Organic Food The Way Ahead

Organic Movement ... Organic food was initially seen as a fad observed by the eccentric few, however today it has become more widespread...

Sustainable Agriculture ... The most important factors for an individual site are sun, air, soil and water. Of the four, water and soil quality and quantity are most amenable to human intervention through time and labour...

Genetically Modified Organism ... In 1986, field tests of bacteria genetically engineered to protect plants from frost damage (ice-minus bacteria) at a small biotechnology company called Advanced Genetic Sciences of Oakland, California, were repeatedly delayed by opponents of biotechnology. In the same year, a proposed field test of a microbe genetically engineered for a pest resistance protein by Monsanto Company was dropped...

Callisto (moon) ... Compounds detected spectroscopically on the surface include water ice, carbon dioxide, silicates, and organic compounds...

Motivations For Organic Agriculture ... Consumer surveys have consistently identified food quality as the main reason for purchasing organic food... Higher nutritional value, no toxic residues from pesticides, and better taste are often cited, as is the positive impact of organic production on the environment... Whether organic food actually delivers on these desires and beliefs is controversial and the subject of scientifically inconclusive debate...

Organic Food ... The weight of the available scientific evidence has not shown a significant difference between organic and more conventionally grown food in terms of safety, nutritional value, or taste... The organic farming movement arose in the 1940s in response to the industrialization of agriculture known as the Green Revolution...

Soil PH ... Below pH 4, H+ ions themselves damage root cell membranes. In soils with high content of Manganese (Mn) containing minerals, Manganese toxicity can become a problem at pH 5.6 and below...

Plant Breeding ... Plant breeding has been practiced for thousands of years, since near the beginning of human civilization. It is now practiced worldwide by individuals such as gardeners and farmers, or by professional plant breeders employed by organizations such as government institutions, universities, crop-specific industry associations or research centers...

Solar Cell ... Assemblies of solar cells are used to make solar modules which are used to capture energy from sunlight. When multiple modules are assembled together (such as prior to installation on a pole-mounted tracker system), the resulting integrated group of modules all oriented in one plane is referred to in the solar industry as a solar panel...

History Of Organic Farming ... Consciously organic agriculture (as opposed to traditional agricultural methods from before the inorganic options existed, which always employed only organic means) began more or less simultaneously in Central Europe and India... The British botanist Sir Albert Howard is often referred to as the father of modern organic agriculture... In Germany, Rudolf Steiner's development, biodynamic agriculture, was probably the first comprehensive organic farming system...

Organic Certification ... fertilizer, pesticides, antibiotics, food additives, etc.), genetically modified organisms, irradiation, and the use of biosolids; use of farmland that has been free from prohibited synthetic chemicals for a number of years (often, three or more); keeping detailed written production and sales records (audit trail); maintaining strict physical separation of organic products from non-certified products; undergoing periodic on-site inspections... In some countries, certification is overseen by the government, and commercial use of the term organic is legally restricted... Certified organic producers are also subject to the same agricultural, food safety and other government regulations that apply to non-certified producers...

Electric Vehicle ... Electric vehicles first came into existence in the mid-19th century, when electricity was among the preferred methods for motor vehicle propulsion, providing a level of comfort and ease of operation that could not be achieved by the gasoline cars of the time. The internal combustion engine (ICE) is the dominant propulsion method for motor vehicles but electric power has remained commonplace in other vehicle types, such as trains and smaller vehicles of all types...

Thin Film Solar Cell ... Thin-film solar cells are usually categorized according to the photovoltaic material used: Amorphous silicon (a-Si) and other thin-film silicon (TF-Si) Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) Copper indium gallium selenide (CIS or CIGS) Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) and other organic solar cells Possible combinations of Group-(XI, XIII, XVI) elements in the periodic table that yield a compound showing photovoltaic effect (Cu, Ag, Au | Al, Ga, In | S, Se, Te)...

Organic Farming And Biodiversity ... Theory suggests that organic farming practices, which exclude the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, would be beneficial for biodiversity, and this has proven true... Spanning all associated species, there is an average of 30% more on organic farms versus conventional farming methods... Modern organic farm practices such as the removal of pesticides and the inclusion of animal manure, crop rotation, and multi-cultural crops provides the chance for biodiversity to thrive...

Hydrogen Storage ... Most research into hydrogen storage is focused on storing hydrogen as a lightweight, compact energy carrier for mobile applications. Liquid hydrogen or slush hydrogen may be used, as in the Space Shuttle...

Solar Power In Israel ... With no oil reserves and the country's tenuous relations with its oil-rich neighbors, the search for a stable source of energy is a national priority. Solar technology in Israel has advanced to the point where it is almost cost-competitive with fossil fuels...

Organic Farming Methods ... Organic farming uses a variety of methods to improve soil fertility, including crop rotation, cover cropping, reduced tillage, and application of compost... By reducing tillage, soil is not inverted and exposed to air; less carbon is lost to the atmosphere resulting in more soil organic carbon... In contrast, organic farming tends to tolerate some pest populations while taking a longer-term approach...