Resource: Engineering & Technology for a Sustainable World articles from April 2006

Resource: Engineering & Technology for a Sustainable World archives from April 2006

On being green and green.(Reader Forum)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... In response to Allen Zimmerman's inspired and skillfully worded Last Word (Resource, March 2006), let me assure reader-ship that headquarters is quite green--in the typical "color-pallet" meaning of the word. After a long-needed, fresh coat of...

Burgers by the breeze.(Reader Forum)
April 1, 2006... I saw Dr. Fischer and colleagues' article on wind power in the March issue of Resource and wanted to take a moment to tell ASABE a little bit about what The Holland, Inc. is doing with wind power. The Holland is the parent company to...

Reducing dairy odor emissions.(Update)
April 1, 2006... Simple modifications of current management practices can lead to dramatic improvements in odor emissions from dairy farms, says a South Dakota State University (SDSU) specialist. "Dietary modifications that result in reduced ammonia...

Purdue exhibit explains nanotechnology.(Update)
April 1, 2006... Something really small has gotten really big in science, and Purdue University is working to help people understand it. Nanotechnology uses particles as small as atoms and molecules to create new materials, structures, devices, and systems....

Amazon's black soil could change poor soil into fertile ground.(Update)
April 1, 2006... The search for El Dorado in the Amazonian rainforest might not have yielded pots of gold, but it has led to unearthing a different type of gold mine: some of the globe's richest soil that can transform poor soil into highly fertile ground. ...

Agriculture provides many environmental benefits.(Update)
April 1, 2006... When people hear the word agriculture, most think of food. But the benefits of agriculture are much more than farm fresh corn or dairy products. Now scientists are investigating how farmers can manage their land to offer everyone more...

Growing better nursery plants.(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... A new monitoring system is teaching researchers and nursery growers how to grow better trees and horticultural plants using more precise, efficient, and safe applications of water, nutrients, and pesticides. The system is the brainchild of...

Wireless "wear and tear" sensor to predict mechanical breakdowns.(Update)
April 1, 2006... Sensors which are able to predict when mechanical parts in machinery and transport will break down before they actually do could be introduced by 2010, slashing maintenance costs across the manufacturing, automotive, and plant machinery...

Waste management system solves several major problems.(Update)
April 1, 2006... University of Florida (UF) researchers have developed a manure management system that produces energy, saves valuable nutrients for fertilizer, cuts greenhouse gas emissions, and stops offensive odors. "Our innovative animal manure...

Combine combat online game.(Update)
April 1, 2006... Looking for a little friendly combine competition? John Deere is sponsoring a fun Agriculture Online[R] game that lets players navigate a combine by harvesting a field. By using the keyboard's arrow keys, players can quickly outpace the Rowdy...

Watching like a hawk: GPS Herd Activitiy and Welfare Kit developed.
April 1, 2006... Precision agriculture has become more than traditional variable-rate seed and fertilizer, crop-yield maps, and light bars. As technologies become more robust, compact, and economical, more opportunities become available to quantitatively...

Healing in a fire's aftermath; Engineered WoodStraw[TM]: effective, new erosion-control product.(wildfires damage reports)
April 1, 2006... According to the National Interagency Fire Center, each year for the last six years, an average of 78,000 wildfires have burned 1.7 million ha (4.3 million acres) in the United States. The human response to those fires varies greatly: some are...

Living with water-runoff regs: California's Central Coast growers must monitor and reduce contaminants.
April 1, 2006... Growers in the Central Coast area of California are facing new regulations on monitoring water runoff from their fields. The regulations imposed by the Regional Water Quality Control Board, which is part of the California Environmental...

Examining geothermal energy: geo*ther*mal adj. having to do with the heat of the earth's interior.
April 1, 2006... Geothermal energy is used in three separate types of applications that utilize very different technologies. Two of these applications--heat pumps and direct use--are thermal applications, while the third type is used for generating electrical...

Noble Blade Cultivator dedicated as ASABE Historic Landmark.(NEWS ABOUT THE SOCIETY AND ITS MEMBERS)
April 1, 2006... The Noble Blade Cultivator was dedicated as the 46th ASABE Historical Landmark on Sept. 24, 2005 in Nobleford, Alberta, Canada. The dedication was held in conjunction with the ASABE Pacific Northwest Section's 60th Annual Regional Conference....

Worried about identity theft? A new benefit for members.(American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers )
April 1, 2006... Fifteen million Americans had their identities stolen last year. Will you be next? Because ASABE cares about you--and members of your family--we have partnered with LifeLock to protect your personal identity from the fastest growing crime...

Help us grow--recruit a member today.(American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers membership )(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Know a colleague or friend who would benefit from ASABE membership? Refer them to us and we will make it worth your while. ASABE's Member-Get-A-Member Recruitment program is simple. If you refer someone who joins ASABE and lists your name as...

Design Topics: a new ASABE Web-based publications category.(American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers )
April 1, 2006... ASABE's new Design Topics are Web-based handbook-type reference materials. The ability to add these concise modules of information to the online Technical Library, rather than wait for a complete book to be developed, will speed the time to...

ASABE Distinguished Lecture Series presented at AETC.(Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Soil Compaction: How to Do It, Undo It, or Avoid Doing It is the title of this year's ASABE Distinguished Lecture Series presented at the Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference (AETC) in Louisville, Ky. Sponsored by Deere & Co., this...

Bashford honored at AETC.(Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Leonard Bashford (r) was honored with a Certificate of Appreciation during the recent 10th AETC Conference. Bashford is retiring from the Nebraska Tractor Test Lab (NTTL) where he has been involved since the mid-1980s and director since 1998....

Ensure the profession's future.(FOUNDATION)
April 1, 2006... The ASABE Foundation was formed to receive and administer funds for educational, scientific, and charitable purposes and to distribute funds to ASABE, or to expend funds for programs which are consistent with the purposes, goals, and objectives...

The shimmer of Oz: the third of four articles on coordinating the Annual Meeting.
April 1, 2006... For those of you who thought the wonderful world of Oz is constantly shimmering and shining for weary travelers like the Tin Woodsman, Cowardly Lion. Scarecrow, and Dorothy, you're sadly mistaken. It takes hard work, and it's not the result of...

Something special ... the ASABE 1/4-Scale Tractor Competition: ASABE president Otto J. Loewer, director, University of Arkansas Economic Development Institute.(American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers )
April 1, 2006... It started simply enough. As ASABE president-elect, I was invited last year to attend the ASABE's 1/4-Scale Tractor International Student Design Competition in Moline, 111. I persuaded by wife, Betty (a farm girl), to accompany me, although...

1/4-Scale Tractor International Student Design Competition enters ninth year.(PREPROFESSIONALS)
April 1, 2006... ASABE is gearing up for the 9th Annual 1/4-Scale Tractor International Student Design Competition to be held at the Expo Gardens in Peoria, Ill., June 1-4, 2006. A field of nearly 30 teams representing the United States and Canada is expected...

2006 Student-Industry Exchange.(American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers meetings)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... This year's Student-Industry Exchange will be held at the ASABE Annual International Meeting in Portland, Ore. on Saturday, July 9, from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. The Student-Industry Exchange is an annual event hosted by the International...

AGCO National Student Design Competition.(PREPROFESSIONALS)
April 1, 2006... Entries for the AGCO National Student Design Competition are due May 22. The AGCO National Student Design Competition encourages undergraduate students to participate in the basic design of an engineering project useful to agriculture and...

Reminder--no summer Resource for preprofessional/student members.(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... For those preprofessional/student members who have opted to receive hard-copy delivery of Resource magazine, please be aware that this is an academic year subscription only. You will not receive hard copy issues of May through August, but you...

2006 ASABE election results.(American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers elections)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... President-Elect ('06-'07) Donald C. Erbach Board of Trustees ('06-'08) At Large -- Phillip C. Badger At Large -- Kenneth J. Hellevang At Large -- Earle C. Morton At Large -- Roy E. Young Nominating Committee...

When terms begin.(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... President-Elect. Donald C. Erbach will be president-elect for 2006-2007 beginning at the close of the 2006 Annual International Meeting, president in 2007-2008, and past president in 2008-2009. Trustees. The four trustees elected in 2006...

YPC Fun Run.(Young Professional Community)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... The Young Professional Community (YPC) is excited to sponsor the first annual YPC Fun Run, a 5K run/walk event held in conjunction with the 2006 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore. The Fun Run will begin at 8 a.m. on Sunday, July 9. The route will...

YPC annual meeting activities.(Young Professionals Community)(Calendar)
April 1, 2006... Several activities are planned for the meeting in Portland. YPC Chair Audrey Alexander encourages all YPC members as well as preprofessional members to attend. Saturday, July 8 12:30-4:30 p.m. CPD--Effective Communication 5-9 p.m....

Cooperative standards program: completed revisions to existing standards.(American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers standards )(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... ANSI/ASABE S279.13 DEC2005, Lighting and Marking of Agricultural Equipment on Highways. This revision addressed two issues: aligning the standard with ISO 16154 (Tractors and machinery for agriculture and forestry--Installation of lighting,...

Student Mechanization Branch in Mexico visits dairy producer.(NEWS ABOUT THE SOCIETY AND ITS MEMBERS)
April 1, 2006... On Feb. 23, the Student Mechanization Branch of the Monterrey Institute of Technology in Monterrey, Mexico, visited Bell, part of the BETA group, in Torreon, Coahuila. Bell produces milk, cream, yogurt, and other dairy products. The group...

Welcome new members.(American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers )
April 1, 2006... ASABE welcomes the following new members who joined the Society, reinstated a lapsed membership, or upgraded to full membership from student/preprofessional membership in February. Where available, the member's place of employment has been...

Events calendar.(NEWS ABOUT THE SOCIETY AND ITS MEMBERS)(Calendar)
April 1, 2006... ASABE Conferences and International Meetings To receive more information about ASABE conferences and meetings, contact ASABE at 800-371-2723 or mcknight@asabe.org. For the complete list, see www.asabe.org/resource/asabevents.html. 2006...

Responding to the president: switching to switch grass in the Southeast can lead the way.
April 1, 2006... In his State of the Union Address on Jan. 30, 2006, President George W. Bush stated the need to wean the United States from oil. He specifically mentioned wood chips and switch grass as potential sources of renewable liquid fuel. Switch...