic. Environmental cooling can be maximized by having put a water layer on the photovoltaic modules or by having them in the water. Which, in turn, can increase the amount of electricity generated.

The platforms can be rotated both horizontally and vertically to follow the sun. Moving photovoltaic panels need minimal power as well as no sophisticated mechanical equipment. The cost of outfitting a floating photovoltaic plant with such a system is minimal.

Algal blooms, a severe concern in developed nations, may be decreased. The partial basin coverage and light reduction of the panels may reduce the growth of algal blooms. 

In conclusion, floating solar panels are an innovative and sustainable way to generate energy. They have a number of advantages over traditional ground-mounted solar panels, easier installation, and less environmental impact. Gloating solar panels offer a promising solution for the future of energy production.

The Alarming Effects of Light Pollution on Trees and What You Can Do To Help

It is no secret that pollution, including light pollution, is one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time. But what many people don't realize is that this pollution doesn't just impact our own health and quality of life - it also takes a toll on the natural world. Trees are particularly vulnerable to the effects of light pollution, and this can lead to a host of problems for both the trees themselves and the ecosystems they support.

In this blog post, we'll take a look at some of the ways light pollution affects trees, from interfering with their natural growth cycles to making them more susceptible to disease. We'll also explore what can be done to mitigate the effects of light pollution on trees and help protect our planet's precious green spaces.

How to minimize the impact that light pollution has trees

In modern society, light pollution has become a big problem. It has detrimental effects on our environment, especially trees, as well as our ability to appreciate the sky at night. We'll look at how light pollution harms trees and what we can do to mitigate those effects.

Effects of light pollution on trees

Light pollution can harm trees in a variety of ways including by disrupting photosynthesis, interfering with the tree's natural cycle regarding day and night, and attracting pests. Plants use the process of photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide into food. A tree's growth may be stunted if this process is hindered. Trees can also be harmed by altering their natural day/night cycle since it throws off their biological clocks and hinders them from getting the required amount of rest. Furthermore, light pollution can bring pests like beetles and moths, which can damage trees even more by laying their eggs on their leaves.

Light pollution's risks to trees

Even though light pollution's effects on trees may appear to be very minimal, they can have a long-term negative impact on both the health of particular trees and entire ecosystems. Light pollution has been demonstrated in some instances to entirely destroy young seedlings. In some instances, it can make mature trees more prone to illness and pests. Moreover, insects drawn to artificial lighting frequently escape from their natural predators, causing population imbalances that can disrupt entire ecosystems.

How to reduce the harm light pollution does to trees.

Using reflective materials like mirrors or aluminum foil to deflect stray light away from trees is another method of reducing light pollution's effect on trees. If a mirror is positioned behind an outdoor lighting fixture, for instance, the light will obviously be reflected back toward the fixture rather than out into the surroundings. This can still give the area enough illumination while assisting in reducing glare and sky glow. Similar methods can also be done with aluminum foil, which should only be used as a last resort because it is not as effective as a mirror.

In the modern world, light pollution is becoming a greater problem. As a result of the numerous negative effects that excessive artificial light has on trees, they are just one of the many victims of light pollution. While light pollution can have negative impacts on trees, there are also measures to lessen these effects and shield trees from further harm.

We can lessen the detrimental effects of light pollution on trees by growing them in appropriate places, utilizing light-colored mulch, and using reflective materials. Additionally, finding long-term remedies depends on increasing awareness of this problem. To preserve our environment and its natural riches, we must continue to take part in preserving the night.

Blackfeet Star Stories - Story of Scar-Face (Poia)

Listen, for now comes one of the many stories told of Scar-Face.

Once there lived a girl who was kind and beautiful. Many young men wanted to marry her, but one by one she turned them away. This concerned her mother and father, and they asked, why will you not marry any of these young men? They are fine young men. The girl explained that Natosi, Sun, had once visited her and told her she could not marry anyone for she belonged only to him.

Her parents accepted her explanation and no more was said to her. Even so, young men still asked to marry. Now in that same place lived a young man whose body was strong and pleasing. He would have been handsome were it not for a terrible scar on his face. 

His name was Poia, Scarface. Scarface was an orphan. Having no one, he grew up going from one family to another for food and clothing. But all his life he cried, for always there were people who laughed at him and made fun of his scarred face and the fact that he was pitiful. 

One day the young men in the camp were making fun of him and one said, Scarface, the girl has refused to marry us but you are so handsome. You should ask her to marry you. And since you are so rich, said another, she will certainly choose to marry you. And then they all laughed.

Scarface went off by himself. He had seen the girl many times, and he had come to love her. He decided to go to the girl, profess his love, and asked her to marry him. He found the girl standing by a stream. I am Scarface, he said. I am poor and ugly, but I am a good person. I love you and I want to marry you. And to his amazement, the girl said, I care not if you are poor, I will marry you, but first you must go to Sun and ask permission to marry me. Ask Sun to remove the scar as a sign that we truly have his blessing.

More stories about Scar-Face

Important Blackfoot Mythological Figures

Official Site of the Blackfeet Nation

Esopus Munsee Winter Customs - Deep Snow Moon and The Story of the Celestial Bear

Long before European settlers arrived, the land belonged to the Esopus Munsee people, descendants of the Lenape nation. Unlike the iconic stone houses, their dwellings were circular structures made from natural materials like saplings and bark, known as wigwams. A replica stands today at the DuBois Fort Visitor Center, offering a glimpse into their way of life.

The Esopus Munsee people, speaking a Munsee dialect of the Algonquian language family, inhabited the region for generations. Their way of life was intimately connected with the rhythms of nature, as evidenced by their circular dwellings known as wigwams. These homes, constructed from saplings and bark, provided shelter and warmth during the harsh winter months. In winter, the would share stories while around the communal fire, where elders imparted wisdom through tales about nature and the mysteries of the universe.

One such story, cherished by both the Munsee and Mohican peoples, is the legend of the celestial bear. This mythic tale unfolds with the seven stars of the Big Dipper chasing a bear across the sky each spring, culminating in her demise by winter's end. The bear's blood, symbolic of the changing seasons, coloring the leaves in autumn. As winter arrives, the bear's oil drips down, blanketing the earth in a layer of pristine snow. Come spring, the melting snow nourishes the trees, prompting them to offer sap – a gift of thanks. This story not only speaks to the interconnectedness of all living things but also serves as a reminder of the enduring bond between humans and nature.

Visit

https://www.mohegan.nsn.us

https://www.huguenotstreet.org
https://www.delawaretribe.org

Read

Peter Stuyvesant - Chapter X: The Esopus War

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Munsee / Munsey - "people of a stone country.". (Minassiniu, Minisink, Minsi, Moncy, Monthey, Mundook, Muncey, Munsi, Muncie).

Four groups of this division were sometimes called together (Esopus, Espachomy) : Catskill, Momekotiny, Waranawonkong, Wawarsink

Culturally, the Mansi stood apart and until the last century were often considered an independent tribe. The term appears in sources in the 18th century.

The Passamaquoddy: A People Reborn Short Documentary

The Passamaquoddy

In the early 1960s the Passamaquoddy tribe was at an all time low, but they were about to begin a two decade battle with the State of Maine which would forever change themselves, their relationship between the United States Government, and all Native American tribes.

Its conclusion would bring a new wealth, and a new pride to the native peoples of Maine.

But with it came unexpected troubles and dissension which struck to the heart of what it means to be Indian.

Preceding these events, in the late 18th century, Congress created the Nonintercourse Act, declaring that any transfer of land from Indians to non-Indians had to be approved by Congress.

Between 1794 and 1833, title to most of the land of the Passamaquoddy was transferred o the state of Maine and individuals. Those transfers, encompassing two-thirds of the state of Maine, were never approved by the U.S. Congress, and were therefore illegitimate.

This was the foundation for the Maine Indian Land Claims Case of 1980. 

Before the Claims settlement, the conditions on the Maine reservations were poor. The houses were small and wooden, with little to no insulation, leaky roofs, and bare floors.

In the sixties, 85% of the houses had no toilets or plumbing.

NEWS ANCHOR

The average annual family income is $3000, well below the national poverty level. Most members of the Passamaquoddy Tribe live on this 100 acre reservation on the Northeast coast of Maine. Here, an unemployment rate of 50% is a sign that things are getting better.

Intolerance for the tribal people and their culture was common in many areas of Maine, and over time, they grew used to the treatment. Discrimination was very regular. As a matter of fact it happened so regularly that we didn't even know that it was discrimination. One of the things about an oppressed people is they get so used to it they think it's normal. And you act a certain way accordingly, and you try to survive by saying that's the way it is.

So there was all of this going on, and the saddest part is that we went along with it because  we thought it was normal and the other thing is it was so hopeless that we thought we couldn't change it.

Indians were derided by whites, and treated with the same contemptuous nature that blacks in the South were suffering, although resident Whites blinded themselves to this. As Donald Hansen of the Kennebec Journal wrote in 1965, Maine folk can get pretty upset when a Negro in Mississippi has to move to the back of the bus and yet remain relatively indifferent when they learn that barbers refuse to cut the hair of a Passamaquoddy Indian.

Visit https://www.passamaquoddy.com

Related:

https://www.zeph1.com/2020/09/what-are-navajo-hogans-made-of.html

Chef Boyardee 1953 Spaghetti Dinner Kits Commercial

Hello, may I come in?

I am Chef Boyardee. Perhaps you have seen my picture on Chef Boyardee products at you grocers?

Today I want to tell you about a wonderful dinner for three. A dinner that only costs about fifteen cents a serving. It's my own Chef Boyardee spaghetti dinner with meat sauce or mushroom sauce. It all comes in one carton. A full half pound of tender, quick cooking spaghetti, ten full ounces of rich, tasty sauce and to top it off, a whole can of simply grated cheese. A wonderful food.

So ask your grocer for Chef Boyardee spaghetti dinner with meat or mushroom sauce, won't you? And look for other Chef Boyardee's products. They're all so delicious but also nourishing, and they help keep the cost of your meals down.

Chef Boyardee products are at best grocer.

Ask for Chef Boyardee's spaghetti dinner. Only about 15 cents a serving.

Chef Boyardee

Here's a 1979 Chef Boyardee also starring Ettore Boiardi in his last appearance in Chef Boyardee commercials



Facts about Ettore Boiardi

He took a chef apprenticeship at a restaurant in Italy at the age of 11 but was mainly relegated to doing custodial tasks at the La Croce Bianca restaurant.. He later learned true restaurant skills in Paris and London prior to coming to the USA.

After his family arrived in the USA in 1914, he got a job as a cook at tony Plaza Hotel (where his brother also worked) and was eventually promoted to head chef.

He catered Woodrow Wilson's wedding banquet at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia.

The precursor to his idea for Chef Boyardee home meals was at his  Il Giardino d'Italia restaurant in Cleveland. He would package ingredients of pasta, cheese and his spaghetti sauce in milk bottles for restaurant patrons. From that, demand for his food "packages" became so great that, in 1928, he opened a small processing plant that soon became the home to Chef Boyardee products.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ettore_Boiardi

https://web.archive.org/web/20080801131203/http://www.conagrafoods.com/consumer/brands/brand_info.jsp?cookietest=true&page=chef_boyardee

https://www.chefboyardee.com/about-us