Shahriar Shibley

The effects of Industrial Revolution on environment in the last few centuries had been very drastic. Industries need to think seriously about what they can do to hinder global warming. Carbon Capture and Storage deserves more attention than what it is getting. If we can capture the carbon-dioxide that industries produce, before it enters the atmosphere, it will definitely aid in reducing green house effect. What can we do with the captured carbon-dioxide? We can store it in abandoned mine shafts, or we can device a way to get it out of our atmosphere. These day and age we dream of building space elevators. Why can't we dream of building tall smoke stacks which will release the captured carbon-dioxide out of our atmosphere. Or better yet, develop some high altitude airplanes, which will go out of earth's gravity for a short time, release the captured carbon-dioxide out in the space and then come back. The earth is our home. Industries need to device ways to release its exhaust...

Trend of real estate development varies from region to region. In general, urbanization in and around existing cities is reducing arable land. Than again, as more and more people move in urban homes leaving behind villages, frees up land for farming. However, due to increase in population in the world, the net rate of decrease of arable land is quite alarming. Asian cities offer better services, higher concentration of jobs and more universities than rural areas. Also, there is the influx of folks who hope to make a living by serving the large population of the city, end up living in the slums of the cities. US and Canadian cities have an absolutely different trend. These countries have large land mass with comparatively small population. Outsourcing of manufacturing activities is having a large impact on real estate development. Many large cities in USA and Canada were hubs of factories. But today many, if not most, of the manufactured goods come from China. Factories are either shu...

World's temperature is rising. What can we do about it? Not a whole lot. The Second Law of thermodynamics dictates it. Anything we do in our life will cause the entropy to increase. Entropy is measure of disorder. When disorder increases in matter, the heat increases. Climate change due to global warming is a reality, it occurring and we have to accept it. Receding glaciers, rising sea levels and drying marshes and lakes are evidences of it. But changes in earth are nothing new. Today's oil and gas fields were rain forests millions of years ago. Salt mines were vibrant  seas in the distant past. Animal world and humanoids lived through continental shifts. So, we should not be surprised that a catastrophic change in earth and its atmosphere is occurring in front of of eyes. The only difference is that current changes are being caused by human activities.   Our willingness to address this problem depends on how much we want to sacrifice for our great great great grand k...

Natural gas price is so low in North America. Yet, in South Asia, consumers are paying much higher price for it because of high demand and low supply. It is time for North American gas producers to take advantage of this opportunity aggressively.  Just liquefy the gas and send abroad. Liquefying plants should be built around port cities for shipments to South Asia, immediately after production. Shipbuilders need to come up with a new breed of ships to transport large volume of Liquefied Natural Gas and feed into the pipelines of importing countries. Electricity demand is also rising rapidly in South Asia. The rate of construction of electricity generating plants simply is not enough to keep up with the demand. Building a hydro-electric plant requires massive infrastructure spending and loss of arable land which cuts into agriculture output. Coal and Natural Gas powered generating station need the fuel that many of South Asian are starving for. Wind and solar generators are really...

Due to advancement in computer technology, many industries are becoming things of the past. For example, the neighborhood print shops. Previously, if we needed some letterheads, envelops, business cards or fliers, we would run to the local print shop. But, now we do all those things on our computer. It makes you ponder, what other industries are becoming obsolete. Publishers are selling books in electronics formats. In ten years, book sellers will have no reason to maintain huge book stores in malls and other places. Unless, the stock up variety of other items to sell. Public libraries are becoming like play grounds for kids and Internet hubs for adults. Remember Blockbuster Video? In the 90's, it , along with other video stores, were the coolest stores on the block. The whole industry was whacked out of business by digital downloads.

Mayors Ford's subway plan would cost $12.4 billion compared to $8.7 billion for LRT plan. The mayor is very foresighted to push the subway plan. A subway system will provide transit solution for centuries, while LRT will have to be changed every couple of decades depending on developments and traffic pattern at the vicinity of the tracks. LRTs are notoriously bad for road traffic. The mayor does not want another St. Clare Avenue West. Rightfully so. If you have driven through St. Clare Avenue West you will find out how much time and gasoline is wasted sitting in traffic jam. It also bad for the environment. TTC should be ready for the next century. Imagine we are in the year 2112. Toronto's population is double or even triple of what it is of 2012. There are lot more high rise condos in the city. Lot more cars in the streets, mostly electric. Most buildings now have ten floors of underground parking. Lot more people walk the streets. If this is the case, it makes more sense t...