Sustainability


Dow Pilots Plastics-to-Energy

A Dow Plastics pilot program recovered 96 percent of potential energy from waste plastics burned to fuel an incinerator.

Darden School Professor Offers a Green Way to Teach Green

Darden School of Business Professor Andrea Larson has tapped into an efficient and greener way to bring low-cost, high-quality scholarly material on sustainability to instructors and students.

New Study Explores Using Oceans and Lakes as Renewable Energy Resources

As the demand for energy increases worldwide, the search for renewable and viable sources of power intensifies.

Farms of the Future: Bio-Oil, Biochar from Biomass

Rural landscapes of the future might have pyrolysis plants instead of grain elevators on every horizon —processing centers where farmers would bring bulky crops such as switchgrass to be made into crude oil.

Santa Fe Community College to Receive 300,000 for EPA Job Training

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently awarded a $300,000 environmental workforce development and job training grant to Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) to promote green jobs in Santa Fe, N.M.

The Federal Strategy to Promote U.S.-Based Electronics Recycling Market, Jobs

Dell, Sprint and Sony are the first companies to voluntarily commit to EPA’s industry partnership aimed at promoting environmentally sound management of used electronics.

GM to Launch Smart Grid Pilot Program for Charging EVs

General Motors and OnStar will a pilot of smart grid solutions for electric vehicles this year, paving the way for utilities to increase energy-efficiency and offer lower charging costs to customers.

Greenstar Recycling Helps Houston Lead Green Job Economy Growth

A new study by two of the nation’s top consulting organizations that demonstrates Houston’s impressive record at creating environmentally responsible “green jobs” helps spotlight the contributions of Greenstar Recycling.



Review of Samsung's Replenish Smartphone

We recently spent some time with the Samsung Replenish smartphone from Sprint and found it to be a solid option for an entry-level phone, especially one that leaves a smaller footprint on the environment.

California Supreme Court Upholds City's Ban on Plastic Bags

The court ruled in favor of the City of Manhattan Beach, paving the way for the city's ban on plastic bags to go into effect.

Rising Above The Recycling Decline

The United States is lagging behind other countries when it comes down to overall recycling efforts. As the world’s largest trash producing country at 1,609 pounds of trash per person, per year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, it raises questions why the land of opportunity isn’t taking advantage of its position to help reduce some of the Earth’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Fuel Cell Mobile Lighting System Featured at Space Shuttle Atlantis Launch

Fuel cells are used in the space shuttle as one component of the electrical power system, so perhaps it was appropriate that a hydrogen fuel cell-powered mobile lighting system could be seen on the grounds of the Kennedy Space Center as the Space Shuttle Atlantis launched into space last week, the 135th and final mission for the NASA Space Shuttle Program.

GM Recyled Transmission Caps

GM Works to Make Landfills Obsolete

Through a combination of developing new technology and strategic use of materials, GM has transitioned 74 of its 140-odd plants into landfill-free facilities.

Wood Products Part of Winning Carbon Emissions Equation

Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to grow, so forests have long been proposed as a way to offset climate change.

New Paper Evaluates The Future of Water Recycling

The authors point out in the paper that the biggest problem with DPR is community acceptance, despite the fact that factors such as population growth and climate change mean that existing water supplies must go further in the future.

The Future of Cover Crops

Winter cover crops are an important component of nutrient cycling, soil cover and organic matter content. Although its benefits are well documented, cover crop use in farming systems is relatively low.

Thomas Edison Descendants Support Choice in Bulbs: "Technology Changes. Embrace It"

Four direct descendants of Thomas Edison, the man who invented the incandescent light bulb 132 years ago, strongly oppose a House vote seeking to limit consumer choice and block progress on more modern, more energy-efficient bulbs.

EPA Clean Air Milestones in Texas

EPA recently announced that all ‘flexible permit’ companies in Texas have agreed to apply for approved air permits, helping to achieve clean air in the state and providing for regulatory certainty.

Herbicide Resistance, Weeds Are Spreading in the United States

Herbicide resistance is growing. At least 21 weed species have now developed resistance to glyphosate, a systemic herbicide that has been effectively used to kill weeds and can be found in many commercial products.

First-of-its-Kind Cellulosic BioRefinery in Iowa Will Create Jobs, Displace 13.5 Million Gallons of Gasoline Annually

Unlike many conventional corn ethanol plants, Project LIBERTY will use corncobs, leaves and husks -- sources provided by local farmers -- that do not compete with feed grains.