A microscopic mushroom that laps up oil like a thirsty puppy could provide a cheap, efficient way to clean up polluted soil, according to researchers at the University of Montreal. If the research bears out, the discovery could add another item to the growing stockpile of phytoremediation tools — plants … [continued]
Two aircraft manufacturers – Boeing and Embraer S.A. – have joined with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) have in announcing they will jointly fund a sustainability analysis of renewable jet biofuel made Brazilian sugar cane.
Do-it-yourselfers are probably rejoicing in the streets, now that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has tweaked its rules for selling alternative fuel conversion systems for cars. The previous rule was intended to ensure that fuel conversions don’t have the unintended consequence of creating significantly more
It’s common knowledge that one of the single largest sources of greenhouse gas pollution related to human activity is methane emissions from livestock (yes, cow farts). However, when it gets down to specifics, the figures are somewhat elusive, partly because most estimates have been made based on measurements from individual … [continued]
If you’re not familiar with the practice of fracking, here’s a quick primer. Let’s say you want to get at some natural gas that’s locked in a shale deposit, and the only way you can jiggle it loose is to ram millions of gallons of chemical brine down there. If … [continued]
Conventional diesel tugboats are significant sources of pollution in the world’s seaports, but that is on the verge of change. The Foss Maritime Company is adding a second energy efficient hybrid tugboat to its Southern California fleet. Its first hybrid vessel, the Carolyn Dorothy, was launched in 2009 and at … [continued]
The U.S. EPA has just announced that is is allocating an additional $16 million in funding for projects to reclaim brownfields, which are former industrial sites with varying degrees of contamination. The funds are targeted to brownfields projects that create new green jobs in nearby communities. [social_buttons] So far, the … [continued]
The U.S. EPA is working on new rules for the disposal of coal fly ash, which is the stuff left over when coal is burned at power plants. And not a moment too soon! For the past few weeks attention has been focused on British Petroleum’s devastating oil spill, but … [continued]
Last week the U.S. Environmental Protection announced new guidelines relating to mountaintop removal coal mine permits, and the coal industry promotion group FACES of Coal was right on the case. FACES promptly issued a blistering press release lambasting the EPA for attacking the Appalachian economy with “as dangerous and threatening … [continued]
So who knew? The manufacture of cooking oil involves hexane, a solvent that separates the oil from crushed seeds. Hexane is a volatile organic compound found in gasoline. Hexane is also a degreaser used in the printing industry. It dissolves glues, varnishes, and inks. Aside from the ick factor of … [continued]
