Also discussed here: Personal N Footprint calculator
And here: N-Print
And here:
The natural equilibrium established between food creation and consumption is moderated by various forms of nitrogen in the land, air and water. Nitrogen also makes up the main emission from transportation and along with Particulate Matter is a major impact on health. By studying the nitrogen cycle as the review article today does, society can achieve this equilibrium in a sustainable way. The newly developed “N-Print” calculator provides a way for individuals to estimate their “Nitrogen Footprint” and find ways to reduce it, if need be.
Key Quotes:
“Of the N used to produce food, about 80% is lost before consumption, and the remainder is lost after consumption as human waste”
“nitrogen moves through the Earth’s atmosphere, forests, grasslands and waters causing a cascade of environmental changes that negatively impact both people and ecosystems. These changes include smog, acid rain, forest dieback, coastal ‘dead zones’, biodiversity loss, stratospheric ozone depletion and an enhanced greenhouse effect”
“the widespread use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer to boost crop production has resulted in excess nitrogen coming off farms -- essentially adding unwanted, unneeded fertilizer to our natural systems, with disastrous results. The combustion of fossil fuels adds even more nitrogen to our environment”
“Scientists are calling nitrogen pollution a major environmental problem that includes significant damage to air and water quality in places such as the Chesapeake Bay, where the federal government has dedicated hundreds of millions of dollars to reducing nitrogen runoff from farms and industry”
"Solving the nitrogen dilemma is a major challenge of our time.. By calculating our individual impact, and taking small steps to reduce it, we can all play a part”
“Nitrous oxide, created mostly from grain and meat production, is also a greenhouse gas 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide.”
Related articles
- New free, hands-on tool supports sustainable living choices (eurekalert.org)
- Web-based tool supports sustainable living choices (news.bioscholar.com)
- New free, hands-on tool supports sustainable living choices (nitrogen footprint measure) (jflahiff.wordpress.com)
- Scientist at Work: Where Has the Nitrogen Gone? (scientistatwork.blogs.nytimes.com)
- New tool calculates your nitrogen footprint and explains why you should be ashamed of it (grist.org)
- How have humans disturbed the Earth's Nitrogen cycle? (greenanswers.com)
- Environmental impact of animal waste (eurekalert.org)
- What is your nitrogen footprint? (wellnessdharma.wordpress.com)
- Understanding Freshwater Aquarium Chemistry (brighthub.com)
- Using Nitrifying Bacteria to Maintain a Healthy Aquarium (brighthub.com)
- Organic farming: is it useful? (bio230fall2010.wordpress.com)
- What do plants turn nitrogen into? (greenanswers.com)
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