GoodEnergy - Renewable Energy from Cow Poo

Good Energy, a UK supplier of 100% renewable energy, has the usual sources of renewable energy like solar and wind ... and green energy from cow poo.

Cow poo is turned into biomass and that in turn becomes biogas that is burned to become electricity ...

Read on for more >>>

"Biogas is produced through ... Anaerobic Digestion ... a natural biological process carried out by bacteria in the absence of air, by which organic material is broken down into stable fertiliser and useful biogas. ..."

"The organic waste is broken down into sugars and amino acids by enzymes ... sugars are then fermented to produce volatile fatty acids and then converted by various types of bacteria into biogas, a mixture of carbon dioxide (40%) and methane (60%) ... "

" ... biogas is then ... burned ... to produce electricity and heat. ..."

Via: GoodEnergy LINK

Coke Embraces Plastic Bottle Recycling in a BIG WAY

Coca-Cola has opened a PET bottle recycling facility in Spartanburg, S.C. This is one step in Coke's journey to recycling 100% of their soda containers (cans / bottles)

" ... Coca-Cola Company and United Resource Recovery Corporation (URRC) ... celebrate the grand opening of the world's largest plastic bottle-to-bottle recycling plant in Spartanburg, S.C. ... a key milestone in our goal to recycle and reuse 100 percent of our bottles and cans in the U.S. and ensure the sustainability of our packaging ..."

When fully operational, the plant will produce approximately 100 million pounds of food-grade recycled PET plastic each year -- the equivalent of nearly two billion 20-ounce Coca-Cola bottles. ... Over the next ten years the plant will prevent the release of one million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions -- the equivalent of removing 215,000 cars from the road. ..."

Via: Coa-Cola LINK

United Resource Recovery Corporation Recycles PET

URRC - United Resource Recovery Corporation- is " ... the world-leader in transforming waste bottles into new bottles."

" ... recycles plastic food and beverage containers made of polyethylene terephthalate (“PET”) using a patented manufacturing process ... called ... UnPet ... makes a low cost, high quality reclaimed PET chip resin ... suitable for use in food packaging containers, under the Food and Drug Administration’s specifications."

" .... entered into a 5 year development program with The Coca Cola Company to commercialize the process by producing food grade quality PET chip for bottle to bottle recycling. Over six billion bottles have been produced ..."

See related post ... LINK .

Via: United Resource Recovery Corporation LINK

Reasons to Buy Local Foods

Here are some good reasons to buy locally produced foods ...

" ... Small farms encourage diversity in planting and promote diverse ecosystems. Diversity leads to more nutrients in the soil, a more abundant wildlife and healthier harvests."

" ... 90% of all fuel used in food production is spent transporting, packaging, and marketing our food. ... almost 10% of our total national energy consumption... Buying locally decreases the “food miles” and amount of fuel and pollution needed to deliver your food ..."

" According to the USDA, local farms are more productive than factory farms .."

"... Since 1935 the U.S. has lost over 4.5 million farms. Supporting local farmers supports the local economy, invests in the future of your community, and preserves a way of life."

" ... vegetables and fruit that you buy at the supermarket have traveled an average of 1,500 miles and have spent up to two weeks in transport. ... are often picked weeks before they hit maturity and do not have time to develop fully. They have lost most of their nutritious vitamins and minerals."

Via: FarmEcology LINK

Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI)

Composting is a way to reduce demand on landfills and create great soil for plants in your own back yard.

Want to learn more about composting? check out BPI ...

" ... a not-for-profit association ... from government, industry and academia ... Through our innovative "Compostable Label" we educate manufacturers, legislators and consumers about the importance of "Scientific standards for biodegradation" for biodegradable materials. ... promote the use and recovery of compostable materials through municipal and backyard composting."

" ... the amount of waste that has been diverted from landfill disposal through composting has quadrupled since 1990, from 2% of total MSW to 8.4% today ... 62% of all yard trimmings are composted in more than 3,500 municipal yard trimming composting programs in the US and 23 states ban at least some organics disposal in landfills, mostly leaves, grass and other yard debris. "



Via: Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) LINK

Aptera 2E - 3 Wheeled Electric Car

The Aptera 2E is an aerodynamic 3 wheeled electric vehicle. " ... designed to charge overnight using your ordinary garage outlet (110v) ... seats and carpet ... were born out of old plastic bottles and cups, and the fabrics throughout the vehicle use natural dyes ..."

" ... 100 miles you have driven ... only cost you about $0.50 ... efficiency meter helps you keep track of the energy you're using. It also aids in establishing bragging rights ... "



Via: Aptera LINK

NYC Hybrid Trucks Join Sanitation Vehicle Fleet

New York City's 1st hybrid truck is a Kenworth T370 " ... medium duty diesel-electric hybrid truck ... equipped with a stakebed body, PACCAR PX-6 engine rated at 240 hp and 560 lb-ft of torque, and the Eaton diesel-electric hybrid power system. ... assignment is to pick up and deliver supplies and parts for the Department of Sanitation’s various locations ... "

"Kenworth hybrids use ... frame-mounted 340-volt, lithium-ion battery pack; and dedicated power management system. Electricity generated through regenerative braking is stored and used for acceleration, assisting the diesel engine. ... system is monitored through an in-dash display. As the power requirements for different driving conditions change, the screen constantly updates the driver on system status."

Via: Kenworth Truck Company LINK

FarmEcology - Local Food for U of Penn Students

Penn students are taking an active role in bringing local foods into their dining halls ... one shining example is FarmEcology which connects the schools with local farms ... and has spread to other colleges and universities.

" ... FarmEcology is a student-initiated endeavor that is raising awareness and educating Penn's campus about the benefits of local foods. ... co-founders, Emma Kirwan and Rachel Meyer, spent the past semester exploring and researching opportunities for connecting the University with local farms, contacting regional food experts for advice, and researching similar programs that are developing across the country at similar institutions."

" ... Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, and Yale are all in various stages of planning or have already implemented local food programs in campus-run dining halls. ... FarmEcology is one step in an overall University effort to continue a "green campaign" which was launched in 2002 with the purchase of wind energy."

Via: University of Pennsylvania FarmEcology LINK

Gray's Harbor Paper

"Grays Harbor Paper is leading the revolution in manufacturing environmentally-friendly paper. Harbor 100, ... uses 100 percent post-consumer recycled materials and is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. ... its carbon-neutral manufacturing process and superior performance."

" ... carbon-neutral process uses a combination of traditional and nontraditional biomass fuels, including wood wastes that would otherwise be deposited into landfills or burned. ... was certified by Green-e for manufacturing with renewable energy after adding a second electrical generator powered by renewable
fuels. ..."

" ... is one of the few companies in North America that makes 100 percent recycled content paper and uses biomass wood waste to generate steam and electricity to make it a carbon neutral manufacturing process ... ".

One ton of Harbor 100 saves ... " ... 10,052 gallons of water, 14 million BTUs, 1120 lbs of solid waste and 2210 pounds of greenhouse gasses".




Via: Gray's Harbor Paper LINK

Mohawk Industries Recycles Tires into Doormats

Waste tires can be an environmental nightmare ... recycling them into consumer goods minimizes landfill needs and can prevent toxic fires and resulting water pollution.

Mohawk Industries has been using recycled tire material to make floor mats since 1999 ...

Read on for more >>>

" ... began recycling tires in 1999 and is now the leading tire recycler in the flooring industry.... In 2004, 10 million pounds of crumb rubber tires — the equivalent of 720,000 tires — were recycled and tranformed into designer doormats. ... now converts more than 30 million pounds of tires into welcome mats each year. ... Discarded tires can also produce dangerous, toxic fires in dumps and old tires retain water where disease-spreading insects thrive."

Via: mohawk flooring LINK

Climate Savers Computing

Climate Savers Computing seeks to develop and manufacture / buy technologies that allow computers to use less energy when they are inactive. The numbers in the text below show that an incredible amount of energy can be saved, money can be saved and carbon eliminated from the atmosphere.

Does you PC have any energy saving tools ... and are you using them? Do you turn off your PC when not used ... does you monitor go into a reduced energy state after a set period of inactivity?

If so great!
If not ... WHY NOT?

Read on for more ...

" ... is a nonprofit group ... started in the spirit of WWF’s Climate Savers program ... demonstrating that reducing emissions is good business. ... to promote development, deployment and adoption of smart technologies that can both improve the efficiency of a computer’s power delivery and reduce the energy consumed when the computer is in an inactive state."

" ... participants ... commit to producing products that meet specified power-efficiency targets, and corporate participants commit to purchasing power-efficient computing products."

" By 2010, we seek to reduce global CO2 emissions from the operation of computers by 54 million tons per year, ... the annual output of 11 million cars or 10–20 coal-fired power plants ..."

"U.S. college students could save more than 2.3 billion kilowatt hours per year of electricity by enabling power saving features on their desktop PCs. ... annual savings of more than $200 million in energy costs and a 1.8 million-ton reduction of CO2 emissions ... equivalent to taking more than 350,000 cars off the road."


Via: climatesaverscomputing LINK

Kids Books on the Environment

Here are some interesting books I ran across while checking
my local FreeCycle (Chester County, PA) ... Getting kids involved in "YourGreenQuest" and all things green is a great idea.

Your kids might be interested in these two volumes .... and the experiments.

Young Discoverers Garbage and Recycling: Enviromental Facts and Experiments
by: Rosie Harlow and Sally Morgan

The Enviroment: Saving the Planet (Includes Experiments)
by: Rosie Harlow and Sally Morgan


Via: YourGreenQuest LINK

Pentel Recycology™

Pentel's Recycology line of products incorporates the 3Rs - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

" ... helping the environment by creating less waste and increasing recycling activity ..."

" ... In our Recycology™ products we ... use both recycled content and post-consumer recycled content ... All products in this line are made from a minimum of 50% recycled content excluding consumable content and refills. "

"Recycology™ embodies the 3Rs ... Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle "




Via: Pentel Recycology LINK

Ticonderoga Renew - Pencils from Tires !

Ticonderoga's Renew pencils have cases made from 30 % recycled tires instead of cedar or some other wood. " ... made from a unique, patented process using the rubber compound from recycled tires. ... ".

The packaging notes the incredible number of tires estimated to be thrown away daily ... it is nice to see these being used instead of trees ... reduce, reuse, recycle!

In keeping with the green themes the packaging is made with " ... 100% reclaimed fiber with 35% minimum post-consumer waste ... "


Via: Dixon Ticonderoga LINK

Philips USA Green Solutions - "asimpleswitch.com"

" ... green solutions throughout the home – from energy saving lighting to TVs, home theaters, kettles and more. ... Our energy savers offer up to 80% energy saving and up to 8 times longer life. We offer sustainable lighting solutions ..."

" ... advances in addressing power consumption,... dimming backlights, ambient light sensors and image processing intelligence that calculates where energy consumption can be reduced ..."

" ... simple innovations like packaging and easier disassembly for recycling, to rechargeable batteries which last 20% longer without charging, ... "

" ... A Simple Switch Program, we will work with you to assess, evaluate and implement energy efficient solutions designed to meet your specific performance and financial requirements."





Via: Philips USA LINK

University of Pennsylvania Class of 2010 - Green Graduation Gowns !

The University of Pennsylvania's class of 2010 will wear graduation gowns made of recycled plastic bottles to graduation. Each of the approx. 2,500 gowns are made the with the equivalent of 23 plastic bottles.

" ... GreenWeaver line of regalia by Oak Hall Cap & Gown, ... is Penn’s latest greening effort. ... adorn its Class of 2010 seniors in gowns and caps made of 100 percent, post-consumer recycled plastic bottles."

“Penn will begin this academic year announcing our Climate Action Plan, the long-range strategy to reduce our carbon footprint ... Part of that effort is to partner with vendors that promote eco-friendly options. "

" ... fabric will be spun from molten plastic pellets, ... average of 23 bottles needed to make each gown. Recycled plastic bottles are already used to make sweatshirts and other clothing, the company said, and the result is apparel virtually indistinguishable in color, feel or fit from traditional polyester material."

"For every gown purchased, Oak Hall said it will make a contribution to a campus environmental group. ... contributions will be designated for the University’s Green Fund."



Via: University of Pennsylvania LINK

Serious Materials - Green Building Materials

Serious Materials produces a line of green environmentally friendly building products that help homeowners save energy ...


"... develops and manufactures sustainable green building materials that dramatically reduce the impact of the 'built environment' on the climate."

" ... aim for breakthroughs in product performance, without requiring changes in customer behavior or in how products are used – thus speeding market adoption."

" Serious Windows high-performance insulated windows and glass, which can reduce heating and cooling energy costs and emissions up to 40% ...QuietRock soundproof drywall & QuietHome Windows, which can reduce material use, GreenRock™, a green alternative to standard drywall ... uses 80% less energy to produce its core, resulting in 80% lower CO2 emissions. ... "

" ... manufacture products in ... Sunnyvale, California; Newark, California; Boulder, Colorado; Vandergrift, Pennsylvania. ... to create thousands of green collar jobs ... in the U.S. Products are widely available through building products dealers in the U.S. and Canada."

Via: Serious Materials LINK

Penn Class of 2010 Graduates to Wear Gowns Made of Recycled Plastic Bottles

Penns graduating class of 2010 wilkl be wearing gowns made of 100% post consumer recycled plastic bottles. Each gown requires approx. 23 bottles.

" ... GreenWeaver line ... Oak Hall Cap & Gown ... is Penn’s latest greening effort."

“Penn will begin this academic year announcing our Climate Action Plan, the long-range strategy to reduce our carbon footprint ... to partner with vendors that promote eco-friendly options. ...culminate a year focused on sustainability ... wearing gowns made from recycled materials.”

" ... fabric ... spun from molten plastic pellets, ... Recycled plastic bottles are already used to make sweatshirts and other clothing, the company said, and the result is apparel virtually indistinguishable in color, feel or fit from traditional polyester material."

"For every gown purchased, Oak Hall ... will make a contribution to a campus environmental group. At Penn, the contributions will be designated for the University’s Green Fund."


Via: University of Pennsylvania LINK

University of Pennsylvania Green Dining Options

The University of Pennsylvania supports green in the dining plan options and is looking to bring more sustainability to the meal plan with student interns in the dining area.

" ... seeking students to continue the work of previous interns, with sustainability in mind. ... variety of tasks, ranging from promoting special events to updating the Penn Dining Web site. ... position "encourages the knowledge of sustainability" in order to fashion marketing strategies and promote dining's environmentally-friendly initiatives."

Via: University of Pennsylvania LINK

Biodiesel Powered School Buses

School districts across the US are making the move to biodiesel fuel to augment or replace regular diesel. Among the reasons are less pollutants (CO2, particulates, ...), lessening reliance on imported oil and using more renewable resources.

One of the trade-offs is the increased cost for biodiesel - this is usually offset by grant money. Some districts are staying with biodiesel even after the grant money runs out ...

Below are some school districts that powered by biodiesel:

Medford, New Jersey - " ... began using B20 in 1997. ... fuel has performed well even in temperatures as low as eleven degrees below zero ... a technology that is not capital intensive and can be applied to older units as well as today's vehicles.”

Meridian, Idaho - " ... using up to 125,000 gallons of B20 biodiesel ...working to ... use the fuel other in vehicles. ..."

Warwick, Rhode Island - " ... use various blend levels of biodiesel in their heating boilers in 2001 and 2002. ... starting to use biodiesel in their fleet of 58 school buses. ..."

Campbell and McLean Counties in Kentucky - " ... use B20 in their school buses. ..."

Olympia Illinois "- " ... began using biodiesel (B2) in August 2002 in all 33 of its school buses and about 20 operation and maintenance support vehicles such as lawnmowers, pickup trucks and tractors ... buses travel 4,000 miles a day, or an average of 600,000 miles a year."

Hammond, Indiana - " ... began fueling its school buses with B20 in the 2001 school year under a grant from the Indiana Department of Commerce to pay for the incremental cost increase of the fuel. Although the grant has expired, fleet administrator John Molnar says he continues to use biodiesel because he thinks it’s the right thing to do.

Arlington County, Virginia - " ...using B20 in the county’s 500 diesel-powered vehicles, including 120 school buses, ..."

Via: National Biodiesel Board LINK