Plant a Grass for Earth Day?

Looks like the grasslands of the Great Plains are good for something besides keeping the East and Left Coasts from going into the drink.  This is another reason for the interest in the perennial native grass called switchgrass for making ethanol.  My old biochemistry friend Gautam works on switchgrass research and his interesting work is noted in these articles: Scientists Turn Genetic Keys to Unlock Bioenergy in Switchgrass and Genetic Snapshots Help Brighten Switchgrass’s Future.

How About a Little Love for Prairies? - Lincoln Journal-Star

"A few years ago, a study published in the scientific journal Nature explained that environmentalists too often give too much credit to trees because they ignore what’s going on underground.

The root system of the natural prairie extends many feet deep underground — in some cases, as deep as 25 feet. 'Grasses are deceptively productive,' one researcher said. 'You don’t always see where all the carbon goes, so there is a misconception that wood species store more carbon. That’s not always the case.'"

Plant a Grass for Earth Day?

Looks like the grasslands of the Great Plains are good for something besides keeping the East and Left Coasts from going into the drink.  This is another reason for the interest in the perennial native grass called switchgrass for making ethanol.  My old biochemistry friend Gautam works on switchgrass research and his interesting work is noted in these articles: Scientists Turn Genetic Keys to Unlock Bioenergy in Switchgrass and Genetic Snapshots Help Brighten Switchgrass’s Future.

How About a Little Love for Prairies? - Lincoln Journal-Star

"A few years ago, a study published in the scientific journal Nature explained that environmentalists too often give too much credit to trees because they ignore what’s going on underground.

The root system of the natural prairie extends many feet deep underground — in some cases, as deep as 25 feet. 'Grasses are deceptively productive,' one researcher said. 'You don’t always see where all the carbon goes, so there is a misconception that wood species store more carbon. That’s not always the case.'"

Not My Problem, Man

Yet more nuclear industry cover-ups exposed.  So much for the myth of the modern and trouble-free Japanese nuclear industry. 

"Oh, everything looks bad if you remember it." - Homer Simpson (later, Alberto Gonzalez)

Reactor Customers Not Told of Faults with Critical Part - Japan Times

"Tohoku Electric and Chubu Electric said Monday that reactor control rods at their nuclear plants fell off in 1988 and 1991, respectively, but they did not report the mishaps to the government."

"The incidents at Tohoku and Chubu came to light following revelations last week that Hokuriku Electric Power Co. failed to report a criticality accident at its Shika plant's No. 1 reactor in Ishikawa Prefecture in 1999. That reactor was produced by Hitachi Corp.

The case resulted in a sustained, uncontrollable nuclear reaction for 15 minutes after three control rods came off during a checkup. No one was harmed in the incident, the power utility claimed."

Tepco Hid 7 1/2-hour Criticality Accident? - Japan Times

"Five dislodged control rods probably caused a 7 1/2-hour criticality accident at a Fukushima nuclear plant run by Tokyo Electric Power Co. in 1978, an internal probe by the utility and the reactor's builder, Toshiba Corp., revealed Thursday."

Toshiba Didn't Inform Power Companies About Reactor Trouble: Report - Market Watch

"'The electric power companies own the nuclear reactors once we hand them over. It's up to them to decide what to do about operational matters,' one of the officials said."

Not My Problem, Man

Yet more nuclear industry cover-ups exposed.  So much for the myth of the modern and trouble-free Japanese nuclear industry. 

"Oh, everything looks bad if you remember it." - Homer Simpson (later, Alberto Gonzalez)

Reactor Customers Not Told of Faults with Critical Part - Japan Times

"Tohoku Electric and Chubu Electric said Monday that reactor control rods at their nuclear plants fell off in 1988 and 1991, respectively, but they did not report the mishaps to the government."

"The incidents at Tohoku and Chubu came to light following revelations last week that Hokuriku Electric Power Co. failed to report a criticality accident at its Shika plant's No. 1 reactor in Ishikawa Prefecture in 1999. That reactor was produced by Hitachi Corp.

The case resulted in a sustained, uncontrollable nuclear reaction for 15 minutes after three control rods came off during a checkup. No one was harmed in the incident, the power utility claimed."

Tepco Hid 7 1/2-hour Criticality Accident? - Japan Times

"Five dislodged control rods probably caused a 7 1/2-hour criticality accident at a Fukushima nuclear plant run by Tokyo Electric Power Co. in 1978, an internal probe by the utility and the reactor's builder, Toshiba Corp., revealed Thursday."

Toshiba Didn't Inform Power Companies About Reactor Trouble: Report - Market Watch

"'The electric power companies own the nuclear reactors once we hand them over. It's up to them to decide what to do about operational matters,' one of the officials said."