National Geographic really makes you think about the Earth. It is an amazing place. The most recent issue (November 2012) had an article on the blazing quick cheetah, which can sprint up to 65mph (105km/h) and cover 100 meters in 5.95 seconds. Usain Bolt can cover the same 100 meters in 9.58 seconds. There was also an article about how fire ants can clump together to create a raft that can stay afloat for weeks. The ants on the bottom breathe from air pockets created when bubbles form as they huddle together, and as many as 200,000 ants work together to make rafts of themselves up to 2 feet (0.61m) wide.
Then there was the uplifting story about what humans are doing to protect this amazing and still largely unknown planet. The ports of LA and Long Beach – comprising the largest port in the Western hemisphere have dramatically cut pollution and cleaned up their act. A combination of technology, new rules, cooperation, and an incentive to save fuel (money!) have produced the following impressive results:
-
Since 2005, diesel particulate emissions at the ports have been reduced by 73% overall.
-
15,000 cleaner running trucks – 25 of them electric – replaced older models and shaved emissions by 92%.
-
The world’s first hybrid tugboats resulted in 30% reduction in emissions. What’s more, these cleaner burning vessels are more powerful than their diesel forbearers.
-
Efficient rail engines halved the emissions from their exhaust pipes.
- Even new items such as cleaner gantry cranes, stacking cranes, and other equipment led to a 56% reduction in emissions from Cargo-handling equipment.
