week four

Catalyst of the week:

Manganese, Mn,  atomic number 25, is a silver grey metal found in nature with important uses in the industrial metal industry.  80% of its stores are found in South Africa.  Its name comes from Magnesia, Greece and is the same origin as Magnesium.  Manganese Phosphating treats rust and prevents steel from corroding.  It also has many pigments that have been used.  Manganese Oxide enzymes are essential in detoxification of superoxide free radicals.  Manganese Oxide is a catalyst that helps hydrogen peroxide rapidly turn into Hydrogen and Oxygen. 
2 H₂O₂(aq)    2 H₂O(l)  +  O₂(g.  The Manganese Oxide remains unchanged.  You could actually use it again in another chemical process.  It also is a catalyst to break down Potassium Chlorate into Potassium Chloride and Oxygen. 

Thought on discussion topic:

Are we close to a green society?

I don't think so.  We are super industrialized at this point and "green" now means how and what makes a product, rather than living off the land and leaving a minimal footprint.  I know we can't go backwards in time, but I do feel that putting so much attention into packaging and other "throw away" means and trying to make them green is futile.  We should be focusing on reusable products and local resources, and, in turn, cutting down on waste all together.  When I was in Paonia, Colorado this summer, their Co-op was phasing out packaged food and instead stocking the store with community made humus in mason jars, bulk food, pre-made soups in reusable containers, etc.  I would like to see movements like that spread across the globe.

Just in case anyone's interested, this is a link to what is recyclable in the city of Oakland:
http://www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/PWA/o/FE/s/GAR/OAK024617


And a link if something cannot be picked up curbside:

http://www.stopwaste.org/home/index.asp?page=70

Week 3

* Choose your “Transitional Metal of the Week” and post a brief description
Copper's symbol is CU and its atomic number 27.  It is soft and malleable and a good conductor of heat and electricity.  It is a reddish-orange color but can be used for its green blue pigments as well.  It is a dietary trace mineral and in found in the human liver, muscle, and bone.

* Post a comment on "Neptune's Medicine Chest"
Hmmm, although the thought of a cancer curing substance is hopeful, I fear of the destruction to the ocean in order to find it.  Forests have been destroyed by the tapping of rubber trees and harvesting of hard wood and I fear the same would happen to the ocean's depths.  It seems a bit like the rape of the next frontier since we have already raped the one we inhabit.  I hope they can be smarter about the search for resources at sea than they have been on land.  

* Post a review:
Green Chemistry is necessary for the evolution of life as we know it.  Our old practices have not been working for us thus far.  I am weary though of statements like, less hazardous or safer chemicals.  It seems a little like green washing to me.  We should be looking toward non-hazardous and safe substances.  The use of renewable feedstock is a necessary adaptation to science, we cannot continue to use and abuse whats here and hope to continue to survive. 

Less Hazardous C

Less Hazardous C

Less Hazardous C

Chemistry week 2

Cobalt (Co) - A silver gray blue metal found in the earth's crust.  The blue pigment is used in jewelry and paint.   Cobalt is mostly a bi-product of copper and nickel mining, but is also used as a magnetic, wear-resistant and high-strength alloy.  Its atomic number is 27.

1. Are we too lax in our environmental controls?
Yes!  100% yes.  Unfortunately, the earth is treated like a constantly renewable resource that we can use, deplete, and abuse without consequence.  Environmental controls for chemical and mining companies are often stated but not strictly enforced.  Big businesses tend to hide a lot of what they do by having their factories overseas or in poor communities where environmental policies are not as strictly enforced. 

2. How might we reintegrate Alchemy and Chemistry?
Good question!  Bringing back herbology as a means for viable treatment in TCM would be a good start.  For me, herbal medicine has always been an incredible form of Alchemy and I am extremely saddened that it seems to be a slowly dying art.  TCM schools are being slowly formed by the Western Medicine model and adding more Western methodology and decreasing the age old Alchemy of herbology.  I am on the hunt for a good TCM alchemist to study with as a way to reintegrate and help save the dying art. 

3. Do we really need to find these "superheavy" elements?
I don't think so.  They don't seem that useful to me.  Unless you're planning on building a spaceship.  ;0)

Element - only one kind of atom, cannot be broken down, can exist as atom or molecule
Compound - combined two or more different elements, can be broken down chemically
Mixture -  combined two or more diff elements, can be broken down physically

Chemistry week 1

My name is Jamie Bender.  I'm in my second trimester of school at ACCHS.  Woohoo!  Its been an incredible and completely overwhelming journey so far, thats been a long time in coming.  I've been working in healing arts for the past 14 years, starting with bodywork, western herbalism, nutrition, and yoga and now specializing in NeuroMuscular therapy to help people heal from chronic pain and injury.  I love helping people feel better and in turn live happier, healthier lives.  Changing the world one person at a time.  ;0)  I've had my eye on TCM school for the last 10 years but the time didn't feel right to begin until recently.  I'm happy that I finally took the plunge!

1. Burning Wood - chemical
    Crushing rock - physical
    Dissolving Sugar - chemical
    Rusting Iron - chemical
2. Milk - mixture
    Table Salt - mixture
    Sugar - pure
    Steel - Mixture  
3. homogenous - impure
4. physical - physical