In southern Ontario, Great Northern Hydroponics, a 50-acre tomato greenhouse, is producing more than just delicious tomatoes. The $20 million facility is leading the greenhouse industry by identifying and investing in innovative technology that benefits the environment with the construction of a Tri-Generation Energy Facility.
With the advent of this technology, Great Northern's energy facility will have the capability to remove 20 tons of carbon dioxide a year from the earth's atmosphere while producing 12 megawatts of electricity. In turn, that produced electricity will be sold to the Ontario government to power 5,000 residential homes in the local area. This type of facility, noted Great Northern's President Darrin Didychuk, is the first of its kind in North America.
Didychuk recently hosted Ontario's Energy Minster Dwight Duncan and Essex's Member of Provincial Parliament Bruce Cozier as the officials toured the facility while it was in construction. "Mr. Duncan is interested in having even greater amounts of energy produced by tri-generation facilities, specifically another 200 to 300 megawatts of power, which is equal to half a nuclear power plant," said Didychuk. "It is truly the way of the future."
Other greenhouses have contacted Great Northern regarding this emerging technology. "As an early adopter, we are proud to be in a position to help propagate an environmentally sustainable project," Didychuk added.
Employed by European greenhouses for years, tri-generation technology creates electricity from natural gas which produces substantial amounts of thermal energy, as well as carbon dioxide exhaust emissions. In the form of hot water, this thermal energy is supplied to heat the greenhouses. The latest in environmental technology is used to clean the exhaust emissions and extract carbon dioxide. The energy facilities provide the greenhouse with a key component of photosynthesis - carbon monoxide -- to fertilize the greenhouse's crop.
The result is a crop production of more than 2.1 million cases of gourmet tomatoes annually. In addition to CO2, the company utilizes cutting-edge techniques such as raised troughs, inter planting, run-off fertilizer recycling, biological pest management, and computerized climate controls to create tomatoes high in nutrients with extended shelf life, pesticide and herbicide free, and uncompromised quality. With fully automated packaging capabilities, Great Northern Hydroponics employs the latest technology to package in bulk, stickered and unstickered, and in plastic or netted bags.
Didychuk signed a 20-year power purchase contract with the government of Ontario, Canada to develop, build and generate the 12 mega-watt electrical power facility. The contract is a result of two years of research and project development from Didychuk and the company's General Manager Guido van het Hof.
Much like the first Americans who experienced nuclear power, or a TV set in their home, the health repercussions of computers are not entirely known. It is a sobering thought that those who have spent their lives bathed in the glow of their monitors may find themselves decades from now in poor health, with conditions caused from any number of harmful emissions from their desktops, whether chemical or electromagnetic.
The Hot Topic
Like stilted houses on hurricane coasts, laptops of today seem to be climbing higher and higher off of workspaces in dorm rooms, offices and coffee shops. The "hot" issue with laptops is exactly this. Batteries in laptops run hot; sometimes so hot that they can cause the computer to shut down, that is, if the user can still handle the keys. As a result, these notebook computers are being hefted higher and higher off of their desks. Sometimes this is done with proper stands and other times with books or coasters, either way it is meant to allow for proper heat ventilation.
A recent report by Stephen H. Wildstrom on Business Week Online sheds more light as to why exactly most laptops run so hot. According to the article, the problem lies with the lithium ion batteries nestled inside of most modern laptops. Lithium ion batteries are great because they generate enough power to support high performance laptops with high processing speeds. However, as the battery meets the processor's need for power, it heats up. This is mainly due to the fact that laptops are small, compact and very poor at allowing heat to escape from their innards.
While overheated laptops are certainly an inconvenience and uncomfortable to use, there are more potentially lethal and destructive surprises waiting within lithium ion batteries. Wildstrom says that lithium ion batteries rely on electronic circuits, a sort of fail-safe so to speak, to prevent violent chemical reactions. Unfortunately, as of late, these systems seem to be failing in the notebook computers of a couple major notebook manufacturers.
However, heat doesn't seem to be the only problem facing the laptops of today. In order to compensate for the heat, cooling fans blast on at a high RPM, generating a noise that sounds like a fighter jet turning on its afterburners directly overhead.
While laptops are good for people when on the go, it seems that many people are simply using their notebooks all the time, even when seated at their home office, or designated workplace.
Because of this, the user's productivity goes down due to the distracting blasts of noise from the cooling unit, his health is jeopardized and put at risk due usually poor ergonomic setup of the workplace and to the overheated batteries, when in reality, they could be using other methods of computing that would prove more productive.
Turning Green
So how are these problems to be solved? A better ergonomic choice is to use a notebook stand with an external keyboard and mouse to have a better physical position, with the notebook battery removed. However the noise and the higher level of radiation are still there. What can be done?
The best choice is a silent and environmentally friendly desktop computer. The computer can be tucked away; the keyboard, mouse and monitor can be set up ergonomically. Ideally the screen is about 25 inches away. The top of the screen is at eye level. The keyboard and mouse are in a light color to keep the contrast difference to the monitor to a minimum and help reduce potential eyestrain.
Constant exposure to electromagnetic radiation due to not so well shielded computer cases and electronics increases stress levels as the body has to spend energy to maintain its own energy field. Once you start working with a well shielded and silent computer you'll feel the difference very quickly.
A high quality, green and silent computer can also increase productivity up to 20%. Michael Kim of InspiredTraffic.com reported increases of 10 to 20% since switching to a GreenMachineShop.com desktop. He had been using mostly his notebook before. Now the notebook is only for the road. As a side effect, he reduced his electricity bill by about 30%. The silent computer made him turn off all other noise sources in the office. And he feels fresher after the work day is done.
He also reports that the TCO'03 compliant monitor causes much less stress to his eyes than before. The TCO'03 rating means that the monitors are built to the highest ergonomic and environmental standards.
To the best of our knowledge, GreenMachineShop.com's desktops are currently the only truly "green computers." Although many other companies say their computers are "green" because they offer a buy back program and eliminated heavy metals, mostly lead, this simply isn't going to improve health conditions in the workplace or at home if the computers themselves are constructed in an unhealthy way.
The Next Step
Now its time for you to decide what is the best way to improve your surroundings. Think of your families or employees well being. Create the healthiest and most environmentally friendly computer workplace and reap the immediate benefits.
Thomas Schramm has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health, E Books. Thomas Schramm and Brian Betts of "Healthy Computing Through Environmental Responsibility". The company's computers exceed all environmental standa. Thomas Schramm's top article generates over 720 views. to your Favourites.