WFS - March-April 2002 FUTURIST Tibs

A magazine of forecasts, trends, and ideas about the future
March-April 2002 Vol. 36, No. 2

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Tomorrow in Brief

More Jobs in Renewable Energy
Oil and gas development off British Columbia's coast will not generate as many new jobs as experts had hoped, and the jobs would largely be temporary, according to the Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives. On the other hand, investments in alternative energy projects would be more long term in nature and promise more stable growth. The study addresses the issue of whether Canada's moratorium on offshore oil and gas development should be lifted in the interest of boosting economic prospects in British Columbia. According to the study, however, investments in renewable energy could create 60% more jobs than offshore oil development, and conservation projects could create five times more jobs.
Source: Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives, 75 Albert Street, Suite 410, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5E7, Canada. Web site www.policyalternatives.ca.

Greener Surroundings Nurture Kids' Minds
Children's attention spans and general cognitive functioning may improve if they move to homes that are surrounded by more green spaces, according to a recent Cornell University study. Researcher Nancy Wells, assistant professor of design and environmental analysis, examined such factors as the amount of natural scenery that could be viewed from various rooms in the children's old and new houses. She then used a nationally standardized measure of directed attention capacity to evaluate changes in the children's abilities to focus their attention. The children who moved into the "greenest" new environments showed the greatest improvements in mental functioning, reports Wells, who concludes that simple interventions such as preserving trees, planting new ones, and maintaining grassy areas could significantly improve children's welfare and development.
Source: Cornell University, News Service, Surge 3, Ithaca, New York 14853. Web site www.cornell.edu.

The Biology of Laughter
Humor has often been regarded as medicine; now, researchers believe that even expecting a good laugh can be good for you. Anticipating humor--something that will make you feel good in the near future--can reduce stress hormone levels and boost the immune system's responses to disease, concludes a study from the College of Medicine at the University of California, Irvine. Led by Lee Berk, assistant professor of family medicine, the researchers found that their subjects' moods improved not only during and after seeing a one-hour comedy, but also two days before the video was to be shown. "This is the first time we've seen that just anticipating such an event can change the body's responses," says Berk. "We believe this 'biology of hope' underlies recovery from many chronic disorders. Treatments that take advantage of the effects of this hope may go a long way to stimulating immune responses and hasten recovery."
Source: University of California, Irvine, Communications Office, 4650 Berkeley Place, Irvine, California 92697. Web site www.uci.edu.

Breath Monitor for Smokers
A device modeled on breathalyzers to detect alcohol may help smokers give up cigarettes. The Smokerlyzer allows smokers to monitor their own carbon-monoxide levels. Developed by Bedfont Scientific Ltd. of England, the device may be used in smoking-cessation programs to help quitters record and assess their progress or in schools to show children the risks of smoking--and keep them from starting.
Source: Bedfont Scientific Ltd., Bedfont House, Holywell Lane, Upchurch, Kent ME9 7HN, United Kingdom. Web site www.bedfont.com.

Lost-Object Detector
Like a global positioning system for your stuff, a new personal detection device will help you keep track of your keys, wallet, cell phone, or any electronically tagged object you don't want to lose. The personal object-loss detector uses radio transmission technology and electronic tags inserted in the objects you want to keep track of. Named DIPO after the French company that developed it, the device emits an audio, visual, or vibrating alarm when it finds a lost object. It can also be programmed to deactivate a mobile phone that's been lost or stolen, preventing fraudulent use.
Source: DIPO S.A., Cap Alpha, Avenue de l'Europe, Clapiers, 34940 Montpellier Cedex 9, France. Web site www.dipo.fr.

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