Posts Tagged ‘environment’

Iguanas are crucial to survive extinction, as it is part of the eco-system. Without the iguanas, the balance of ecosystem may be damaged. That is why we, as more intelligent creations must help to preserve them. In preserving these animals, people need to know the appropriate ecological atmosphere for the iguanas.

However, replicating ecological condition for the iguanas in captivity is a very challenging task. Iguanas are very dependent on their surroundings in terms of temperature as to their body heat and food supply as to the proper body chemistry and metabolism.

Iguanas inhabit the forests of Central and South America and the Caribbean Islands. They inhabit trees growing near bodies of water in the deep jungle. They prefer adjacent to water sources as a form of defense from predators. There, they can be seen basking on large horizontal tree limbs or feeding amount the foliage. Iguanas are intensely territorial so no more than a single large male will be found in a specific area encompassing about a quarter to a half-acre in size. In captivity, cage size is often not much longer than 1.5 times the iguana’s length. This exemplifies how adaptable these creatures really are.

The natural habitat for iguanas is warm and humid. It is very important their artificial homes must be near to the real life condition of their habitat in terms of heat and humidity. Failure to do so might make them sick or die.

The size of their cage must consider that iguanas grow to as big as 6 feet in length. These lizards must be given ample space to move about and allow them to grow freely. Regular iguana cages must be around 6 feet tall with its width twice as long. This size gives room also for branches of trees where the iguanas could stay and play around. As a rule, the width of the cage must be always twice the height. If the cage size is small for the full potential of the iguana, its growth will be impeded and even injure them due to stress, muscle strain and weakness. It will also promote build up of fat and eventually make them stagnant, weak and prone to sickness.

Room temperature that must be observed must be 80 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. The basking temperature they need from the sun ranges from 90 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit while the regular air temperature they are accustomed is no lower than 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Being cold blooded reptiles, they need that much heat. It is part of their normal body metabolism especially their digestive system. Without the proper surrounding temperature, iguanas will not be able to digest their food properly and trigger to cause illness which may compound to more health issues eventually. Iguanas like other animals do sleep. Therefore it is necessary that his surroundings be able to provide total darkness during the night without jeopardizing the required temperature.

Iguanas must not be allowed to roam free around the house in cold places and live on its own. They might be exposed to long period of cold temperature only to find out it is too late the reverse the situation. By the time the problem is noticed these pet may have already contracted bone diseases that are often incurable.

Iguanas eat leaves and flowers. If you feed them with diet that is too rich in protein and carbohydrates, they will soon become unhealthy and sickly

It is necessary to replicate iguanas’ natural habitat to ensure their survival in their protective artificial homes. Before deciding to keep an iguana, acquire first the knowledge about its biophysical anatomy, healthcare, eating traits and food requirements. Lastly and most important, learn the basics of its surroundings and provide an accurate replication of its natural environment.

These days many of us want to change our environment. Some of us really want to help make the world a better place and others want a fresh look. You can do both and fairly cheaply too.

If you’re thinking about updating your style, how about doing some green redecorating? You’ll end up with a great new look for your home and contribute to the health of our world.

A change of color is the easiest and most cost-effective way to give your home a whole new look. You can do it yourself and for the cost of the paint and some supplies, you’ll have a fresh new-looking space. If you are going to re-paint, consider using a low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paint that won’t release toxins into the atmosphere. The environment inside your home will be healthier and you’ll breathe better too!

Adding a piece of original art to your décor is a great way to insert your own personality into the mix. Handmade Persian rugs are an easy way to add a touch of luxury to your space. They’re one-of-a-kind pieces of useable art and are more affordable that you might think.

“Authentic, hand-woven Persian rugs are made with natural fibers and vegetable dyes,” explained Mahan Sionit, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at a leading online retailer. “They’re a great investment, don’t release any off-gasses into your home and won’t end up in a landfill,” he added.

Are you thinking of buying some new furniture and accessories? The most cost-effective and easy way to keep green is to scour your local fairs and markets for bargains. From dining room sets, to dishes, throw pillows to bureaus, you’ll be surprised at the treasures waiting to be found. You’re sure to rescue a real gem from the local landfill, save yourself a bundle and have some fun to boot!

The internet is another great resource for the green bargain hunter. A quick search of sites like eBay, Kijiji and Craigslist will net you some real finds. Many retailers skip the bricks and mortar model and keep their costs down by selling their products online. They pass their savings onto customers like you who can save as much as 70% on many products.

Do you have some furniture that’s in poor shape? As long as the structure is sound, you can easily re-finish it. Your local paint, hardware or home improvement store will be able to give you advice on how to prepare, stain, paint or reupholster older furniture in an environmentally sound way. You’ll be following the 3 R’s of recycling—reducing waste by reusing an existing piece of furniture and recycling all of the packaging materials from your supplies. Once you’ve finished the job, you’ll have a possession as unique and special as you are.

Green decorating doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult. All it takes is a little imagination and a commitment to reducing waste and using natural products whenever you can.

Today kids are learning about all sorts of things especially with modern technology. We are moving ahead and it is good to teach them about solar power, which is a resource that will be part of their future, depending on how much care is spent on it now. Wherever you see the sun shines, or you can feel any warmth or see it, you can have solar power. This kind of power to used for heating and lighting in business, homes and schools; for heating water, and it also a way to produce energy. By teaching kids how solar power actually works and how we should use it wisely will help to protect the future for us all.

Children need to learn why we need and alternative to the energy we use today and the effects and damage it has had on the world’s environment. It is important for them to understand why we need to produce a safer energy source. Electricity is currently a non-rewable resource, as we gain nothing from using it. Once this power runs out we will need to find an alternative source of power supply. Scientists are always busy looking at new resources for energy production, so that when we eventually do run out of one source, there is another in reserve to replace it, so that we don’t miss out.

Until then, another resource needs to be found, to ensure that is ready for when the switch over is necessary. We need to preserve what is left at the moment, so that in the near future we can immediately switch to a new energy resource with no problems. Much of energy production that we have is currently damaging and so harms the environment. By polluting the air, the sun is under threat and we run the risk of losing it as a natural resource. This alternative resource is vitally important, so by teaching our kids they can join our efforts to save solar power for the future.

Solar power generates energy by using the natural resources around us, and there are man made sources so that the solar power can be attracted to these sources and saved. We need to find a way for this be to cost effective by using solar sources that are cheap enough to provide us with the solar power that is needed. The average home would benefit greatly by switching over to solar power, and it is easy to set up, saving on the need for power lines. If your home is being built from scratch, by installing solar power you can begin to generate electricity in your home straightaway, to heat your water supply, and you could even sell your surplus energy for use elsewhere. You would be putting money back in your pocket. There are huge benefits to be gained by saving on producing a resource by the slow use of a natural resource. Children will learn how to save energy and how to plan for their safe future.

Conserving solar power by everyone of all ages and the sooner it starts, the more the future will benefit. Teaching kids is the way forward in order to save our energy, as we need a solution on how we can save on solar power in the future. Currently power is linked to each individual house for heating, our water supply and some other necessities; by being able to save in larger quantities we hope one day to cut out the need for so power lines that we see everywhere running through fields, our streets and backyards which will be replaced by solar panels and boxes instead.

Grid server hosting, also known as Cloud Hosting, empowers the client for large bursts of traffic, with little or no failures, at anytime.  This grid hosting platform work best for those needing high performance and high availability.  If you are in the market for reliable and dependable grid server hosting, we are in the market to meet your needs

 The empowering grid hosting environment at from Opus Interactive includes

                        Client software installation and updates.

                        Backups through a private network.

                        Proactive support communication.

                         Port monitoring services and notifications.

                         Multiple security and support services.

                        Multiple network and server services.

                        and much more

 We operate proactively with the highest performance and latest state-of-the-art technologies.  Businesses turn to us for their grid host needs because we have proven to be a leader in the industry.  If we do not already offer a configuration to meet your needs, we will customize a plan for you.  From low-voltage processors to energy efficient memory to clean wind power from Portland General Electric (PGE), we aim to help the environment while simultaneously meeting your hosting needs and other IT requirements.

 Imagine grid hosting solutions offering hundreds of servers operating successfully and efficiently, in tandem, for your website applications and email accounts.  Imagine hosted grid solutions possessing dynamic scalability that automatically increase to support any load level, handle multiple traffic spikes, with the battle-tested, proven power of multiple servers working just for you.

 If it sounds like we have our head in the clouds, it’s true.  Figuratively speaking, that is.

You get actual server clusters that allow for the advantages of enterprise level infrastructure at affordable pricing.  It just does not get better than that.  Hosted grid solutions are the best means of supporting large traffic bursts that you will receive as your business grows.

 Grid hosting platform also allow for more bandwidth and disk space that help support your growing business.  It is all about the growth and expansion of your business.  That is what we are here for.  And we are Always On.

We live in a ‘throw away’ society where nearly everything we buy can be discarded without even a moment’s thought.

Over the years, almost everyone will have been guilty of discarding paper and plastic packaging without ever considering recycling as an option. But with an increasing awareness of the environment and how human actions are affecting it, people are beginning to realise there are actions we can take to ensure the planet is healthy enough for future generations to live in.

But whilst little persuasion should be needed as to the prudence of recycling household waste as much as possible, there is an increasing concern that other household items such as televisions and old video recorders – items that aren’t so easy for consumers to recycle – are needlessly ending up in skips and landfill sites, even when there is very little wrong with them.

Indeed, many electrical items are so cheap to purchase these days that consumers often find it a lot easier to simply buy a new item rather than trying to source it second hand. This also means that their old items are worth a lot less, and so end up being discarded rather than reused. However, there is very little need to do this. Old computers, for example, can be donated to schools or local community groups, and there are charities that are able to accept electrical items and either sell them on, or arrange for them to be recycled.

This is particularly pertinent for mobile phones. Given that there is an estimated four billion mobile phone users on earth, many mobile phone handsets end up in landfill sites, which is a major problem considering a large proportion of mobile phones contain toxic chemicals.

As such, up to 80 per cent of the material in a mobile phone can be reused. And considering that mobile phone users have owned at least five phones on average in their lifetime, that is many billions of handsets that should be getting recycled rather than discarded.

The message does seem to be hitting home, and more and more people are beginning to realise how even the smallest of changes in attitude towards the environment can have a positive effect if everyone gets involved. And there is an increasing amount of initiatives now that are designed to help people minimise their waste.

There are mobile phone trade in schemes in place which are designed to encourage mobile phone recycling by compensating users when they upgrade to a more recent model. Their old handset can then be dispatched to developing markets in Africa or Asia, or they may even be used by insurance companies to help fulfil their mobile phone replacement policy.

So, whilst we do live in a disposable society, it seems we are taking steps towards rectifying our attitudes towards recycling. At a time when environmental issues are of paramount importance, such measures can’t come soon enough.

Due to growing environmental concern there is always a need for the vehicle that must be environment friendly and does not emit gases like carbon dioxide and carbon mono oxide, which are harmful and injurious to health. To serve that reason many companies introduced vehicles which are, instead of gasoline, operated by other means. But no company could start commercial production of cars.

Honda was working on zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicle that is no more an imagination but it is now became the reality by the endeavor of Honda, the one of the leading Japanese car manufacturer, which started commercial production of zero-emission hydrogen powered fuel cell cars for the first time, that help slow down greenhouse gases.

Honda labeled four-seater sedan car as FCX Clarity that is powered by the Honda V Flow fuel cell stack with an output of 100kW as well as enhanced cold climate performance that enables it to start in temperatures as low as -30°C. It is lightweight and has compact design where the only byproduct from the car is water vapor. The FCX Clarity offers superior design, packaging and smooth driving performance. According to the company, the car emits no carbon dioxide and is certified by the California Air Resources Board and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The company has begun the first production in the mid of 2008 of that first-generation dedicated hydrogen powered fuel cell vehicle in southern California which is one of the few places in the world where hydrogen fuel stations are present. This car is now available on lease in USA as well as in Japan. Honda expects to lease about 200 units within three years

The hydrogen cars will diminish reliance upon oil that has ever-increasing prices. Hence give a great relieve to the over-burdened pocket of the car owners. The Honda FCX Clarity is not only the ultimate environment friendly but also offers genuine performance.

Far a variety of Japanese, American and European used vehicles ready to be shipped anywhere in the world, please visit Car Junction web site:carjunction

Roland Horne, Thomas Davies Barrow Professor in the School of Earth Sciences at Stanford University, discusses the future of oil. The Energy Seminar meets weekly during the academic year. For a list of upcoming talks, visit the events page at the Woods Institute for the Environment website. Stanford University: www.stanford.edu Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford: woods.stanford.edu Roland Horne pangea.stanford.edu Stanford University Channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com

It is commonly believed that we live in one gigantic magnetic field, but in fact we live in two, and both are changing at a fast pace, possibly faster than evolution, meaning our bodies cannot keep up with the change of the natural environment that we are designed to live in.

The first of these fields is the earth’s natural magnetic field, generally assumed to be a static field with north at the top of the world and south at the bottom. However, this has not always been the case. The earth’s magnetic field is subjected to geomagnetic reversals which are estimated to occur on average every 250,000 years. This is a natural cycle of time and does not necessarily present any issues as evolution has always coped with this slow change. However, there is a problem. The earth’s magnetic field is fading at an alarming rate, probably faster than at any point in history. Today it is about 10 percent weaker than it was in 1845 when the German mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss (whose name is now used as a unit of magnetic measurement) started to keep records.

The second field is the earth’s natural electromagnetic field known as the Schumann Resonance. In 1952 Professor W. O. Schumann of the Technical University of Munich proved that the main frequency of the earth’s resonance is 7.83 Hz. This discovery was immediately linked to research that was being carried out on the alpha rhythm of brain waves, which just happened to be about the same as the earth’s resonance. It is not only human brains that have the same frequency as the earth, but all mammalian brains share this common frequency. This phenomenon suggests that the Schumann Resonance is the tuning fork of life.

Any schoolboy will tell you that magnetic fields and electricity are inextricably linked, and our bodies are a mass of bioelectrical activity. Each individual cell is dependent on the electrical resistance of its neighbouring cell and it is this electrical communication combined with the body’s transportation system (blood flow) that controls the efficiency of all cellular functions in the body. An electrical breakdown causes pain, disease, tiredness, etc, etc. Modern medicine relies on this mechanism to provide chemical cocktails that have the ability to change the resistance levels of targeted body cells.

When the first astronauts ventured into space they suffered nausea, dizziness, and vomiting; subsequent flights included a device to produce a pulsed frequency of the Schumann Resonance and the problem disappeared. Volunteer students who lived for four weeks in a bunker hermetically sealed against all magnetic fields suffered physical and emotional disorders, but after only a brief exposure to the Schumann Resonance of 7.83 Hz their health stabilised. Research by E. Jacobi at the University of Duesseldorf showed that one sided use of Schumann wave simulation without the geomagnetic stimulation (the earth’s magnetic field) caused serious health problems. But the bad news is the earth’s frequency is rising (figures suggest the average frequency has jumped to nearly 11 Hz) and science can offer no explanation, but one theory suggests that the continual and growing bombardment of man-made electromagnetic waves around our planet is starting to effect our natural environment.

Is life’s tuning fork starting to play the wrong note?

Global warming is a very real threat to the preservation of our planet and recycling is one of many ways that people can cut down the amount of carbon dioxide that is released into our atmosphere.

Not only is recycling environmentally friendly, it is also cost effective since it reduces the amount of waste for disposal, saves space in landfills, is more energy-efficient than burning materials, and conserves natural resources. Reducing or nearly eliminating the need for these processes, therefore, achieves huge savings in energy. Did you know for example that recycling aluminium cans saves around ninety percent of the energy required to make the same amount of aluminium from new.

Recycling is more important than ever because just throwing away rubbish into a landfill or digging a hole and burying it is not a solution to the global waste problem. Our landfills are overflowing with hazardous waste and other products that are not biodegradable. Most organic waste items such as food will break down and decompose in a matter of weeks, leaving no trace. However, plastic bottles, disposable diapers and Styrofoam containers, to name a few, are all becoming huge problems in most areas of the world.

Recycling can mean the difference between a clean planet and one overrun by garbage. You may not believe it but we can all begin to make a difference towards preserving this Earth from landfills that are quickly becoming full to overflowing. The quality of future lives starts now, with your decision to recycle your own garbage.

Recycling is easy once you get everything sorted. You will need to sort out the recyclables such as glass bottles, plastics cartons and paper into the appropriate bins and from there, those materials are sent on their way to becoming something else for use. You can also utilize those food scraps and waste trimmings from the yard in a compost heap.

If every person did their part to help combat overflowing landfills, then we could reduce our waste by fifty percent which is half the amount going into landfills today. Perhaps there will come a time when we no longer have to continuously find new places to bury our waste. Plastics would be reused and organic materials would be turned back into the soil to enrich the ground for crops. It is a nice thought but the reality is that not enough people are doing their part to help make this a cleaner world.

Recycling is your responsibility and only you can do your part to help reduce the amount of garbage going into our landfills. Each time you throw away a recyclable you are adding to a growing problem. Deciding to recycle is an easy step and one that is remarkably simple to initiate. If you do not know where to start, there are plenty of resources, such as your local environmental department, to help you learn how to recycle your leftover waste

Do yourself and the earth a favour by doing your part. Your grand children and great grand children will thank you for it.

With growing pressure on the environment and the need for the nation to economise, it’s now more important than ever to conserve and reuse packaging.

Reusing packaging is the best form of recycling, because it doesn’t require further use of energy, either in converting or transporting the packaging prior to use.

As a specialist packaging supplies company we believe we have a duty to encourage Customers to give greater thought to the packaging they buy and make better use of the packaging materials they retain.

As a packaging supplier, does this mean fewer sales of packaging materials? On the contrary, we’re finding that Customers are more conscious about packaging generally and are more comfortable ordering packaging materials from a supplier that:

• Understands the Customers’ needs and is able to work to reduce their carbon footprint and support their sustainable environmental policy

• Offers environmentally better packaging, such as recycled, reusable and degradable packaging products

• Advises them on ways to economise on packaging and reduce the overall weight of packaging materials used

So whether you’re looking to save money or save the planet, buying the right packaging for the job, planning ahead for its re-use and using recycled packaging materials are some of the key steps to take.

The most important part of this cycle of recycled cardboard boxes is you the buyer. Without people willing to buy recycled cardboard boxes it would just end up in landfill. So make sure when you next buy packaging you ask for recycled packaging.

With this in mind, read our top 10 tips to reuse some of your packaging, save on packaging costs and also help the environment:

Make sure your packaging doesn’t cost the earth! For further information, visit http://www.davpack.co.uk or call Davpack on 01332 821200.

Are you tired of traffic jams, increasing air pollution and ever increasing fuel prices? Do you want to do something about all this?

Now you can by forming a carpool. Indimoto has launched Indimoto.com (http://www.indimoto.com) an auto classifieds site which is also India’s first carpool matching site. A carpool or rideshare is an arrangement wherein people share their vehicles with other carpoolers and commute together. “The objective behind Indimoto.com was to build an auto classifieds site where users can buy and sell cars and bikes, auto products and services, search for auto events, auto clubs and carpools. Our carpool matching service is the first of its kind in India and through it we wish to enable commuters to easily form carpools and enjoy its benefits while contributing to saving the environment” says Udit Bhandari, founder & CEO Indimoto.com.

According to Udit “Carpools make lot of sense because you save money by sharing fuel costs, vehicle maintenance cost & parking fee, you save the environment by saving fuel and reducing harmful exhaust gases while reducing traffic congestion. By carpooling you also expand your network of friends/contacts”. Indimoto.com allows users to search carpool offers and requests in his/her city, and also start ones own carpool by posting a free ad in the carpool section.

“With growing air pollution levels in our metro cities, manic traffic jams and increasing burden of fuel prices on commuter’s wallets, there are only two alternatives, public transport or carpools. Public transport infrastructure is not yet a comfortable and logical alternative to private transport for many urban commuters and that’s where carpools come in. Also carpools generate a sense of community and caring for your environment” says Udit. Carpools are a common phenomenon in the developed world often supported by city and state government for the many advantages they offer. Indimoto.com has taken the initiative in India wants to make it a habit amongst Indian commuters.

Are you tired of traffic jams, increasing air pollution and ever increasing fuel prices? Do you want to do something about all this?

Now you can by forming a carpool.

Carpools are an excellent alternative to public transport and private commuting. While there have been carpool sites in developed countries, the awareness about carpools in developing countries such as India is very low. To counter this Indimoto has launched Indimoto.com an auto classifieds site which is also India’s first carpool matching site. A carpool or rideshare is an arrangement wherein people share their vehicles with other carpoolers and commute together. “The objective behind Indimoto.com was to build an auto classifieds site where users can buy and sell cars and bikes, auto products and services, search for auto events, auto clubs and carpools. Our carpool matching service is the first of its kind in India and through it we wish to enable commuters to easily form carpools and enjoy its benefits while contributing to saving the environment” says Udit Bhandari, founder & CEO Indimoto.com.

According to Udit “Carpools make lot of sense because you save money by sharing fuel costs, vehicle maintenance cost & parking fee, you save the environment by saving fuel and reducing harmful exhaust gases while reducing traffic congestion. By carpooling you also expand your network of friends/contacts”. Indimoto.com allows users to search carpool offers and requests in his/her city, and also start ones own carpool by posting a free ad in the carpool section.

“With growing air pollution levels in our metro cities, manic traffic jams and increasing burden of fuel prices on commuter’s wallets, there are only two alternatives, public transport or carpools. Public transport infrastructure is not yet a comfortable and logical alternative to private transport for many urban commuters and that’s where carpools come in. Also carpools generate a sense of community and caring for your environment” says Udit. Carpools are a common phenomenon in the developed world often supported by city and state government for the many advantages they offer. Indimoto.com has taken the initiative in India wants to make it a habit amongst Indian commuters.

Neutralize Energy Clutter! Spring Clean your Environment

Jewel of the Month: Pietersite

Pietersite is formed out of tiger’s eye or falcon’s eye when they become cemented together with quartz. It has been called ‘stormstone’ because it helps us during chaotic periods. It stimulates the pituitary gland and the brow (6th) chakra and helps us to see what needs to be done to bring order back into our lives during times of chaos. With pietersite we are able to remain calm and collected, even if we have a multitude of distractions and diversions tugging on our life. It loosens block and helps to clear up any confusion that we are experiencing ridding us of stagnate, toxic energy and bringing in a clear prospective.

Jewels of Life:

Energetic toxins also come from our immediate environment in the form of chaos and clutter. Sometimes we feel overwhelmed with our surroundings because things that need our attention start to stack up.

When we allow clutter and unfinished business or projects to stack up, we often don’t where to start to clear the clutter and take care of business. Every time that we look at or think of this stuff, it is an energy drain. Every time that we log onto our computer and see emails that we haven’t gotten to or the files that long ago needed to be deleted, it drains our energy.

Do you find yourself surrounded by energy drains such as these? Even a mild forms of clutter can be draining such as closets that need to be cleaned and organized, garages that need a little attention or even cobwebs in the corners.

Now is the perfect time to take care of the chaos as the ritual of spring-cleaning is at hand. To get started, make a list of things that need to be taken care of and whittle away at the list one by one or take a few days and do a major attack on the chaos.

There are numerous good books, many of which are available at local libraries, on organization and clutter clearing. Feng Shui books have great tips on clutter clearing and valuable information on the flow or stagnation of energy in our environment. Have a garage sale and make some money or donate any unwanted items to charity.

Simplify your life in as many areas as possible so that you have time and energy for summer fun. You’ll be amazed at how a good spring-cleaning frees up your energy.

Becoming clutter-free is an easy way to simplify your life and to feel more organized and in control. It gives you a peaceful feeling of space. It lifts your emotional spirit by giving you a feeling of openness and of being connected to, rather than overwhelmed by life. –Richard Carlson

When Prince Albert became Monaco’s Sovereign two years ago he soon set a path that would show him to be a leader among leaders for the environment movement.

In an effort to encourage more people to leave their cars at home and use public transport – not easy in a country that has the highest density of millionaire’s in the world – bus fares were cut to a Euro for a single journey, and a year later figures show bus usage has risen 17 per cent.

Prince Albert visited the North Pole last year to publicise how the arctic regions are changing with global warming, and one of his first acts as Monaco’s Sovereign was to sign the Kyoto Protocol – along with the US, Monaco was one of the few countries in the world not to endorse it before Prince Albert put pen to paper.

As well as the Monaco Grand Prix, the principality is Europe’s best known tax haven, with residents enjoying a zero rated income tax.

With property prices among the highest in the world, residents of Monaco normally need to spend six months a year there to maintain residency.

An announcement has been made recently that a new island is to be built off Monte Carlo, and this will provide more land and property in the world’s second smallest country.

Bidders for the development have been asked to take the environment into account – and also the Monaco Grand Prix, which suggests a possible new route for the race.

Despite being one of the world’s most glamourous sporting events the Monaco Grand Prix is notorious for a lack of overtaking opportunities, and the new space might in time address the historical criticism of the race.

Property prices in Monaco are high due to the lack of land – in the past one of the districts, Fontvieille, had much of its area reclaimed from the sea, but property prices there equal those of the better known Monte Carlo.

One of the most popular buildings in Fontvieille, Seaside Plaza, has average prices of three to four million Euros for a three bedroom apartment, and a four bedroom four bathroom one is currently on the market at close to ten million Euros.

With a population of under 40,000 Monaco could be forgiven for believing that overseas embassies were an unnecessary expense.

Until now the world’s second smallest country has been content to co-operate with French embassies around the world for any necessary representation.

But Monaco has just opened her first independent embassy outside of Europe – in Washington D.C.

Commenting on the new embassy, one local Monaco travel guide says that despite the population equivalent of a small US town, environmental reasons could be behind the move.

‘Forget about this being primarily for Monegasques running into trouble in the US and needing assistance. We think this is more to do with Prince Albert wanting to influence the movers and shakers in the world as he is very concerned about global warming and the environment generally. And where better for that than Washington? It’s Monaco’s greenhouse next to the White House.’

The new embassy, chosen after a visit by Prince Albert, is in the Kalorama district of Washington.

(February 20, 2008) Christopher Field, professor of biology and of environmental Earth system science at Stanford University and senior fellow at Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment, discusses the past, present and future of carbon emissions. The Energy Seminar meets weekly during the academic year. For a list of upcoming talks, visit the events page at the Woods Institute for the Environment website. Stanford University www.stanford.edu Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford: woods.stanford.edu Christopher Field fsi.stanford.edu Stanford University Channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com