Archive for Green Innovation
Stinky Sewer Solution: Old Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds have been proven useful for new innovations in robot hands, biofuel engines for cars, warm sports clothing, and as printer ink. And now the latest: a team from The City College of New York has come up with a way to make an effective carbon filter out of coffee grounds that will soak up noxious sewer gases.
The grounds are an effective filter for hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas, which smells like rotten eggs and can be dangerous. This is good news for those who work with sewage systems. Some workers have even died from overexposure to H2S as a result.
Why do old coffee grounds work so well as an odor filter? It’s the caffeine. It turns out that caffeine contains nitrogen, which can capture airborne sulfur. Most typical carbon-based sulfur filters require additives like ammonia, but the coffee grounds don’t need any such boost.
The filters are made by baking a slurry of coffee grounds, water, and zinc chloride at 1500 degrees, creating nitrogen-lined holes in the carbon particles ideal for trapping H2S. The New York team’s research could result in a commercially-available eco-friendly H2S filter.
Check out this paper on the research recently published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.
Related articles
- coffee grounds may hold the solution to a stinky problem (alternativeconsumer.com)
- Grounds for the ground (askalbin.com)
- Survey – How do you use spent coffee grounds? (groundtoground.org)
- Coffee Grounds Are Buried Treasure! (groundtoground.org)
- Coffee grounds could be used to suck up sewer stench (gizmag.com)
Clean Energy Fuel Cell Could Power a Neighborhood
Photo courtesy of Solvay International
Did you know that a new “super battery” (the largest fuel cell of its type), can produce enough clean electricity to power over 1,400 homes? I saw this over at Solvay International Chemical Group’s site, and immediately thought of all of the innovative applications and energy-saving ideas that could come from this. Cars, ships, and any number of potential uses could benefit from this Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell, which uses hydrogen’s chemical energy and an electrochemical reaction with oxygen to create clean energy.
The project is happening in Antwerp, Belgium, where 800 hours of operation generated more than 500MWh, the equivalent to the use of energy from 1,400 houses.
Related articles
- 1 MW PEM Fuel Cell (That’s Big) At Work In Belgium (earthtechling.com)
- Solvay hails world’s largest fuel cell of type in Flanders (expatica.com)
- Fuel Cell Energy: What is it? What can it do? (txu.com)
- Fuel cell- a new concept in power generation (ahilan007.wordpress.com)
- Belgian battery can power 1,400 homes (mnn.com)
- U.S. Army unveils GM-made fuel-cell military vehicles (green.autoblog.com)
- Solvay commissions 1 MW PEM fuel cell at SolVin’s Antwerp plant (greencarcongress.com)
On the roof: Aquaponic farms produce vegetables and fish
High above the soil and sod, a German company is building an aquaponic farm on the roof of an old malthouse in Berlin that will produce both vegetables and fish.
Rooftop farms are gaining in popularity in many areas of the world, and German company Frisch vom Dach is doing something that may lead to future innovation to feed the world–one rooftop at a time.
Constructed from an upcycled shipping containers, this farm also has a fish tank and attached greenhouse. It operates on a closed water cycle system, and the cool thing is that fish waste fertilizes the plants, and the plants purify the water.How is that for an eco-system?
Similar systems are popping up that produce both vegetables and fish, and operate within Germany’s sustainable aquaculture guidelines. The farm’s first harvest is coming early next year, and the company says it will sell its produce at its onsite shop as well as to local retailers.
Check out their website for more photos.
Related articles
- Urban rooftop farm expanding (mentalflowers.wordpress.com)
- On a Berlin rooftop, aquaponic farm will produce vegetables and fish (springwise.com)
- Industrial-Sized Rooftop Fish Farm and garden Planned for Berlin to prove sustainable urban agriculture (nextbigfuture.com)
- The Fine Line Between Aquaponics and Factory Farms (treehugger.com)
- 1,200 Acres of Rooftop Farms for New York City (planetsave.com)
- Farm the Rooftops (dirt.asla.org)
Helping Kenya go green with biochar
Imagine using human and livestock waste as a source of green energy. Many companies have explored this, but one in particular is getting the go-ahead to make some headway in Kenya with the development of biochar. Fast Company recently featured Jason Aramburu, the CEO of re:char, who is working with the emerging area of biochar thanks to a grant from the Gates Foundation to develop a system to transform human waste into biochar. Biochar is carbon negative, which means that every ton of biochar produced represents carbon extracted from the air, which cannot get back into the atmosphere.
For over 3,000 years, indigenous farmers In the Amazon basin have been making charcoal and burying it in the ground to improve the soil’s ability to capture and retain nutrients for their crops. This biochar makes a lasting impact on the soil, and the land is now rich and fertile.
Re:char also sells kilns to farmers in Kenya that allow them to convert their farm waste into biochar, which is quickly becoming known for its cost-effective solution to curtail poverty, and slow down the deforestation by encouraging people there to use biochar as cooking fuel instead of cutting down trees for firewood.
Related articles
- How Biochar Will Help Kenya Go Green And Save Money (fastcompany.com)
- New Home Biochar Kits From re:char Also Support Kenyan Farmers (treehugger.com)
- What We’re Reading: The search for an AIDS vaccine (one.org)
- Biochar Value to Glacial Soils and Greenhouse Gases (cleantechies.com)
- Carbon farming – how does it work? (greeningaustralia.wordpress.com)
The World’s First Vertical Forest Is Greening Up Milan
Thanks to urban sprawl and auto & factory emissions, Milan is one of the most polluted cities in Italy. But Italian architect Stefano Boeri is greening up Milan with a “Vertical Forest.” The project took inspiration from traditional Italian towers covered in ivy. Boeri simply multiplied that effect on two soaring apartment towers. Can you imagine how these residential buildings that look like trees themselves could soon look like at apartment buildings throughout the world?
Click on the picture to see the photographs Boeri posted of the towers’ construction on his blog last month.
Scientists say it’ll actually improve the city atmosphere, and not just the skyline. According to Boeri, the diversity of the plants and their characteristics produce humidity, absorb carbon dioxide and dust particles, producing oxygen and protect from radiation and acoustic pollution, improving the quality of living spaces and saving energy. Plant irrigation will be produced to great extent through the filtering and reuse of the grey waters produced by the building. Additionally Aeolian and photovoltaic energy systems will contribute, together with the aforementioned microclimate to increase the degree of energetic self sufficiency of the two towers.
The lush vegetation will also encourage the presence of birds and insects within the miniature gardens. It will also balance out the city’s environmental damage, by creating a self-sufficient ecosystem. And with construction costing only five percent higher than that of a typical skyscraper, the concept of a vertical skyscraper is incredibly accessible for other cities facing similar plights.
Related articles
- Bosco Verticale: the world’s first vertical forest (gizmag.com)
- Stefano Boeri’s incredible vertical forest in Milan! (empreendersaude.com.br)
- Tree Towers: World’s First ‘Forest In The Sky’ (news.sky.com)
- Bosco Verticale in Milan Will Be the World’s First Vertical Forest (leggotunglei808.wordpress.com)
Disruptive Green Packaging
Can consumers embrace product packaging that looks dull, or somewhat imperfect, in exchange for packaging that is good for the environment?
Check out this article on Greener Package.com about a new package disrupting the detergent aisle. It has a molded-pulp outer shell made from recycled cardboard and old newspapers, with an inner film pouch–both parts can easily be recycled. Read on:
Image via greenerpackage.com
Molded-pulp bottle disrupts laundry detergent category
Ecologic Brands has found a winning application for its multi-component molded-pulp package in Seventh Generation’s new 4X concentrated brand of liquid laundry detergent. The product has been on shelf for just 12 weeks (at presstime) and is already the number-three top-selling detergent in its category of 150 SKUs. The package was also a winner with the 2011 Greener Package Awards judges, who rewarded it with an Environmental Impact award in the Non FDA-Regulated Products category.
The Seventh Generation container consists of a molded-pulp outer shell made from 70% recycled cardboard (OCC) and 30% old newspapers (ONP) that can be recycled up to seven times. The material, without the paper label, has been certified through the Biodegradable Products Institute as being compostable per ASTM 6868. The package’s inner film pouch with spout has been constructed of polyethylene only, making it suitable for recycling with plastic grocery bags in retailer drop-off bins from Trex. When compared with a rigid plastic container, the pouch reduces plastic use by 75%, Ecologic informs. And, because the shells can be nested and the pouch can be transported flat to Seventh Generation, one truckload of the packaging materials equals nine truckloads of rigid plastic containers. Lastly, the package closure, as with most traditional laundry containers, is made from polypropylene, and is recyclable through Preserve’s Gimme 5 recycling program, found in Whole Foods Market stores. The result: A lighter-weight package that easily fits into the existing recycling stream.
Not that Seventh Generation is any newcomer to sustainable packaging advancements. At 80%, the company boasts the largest content of post-consumer recycled high-density polyethylene in its rigid laundry detergent containers. “We were reluctant at first to look at the molded-pulp bottle, because we had worked so hard at recycled HDPE,” says Peter Swaine, Seventh Generation’s director of packaging development. “But the reality is that only 29 percent of HDPE is recycled.”
Swaine attributes the low number to several factors, including lack of consumer education, confusion surrounding the SPI codes for plastics, and the lack of recycling in many U.S. municipalities.
With the molded-pulp bottle, consumers immediately understand the environmental proposition of the package. And, the likelihood of the molded-pulp shell being recycled is much greater, as OCC is recycled at a rate of 82% and ONP at 88%. “Recycled-content HDPE bottles are industry-leading,” says Swaine, “but it’s hard to tell the story because they look so much like traditional bottles. The new bottle is completely unique.”
As Ecologic founder and CEO Julie Corbett explains, part of that unique appearance also comes from the challenges associated with using recycled paper materials, which often have a large variance in the quality and origins of the feedstock. “Both these factors will have an effect on the color and outside appearance of the shell,” she says. “For example, small spots or flecks might be visible on the outside and inside of the shell.”
“If we want to continue to make products from recycled materials, this is something consumers will have to overcome. Our bottle’s general likeability and design will help consumers better understand that the beauty of a package is not only about the outside appearance, but also about the origins of materials.”
One current package-manufacturing drawback of the shell versus injection molding of rigid plastics is that the molded-pulp packaging requires the application of heat longer than required for plastic. Corbett assures that technology is quickly advancing to solve this issue. “The direction is the right direction, and this is an industry that has taken on a new life, but it’s kind of at its infancy in terms of infrastructure.”
Corbett reports that future projects in the works for Ecologic include the development of a 64-oz stock container, as well as other stock sizes, and “custom bottles for many other customers for liquids, dry ingredients, consumables, and non-consumable products.”
Says Greener Package Awards judge Jack DiMartino of Stonyfield Farms, “I love everything about this project; the amount of thought and consideration for its consumers and the environment puts Seventh Generation on a different level for sustainable packaging.”
Eco-friendly bioplastics inspire innovation
Image via Wikipedia
I am very excited about the new developments in bioplastics research! Within the past few years there have been numerous new-to-market plastic products that either decompose in the landfill or make the recycling process cheaper, easier and more environmentally friendly.
One company from France has launched a plastic “coffee pod” (like the kind used in Keurig® and other machines) that is 100 percent biodegradable. Consumers can put their pods right in their backyard garden without any worries about landfill waste. And that’s just the beginning of more bioplastics ingenuity to come, as I wrote about in my weekly column. Check it out:
How long does your trash live in the landfill?
For glass bottles, the time for it to degrade can be thousands of years or more. Plastics are an improvement, but many of them can still have a life span that is measured in decades. Fortunately new plastic materials being developed are shortening that time considerably.
Today’s new “green” plastics are being made of unconventional biodegradable materials — even milk curd. It’s all possible because of bioplastics, an innovative polymer technology that is transforming the plastics industry.
In spite of volunteer and mandatory recycling programs, environmentalists have long been concerned with the plastic that remains in the waste stream. According to Penn State University scientists, it may take up to 20 years for plastic grocery bags to break down, and some plastic containers will take 80 years to decompose. Some plastic, like those of the collars huddling six-packs can take an estimated 450 years before showing signs of decomposition.
In research labs around the world, we’re seeing bioplastic engineering teams that are making great strides in addressing this problem.
For example, Barcelona-based researchers have developed a bioplastic for food packaging that is based on whey protein. Whey is a by-product of cheese processing; it is essentially milk curd. The material dissolves in water, and this makes the plastic much easier to recycle and decompose. European cheese factories are currently discarding a large percentage of their whey, but if this “waste” can be utilized as a packaging material it is a win-win for both the factories and for the environment.
The development of whey-based bioplastics is another example of an effort that requires open partnerships. Fourteen different producers and researchers have come together to implement this technology on a larger scale to produce containers, trays and plastic films.
Bioplastics from agricultural materials like corn are also being injected into new consumer product spaces. In France, the Demetz company has launched the first biodegradable sunglasses, called B-wear. These eco-friendly sunglasses use polymers derived from castor oil and corn and are claimed to degrade in months in industrial compost or in just a few years in a natural setting.
Another French company, Vegeplast, is creating a splash in the coffee pod industry by launching its 100 percent biodegradable bio-pods. After using the coffee pod, it can be put into an organic waste bin or even composted in the garden. The company has also developed bioplastic components for products like golf tees, disposable spoons and forks, and even chewable dog bones.
Look for bioplastics partnerships and innovation to continue to grow and inspire new products in the months ahead. With more of these innovative products and more effective recycling programs, we can all look forward to a cleaner, tidier environment.
Coca-Cola goes green with billboard made of trees
Coke is making a bold –and green–statement about the environment in the Philippines. This billboard was launched June 23 in Makati City. The 60 x 60 – foot advertisement is surrounded by hundreds of green Fukien tea plants, which can pull pollutants from the air. The campaign is part of the Coca-Cola Philippines’ Live Positively sustainability program. Here’s more:
Genuine green advertising is not commercials promoting eco-friendly goods—to have a legitimate right to be called ‘green,’ the message should be placed in the medium made of natural elements, literally. This notion underlies Coca-Cola’s idea to construct a plant billboard in Philippines—the project was developed in collaboration with WWF, which have partnered with the soft drink giant on climate protection and water conservation in the country. Earlier this year, Coca-Cola unveiled an orange-powered Energie Naturelle advertising stand for its Tropicana brand in France, and now it has created a billboard using CO2 absorbing plants.
Photo: www.philstar.com
“We are proud that we have brought to life the first plant billboard in the country. It is an embodiment of our company’s Live Positively commitment to making a positive difference in the world by incorporating sustainability into everything that we do. With this, we hope to inspire Filipinos to join us in our journey, because we know that together, we can make a positive impact,” stated Guillermo Aponte, president of Coca-Cola Philippines.
Each of the 3,600 trees on the billboard can absorb up to 13 pounds of CO2 a year, commented botanist Anthony Gao. “This billboard helps alleviate air pollution within its proximate areas as it can absorb a total of 46,800 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, on estimate,” he added. The light-weight potting mixture includes organic fertilizers and industrial by-products, the stable pots for the trees are made of recycled bottles of Coca-Cola’s drinks. Now the plants are small, but since they are placed not very close to each other, the can grow sideways and make the billboard greener and yet more powerful in terms of air cleaning.
Hopefully, the plants will live the long life on the billboard thanks to the clever and well thought out eco-friendly mechanism, which provides proper water treatment. “A drip irrigation system, also known as trickle irrigation or micro-irrigation, was especially installed for efficient water distribution. This irrigation method saves water and fertilizer by allowing water to drip slowly to the roots of plants, through a network of valves, pipes, tubing and emitters. The system is operated on a schedule to distribute water with nutrients to the plants,” states the press release. Is it a new trend? Will natural billboards replace plastic stands? With Coca-Cola’s dedication to sustainable life-style it really can happen (at least for the company’s drinks).
Consumers think green with high-tech buys
Wiki Creative Commons photo
Electronics manufacturers are making a lot of progress in improving energy efficiency, and that’s good news for those of us trying to leave a smaller eco-footprint in our energy usage wake. In my weekly column published yesterday I wrote about how manufacturers aren’t only improving the energy efficiency of electronic gadgets when they are on, but also looking to make sure that when they are off, as little power as necessary is used:
The next time you head to the electronics store to get that flat-panel digital TV you’ve had your eye on, will you be thinking about the environmental impact this set will have?
Typically when we buy a new gadget to make our lives more productive or more fun, we usually look at the capabilities and price first. But the Consumer Electronics Association says more of us are beginning to look at environmental attributes as important too.
The first thing many of us would look at when thinking about environmentally friendly electronics is energy usage…
Enjoy the rest of the article!
The Rise of Street Food: Whole Foods Turns to the Street to Find Popular New Foods
I recently met Nick Davis, Regional Executive Chef for Whole Foods out of Colorado. He handles Whole Foods cuisine for a large portion of the West. For quite a while Nick has been pushing and approving new products and services based on street food. In my experience, the street is where some of the heartiest and most economical food can be found, and Nick agrees. From marvelous Oaxaca-style tamales in Mexico to crème brûlée in San Francisco, the “peasant food” offered by street vendors has increasing appeal to many people. Now several Whole Foods locations such as the Trolley Square Whole Foods in Salt Lake City are offering “street eats” as a restaurant-style service in the store as well as street food packages you can take out. Nick has been working on the menus for these products. Kudos to Nick and all the innovators at Whole Foods for recognizing the need to bring the street into the store. One more example of innovation based on understanding consumers and trends.
Whole Foods is a great place to go for market research in addition to enjoyable, quality food and other products. One can learn a lot about green packaging trends, innovations in flexible pouches, self-care products, organics, ingredients, and international cuisine. For many innovative areas, Whole Foods is consistently on the edge.