Capturing Energy Riches from Our Waste Stream
Times change, thankfully. Instead of thinking first about how to get rid of waste, more people are now asking how they might put parts of the waste stream to use.
Getting Rid of Stinky Shoes in the Perfect Green Home
Enter Shoe Care Innovations, the Redwood City, CA company that manufactures the SteriShoe, an ultraviolet shoe sanitizer that eliminates odors from killer shoes.
Meet the Bio-Dome, or Poo-Gloo
The methods by which any village, town or city treats its toilet wastewater may not be a pleasant olfactory issue, but necessary, nonetheless. “Poo isn’t something generally talked about in polite company but like it or not, all of that human waste has to go somewhere,”
The Story of Stuff and Yes to Carrots Make an Impact
Between these two companies, The Story of Stuff Project and Yes to Carrots, people have the research in front of them to choose to be more aware and live a greener and healthier existence if they want.
Tire Construction Won’t Tire But Advances
The tire wall construction has progressed from earthship and tire-bales are now being used.
Young Innovators Improve Solar Methods to Purify Water
One student innovator in New South Wales and a four-person team of innovators in the state of Washington have developed impressively simple methods for purifying water by using the sun. The information comes from a report at GizMag.
Verde Lifestyles; An Eco-friendly Furnishing Business
Verde Lifestyles is a home furnishings business that is thriving as an eco-friendly vendor of sustainable products. All of their products are made from all natural organics, recycled and sustainable materials. Green Verde states, “We carry only the best green products and have a ton of great information on how best to select, use, take care of and even repurpose each eco friendly home decor item you buy from us.”
Modular Homes Also Come as Kits
Modular homes are many times built before they are delivered to the lot. Other times they are shipped to the lot as a kit with all components pre-cut and ready to be assembled.
Zero VOC and Formaldehyde Free, PureBond Plywood, Gets a Nod from the Green Parents’ List
As the first building product to receive the Green Parents’ List Healthy Home check mark, the PureBond Plywood has no VOC, especially no formaldehyde, a well known respiratory and skin irritant. In order to meet the Green Parent’s List requirement, product must pass the VOC restriction set forth by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards and also meet additional third party validation.
Ventilating Little Used Areas of Home Requires Vigilance
Too often, the little used areas in homes are overlooked. Storage closets can easily be a victimized to moths, centipedes or mold; attics and crawl spaces can suffer similar problems from inadequate ventilation.
Part 3: Other Non-Gas Portable Power Alternatives
We have written about some interesting portable power generating options available by plugging into the sun or from pedaling a stationary bicycle. We now look at some of the other options that might be considered “a little farther out there.” This list includes a portable wind generator and a hydro-powered backpack.
Part 2 on Portable Power: Plugging into the Sun
We continue this series by looking at portable solar power systems. This time solar.
Generating Portable Power by Bicycle
We begin with the do-it-yourself version of power generation: the bicycle. Convergence Tech manufactures the Pedal-A-Watt, a bicycle stand that not only generates electricity, it seconds as a fitness device. The power that’s generated can be used to power lights and/or other small appliances, such as laptops, cell phones, fluorescent or LED lights.
Green Gift Ideas: Human-Powered Flashlights
What to get the “greenie” on your list? How about a rechargeable flashlight that can charge your cell phone, iPad, and iPod? Great for emergency kits, too.
New Paradigm for Compressed Earth Blocks and Roofs
TSC Global, championing its innovative “Roofs for the World” program, met in Denver with a group of earth building advocates, including Partners Worldwide and Iowa-based Vermeer Tractors for a full production test run of the Vermeer’s mobile compressed earth block machine press.
Moving Air in Habitats Without Ducts
A Minnesota-based company – Tjernlund Products, Inc. – sells a number of low-cost ductless systems that move air from one part of the house to another, whether through walls or through floors.
LED Economics Make Sensible Solutions
A year ago, Eco-story LED Lighting Solutions was selected by The Timberland Company (NYSE: TBL) to “help its stores make an eco-friendly shift in lighting.” The results are impressive – both economically and environmentally.
Sunflower Corp. Sheds Some Daylight on Its Subjects
Those wanting the best light for interior spaces may want to take a look at Sunflower Corporation and its Sundolier®, a lighting system designed to deliver high quality indirect daylight to large spaces.