Environmentally-friendly technologies - everything you need around the house to protect the environment from electric and hybrid cars to solar panels to water-saving shower heads.
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Envirotech
Monday, August 28, 2006
The Marietta Times: Alternative fuel gains acceptance
Alternative fuel gains acceptance
Kick-started by a surge in the price of foreign oil and bolstered by a trend in positive political support, Ohio — as well as Marietta — is forging commitments to the future of alternative fuels.
“It is important to realize we use an awful amount of petroleum,” said Denny Hall, a researcher of soybean-based and corn-based alternative products at the Ohio BioProducts Innovation Center. “Although (E85 ethanol), or soy-based biodiesel, cannot replace petroleum they are one of the many things we can be doing to help reduce our dependency.”
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Lansing State Journal: From packaging to crafts, KTM finds new uses for corn starch
Lansing State Journal: From packaging to crafts, KTM finds new uses for corn starch
: "Now, though, with oil and natural gas prices soaring, companies are giving a new look at bio-based, biodegradable packing material. It's become cost-effective to be environmentally conscious.'Even though the Nuudle has helped us stay in the game, it's the Green Cell packaging that really is the future of our company,' Colonnese said.Its Green Cell line is a starch-based foam rolled into sheets. It can be laminated into planks - using a starch-based adhesive by Lansing company EcoSynthetix Inc. - and cut into various shapes and sizes for packaging.State and regional economic development officials believe the creation of such new plant-based materials could be a boon for Michigan, which has a strong agricultural industry in addition to its manufacturing base.The main ingredient in KTM's foam is food-grade corn starch.Researchers increasingly are finding new uses for such plant starches, which are seen as a potential replacement for petroleum-based chemicals in plastics and other materials.The state already is seeing some growth among bio-based fuel plants, from new ethanol facilities to biodiesel operations."
Eco-Friendly Paper Base To Be Built In Guangzhou - ChinaCSR.com
Eco-Friendly Paper Base To Be Built In Guangzhou - ChinaCSR.com: "As one of the key projects during the 11th Five-Year Period in Guangzhou and Guangdong Province, the construction of Yuexiu Guangzhou Paper Making Group, an environmentally-friendly paper making firm, has been formally initiated in Nansha District of Guangzhou.
Involving a total investment of RMB7.5 billion, the whole project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2011.
The base will mainly produce press used paper. It is expected that the production scale of the base will reach 1 million tons each year."
ABC News: Recycle Your Old PCs
ABC News: Recycle Your Old PCs: "Environmentally friendly initiatives are becoming more prevalent in the area of technology, just as they are in other aspects of business and private life. So, how does sustainability relate to the way your business uses technology? There are several easy steps you can take to lessen the impact that your technology use has on the environment.
Conserve Energy
Often even simple steps can immediately save energy. One easy task is turning off computers when not in use%u2014particularly at night and during weekends. There is a misconception that turning computers off and on again not only uses more energy than leaving them running, but that it is also harder on computers. This is not true. Today's computers are built to handle 40,000 on/off cycles. This is considerably more times than the average user will turn the computer on and off during its five- to seven-year life span. In addition to saving energy, turning a computer off helps reduce heat stress and wear on the system."
CCNmag.com: The Smartest House On The Block
CCNmag.com: The Smartest House On The Block: "Sunset and Popular Science magazines have combined the most exciting trends in technology and home design to create the %u201CHouse of Innovation%u2014Ideas for Today and the Future.%u201D Opening September 8, 2006, in the tech-friendly Bay Area, the Alamo, California, idea house showcases forward-thinking innovations in home building, appliances, home automation, interior furnishings and landscape design. Popular Science will present a future-focused %u201CTech-Loft%u201D with prototypes of building and household products that will affect the way homes are built in years to come.
%u201CThe House of Innovation features what%u2019s new and what%u2019s next in home technology and design. These products will have a real impact on people%u2019s lives today, while the PopSci %u2018Tech-Loft%u2019 offers a glimpse into the lifestyle of the future,%u201D said Popular Science Editor-in-Chief Mark Jannot. "
Viet Nam News
Viet Nam News: "A retired engineer in HCM City has invented a substance which can be added to industrial spirit and petrol to create a cheap, clean fuel.
Le Ngoc Khanh, a 66-year-old retired researcher at the HCM City Science and Technology Sub-institute, spent 10 years isolating an enzyme from a micro-organism found commonly in Viet Nam.
Using a centrifuge to destroy the cellular membrane of the enzyme, he created a highly pure enzyme. He used the purified enzyme to convert industrial spirits into a mixture which could be added to A92 petrol in a 50/50 ratio.
The resultant product, which he has named C95, is highly energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, and cheap.
Vindy.com - Home changes big and small can make for eco-friendly life
Vindy.com - Home changes big and small can make for eco-friendly life: "Petuch said that while building green is a great idea for the environment, consider other ways to help the earth.
Before redoing the entire house, there are simple things that can be done that are cost-efficient, energy-efficient and may save the environment, he said.
'Before people invest tens of thousands of dollars to put a windmill in their yard or solar panels on their roof, they should inventory the energy needs at home and ask themselves what they're doing wrong,' Petuch said.
He suggests that people use rainwater for the garden Petuch also suggested composting leaves by putting them in an area where they can be contained, then put wood pallets on top of them.
He advised against 20-minute showers because even though there may be a lot of water in some areas, there's not in others. He said to plant trees because trees with large roots absorb water and not only create oxygen, but also reduce flooding.
Other options, he said, are to quit using toxic chemicals for cleaning and replace them with baking soda. He said that instead of spraying air freshener, sprinkle baking soda and then sweep it up because it smells fresh and won't hurt anything.
Other simple remedies include turning off the television, radio and computer when they're not being used and reducing the amount of garbage leaving the house, he said.
'Start with baby steps,' Petuch said. 'Don't start at the end. Make small changes that will save you money and save the environment. You don't have to be an environmentalist; you just have to be aware.'"
Vindy.com - Home changes big and small can make for eco-friendly life
Vindy.com - Home changes big and small can make for eco-friendly life: "Petuch said that while building green is a great idea for the environment, consider other ways to help the earth.
Before redoing the entire house, there are simple things that can be done that are cost-efficient, energy-efficient and may save the environment, he said.
'Before people invest tens of thousands of dollars to put a windmill in their yard or solar panels on their roof, they should inventory the energy needs at home and ask themselves what they're doing wrong,' Petuch said.
He suggests that people use rainwater for the garden Petuch also suggested composting leaves by putting them in an area where they can be contained, then put wood pallets on top of them.
He advised against 20-minute showers because even though there may be a lot of water in some areas, there's not in others. He said to plant trees because trees with large roots absorb water and not only create oxygen, but also reduce flooding.
Other options, he said, are to quit using toxic chemicals for cleaning and replace them with baking soda. He said that instead of spraying air freshener, sprinkle baking soda and then sweep it up because it smells fresh and won't hurt anything.
Other simple remedies include turning off the television, radio and computer when they're not being used and reducing the amount of garbage leaving the house, he said.
'Start with baby steps,' Petuch said. 'Don't start at the end. Make small changes that will save you money and save the environment. You don't have to be an environmentalist; you just have to be aware.'"
Vindy.com - Home changes big and small can make for eco-friendly life
Vindy.com - Home changes big and small can make for eco-friendly life: "Petuch said that while building green is a great idea for the environment, consider other ways to help the earth.
Before redoing the entire house, there are simple things that can be done that are cost-efficient, energy-efficient and may save the environment, he said.
'Before people invest tens of thousands of dollars to put a windmill in their yard or solar panels on their roof, they should inventory the energy needs at home and ask themselves what they're doing wrong,' Petuch said.
He suggests that people use rainwater for the garden Petuch also suggested composting leaves by putting them in an area where they can be contained, then put wood pallets on top of them.
He advised against 20-minute showers because even though there may be a lot of water in some areas, there's not in others. He said to plant trees because trees with large roots absorb water and not only create oxygen, but also reduce flooding.
Other options, he said, are to quit using toxic chemicals for cleaning and replace them with baking soda. He said that instead of spraying air freshener, sprinkle baking soda and then sweep it up because it smells fresh and won't hurt anything.
Other simple remedies include turning off the television, radio and computer when they're not being used and reducing the amount of garbage leaving the house, he said.
'Start with baby steps,' Petuch said. 'Don't start at the end. Make small changes that will save you money and save the environment. You don't have to be an environmentalist; you just have to be aware.'"
Ventura County Star: County News
Ventura County Star: County News: "The building strives to be environmentally 'friendly' in every way possible while reducing costs and energy consumption. For example, renewable technologies include extensive use of natural day lighting, 31 kVA of photovoltaics, solar hot water for space heating and domestic water. Environmentally sustainable features include the use of recycled construction materials, zero VOC paints, efficient plumbing fixtures including waterless urinals, utilization of reclaimed water and captured rainwater, and sustainable (native and drought-tolerant) landscaping.
Designed and planned specifically for low energy use and high performance, the building's energy performance is approximately 55 percent more efficient than California's 1995 Title 24 Energy Efficiency Standards."
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
orgtheory.net � Blog Archive � stakeholders and social movements
orgtheory.net Blog Archive stakeholders and social movements: "Two literatures in organizational theory address how outsider groups may influence corporate change, yet neither literature acknowledges the other. In the world of normal social science, how does this kind of thing happen? How can two different groups both purport to study the same outcome and yet learn nothing from each other?
The two groups I speak of are the stakeholder group influence scholars and the social movement folks. In recent years, there has been a flurry of actvity in both areas. Stakeholder scholars (e.g. R. Edward Freeman, Brad Agle, Jeff Frooman) examine the conditions in which stakeholder groups, like employees or members of the community, may influence corporate activity. An article in the May issue of Strategic Management Journal by Charles Eesley and Michael Lenox addresses some of the actions taken by stakeholder groups to affect change:
[O]utside stakeholder groups can engage in a set of actions such as protests, civil suits, and letter-writing campaigns to advance their interests. These actions can provide strong incentives for firms to meet stakeholder demands in one of two ways. First, they may impose direct operational costs in terms of legal fees, public relations expenses, and managerial attention if stakeholder demands are not addressed. Second, these stakeholder actions may have important consequences for a firm%u2019s reputation and its subsequent ability to attract customers and employees and appease regulators and shareholders (pg. 765)."
RenewableEnergyAccess.com Article: Ignite Clean Energy
RenewableEnergyAccess.com Article: Ignite Clean Energy: "Ten Start-ups Vie for Clean Tech Energy Prizes
RenewableEnergyAccess.com | April 20, 2006
Ten start-up companies have made a compelling case to energy venture capitalists, CEOs, and industry experts that they have the right stuff to build new clean energy tech companies -- helping to create one of the fastest growing industry clusters in Massachusetts.
But winning the semifinals in the 2006 Ignite Clean Energy competition wasn't easy, as each team had to survive two elimination rounds against almost 40 other start-ups. Now these teams are working to hone their business presentation skills for the final competitive round on May 9 at the MIT State Center, 4:30 - 9:30 pm (open to the public and free of charge).
'These fledgling businesses all offer solutions to our country's need for energy independence and a clean, healthy environment,' said Dr. Linda Plano, Chair of the Ignite Clean Energy Competition and Associate Director of the Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center. 'We expect these teams to play a significant role in building a thriving clean energy industry in the Commonwealth.'
The finalists included:
Hydrophen, Cambridge, MA, a Harvard University team, proposes to use a nano-membrane technology for oxygen permeation to produce high-purity hydrogen from water, with increased efficiency and lower cost due to its high production rate per surface area. The Hydrophen team includes Shriram Ramanathan, Nico Batrel, and Annamalai Karthikeyan. Mentor: Charles Eesley, Entrepreneurship PhD Candidate, MIT."
Venture Voice: Green Entrepreneur
Venture Voice: Green Entrepreneur: "Green can mean a lot of things to an entrepreneur. You can have a 'green thumb' which means any business you're involved in will grow and make money. You can be 'be green' as in inexperienced. To a new crop of entrepreneurs, however, being green means creating a business that benefits the environment.
But a business is a business, so green entrepreneurs must have the same bottom line orientation as any other businessman. They should all take notice to a recent study that AdRants points to finding that most people don't care if a product is marketed as being green.
Past Venture Voice guest and Venture Voice Startup Workshop speaker Tom Szaky may just have figured it out. He used green tactics (reusing, composting, etc.) to make his plant food cheaper than Miracle-Gro, which in essence gives him a disruptive business model allowing him to appeal to the wallet, the conscience, and even the media. He just snagged the July cover of Inc Magazine (not printed on recycled paper).
Perhaps, for entrepreneurs, green should stand for the environment and for money."
Friday, August 04, 2006
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Top scientist makes climate plea
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Top scientist makes climate plea:
World leaders have been urged to put more money into developing new energy technologies to tackle global warming.
Royal Society president Martin Rees wants a publicly funded international research programme, he says in the US journal Science.
Lord Rees says a pledge to increase governments' investments in energy technologies should have been made at the recent G8 summit in Russia.
He describes a 'worrisome lack of determination' among world leaders.
'Urgent challenge'
Lord Rees said: 'Energy security was a key issue at the St Petersburg summit of G8 leaders last month.
'Their joint communique included many important commitments, but it omitted one crucial pledge - a significant increase in their governments' investments in R&D (research and development) for energy technologies.'
Thursday, August 03, 2006
The clean tech bubble
The clean tech bubble: "The clean tech bubble
The Los Angeles Times has a good read on the piles of venture capital dollars chasing alternative energy companies, with one longtime investor in the sector saying that the 'clean technology sector is offering a Wild West-type gold-rush investment opportunity.'
I've been hearing some of these comments as well, including from attorney Ted Bernhard who leads the Energy Ventures and Finance Group at Stoel Rives. Last month, he told me that the ethanol sector is 'overhyped' and there is 'too much money out there chasing renewable energy projects.'
'We are seeing an incredible number of VCs diving into it -- frankly more than know what they are doing,' he said.
That's scary.
But more money is flowing into the energy sector in Washington state. Numbers from the second quarter MoneyTree Report -- released last week -- indicate that industrial/energy companies pulled in $63 million. That was the biggest investment total in industrial/energy in at least 11 years, and more than five times the amount that was invested in that category in all of last year.
Now, we have a lot of people asking if this is another bubble."
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Technology Review: Emerging Technologies and their Impact
Technology Review: Emerging Technologies and their Impact: "House and Garden
Architects design a living home.
By Tracy Staedter
In the future, home owners may grow their houses instead of building them. That's the vision of MIT architect Mitchell Joachim of the Media Lab's Smart Cities group. He and his colleagues -- environmental engineer Lara Greden, SM '01, PhD '05, and architect Javier Arbona-Homar, SM '04 -- have conceived a home that doesn't just use 'green' design but is itself a living ecosystem. They call it the Fab Tree Hab.The basic framework of the house would be created using a gardening method known as pleaching, in which young trees are woven together into a shape such as an archway, lattice, or screen and then encouraged to maintain that form over the years."
