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Showing 341 - 360 of 374 Posts

Vancouver Students Take Their Plastic Eating Bacteria Idea to TED Stage

High School seniors Miranda Wang and Jeanny Yao want to continue pursuing a solution for how to make plastic decompose using natural bacteria already evolving on the planet. The two were finalists for Canada's top student biotechnology award, the 2012 Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge, where their project was judged to have the greatest commercial potential of any project entry, valued at $10 million. Now they are bringing their ideas to the TED stage.

Pepsi Free Vows to Go Fossil Fuel Free

The British branch of PepsiCo, the umbrella corporation that makes Tropicana, Quaker Oats, chips and soda, has made an ambitious promise to use 100 percent renewable energy by 2023. They're also shooting for zero landfill waste; packaging that is entirely renewable, recyclable, or compostable; and zero water intake at their main manufacturing sites.

By Jeanne Goddard

22 January 8 Views

Ford Cuts Global Waste by 100 Million Pounds and Counting

This week the Ford Motor Company announced impressive results in efforts to cut waste produced in its factories. Since 2007, the car company has slashed by 44 percent its global waste output -- a total of 100 million pounds. Expanding on the success, Ford plans to further reduce the amount of waste it sends to landfills by 10% per vehicle by the end of the year.

By Jeanne Goddard

27 April 8 Views

Composting Project Puts 12 Tons of Dog Poop to Good Use

It's been almost three years since a grand experiment began in a dog park in Ithaca, N.Y., and the results are finally in. Dog dung poses public health risks if left on the streets, hurts the environment when left near trails and takes centuries to decompose in plastic garbage bags that end up in landfills. Now, the poop is being composted along with yard waste to produce valuable soil.

By Jeanne Goddard

07 April 9 Views

12 Year-old Recycling Entrepreneur and Philanthropist

At the ripe old age of 12, Sam Klein is a dedicated CEO of his own recycling business. He collects empty printer ink cartridges from local businesses, keeping them from the landfills, while earning hundreds of dollars by sending them back to manufacturers. Even more impressive, Sam has given more than $1,000 to charity.

By Jeanne Goddard

06 June 8 Views

Paris Restaurants Turn Food Scraps into Biogas

A group of Paris restaurants is turning food scraps into biogas and compost ahead of a new law that will force thousands of French food outlets to recycle their organic waste.

By Jeanne Goddard

14 February 9 Views

China's Emissions Fell for the First Time in a Decade, Clean Energy Up

China's emissions of carbon dioxide fell last year for the first time in 13 years - a drop of 2 percent during a year when their GDP was still growing by 7.4%. This decoupling of economic growth from emissions is significant and should buoy clean energy efforts around the world.

By Jeanne Goddard

13 March 9 Views

'Solar Suitcase' Saving Moms, Babies During Childbirth

In some African countries, a lack of reliable electricity is to blame for hundreds of deaths each year during childbirth. Dr. Laura Stachel witnessed this tragic truth during a trip to Nigeria five years ago and with the help of her husband, a solar energy educator, started delivering a solution: solar energy in a suitcase.

By Jeanne Goddard

02 March 9 Views

13-Year-old Recycles Cooking Grease into Heating Oil for Needy Families

After reading an article in the local newspaper, Cassandra Lin of Westerly, Rhode Island discovered that many residents could not afford to heat their homes. Inspired to do something, she formed a team of five seventh graders to recycle waste cooking oil and turn it into biofuel for distribution to needy families. Started in 2008, TGIF (Turn Grease Into Fuel) works with local biofuel companies to recycle the grease from residents and restaurants, and refine it into biodiesel. The award-winning project has been collecting more than 36,000 gallons of waste cooking oil a year, bringing an estimated value of $60,000 of alternative energy that keeps 92 needy families warm in the winter.

By Jeanne Goddard

15 July 8 Views

Congressman Touts Rhode Island's Switch to Hybrid Buses, Trollies

U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin is encouraging other agencies to follow the lead of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority that recently bought 53 hybrid buses and upgraded 10 trolleys to run on a hybrid system.

By Jeanne Goddard

05 May 9 Views

Seattle Bike-share Program Hits 4,000 Rides in First Week

In the first week of Seattle's bike-share program, the 500 green bikes were rented around 4,000 times with 1,450 cyclists signing up as member, according to Pronto Cycle Share's executive director.

By Jeanne Goddard

25 October 10 Views

Booming Wind and Solar Power Has Slashed Europe's CO2 Emissions

Increased Solar and wind energy use in Europe is causing greenhouse gas emissions to plummet by more than a billion tons of CO2 emissions per year.

15 August 9 Views

Tesla Unveils Insanely Efficient Battery That Can Power Your House

Electric car maker Tesla Motors has rolled out a new battery for homes and businesses that they say could end electric bills while creating a cleaner world.

01 May 9 Views

Poetry in Motion: Power Plant Will Use Ocean Tides to Power 155K Homes

A planned power plant in Wales may look like the Guggenheim Museum but its benefits will outweigh the beauty: it will use the ocean tides to power 155,000 homes.

14 October 8 Views

Europe's Largest Solar Station Powers Up — In Ukraine?

With solar panels spread over almost 400 acres (160 hectares), a solar power facility in Ukraine began producing power on Monday, aiming to power 20,000 houses with electricity.

By Jeanne Goddard

18 August 9 Views

A Green Leader, Philadelphia Captures Water Where it Falls

Every year storm-water run-off causes nearly 10 trillion gallons of polluted water to be dumped into America's rivers and oceans. As cities across the country struggle to comply with federal regulations surrounding pollution, Philadelphia is emerging as a model of innovation in water management by opting for cost effective natural solutions that save its two rivers from excessive run-off.

By Jeanne Goddard

11 June 8 Views

London Fashion Students Hail Green as the New Black

Could green be the new black? While stilettos are hitting the catwalks at Paris Fashion Week, students at London's Kingston University have taken up the challenge of trying to lower the industry's carbon footprint by using biodegradable materials to produce luxury clothes, shoes and accessories.

By Jeanne Goddard

04 March 12 Views

$800 Million Kansas Wind Farm Set for 2012

BP announced plans on Monday to build an $800 million wind farm in Kansas next year, providing a lift for the US wind power industry at a time when the expiration date looms for federal tax credits. The 419-megawatt wind farm will include 262 General Electric turbines placed 43 miles from Wichita.

By Jeanne Goddard

08 October 9 Views

Air Conditioners Not Needed in Helsinki With Huge New Underground Reservoir

Helsinki, Finland is pioneering a huge cooling system that will use cold water from its lakes instead of electricity-powered air conditioning.

By Jeanne Goddard

04 October 9 Views

Solar Kiosk Debuts in Ethiopia, Brings First Electricity to Remote Villages

A German company has installed its first clean energy kiosk in rural Ethiopia powered by rooftop solar panels. The self-contained SolarKiosk functions as a small-scale power company for surrounding villages that have no electricity. The large metal roadside booth, which can hold 6-8 people inside, is expected to provide enough power for villagers to charge their mobile phones and car batteries, run a computer, and power its own solar fridge, which might offer the only refrigeration for miles.

By Jeanne Goddard

05 September 9 Views