Visit the fantastic El Yunque Rainforest

I haven't written anything for the past few days because my fiancee and I were vacationing in Puerto Rico. If you haven't been to the island, I highly recommend that you visit. The people are generally nice and the natural scenery is incredible.

The highlight of our trip was our visit to El Yunque National Forest, the only tropical rainforest in the United States. We spent two days there; the first hiking the Rio Sabana trail on the closed and remote south side of the forest, and the second following the sites along Highway 191, the main drag through the forest to the north. Both sides offered distinct and interesting vegetation.

The most interesting thing I learned about (thanks in part to my fiancee, who has some training in rainforest ecology) is one process by which rainforests manage their species numbers. Some species of trees, such as the yagrumo, which feature large, mitten-shaped leaves, serve as pioneer species, which quickly grow and establish themselves in an area where the forest canopy has broken or the local soil content is unfavorable to other species. These trees live for a short amount of time (~40 years for the yagrumo!), and then are followed by more permanent trees in a process known as secondary succession. In the tabonuco forest, these are the tabonuco trees. Pioneer species tend to be hardy, fix nutrients into the soil, and provide more nutrients once they die and are decomposed.

As I hiked through the forest, I was also in awe of the natural energy balance involved with the rainforest. One particular process in this balance occurs with all plants: the conversion of sunlight into glucose and eventually ATP. Since the yagrumo trees grow very quickly in a short amount of time in poor nutrient-conditioned soils, I imagine that they are relatively efficient converters of light energy into chemical energy. Should we ever wish to harness photosynthesis as a controllable energy source, I believe we should look to the pioneer species and their biochemistry as a first step.

Recycling made easier

I'm moving soon, and since I attempt to live as a minimalist that means that I've been getting rid of things I don't use anymore. Here is a list of resources that I've found useful for recycling old stuff:

1. Goodwill The status-quo for reuse and recycling. I probably drop stuff off here once every couple of months. Despite their reputation for reselling used clothing (which never fits me), they also accept and sell kitchenware, furniture, books, electronics and appliances, and shoes, among other things. Plus, you know that people will be able to directly use the items that you're donating. I worry though that these people simply trash such things once they're done with them.
2. Dell Reconnect Dell has partnered with Goodwill to recycle computers and some other electronic equipment. All you have to do is drop your old computer off at a participating Goodwill (of which there are many near me). Dell will determine whether a used computer is good enough to resell at Goodwill or simply recycle it for raw materials.
3. Best Buy Best Buy will recycle a whole slue of electronics and electronics accessories, including batteries, cell phones, computers, computer hardware, ink cartridges, speakers, and appliances. Just take the items to the service desk if there isn't already a bin for them near the front door.
4. Home Depot Home Depot will recycle burnt-out compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL's). I'm surprised that this campaign hasn't received more publicity since CFL's contain mercury.
5. Target Target recycles plastic bags, cell phones, ink cartridges, and MP3 players. Look for the bins near the front of the store.
6. Publix Florida's most popular grocery store. Most Publix have bins near the front door for recycling plastic bags and foam cartons. This makes me feel a bit better about Publix putting what seems like half of their entire produce stock on foam trays. Tsk, tsk, Publix, you are so wasteful...

Satisfying the energy needs of the UK with renewables

I love real numbers. Here's an interesting Ted Talk on the amount of land and other resources required to fuel the UK with alternative energy sources.

http://www.ted.com/talks/david_mackay_a_reality_check_on_renewables.html

Nuclear power-yes or no?

There's a good article from Damian Carrington's Environment Blog in The Guardian today that you can access here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/damian-carrington-blog/2011/apr/21/chernobyl-nuclear-power-fukushima. The article addresses the timely question of whether society should invest in building new nuclear reactors. Rather than argue for a specific viewpoint, Carrington instead offers five important questions that, when considered personally, assist in determining one's own stance towards expanding mankind's arsenal of nuclear power plants.

I must add that I do appreciate this type of blog post. It seems to me that readers may be more focused on the post's contents when they are actively engaged in the thought process as opposed to interpreting the author's opinions. Should I practice this type of blogging? :)