November 18, 2009

Thanks for the loyal following - check out @EcoDoe

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September 4, 2009
U-pen-sils Multiple purposes for one item are always better than one. How do you feel about eating where you write? I think this is a bit of a stretch to dig out a pen from the bottom of your purse to have a spoon for your yogurt. I love the creativity but I wonder how popular these natural reusable pens will become.

U-pen-sils

Multiple purposes for one item are always better than one. How do you feel about eating where you write? I think this is a bit of a stretch to dig out a pen from the bottom of your purse to have a spoon for your yogurt. I love the creativity but I wonder how popular these natural reusable pens will become.

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Earth Friendly Styrafoam Why not use nature’s natural casings to package modern day electronics? Ecovative Design did exactly that. They’ve taken rice hulls and mushrooms to create natural packing material which eliminates the need for styrafoam. The best part, they’re already in production which should ramp up to 10,000 units this year to meet demand. Now if only the electronics in those boxes could be as recyclable.

Earth Friendly Styrafoam

Why not use nature’s natural casings to package modern day electronics? Ecovative Design did exactly that. They’ve taken rice hulls and mushrooms to create natural packing material which eliminates the need for styrafoam. The best part, they’re already in production which should ramp up to 10,000 units this year to meet demand. Now if only the electronics in those boxes could be as recyclable.

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A Smarter Pizza Box I’m guilty of throwing away numerous pizza boxes a year. Sometimes there is no other choice to get pizza home with little waste. Environmentally Concious Organization (ECO) created a box that breaks into four plates and leaves the bottom portion for leftovers. Brilliant idea! Cut the extra need for paper plates and provide easy storage in my Manhattan micro-fridge. How soon will they have this in my corner deli?

A Smarter Pizza Box

I’m guilty of throwing away numerous pizza boxes a year. Sometimes there is no other choice to get pizza home with little waste. Environmentally Concious Organization (ECO) created a box that breaks into four plates and leaves the bottom portion for leftovers. Brilliant idea! Cut the extra need for paper plates and provide easy storage in my Manhattan micro-fridge. How soon will they have this in my corner deli?

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September 3, 2009
Garden Greetings Why not send flowers inside the card next time? I love the idea of sending something that will continue to grow after you have it. How many cards have you thrown out after reading?

Garden Greetings

Why not send flowers inside the card next time? I love the idea of sending something that will continue to grow after you have it. How many cards have you thrown out after reading?

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July 30, 2009
“ Publicly accessible websites like Grants.gov and GSASchedule.com list contact information for grant recipients and contractors. “I would pick up the phone, call and tell them, ‘If you need help, here’s what my firm does and here’s how you can subcontract some of the work to me.’” - Chip Wilson
Are you a Business owner looking to get your hands on some of the Clean Energy-Green Stimulus money? Follow Chip Wilson’s advice in this Entrepreneur article. He advises going through companies that have existing relationships with the government. So what are you waiting for? •
July 7, 2009

MTA struggles to fix escalators

MTA struggles to fix escalators

Energy Efficient Escalator the solution?

Energy Efficient Escalator the solution?

The MTA has a problem. It has fallen behind on maintenance of existing escalators in subway stations. “Escalators are one of the most difficult things for the agency to fix.” It will take millions of dollars to fix and is now being pushed to the private developers for funding. In addition to maintenance costs for escalators the MTA also pays electricity and maintenance for elevators.

The MTA’s problem may be the perfect opportunity for Jesús Sánchez, an industrial-design student at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. He recently patented an energy efficient escalator that can also accomodate wheelchairs with the push of a button.

If this product can easily or cheaply be maintainted I think it could help replace all old escalators and elevators in the NYC subway system. He should provide his proposal to Zeckendorf Towers, the company that built the Union Square escalators who “recently agreed to pony up for the millions of dollar in repairs.” I think he could have investors and NYC straphangers could have properly working escalators before you know it.

Quoted article.
Escalator background article. 
 

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June 22, 2009

All about Fuel cells

DOE announced last week the award of $41.9 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for 13 projects to deploy fuel cells and help build a consumer base for U.S. fuel cell manufacturers. The funding will support the immediate deployment of nearly 1,000 fuel cell systems for emergency backup power and material handling applications (such as forklifts) that have emerged as key early markets in which fuel cells can compete with conventional power technologies. Additional systems will be used to accelerate the demonstration of stationary fuel cells for combined heat and power in the larger residential and commercial markets. Approximately $72.4 million in cost-shared funding will come from industry participants, for a total of nearly $114.3 million.
The increase in manufacturing volume in key early markets will bring costs down and encourage the growth of a domestic supplier base. These efforts will also accelerate the commercialization and deployment of fuel cells and will create jobs in fuel cell manufacturing, installation, maintenance, and support services. A variety of technologies will be developed and deployed, including polymer electrolyte, solid oxide, and direct-methanol fuel cells.

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June 18, 2009
Does a low carbon supply chain make a difference to consumers? Probably not. The only way Planet Metrics will be successful is if it (1) helps a company’s bottom line (2) carbon trading is implemented or (3) low-carbon becomes a demanded feature from the market. Good luck! Planet Metrics: A New, Carbon-Cutting Tool for Product Developers | Design & Innovation | Fast Company

Does a low carbon supply chain make a difference to consumers? Probably not. The only way Planet Metrics will be successful is if it (1) helps a company’s bottom line (2) carbon trading is implemented or (3) low-carbon becomes a demanded feature from the market.

Good luck!

Planet Metrics: A New, Carbon-Cutting Tool for Product Developers | Design & Innovation | Fast Company

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June 16, 2009

Shrink-Swap-Sequester

1) Shrink the amount of energy we use

2) Swap traditional energy production for renewable energy

3) Sequester and capture CO2 emissions

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposed finding last week, concluding that greenhouse gases contribute to air pollution that may endanger public health or welfare. The finding opens greenhouse gas emissions to regulation under the Clean Air Act, although the Obama Administration has indicated a preference for comprehensive legislation to address climate change and to create the framework for a clean energy economy. The proposed finding identified six major greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. Carbon dioxide is the dominant greenhouse gas emitted in the United States, and it is primarily emitted through the combustion of fossil fuels. Efforts to regulate emissions of carbon dioxide will largely involve reducing the emissions from fossil fuel use, either by minimizing energy use through energy efficiency; switching to cleaner energy sources, such as renewable energy; or capturing and sequestering the carbon dioxide emissions.

The EPA’s “endangerment finding” focuses on the impact of climate change rather than on specific regulatory proposals. It finds that climate change may lead to higher levels of ground-level ozone, which is harmful to human health, and that it could lead to increased drought, heavier downpours and flooding, more intense storms, more frequent and intense heat waves and wildfires, greater sea level rise, and harm to water resources, agriculture, wildlife, and ecosystems. Although the endangerment finding does not include any proposed regulations, it does specifically call out automobiles as a source of greenhouse gases. The proposed endangerment finding is in response to a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. It will be open to public comment for 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register.

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