Art and ecology are more similar than one might think. The key to both is creativity. In the artistic world, these skills are used to evoke emotions, promote debate, and to challenge perspectives. When it comes to the environment, a healthy dose of creative spirit is often required. The natural world faces many challenges, and these must be met. In order for this to be possible, creative instincts are vital to produce new and innovative solutions. In Mexico, the creative and ecological worlds merge.

Mexico’s Paz Paz Bus

A ragtag band of artists, scientists, and engineers have come together in an extraordinary campaign to transform Mexico. Jumping into a brightly coloured bus, far from the beaten track, the group hope to use artistic energy and scientific methods to meet the growing environmental challenges in rural Mexico.

The time for a re-energised and multi-talented approach to these issues is now. A rapidly growing population will see Mexico City exceed 21 million residents within ten years. Water, a key life line, is increasingly under strain. In Mexico City, 35,000 litres of water are used each second, and 6% of the population has inadequate plumbing. Sustainable living is not just required for Mexico City. The primary goal of the Paz Paz Bus is to use creative solutions to bring sustainability to rural Mexico. The team have already helped to arm the response to water shortages. By installing systems for harvesting rainwater, the members of the Paz Paz Bus have enabled people to have a reliable store of water. Water systems are only part of their goals. The team have also installed digesters, to produce compost for growing crops.

The bus itself is a perfect symbol of the team’s mission. The exterior was brought to life by vivid colours and the spirit of Mexican street art. Inside, the bus is laboratory on wheels, fully equipped with the tools to tackle Mexico’s ecological challenges.

Art also plays a key role in the mission. Through workshops and theatre, the team brings Mexico’s vibrant artistic heritage to the children of rural communities. Social sustainability is also an aim of the team. ‘Paz paz’ comes from the Spanish for ‘peace’, and this is instrumental in Mexico’s more divided communities. Through art and video projects, including murals and parades, the Paz Paz Bus team hope to unite different groups. By fixing these communities, they hope to bring them together to focus on the common goal of sustainable living. That is surely a fight everyone can get behind.

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Successfully surpassing immense human challenges often acts as a springboard for further exploration into the abyss. Launching the first man into space inevitably lead to NASA’s successful attempts to place a man on the moon. In 700 BC, work began on the Great Wall of China; this year a Chinese firm built a 57 storey building in just 19 days. However, it is extremely rare to stumble across a challenge that consistently remains a formidable test of humans capabilities. Competitively racing, flat-out, on the edge of your seat for 24-hours remains a staggering assessment of endurance and determination. Welcome to Le Mans.

The race originated from the town Le Mans (North-West France) in 1923 and has remained a huge event on the racing calendar ever since. Despite a modern era of carbon-fibre brakes, grippy tyres and various driver-aids the race is still equally regarded as an endurance test for the vehicle. 18 of the 55 cars that started the 2015 event failed to finish. Unlike Formula One, Le Mans cars are remarkably similar to those used everyday on the road. Therefore, that connection between the spectator and the driver is considerably stronger than in other categories of racing.

‘The Le Mans Start’

Le Mans is also renowned for its standing start. Used up until 1970, competitors would see the flag drop signalling the start of the race but before hundreds of horsepower could be utilised racing drivers would have to run from the start-finish straight into their vehicles. Obviously, with safety concerns the famous ‘Le Mans’ start was eventually stopped.

The mixture of the grid is yet another unique feature of Le Mans. Where else in the world would you find a motor race containing huge manufacturers, professional racing teams and amateurs? In 2007, BBC presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May took part in the 24-hour endurance race broadcasting that amateur element to millions of viewers across the globe. Their involvement resulted in shredded tyres, a high-speed accident and various mechanical disasters providing that humorous element that runs parallel with the competitiveness.

Le Mans: Over the Years

Similar to the immense challenges facing the drivers, the race has consistently prevailed in the face of adversity. Years before F1, Le Mans addressed the issue of safety. In the 1955 Le Mans race, 80 spectators were tragically killed when a vehicle crashed into the crowd. The introduction of safety measures failed to weaken the personal challenge as whilst the race became safer, the cars also became much faster.

The oil crisis in the early 1970’s, caused Le Mans’ organisers to emphasize fuel economy limiting the amount of fuel each car was allowed. The decision actually forced teams to spend less time in the garage and resulted in some important technological discoveries in fuel sources.

To curb the rise of huge manufacturers and prevent the event turning into a commercial show-piece, Le Mans introduced a cost-cap in 2011. Similarly, the future of Le Mans appears one of continued realism. Organisers claim their main objective for 2017 is the ability for teams to acquire a better car for a lower budget.

Le Mans’ regulations may have changed but despite nearly a century of technological development, the iconic race remains a stubborn test of both a human’s and vehicle’s resolve.

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China has long had an issue with pollution. It is claimed to contain the greatest amount of pollution, with that over 1 million deaths in 2010 as a result. Beijing is widely reported to be one of the most polluted cities in the world. With China’s industrial economy, this is perhaps not so surprising. However, a large amount of pollution comes from an area which one might not expect: agriculture. The use of nitrogen-based fertilisers has had dramatic effects on air, water, and soil quality in China.

With only 7% of the world’s farmland, China uses 35% of all the world’s nitrogen fertilisers. This is beginning to have severe environmental consequences.

Rice: Nitrogen Related Pollution

Excess nitrogen can have a number of negative effects on the environment. It can kill fish and other marine life, reduce crop productivity, and poison the water supply. A major consequence of nitrogen fertilisers has been air pollution. When nitrogen oxides react in the air, they interact with industrial pollution to form a dense fog known as smog. Not only can smog cause health problems such as asthma, its presence in the air promotes global warming. Rice is a staple of the Chinese diet. It needs nitrogen-based fertilisers in order to grow effectively. However, this may soon be about to change.

Traditionally, a great deal of Chinese rice is grown in the northern provinces. The genetic make-up of the rice grown in northern China means that it cannot easily absorb nitrogen-based substances from the soil. Because of this, Nitrogen-based fertilisers are used to provide these vital nutrients. However, with genetic modification, this could no longer be the case. Scientists have proposed cloning a gene from indica rice, and placing it into the native species. The gene is known as a ‘nitric booster’, and it improves the ability for plants to absorb nitrogen-based nutrients from the soil. As a result, much lower levels of fertiliser need to be used.

Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences found that when genetically modified, the rice species could achieve the same yield with only half as much fertiliser. Thus, reducing related pollution by half.

This scientific breakthrough could have a significant effect on pollution.  By reducing fertiliser usage, nitrogen pollution will decrease. This will contribute towards a reduction in smog, reducing the incidence of pollution-related health complications. Also, China’s contribution to global pollution will decrease, and marine life will be less at risk. Although this is only the beginning, developments like this may help promote a shift towards a greater desire to tackle pollution in China. Though it has yet to be implemented, it shows steps in the right direction. With a rapidly ageing population, even small pollution prevention suggestions are better than nothing.

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Malaysia is a country that has faced the negative impacts of climate change. Droughts, floods, and the loss of crops have all plagued the country, and climate change has been linked to these events. Also expensive, attempting to adapt to ever harsher floods has cost the government of Malaysia over $2.6bn this past decade. It is no surprise then that Malaysia has long been a supporter of environmental causes. In 2013, the Malaysian government promised to reduce carbon emissions by 40% by 2020 through a move to more environmentally-friendly fuels. Palm oil is the main source of this.

Malaysia is responsible for producing 10% of the world’s palm oil, which is used in 50% of products worldwide. In order to reduce carbon emissions, Malaysia has set a target known as B10. The goal is to increase the environmental credentials of road fuels. Fuel in Malaysia is often a blend between conventional and biodiesel. The B10 strategy aims to make all blended diesel have a 10% biodiesel content. Malaysia’s rise in biodiesel will have some environmental benefits.

Biodiesel itself is, at least in theory, carbon neutral. Because the fuel is created from palm oil, the carbon present in the palms is simply released back into the atmosphere. Therefore, burning biodiesel does not add more carbon to the air. In addition, the resulting fuel actually has lower emissions than petroleum-based diesel.

Biodiesel created from palm oil releases 52% lower gas emissions than conventional diesel.

The government of Malaysia stated that in the previous B7 programme, 700,000 tons of crude palm oil was used. With its lower carbon content, an increase in its usage looks to be a major positive for environmental goals, and a fundamental part of Malaysia’s push for a greener world.

Malaysia: Palm-Biodiesel Issues

However, it may not be as simple as this. A rise in the use of palm-based biodiesel has the potential to create environmental harm. The production of biodiesel is certainly not carbon neutral. Fossil fuels, heavy in  carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, are used to produce it. Artificial fertilisers are used to grow the palm plants, and the production of these fertilisers requires the burning of fossil fuels. There are also concerns over these fertilisers. For each tonne of palm oil that is produced, 2.5 tonnes of waste water effluent is released. If it seeps into the water stream there could be a negative impact on marine life.

Malaysia’s deforestation also has a significant effect on the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In order for palms to be planted, forest must be removed. Malaysia has the highest level of deforestation in the world. It is estimated that nearly 8.6% of forest cover was lost in just twenty years.

The establishment of palm plantations threaten endangered plants, and the habitats of endangered animals such as the Orang-utan.

Malaysia has already witnessed 4 million hectares of land transformed by palm oil plantations. With Malaysia’s target to increase palm oil production to 1,000,000 tonnes this year, it is set to increase. The potential negative effects of biodiesel from palm oil raises a dilemma. Malaysia’s biodiesel method may save the environment one way, only by harming it in another.  One in six of the world’s species may be at risk of extinction through global warming. In the production of ‘green’ biodiesel in Malaysia, some already are.

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Kawasaki Heavy Industries, a Japan-based robots company, announced that it has signed a deal with an unnamed Chinese company based in Chongqing. The company will set up a new factory in Jiangsu Province as early as this month, and has plans to begin industrial robot production in China. In China, the use of robots in factories has increased rapidly in recent years. In 2014, China increased their usage by 54%, and became home to a quarter of the world’s industrial robots. Inevitably, a rise in the use of robots has lead to a decrease in the human workforce. Foxconn produces Apple products, and plans for 70% of their work to be automated within three years. It is clear that robots are taking over tasks at work. Could they soon be doing the same at home?

The image of robots dashing about the house is not as far-fetched as some may think. Artificial intelligence is already all around us in the home. From automatic thermostats that control the temperature, to motion-sensor lights in the garden, even the simplest technology is already operating without human input. We could soon see technology take on a much more physical role in the home. Household robots are far from science fiction. As far back as 2005, Mitsubishi created what it called the ‘world’s first household robot‘. Known as Wakamaru, the robots were able to recognise different faces, relay the news, and even have conversations. But this was simply the beginning.

Robots: Recent Developments in the Industry

The development of human-like robots to help around the house is already an industry in Japan. The robotics market is expected to be worth $22.7bn by 2019, and household and service markets are expected to constitute one third of this.

There are robots are being developed that can unload dishwashers, and learn from instructions. Big names have seen the potential in this market, and have begun to explore. Google acquired Schaft Inc, a Japanese robots start up. Toshiba’s retail robot Aiko Chihira is already greeting customers. Japan’s government is encouraging this explosion in robotics, with hopes that the use of robots in the service industries will increase twenty-fold by the year 2020. The competition to be a pioneering company is fierce. In 2013, Chinese internet giant Baidu opened a research laboratory in Silicon Valley, with the aim of developing artificial intelligence. Not only did Baidu set up shop in Google’s own backyard, the tech giant even hired a former Google researcher as their chief scientist. The race to create the perfect household robot is well under-way. With billions at stake, it will be here sooner rather than later.

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Mahindra: ‘India’s Green Project’

Mahindra World City, Jaipur was launched in 2007 by the Mahindra Group and the Rajasthan State Industrial and Investment Corporation. Mahindra sits only 25km from Jaipur, the ‘Pink City’, which has a booming tourist trade. Mahindra is also host to many international businesses, including Coca Cola and the technology company Ericsson. The Rajasthan region has recently invested in a $626m solar park to provide 5GW of solar-generated electricity. Set on over 3000 acres, Mahindra World City Jaipur is home to a Special Economic Zone, highlighting India’s continuing mission to be a global business hub. But this is not the only aim of the Mahindra project.

Mahindra Group have set out their plans to make the city a shining example of sustainable development. The first Asian city to join the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, the project has committed to becoming climate-positive within a decade. The developers hope to continually reduce waste, particularly in the form of CO2 emissions. Energy efficiency, transport, and good waste management are key to this. The method of water supply distribution uses 30% less energy than traditional methods. Timer switches in communal areas and on street lamps aim to reduce electricity usage. The project aims to re-purpose waste water form Jaipur for use in industrial units.

Through tweaking everyday processes, the project hopes to become climate neutral in ten years. Then by reducing CO2 emissions by 60,000 tonnes each year by 2025, become climate-positive.

These efforts have seen the World City become the first Asian city to receive Stage 2 Climate Positive Development certification. Mahindra World City, Jaipur is one of many projects pursued by the Mahindra Group. The group is worth more than $16bn, and operates businesses ranging from real estate, financial services, and aerospace. They aim to practise sustainability across all of their businesses. The first Mahindra World City was built near Chennai as a response to India’s growing urban population, set to double within a decade. With ever growing populations, governments and enterprise must work together to meet these social and environmental challenges in the way Mahindra has done. Mahindra World City, Jaipur is only the beginning.

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The west is actually falling behind. The renewable energy market in North America is set to remain static, still hovering at around 5% of the total power generation by 2020. Among the OECD countries in Europe, renewable energy generation will not exceed 10% by the same year. The latest prediction for Africa’s generation by 2020 shows 12% deriving from renewable energy. For Asia the figure is 14%. Latin American countries are leading the charge. Latin America already generates over 20% of its energy from renewable sources. Three key countries embracing the move towards renewable energy are Costa Rica, Brazil, and Paraguay.

Costa Rica’s 75 days of pure renewable energy

Costa Rica made headlines earlier this year when the country reached 75 days of being powered only through renewable energy. Waterfalls and dams provided the clean hydroelectric power. Although this was only temporary, it shows that Costa Rica has a clear commitment to alternative sources of power. The levels of investment in renewable energy infrastructure ensures that 90% of energy needs can be met without fossil fuels. After this year’s 75 day test was successfully passed, we don’t doubt that a fully green Costa Rica will be soon on the horizon.

Paraguay’s relationship with renewable energy

Paraguay has been consistently running on energy that is generated solely from renewable sources. All electricity in Paraguay is generated through hydroelectricity, and 90% of it is exported to neighbouring countries. Brazil is also contributing to Latin America’s green charge forward. The country shares the Itaipu dam hydroelectric plant with neighbouring Paraguay.

Brazil’s big push for renewable energy reliance

Brazil’s government invested $9bn into renewable energy generation in 2014 alone, showing its commitment to a cleaner Brazil. Brazil is a world-leader in the use of carbon-neutral bio-fuels, used in 42% of vehicles. With over 88% of power coming from renewable sources, and its world-leading status as a bio-fuel producer, Brazil is a key player in green energy. Costa Rica, Brazil, and Paraguay have taken the lead in Latin America’s push for green energy. Other countries would do well to follow their example. By 2020, 27% of electricity generation in the region will be from renewable energy. Latin America is the region to watch.

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The main alternative is using the pump, which often has long queues. This system is really popular and in Mexico City is  the  normal routine. The problem is that there isn’t enough water within the pump system to cater for 22 million people – the size of the Mexican population. Fred De Sam Lazaro states that with such a high number of people “it’s like filling a swimming pool with a teacup”  and pressure has been mounted on the government to find other solutions.

The pumping system is nevertheless really simple: they pump water out from the ground, put it in vans and then distribute it around houses. The only problem with this system is that people only get water once in a week, and it’s really expensive.

Luckily, people in the local community are taking matters into their own hands, using their own skills to find alternative solutions.

Enrique Lomnitz, a Mexican man that has travelled a lot between U.S. and his own country, is one of those problem solvers. He also happens to have  an industrial design degree from MIT.

Enrique founded Isla Urbana, a society that whose goal is to bring clean water to Mexico City, launching formally in 2009. He came up with a system that allows you to capture rain water. They take the rainwater from the roofs, and then pass the water through a filter pipe. This mechanism is important because in this way the water is three times cleaner than it was before. It is then piped into the water tank, and once in there they are able to add additional filters to make sure the water is completely potable.

With this system people are able to live with water from 5 to 8 months without problems.

Clara, one of those who received this experimental system, says that “ this system has changed [my]life, thanks to Isla Urbana [I] live differently now. [I] don’t have to worry about water because [I] always have it”.

Even at Santa Monica College you’ll find citizens taking matters into their own hands. Andres Rennella and Corey Eichenberger, are the two young founders of non-profit organisation Pure Drift. They set up the project in May, having  just returned form their last trip to Mexico. During this period they installed water filters in a local orphanage in La Morelos. Their goal over the last couple of months, while they were travelling in Mexico, South America and Central America, was to distribute water filters to the rural communities who needed them.

In order to help many Mexican citizens are donating money to the non-profit organisation. Most of the donations are used to buy filters and expenses for the travel.

The drinking problem in Mexico is a constant issue particularly due to the lack of participation of the government. The population is more aware than ever about this issue, and are finding some solutions by themselves. Who knows, maybe the people will solve the problem before the President.

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I think we’re going to have strong indications of life beyond Earth within a decade, and I think we’re going to have definitive evidence within 20 to 30 years

Stofan also appeared confident such indications of life would be evident in our own solar system. So bearing that in mind, I thought it would be quite interesting to consolidate some of the findings and see, if life is found in the solar system – what are the most likely places where it might appear? I am deliberately ignoring Mars for this as that is a post in itself due to the multiple variations of life available there (quick fact: Mars produces 270 tons of methane a year, of which only 0.8% of which is accountable by asteroid impact, so presence indicates that there must be an active source on the planet in order to keep such levels in the atmosphere…).

Located deep in our solar system, here are the celestial bodies where we are most likely to find alien life, in reverse order.

Enceladus

Fig 1. Position of Enceladus vs other Saturn Satellites

Fig 2: Images of eruptions coming out from Enceladus oceans

Dimensions:      513.2 × 502.8 × 496.6 km

Surface temp.

• min −240 °C
• mean −198 °C
• max −128 °C

Atmospheric composition

• 91% water vapor
• 4% nitrogen
• 2% carbon dioxide
• 7% methane

Why life:

Enceladus is one of Saturn’s smaller moons in the outer reaches of our solar system. Recently Nasa’s Cassinni probe has detected a substantial ocean underneath its ice sheet. The ocean will likely be 6 miles (10 kilometres) deep, beneath an ice shell about 19 to 25 miles (30 to 40 kilometres) thick. The resulting pressure results in enormous gushes of water coming out from the subsurface at 2,189 km/h (1,360 mph). What is interesting is that some parts of the moon are significantly above temperature permitted by astronomical models (this allows the water below the surface to be kept liquid) and the source of this heat has not been identified, although theories such as existence of cryovolcanoes and radioactive heating are interesting.

Type of life:

Most likely microbial in nature. Since salt has been found on ocean surface, it is likely that it is interacting with seafloor, enhancing chances of finding life similar to that in earth’s deep oceans

Fig 3: Large ocean detected under ice – NASA model. The gravity measurements suggest that Enceladus is composed of layers of different materials, with a low-density core consisting of silicate rock underlying the ocean

Europa

Fig 4: Europa has one of the smoothest terrains in the solar system made from frozen water. The red lines across are linea, most likely made from eruptions of warm ice from below to the top.

Dimensions: c.3,100km in diameter

Surface temp.

• min      -223C
• mean    -171C
• max      -148C

Atmosphere:

• Majority molecular oxygen (0₂)

Why life:

Next to the largest planet in our solar system, Jupiter, Europa has an outer layer of frozen and liquid water 100 km thick. The likely presence of hydrogen peroxide on the planet provide an important potential energy source for life forms. Like on Enceladus, since salt has been found on ocean surface, it is likely that it is interacting with seafloor, enhancing chances of finding life.

Type of life:

Most likely microbial in nature. Since salt has been found on ocean surface, it is likely that it is interacting with seafloor, enhancing chances of finding life similar to that in earth’s deep oceans. In addition Europa’s atmosphere might provide a slightly different type of life than that on earth:

The scientists think hydrogen peroxide is an important factor for the habitability of the global liquid water ocean under Europa’s icy crust because hydrogen peroxide decays to oxygen when mixed into liquid water. “At Europa, abundant compounds like peroxide could help to satisfy the chemical energy requirement needed for life within the ocean, if the peroxide is mixed into the ocean (NASA)

Fig 5: Most likely scenario for Europas internal structure

Titan

Fig 6: Titan’s atmosphere photograph by Cassinni

Diameter: 5,152km

Temperature:  −179.5 °C

Atmosphere composition

• Stratosphere:
  • 4% nitrogen (N2),
  • 4% methane (CH4),
  • 2% hydrogen (H2);
• Lower troposphere:
  • 0% N2, 4.9% CH4

Why life:

Saturn’s largest moon, Titan is the only moon with a dense atmosphere and the only other stellar body besides earth where we have observed surface liquid.

Titan is does not have liquid water; however, its thick atmosphere is chemically active and rich in carbon compounds. A large amount of liquid methane and ethane is present on the surface which has led to speculations that these liquids might take the place of water in living cells different from those on Earth.

Type of life:

Life forms on Titan would be different to water based ones found on earth, relying instead on a methane metabolic process:

Recent results from the Cassini mission suggest that hydrogen and acetylene are depleted at the surface of Titan. Both results are still preliminary and the hydrogen loss in particular is the result of a computer calculation, and not a direct measurement. However the findings are interesting for astrobiology. Methane-based (rather than water-based) life – ie, organisms called methanogens — on Titan could consume hydrogen, acetylene, and ethane. The key conclusion of that paper (last line of the abstract) was “The results of the recent Huygens probe could indicate the presence of such life by anomalous depletions of acetylene and ethane as well as hydrogen at the surface.” (Source)

Fig 7: Titan’s clouds

Figure 8: Spectography of hydrocarbon lakes on Titan

To conclude:

Although the locations described are distant and cold, they provide scientifically plausible environments for life to flourish, although its form may be chemically very different than that found on earth.

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