Keep The Planet Green

Happy Holidays

2007-12-23T13:30:00.000-05:00

Have a happy holiday, and a great new year from Keep the Planet Green. I will be back in January. Be safe and be green!
~TRP

Proper Octane

2007-12-17T21:13:00.000-05:00

With ever rising gas prices, why not get the most bang for your buck? Make sure you are using the proper octane for your car. Using the proper octane listed in your users manual makes sure your car runs as efficiently as possible. All you have to do is read your manual and select the corresponding gasoline.

Bali Climate Talks

2007-12-16T13:28:00.000-05:00

On the 15th of December an agreement was reached between delegates from 187 countries at the climate talks at Bali, Indonesia. The agreement is called the Bali Action Plan which does not contain any binding commitments which the European Nations wanted, and the United States lobbied heavily against. The U.S. wanted restrictions on not only developed nations, but developing nations such as China and India as well. Many supporters of global warming talks are waiting for a new administration for the U.S. hoping that it is more environmentally active and cooperative. The Bali Action Plan calls mainly for international cooperation towards the goal of reducing the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions, and providing a market to improve the cost-effectiveness of achieving that goal. Also an international cooperation towards developing new technologies, and disaster relief for areas affected by climate change. Click here to read the whole Bali Action Plan.

Oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus)

2007-12-14T23:13:00.000-05:00

The Oceanic whitetip shark currently lives in all tropical to subtropical waters. It is threatened by fishermen in all of its habitats. Asian countries use the sharks' large fins for shark fin soup, but usually the rest of the carcass is discarded. It is also sometimes accidentally caught by fishermen who are looking to catch other fish. Its current state is vulnerable because it was once common in deep, cold water, but now sightings are rare.

United States at Fault for Deadlocked Climate Talks

2007-12-13T22:03:00.000-05:00

The European Union threatened to boycott separate talks proposed by the Bush administration in January because of the United States' unwillingness to cooperate with the current negotiations. The current negotiations are taking place in Bali, Indonesia at a United Nations conference on Global Warming. 190 countries sent delegates to the meeting in the hopes of reaching an agreement on a plan to reduce greenhouse emissions. The Bush administration was largely criticized by Mr. Gore for obstructing the progress in Bali. Mr. Gore urged delegates in his speech to agree on an open-ended deal that could be enhanced after the Bush administration leaves office and the United States policy might change for the better. Also Michael R. Bloomberg mayor of New York criticized both the Bush administration and Congress for not being aggressive enough on the subject of global warming. The talks hosted by the Bush administration scheduled for January are supposed to take place in Hawaii. The main deadlock in the negotiations in Bali consist of whether or not the agreement in Bali should contain numerical targets for emission cuts. China and India are also refusing to accept limits of their emissions even though they are projected to be the top contributors to green house gases.

Tips To Save Energy With Days Growing Shorter.

2007-12-12T19:48:00.000-05:00

With winter, comes shorter days, and that means longer use of light bulbs. As the sun sets earlier and earlier each day, we have to keep our lights on longer and longer. Here are some tips to save some energy, with smart light use. Start by replacing your light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Incandescent light bulbs are inefficient, 90% of the energy used goes toward heat. With CFLs your save 75% of the energy, and the life time of one CFL is equal to 13 incandescent bulbs.
Now with your new bulbs try some lighting controls. Photocells turn on lights when the sun goes down, and turns them back off when the sun comes up. Also try occupancy sensors. They turn on the lights when you enter a room, and turn them back off when you exit. These types of sensors are most frequently used in storerooms and closets. Dimmers are a great way to save energy buy only using as much lights as you need, they can also increase the life of incandescent bulbs.
After acquiring all your new gear, try getting the most out of the light you already have. Clean light fixtures regularly so the light does not have to shine through all that dust. Also just cleaning or repainting walls to a lighter color can allow more light to reflect off the walls, and make the room seem brighter.

The House of Representatives Set Higher Goals for Fuel Efficiency.

2007-12-11T22:50:00.000-05:00

The House of Representatives passed an energy bill on the 6th that had many mandates for fuel efficiency. There is set to be a 40% increase in the fuel efficiency of cars and light trucks sold in the United States, and by 2020 vehicles sold in the united states should have a flat average of 35 miles per gallon. There was also a call for a $21 billion dollar tax increase mostly affecting oil companies, and a mandate declaring that electric utilities must use natural energy such as solar or wind to produce 15% of their power. The supporters of the bill say that it will decrease the United State's dependence on foreign oil, jump-start the development of clean-energy, and begin to cut the United State's carbon emissions. But the likely hood of this bill being signed into a law without drastic changes is very small. The President has already threatened to veto the bill, and it is very unlikely the Senate will pass the bill without altering many of its provisions. The bill also calls for an increase in ethanol and biofuel production from 5 billion gallons a year to 36 billion gallons a year which I do not completely agree with. The main component of biofuel in the United States is corn. Which feeds much of the live stock as well as many people. Biofuel can be made from almost any type of plant so I think that if biofuel is made, it should not be derived from a food source base, especially with world hunger today. Also the gathering and processing of the corn produces almost as much carbon dioxide , as the biofuel would benefit. I believe the biofuel industry should be further researched before the government forces it to be mainstreamed.

Worst Oil Spill In South Korea's History.

2007-12-10T23:03:00.000-05:00

On December 7, 2007 a barge collided with the oil tanker Hebei Spirit which caused it to begin leaking around 2.7million gallons of crude oil. The tanker was carrying approximately 260,000 tons of crude oil. On December 9th around 6,000 government officials and volunteers worked to contain the massive oil slick around South Korea's coast. Oil spills are one of the worst things to the environment and can destroy whole ecosystems. Oil affects wildlife by coating their bodies, and over time oil gets stickier which makes the coats on animals even worse. Oil floats on the water and attracts fish because it looks like food. This in turn attracts sea birds which can get covered in the oil as they dive through it to get to the fish. The fish also attract marine mammals such as seals and dolphins which puts them at risk. After an oil spill it is typical to see many dead birds and sea animals wash up on shore. Birds are affected the most because oil on their feathers prevents them from flying which makes them easy prey. The oil also causes them to lose body heat faster making their metabolism work harder to keep them warm, and the oil can prevent air from getting in between their feathers which keeps them buoyant as a result it causes them to sink or drown. Click here to learn about the many detrimental effects oil spills have on the environment.

Wave Energy. The Future?

2007-12-09T18:56:00.000-05:00

What is wave energy? Wave energy is basically wind energy because waves are essentially made from the wind blowing over the surface of the water. If harnessed correctly wave energy has the potential of eliminating 1 to 2 billion tons of CO2 emissions a year compared to conventional fossil fuel generating sources. Harnessing the power of the waves is not only clean energy, but an infinite source of energy. The waves will never stop producing energy. Pelamis Wave Power Ltd is a company in England that is pioneering the technology. The use of the Pelamis Wave Energy Converter, is a great way to farm electricity, with almost no negative impact on the environment. The biggest environmental impact will be the installation of the converters, displacing sea sediment, but the converters themselves will provide a place for fish to gather, and for birds to rest. Click here for more information on the Pelamis Wave Energy Converter, its development, and environmental impact.

Live Christmas Tree

2007-12-09T00:49:00.000-05:00

Picking a Christmas tree for the holiday season can be a daunting task, but here is something to consider. Why not buy a live Christmas tree? Live Christmas trees have the bulb or roots still attached. This allows for the tree to be replanted after Christmas. If you do not want another tree in your yard, then donation to a friendly neighbor or the local school are always possibilities. Live Christmas trees do need special care an attention though. They have to under go an introduction phase before entering the household and before replanting it outside. The introduction phase is to ensure that the tree does not come out of dormancy and begin to grow which is not favorable to the tree's cycle. Also the tree should be kept in the coolest part of the room away from any heaters, and it will need plenty of water. Also the tree should not be kept inside for any longer then 10 days. Click here to learn more information on using a live Christmas tree for Christmas.

Some Energy Tips for the Winter.

2007-12-08T01:04:00.000-05:00

Rising oil prices are driving up the cost to heat homes this winter, and we could all use the extra cash to finance our Christmas gifts. Here are some tips to help save some energy, and other "greens" this season. You can turn down the thermostat a few degrees and wear a sweater or sweat shirt indoors. Programmable thermostats can also be installed to give control as to not only when the heater is on or off, but during what time of day. This allows people to turn off the heat in their house for long periods of time, such as when they are at work or during the night. Also the programmable thermostat can be used in the reverse, to turn on the heater before you arrive home from work or before you wake up, so either way the house is warm and toasty when needed. When used properly programmable thermostats can save up to $150/ year on utility bills. Other energy saving practices include performing regular maintenance on your furnace such as a tune up or making sure the filter is clean. Also make sure your house is properly insulated by plugging leaks and holes. Check for cold air around windows, electrical receivers, and pipe and wire entry points. Many leaks could be fixed with caulk or weather strips. All of these conservation practices really add up, and can help you save. Click here to learn about Programmable Thermostats from Energy Star.

Endangered Animal - Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)

2007-12-06T21:50:00.000-05:00

A new featured endangered animal will be posted every 7 posts. This is for archive purposes, so readers like yourself will be able to look up and read about any previous or perhaps missed endangered animals that have been featured. The featured endangered animal series will also retain its spot on the right column of the home page.

Ursus maritimus commonly known as the Polar bear lives in the Arctic, and its status is vulnerable. The Polar bear population is estimated to be from 20,000 to 25,000. There is expected to be a population reduction of at least 30% over the next 45 years because of habitat loss and a decline in habitat quality. Habitat loss is a direct result of the global climate change which is causing the Arctic sea ice to melt.

Green Card? Not What Your Thinking!

2007-12-06T21:29:00.000-05:00

Green cards or Climate cards as they are more commonly known are the new big thing for the credit card industry. These cards act just like regular credit cards, but your purchases help the environment in some way. The newest contender is the Brighter Planet Visa credit card with EarthSmart points. You earn 1 EarthSmart point per dollar spent in net retail purchases. You can now earn 50% more points with a match by Bank of America through December of 2008. You can also earn up to 2000 bonus points when you first receive your card. You get 1000 bonus points after your first transaction to offset the creation and delivery of the card, and you can acquire the other 1000 bonus points for selecting the option to have paperless statements. This will allow you to receive your statements by email, and pay your bill online. Also your points are automatically redeemed monthly to help fund community-based reneewable energy projects across the US. To learn more about other green cards, and climate cards click here. To learn more about, or to apply for the Brighter Planet card click here.

smart fortwo

2007-12-05T20:54:00.001-05:00

The smart fortwo is sold in over 36 countries world wide, and the USA is going to get into the action in January of 2008. It is the only car out of 6 in the whole world that had an exhibit in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and is still in production and being sold. For being such a small car, it is big on safety with a four star rating. The car also comes at a nice base price of $11,590. It might be a good buy for families that need an extra car or for first time buyers with a budget. The compact design gives the car great mileage, but most of its positive environmental qualities come from its production. The company has great recycling practices, but tries to avoid waste altogether. They also use powder coated finishing techniques. Powder over spray can be collected and is over 98% reusable. smart is a great innovative green company. Click here to check it out, and put down $99 to reserve yours.

Why We Need the Rainforest

2007-12-02T22:31:00.000-05:00

137 animal, plant, and insect species are lost everyday due to deforestation. That totals up to about 50,000 species a year. With the disappearance of tropical rainforest so too disappears possible cures for many diseases. There are currently 121 prescription drugs that are derived from plants, and 25% of Western World pharmaceuticals are made from rainforest ingredients. Only less then 1% of these unique trees and plants have been tested by scientists. So save yourself by helping to save the rainforest. Click here everyday to help preserve our rainforest.

Abor Day Foundation

2007-12-01T21:19:00.000-05:00

What is Arbor Day? Arbor Day is a National Day dedicated to the care and planting of new trees. It originated in Nebraska back in 1872 founded by a man named J. Sterling Morton. National Arbor Day falls on the last Friday in April of every year. The Arbor Day Foundation at arborday.org is a great website to learn about the history of Arbor Day and to buy all different kinds of trees. They also have charts as to what season is the best season for trees to be planted in your region. The best is that when you sign up to become a member of the website you get 10 free trees of your choice. This site is definitely worth checking out just to learn about different kinds of trees and the best trees for certain areas. The are even sections on the devastation of forest fires, and my personal favorite rainforest recovery.

Solio Hybrid 1000

2007-11-29T16:35:00.000-05:00

Have an outdoorsy friend who likes their gadgets? Christmas is rolling around and the Solio Hybrid 1000 might be the perfect gift for them. It can power most gadgets harnessing the rays from our sun. The application that makes this solar charger so appealing is its ability to hold a charge. If it is going to be an overcast day, you can charge the Solio's battery using your laptop, and use it to charge any of your appliances at your own convenience. Just 1 hour of sunlight will give you 15 minutes of talk time or 40 minutes of MP3 music. A full charge typically charges 1 cell phone completely or gives you up to 10 hours of MP3 music. The Solio comes with a USB tip, a mini USB tip, and a Nokia tip, but there are many other cables and tips you can order for all kinds of gear. Click here to order or to see if the Solio will work with your appliance.

Greenhouse Gasses for 2006

2007-11-27T17:41:00.000-05:00

The U.N. weather agency recently released a report stating that 2006 was a record high for greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. World concentrations of carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere were the highest ever in measurements coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization. Methane another greenhouse gas remained stable from 2005 to 2006. Carbon Dioxide is the major greenhouse gas that is contributing to global warming. It is contributing a total of 91% compared to other greenhouse gases. Over the past 100 years the temperature of the earth has raised a total of 1.3 degrees Fahrenheit. Human activity is directly related to the global climate change because the carbon dioxide concentration is way higher when compared to the natural range over the past 650,000 years. Click here to read up on it.

Magazine Paper Project

2007-11-22T22:10:00.000-05:00

Less then 5% of the paper used in magazines is derived from some source of recycled material. A large portion of the paper used in magazines and other materials are not taken from farmed trees, but from the logging of forests. This is directly destroying habitats and ecosystems. The magazine paper project is devoted to helping magazine publishers interested in adopting environmentally responsible papers and sustainable production processes. Click here to see if your magazines are committed to using environmentally responsible papers, and Click here to learn more about the magazine paper project.

Compostable Hot Cups

2007-11-15T23:17:00.001-05:00

The typical cup used to hold our hot beverages is Styrofoam. Styrofoam is non biodegradable. That means that Styrofoam will never break down in the environment. Also there are very few if any options to recycling Styrofoam. So instead of using Styrofoam to hold your hot beverages, use Ecotainer hot cups. Instead of lining their cups with the typical petroleum that most paper cups use. They use a lining made from 100% corn. The paper used for the cups are harvested sustain ably, and are Elemental chlorine-free. To check out the cups, or to order them Click here.

Solar, The Time to Invest is Now.

2007-11-15T13:41:00.000-05:00

Solar power is the best way to get a return investment on your energy bill. The problem is costly systems. A good solar system can cost into the 10s of thousands of dollars, but with federal and state grants and tax credits an investor can save money on the cost of their system. It all depends on where you live. A simple search on google can help you find the grants in your area. Also the link included can tell you the sunshine and a rough cost of your system. Sunshine is not the same in every area. Such as sunshine being stronger toward the equator compared to North and South of the equator. It also depends on the seasons. The sun being stronger in the summer then in the winter. A person can also pick how much their system produces. Say if you only want your system to produce 50% of the energy you use a month opposed to 100%. The system that produces 50% of the energy will be half as cheap as the 100% system, but you will only be saving 50% of your electric bill a month. Also with a 100% system extra energy that is produced that you do not use that month will either be bought from you from your electric company, or your company will credit you in case you use more energy then you produce the next month. Solar energy is not just for residential areas. Many big businesses put solar panels on their roofs. There are also state and federal tax cuts and grants for businesses too, which will help finance the project. Click here for more info on solar panels. Click here for a saving calculator, to see how much money you will save if you install solar panels.

Why We Need the Rainforest.

2007-11-12T15:21:00.000-05:00

Rainforests are an important habitat for over 50 million species. Located along the equator, rainforests used to cover 14% of the earth's land surface. Now they only cover 6%. The logging of rainforests destroys habitats and whole species all together. Click here to go to The Rainforest Site, and save some rainforest.

Sherwood Forest

2007-11-06T22:11:00.000-05:00

Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire County located in England is on the comeback. The legendary forest in the story of Robin Hood is in bad shape and many of the ancient oaks are dying. Local groups are hoping to win a TV lottery that will pay for the project which includes the planting of 250,000 trees that will knit the forest back together. For more information click here.

Overfishing

2007-06-26T23:37:00.001-04:00

You may not think it, but overfishing is a major global problem. Due to new technologies such as sonar, fish do not stand a chance. Fishing vessels can find, catch, and in some cases even can right on the ship. Overfishing destroys marine ecosystems, and entire industries. Entire fishing villages' economies have collapsed because there are simply no more fish to catch. This puts many people out of work and ruins ways of life. Some areas were so over fished that it will take centuries for the fish population to return to a moderate level. A major problem with fishing today is the destruction of the bycatch. That means that if a fishing vessel catches fish that are not in its market, then those fish are simply killed and thrown back into the ocean. To help with the problem of overfishing, new technologies should be invented to limit the amount of bycatch, and catch limits should be set for specific fish in ecosystems that are on the verge of collapsing. For more information on the topic click here.

What Happens to the Things I Recycle?

2007-06-23T15:26:00.001-04:00

This is probably something you have thought about if you recycle on a regular basis. It might seem like a rather "grade school" question, but on the last garbage night, I found myself wondering just how much of what we put into our 3 (full) recycle bins can be re-used. Well, I've done some browsing, and here is what I have come up with. . . .

Almost all day to day paper products can be usefully recycled. Sometimes things like boxes and paper can be remade into new boxes and new paper that is just as good as the original material! Basically, the news paper or printing paper you recycle today, might end up being the news paper you read or the printer paper you use tomorrow. Here is a chart from Keep America Beautiful Inc. which shows in detail how paper recycling has risen in the past few years. This chart paints a promising portrait of the future of paper recycling, and it is one more step towards a greener tomorrow.

Personally, the things I find most often in my recycling bin are glass and plastic bottles, and aluminum cans. Well, interestingly enough I discovered that the recycling of aluminum, one of the most easily recyclable resources has actually decreased since the 90's! Luckily, the aluminum cans of today are less dense than those of past years, and so more cans can be made from the same amount of aluminum today. However, this is no excuse for us to slack in the area of aluminum recycling! So keep at it! There is no reason to waste anymore landfill space than is necessary!

As far as plastics go, I discovered that much recycled plastic actually becomes raw material used by the textile industry. Most of it is used to create more plastic bottles and containers, but there are many uses for recycled plastic products, as recylced plastic can also be used to make things like this park bench. Disappointingly, the amount of plastic recycled each year does not compare to the amount which ends up in landfills, and seeing as how a plastic bottle is completely non biodegradable (which means, under normal circumstances, it will never decompose - no, not even after a million years), we as a society need to make a real effort in this area.

Finally, glass, is often used to make - you guessed it - more glass. While other materials are added to recycled glass, not having to use all new materials when producing glass containers has major environmental advantages. However, I did not realize that there are certain types of glass which cannot be recycled, and in fact should be kept out of the recycling bin! As it turns out certain types of glass products can actually "contaminate" the recycling process, click here for more detailed information. Some of these non-recyclables include ceramic ware, used light bulbs and glass from windows and mirrors, not to mention your everyday drinking glass (this came as a surprise for me, as I have thrown the occasional broken glass into our recycling bins). But check out that link for a more complete listing of glass products which you should not attempt to recycle, as well as a more complete list of substances which you should recycle!

In conclusion, the next time you are wondering how much of an impact your recycling efforts are really making, and the trashcan seems a lot nearer than the nearest recyclables drop off center, make the extra effort to put your used goods back into a useful state rather than just taking up precious and over-used landfill space! Recycling is a global effort in which we all must take part if we hope to make a difference! Now you know; Keep the Planet Green!

Save Some Energy - Save Some Greens

2007-06-22T00:01:00.001-04:00

Saving energy can be fun because it usually leads to saving money. If you have central air, set your thermostat to 78 degrees when you are home and to 85 degrees or off when you are not at home. Also if its a nice day out you can shut off the air conditioner, open the windows, and use fans. You save 1-3 percent on your energy bill per degree when your thermostat is set above 72 degrees. You can save an additional 4 percent if you wash your clothes on the cold setting, and you can save 5 percent on your bill if you dry those clothes on a clothes line. You can save one percent if you run your dishwasher only when its fully loaded and turn off the steam dry to air dry instead. Turning off appliances, lights and other equipment when not in use, will save you an additional 2 percent. If your house is properly sealed and insulated, you can save 2 more percent. Lastly make sure your air conditioning ducks are properly sealed because that can contribute to saving 10-20 more percent on your energy bill.

Save Some Energy

2007-06-22T00:01:00.000-04:00

Saving energy can be fun because it usually leads to saving money. If you have central air, set your thermostat to 78 degrees when you are home and to 85 degrees or off when you are not at home. Also if its a nice day out you can shut off the air conditioner, open the windows, and use fans. You save 1-3 percent on your energy bill per degree when your thermostat is set above 72 degrees. You can save an additional 4 percent if you wash your clothes on the cold setting, and you can save 5 percent on your bill if you dry those clothes on a clothes line. You can save one percent if you run your dishwasher only when its fully loaded and turn off the steam dry to air dry instead. Turning off appliances, light and equipment when not in use will save you an additional 2 percent. If your house is properly sealed and insulated, you can save 2 more percent. Lastly make sure your air conditioning ducks are properly sealed because that can contribute to saving 10-20 more percent on your energy bill.

Live Earth 7.7.07

2007-06-20T22:25:00.000-04:00

Live Earth was founded by Kevin Wall; he also produced the Live 8 concerts which raised awareness about poverty in Africa. Live Earth is a 24-hour event being held on 7 continents. There will be a series of 9 concerts taking place on 7/7/07. The concerts will feature over a 100 music artists, and 2 billion people are projected to participate in the event. They are hoping to trigger a global movement to solve the climate crisis. Kevin Wall is doing this in conjunction with Al Gore and the Alliance for Climate Protection.
The Concerts will take place at Giants Stadium in New York; Wembley Stadium in London; Aussie Stadium in Sydney; Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro; Maropeng at the Cradle of Humankind in Johannesburg; Makuhari Messe in Tokyo; the Steps of the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai; HSH Nordbank Arena in Hamburg; and the Seven Towers Fortress in Istanbul. For more information, tickets, or to learn about the Live Earth online Broadcast click here.

Ecoforestry

2007-06-19T09:53:00.000-04:00

Ecoforestry is the practice regulating the amount of commercial timber taken out of a forest without upsetting the forests ecosystem. A group dedicated to saving our forests through ecoforestry is Ecoforestry Institute. They are dedicated to teaching the public about ecoforestry, and finding new ways to extract resources from our forests while protecting their ecosystems. Click here to go to their official website to learn more about the organization. Also check out their book, Ecoforestry: The Art & Science of Sustainable Forest Use.

Call 2 Recycle

2007-06-17T23:53:00.000-04:00

The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation created the national program Call2Recycle™ which promotes the recycling of rechargeable batteries and old cell phones. They recycle: Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd), Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH), Lithium Ion (Li-ion) and Small Sealed Lead* (Pb). All of those chemistries are in your typical rechargeable battery. To find a local drop off site for your rechargeable battery or old cell phone click here. Remember to recycle because it helps to keep the planet green.

Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

2007-06-16T23:41:00.000-04:00

Compact Fluorescent light bulbs are energy saving light bulbs typically because they produce an equal amount of light while consuming less electricity. All fluorescent lamps and High Intensity Discharge lamps fall into the category of energy saving light bulbs when they are compared to incandescent or mercury lamps. These light bulbs usually cost more then a regular incandescent light bulb, but they can last 8 to 10 times longer before replacement is required. To calculate energy savings Compact Fluorescent light bulbs will bring you click here. To order some energy saving light bulbs click here.

NatureMill's Automatic Composter

2007-06-16T00:18:00.000-04:00

NatureMill has turned out a composter that is not only energy efficient, but also easy on the smell. The on board computer monitors the bacterial growth to know when it needs to turn on the heater or the mixing wand to promote growth. The air pump also helps by pumping in new oxygen for the bacteria, and then the old air is pumped through the charcoal filter which eliminates the odor. It takes about a week for the compost to drop into the cure tray. It produces enough compost for about a 400-square-foot plot, and it only uses about 50 cents worth of electricity a month to operate. The composter costs around $400 and weighs 20 pounds. Click here to purchase or for more information. Click here for an HGTV special on the composter.

FutureGen: Leading the way to a Cleaner and Greener Future

2007-06-13T23:49:00.000-04:00

FutureGen is the name of the project being funded by the United States Department of Energy, as well as twelve other companies, dedicated to both finding a cleaner method of fossil fuel-driven energy production, as well as beginning the weaning away from the use of non-renewable resources all together. The project, initiated by President Bush's Hydrogen Fuels and Climate Change initiatives, will culminate in the construction of a prototype energy-production plant which is currently expected to be operational by the year 2013.

This plant will be unique in several ways. Firstly, while it will be a coal-driven plant, it will not contribute to pollution by way of harmful emissions, as do virtually all systems which rely on coal as their primary fuel source. Indeed, the plant proposed by FutureGen will be almost completely without emissions due to a revolutionary new method of harvesting the energy stored in coal; instead of being burned directly, the coal will be "gasified", and the resulting products of the gasification process will be used as the direct fuel for electricity production.

Gasification is a reaction that converts coal into a gas which can be cleaned of sulfur (this by-product can be marketed for various uses) to yield mostly hydrogen and carbon monoxide. This combination, known as syngas, is then made to react with steam producing more hydrogen and carbon dioxide. True, carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, but whereas it might normally be a harmful pollutant to be added to the atmosphere, in the case of FutureGen, this gas will be pumped underground into a salt-water reservoir. This is an extremely environmentally friendly method for disposing of this potentially harmful bi-product, as salt water deposits in the earth are not only prolific, but almost entirely useless to both human industry and the ecosystem. Therefore, FutureGen is proposing both a greener method of harvesting the energy from coal as well as an earth-healthy way to dispose of waste gases.

However, the use of fossil fuels is something from which we must begin to free ourselves all together. Not only do fossil fuels typically produce a great deal of harmful emissions which contribute to air pollution and acid rain, but fossil fuels are non-renewable. Basically, there is only so much of this stuff available on the planet, and when the last of it is used, it is truly gone. And so the plant's use of hydrogen as its main fuel source is a progressive step towards a cleaner and more efficient future. Hydrogen is clean burning, holds huge potential in the area of energy harvesting and is also the most abundant of all the elements, meaning we are not in danger of running out any time soon! Hydrogen will be what is burned to turn electricity-producing (275 megawatts) turbines at the FutureGen plant, resulting in a much cleaner method of harvesting the energy present in coal, and also opening the door for further research into using hydrogen as a major fuel source in the future.

In short, FutureGen is a huge step towards a greener future, combining the human need for energy with the global need for a more environment-conscious society. However, it should be kept in mind that this plant is the first of its kind - a prototype - and so it must prove itself in order to set an example for future power-plants. Of course, even if FutureGen does succeed, the widespread employment of this type of plant on a global or even national level is many years in the future. Still, progress is progress, and the future is already looking a bit greener!

For more information on FutureGen, check out their website as well as the FutureGen factsheet.

Other interesting research: the ratio of coal to power produced in the FutureGen plant as opposed to the typical coal-burning power-plant. I was unable to find any specific numbers, but there is a small Paragraph under FutureGen's FAQ page stating that the process of removing carbon dioxide will reduce efficiency of the plant. This is just one more area of experimentation which needs to be felt out by the new FutureGen plant.

Computer CO2 Emissions

2007-06-12T23:53:00.000-04:00

The world spends $5 to $7 billion dollars collectively to power inactive computers. If 100 million computers were put into the low-power sleep mode for 12 hours a day, 45 million tons of CO2 would not be produced a year. That is equal to the CO2 produced in a year by every household and industry in a country the size of Ireland. To prevent excess CO2 from entering the atmosphere, and to save a little on your next energy bill, please set your computer to go to sleep mode when you are not around.

2007-06-11T23:11:00.000-04:00

The company EnviroMission is undertaking the solar tower project in Australia. At an area called Sunraysia which receives 300+ days of sunshine a year. The sun beats down on the glass and heats the air underneath causing it to rise which then turns the wind turbines at the base of the tower to produce electricity. The Solar Tower will stand 3281 feet tall. To put that into perspective the Empire state building stands at 1473 feet. The tower will power 200,000 homes and save 900,000 tonnes of CO2 gases from entering the atmosphere annually. The Solar Tower was featured on the Discovery Channel. Click Here to watch. Also for an artist's rendition of the Solar Tower. Click Here. For information on the project Click Here.

Moixa USBCell

2007-06-10T10:35:00.000-04:00

Moixa has created a AA battery with a built-in USB plug. Once the battery dies all you have to do is plug it into a USB port to recharge.
You can get up to 500 uses before you need to buy a new one. Go to Usbcell.com for more details.

Meaning

2007-06-10T02:10:00.000-04:00

con·ser·va·tion –noun

1.	the act of conserving; prevention of injury, decay, waste, or loss; preservation: conservation of wildlife.

2.	official supervision of rivers, forests, and other natural resources in order to preserve and protect them through prudent management.

3.	a district, river, forest, etc., under such supervision.

4.	the careful utilization of a natural resource in order to prevent depletion.

5.	the restoration and preservation of works of art.