Using Alternative Fuel Options

By: Darren Rieck

Whether or not gas prices stabilize to more affordable numbers, the price of petroleum is always going to be high. The U.S. has traditionally kept the price at the pump down, but as we have all seen over the past couple of years of occupying another nation and global warming, the cost of petroleum can be devastating. So what about using alternative fuels for transportation energy?

Alternative fuels defined.


According to the state of California, alternative fuels are vehicle fuels that aren't made from petroleum. This is not a new concept and has been shown to be possible at least as far back as the 1800's when Rudolf Diesel (yes, the inventor of the diesel engine) powered an engine on vegetable oil. And Henry Ford's first car was fueled by alcohol!

Several alternative vehicle fuels are available today. Depending on your location, there may be several that are close to your home. Here are some quick reviews of these fuel options:

Ethanol E85 (85 percent ethanol with 15 percent gasoline)


Ethanol (grain alcohol) is denatured motor fuel that is the same alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. Often made from corn or other agricultural crops like sugarcane, this renewable fuel source can be grown in fields and has less green house emissions when burned. Every fuel pump in Brazil now has an ethanol option for people to choose from.

Methanol M85 (85 percent methanol and 15 percent gasoline)


Often called wood alcohol, methanol can be made from biomass resources, coal or, more commonly, from natural gas, which is currently cheaper. Methanol has lower energy (BTU) levels than ethanol and gasoline, but offers just as much power and is the required fuel for race cars in such races as the Indianapolis 500. One of the dangers of methanol is that,though it burns cooler than gasoline, it is very difficult to detect a flame during daylight, and an accidental fire is hard to see.

Compressed natural gas (CNG)


Many buses in larger metropolitan cities now run on CNG, which is made up primarily of methane with other components including butane, propane and ethane and with trace amounts of water vapor. The clean burning natural gas is found underground and is compressed and then stored in high-pressure cylinders.

Electricity (Battery Powered)


Electric vehicles (EV) are not new either, asthe early 1900s had more electric cars on the road than gas powered. There were 50,000 electric vehicles on US roads at one point, as they were favored over the hard-to-start, noisy and smoky gas powered option. Then the refining process of gas became cheaper, and the old hand-cranked starters were replaced with electric starters. The internal combustion engine also drove for longer periods, and the lure of the EV was lost. The limited ability of batteries to store power is the main problem with current EV models.

Hydrogen


Currently in the experimental stage, this highly promising fuel source is nearly pollution-free and, when burned, results in heat and water vapor with no carbon dioxide. Most hydrogen is currently made from natural gas, but it can be made by splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen through electrolysis. The pitfall for using hydrogen is that it must be compressed and stored in cylinders, and, as a gas, it takes a great deal of volume...too much to be realistic at this point. Liquid hydrogen is more promising, but is very expensive.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG)


LNG is natural gas that has gone through liquefaction, a process that refrigerates the gas (at -260 degrees F), removing almost all of the water vapor and other gases. The process leaves a liquid that is over 98% pure methane.

Liquids made from coal


Gasoline and diesel can be made from coal, as can methanol and many other chemicals. Countries such as South Africa currently use this process, but these synthetic fuels are very expensive to produce compared to pumping from the ground.

Biodiesel


Everyday diesel engines can run on biodiesel with little or no modifications. This renewable fuel is biodegradable and made from either animal fat or plant oil, and it can be concocted by using waste oil from restaurants. Biodiesel has lower exhaust emissions than diesel fuel and is usually mixed with petroleum diesel in the most common form B20 (20% biodiesel, 80% diesel). Petroleum diesel is added to prevent biodiesel from gelling when temperatures drop. Biodiesel is available today in a limited, but growing supply. Of all alternative fuel options, biodiesel is best positioned to make its way into the mainstream dbecause it can be used immediately, and, because it includes petroleum, it will face the least resistance from oil companies.

Fitness is a key to Success

Though I work out most days of the week, I've never been one to follow the sport of bodybuilding. That may be surprising to many considering I have been working out at Muscle Beach in Venice, California a couple times each week from the early 90's on… and this is where the sport began.

To maintain its' historic roots with bodybuilders, each summer Muscle Beach comes alive with three big events that include a bodybuilding and figure models contest. In addition to being one of the sponsors, I help the promoter Joe Wheatley with the video of each of the events. The 2006 Labor Day show proved to be much bigger than anyone would have considered, but that was until the day before the show Arnold Schwarzenegger confirmed he would be guest speaker.

I have never been a big fan, but after all I do respect what he has accomplished and he is as well-known as any person on the planet. Not to mention HEALTHandFITNESS.com was a sponsor of the event and my job was to film the show which included the speech he was going to give.

Knowing he is an actor as well as the Governor, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. After he stepped on stage he began talking about how important health & fitness is to him and how he wants to impress his children to be health conscious. In addition, he attributed his success in not just bodybuilding, but acting, as well as becoming Governor of California and being a successful businessman to being healthy and fit.

I don't know if he can really attribute all of his success to health & fitness, but this was certainly the right crowd for that speech and they loved it. He did seem to be sincere about the importance of being healthy & fit though…and I have seen him riding his bike at the beach with his wife (Maria Shriver) and kids. But perhaps because I believe that fitness is an important part of my own successful endeavors and stress the importance of it to others, that part of the speech caught my attention.

Being fit helps a great deal to have a clear mind, allows time for reflection, gives energy, improves your mood, makes physical tasks easier, is positively reflected on by others and has many other benefits for long-term health. Our accomplishments may be more subtle to others than Arnold Schwarzeneggers’, but working out and exercising regularly will benefit each of us and can play a big part in reaching goals.

Fitness is definitely a key to success and this becomes more apparent over a lifetime. Thank you Arnold for attending our show and reminding us of the importance of that.

See Arnolds' Speech

See Joe Weiders' Speech

See the 2006 Labor Day Video

By: Darren Rieck

It used to be the main emphasis of environmental messages was the 3 R's (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), which in itself is a very important basic concept to sustainable living and improving the environment, but an abundance of tools can help you do your part. To prevent these from becoming a fad or just another phase in your life, the concept of being healthy both physically and for the long-haul is to use the following tools to construct a lifestyle based on these themes.

Instilling change by adopting easy to implement behaviors helps you internalize what is not just best for you, but for the world that supports you. Re-use and recycle are uncomplicated terms, as simple as understanding that a piece of paper is not one-sided and the back side can be written on as well. After both sides are used, put it aside to be recycled with other papers & paper products.

Concentrating on reducing, and start using less -- less of everything is where to begin. A common example of this would be going to a restaurant to pick-up food to go. Do you use the napkins or plastic forks that come with it? Do you need your container put in an outer bag? These ideas may not seem like they would make a big impact, but identifying these types of ideas helps you develop the mindset that allows you to review everyday occurrences that, over time, do make a difference.

Reducing your electrical use by turning off unnecessary lights or the TV rumbling in the background probably won't take any inches off your waist, but it does get the cycle started to ways that will. Reduce your driving: it goes without saying that if you drive a car or SUV that is a gas guzzler, you can always change cars. Regardless of the type of car you drive, if you use it less and start walking or biking more, you are guaranteed to lose weight. You will also feel better by becoming more active and by knowing you are doing your part.

Using a motor scooter won't burn more calories, but you will use much less gas and have more fun traveling to your destination. Another fundamental and necessary commitment is to use more alternative fuels when you do gas-up. For more information on getting off oil and the reasons to, look for the next article in this series.

What is Environmental Health? (Part 2 Article Series)

By: Darren Rieck

We are hearing a great deal in the news about the environment and global warming. Just to make sure the basics of the environment and health are understood, the following information should be helpful. After all, it doesn't do a great deal of good to try to be healthy and fit when the air, water and soil have been contaminated and can make you ill over years of being exposed to it. And because it does take years of exposure to be affected, the problems are not immediately noticed.


Pew Environmental Health Commission Definition:

"Environmental health comprises those aspects of human health, including quality of life, that are determined by interactions with physical, chemical, biological and social factors in the environment. It also refers to the theory and practice of assessing, correcting, controlling and preventing those factors in the environment that may adversely affect the health of present and future generations".


That is a broad definition, but basically the air, water and soil are the areas of concern, and each is unique in its presence, but each directly affects the others as well. Long-term studies of laboratory animals have repeatedly shown that exposure to thousands of man-made chemicals has negative impacts including compromised immune systems, cancers, reproductive harm, birth defects, and more. Now that these chemicals have been manufactured, and especially since the 1970's chemical revolution, the results are in --increased cancer for all industrialized, modern nations. These chemicals have worked their way into the air, water and soil that comprise our environment.


The Air:

Volatile chemicals and particulates (air-born physical matters), which may be in any form from vapors to dust, originate either from paints, lubricants, petroleum or other home & manufacturing (also building) based products. The manufacturing and use of these products create substances that are lighter than air or light enough that they hang in the air for long periods of time. Before traveling high into the atmosphere because they are so light, vapors can affect those using them and end up affecting the ozone layer which protects the earth from overexposure to ultra-violet rays.

Those particulate matters that are heavier than air may be inhaled by humans, build-up on the soil, or enter into the water after making their descent. Those that land on soil can end up back in the air or can be transported by rain and may end up in the water where they travel into municipal systems or build up as silt in rivers, lakes and oceans.


The Water:

The chemicals that get into our water ways can be water soluble and mix with the water or they can remain residues or plumes on or in the water. The particulates that become silt may affect the ph of the water or possibly build up enough to redirect water flows. When it rains, chemicals and particulates in the air come back down to the soil or water, often ending up in the water and affect all water consumed, no matter where the source of drinking water.

Even if water is filtered at the source, all drinking water is affected by environmental pollutants including the water that livestock at farms consume. All aquatic life as well are affected by the water they live in; these chemicals become part of them or affect their health.

The Soil:

Chemicals and particulates can end up on the soil and get back into the air or water. If the soil is in contact with ground water, the water can be affected by chemicals leaching into it or the water can move chemicals to other areas of the soil increasing the affected areas. This process can last for years as new water comes into contact with contaminated soils; though levels continually subside, if it is a chemical that is extremely dangerous then even very small amounts have negative health affects on all life that contacts it.

Another consideration is that all of our food, with the exception of sea food, either grows in the soil or is consumed by an animal that is eating this food. Chemicals affect the growth or become part of the plant that survives in it.

Though this is a very simplified explanation, it is no wonder that the direct affects on humans from chemicals and particulates often take years or possibly generations to become health concerns, but eventually we will have to pay the consequences for their use. Besides being lucky, the only other way to protect yourself is to limit your exposure to these substances by becoming informed on ways to avoid overexposure. And, keeping in mind that if these chemicals can affect our health, think how they may affect the earths' health. We only have one chance to review the long-term study of how the use and disposal of these chemicals may be killing the planet, and we are living that experiment.

Environmentalism is the new Fashion

Who would've thunk it? After spending my youth being physically fit and the majority of my adult life promoting fitness with an emphasis on the environment and health, these topics now lead news headlines.

Obesity, due to lack of fitness & dietary options, and the deteriorating environment, due to the lack of support from the powers that be, have left not just the US, but the whole world in a state desiring change. After getting my degree in the Health Sciences (University of Cincinnati) and then becoming an environmental specialist (UC Santa Barbara) I began writing articles, poetry and a book (25andUp.com) -- all of which work to integrate fitness with health and the environment. I learned from childhood exposure to these concepts and later through formal education and working in the petroleum industry how these three elements are so intertwined and interdependent. People who worried about these problems were usually shunned or pigeon-holed as a freaky minority. The tide is changing as these easily understood concepts become mainstreamed into our living quarters while global warming and our own habits are reminders of how we are negatively influencing the earth and promoting these undesirable conditions.

Perhaps it is a result of a recent governmental study (U.S. Climate Change Science Program) that implicitly states that humans are impacting global warming, which has increased the core temperature of the earth by 1 degree over the last century. Or, perhaps it is a movie that was released in which Al Gore (An Inconvenient Truth) reveals the ravishing impact that global warming is having on our weather patterns and the resulting influence on our environment. Instead, maybe it is the war in Iraq that has proven how important foreign oil is to the US economy and how far the US will go to get that oil.

Possibly, the price of gas at your local intersection has fueled the realization that petroleum is a very expensive natural commodity and the true price is now being revealed. If the price of gas also included the cost of what it will take to fix all that those emissions have done to our air, water & land or to even begin to cover the health impact fossil fuels have had on each of us, the price would be even greater. More likely, the reality that the environment and the negative impacts of pollution are now on everyone’s mind is due to a combination of each of the above undeniable realities.

We have waited to start making adjustments until it is possibly too late. All of the denials of the obvious or to the contrary will no longer be tolerated as we look for more money to be made available for health and environmental ingenuity and leadership in the near future. Alternatives to our accepted bad habits including fuels and gas-guzzling vehicles will be more readily available and convenient as long as the public remains aware and demands these alternatives without compromise. After all, the US has always been a leader in innovation while also bringing new concepts to market. And this one is long overdue.

Finally, environmentalism is now fashionable.

By: Darren Rieck

I have to admit some people may think of it as odd, but I don't own a TV. In fact, it has been 10 years since I gave my dust-ridden set away and 15 years or so since I virtually stopped watching it. That's not to say I haven't watched big ball games with friends or viewed a show now and again, but the captivation of the screen has not been compelling enough to lure me back on any regular basis.

During a recent overnight trip however, I found myself surfing the channels seeking a basketball playoff game at my hotel room. It was one of the rare occasions when my overworked notebook was left home as I had decided to give it a well deserved night off. Though there were many channels to review, I couldn't find the game on any of them. Frustrated that I wasn't going to be amazed by watching giants leaping through air while defenders tried to block the rock from going into the hole, I picked up the dumbbells I travel with and started pumping.

The hotel room had a spectacular view of a deserted pool that overlooked a large, dark parking lot. This didn't offer a great deal of entertainment value while I lifted the weights. I opted to leave the TV on as I got a couple of sets in. The show appeared to be about 3 women roommates sharing a house, and they didn't appear to do more than tolerate each other. When one of the women’s boyfriend came by, I realized he must live there as well. Not giving the show all of my attention and with the volume down, it took some time before I realized he was married to all three of the roommates, who were actually his wives!

Now as far as I remembered this practice has long-since been dropped by religions that allowed polygamy and was against the law throughout the U.S.. If it wasn't just entertainment, which, by the way, was on early enough for all ages to be part of the audience, I might have taken the time to find out if it is still allowed in some states.

I changed the channel only to find that nothing else provided was of any greater interest. I would just wait until the popular show that was on after it,and that I was familiar with, came on. I know the name of the weekly series, but it isn't worth the effort to check the spelling of a show almost everyone knows of. It features a mafia man hiding his illegal existence from his family while he confides in a shrink.

Anyway, by the time I flipped back to the correct channel, the show was already well underway, but something was different. Expecting to see someone fighting or getting shot, to my amazement, there was a short intimate scene of two guys kissing in bed. This couldn't be the right channel I thought to myself, but after a quick check, I found that it was the correct program before I turned the set off.

Well, I guess some things have changed, but the bottom line is that the content remains mindless as well as probably inappropriate for younger viewers who would be watching a popular show before 10 pm. Once again, I was reminded of why I stopped watching TV many years ago and decided instead to spend this time more productively and working on matters that free up my time for exercise and activity.

The next morning I got a hearty chuckle when I noticed the bumper sticker on the car in front of me that said "Kill Your TV". Some things really shouldn't change.

Stop the Aging Process

By: Darren Rieck

The older we get the faster life seems to pass us by: years become months, months turn into weeks, and yet another week just passes by. We try to fit as much as we can into our day, only to realize there's just not enough time to get it all done.

Whether you are older or younger, I guarantee you will look in the mirror one day and just be amazed at how much older you look than you remembered. As baby boomers reach the 40's - 60's, this may be more frequently noticed, as youthfulness is the closest to youth as it gets.

Stopping the aging process is not possible, but slowing it down is. Every mammal from the whale to the mouse is given approximately the same number of heart beats, as strange as that may sound. The difference in life spans is due to how quickly these beats are used up. Whales have very slow heart beats, which accounts for their long existence, and mice have rapid beats, which is why they expire so quickly.* Accidents and stressful events can rob us from living long periods of time, but the biggest culprit is of our own design.
Lifestyles and daily habits are the main difference between the health of one human compared to another. Living a healthier, more active life will, in general, offer an individual a longer stay on this earth. But how do you maintain or retain youth?

Breaking this down logically, one of the easiest ways to speed up aging is to have a highly stressful existence. Every attempt should be made to limit the stress in your life. In order to tackle this issue, each of us must recognize the most stressful conditions we face personally and then limit our exposure. Understanding your stressors is the first step toward lessening them. The next step, after you know what stresses you the most, is to eliminate or minimize them, which, unfortunately, in most cases may not be possible. Getting a different job or divorcing your spouse is more realistic than it may originally appear, but they are not the options most would accept.

The next best decision is to improve your ability to live with these issues, which will be dramatically improved by concentrating on your health, which is within your control. This includes eating a proper diet and getting more exercise. Making sure you get complete nutritional requirements will assist your body’s natural defense system to deal with the effects of stress. Taking a high quality vitamin pack each day can help to assure your nutrition.

The best defense against stress, and to slow down the overall aging process, is being active. Yes, exercise is the key to increasing youthfulness and combating the negative aspects of stress. The body's cardiovascular and muscular systems flush out the old and bring in the new on a cellular level as these systems are forced to exert themselves. The body heats up, and sweat excretes what is released out of the body, removing elements that cause these systems to deteriorate when idle. Your skin is moisturized and replenished through this process as well, which helps keep a more youthful appearance. Over time, this continual maintenance through regular activity helps to slow down the aging process.

Other Tips:
Drink several glasses of water each day.
Watch less TV.
Walk More.
Drive Less.
Don't Smoke.
Use alternatives to prescriptions when available.
Get 6-8 hours of sleep each night.


* Stress increases your heart-rate without having positive affects like exercise. Exercise increases your heart-rate while doing the activity, but over time decreases your resting heart-rate if the exercise is regular.