Can flags be used to collect solar energy?

Image via Wikipedia

This morning I heard John Oakley, the host of a morning radio show on AM 640 Toronto Radio, blatantly express the possibility of using flags to collect solar energy. The remark occurred after a local politician was said to be stepping down, but still wanted to continue a project constructing the largest flag in the world. In the past, solar panels were not considered to be ‘flexible’, but in today’s market flexible solar panels exist.

Hence the creation of a flag with solar panels at the back, and the country’s banner at the front, should not hinder the flag’s natural movement in the wind. Considering the fact that sunlight is prevalent in some parts of the world more than others, such as in countries near the equator, this could just be one way to harvest energy and show your national pride at the same time.

As ridiculous as it may initially seem, there is a market for such a product. Schools, government buildings, and large offices are just a few examples. Once the product is designed and the technology is validated via testing to ensure sustainability and safety, the potential outcome could alter the way we look at a seemingly ordinary flag pole.

For more information on the fundamentals behind solar panels, please see this article on the solar cell:

http://www.howstuffworks.com/solar-cell.htm

 

Could the BP oil spill result in the US increasing imports on seafood?

 

According to an article by Abramson from the New York Times yesterday, the BP oil spill has closed a lifestyle for many fishermen for a longer period of time “than anyone here can remember.” Daniel Workman wrote a month ago of the contamination this leak has unleashed on marine wildlife. A belief, that is implicitly echoed by Steve Adams writer for The Patriot Ledger who quoted the President and CEO of South Boston importer Stavis Seafoods, Richard Stavis, as saying “there could be a shortage. It could get significantly more expensive and it could knock it off menus,” in reference to seafood demand. Unless there is quick clean up and restoration to the marine environment in the Gulf, the odds of an increase in price for that seafood buffet increase in cost unless businesses exercise importing cheap seafood from other parts of the United States that have fisheries or other countries altogether. The hope that fishermen in the Gulf will be able to return to work swiftly is still alive but numerous other factors can influence the conclusion of this disaster. Factors such as time management, clean-up costs, and even the task of capping the oil leak to prevent future spillage, will need to be planned and executed with efficiency and regard for the environment. As to send a fisherman or fisherwoman to do what they’re good at in a polluted environment, is sending their income down the drain altogether from other issues that may arise such as food poisoning.

 

Does the relation between the economy and the environment always have to result in the economy taking a metaphorical beating?

Image by Brooklyn Museum via Flickr

 

According to an article posted today on the Khaleej Times Online, Egypt’s economy is predicted to experience an increase in “stress” due to the affects of climate change on the agricultural sector. According to Reuters it was reported that 10 to 12 percent of land used for farming could be lost due to potential occurrences of flooding and the expected decrease in fertility. Yet the economy does not always have to shape to the environment. If necessity is the mother of invention, as Plato is famously known for remarking, then there is profit via the creation of environmental technology to alter the climate, clean up oil spills, or even capture and contain greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. Just as a coin always has two sides, so too does the relationship between economies and the environment. Drought is devastating for farmers who may not have supplementary income but good business evolves to the task at hand, creating more jobs, and hopefully at the same time increases awareness as to the effect interactions between the environment and people ultimately has on food production.