Category Archives: environment

environment

The pitfalls of charging electric cars

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An electric car is currently charging

An electric car is currently charging

According to the federal government, one million electric cars should be rolling on Germany’s roads as early as 2020. “Basically, we can be happy that the development is now slower than expected,” says master electrician Bernd Zeilmann as a representative of the Chamber of Crafts Bayreuth (Germany). “The charging process as a bottleneck”, said Zeilmann in a public lecture at the invitation of the nature conservation associations and the car-sharing association. On the one hand, the public charging stations are still being built up and the billing arrangements are not yet certified; on the other hand, the batteries are not easily recharged overnight at home. These include preparatory measures for upgrading the electrical installation and a safety concept. “When more than ten amps are drawn from a simple power outlet over several hours, the cable gets hot and in the worst case can ignite a fire,” said the master electrician.
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Nanoparticles sneak into our lives

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Nanoparticles

nanoparticles sneak into our lives

Almost unnoticed, nanoparticles sneak into our lives. Whether in the form of rinsing aid in ready-to-use soups or in the dining salt, as a sun protection factor in sun protection creams or as additives for scratch-resistant surfaces, the tiny particles are useful in the eyes of the industry for the improvement of the products. The consumer usually does not know where nano is in it. For the time being, only food, cosmetics and biocides are subject to identification, but only if the nanoparticles of all particles are at least 50%. The Federation of Nature Conservation Germany (BUND) maintains a database with nanotechnical products and some further links to the content description and the purpose of the nano application.
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Rapex report warns of hazardous products

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rapex report warns

Rapid Exchange of product-news in the EU

Rapex (Rapid Exchange) is an alert system for dangerous consumer products in the non-food area. 31 European countries and the European Commission shall communicate to the fastest means of information to draw risky products from the market. A weekly report can be subscribed to via RSS-Feed or accessed directly on the website. Those who read the messages carefully, place the emphasis on Chinese products. But also from European countries, including Germany, permanent harmful products to hit the market. Some examples to show where the problem lies mainly:
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Wind turbines interfere IMS infrasound stations

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infrasound from wind turbines

infraschall from wind turbines

“The inaudible noise from wind turbines” is a very interesting study of the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), headquartered in Hanover. It examines how infrasound from wind turbines may disrupt sensitive stations. The BGR operates inter alia the infrasound station I27DE in the Bavarian Forest, which is part of the International Monitoring System (IMS) to monitor compliance with the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. With a series of measurements, the Institute wanted to clarify what distance wind turbines should have in order not to disturb the infrasound monitoring system therefore. As a by-product, the scientists developed models of required distances from wind turbines to residential areas. Continue reading →

Noise protection of air heat pumps should be planned carefully

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noise protection

an air heat pump could be noisy

Increasingly, people are annoyed by ugly noises of air heat pumps in the neighbor’s garden. Who pays when purchasing these devices only on efficiency and price, jumped too short. Especially it brings residents to the palm when the air source heat pump is directly on the plot. Here, an important shift is already possible in the preselection of the manufactured product: the sound power level gives information about the volume of the device. In practice spans 15 to 20 dB (A) are possible – the aim should be SPL of less than 50 dB (A). This figure must specify in its technical description of the device manufacturer. Continue reading →

Fracking concerns us all

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hydraulic-fracturing

hydraulic-fracturing

Shocked most viewers showed after the broadcast of the film “Gasland” last Tuesday at Arte TV. This is in any case clear from the comments on the eighty-Arte blog. The film from 2010 tells how high standards of environmental were repealed by lobbying in the United States. Then the way was clear for the gas companies. The hydraulic fracturing method attempts using large amounts of water, sand and chemicals extract natural gas from shale rock at great depth to pump, purify and bring into the gas grid. The chemically contaminated residual water must be disposed of. The fracking industry is in the chance of an independent international energy and job creation. “The energy belongs to us”, is the motto of the industry lobby. Continue reading →