Keli Rae

... ABSTRACT Planetary biology can be considered in terms of four components: (1) planetary protection, (2) the search for life, (3) human life support and (4) ecopoiesis and terraforming. ... KEYWORDS planetary biology, ecopoiesis, ecosynthesis, terraforming, Mars, extremophiles ...

Robotic Lunar Ecopoiesis Test Bed: Bringing the Experimental Method to Terraforming. [AIP Conference Proceedings 699, 975 (2004)]. ... Abstract. The notion of ecologically terraforming another planet (aka ecopoiesis) has been discussed by a number of scholars. ...

During the early phases of human Mars exploration, in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) will lower costs, expand capabilities, and serve as an enabling technology for establishing permanent colonies. Martian atmospheric resources can be used to provide consumables such as fuel, oxidant, breathable air, and water that are critical for early human missions. Martian atmospheric carbon dioxide and imported hydrogen can be used, for example, as feedstock for the catalytic production of oxygen, methane, methanol, water and other propellants (Zubrin, 1991,

The volatiles present in Titan's atmosphere and on the surface of other satellites in the outer solar system may have been delivered by cometary impacts. Because the elemental abundances in comets are roughly solar, except for hydrogen which is greatly depleted, the thermodynamically favored chemical composition of the atmosphere at 1 bar for this mixing ratio of the elements is

Research Overview
The general business patterns associated with social entrepreneurial (SE) practice emphasize double and triple bottom line social, environmental, and business reporting more than ever before. This is due largely to higher expectations among investors, consumers and communities. Greater importance is being placed on transparent business practices with more comprehensive social, environmental and financial accountability.
One promising reporting entity, the newly established “B-Corporation,” focuses on rating the SME’s numerically based upon their leadership, environmental friendliness, and consumer and community indices (B-Corporation, 2010). The B-Corporation membership is voluntary with an opt-in certification that helps the consumer distinguish true "good companies" from simply “good marketing” (Timbers, 2010). The qualifying companies are social enterprises by nature devoted to social causes and reporting while turning a profit.

The focus of this discussion is to examine the general business patterns associated with social entrepreneurial (SE) practice.  Social enterprises inherently build their infrastructure with social and environmental impacts in mind (Dees 2007), so it follows that double and triple bottom line reporting are suitable practices for them to implement for measuring these impacts.  Socially and environmentally driven (double/triple bottom line)  reporting is currently permeating the business world. Not only do large corporations have to update their social and environmental objectives and practices to adhere to stricter stakeholder standards, but triple bottom line (TBL) reporting is emerging as a screening tool used by investors to review potential social entrepreneurial, nonprofit and commercial clients (Epstein 2008; Estey 2009).

In 1991, House Bill 91-1154 passed the Colorado Water Conservation Act requiring all water providers with annual demands of 2,000 acre-feet or more to have an approved Water Conservation Plan on file with the State (Kathlene 2010). During the Colorado drought of 2000-2002, water supply and appropriation in the lower South Platte River region of Colorado became a critical statewide problem affecting many senior and junior rights users profoundly. The state experienced the most severe single-year (2002) drought on record, prompting Colorado lawmakers to consider forty-three water bills and resolutions, many aimed at statewide drought relief.

The notion of ecologically terraforming another planet (aka ecopoiesis) has been discussed by a number of scholars.
Some theoretical treatments of various aspects of ecopoiesis have appeared in the literature. However, experimental
terraforming studies have been rare to non-existent. This is not surprising because of the planetary scale and long durations
typically discussed. We describe a concept to perform basic ecopoietic experiments in a test facility constructed on the lunar
surface. Such a facility can provide long-term observation of organisms and their ecological, physiological, and evolutionary
interactions in a low gravity environment. Salient features of other extraterrestrial environments (e.g. the 0.38g Mars gravity)
can be simulated more easily in the lunar milieu than on Earth while providing much greater access for experimenters than
ecopoiesis experiments on Mars itself. Besides application of these proposed studies to possible future terraforming efforts,
basic evolutionary and ecological processes could be studied under extreme selection pressures including fractional gravity,
high radiation, and with a variety of atmospheres, soils, and other parameters. Novel, genetically engineered and selectively
bred organisms could be tested in such a facility without concern for accidental release into Earth’s environment.

Colorado water law and management are based on implementation of the prior appropriation system for consumptive, agricultural, municipal, commercial, and manufacturing water use (Hobbs 1997; Wolfe 2008). Salazar‟s proposal for the formation of the South Metropolitan Regional Water Authority suggests that “financing, construction and operating a wholesale water acquisition, exchange and distribution system” fall under categories of Colorado water law and the Federal Clean Water Act.

Planetary biology can be considered in terms of four
components: (1) planetary protection, (2) the search for life, (3)
human life support and (4) ecopoiesis and terraforming.
Initially, contamination of a planet with Earth life is to be
minimized in order to facilitate a search for planetary life.
Meanwhile, humans, if present, must be sustained.
Subsequently, large-scale modifications of a planetary
environment can be considered. “Ecopoiesis” is a term
introduced by McKay and Haynes to describe the initiation of a
living, self-sustaining ecosystem in a planetary (Mars)
environment. “Ecosynthesis” refers to the development of an
ecosystem that includes succession (ecosystem maturation by
the replacement of organisms). “Terraforming” refers to
creating an Earth-like world and includes planetary engineering.
A considerable amount of debate, discussion and publication has
been devoted to these subjects, but, at least in the case of
ecopoiesis, there has been very little, if any, experimental
research. The speakers in this session address, in order, issues
of planetary environments and habitability with reference to
Earth analogues, the role of extremophiles as pioneer organisms
in ecopoiesis, and the concept of succession

Let’s act like a community. What can we do at the community level to bail our great nation out of the heap? Thomas Malthus would grin at the mere hint of humanity approaching carrying capacity. Access to ample alternative energy technology, food growth methods, water conservation, and disruptive, innovative technologies saturate the streets. Yet, the needs of individuals and small businesses struggling to stay afloat at the community level are being overlooked. The oversight is not intentional. It may stem from a lack of community infrastructure, personal involvement, legislature or interest that facilitates corporate investment in community enterprise. It may be the result of an over-zealous reliance on spiffy ad campaigns and mainstream dollars. Regardless, the community voices are not being heard across many towns in America. There is a barren field where once grew a robust economic commons. Where has our playing field gone?

We are entering a new era of carbon and nitrogenous waste management. There is one particular biochemical phenomena of interest in this ‘tug-of-war’ for preserving life on Earth as we know it: the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is a process by which thermal radiation from a planetary surface is absorbed by atmospheric greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour, nitrous oxide), and is re-radiated in all directions. It is not a new phenomena.

In situ resource utilization (ISRU) is an enabling technology for the long-term exploration and eventual settlement of Mars. Even in the early phases of human exploration, ISRU will lower costs and expand capabilities. Martian atmospheric resources can be used to produce consumables such as fuel, oxidant, breathable air, and even water that are critical for early human missions. The principal feedstock for these processes could be derived from the Martian atmospheric along with hydrogen obtained by importation from Earth or from local sources of water. In addition, numerous other hydrocarbon products could be produced from these same feedstocks. Both conventional and Mars specific processes technologies can be employed that will enjoy some synergies by sharing common systems and mutual use of one another’s by-products. This paper will review some processes and strategies for a Mars Base refinery.
Introduction