Recycling e-Waste
The elements that go into mobile phones, computers and TVs can be polluting to the environment and dangerous to human health if incorrectly disposed of. The e-waste is the fastest growing part of the solid waste stream, and some 20 to 50 million metric tons of it are thrown out every year.
But there are ways to recycle e-waste, reducing the need to mine more of the metals that go into high-tech items, and preventing the environmental consequences of poorly processed electronics.
CloudBlue, based in New Jersey, helps tech companies take care of their e-waste, arranging for direct pickup and processing, ensuring that valuable metals can be reused and recycled for future electronics. For customers like banks that have to worry about sensitive data that might be encoded on old computers, CloudBlue can also process the waste onsite. With all this, the company can ensure that no e-waste will ever end up in a landfill — or worse, poisoning a child in Africa or China.
http://www.cloudblue.com/
http://www.cloudblue.com/
Algae Biofuel
The biggest renewable energy business in the U.S. isn't solar or wind or electric cars. It's plain old corn ethanol. Thanks largely to generous government subsidies, the U.S. produced 10.6 billion gallons of ethanol in 2009. That was enough to displace the need for 364 million barrels of oil, but study after study has shown that high levels of corn ethanol production simply aren't sustainable.
Biofuels can still a major role in a greener energy policy. One of the best options on the horizon is biofuel made from algae, which counters a lot of the problems with corn ethanol. (The right strains of algae secrete oils that can be used to make fuel.) Algae do not need farmland to grow: tanks will do the job just fine anywhere there is spare land and a decent amount of sunshine. Algae also grow much faster than traditional crops, and the micro-organisms may be able to use to use wastewater or even saline water during their development, rather than fresh water. Startups like Sapphire Energy and Algenol in California and Florida are passing the pilot phase and nearing commercial development; they just need a little government help.
Algae food
Thin-film Solar
Molten Salt Storage
Solar Tower
Custom Biofuels
Electric Cars
Smart Meters
Lithium-ion Batteries
>> Renewable Energy At Home
Fuel Cells
Rooftop Wind Power
Tidal Power
Green IT
Green Concrete
Green Building Materials
Modular Nuclear Power
Artificial Photosynthesis
Waste to Energy
Biochar
Vertical Farming
http://www.verticalfarm.com/
http://aerofarms.com/technology/
Vertical farming: The next big thing for food—and tech
Community Gardens / Local Food Movement
Greener Funerals
Death isn't the best thing for the environment. Cremation sends more than 6.8 million tons of carbon emissions into the atmosphere every year, caskets take a long time to biodegrade and burial leads to methane emission (the second most prevalent greenhouse gas). But environmentally-friendly burial options are becoming more prevalent. Wicker and cardboard coffins can replace traditional wood, and dry ice is used rather than formaldehyde. And green burial services are popping up around the globe to curb post-mortem emissions.
http://www.verticalfarm.com/
http://aerofarms.com/technology/
Vertical farming: The next big thing for food—and tech
Community Gardens / Local Food Movement
Community gardening isn't really that new, but the local food movement is.
The demand for plots in p-patches or local green spaces has skyrocketed in the past few years as people opt out of GMOs and out-of-season produce (which some argue is actually more carbon friendly).
Hyper-dense New York has plans to reclaim vacant lots for urban agriculture under Mayor Michael Bloomberg's PlaNYC initiative.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated the local food industry to be $4.8 billion in 2008 and upwards of $7 billion in 2011.
Greener Funerals
Death isn't the best thing for the environment. Cremation sends more than 6.8 million tons of carbon emissions into the atmosphere every year, caskets take a long time to biodegrade and burial leads to methane emission (the second most prevalent greenhouse gas). But environmentally-friendly burial options are becoming more prevalent. Wicker and cardboard coffins can replace traditional wood, and dry ice is used rather than formaldehyde. And green burial services are popping up around the globe to curb post-mortem emissions.
Green Funeral Options Widen With New Body Disposal Technologies
Overview of Greenhouse Gases
Green Funerals: How To Make An Eco-Exit
Better Ways To Throw Stuff Away
The average American throws about 40% of their food away every year, and nearly 100 cities have launched composting programs to try and keep it out of landfills. Curbside composting has spread across the country from uber-green San Francisco, which started their program 15 years ago and now collects more than 600 tons of compost daily. Of the 250 million tons of trash created in the U.S. in 2010, 34 percent of it was diverted to composting or recycling programs, according to the EPA.
Why Doesn't Your City Have Curbside Composting?
Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: Facts and Figures
Overview of Greenhouse Gases
Green Funerals: How To Make An Eco-Exit
Better Ways To Throw Stuff Away
The average American throws about 40% of their food away every year, and nearly 100 cities have launched composting programs to try and keep it out of landfills. Curbside composting has spread across the country from uber-green San Francisco, which started their program 15 years ago and now collects more than 600 tons of compost daily. Of the 250 million tons of trash created in the U.S. in 2010, 34 percent of it was diverted to composting or recycling programs, according to the EPA.
Why Doesn't Your City Have Curbside Composting?
Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: Facts and Figures
Cheaper Alternative Energy
The cost for renewable energy continues to fall and is starting to become much more economically competitive with fossil fuels. New reports from the International Renewable Energy Agency show the cost of solar falling more than 60% in the past few years alone. Increasing competition has helped push the price down, particularly with solar as U.S. and European manufacturers struggle to keep up with the pricing of Chinese solar panels. Wind power has also gotten consistently cheaper.
The cost for renewable energy continues to fall and is starting to become much more economically competitive with fossil fuels. New reports from the International Renewable Energy Agency show the cost of solar falling more than 60% in the past few years alone. Increasing competition has helped push the price down, particularly with solar as U.S. and European manufacturers struggle to keep up with the pricing of Chinese solar panels. Wind power has also gotten consistently cheaper.
Wind Power Now Cheaper Than Natural Gas for Xcel, CEO Says
Solar and Wind Just Passed Another Big Turning Point
3-D Priniting
This emerging technology has been touted as solution to many of the planet’s pressing problems.
The Perpetual Plastic Project aims to turn recycled plastic bottles, cups and other stuff that too often ends up in landfills into 3D printing filament. In the U.S., plastics make up nearly 13 percent of the municipal solid waste stream.
solar-powered 3D printer
3D printers to create nutritious food
3D printing to make fake rhino horns to stop poaching and save the rhino from going extinct!
Solar and Wind Just Passed Another Big Turning Point
3-D Priniting
This emerging technology has been touted as solution to many of the planet’s pressing problems.
The Perpetual Plastic Project aims to turn recycled plastic bottles, cups and other stuff that too often ends up in landfills into 3D printing filament. In the U.S., plastics make up nearly 13 percent of the municipal solid waste stream.
solar-powered 3D printer
3D printers to create nutritious food
3D printing to make fake rhino horns to stop poaching and save the rhino from going extinct!
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