Feature:

• “Powering up with poop and plants” Old ideas are steering new thinking on alternative fuels. http://www.go-explore-trans.org/2008/sep-oct/biofuels.cfm

Departments:

• “Build it: Tomorrow’s bridge, today” http://www.go-explore-trans.org/2008/sep-oct/build_dept.cfm
• “Mystery photo” http://www.go-explore-trans.org/2008/sep-oct/mystery_dept.cfm
• “School spotlight: Study biorenewable fuels in Iowa community colleges” http://www.go-explore-trans.org/2008/sep-oct/school_dept.cfm

Ha!

I’ll post my new draft later. Here is my not-to-be-published article:

Are biofuels really a sustainable alternative?

Al Gore’s documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.” Target’s promotional campaign: “Smart Choices for You and the Environment.” Chevron’s two-and-a-half minute commercial spot on the “power of human energy.”

Gore, Target, and Chevron are a short, representative list of diverse and influential personalities and corporations jumping on the environmental bandwagon. The message, more often than not, is that humans are having a negative impact on environmental patterns, but also have the power to stop, and even reverse, this impact.

Since the industrial revolution we have been harnessing fossil fuels as our primary energy source. Recently however, all-time-high oil prices and increased global conflict over oil resources have spurred research and development in the field of alternative energy. One such alternative that is gaining popularity and governmental support is biofuels.

We already know that we need an alternative energy source – fossil fuels are non-renewable and take millions of years to develop. But the question is whether it’s possible to develop manufacturing processes and infrastructure that would make biofuels a sustainable alternative.

The benefits

Advocates for biofuels cite many reasons why they’re a preferable alternative to fossil fuels. First, biofuels can supplement traditional energy sources without changing current infrastructure. Biogas can be developed to natural gas standards and distributed through current pipelines. Bioethanol and biodiesel are already blended with gasoline and running in traditional internal combustion engines. And Brazil has proven that with minor adjustments, vehicles can use any percent blend of ethanol and gasoline. Some cars can even run on 100 percent ethanol.

In light of recent environmental concerns, especially global warming, reducing human contributions to greenhouse gases, which are responsible for maintaining the earth’s temperature, is a key benefit. Biofuels are also thought to help reduce air pollution, which is responsible for smog, respiratory diseases, and a host of other problems.

Biofuels are considered to be “carbon neutral.” This means that plants extract approximately the same amount of carbon from the air while they are growing as the amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) released into the air when biofuels are burned. This is important because carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, and too much CO₂ in the atmosphere means increased temperatures.

Unlike fossil fuels, biofuels do not damage the soil or groundwater if there is a spill or an accident; they dissolve in water, don’t cause cancer, and can be broken down by microorganisms.

Another advantage of biofuels production is that farming communities producing biofuel feedstock can potentially utilize less productive land by planting energy crops such as perennial grasses, plants, and woody shrubs. One example is switchgrass, which would be low maintenance because it’s resistant to many pests and diseases, does not require a lot of fertizer, and is tolerant of poor soils, flooding, and drought.

The production of bioenergy crops in addition to traditional crops, and the harvesting of both the grain and the plant residue (also called biomass: the “left-over” plant material, such as corn husks and cobs), would allow farmers to tap into new income sources. Farmers would benefit from increased prices for traditional crops as a result of increased demand for biomass as a feedstock for biofuels.

…and risks

Despite all the benefits, biofuels aren’t without drawbacks and critics argue that “benefits” such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions aren’t likely to continue with current production processes.

Only biofuels made from waste biomass or from biomass grown on abandoned agricultural land offer immediate and sustained greenhouse gas advantages. However, because the world population is booming and many nations are increasing their overall energy consumption, non-agricultural lands would have to be converted to support increased biomass production for a commercial biofuels industry.

A study by Joseph Farigone (of The Nature Conservancy) and others, entitled “Land Clearing and Biofuel Carbon Debt,” reported that “biofuels, if produced on converted land, could, for long periods of time, be much greater net emitters of greenhouse gases than the fossil fuels that they typically displace.”

The study explained that soils and plants together hold about three times more carbon than is found in the atmosphere. If native ecosystems are cleared for biomass production, then the vegetation that was serving as carbon storehouses will decay and release those stores into the air. The majority of biofuels resulting from converted land for biomass production “would generate greater GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions for at least half a century,” while some would take “centuries” to repay their carbon debt.

Another concern, related to the conversion of native ecosystems to agricultural lands, is monocultures. Inevitably, they would develop because of the great demand for biofuel feedstock. There would be vast tracts of land dedicated to cereals, and sugar and oil plants. These monocultures would decrease biodiversity and deplete soils of nutrients. And in tropical parts of the world, demand for more land might lead to rainforest clearance.

In the short term, at least as far as grain-fed biofuels are concerned, critics also express concern about the possibility of increased food prices. Grain prices could be driven higher because of scarcity as a result of buyers representing the biofuels industry offering more money per yield than representatives of the food industry. And since corn and soybeans (crops used for biofuels) are widely distributed in our food supply, you would see even steeper price increases than you’re already seeing when you go to the grocery store.

Production factors

Currently, the biofuels industry is non-standardized. This means there is a broad variety of biofeedstock used, which is grown with varying expenses related to land use and salaries. There is also a diversity of sizes and costs associated with production plants. Adding subsidies (meaning financial support from the government) to the mix makes determining production costs for biofuels a convoluted mess.

There is no doubt, however, that first-generation biofuel production methods are costlier than processing petroleum products. In 2006, Bank Sarasin, of Switzerland, released a market investment analysis framed through the lens of sustainability. In that analysis, they reported that first-generation biofuels cost more to produce than fossil fuels. Depending on feedstock and production processes, biodiesel costs approximately 1.5-3 times more to produce than mineral diesel, and bioethanol costs about 1.5 times more to produce than gasoline.

Second-generation biofuels

What this means is that, if we want cheaper fuel (like the $1.30 I used to pay) that’s more environmentally-friendly, then second-generation biofuels need to undergo more research and development so they can become a commercially viable alternative to fossil fuels.

In June of this year, the U.S. Department of Energy reported:

“The next generation of biofuels-cellulosic-made from switchgrass, corn stover, wood chips and other non-food sources promises even more significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions than corn-based ethanol – reductions of more than 86 percent compared with gasoline.”

Such reductions would go a long way in allaying concerns about global warming and realizing a sustainable-energy future. Al Gore sure would be happy.

Grants for Research Fellowship

TITLE OF PROJECT: Inform High schools, Community Colleges, Universities and Organizations about Transportation Careers via Go! Magazine.

SPONSOR: Office of Professional and Corporate Development

LENGTH OF ASSIGNMENT: 12 months

DISCIPLINES: English/Journalism/Public Relations

PREREQUISITES: Master’s Candidate

BACKGROUND: This assignment is funded by the Office of Professional and Corporate Development (OPCD) Federal Highway Administration. The OPCD administers programs of training and education and the international transfer of technology in accordance with FHWA responsibilities. Most of these programs are directed to state and local transportation agencies in the U.S. This position is being established to assist the OPCD to strengthen and expand the transportation work force in the U.S. This assignment will be carried out at Iowa State University where the primary duties will be to research and write articles for Go!, a teen magazine about careers in transportation, and assist with marketing Go!.

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT: The assignment will include

• Researching and writing assigned articles about transportation-related topics for a primary audience of young people ages 14-20 and a secondary audience of their teachers, guidance counselors, and parents.
• Interviewing transportation professionals for articles and learning more about their transportation workforce needs.
• Assisting with marketing efforts to students, teachers, guidance counselors, librarians, parents, and transportation professionals. This may include speaking at high school career events and professional transportation events.
• Working 20 hours per week.

ACADEMIC CREDIT: Internship credit may be available through a student’s home department.

.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES: The assignment will

• Increase awareness among young people, teachers, guidance counselors, librarians, and parents of the variety of professional and technical challenges and opportunities in the transportation industry.
• Through day to day contacts, enhance and strengthen ties between educators and the transportation community.

EVALUATION: The assignment requires

• A quarterly report setting forth accomplishments and next quarter expectations.
• A final report, suitable for presentation to a national conference, setting forth results of a reader and sponsor survey/focus group and paving the way for more productive collaboration between government agencies, academic institutions, the private sector, and associations.

TECHNICAL ADVISOR:

Clark Martin
Team Leader, Affiliate Programs
Office of Professional and Corporate Development
Federal Highway Administration
703 235 0547
clark.martin@fhwa.dot.gov

Below is an article I did research for. I wrote and edited 6 drafts, but the final print article, while containing all my research, is so re-organized that I cannot really claim the byline.

Eric photographed the poster on it’s stand at the competition in a mall in Washington, D.C.

The article:

Given the current state of national affairs in light of Sept. 11, security awareness is becoming a pervasive part of everyday life for employees in all modes of work, but needs special emphasis for transportation workers.

The U.S. highway infrastructure includes 46,717 miles of Interstate highway, and 3,916,549 miles of other National Highway System roads and state, local, and privately maintained roads.

Considering the nation’s 7,514 miles of shared border, as well as 95,000 miles of shoreline and 3.4 million square miles of exclusive economic zones, there are significant difficulties in determining how to comprehensively implement a systems approach to transportation security.

In a time of increased potential threats, the U.S. economy is almost entirely dependent on the security of transportation infrastructure. Besides vulnerable structures of significant historical, cultural, and economic value that are accessible to vehicles without security screening, trucks carrying commodities and hazardous materials are often vulnerable as well because of lax security measures.

The motor carrier freight industry, represented by 15.5 million trucks supported by 9.7 million workers, is responsible for 75 percent of transported commodities in the U.S. The transport of grains, livestock, natural energy sources and metals are all dependent upon the security of the freight industry infrastructure.

Likewise, maritime security is also critical to protect the nation’s sources of food and minerals, and to protect avenues for international commerce.

Following is an overview of systems security for transportation workers, as well as recommendations for training opportunities.

Defining systems security for transportation workers

Systems security entails establishing operating principles with the intent of reducing security vulnerabilities without placing undue economic burdens on transportation systems.

Characteristics of systems security

• Systems security emphasizes prevention of crime, vandalism, and threats of terrorism.
• Data collection and analysis are an integral part of establishing operating principles for and between different modes of transportation at international, national, regional, and local levels.
• The focus of systems security is on ensuring safety for passengers, employees and property.

Components of systems security

• Risk – Probability that a security incident might occur must be assessed.
• Threat – Any potential conditions that would allow for incidence of crime, vandalism, or terrorism must be evaluated in light of the probability an incident might occur
• Vulnerability – Conditions that could be realized in light of possible threats should be determined.

Components of comprehensive systems security training

• Defining employees’ security roles and responsibilities in reducing vulnerability
• Emphasizing the importance of establishing good “housekeeping” routines
• Developing methods for routine and systematic re-evaluations of security risks, threats, and vulnerabilities
• Developing an emergency response protocol specific to higher-probability situations employees might encounter

The National Transit Institute (NTI), at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is offering a course that “focuses on providing transportation department employees, supervisors, and managers with practical knowledge and skills that will help them effectively carry out their responsibilities concerning operational and infrastructure security.”

NTI provides the instructor and student materials free of charge to all U.S. transportation organizations. The requesting organization must provide the location and audio-visual equipment. The course can be delivered directly to the target audience by NTI instructors or as a train-the-trainer session, with a minimum class size of approximately 20.

An NTI System Security Awareness Course request form is available at: http://security.transportation.org/sites/security/docs/NTIAwarenessForm.pdf.

For more information about the program, contact Renee Haider, 732-932-1700 ext. 223, rhaider@nti.rutgers.edu.

Back:

After six drafts, this is the story that will not run:

Iowa cities and counties are required by state law to manage roadside vegetation and improve travel safety, roadside aesthetics, and native ecosystems. Iowa’s Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management (IRVM) program assists cities and counties with roadside management. The IRVM program is designed to “preserve, plant, and maintain Iowa’s roadsides to be safe, visually interesting, ecologically integrated, and useful for many purposes.”

Roadside Managers

Responsible for developing and directing plans that help to preserve and improve Iowa’s roadsides are roadside managers, who play a significant role in local roadside management programs at the city and county level. To date, nearly half of Iowa’s 99 counties have full-time roadside managers. Besides improving travel safety for the public, these managers are also responsible for regulating roadside ecology, which might have an impact on adjacent farming communities. Roadside managers are also responsible for developing and maintaining native ecosystems.

[Breakout-box]

Roadside managers perform many services counties must provide for the public.

• Roadside weed control
• Tree and brush clearing
• Reseeding after construction projects
• Maintaining equipment
• Responding to weed complaints
• Writing grants obtaining state funds for seed and equipment
• Giving public presentations strongly representing county efforts
• Educating landowners to gain their support and cooperation
• Serving as habitat chair for local Pheasants Forever chapters
• Protecting and managing roadside prairie remnants

[End breakout-box]

Native vegetation

Re-developing native ecosystems, which includes planting grasses, native wildflowers (forbs), and legumes from Iowa’s native prairie, helps to reduce unnecessary herbicidal spraying activity. Besides being best-suited to local growing conditions, an advantage of having a diversity of native plants is that such communities provide better winter and nesting cover. They are also better sources of food for more species of game and songbirds.

There are safety-related advantages as well. Tall prairie grass species help trap blowing snow and mitigate dangerous winter-driving conditions. Many of these species have deep, fibrous roots, which help to reduce runoff by providing for greater infiltration of storm water. Such species also prevent soil erosion, crowd out weeds, and increase drought tolerance.

Cities and counties are also responsible for determining mowing and spraying intervals, which differ in each area of the state, in order to control invasive species. To do this careful coordination between mowing and spraying programs is necessary to ensure optimal results. For help determining the best mowing and spraying intervals in your area, Kirk Henderson, Tallgrass Prairie Center, can be contacted for further information. His contact information is listed below.

For counties interested in starting an IRVM program, visit the “Getting Started” section of the Iowa’s IRVM Web site at www.uni.edu/irvm.

Funding and grants

To help with expenses associated with establishing an IRVM, The Living Roadway Trust Fund has made grants available to cities and counties that adopt an IRVM plan. These grants are issued to help conduct an inventory of roadside conditions within a county, and to obtain prairie grass and wildflower seed for roadside plantings. There are additional grants available to counties who hire roadside managers. Such funds are designated to help pay for equipment, storage facilities, research, education and outreach materials.

The deadline for applying to the Living Roadway Trust Fund is August 31. Applications are available at www.Iowalivingroadway.com. For more information contact Steve Holland at the Iowa Department of Transportation, (515) 239-1768, steven.holland@dot.iowa.gov.

For additional information about county IRVM programs, contact Kirk Henderson, County IRVM program manager:

Kirk Henderson, Tallgrass Prairie Center, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0294, (319) 273-2813, kirk.henderson@uni.edu

Iowa’s IRVM program is presently coordinated by The Tallgrass Prairie Center, previously known as The Native Roadside Vegetation Center, at the University of Northern Iowa.

SIDEBAR:

Timely mowing is an important aspect of any vegetation management program, which helps control tree and brush growth, and reduce invasive species and snow drifting. Reducing incidences of animal-related collisions is another possible benefit.

Safety education for mower operators is an important and rewarding responsibility for local agencies. Following are some tips to help you increase mowing operations safety and efficiency.

Alert road users to mower operations

• Key to operator safety is public awareness of mower operations. A “Mowing Ahead” (or similar warning) sign used in advance of the work zone on the right-of-way will help alert drivers about mowing operations.

Inspect work area & identify risks

• Before operating equipment, workers should examine the work area and identify and remove potential projectile objects that could endanger passers-by, operators, and damage mowers. Obstacles such as tree stumps or culvert ends should be marked with flags that can be easily identified by the mower operator.
• More than half of mower-related accidents result from rolling the machine because an operator attempted an unnecessary risk of mowing on uneven ground or a dangerously steep slope. To prevent such risks, always follow manufacturers’ recommendations for working on slopes. Risk is also minimized when mowers are equipped with a rollover protective structure and a seat belt.

Evaluate equipment regularly

• All equipment should be evaluated at the start of each work day to ensure proper working conditions. Regular inspections and maintenance are critical to public and operator safety as well as equipment operation and service life.
• Personal protective gear should also be inspected regularly, and repaired or replaced as necessary. Protective gear such as hard hats, ear protection, heavy gloves and boots should always be worn properly to minimize operations-related risks.
• Supervisors should be notified when potential work-zone hazards or un-safe operating practices are identified.

Role of support vehicles, when needed

• Support vehicles play an important role in improving work-zone safety for mower operators by alerting the public to vegetation management activities, cleaning up debris, and pruning and weed whacking areas difficult and un-safe for mower operators to reach.

Formal training

• Workshops presenting safety tips and recommendations for mowing operations are being scheduled for 2008. Contact the Iowa LTAP Program at CTRE for more information on this valuable training opportunity for mower operators:

Iowa LTAP/CTRE
2711 S. Loop Drive, Suite 4700
Ames, IA 50010
Phone: 515-294-8103
FAX: 515-294-0467

A poster I designed for Eric Fitzsimmons, a graduate civil engineering student, for a design competition. If he wins, he gets $5,000 in his bank account. He said he has to have research material to present, but most of the competition hinges on design.