Author: Green Dude

Google has been at the forefront of energy efficiency quite some time.  Read on to learn more about Google current initiatives.

They also have lots of data and metrics to compare their energy use per Google search to other activities.

" … Data centers … account for most of Google’s energy needs … take our energy use seriously and, from the very beginning, Google has focused on designing systems that use as little energy as possible … operating what we believe to be the world’s most efficient data centers."

" … Google-designed data centers use about half the energy of a typical data center … energy used per Google search is very small … currently use about 1kJ (0.0003 kWh) of energy to answer the average query … roughly .2g of CO2 … often take the place of more carbon- and time-intensive activities, such as driving a car to a library or spending hours navigating shopping malls."

" … commitment to sustainability goes beyond just electricity and carbon … two Google facilities currently run on 100% recycled water, and by 2010 we expect recycled water to provide 80% of our total data center water consumption … share our own data center best practices and are encouraging our industry peers to do the same …"

" … if all data centers operated at the same efficiency as ours, the U.S. alone would save enough electricity to power every household within the city limits of Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C."

Via:  Google  LINK

Puppy Toys have gone GREEN.

We recently got a puppy and have noticed there are lots of GREEN puppy (and cat) things to be had …

" … In an age of disposability, these products stand the test of time. … Utilizing eco friendly materials, such as reclaimed cotton, organic cotton, eco fabric and stuffing made with IntelliLoft™ recycled fibers, reyclable Zogoflex, and recycled fabric that can be recycled again … "

" … developed a manufacturing process that minimizes waste (currently as low as 2.4%!) … our state-of-the-art building … was constructed using the latest developments in energy efficient design in 2001 … building expansion in 2009 and 2010 … reclaiming 30,000 lbs of concrete."

" … Reclaimed and reused old boxes are utilized to store finished goods rather than plastic manufacturing totes … also incorporate recycled material in our shipping boxes."

Via:  West Paw Design  LINK

Nissan has announced the Nissan Leaf – a zero emission electric car that is designed for "the mass market".  In addition to the car, Nissan is working with partners to develop the required infrastructure to support an a all electric car.  The LEAF is expected to be priced similar to other family sedans.

" …  Nissan LEAF zero-emission, all-electric car … five-passenger, five-door, gasoline-free car …"

"Nissan is the only automaker committed to making all-electric vehicles available to the mass market on a global scale. … has partnered on the development of an electric-vehicle infrastructure through partnerships in the State of Tennessee, the State of Oregon, Sonoma County, San Diego, Phoenix, Tucson, Washington D.C., Seattle, Raleigh, and Vancouver. Additionalpartnerships will be announced in the near future."

Via:  Nissan  LINK

" … Prince Charles, the U.K.’s version of Al Gore, has taken another step in a green direction: his 1970 Aston Martin DB6 has been converted to run entirely on bioethanol … fuel … made from a white wine produced near the prince’s Highgrove Estate, itself a showcase for organic farming …"

" … goal of reducing emissions from his planes, trains, and automobiles 25% by 2018 … European Union limits annual wine production, so any leftovers from England’s current vintage can be converted to bioethanol by Green Fuels Ltd…. company has previously provided bioethanol to power the royal train. The prince’s other vehicles, which include a smattering of Jaguars, a Range Rover, and an Audi, have been converted to run on bioethanol made from cooking oil…."

Via: RiverWired LINK

"If you want … ‘green’ biodiesel, but don’t want to produce it yourself, you can buy high quality fuel from one of our Green Fuels approved dealers nationwide …you will always save money compared with standard garage fuels … "

"Biodiesel is a clean-burning biofuel produced from domestic renewable resources such as used cooking oil, oil seed crops such as rapeseed, or unused vegetable oil. It is biodegradeable, non-toxic and carbon neutral … has 80% lower emissions than mineral diesel, it dramatically reduces pollution. It is inexpensive and easy to produce at home and is safe to use in any diesel vehicle without any modifications to your engine."

" … two models in the Fuelpod range by Green Fuels – the safest way to produce high quality biodiesel at home. Both are supplied as complete systems and have minimal operating costs, with exceptionally low electricity consumption."

Via: Green Fuels Ltd. LINK

I am always on the lookout for something GREEN to write about … the advertising on some Chinet products caught my eye.

While at my local Costco last night I saw some interesting information info on Chinet plates … they are now compostable !!

"Preserving natural resources for future generations is important to us, and to our extended family, which includes you. So, start to finish, we pursue sustainable practices, from using recycled materials to produce our disposable tableware products to reducing the amount of energy we use and waste we create to make them. "

They have "how to do it" instructions for composting their plates along with other compostable material …  LINK

 Chinet is made by Huhtamaki  Americas

Via: Chinet  LINK

Hallmark, the maker of greeting cards and other products, has been green since before it was the "in thing".

" … began recycling paper in the 1940s, have used recycled paper in products and packaging since the 1970s … established a corporate-wide environmental conservation program in the 1990s…."

Other efforts include … " … sponsors e-waste events to collect and responsibly dispose of employees’ discarded electronics … actively participate in the Environmental Protection Agency’s WasteWi$e and Energy Star Building programs … Since the early 1990s we have reduced solid waste by 70 percent and hazardous waste by 90 percent … waste-to-energy program at our distribution center in Enfield, Conn., has resulted in an ongoing zero percent waste program since 1998. Materials not recycled are used as electrical generator fuel."

Via: Hallmark LINK

" … inhabitants on the small Danish island of Samso have … become one of the first industrialised places in the world to qualify as being totally energy self-sufficient … Denmark … can now boast a region that can be used by the rest of the planet as the blueprint for future green energy production … started in 1997 when Samso won a competition … to become Denmark’s "Renewable Energy Island" by presenting a 10-year plan to convert its energy consumption from oil and gas to clean technology … 21 wind turbines have been built on Samso …"

" … houses in Samso’s 22 villages are heated by power plants that rely on furnaces fired by wood chips and straw and farms of man-sized solar panels inhabit the fields … project also creates new jobs as … island’s plumbers and carpenters have now all become experts in energy-saving home conversion and insulation techniques, and even get the opportunity to carry out installations in mainland Europe and the US …"

For more on this project check out this video …

Via: Power and Energy News LINK

PNC is well known for their green projects … one of their ads says they have more green buildings than any other bank …

In addition to having green buildings – PNC now has a GREEN WALL. " … the largest green wall in North America … 2,380 sq. ft., soil-based wall – similar in size to a doubles tennis court – features a variety of regional plants grown into living art on the south-facing wall of One PNC Plaza … in downtown Pittsburgh." " … estimated that each of the 602 panels, with 24 plants in each 2×2 sq. ft. space, will offset the carbon footprint of one person. … similar to a green roof, will help to cool the 30-story building … wall is a fitting reminder that PNC is the world leader in green building …".

" … has more newly constructed buildings certified by the United States Green Building Council under its LEED® program than any other company in the world … includes 64 trademark Green Branch® locations and two office buildings. About 20 environmentally friendly branches and two other major buildings are under construction or awaiting LEED certification."

Via: PRNewsWire LINK

IBM has the perfect Green Gift … bringing together both GREEN and Six Sigma. 

" … author, Eric Olson, is an IT strategist … wields degrees from the likes of Cornell University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute … approach…  emphasizes practical steps for setting a specific “environmental stewardship” plan in motion … draws heavily on IBM’s Green Sigma approach for running a green business … might be just the ticket for someone who is sick of hearing ideas OR someone who might need proofpoints to get their own managers to buy into green."

Download a sample chapter – LINK.

Via:  ZDNet.com  LINK

Looking for a great gift for that special green tech or green dude in your life?  Check out "I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas" by Anna Getty.

" … Anna Getty … heiress, environmental advocate, writer, television personality, chef, mother, organic living expert … believes that being green is not a trend but a way of life and in her 180-page book, “I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas” she shares her favorite holiday projects and recipes. "

" … printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper … is filled with ideas for gifts, decorations and recipes that use less and mean more …  shows readers how to reduce their carbon footprint and save money … "

Check out this interesting video … very cool …

Via:  EcoFabulous  LINK

Here is another example of military technology that will have significant civilian benefit … in this case fuel cell powered unmanned drones (very small planes).

“The Ion Tiger is small prop driven plane that promises to carry a five pound payload and stay aloft for more than 24 hours … power source is series of hydrogen fuel cells that crank out 500 watt … power the three quarter horsepower prop motor …”

“On Oct. 9-10, the 37-pound Ion Tiger stayed aloft for 23 hours and 17 minutes at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, just missing its 24 hour goal …”

“… advantages to a hydrogen-powered craft like Ion Tiger … cheaper and fuel (water!) and zero emissions assuming the hydrogen comes from a non-polluting source … biggest advantage is the absence of heat and noise generated by an internal combustion engine which makes the Ion Tiger is hard to detect. ”

Check out the viedo below …

Via: SmartPlanet LINK

Japan’s Matsushita … "will claim first place in the race to put commercial home fuel cells on the market … "

" … can optimally provide 70 percent of the energy needs for a 1,280 square foot house with four people … can reduce energy consumption by 22 percent and CO2 emissions by 12 percent as compared to all other power sources … ".

" … cogeneration home fuel cell hooks up to the city’s natural gas lines, extracting hydrogen from the gas … hydrogen is combined with oxygen through a series of polyelectrolyte membranes, a process that creates electricity, heat, and water … home fuel cell produces between 500 watts and a 1 kilowatt of electricity and captures the heat to warm a tank of water, used for showers, dishes etc."

" … a contribution to Japan’s goals of reducing global CO2 emissions 50 percent by 2050." " … fuel cells require a great deal of energy; for example, this unit contains more than 2,000 components. Whether the production of the units negates the energy and CO2 savings gained by customers is unclear."

Check out this video …

Via: Mother Nature Network LINK