Environmentally-Friendly Kitchen Design

Cameron MacNeil, design editor of Canadian House & Home magazine, offers tips on environmentally friendly kitchen renovations in this video. H&H senior editor Trish Snyder also explains how to source eco-friendly, “green” appliances, cabinets, flooring, fabrics, backsplashes and countertops. For more great design, decorating, cooking and entertaining videos, or to order a back copy of the original article in the May 2008 issue, including sourcing information, visit www.houseandhome.com

Thames Water to Recover Phosphorus From Sewage and Recycle Nutrients Into “Environmentally-Friendly” Commercial …

TARP Bailout to Cost Less Than Once Anticipated
The reviled mother of all government bailouts — the $700 billion lifeline to banks, insurance and auto companies — will expire at a fraction of that cost and could conceivably earn taxpayers a profit.

Read more on New York Times

Deputy Was Speeding In Deadly Crash
COCOA, Fla. — A sheriff’s deputy who caused a deadly crash in Cocoa was speeding at the time of the crash, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Henrietta Strong, 55, was killed in the crash.

Read more on WFTV 9 Orlando

Semiconductor Could Turn Heat into Computing Power
Computers might one day recycle part of their own waste heat, using a material being studied by researchers at Ohio State University.

Read more on Newswise

Business News
Busch’s Grove Market to host grand re-opening

Read more on Suburban Journals

Thames Water to Recover Phosphorus From Sewage and Recycle Nutrients Into “Environmentally-Friendly” Commercial …
LONDON and VANCOUVER, BC–(Marketwire – September 29, 2010) – Thames Water and Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies announced today they will incorporate a new technology at Slough Sewage Treatment Works to recover phosphorus and ammonia from its wastewater stream and transform them into an environmentally-friendly, premium-quality commercial fertiliser.

Read more on Marketwire

Do people realize that ethanol is not as environmentally-friendly as we may think?

After transfering, processing, and turning the ethanol into a fuel, the environmental benefits of ethanol are almost close to none.

Whatever happened to the hydrogen-feul cell cars and solar powered automobiles that the government promised to promote and increase a couple of years ago?

New Types of Environmentally-Friendly Flooring Products

One of the first things home owners think of when embarking on a home improvement project is pulling up that dusty, stained and frayed old carpet. The next step is deciding what to put in its place – new carpet or some other type of flooring.

A trendy new craze sweeping the country is to replace existing carpet with environmentally friendly flooring such as reclaimed wood, linoleum, cork or bamboo. Such types of flooring are not only helpful to the environment, but are also coveted for their exquisite beauty, texture and form.

People are fast realizing the dangers of using products for the home that can be detrimental to the environment and to the residents who live in the home.

Jumping on the bandwagon, architects, builders and decorators are suggesting flooring products that protect the environment and the people who live and work in the buildings.

Advantages of Choosing Environment-Friendly Flooring Over Carpeting

If you’ve ever pulled up used carpeting in a home or other heavily-trafficked area, you’ve probably been aghast at the debris and filth hidden in the carpet and padding. The truth is that no matter how fanatical you are about vacuuming and shampooing your carpet, residue, mold and mildew will accumulate in the fibers beneath. The carpet then becomes an allergen magnet, hording germs that can affect humans and pets who come in contact with it.

Besides the advantage of avoiding allergens, the durability and beauty of wood or other environmentally correct floorings remains undisputed. It is easily cleaned and comes in a wide variety of patterns and colors to fit any décor.

Linoleum is resilient and is made from renewable substances of the earth or recycled remnants, but linoleum itself cannot be recycled because of the glue used to install it. Still, the long life gained from using linoleum has made it a popular choice for homes and offices.

The use of “reclaimed” wood found in old buildings such as barns, hotels or railroad cars is an emerging trend across the country. While the obvious character and patina of these woods are lovely and desirable, the cost can be somewhat prohibitive at around $30 per square foot. Furthermore, shoppers need to be careful to ensure they buy from a trusted source. There is also the danger of running out of wood before the project is completed if you aren’t sure to measure correctly and buy the right amount of materials.

Newer products, such as cork and bamboo are excellent choices to use in buildings that have energy savers such as radiant heat. Besides saving on energy costs, cork and bamboo can be bought for much less than wood and still have the “green tag” of being friendly to the environment.

Transform Your Home or Office with Cork or Bamboo Flooring

The rapid disappearances of our forests and rainforests have led to the research and development of new products in flooring and the reemergence of some old favorites. Cork and bamboo are forerunners in this endeavor.

Cork flooring has been popular in the United States since the 1950s. The avocado and gold colored carpet of the 70s temporarily replaced its prominence in the flooring market, but cork has now found new acceptance in environmentally conscious homes.

Anti-microbial and cushiony soft, cork is an ideal choice for parents who want to keep their homes free of allergens and also enjoy a tranquil existence by diminishing noise.

Bamboo flooring is both resilient and beautiful. Its colors, ranging from natural to amber, create an excellent background for any style of furniture or accessories. The durability of bamboo makes it a superior choice, and because of its rapid growth, bamboo usage helps to preserve our forests.

While bamboo is lightweight, it is as hard as oak, maple or redwood and has the added advantages of expanding and contracting less. It comes in tongue and groove planks for ease of installation. What’s more, bamboo’s natural imperfections lend an air of exclusivity to its look.

Jump On the “Build Green” Bandwagon When You Build or Renovate

Almost every decorating or architectural magazine that you see on the stands contains at least one article about being environmentally conscious when you build or renovate.

Indeed, there are many types of flooring that you can select to conserve energy and preserve our forests and other resources while avoiding excessive costs or future problems. Choosing the appropriate flooring for your home or office is a major decision – one that you will probably live with for a long time.

Choose wisely and “build green” whenever you can. It’s a great way to show that you care about our earth and its future.

Biodiesel – An Introduction To This Cheaper and Environmentally-Friendly Alternative Fuel

Biodiesel Fuel – An Introduction

here is now a growing movement in Biodiesel fuel. Biodiesel is a domestic, renewable fuel for diesel engines derived from natural oils like soybean oil.

Biodiesel can be made at home. It’s easy enough to make, it saves money and it’s good for the planet. Cars are said to run better and last longer on biofuel, and as it’s cleaner it’s also better for the environment as well as health. 

It’s made from leftover cooking oil which helps reduce the dumping of oil in sewers and landfills. In many countries including UK and USA filling stations are appearing where you can fill your car, as well organisations now set up to provide information about this environmentally-friendly fuel.

With recent increase in the prices of gas there has been a rising interest to look for an alternative fuel. People who drive will want something better than the conventional fuel. Many of them want a fuel that runs clean and safe in their cars. Also, they want fuel that is cheaper.

Today, there has being a number of new alternative fuel introduced in the market and a couple of them are getting pretty popular. One such alternative fuel is Biodiesel. Biodiesel offers the mass a good alternative.

A Different Fuel

One of the nice things that makes Biodiesel a good alternative fuel is that there is no need to buy a new car or even make modifications to your car so that you can use Biodiesel. As long as your car runs off diesel as fuel, you can definitely use Biodiesel.

Biodiesel is very different from regular fuel, but in positive ways. Biodiesel works like any other diesel fuel which is the main reason why you can use it in your car engine without modifying. In addition, it is a fact that Biodiesel tends to burn cleaner, so your engine will experience lesser wear and tear. Plus, it creates lesser pollution and so it is more environment-friendly. Biodiesel is also safer with less chance of explosion or fire.

Biodiesel Blends

It is interesting to note that most commercial Biodiesel sold in the marketing today are blended version. In short, Biodiesel and regular diesel are mixed together at different levels. The reason why it is done that way is because Biodiesel at its purest form does not perform well with conventional rubber parts found in most cars. Hoses and other rubber parts in the car will wear down over time with Biodiesel use. Mixing Biodiesel and regular diesel into a blend will help to rectify this common issue.

B100 (ie. 100% Biodiesel) is non-blended Biodiesel can still be found. For those who have upgraded their fuel system to not include rubber parts will get the best benefit from using pure Biodiesel. However, take note that a blended Biodiesel is still better than straight diesel fuel and it can be used in any diesel-driven vehicle without much issues.

Myths of Biodiesel

There are quite a number of myths about Biodiesel that make people become critical on the usability. The issue of Biodiesel breaking down rubber parts of the engine is not realy an issue when we look at the details. It is cheap when it comes to replacing the rubber parts compared to the known problems that may occur from using regular diesel. Biodiesel is much cleaner and so it will greatly reduce the general wear and tear. That means less service and maintenance to your vehicle.

In the end, people will realize that Biodiesel is simply a better choice. Despite the rumors and adverse talks, Biodiesel is a proven alternative fuel for drivers today.

For more info click here.

Environmentally-friendly white van man: Robert Barry compares the fuel economy of the Mercedes-Benz Eco-Start Sprinter 315 CDI with its standard sibling … An article from: NZ Business

Product Description
This digital document is an article from NZ Business, published by Adrenalin Publishing Ltd. on September 1, 2009. The length of the article is 766 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Environmentally-friendly white van man: Robert Barry compares the fuel economy of the Mercedes-Benz Eco-Start Sprinter 315 CDI with its standard sibling in a real-world match up–with surprising results.(MOTOR)
Author: Robert Barry
Publication: NZ Business (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2009
Publisher: Adrenalin Publishing Ltd.
Volume: 23 Issue: 8 Page: 53(2)

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning

Environmentally-friendly car powered by zinc fuel cells. : An article from: San Diego Business Journal

Product Description
This digital document is an article from San Diego Business Journal, published by CBJ, L.P. on July 1, 2002. The length of the article is 3093 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Environmentally-friendly car powered by zinc fuel cells. (Special Report: Automotive).(Metallic Power Inc.)(Brief Article)
Author: Lee Zion
Publication: San Diego Business Journal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 1, 2002
Publisher: CBJ, L.P.
Volume: 23 Issue: 26 Page: 12(1)

Article Type: Brief Article

Distributed by Thomson Gale

With Hollywood becoming environmentally-friendly….?

Will this lead to the end of big-budget, blockbuster movies and the end of action movies. Will they be replaced by smaller, more family-friendly films that don’t require a huge amount of money and resources to produce?

By GARY GENTILE, AP Business Writer

LOS ANGELES – From “green carpets” at awards shows to organic fruit
served to actors on sets, Hollywood is going all out to promote itself
as being environmentally hip.

But is it all just show?

No amount of public service announcements or celebrities driving
hybrid cars can mask the fact that movie and TV production is a gritty
industrial operation, consuming enormous amounts of power to feed
bright lights, run sophisticated cameras, and feed a cast of
thousands.

Studios’ back lots host cavernous soundstages that must be air-
conditioned to counter the heat produced by decades-old lighting
technology. Huge manufacturing facilities consume wood, steel, paint
and plastic to build sets that are often torn down and tossed out
after filming ends.

The energy guzzling continues on the exhibition side, too, with
multiplexes drawing millions of kilowatts to power old-school popcorn
makers and clunky film projectors that cash-strapped theater owners
are reluctant to replace.

A two-year study released last year by the University of California at
Los Angeles concluded that special effects explosions, idling vehicles
and diesel generators make the entertainment industry a major Southern
California polluter, second only to the oil industry.

Still, financial and public pressures have resulted in many studios
expanding their environmental efforts, doing everything from using a
biodiesel fuel mixture to run the generators on the set of the Fox
show “24″ to converting Warner Bros.’ enormous set-building facility
to solar energy.

“Public consciousness on this issue has changed dramatically,” said
Kyle Tanger, a principal at Clear Carbon Consulting. “The talent
themselves are requesting it from some of the studios. And a lot of
these things make economic sense.”

Economic benefit can come to studios directly, by switching to more
efficient lighting or cooling systems or driving hybrid cars on
location, which can save gas. Other projects, such as installing solar
power, can take decades to pay off.

But there are other benefits that are harder to quantify. Besides the
public relations angle, many performers and other employees want to
work with eco-friendly companies, so it also helps in recruiting and
retaining employees, Tanger said.

Form and function merged at this year’s Primetime Emmy Awards show.

To symbolize its commitment to energy conservation, Fox had wanted to
replace the traditional red carpet with a green one.

The tradition-bound Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which
gives the awards, politely said “no.”

But the carpet that ended up cushioning the heels of such stars as
Sally Field and America Ferrera was made from recycled plastic bottles
and later cut into pieces and donated to several local schools.

“No doubt some efforts have been window dressing. But I actually think
Hollywood is doing far more than people are giving it credit for,”
said Terry Tamminen, who served as an adviser to Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger before starting his own environmental consulting
company.

One convenient yet controversial method is the purchase of carbon
credits by studios and producers to offset the greenhouse gases from
their production activity. The credits attempt to counter such
pollution by investing in environmentally friendly projects such as
planting trees or funding wind power.

Studios and a growing number of other industries calculate their
emissions, then write a check to one of several brokers who funnel the
money to projects around the world. The goal is to become carbon
neutral by funding activities that reduce an equal amount of
emissions.

The 2004 Fox film “The Day After Tomorrow” and last year’s Al Gore
documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” offset all or some of their
pollution. This year’s “Evan Almighty,” from Universal, donated money
to the Conservation Fund to plant 2,000 trees, enough to “zero out”
the greenhouse gases produced.

But the practice has come under fire by some who say it is an easy way
to avoid the hard work of directly reducing pollution. Others question
whether carbon credit payments are actually going to projects that
make that much of a difference.

“If you’re going to drive around in a big ol’ Hummer and then buy
carbon offsets to mitigate that, that’s like getting drunk on the
weekends and throwing some money through the window of an AA meeting
and thinking you’re doing something,” said Ed Begley Jr., who was a
poster child for energy conservation long before Al Gore made it
trendy.

The Federal Trade Commission, meanwhile, has begun examining claims
made by the nascent multimillion-dollar carbon credit industry.

Warner Bros., which bought carbon credits for the 2005 film “Syriana,”
has also become more aggressive at reducing emissions during all
phases of production.

In addition to solar-powered set-building, the studio is recycling
sets, using recycled plastic lumber in the construction of some
buildings, and printing double-sided scripts where feasible.

Pieces built for the 2001 film “Ocean’s 11″ now sit in the Santa
Monica offices of the National Resources Defense Council. Sets from
this year’s sequel “Ocean’s 13″ were donated to decorate the halls of
local community colleges.

“You have to start by measuring your own footprint, then reducing it,
whether through using alternative fuels, reducing electrical loads or
combining trips,” said Shelley Billick, vice president of
environmental initiatives at Warner Bros. Entertainment. “It’s too
easy to write a check, pay thousands of dollars and say, ‘I’m climate
neutral.’”

Last year, Fox parent News Corp. set a goal of being carbon neutral by
2010.

To further that goal, Fox Broadcasting chose its popular “24″ series
as a case study and to serve as a model for other television
productions.

Diesel generators that power the show’s lighting were switched to a
mixture that uses 5 percent biodiesel fuel. That percentage will be
increased in coming years. The show also has secured energy from solar
and wind generation from a local utility for its soundstages.

But News Corp. has a more ambitious goal than simply reducing its own
carbon emissions.

“We knew from the beginning that if our goal is to make as many carbon
reductions in the world as possible, probably the best way we can do
that is through our audiences,” said Rachel Webber, director of energy
initiatives for News Corp.

The company concluded that worldwide, it produced the equivalent of
641,150 tons of carbon dioxide. But a rough estimate revealed that the
people who read its newspapers, watch its TV shows and browse its Web
sites use about 7 billion tons.

“That’s the greatest potential to reduce carbon, but we have to get
our own house in order first,” Webber said.

To reach the wider audience, Webber and a climate expert from Harvard
University met with show writers and executive producers earlier this
year to brainstorm on ways to integrate environmental messages into
show plots.

But Webber said Fox is not forcing “tacked on” messages into its
shows, but rather offering resources should writers choose to address
the issue.

“We can’t use this in a way that doesn’t fit into the show,” Webber
said. “It can’t be Jack Bauer driving in a car he otherwise wouldn’t
drive in.”

Ultimately, any steps Hollywood takes, big or small, to reduce
emissions are positive, Begley said. “There are different shades of
green.”

Are there any environmentally-friendly public companies that benefit when the price of oil falls?

Most environmentally-friendly companies, especially the ones involved in producing alternative energy like wind and solar, suffer when the price of oil falls. It’s cheap to burn gas, which makes the alternatives less attractive.

The price of oil being as volatile as it is, a green portfolio with nothing but alt-energy stocks would be volatile and risky. It would take a beating whenever oil falls. In order to make the portfolio’s outcome less variable, one would have to include stocks that are counter-cyclical with respect to oil.

Are there any such stocks among environmentally friendly companies?

Making an Environmentally-Friendly Fly Trap

Jonathan explains how he creates an environmentally-friendly fly trap in his kitchen.

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