The ACS national conference is coming up. The theme is sustainability. The keynote speech is Green Chemistry: Chemical Solutions for a Sustainable World. The whole "green" thing reminded me of a post I wrote almost 2 years ago. Since I'm semi-retired from blogging, I thought I'd do a little reposting to fill up the space.

Here is my opinion of "going green" from a May 2008 post.

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I think of a lot of things. Recently, when the trees were finally forming leaves[1], I was thinking about chlorophyll. The area is finally turning green and the amount of chlorophyll being produced by trees is no doubt in the "ton" range.[2]

I got to thinking about the visible spectrum of chlorophyll a and b. Here is a picture from Wikipedia:
Do you notice anything? Look at the spectrum again and think about it for a second.

Let me ask you this: Why do leaves (most of them) look green?

Yup, because they don't absorb the green wavelengths of light. They don't absorb anything in the 500-550 nm range. In other words, green plants reject the color green!!!!

Allow me to personify. Plants hate green and they will have nothing to do with it. That is why they do not absorb green wavelengths of light. Plants DO like blue and red light. They absorb those wavelengths with glee. Plants hate green and love blue and red.

If you care about plants (and I hope you do because your survival depends on them) you should have the courtesy to reject what plants reject: GREEN.

I'm in favor of plants so I will not "Go Green" for anything. I will "Go Red and Blue". That's what plants like, and I like plants.


[1] We're still waiting for solid Spring weather.
[2] That would be an interesting calculation to figure out what mass of chlorophyll (all types) are stored in one tree.

I'm a super poster!!!!

Ever since I said I was going to quit blogging, I've found myself thinking of a lot more blog post ideas. I've also found that since I quit, I've felt a lot less pressure to post anything. I can't seem to get myself to totally quit. Slow down, yes, but not quit. I've like the Brett Farve of posting.

OK, maybe not, but here I am. Not being retired from blogging.

Let me get you up to date on my brewing activities because they have been plenty.

Tonight, I once again pulled off an evening few would be able to do. I did all of the following without my wife's help as she was out supporting the family:

I fed 4 kids (corn dogs, sweet corn, corn chips, see a theme here. They love that type of stuff)

I entertained 4 kids until the Olympics came on. Then I made popcorn for a snack. I vacuumed up a lot of popcorn my 1 year old dispersed.

I got 4 kids to bed. PJs, stories, brushed teeth, potty, everything.

I brewed two beers. An American Pilsner lager and and Czech Pilsner. One extract and one partial mash.

I sanitized 4 carboys.

I racked a 10 gallon batch of beer to two 5 gallon carboys and dry hopped them.

I emptied the dishwasher.

I filled the dishwasher.

I cleaned my 10 gallon carboy.

It was a busy night and I'm ready to finally drink a homebrew and relax.

So, I was thinking to myself that after a night like this, I'm pretty super. And that reminded me of a story.

When I was young (around 4-6 years old) I loved Superman. Who didn't? One day I was playing in our basement, and I decided to declare my admiration of Superman to the world by writing a bold statement in red crayon on the white basement wall. I wrote:

I love Supper man

My mom was not amused in the least. She also pointed out that I wasn't a very good speller. But, in the end, it turned out to be prophetic. Well almost. I don't love Superman as much now days, but I sure do love supper, man.

My newest activity

I've found a new outlet for all of the information floating around in my head.

I do homework for desperate/lazy students.

Yahoo Answers is a website that allows users to ask any kind of question. You may have heard of it.

If you go to the chemistry section (and I'm sure this is true of any area) there are all sorts of questions from users that clearly came off of a homework assignment. I'm sure most of these come from students too lazy to figure it out on there own.

That doesn't stop me. I answer them. Sometimes I answer them correctly. Sometimes, I don't.

Basically, it amuses me. Try it sometime.

Sporadicism

OK, I'm not going to totally quit blogging. But, I am going to fall into the typical pattern of a dying blog. I'll sporadically blog until I totally stop. It could get ugly and uncomfortable. Feel free to just look away.

Beside, I still have things to say that the world cannot do without!

First of all, which USA state has provided the most olympians for the 2010 Winter olympics in Vancouver?

If you said any state other than Minnesota, you would be wrong.

Minnesota has provided 21 world class athletes to represent the USA in Vancouver during the 2010 Olympics. That's more than any other state. Many are involved in hockey or curling, but a few are involved in skiing. Curling and hockey make sense, but the skiing doesn't. The longest ski run in Minnesota is about 35 feet.

Here's one of them skiers:

hmmmmm. I don't think this picture of Lindsay Vonn was taken in Minnesota. Not even the Duluth area.

Secondly, apparently the NBA is running its All-star game. Sorry, the world quit caring about that in 1988.