Save the planet: No More Directories and No More Yellow Pages!
A Yellow Pages directory landed on my doorstep yesterday. For the past few years I've been sending it and similar directories straight to the recycle bin, but I wonder why they keep coming, like zombies in a horror flick.
There's the yellow one and the blue one, and I think there's also a grey-and-red one. I never pay too much attention, apart from wondering why there isn't a popular environmental front to get them banned.
Any information in those global-warming titles can be found through a few clicks of the mouse. Who in their right mind still thinks this is justified?
The only argument to keep them is that the older generation, and some change-resistant individuals still want the paper version - well, let them opt in.
For the rest of us, let's save the planet and the whole recycle cycle from this unnecessary waste.
Update:
I got the following response from Ken Clark, the Publisher of YP Talk - "The voice of the Yellow Pages Industry":
Not sure what possessed you to express a desire for an environment drive to eliminate printed Yellow Pages, since you clearly are not aware of numerous key facts about those books:
1) No trees are knocked down for the paper used in those books. About 40% of the content comes from recycled white material, and the rest is the surplus wood chips and residual you get when you miss a round tree for rectangular lumber.
2) Those books were referenced nearly 14 BILLION times last year, so they clearly get used.
3) Millions of small businesses find them to be a tremendous way to market their businesses. They closely monitor the ROI they get from those books, and spent some $32 billion on ads in those books.
And you never use a book? Wow. Why not? They have great maps, coupons, and they use no power as they sit there waiting to assist you in your next purchase. Maybe you should check them out.
I can understand that a revenue-line in decline, in the face of growing Internet use, is trying to protect itself from the inevitable. Notice no mention above to the Internet. This is very similar to the trend in the newspaper industry, but newspapers are holding an open discussion about it, rather than a propaganda campaign to try and protect their interests (if advertisers think the Internet is the way it's going, they will only pay to be included in the Internet version, not the countless tons of paper that are produced every year).
In the UK about 22 million directories are dumped at our doorsteps every year (source). The industry is obviously keen to prove that this is a green exercise. I'll leave it to the reader to decide...
PS. And about those great maps and coupons - How about putting all of these online? Wow. why not?
Video Cameras for Cyclists – The New Video Helmet Camera Fashion
Video Cameras for Cyclists - Using video to film your cycling journey and protect you from drivers.
There seems to be a new fashion in England for cyclists to wear helmet cameras. My other half cycles to work, and I was intrigued by this trend. From my experience as a car driver in London, cyclists aren't really catered for by the capital's roads, and drivers are often unaware of them.
The principle of using a video recorder whilst cycling is supposed to fulfil two goals: it helps prove the actions of dangerous car drivers (and sometimes other cyclists), and it might serve as a deterrent if the driver knows his or her actions are being filmed.
It comes out something like this video, which was filmed on Mill Road, Cambridge. The description by the cyclist goes - "Cyclist doesn't indicate intention, keep well clear of other cyclist or look behind while moving out to pass another. Car driver fails to anticipate this is going to be a bad moment to overtake. It's fairly obvious that the faster cyclist is likely to want to pass the other. Would be better to drive more patiently. As usual, car subsequently gained no advantage, waiting over a minute at the next set of traffic lights.":
It seems cyclists are also keen to spot bad driving as well, and there is a spirit of activism to many of the YouTube cyclist helmet videos.
Good cameras seem to start at around £80, and these are the ones I found on Amazon Marketplace (prices correct at time of writing):
ATC2000 Action Helmet Camera 
Manufacturer camera description: The Extreme Cam is a digital video camera that enables the user to capture video clips of their sports activities. After capturing footage, the user can replay the video clips on a television or edit the movie on computer and share the video clips with friends through Internet connection or write back the footage creation to the console for carrying around. After capturing footage, you can replay your video clips on a television, or edit the movie on computer and share the video clips with friends through an internet connection. You can also save the footage back to the console for transport and the ATC-2K works seamlessly with most video editing software. The ATC-2K is a video camera only, it is not possible to take still photos. The ATC-2K will record varying amounts of footage, depending upon the memory card size and quality of video. For example, at 30 frames per second at 640x480, the camera will record 60 minutes of footage to the card. If however you reduce the quality of the recording and use 15 frames per second, it is possible to record up to 794 minutes of footage. Please note: ATC-2K requires a high speed branded Secure Digital card for external storage. Features: Multiple mounting design (bike, helmet, ...etc) Water proof Professional Helmet Cam looking Design 640x480 VGA CMOS sensor 32MB internal memory (NAND flash) SD memory card support up to 2GB USB interface A/V out interface Keys: (3 buttons) Shutter (Movie only) (one or two beeping sounds) Menu (one beeping sound) On/Off/Enter (two beeping sounds) Buzzer for key tones and other alert sounds Internal real time clock Operated by 2 x AA batteries Compatible with Windows XP/2000/Me
Hero Helmet Camera
Manufacturer camera description: Features: 54 min. high quality video w/sound, 3 megapixel sensor with glass lens, 3X sequence photo burst, programmable power off settings, always on mode lasts 3+ hours, mode lock for easy shooting Supports up to 2GB SD, 100? depth glass lens waterhousing, 130g flyweight.
GoPro Helmet Hero Quick Release Video Camera
Manufacturer camera Description: The Helmet HERO 3 is the ultimate waterproof action camera, waterproof down to 30 meters * A 3 mega-pixel waterproof camera, taking still photos and with a built-in 16Mb internal memory, upgradeable to 2gb via SD Card (Optional) * It is also a waterproof video camera and includes various helmet mounting options. * Capacity to shoot 56 minutes of colour TV resolution video when using a 2gb card (512 x 384 pixels), also capturing sound. * Includes 2 Flat surface & curved surface stick on mounts, 1 head mount with strap, 1 x Triple-pivot side arm assembly, 1 x vented helmet strap base mount & straps, 2 x quick release buckles, 1 Pivot adjustment thumb screw & nut.
Ride safely!
Geek Footnote: of course a camera implanted in your head is the first step to joining The Borg.
Total Eclipse of the Sun – Where Can I Watch the Next Solar Eclipse?
This article covers the next total eclipse of the Sun and the dates for those to come until 2010. The next total eclipse of the Sun is predicted for 1 August 2008, and to view it you'll have to travel to northern Canada, Russia or, for best viewing chances, to northwest China (details below).
A total eclipse of the sun is one of those events that you are meant to see at least once in your lifetime. When a total eclipse hit mainland Britain in 1927, special trains were scheduled and thousands lined the eclipse path, peering through stubborn cloud cover to get a view of the totality.
The day before the 1927 eclipse (28 June), The Manchester Guardian wrote in its leader: "We may confidently assume that this will be the first total eclipse in England which has not struck terror into quite a number of people. Although the Chaldeans had established by the eighth century B.C. a considerable and accurate astronomical science by which some correct calculations of eclipses appear to have been made, there has never been until quite recent times a widespread popular understanding of what was happening when the darkness came." After watching the 1927 eclipse, Virginia Woolf famously commented: ''I had very strongly the feeling as the light went out of some vast obeisance; something kneeling down and suddenly raised up when the colours came... [then when the sun came out again she wrote -TD] It was like recovery... We had seen the world dead.''
TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN 1 AUGUST 2008
Where can I watch it?
The eclipse path starts in Northern Canada, in the territory of Nunavut, and then travels north east along icy territories to Greenland. The instant of greatest eclipse when totality reaches its maximum duration of 2 min 27 s, will be visible near (~14 km from) the Russian city of Nadym (population ~46,000). Then Novosibirsk, Russia’s third most populous city, will get 2 min 18 s totality.
But if you don't like the cold, and you want a better chance of catching good eclipse viewing weather, without clouds to obscure it, the most promising destination is northwest China, and the small oasis town of Hami, which will get 1 min 25 s of eclipse or Yiwu (140KM east of Hami, 1 min 56 s totality). To get to Hami, you would have to fly to the desert city of Dunhuang, and take a 6-7 hour drive north. If you ever wanted to visit Tatooine, this is as close as you will get, with a glimpse of life in the Gobi desert and the Silk Road. When I visited Dunhuang in 2007, it had a Wild West edge to it, although dollar-tourism was very much gearing up, and one hotel's claim to fame was a visit by Bill Gates, whose pictures appear in the lobby with the hotel's manager and province governor.
A few important tips, if you are planning to travel to northwest china for the eclipse:
a. Most travel agents will recommend you fly via Beijing. But beware! Because of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, flights to Beijing may be very expensive, as will any other service in the city. One option would be to fly to Hong Kong, cross overland into Shenzhen and fly from there to Dunhuang, either direct, if there are flights, or through a connection (e.g. Urumqi). Don't forget to arrange your Chinese visa, before you leave home.
b. To get from Dunhuang to Hami or Yiwu you will need wheels. In China, foreigners are not allowed to rent a car, so you will need to hire a driver and car. Normally this should not be a problem, but as there are likely to be lots of other eclipse tourists in Dunhuang at the time, you may want to pre-book. Try your hotel, and get them to book it, for a fixed, pre-agreed price.
c. Allow plenty of time for the road journey from Dunhuang. Journey times can only be estimated, and in areas where roads are less reliable can delay you significantly. If you can get to where you need to be a day in advance, all the better. Be prepared to rough it though. Small Chinese towns can get overwhelmed if a swarm of tourists suddenly arrives. Hotel rooms may be limited, and the more remote the location, the less likely it is that local facilities will be geared up to receive tourists.
If you can book an organised tour for this one, do it. You'll be happy you did.
TOTAL ECLIPSES IN FOLLOWING YEARS
22 July 2009 - You can see an interactive map of the solar eclipse path here.
11 July 2010 - You can see an interactive map of the solar eclipse path here.
ANNULAR ECLIPSES IN FOLLOWING YEARS
There are also a couple of "annular eclipses" in this period. An annular eclipse is a solar eclipse where the Moon is too distant to completely cover the Sun, resulting in a thin ring of sunlight around the Moon. During an annular eclipse, the Sun looks like an "annulus" or ring.
26 January 2009 - You can see an interactive map of the annular solar eclipse path here.
15 January 2010 - You can see an interactive map of the annular solar eclipse path here.
For further reading go to NASA’s eclipse website.
How long does it take for waste materials to decompose?
How long does it take a plastic bag to break down or a glass bottle to decompose? What about a milk carton or a Styrofoam cup?
Sources for rates of decomposition of litter (trash) on the web give you different rates. Once you've done quite a few of these searches, you realise that it boils down to about three different lists, all repeatedly quoted (but not always mentioned as the source):
1. The New York Times (Nemve E. Metropolitan Diary, October 1, 2001):
Paper- 2.5 months; Orange Peel- 6 months; Milk Carton- 5 years; Cigarette Butt- 10-12 years; Plastic bag- 10-20 years; Disposable diaper- 75 years; Tin can- 100 years; Beer can- 200-500 years; Styrofoam- never (immortal)
2. Penn State University*: Paper-2-4 Weeks; Leaves-1-3 Months; Orange Peel- 6 Months; Milk Carton- 5 years; Plastic Bag- 10-20 Years; Plastic Container- 50-80 Years; Aluminium Can- 80 Years; Tin Can- 100 Years; Plastic Soda Bottle- 450 Years; Glass Bottle-500 Years; Styrofoam-Never.
*This list is widely quoted, but I could never actually find the original source.
3. "Pocket Guide to Marine Debris," The Ocean Conservancy, 2004*
Paper towel - 2-4 weeks; Orange or banana peel- 2-5 weeks; Newspaper- 6 weeks; Apple core- 2 months ; Waxed milk carton- 3 months; Plywood- 1-3 years; Wool sock- 1-5 years; Cigarette filter- 1-50 years; Plastic Bag- 10-20 years; Plastic film canister- 20-30 years ; Nylon Fabric- 30-40 years; Leather- 50 years; Tin can- 50 years; Foamed plastic cup- 50 years; Rubber boat sole- 50-80 years; Foamed plastic buoy- 80 years; Aluminium can- 80-200 year ; Disposable diapers- 450 years; Plastic beverage bottles- 450 year; Plastic beverage bottles- 450 year; Monofilament fishing line- 600 years; Glass Bottle- 1,000,000 years.
* Quoted in U.S National Park Service; Mote Marine Lab, FL and "Garbage In, Garbage Out," Audobon Magazine, Spt/Oct 1998.
So what does all this mean, and how do we explain differences above?
Lets separate the first two lists from the third. People seem to have missed the word "ocean" in the source, and it stands to reason that degradation at sea for some materials would be different to that on dry land.
Then there's some clear overlap between the first two lists, so it is likely the NY Times article was using the Penn State info to some degree, and topping it up from other sources.
Then a couple of further observations:
1. Plastic bags: Although all three lists above say it takes 10-20 years for a plastic bag to degrade, there are quite a few references on the Net saying that plastic bags actually take hundreds of years to degrade. So where does this discrepancy come from? Well, it seems that scientists don't actually know the answer to that one, although the time it takes a plastic bag to degrade is obviously a lot longer than on the lists popularly quoted on the Internet.
2. Different rates of breakdown: It turns out that materials decompose differently depending on a lot of factors, including temperature, oxygen levels and many others. One important factor is the presence of water. Many landfill sites are hermetically sealed with plastic (and covered at night), so water doesn't seep into the waste. Ohio State University has shown that adding water to waste sites increases their rate of decomposition. And of course material degrades differently in the ocean.
Context: Where does most household garbage eventually end up once it leaves the home? Clearly in landfills. That's where the next set of stats should come from.
Happy recycling!