Today is the shortest day of the year in Ireland, so it’s a good day to give a little fact in this regard. If June 21st is the day when we receive the most sunshine, why is it regarded as the beginning of summer and not its peak? And similarly, why is December 21st, the day of least sunshine, the beginning of winter and not mid-winter day?
Blame the oceans, which heat up and cool down only slowly. By June 21 they are still cool from the winter time, and that delays the peak heat by about a month and a half. Similarly, in December the water still holds warmth from the summer, and the coldest days are still (on the average–not always! ) a month and a half ahead.
For more information and a daylight map of ireland go to maps.ie .
A new Irish conservation website promoting the various methodologies available to Irish people for conserving their environment has come online. In general conservation is the wise use of natural resources (nutrients, minerals, water, plants, animals, etc.). Conservation requires planned action or often non-action to preserve or protect living and non-living resources.
Conservation.ie is an independent website set-up to provide useful, informative material relating to conservation issues throughout the Island of Ireland.
Ireland’s remaining, natural resources which cover a wide number of areas, should be protected and Irish people of all generations should be informed about the best ways to conserve the natural resources of this beautiful country.
Our activities include education and publicising conservation projects, promoting environmental awareness, the provision of information and encouraging the protection and conservation of our national heritage for the common good.
Filed under: Solar Power
The Australian government will spend $420 million Australian ($320 million US) to construct the world’s largest solar power plant. The plant, which will be built in Victoria state, will have a capacity of 154 megawatts and will be built over the next several years, with a completion date set for 2013.
The effort comes amid fears that the demand for power within the country may exceed supply within the next five years, causing blackouts and shortages. Air conditioners are being pegged as the primary factor for the predicted shortages, with more and more units being installed in newer homes than ever before.Australia, the world’s leading exporter of Coal, will also look to cleaner-coal technologies to boost the country’s energy supply. Along with the solar initiative the government announced funding of a A$360 million ($274 million US) project to produce cleaner energy through brown coal drying and carbon capture and storage.
Australia has yet to sign the Kyoto Protocol, a program which aims to lower greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. Currently relying on coal as its primary fuel source, Australia is one of the world’s largest producers of greenhouse gases per capita.
