The Department of Energy recently released two new reports that make one thing clear: We’re hitting record highs for U.S. wind energy production and manufacturing.
Wind energy is the fastest growing source of power in the United States — representing more than 40 percent of all new U.S. electric generation capacity in 2012. We’ve more than doubled wind and solar power generation in the past four years.
President Obama has made clear that the growth of clean, renewable wind energy is a critical part of his Climate Action Plan, and we’re committed to seeing wind energy production double once again.
Kenaf, should be the fibre crop of the 21st century, and hopefully explode into the market place for industrial products made from sustainable natural materials. Several multinational companies already use kenaf fibre in small, but growing quantities, in newly-marketed green products such as the Toyota Lexus and NEC mobile phones to replace environmentally-damaging materials.
Crucially, the green tag attached to kenaf is gaining more importance as people, companies and governments realize that the kenaf crop removes substantial amounts of CO2 and NO2 from the atmosphere and three to five times faster than forests with its deep roots improving the soil. Trees take many years to reach a harvestable size, however kenaf grown as an annual crop will reach a mature size in just 120 to 150 days after the seeds are sown, producing the largest biomass of any agricultural crop – far more than trees.
It can clean the environment efficiently and in some Japanese cities, kenaf is planted by the Government to improve the air quality. Kenaf will also greatly reduce our reliance on wood pulp and petroleum-based products. From construction board and concrete to plastic composites for mobile phones, from paper and light-weight, high-strength surfaces in aircraft to non woven industrial fabrics, from newspaper to absorbents for the oil industry. Commerce is waiting for the sustainable kenaf fibre in large quantities.
The kenaf plant is composed of multiple useful components (e.g. stalks, leaves, and seeds) and within each of these plant components there are various usable portions (e.g. fibres and fibre strands, proteins, oils, and allelopathic chemicals). What can’t be harvested can be used as Biomass fuel and fertilizer
Exciting New Technologies
In the past kenaf fibre production has been limited by the manual processing required to extract the fibres once the kenaf crop has been grown and harvested and the non-sustainable method of retting the fibres in rivers. New methods are now becoming available to process kenaf in volume providing a distinct advantage over existing processes, taking them to a new economical viability.
Green Planets and our partners intention is not to compete with other existing kenaf producers or processors, but to enlarge the industry and provide new opportunities for kenaf fibres. In most of the countries chosen, there are existing kenaf customers, we aim to enhance those relationships and the export routes for kenaf to developed nations. While at the same time create locally-owned hubs of agricultural excellence, kenaf business and community social support for the growers.
To find out more and how you can assist us, please contact us at www.kenaf@greenplanet.com
Kenaf is a crop of importance – to a world in need of it
This is for all DREAMers … not just Hispanic or Latinos
President Obama announced that the policy of prosecutorial discretion—which allows immigration agents to defer deportation of low-risk, non criminal undocumented immigrants—will be expanded to all DREAM eligible youth.This is a huge win for the immigration reform movement, and comes as a result of years of tireless mobilization and agitation by DREAMers, undocumented immigrants, and immigrants’ rights activists and politicians.
The expansion in policy means that effective today, there will be an immediate halt to all deportation proceedings for DREAMers, and all DREAMers who are already in deportation proceedings will get deferred action (lasting two years) and work permits, if they meet eligibility. Any DREAMer who meets the criteria can come forward and apply for deferred action and a work permit as well.
While this is an exciting moment for the immigration reform movement, it is not an ultimate victory. This policy expansion still does not provide a path to citizenship for DREAMers. There is still a dire need for a national DREAM Act. The struggle continues, and electing pro-DREAM champions into office this November is as important as it has ever been.
Here are some of the details of the new policy:
To be eligible you must
Be between 15 years or older and 30 years or younger may apply
Be in US for at least 5 (as of today, 6/15/12)
Have to have maintained continuous residence (relatively flexible interpretation)
There are no restriction on when you can apply (i.e. no window that closes after a year, for example) Grants of Deferred Application are for 2 years and are renewable Criminal Ineligibility: If you have been convicted of a felony, a serious misdemeanor or three minor misdemeanors not all stemming from same incident, then you are not eligible.
In June, we teamed up in Chicago with CREDO and the Other 98% to hold our first #NoKXL civil disobedience action against the Keystone XLtar sands pipeline. We earned national press coverage and helped push President Obama’s stance on climate change forward.
But we need to keep pushing until the pipeline is canceled.
This August, we’re taking our message straight to the State Department Building in DC as they consider whether or not to keep up their thoroughly bogus pro-KXL whitewashing — and we need your help to let the world know we’re coming.
Hundreds will be taking action in DC but those who can’t be there are crucial to making our message heard. Let’s coordinate our voices so that they echo through the halls of power.
Thank you for all you do to make this movement real.
a repost
Be a Seed for Change 
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