May 4th, 2007
You are currently browsing the articles from EcoSherpa written on May 4th, 2007.
I received an email from my good friend Cory yesterday, pointing me in the direction of an article he thought might inspire a post here on the blog.
Cory and I are both eco-conscious, and we enjoy getting together for a good brew (or two) whenever time allows. So needless to say I wasn’t overly surprised when I saw the title of the article:
Beer maker, scientists to create energy
I’m always on the lookout for ways that beer drinking can help save the world, so I was certainly happy that Cory sent the link my way!
So what’s the scoop?
Australian Beer Maker Fosters are teaming up with a group of scientists to generate energy from brewery wastewater via the action of sugar-munching bacteria.
Here is a blurb:
The complex technology harnesses the chemical energy that the bacteria releases from the organic material, converting it into electrical energy.
The 660-gallon fuel cell will be 250 times bigger than a prototype that has been operating at the university laboratory for three months, Keller said.
“Brewery waste water is a particularly good source because it is very biodegradable … and is highly concentrated, which does help in improving the performance of the cell,” Keller said.
He expected the brewery cell would produce 2 kilowatts of power — enough to power a household — and the technology would eventually be applied in other breweries and wineries owned by Foster’s. The cell should be operating at the brewery by September.
OK, so we certainly won’t be seeing cities powered by beer anytime soon, but this technology should provide some great options for making breweries much more sustainable themselves. And of course there must be a considerable amount of sugar-rich wastewater being produced by various food industries, so lots of possibilities there.
Related Sherpa Articles:
Beer Drinking Good For The Planet?
Beer Power?
Technorati Tags: beer, beer power, brewery, fuel cell, green energy, alternative evergy, green power
Written by Bentley on May 4th, 2007 with no comments.
Read more articles on Green Energy and Waste Management.
How does Green Pizza sound? Probably not very appetizing, unless it has spinach on it! It turns out Pete Bonahoom has spotted a business opportunity and has created eco-friendly Galactic Pizza in Minneapolis.
What makes his pizza business green?
* His drivers deliver pizza in rechargeable electric cars
* The mozzarella comes from cows not treated by growth hormones
* Hemp is used as an ingredient and for the paper menus
* Use packaging that is made from recycled materials
* In season, they purchase local produce
To top things off, his drivers dress up as superheroes, like Captain Awesome, Shark Girl or the Veggie Avenger.
The tag line for Galactic Pizza is, “Pizza with a conscience”.
From the Galactic Pizza website:
At Galactic Pizza we have a positive vision of the future on our planet. We see a world that lacks the greed and self centeredness that has led use into the chaotic state that we see today. We see a world full of cooperation, sustainability, and harmony with our surroundings.
In order to help achieve this positive vision, we strive to be the perfect example of what is called a values led company. This means that we realize that we have a responsibility to the people and community that make our existence possible. In order to fulfill this responsibility, we seek to maximize our impact by integrating as many socially beneficial actions into our day to day operations as possible. By incorporating a concern for the community–local, national, and global–our restaurant can make positive impact on the world in which it operates.
To learn more about Galactic Pizza, visit their website.
Technorati Tags: eco business, green business opportunity, sustainable business, green pizza, green living, eco restaurants, Galactic Pizza
Written by steve on May 4th, 2007 with 4 comments.
Read more articles on Green Business.
I caught an interesting article in this week’s edition of the Springwise Newsletter about a new chain of green(er) hotels opening up in Canada.
This past weekend I had the opportunity to spend a couple nights in a Toronto hotel and was constantly wondering just how much power, water etc the building must be consuming. I was actually impressed with the fact that all the lamps had compact fluorescent bulbs – I’m sure it was money savings that led to the change but it’s better than no change at all. Nevertheless, I have little doubt the hotel (along with the vast majority of others in the city) has relatively little concern for environmental issues.
Here is a blurb from the Springwise article:
Now, with the growing wave of concern for consumerism’s negative impact on the environment, a third element is being added to the no-frills chic equation: eco-friendliness. Inspirational example? A new hotel chain in Canada, due to open its first location this year. Run by family-owned Groupe Germain, ALT Hotels will combine design, atmosphere and chic interiors with the best possible price *and* with serious efforts to minimize impact on the planet. The Montreal hotel will incorporate geothermal technology, which is an industry first in Canada. Designed by architect Viateur Michaud, ALT Montreal will use the earth’s constant temperature of 10 degrees Celsius (at a depth of about three meters) to help heat and cool the hotel as needed. Other energy-saving measures include efficient lighting throughout the building, and heat recovery from water used in commercial washers.
See the full article here: No-frills Eco-chic
Here is a blurb from an
Alt Hotel press release:
The first ALT Hotel will be built at a cost of $21 million in Brossard’s brand new Quartier DIX30, strategically located at the intersection of highways 10 and 30, a stone’s throw from Montreal and right in the heart of the South Shore. It will be located near a 900-seat theatre, fabulous restaurants, a state-of-the-art fitness centre and spa, and more than 100 stores and boutiques. Construction has already begun on this first ALT Hotel, which will feature the very latest in energy-saving measures. It is scheduled to open in September 2007.
“Our research clearly shows that there is a shortage of this type of cheap-chic accommodation in Canada’s hotel industry,” explained Ms. Germain. For $129 per night, guests will enjoy quick and easy check-in, a unique atmosphere and an inviting, eclectic lounge. The cozy, inviting rooms include an office area equipped with the latest technology used by today’s travellers and feature an urban-spa type bathroom. Guests will be able to enjoy products and services tailored to their needs, such as breakfast on the run when they leave the hotel, and super-healthy, energizing juices. “No other hotel in this category will
give guests this much for such a tiny price,” concluded Ms. Germain.
And a list of the energy saving features:
•Geothermal heating and cooling
• Heat recovery from cool outdoor air and interior air exhaust (washrooms)
• Geothermal heating of fresh air intake
• Heat recovery from water used in commercial washers
• Efficient lighting throughout
• Main light switch to turn off all lights when leaving the room
• Geothermal heating of domestic hot water
• Geothermal heating of main entrance concrete floor
• Door contacts in stairwells to reduce lighting by half when unoccupied
• Direct digital control DDC system for ventilation, heating and cooling
I am certainly impressed with these improvements in design (in comparison to efforts by other hotels), but it would have been great to at least see some water conservation measures as well (rainwater capture/reuse, maybe a greenroof, greywater recycling etc). Oh well, one step at a time I guess!
Hopefully we’ll see these hotels opening in Ontario before too long.
Technorati Tags: green hotels, eco hotels, energy saving, geothermal, alt hotels
Written by Bentley on May 4th, 2007 with 3 comments.
Read more articles on Eco Travel.
I just came across an article about the new Philips “Green Tick” logo. Yet again, another corporation creating their own eco label. Watch out readers, the wave has yet to hit. An influx of “corporate biodiesel bandwagon jumpers” will soon be flooding stores with their chic “green labels”.
According to the Philips website, the Green Tick logo will be on their most environmentally friendly and safe products. This will ensure consumers that they are making the right environmental choice. All Green Tick logo products are certified by external auditors to be more than 10% more efficient than other products on the market within a given product category.
Green Tick logo products perform significantly better in at least one of the following areas:
* Energy Efficiency
* Weight
* Packaging
* Recycling
* Hazardous Materials
Currently, seven of Philips’ flat TVs carry the Green Tick logo with a target of doubling the number to 14 by the end of 2007 to include DVD recorders, home cinema systems, wireless devices and portable accessories. The Green Tick logo will launch into stores from April 2007 across Europe, North America and Asia.
Technorati Tags: eco labels, green consumers, Philips, eco options, eco friendly, green products, green living, environmentally friendly, eco products
Written by steve on May 4th, 2007 with no comments.
Read more articles on Green Business.
