Published on July 24th, 2009
Those of us who don’t live in developing countries might not always remember that the majority of the world still uses biomass-fired cookstoves that produce smoke and other toxins. It’s a serious problem–indoor air pollution kills 1.6 million people yearly. Enter the SCORE (Stove for Cooking, Refrigeration, and Electricity), a $33 cookstove developed by researchers at the University of Nottingham that doubles as an electrical generator.
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Published on July 16th, 2009
The discovery of a tiny bowl-shaped molecule which collects carbon dioxide right out of the air has beckoned some creative solutions to global warming.
By genetically engineering microbes to manufacture the handy molecule, scientists hope to make it useful as an industrial absorbent for CO2 capture. That could help clean up smokestacks from dirty coal-fired power plants, but it’s also possible that the molecules could be used for pulling carbon dioxide right out of the ambient air.
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Tags:
carbon dioxide,
chemistry,
clean coal,
cleantech,
Climate Change,
coal,
environment,
General Technology,
Global Weirding,
industrial waste,
molecular biology,
pollution
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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