Green Options » clean

New Biofuel Could Lead to 100% Clean Flights

Andrew Williams — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 08:53:00 +0000

Earlier this month, a team of scientists at the University of North Dakota’s Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC) successfully tested a new biofuel based on a mixture of canola and soybean oils, and claim it may be the key to zero emission aviation [video].

The new super-biofuel, known as Jet Propellant-8 (JP-8) was used to launch a rocket above the Mojave Desert, where it approached the speed of sound and reached an altitude of 20,000 feet - a major leap forward in biofuel-powered flight.

Speaking about the launch Carsten Heide, associate director for the EERC said, “We demonstrated that this fuel is a flying fuel, and is 100% renewable and burns clean. It would open up the possibility to run 100% renewable, clean planes. You can see in the picture how clean it burns.”

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What’s the Dish on Grease Recycling in SF?

Rhonda Winter — Thu, 14 May 2009 18:15:12 +0000

Did you know that San Francisco spends approximately $3.5 million dollars every single year to unclog our sewers? Commercial restaurants and household kitchens are the largest controllable sources of Fats, Oil and Grease (FOG) in the City’s sewer system. Although most individuals don’t produce very much used cooking grease, collectively what we pour down our drains all adds up and makes a disgusting unhealthy clogged mess in our city’s sewers.

Before and after photos of a San Francisco sewer encrusted with used grease

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Thousands of Youth Organize in DC to End “Clean Coal” Lie

Rhonda Winter — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 01:15:58 +0000

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Both “clean coal” and carbon trading are lies. They are huge scams perpetrated by massive energy companies that are choking our planet. Over twelve thousand students converged on Washington D.C. to demand an end to polluting coal plants, and that the United States start to lead the world in creating truly sustainable clean energy and green jobs. Students filled the halls of Congress, lobbying their elected officials to fight global warming and demanding an end to polluting coal.

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Simple Green Craft Cleanup Solutions

Kelly Rand — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:30:56 +0000

After getting down and dirty with your craft, there’s that dreaded task of cleanup. This simple task can get a little more dicey once the paint, marker, oil pastel or glue finds itself outside of the protected craft area. So to help, here’s a list of green cleaning products that you can use to clean up after craft time using supplies that you already have in your house.

If you’re crafting with the environment in mind, more than likely your materials are water based. These spills can be quickly and easily swiped up with water and a rag.

If wondering hands happen to get crayon or pencil marks on the wall, a little baking soda and water should do the trick.

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Innovate or Die: Aquaduct Water Filtration Tricycle

Rhonda Winter — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 01:10:51 +0000

Over a billion of our fellow world citizens do not have access to clean drinking water. Over three million people die annually as a result of waterborne diseases, making them the leading cause of death on our planet. Often when clean water is available, it is located miles away and takes hours and much effort to transport. An innovative new tricycle has been invented that could potentially help to solve some of these life-threatening problems.

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The Aquaduct is a pedal-powered vehicle that transports, filters, and stores water. It is the winning design in the “Innovate or Die” contest, which asked people to create pedal-powered solutions to help combat climate change. The novel competition was sponsored by Specialized Bicycles, Google and Goodby Silverstein & Partners.

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Swedish Inventor Demonstrates Solar-Powered Water Purifier

Andrew Williams — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:04:08 +0000

A Swedish inventor has unveiled a solar-powered water purifier that could provide billions of the world’s poorest people with access to clean and disease-free drinking water [video].

The device, called the Solvatten, (Swedish for ’sun water’), looks much the same as a standard jerrycan and can be filled with up to ten liters of water, opened out, and left in the sun. A simple indicator shows either a red or green face to let users know when the water is safe to drink (typically after 3-4 hours), thus avoiding the risk of contracting water-borne diseases.

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Riding Shotgun In the Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen Car - Part 1

Tetsuya Yokoyama — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:04:43 +0000

I recently had a chance to ride along in a Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE at Eco-Products 2008 in Japan — a green event held for three days in Tokyo.

Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE and Mercedes-Benz Smart on road.

Several green vehicles were on hand at the event for visitors to take on approximately 10 minute rides. The cars you could pick from were: the Toyota FCHV-adv (fuel cell), the Nissan Clean Diesel X-TRAIL 20GT, the Subaru Plug-in Stella Concept (EV), the Audi Cabriolet A4 S-line 3.0 TDI (Diesel), the Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE, the Mitsubishi i MiEV (EV), the Mercedes-Benz Smart, and the Velotaxi.

I chose the Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE because I thought sitting in that type of car must be a very rare opportunity. I also wanted an up close real-world experience with a car that uses a rotary engine and can switch back and forth between gasoline and hydrogen fuel.

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Clean Words = Clean Policies? Politicians Seem to Think So

Amanda Peterka — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 20:40:48 +0000

Let’s say you’re a politician, and you have a policy you want to push to the public. How do you get the backing?

You turn to semantics.

Do you call it a bailout or a rescue plan? Invasion of privacy or the Patriot Act? A War on Terror or an invasion of a country that doesn’t possess WMD? Do you say we’re looking for oil independence or to drill in ANWR? Do you call it global warming, admitting that the earth is indeed warming, or do you call it climate change?

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Enjoy Safe and Healthy Bath Time with Baby from Day One

Tara Benwell — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 04:26:39 +0000

My second (and last) child is no longer a baby. I know this not because he just turned two, but because he actually needs a bath most days. Though we consider ourselves cautious parents in terms of water safety (our water heater was set to 120F before we brought our first one home) I sat by and unknowingly let both of my babies chew bath toys that contained PVC and mold. Here are a few things I wish I had known about bathing babies from day one:

Squirties aren’t as cute as they look

We had them all: Santa duck, sailor duck, golfer duck, you name it. I didn’t realize how dangerous rubber ducks were until the first time black goo squirted out of one of them. I recommend the ban from the beginning, because before you know it your bath will be infested with these hard to wash sea creatures that double as hazardous teethers. Choose bath toys that can go in the laundry, or PVC free ones without holes that can drip dry. Here is an extensive guide to safer bath toys.

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Japan Finally Gets a Clean Diesel Car

Joshua S Hill — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:05:04 +0000

After the last diesel car was taken off the Japanese market in 2007, Nissan Motor Company has become the first domestic automaker to release a diesel car in Japan in six years. And in the current day climate of everyone looking for ways to save on fuel – to cut costs and to help the environment – Nissan’s X-Trail 20GT sport utility vehicle is also the world’s first “clean” diesel.

Being powered by an engine lead-developed by partner Renault SA, the “clean” diesel refers to the fact that the X-Trail meets Japan’s new emissions standards that are set to kick into effect October 2009. These standards are said to be the strictest in the world.

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Japan to Offer Clean Automotive Incentives

Joshua S Hill — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:06:32 +0000

Japan will look to introduce incentives for the fiscal year starting July 2009, for consumers looking to buy clean diesel cars, in an attempt to reduce the countries carbon dioxide emissions. Such an incentive will hopefully not only push consumers into buying cleaner cars, but hopefully push manufacturers into building them as well.

According to an official from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), further details will be clarified and confirmed over the rest of 2008, for a hopeful introduction in April of 09.

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Clean Tech of the Week: Wash Clothes Without Water

Michelle Bennett — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:00:00 +0000

Not exactly washing without water, but with less than 2% of a normal washing machine. That’s only 1 cup of water for those sweaty gym clothes, grubby kid-wear, and foul socks.

Washing with soap and water has been THE WAY to clean most clothes for so long, it’s hard to imagine reducing H2O by 98%. What this technology lacks in sexy bells and whistles, it gains in implications. Billions of gallons of clean water could be conserved every year simply by adopting this dry cleaning technology. Less water also means less drying, which can add energy savings to those with energy-hungry clothes dryers.

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Ecopreneurist: Need Advice on Starting (and Funding) Your Cleantech Business?

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:49:55 +0000

Editor’s note: Many investors see clean technology as a smart bet these days… but how do you get your cleantech business plan in front of the people with the money? Lead Edwards at Ecopreneurist points to one source of advice for clean/green entrepreneurs: universities… and some of this advice is free. This post was originally published on Monday, March 31, 2008.

If you are a scientist or researcher with a great idea for a green business, you should check out what universities have to offer you (even if you are not in school).

As an example of the types of programs available, consider UC Davis’s Green Technology Entrepreneurship Academy (GTEA), which provides a free, week-long intensive for science and engineering researchers. Yes, I did say free, and it’s held at Lake Tahoe, Nevada in July—a very nice plus.

According to UC Davis Center for Entrepreneurship Assistant Director, Nicole Starsinic, the GTEA combines classroom learning with a team project, which pairs scientists with business school students and professionals. A number of venture capital firms, law firms, and other professionals, which are listed in the Academy’s schedule, devote time in the hope of discovering the cleantech Google.

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Clean Energy Intro: Solar Thermal

Michelle Bennett — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 06:00:33 +0000

What if you could produce clean solar energy night and day, rain or shine, and never hit the bank for a single P.V. solar panel? Photo voltaic panels can be pricey, so the solar industry is always trying to lower costs and boost efficiency in the quest to compete with coal. One fast-growing, cost-effective solar technology uses heat to generate energy 24 hours a day, and it can store energy without batteries. In this post I’m going to investigate solar-thermal technologies.

It’s called “Concentrated Solar Power” or C.S.P. The idea is simple; no complex chemistry or fancy silicon wafers required. Glorified mirrors shaped like satellite dishes (or parabolic troughs) direct the sun’s rays towards a reservoir. The concentrated solar heat boils water into steam, and steam powers a turbine. When the water cools off it’s collected and cycled back through the system. The mirrors can even track the sun across the sky to maximize efficiency. Water is not the only fluid that can be used, but its unique properties have made it popular. More on that below.

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Tip o’ the Day: Are You Cleaning with the Magic Powder?

Rebecca Carter — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 13:10:25 +0000

Baking soda: It's like magic powder. It can be used everywhere, and once you start utilizing it for all of its 101 uses, you just might get pretty attached to this stuff.

You can bake, deodorize, and clean with sodium bicarbonate. Most people are already using it for the first two uses we mentioned, but the last one - not so much. However it is a great way to clean most surfaces and things in your home, while at the same time avoiding toxic, yucky chemicals.

Burned a pot? Put some baking soda and hot water in there and let it sit for a bit. Don't want to mix chemicals with your food? Baking soda can be used to clean both counter tops and fruit & veggies. Martha Stewart recently suggested dipping half a lemon into baking soda for a great & natural sink cleaner.

Most baking soda is made from soda ash, which comes from a naturally-occurring mined substance called trona. Most trona comes from Wyoming, which is known as the Saudi Arabia of sodium carbonate. Trona is mined completely underground, and we hear these mines are like underground cities. While we're still trying to understand how these mining practices affect the environment, we're confident in saying that baking soda is still light years better than using toxic chemicals to handle your dirty work.

Rebecca says: When it doubt, try baking soda out. I have used it in a paste with water as an abrasive cleaner, to take terrible burned gunk off of pots, and even as a fire extinguisher. I just learned about using it as a cleaner for fruits & vegetables, and you can bet I'll be putting that into action this week.

Arm & Hammer Baking Soda Solutions

Trona Mining Resource