New Techniques Create
Butanol, A Superior Biofuel.
ENN
The fuel is butanol; it can be derived
from lignocellulosic materials, which are plant biomass parts that
range from woody stems and straw to agricultural residues, corn
fiber and husks, all containing in large part cellulose and some
lignin.
Butanol is considered to be a better biofuel than ethanol because
it's less corrosive and has a higher caloric value, giving it a
higher energy value. Like ethanol, butanol is being considered as an
additive to gasoline.
Lars Angenent, Ph.D., assistant professor of energy, environmental
and chemical engineering, takes pre-treated corn fiber, a byproduct
of corn-to-ethanol production, from his collaborators at the United
States Department of Agricultural (USDA) research facility in
Peoria, Ill., and places the lignocellulosic biomass into digesters
comprised of a selected mixed culture of thousands of different
microbes to convert the biomass into butyrate...
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Jolly Green Giant:
Google Gives the Green Light to Alternative Energy
by
Anne Moore Odell, Green Money Journal
Google promises millions of dollars
to create inexpensive renewable energy.
SocialFunds.com -- Google (ticker: GOOG) is greatly expanding its
green footprint, with the announcement of its new renewable energy
initiative dubbed RE. The name stands for "renewable energy less
than coal" with Google working to support, invent, and invest in
energy sources that will be cheaper than electricity created from
the pollution-heavy coal.
Google and Google.org-Google's philanthropic partner-anticipates
investing hundreds of millions of dollars in what it considers
"breakthrough technologies," including geothermal power, solar
thermal power, and wind power.
This new initiative will draw on Google's experience in creating and
building its energy-efficient data centers that are already in
place. Google plans to build on the extensive work already done in
renewable and green energy fields...
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What is LOHAS? Are You
a LOHAS Consumer?
by Health & Fitness Writer, Article
Garden
What is LOHAS?
LOHAS is an acronym that stands for Lifestyles of Health and
Sustainability, a market segment focused on health, fitness, the
environment, personal development, sustainable living, and social
responsibility.
LOHAS companies practice “responsible capitalism” by providing goods
and services using environmentally friendly and economically
sustainable business practices. LOHAS business owners and industry
leaders from around the world meet each year at the LOHAS Conference
to discuss industry trends, share ideas and learn how to run a
successful LOHAS business.
Are You a LOHAS Consumer?
LOHAS consumers, sometimes referred to as Lohasians, are interested
in products covering a range of market sectors and sub-sectors,
including: Green building supplies, socially responsible investing
and “green stocks”, alternative healthcare, organic clothing and
food, personal development media, yoga and other fitness products,
eco-tourism and more...
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Prague Gnosis
by Kirstin Miller, Ecotecture
I recently returned from Prague, the
capital of the Czech Republic and one of the most beautiful cities
on earth. With one sweep of the eye, you can easily take in at least
five centuries of fantastic architectural design and detail. Wander
down any alleyway and you’ll run into an historically famous
person’s former hangout. Some of the most celebrated minds in
European history–Beethoven, Mozart, Dvorak, Franz Kafka, Johannes
Kepler, Tycho Brahe and Ranier Marie Rilke, to name but a few–have
imbued this city with their timeless magic. Music and musicians are
everywhere in Prague. Over the course of two days, I counted ten
people carrying cellos!
I went to Prague to represent Ecocity Builders–a Berkeley,
California, based environmental NGO–at Towards Car Free Cities III,
an international conference hosted by the feisty Car Busters
Magazine. I was there to present innovative methods for transforming
cities and towns to exist in balance, instead of in competition,
with nature...
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