Feature entry

Author: Roger Munns
The House of Windsor’s Prince Charles has famously led the debate on global warming and climate issues for a generation.
But a new royal has entered the debate, and Monaco’s Prince Albert recently joined Prince Charles at his innotative Poundbury village in Dorset.
The significance that it was Charles’ 58th birthday wasn’t overlooked by one […]

Global Warming Gives The Palace A Cold Touch

Recycling Scrap Metal And The Environment

Author: Gunaseelan
The environment is the most precious asset we possess, greater than any economy or business. Without it, the world as we know it could not possibly exist, and as we speak our environment is changing beyond recognition before our very eyes. Weather patterns are consistently getting more severe at both ends of the spectrum, bringing hotter dry spells and fiercer monsoons and storms. We’ve seen widespread flooding increase over the last five years, and there is very little doubt that our ongoing impact on the environment is destroying our world. So what can we do about it, particularly on an individual, business by business basis, to help save the planet? In this article we will look at the benefits of recycling scrap metal, and how it can contribute towards saving the environment.

Recycling scrap metal is a fantastic way that your business can help the environment. Scrap metal, as the name suggests, is unwanted metal parts and pieces, which are traded and sold as a commodity as well as used to practical effect. Trading in scrap metal prevents the need for further manufacture by reducing the overall demand, and if you can be resourceful with other people’s wasted material, you can save your business money, as well as saving the environment and halting dangerous weather patterns. From raw material stages through to finishing and distribution, the production chain of many products is carbon intensive. Carbon dioxide, being the main contributor to global warming, is what you should aim to avoid, and if you can find scrap material in place of new material, you are diminishing the demand for metal production, hence reducing the carbon emissions associated with it.

Another benefit of using and recycling scrap metal is that scrap has a residual value in trade as a commodity. Even if you don’t make use of the scrap material in your own business, you can easily hold on to it until you find a buyer for scrap materials, in which case you should be able to earn a profit as an investment buy. What this means is, in effect, you can reap the value of a bulk investment in scrap metal, whilst also acquiring odd bits of scrap that may be necessary in the course of your trade. Eventually, you can even reap a return when the market for scrap increases, whether online or on the open market.

Recycling scrap metal is a great way to save your business money and the environment. Scrap metal is both purposeful and valuable at an investment level, and eventually you should be able to sell any excess scraps to generate extra income on your purchase. Of course, if you know what you’re looking for in a bulk scrap lot, trading in scrap can be quite a profitable endeavour. Either way, you’re contributing to saving and preserving the environment for the future of our people, whilst helping to calm the effects of global warming to reduce severe weather patterns and climate change.

The Weather, Moon, And Fishing

Author: Trevor Kugler

There are very few things that effect fishing as much as the weather and moon, hence the title of this article…The weather, moon, and fishing. Every time you turn on a fishing show, open a fishing magazine, or go to a fishing website, it seems as if someone is trying to sell you something that will supposedly help you catch more fish. The funny thing is that the things that will actually help you catch more fish don’t cost one red cent. They are all totally FREE to anyone who wants them.

Those things are practice and understanding the weather and moon. Practice is simple. That just means spending time on the water. That’s right, there’s no substitute for spending time on the water ding what it is that you like to do anyway…fishing! The more time that you spend on the water (practicing), the better angler you will become, it’s that simple. I realize that this is no secret. You will become better at anything that you spend time doing, everyone knows that, and it goes for fishing too.

The other thing that effects fishing, to quite a great degree, is the weather and moon. You see, the weather and moon effect the behavior of fish and if fish aren’t feeling well, they tend not to be hungry. This makes sense, right? If you have an upset stomach or just feel off, do you feel like eating? Of course not. Well, the same principle goes for fish. For example when the weather changes and the barometric pressure changes, this effects the behavior of fish. And you as an angler need to know how.

What about when it’s a full moon? People always say that human beings act weird when the moon is full. You’ve heard this theory, right? Well, the same goes for fish, although fish don’t act weird, unless you consider being much more active weird. The bottom line is that during certain phases of the moon, fish are much more active, and again you as an angler need to which phases are which, and what this means to fishing.

Climate Zones Help With Weather Predictions

Author: Eric J. Slarkowski

Human beings are curious creatures, for the most part. One of the things men and women have always strived to understand is the climate that sustains life here on Earth. With the help of new technology and the cooperation of scientists around the globe, new information about the climate and the science of weather is being uncovered on a regular basis. With the click of a mouse you can find the weather in Malaga, Spain or Anchorage, Alaska.

Not only are the men and women of meteorology able to classify several distinct climate “zones” on the planet, they are able to make unusually accurate weather predictions for these zones as well. Certain lines of latitude are used to mark the boundaries of these climate zones, with the Arctic Circle and the Antarctic Circle as two of the more prominent markers. (These well-known latitude marks are at 66.5 degrees, both north and south.) The other two major lines of latitude used to describe climate zones are the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5 degrees south) and the Tropic of Cancer (23.5 degrees north). The designation of these tropical latitude markers is not random, by any means. These lines indicate the points farthest north and south at which the sun will appear directly above any location at midday (noon).

One of the key uses for these lines of demarcation - classifying weather and identifying the location of major storms and weather events. For scientists, the section of the globe that lies between the two tropic lines is called by the common name of “low latitudes.” This area of the Earth’s atmosphere is distinguished by its high rainfall totals, high humidity and relatively constant, warm temperatures.

The middle latitudes, ranging from the tropical latitude markers to the Arctic and Antarctic circles, have generally temperate climates. It is in this region of the globe that plant and animal life experiences four distinct seasons and somewhat consistent rainfall patterns.

Between the Arctic and Antarctic circles and the two poles are the high latitudes, regions of the globe known for long winters, cold temperatures most of the year, and very short summer seasons. The majority of precipitation in these regions is snow.

One of the key benefits of this classification system is the ability to give weather some perspective. The Earth’s climate is so complex that it can become confusing without some way of categorizing the climates of particular regions. Yet, within the above-mentioned zones, there are numerous variations. For example, weather patterns can be distinctly different over land (continental) and on or near the ocean (maritime). But that’s not all. Within these smaller classifications, scientists have to take mountains and ocean currents into account.

Beyond the efforts to describe and predict weather patterns, efforts continue to understand the larger category of climate. Climates do change, though human ability to fully understand these long-term alterations is somewhat limited. Overall, the climate zones of the globe give scientists a useful overview of weather changes as well as weather consistency. With this information we have some idea of what weather to expect tomorrow.

Lessons To Learn From Weather Observation

Author: Ken C. Morris

Weather changes that we experience on earth are the result of a complex set of factors involving the sun, the earth’s atmosphere and other influences. The atmosphere that sustains plant and animal life on earth is a primary factor in the extraordinary range of weather conditions seen and felt around the world.

For most, the details of how weather patterns form is less important than whether the factors lead to rain, snow, heat, strong winds or other conditions. Those who are not professionals in the weather-watching industry rely on those who are professional. These specialists have benefited, in recent years, from the introduction of specialized instruments and computer modeling that help track storms and predict weather conditions. In addition, amateurs have access to high-quality instruments and information that puts them nearer to the status of a meteorologist or other weather/climate professional.

Clouds are a major climate structure that professionals and amateurs alike watch every day, a key part of weather observation. Being able to identify different types of clouds and follow their movements can go a long way toward making an educated guess about upcoming weather. Clouds not only have very distinct forms but also occupy various levels in the atmosphere. It’s a safe bet that, with low clouds some sort of precipitation will arrive in the near future. This feature separates the contribution of low clouds from those seen at the middle and higher levels.

Cumulus clouds, generally, signify fair weather in an atmosphere that is stable. Cloud watchers know not to expect precipitation. But when these same clouds gather quickly, this may be a signal that thunderstorms will soon arrive, bringing strong winds and rain.

Observation of such items as the direction of wind and the barometric pressure also aids in predicting and preparing for changing weather conditions. For example, almost everyone knows that when barometric pressure falls there is an increased chance of precipitation. For those north of the equator, the prevailing winds are from the southwest, bringing whatever conditions are forming in the western and southwestern states. It is interesting to note that winds can blow in a direction opposite that of storm movement, since huge thunderstorms can affect large masses of air.

One of the more interesting features of the earth’s fascinating weather is the color that appears with sunrise, sunset and various cloud formations. A simply explanation might be that the impact of sunlight on particles suspended in the air cause light waves to travel in many different directions. The differences in color are essentially the result of different lengths of the light waves, with the shorter waves producing violets and blues. Colors in the orange and red area have longer wavelengths. Some of the shading in color is due to the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere. For example, clouds appear white because the water droplets that make them tend to scatter all spectrum colors. Thickness due to heavy water concentration makes the clouds appear darker, even gray, dark blue or black. While it may take a lifetime to understand even a part of our fascinating weather, a few interesting facts explain a lot.