Selective logging, as the name suggests, is not a perfect solution. In a selective logging operation, only the trees of commercial value are removed. The goal is that the forest will have enough trees left to regenerate so it can be harvested sustainably. (Journal of Applied Ecology). A 2005 article in the Stanford Report cited a study revealing the previously-hidden destruction of selective logging. At the time it was published, satellite images had just begun to detect areas where selective logging had gone undetected. Speaking on the topic of logging, Putz stated, “We aren’t advocates for logging…we’re just acknowledging that it is a reality—and that within that reality, there is a way forward.” 

With that said, Putz’s research shows there are some benefits to selective logging. While it does affect biodiversity and carbon retention negatively, the damage is “survivable and reversible to a degree” if the forest has enough time to recover. In forests where selective logging had occurred, he found that they retained between 85 and 100 percent of their former animal and plant species diversity, and roughly 76 percent of their carbon. Putz and his team came to these conclusions after analyzing 100 studies covering three continents on tropical forests with logging operations.

In large part, tropical forests are developed to produce agricultural products such as food, feed, and increasingly, fuel. View deforestation rates here. The strong economic incentives for these products is what leads to deforestation.  According to Putz, a forest sustainably managed to retain trees and biodiversity can net roughly $2,000 per acre every 20 to 30 years, while a palm oil plantation can earn the same in less than one year. Despite the huge financial incentive against sustainable harvesting, Putz says crackdowns on illegal logging operations can help raise the price of sustainably-logged timber. Though far from an ideal solution, Putz, an applied ecologist, believes it may be one of the only options that will work in the real world.

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The organization is sponsoring a Learning Journey in Tohoku which aims to offer students from both Tohoku and other parts of the world a learning journey; to observe change in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake and today. They will meet and listen to people who experienced the disaster and are working for the recovery of the disaster-affected area. At the end of the journey, there will be an opportunity to report what they have learned in the disaster area, and to present their hopes and dreams for creating a sustainable society in the future.

It sounds like a great opportunity to go abroad, learn firsthand, and think about how the area can comeback from disaster in a sustainable way. Here are the instructions for overseas students.

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Read about how KiOR is turning trees into oil and what other companies are doing in the nacent and highly active alternative energy market through our Green Tech Company Spotlight.

Winners were determined by the amount of “green power” they purchased. Smaller schools with lower consumption were at a disadvantage, although the percentage of green power purchased was also calculated. The EPA defines green power as “electricity produced from solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass, and low-impact small hydroelectric sources.”

The top conference in terms of total green power purchased was the Pac-12. Although only four schools from the conference participated, they collectively purchased in excess of 228 million kilowatt-hours. Here are the top five conferences and their green power purchases:

1. Pac-12 Conference (228,529,654 kWh)
2. Big Ten Conference (213,707,149 kWh)
3. Ivy League (200,194,600 kWh)
4. University Athletic Association (119,515,000 kWh)
5. Big 12 Conference (113,001,780 kWh)

Interestingly, only one school from the UAA (Carnegie Mellon University) and one from the Ivy League participated. Perhaps next year more schools will take part. To join the Partnership, visit the “Join Us” page. According to the challenge, in order to be included, “a conference must have at least one Green Power Partner and an aggregate green power use of at least 10 million kWh between conference members.”

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If you read enough articles about electric or hybrid vehicles, sooner or later you see references to ultra capacitors.  Ultra capacitors are currently widely used in many energy saving devices and have a bright future, including potentially replacing the standard battery.  Maxwell Technologies (stock symbol: MXWL) is one of several companies at the forefront of ultra capacitor technology.

First, a brief explanation of what an ultra capacitor is.  An ultra capacitor is simply a capacitor with significantly enhanced ability to collect and quickly, very quickly, discharge energy.  The charge/discharge cycle for an ultra capacitor can take only seconds.  Batteries, by comparison, have a low discharge rate of typically one to ten hours.  The ultra capacitors’ quick discharge and charge rate is accomplished by a special carbon coating that is applied to the two electrodes in the capacitor and then immersing the electrodes in an electrolyte.

Maxwell Technologies, based in San Diego, California, is a leading manufacturer of ultra capacitors.  Maxwell Technologies’ ultra capacitors are used in many green energy products such as providing burst power to control wind turbines, recapturing and storing recuperative breaking energy in hybrid drive vehicles and for quick acceleration.  In addition, their ultra capacitors provide cold start power for trucks, the energy to open aircraft doors in the event of power failure and back-up power supply for uninterruptable power sources.

Last year, Maxwell Technologies won a $1.7 million contract from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop along with the University of Massachusetts and the US Navy a “hybrid ultra cap” that combines ultra capacitors and batteries to store and quickly distribute energy and is light and small enough to be carried by soldiers in the field.  Since conventional batteries can store more energy at this time the hybrid approach is preferred. In addition to allowing a quicker discharge, an ultra capacitor also brings other advantages over a conventional battery.  One of several drawbacks of using conventional batteries is that after repetitive use they lose their ability to hold energy; they are slow to charge.  Also they work best in a narrow temperature range.  Ultra capacitors use a “mechanical” charge system instead of a “chemical” charge system and thus do not face these limitations.

For these reasons, a “hybrid ultra cap” is a step towards the Holy Grail for ultra capacitors, which is to increase their energy storing capacity and eventually replace batteries.  While this technology may be years away it holds tremendous promise for such areas as electric vehicles as well as many other applications and as such Maxwell Technologies is a company to keep your eye on as they continue to develop their ultra capacitor technology.

Disclaimer: This article is intended to be informative and should not be construed as personalized investment advice. You are responsible for your own investment decisions.

Disclosure: The author has no position in Maxwell Technologies and no plans to initiate a position in the next 72 hours.  
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