As humans, a world without mosquitoes may seem like a little slice of heaven! No more itchy bites, no more stinky mosquito repellent, no more swatting arms and legs trying to get the little buggers before they bite, and no more annoying buzzing around your ears. Just imagine how nice it would be to sit around campfires at night without having to worry about being bitten, or taking hikes out in the woods and worrying about having brought along the "bug juice" to ward off the "skeeters." You'll never have to worry about welts on your kids' arms and legs, diseases like Zika, malaria, West Nile virus, and even such things as heartworm in dogs, among others, would become a thing of the past. Yes, it certainly would seem like a beautiful world if mosquitoes were just suddenly gone. Or would it be? Is There Anything Good About Mosquitoes? On the face of it, it certainly doesn't seem like it. Mosquito control products are meant to either keep them away or kill them, and probably no one ever said that a mosquito is their best friend. Mosquito borne diseases kill approximately a million people every year, and if you ask anyone if there was anything good about a mosquito, they would most likely say "No!" Mosquitoes Are a Food Source You may not know this, but there are many types of birds, mammals, and fish that feed on both mosquitoes and their larvae. Dragonflies, bats, and purple martins eat mosquitoes as a major food source, and they are some of the best natural mosquito control predators around. However, none of them are dependent on mosquitoes for survival. Sure, they will eat them when they can get them, but if there weren't any mosquitoes at all, they would eat something else. Yet, there is one ecosystem that almost wholly depends on mosquitoes as a food source, and without them, it would fail. Some migratory birds flying over the Arctic Tundra depend on mosquitoes as a food source to keep them alive during their migration. Without the lowly mosquito, they would not be able to sustain the journey and they would perish. So in an ecological sense, certain types of migratory birds that depend on the mosquito for sustenance would become extinct, and that alone is reason enough for the mosquito to exist. Mosquitoes Are a Gold Mine Here is where the real value of the mosquito comes in, and it's not what you might think. Mosquito control by humans is a gigantic source of income for tens of thousands of workers in the pest control business. This does not take into account the factories that produce mosquito repellents, the research into mosquito lifestyle and habitats, and the scientists who study the mosquito, both in a biological sense and as it relates to mosquitoes as pests. As you can see, the job force to combat mosquitoes is huge, and from an employment standpoint, mosquitoes support thousands upon thousands of families. Just that fact alone makes mosquitoes a literal gold mine in the business community, so think about that next time you get bitten by one. A World Without Mosquitoes As far as day-to-day life goes for humans, a world without mosquitoes would be a happier and healthier place. But for those people employed in a mosquito-related industry, such as mosquito control, developing and packaging mosquito repellents, or doing the research for all of the above, their lives would not be as financially rewarding. Couple that with certain types of migratory birds that would starve, and a mosquito-less world doesn't look so appealing after all. The good news is that mosquitoes aren't going anywhere. Even as humans spend billions of dollars each year in mosquito control and eradication, the mosquito population is stable, with no end in sight. Try as humans might to get rid of them, those pesky little mosquitoes are never going away, and that familiar buzzing noise on those hot and humid summer nights are here to stay.
JeremmyJr. posted a blog entry in The Positive BlogAll nations of the 21st century face an enormous challenge—quickly and successfully making the transition from a primarily carbon-intensive economy to one based on renewable energy sources. Climate change and the serious impacts of global warming are no longer a hypothesis. In fact, many leading researchers warn that climate change was severely underestimated in the last decade, with some going so far as saying it's already game over and all we can do is mitigate the worst impacts. And with a new president-elect pledging to reverse some of the country's most important climate-change policies, it's understandable that more than a few people are polishing their pitchforks. That said, it is important to note that renewable energy solutions are not a bipartisan issue. Take for example the unique uniting of Georgia's conservative-leaning Tea Party with the more liberal-backed Sierra Club in 2012. Together, these two groups lobbied against Georgia's Public Service Commission to require the state to provide more solar power. Today, Georgia is a model state for solar power, doubling the solar generation of its neighbor and so-called Sunshine State despite having just half of Florida's population. The move towards renewable energy sources like solar and wind are things that the environment needs and that the people are clamoring for. Should regulations roll back, it will be up to businesses and industries to push forward and meet the demands of the country. And such is not an impossible goal. In fact, many industries will find renewable energy sources to be the much more economical option as well as popular. Consider the following three industries that stand to benefit (or are already benefiting) from renewable energy sources: 1. Banking Industry If there is any industry an entrepreneur can rely on for smart investment choices, it is the banking industry, and it is this industry that stands at the forefront of the green movement. Take, for instance, TD Bank. TD Bank has instituted a unique three-step approach to environmental sustainability, a strategy that led it to become the first North American-based bank to become carb neutral in 2010—a title that has maintained over the last six years and one that can and should be pursued by other banking and financial institutions. To replicate TD Bank's success, other institutions need only to look at the company's three-step strategy. This tiered approach to carbon neutrality begins with an emphasis on energy efficiency such as upgrading all lights—interior and exterior—to LED lighting and decreasing business travel. Following steps aim at generating renewable energy via solar installations and purchasing renewable energy credits to invest in more clean energy to further offset necessary carbon usage. 2. Computer Training Centers Tech-oriented firms, like those in the computer training business are among good company when it comes to green initiatives. Apple Inc. now uses 100% of renewable energy sources to power its data centers while Tesla's Gigafactory, the world's largest lithium-ion battery factory, operates at an actual 20% surplus of green energy. With such big names leading the charge, it is up to the computer training franchise to follow up and train a new generation of tech-savvy individuals to keep it green. A computer centers can do this by learning from tech giants and incorporating solar panels atop their business locations and tap into locally-sourced wind turbine energy. Managers of a computer training centers should upgrade lights to LED models, recycle energy-intensive old computers, and instead invest in low-energy electronics. 3. Waste Management Industry The field of post-consumer waste management isn't one that gets a lot of headlines. It's a dirty, smelly by-product of American society, but one most people would rather be hidden in someone else's backyard. However, this is a $75 billion industry that could gain so much more than nominal benefits from renewable energy sources. With the right know-how, this industry could become renewable energy itself and skyrocket its profitability. The secret sauce is in the natural gas—and not the kind that calls for drills. Rather, as solid waste decomposes in a landfill, it releases an average of 300 cubic feet of gas per minute. This gas, comprised of more than 50% methane, can be captured and used to turn generators to produce electricity. Some waste management companies are even processing this renewable natural gas so that it can be used to fuel their truck fleets and other heavy machinery. In the end, we all stand to benefit from such innovations and renewable energy business implementation.