Published on July 5th, 2009
It’s “not supposed to do that,” but it is: salt has revealed a previously undiscovered talent for stretching. The startling revelation was made by researchers from Sandia National Laboratories and the University of Pittsburgh, using a powerful Interfacial Force Microscope. The discovery of stretchable properties in salt could lead to the development of more efficient desalination technology, and it could also provide more insight into the potential for alternative fuels to contribute to smog formation.
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Published on June 8th, 2009
When it comes to environmental news, doom and gloom often rules the day. And it’s easy to get discouraged. But scientists from Yale University say most polluted ecosystems can recover in as little as 5 or 10 years.
The study means it’s not too late to turn things around if societies commit to cleanup, restoration and sustainability, according to Yale’s analysis of 240 independent studies. The findings appear in this month’s issue of the peer-reviewed journal PLoS ONE.
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Published on May 19th, 2009
Experts call energy efficiency the low-hanging fruit, because it’s cheaper to cut power use than create new energy from fossil fuels like coal.
But our creature comforts — like iPods, cell phones, PCs and plasma TVs — are sucking the life out of advances in energy efficiency around the world, the International Energy Agency says.
In other words, too much fruit is rotting on the vine.
The IEA says in a new “Gigawatts and Gadgets” report that electricity consumption from power-hungry electronics could cause household energy use to triple by 2030. That means increased greenhouse gases from electric generation, and increased electric bills for creating that power. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on March 26th, 2009
According to GreenSpaces, these three plants not only lead to fresher indoor air…but also an increase in productivity!
GreenSpaces has tested these plants for the past 15 years in a 20 year old, 50,000 ft2 building with over 300 occupants, and 1,200 plants! A study published on September 8, 2008 found that there is a 42% probability of increasing blood oxygen by 1% if one is inside the building for 10 hours. In fact, the building is rated the healthiest building in Delhi by the Government of India. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on March 1st, 2009
Microsoft presents it’s vision of the year 2019, and I’m so pleased to see some thinking on the green tech side, as I’ve tried to capture in the screen-stills below. Ten years is not too far out, and some of these ideas are fun. For example:
* Connected classrooms where learners share a lesson in natural systems
* Smart home energy monitoring
* Better ecological awareness (through cataloging and intuitive access)
* Urban green roofs
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Tags:
Clean Tech in 2019,
Connected classrooms,
ecological awareness,
Future Forecasting,
Home Energy Use,
Interactive Multicultural Classrooms,
microsoft,
Rooftop Gardens,
Smart home energy monitoring,
The future of clean technology,
urban development
Published on December 8th, 2008
Intel has unveiled a new generation of tiny sensors that continuously analyze air quality in an effort to further understand and combat air pollution. The corporation also announced on Friday that it is developing devices that can tap energy from sunlight, body heat and television signals.
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Published on December 1st, 2008
Come December 31, all albuterol inhalers in the U.S. will be a little bit greener— and a lot more expensive. The inhalers will stop using chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that damage the ozone layer, and will be powered by hydroflueroalkane (HFC) instead. While the new inhalers will benefit the environment, they will also cost $30 to $60. CFC inhalers cost only $5 to $10.
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Published on November 14th, 2008
Have you ever wondered how many pollutants you’re breathing in while sitting in traffic sandwiched between two trucks? The Mobile Environmental Sensing System Across a Grid Environment (MESSAGE) can tell you. The system, designed by researchers at Newcastle University, produces real-time data on traffic pollutants including carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and noise.
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Published on September 4th, 2008
Exelon, the largest operator of nuclear power plants in the United States has filed a license application with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US-NRC) to build two new nuclear power plants near Victoria, Texas. When operating, the plants will produce zero units of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, sulfur oxides, and fly ash.
Exelon has chosen the Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR) marketed by GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy. Each of the reactors will produce approximately 1,500 MW of electric power.
One of the key design features of the ESBWR is a large degree of passive safety provided by large water reservoirs, natural coolant circulation and safety systems that operate without any electrical power. (Link to animation of ESBWR safety system operation)
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Published on August 22nd, 2008
As I recently discussed, sometimes we need to look to the past for solutions to our current problems. Queensland University professor Zhu Huai Yong has done just that, noting that painting glass windows with gold particles can purify the air.
Zhu came across this realization after studying medieval painted church windows, which were often decorated using glass colored with gold nanoparticles.
Though people likely did not realize it at the time the churches were built, the sun-energized nanoparticles destroy air-borne pollutants, as sunlight creates an electromagnetic field that resonates with the gold particles’ oscillations.
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