Archive for the 'Green Technology' Category

Go for the Green this Christmas

A lot of people are changing their daily habits and adopting more eco-friendly practices - and holiday gift giving is no exception. Unbeknownst to the average consumer, many of the seemingly normal gifts are starting to look a little green.

‘E- The Environmental Magazine’ gives some holiday hints to going green.

Brita Beli from TODAY at msnbc.com highlights the magazine’s most helpful hints. Here’s her two cents:

Putting more green into your holidays means more than leaving less impact on the planet. It’s about choosing gifts that are made with durable, quality, non-toxic materials. Luckily, this often leads to quirky, one-of-a-kind items that say as much about your creative leanings as your Earth-friendliness. Giving green can mean everything from reusing gift wrap and gift bags (or do-it-yourself stenciled paper bags or comics pages), to putting all-natural lotions and beeswax candles in stockings and solar-powered electronics and vintage jewelry under the tree. Of course, if you choose to actually give green — as in plants! — that’s OK, too. (In that case, we recommend philodendron, Boston fern, peace lily and English ivy, all of which are known for their air-cleaning qualities.)

-For the gadget geek: The eco hard drive
-For children: Non-toxic toys and games
-For the outdoors enthusiast: Sustainable skis and snowboards
-For the chief household officer: Creative kitchenware
-For the hipster/fashionista: Reclaimed bags and accessories
-For the eco-economic (under $25): The waterproof wallet

December 07 2007 | Green Trends and Green Technology and Green Lifestyle and Green Fashion | No Comments »

Soy-based Roofs?

Gardens and solar energy panels have found a home on many of Chicago’s rooftops. Is soy joining the in-crowd?

A Chicago-based manufacturer is finding that a soy-based coating might be the new emerging green technology as far as rooftops are concerned.

Shedd Aquarium was the first cultural institution — and only the third building of any kind — in Chicago with a soy-based roof, which is made from the equivalent of 36 acres of soybeans.

The aquariam’s Web site says the reflective white coating stays cool in the summer, lowering the aquarium’s air-conditioning bills while countering the urban heat island effect created by black asphalt roofs.

October 21 2007 | Green Technology | 1 Comment »

Fill Your Tank with Pond Scum

Algae–the green slime that forms on the top of stagnant water–may become the fuel of the future.

A new venture called Vertigro Energy started a pilot bioreactor laboratory in Texas that mass produces algae and extracts its oil. In theory, it could produce far more oil per acre, potentially reduce the cost of biofuels and significantly lower green house gas emissions.

While it may take a while for Americans to fill their tank with algae fuel, scientists see the potential for the slimy plant. Glen Kertz, president and CEO of Valcent Products, decribes the algae-to-biofuel process in full detail.

October 11 2007 | Green Technology | 1 Comment »