Daily Archives: June 10, 2008

Rider can power his own way – or use batteries

Posted on June 10, 2008 by Laura B.

Read the full story in the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette. Want to hear a big loud laugh? Hang around Matt Childress when gas hits $6 a gallon. He doesn’t have it in for people who stick with the gas-powered engines, but he’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Fuels, Transportation | Leave a comment

The latest issue of GreenBuzz

Posted on June 10, 2008 by Laura B.

For a full-color, graphic version of this newsletter, go to http://www.greenbiz.com/enewsletters/2008/greenbiz/index.html. Infusing Sustainability Into a Mammoth Supply Chain By Tilde Herrera http://greenbiz.com/podcast/2008/06/05/infusing-sustainability-into-a-mammoth-supply-chain Wal-Mart’s Matt Kistler recently joined GreenBiz Radio to offer insight into working with its behemoth supply to design … Continue reading →

Posted in Green Business | Leave a comment

Nature Gave Him a Blueprint, but Not Overnight Success

Posted on June 10, 2008 by Laura B.

Read the full story in the New York Times. A scientist whose discoveries promised great increases in efficiency for a number of technologies found that companies showed little interest in redesigning their products.

Posted in Biomimicry, Research, Sustainable Design | Leave a comment

Green Machine: Cheap Electricity From Waste Heat

Posted on June 10, 2008 by Laura B.

Read the full post at EcoGeek. One person’s trash is another’s treasure – including waste heat. The Green Machine is ElectraTherm’s solution to creating inexpensive electricity from just such a source. It pulls waste heat to heat liquid, which turns … Continue reading →

Posted in Renewable Energy | Leave a comment

Mother Nature's Antibacterial Dyes: Bright Colors And A Knockout Punch For Germs

Posted on June 10, 2008 by Laura B.

Read the full story at Science Daily. A strain of marine bacteria produces large amounts of bright red pigments that can be used as a natural dye for wool, nylon, silk and other fabrics, scientists in California are reporting. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Biomimicry, Research, Sustainable Design | Leave a comment

Tracking plastic's breakdown products

Posted on June 10, 2008 by Laura B.

Read the full story in ES&T News. A rapidly growing body of research has raised concerns about the safety of phthalate plasticizers found in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products, cosmetics, and medical devices. Now, scientists are gaining new insights by looking … Continue reading →

Posted in Environmental Health, Plastics, Research | Leave a comment

Benchmarking Building Performance

Posted on June 10, 2008 by Laura B.

Read the full story in Sustainable Facility. You’ve cut your electricity bills by 10 percent. The chiller is operating smoothly, lights are off after hours, the building automation system is working on schedule — overall, you have a pretty efficient … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy, Green Building | Leave a comment

BlueFire Ethanol bets on household trash

Posted on June 10, 2008 by Laura B.

Read the full story at News.com. BlueFire Ethanol expects to start construction of a plant within weeks that will convert landfill waste into the fuel ethanol. CEO Arnie Klann on Thursday provided a timeline for the company’s trash-to-ethanol projects at … Continue reading →

Posted in Biofuels | Leave a comment

Stalled for Now, Climate Change Bill May Find Broader Support in Future

Posted on June 10, 2008 by Laura B.

Read the full story in Congressional Quarterly. Last week the Senate took up a sweeping climate change bill in what many hoped would be a historic debate. But it ended up fizzling quickly, and now any efforts at comprehensive global … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change | Leave a comment

Fish, Pigs and Saving the Planet

Posted on June 10, 2008 by Laura B.

Read the full post at Governing.com’s 13th Floor blog. Cities fighting to be the greenest in the land should look to Victoria, British Columbia, for some tips. In April, we wrote about cities hiring sustainability or energy directors to encourage … Continue reading →

Posted in Green Government, Local Initiatives, Sustainability | Leave a comment