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By Dana Chivvis, Sphere, Dec. 18, 2009
After nearly two weeks of disappointments in Copenhagen, environmentalists can celebrate one small piece of news today: Bottled water sales are down and are expected to continue to fall next year, according to the Beverage Marketing Corp.
The $11 billion bottled-water industry saw nothing but growth for three decades, peaking in 2007 when each person consumed 29 gallons of bottled water a year, MSNBC reports. That number was down 3.2 percent in 2008 and is expected to drop another 2 percent this year.
The fall in consumption may have to do with a movement to make people aware of the effects plastic has on the environment. Because it takes plastic up to 1,000 years to break down naturally, water bottles contribute greatly to the buildup of trash in the environment.
One place particularly hard hit is a swirling area of water in the Pacific Ocean twice the size of Texas, called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The water in this area is filled with an estimated 3.5 million tons of trash, much of which is plastic.
Environmentalists also point to the toxicity of plastic production and the health hazards that exist from drinking or eating from plastic containers. In 2007, scientists discovered that one of the chemicals used in plastic, bisphenol A, interferes with embryonic development in a way that may lead to obesity in adults.
If that's not enough to make you put down the bottle, the Sierra Club adds that water companies are drying up household wells and lakes, affecting wetlands, and using three times the amount of water that goes into one of their bottles to produce the water itself.
But the environmental movement might not be able to take all the credit for the decline in bottled water sales. The dip could be because of the recession. Bottled water sales fell less than all other beverages this year, according to the Beverage Marketing Corp.
"Environmental concerns among consumers may have had an effect on bottled water sales, but the primary reason sales are soft is the economy," said Gary Hemphill, managing director of the Beverage Marketing Corp.
Still, some bottled water producers have taken the environmentalist's message to heart. Nestlé, the world's largest bottler, has begun producing bottles that use less plastic and has introduced a new brand, called Resource, that uses bottles made from 35 percent recycled plastic. The company is also giving out money for local recycling programs, MSNBC reports.
Tom Lauria, spokesman for the International Bottled Water Association, said the industry is even working on plastic bottles made from biodegradable corn.
"We will see in our lifetime biodegradable plastic, and this whole controversy will disappear," he said.
But while he sees the controversy inherent in his industry, Lauria doesn't think the environmentalists have had any effect on bottled water sales.
"People love their bottled water."
Click here to go to the original article
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Bottled Water Business Is on the Decline
Going green for graduation: UNT students wear biodegradable gowns
By UNT News Service, North Texas e-News, Dec. 17, 2009
DENTON (UNT), Texas — Commencement ceremonies honoring the accomplishments of about 2,800 students will be held Dec. 18 and 19 (Friday and Saturday) on the University of North Texas campus. This fall, 2,256 undergraduate students applied for December graduation, in addition to 478 master's students and 59 doctoral students.
While the students walking across the stage this December may look similar to students from previous years, there will be one notable difference: some of this year’s students will be wearing biodegradable gowns.
Offered through the UNT Bookstore, the Jostens Elements Collection graduation gowns will decompose in soil in one year. The acetate fabric fiber of the gowns is made from natural wood sourced from renewable forests. In addition, the zipper is made from fully recycled polyethylene terephthalate, a plastic typically used for consumer goods like soft drink bottles. The packaging of the gowns also contains materials from ECM BioFilms, which makes it easier for the bag to decompose.
Click here to read the full article
NASA Uses Algae to Turn Sewage into Fuel
The U.S. space agency has thrown its weight behind a clever method of growing algae in wastewater for the purpose of making biofuel.
By Jeremy Hsu, Space.com, FOXNews.com, Dec. 16, 2009
NASA may concern itself largely with space exploration, but it also wants to keep Earth on a steady course in the face of rising energy costs and climate change. Now the U.S. space agency has thrown its weight behind a clever method of growing algae in wastewater for the purpose of making biofuel.
The OMEGA system consists of algae grown in flexible plastic bags floating offshore, where cities typically dump their wastewater. Oil-producing freshwater algae would naturally clean the wastewater by feeding on nutrients in the sewage. The cleansed freshwater could then release into the ocean through forward-osmosis membranes in the sides of the plastic bags.
"You're concentrating nutrients and releasing extremely clean water into the ocean," said Jonathan Trent, a bioengineer at NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif. The forward-osmosis membranes only release fresh water into the ocean, and don't permit salty water to contaminate the bags.
Trent envisions harvesting the algae with barges every ten days, and then flushing the plastic bags with salt water to clean out any freshwater algae that might foul the sides of the bags or the forward-osmosis membranes. The algae would be turned into fuel in a manner similar to using corn to make ethanol.
Municipal wastewater pumped into the bags would then start the cycle all over again.
Such a process would mainly rely on the energy of the ocean waves to mix the algae, as well as sunlight and carbon dioxide. The offshore locations and the wide oceans would also have more than enough room to grow massive amounts of algae needed to produce biofuels for an energy-hungry world.
Algae for a greener economy
Many experts see algae as the biofuel source of the future for several reasons. Algae's biofuel yield could range from 1,000-4,000 gallons per acre each year, compared to just hundreds of gallons per acre annually from oil palm, sunflower and soybeans, according to a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) report. The DOE added that algae alone could theoretically take care of transportation fuel demands for the entire United States.
That early promise has led the DOE to invest in algae-focused ventures through its new ARPA-E agency, and to put together a report titled the "National Algal Biofuels Technology Roadmap."
Some private companies have tried growing algae in vats or through other methods on land. But Trent decided to take advantage of the ocean's natural waves and open spaces. His initial investigation drew support through a grant from the philanthropic arm of Google, the U.S. Internet search giant.
"This would ultimately cover acres and acres of ocean," Trent told SPACE.com. He noted that each plastic bag might take up as much as a quarter of an acre. The millions of acres required to meet U.S. transportation fuel needs would not take the form of one huge ocean patch, but would instead spread across many locations off the U.S. coasts.
The basic technologies behind the plastic bags and forward-osmosis membranes are well tested, but Trent expects to spend more time ensuring that the system can work efficiently and without problems. For instance, plastics have a known weakness to ultraviolet rays from the sun, and so long exposure might represent an issue.
Still, Trent wants to eventually make the plastic bags biodegradable. A future source of such biodegradable plastics might even come from algae-derived oil.
Fuel for the world
Both NASA and the California Energy Commission have helped fund the latest round of Trent's work, in which he aims to get a pilot demonstration up and running. The first experiments might start in closed ponds, and then spread to California offshore locations near San Francisco and Santa Cruz.
Trent acknowledges that challenges remain in figuring out the right algae strains, and in engineering the system to make algae biofuels a cost-effective alternative to existing fossil fuels. In fact, biofuels currently represent one of the least lucrative possibilities from growing algae — converting algae into animal food, fertilizer and cosmetics represents just a few of the more profitable ventures.
Still, the NASA bioengineer hopes that algae biofuels can eventually help satiate rising energy demands, and cut back on greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels that contribute to climate change. The fact that the OMEGA process would clean up wastewater and help sequester carbon dioxide doesn't hurt, either.
A U.S. company Algae Systems of Carson City, Nev., has already licensed the NASA tech, and plans to deploy its own algae bioreactors somewhere off the coast of Tampa Bay, Florida. Trent would like to see the technology spread among companies as an open-source solution.
"I don't want to see any one company that owns the technology," Trent said. He has already begun discussing his work with international delegates at the United Nations Climate Change Conference hosted in Copenhagen, Denmark.
One possible future plan would combine the algae-growth system with a gigantic offshore wind farm being built by Germany, Sweden and Denmark. Wind power could then provide lights to keep algae growing underwater and during the nighttime hours — a fitting vision for the sustainable future of spaceship Earth.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Liquid Planet First on the Market to Release Fully Biodegradable Tea Packaging
Liquid Planet, Press Release, Dec. 15, 2009
Missoula, MT - Liquid Planet, founded in Missoula in 2003, recently released their 100% organic tea packaged in single serve, fully biodegradable and compostable sachets and clear overwraps, making them the first company to do so commercially in the world.
Although tea companies have been packaging organic tea in recyclable boxes before, this is the first time a tea company has placed clear, single-serve organic tea on the retail market that is environmentally friendly from the tea leaf itself to the last ounce of packaging. Liquid Planet Tea is 100% USDA organic certified and KSA kosher certified premium full leaf tea enclosed in a non-bleached, biodegradable and compostable sachet. The sachet is wrapped in a fully biodegradable and compostable corn-resin overwrap and then packed into recyclable cartons made from post-consumer material in a facility that offsets its energy use with wind energy credits.
The especially unique component of the Liquid Planet packaging is the NatureFlex™ corn-resin overwrap. Although it appears like traditional plastic, instead of oil based materials it is comprised of a naturally-occurring plant starch, making it biodegradable, compostable and sustainable.
Liquid Planet is a Montana based business dedicated to providing products good for the body, spaces that feed the soul and profits that give back to the earth. Liquid Planet organic teas and tisanes are exclusively distributed by ChefEx, the gourmet and specialty division of Sysco Foods. Learn more at
www.liquidplanet.com
Bio-Clean products certified 100% organic and biodegradable
TradingMarkets.com, Dec. 15, 2009
Industrial cleaners and restoration products distributor Bio-Clean Inc (OTCBB:BOCL.OB) declared on Monday that after testing of three of its products, all have been certified 100% organic and 100% biodegradable.
The products tested were Bio-Clean All-Purpose Cleaner, Bio-Clean All-Purpose Degreaser and Clean-Kill Hand Sanitizer.
According to Bio-Clean the efficacy of all of its products equals or exceeds all similar products currently available.
Real Christmas tree is best for environment
By Joe Lamp'l, Scripps Howard News Service, FayObserver.com, Dec. 13, 2009
Over the last several years I've researched a lot about various aspects of living a more eco-friendly life. But when it comes to choosing a Christmas tree, everything I thought I was doing right for the environment by using an artificial tree went out the window. And it looks like the message is getting out.
According to the National Christmas Tree Association, Americans purchased about 33 percent fewer fake trees in 2008 than in the previous year. Rick Dungey, public-relations manager for the association, shared a few eye-opening thoughts on the real environmental impact of artificial trees in a recent conversation.
Artificial trees never biodegrade
Although artificial trees can last for years, eventually they are discarded and remain in a landfill forever more. Fake trees are not biodegradable, so they never break down.
Click here to read the full article
Irish startup turns waste plastic into biodegradable products
By Lisa Sibley, Cleantech Group, Dec. 9, 2009
What began as research project to produce biodegradable plastics from waste has evolved into a company that now has large scale ambitions.
Ireland-based Bioplastech is converting waste, agricultural byproducts and petrochemical products into value added biodegradable plastic polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), Kevin O’Connor told the Cleantech Group today. PHAs are linear polyesters produced by bacterial fermentation of sugar or lipids, according to Wikipedia, and can store carbon and energy.
O’Connor, who heads the company’s management team, is a senior lecturer in microbiology at University College Dublin, Ireland, which developed the technology and is collaborating with Trinity College Dublin.
Started in 2008, Bioplastech is also looking at waste food oils and biodiesel, though the main driver to begin the 10-employee company was waste plastic, O’Connor said, comparing it to most companies which are going the biomass route. The company is looking to test its lab-proven technology on a larger level.
Click here to read the full article
Friday, December 18, 2009
What’s Cooking? Recycled Kitchen Countertops!
Upgrading your kitchen can be a daunting task. And while you probably want the most modern kitchen you can afford, it’s also important to think about the environmental impact of any new items you purchase.
Greenopolis, Dec. 14, 2009
Consumers are more aware than ever about sustainable choices for products for their home improvement projects. A kitchen makeover is a great place to incorporate some earth-friendly choices into your remodeling goals.
For instance, wood countertops, including reclaimed wood countertops, are becoming popular again.
White oak, maple, even madrone - a hardwood known for its reddish hue - are popular choices today. Beautiful, durable, and sustainable, wood is a warm alternative to granite and manufactured stone. Wood has its own natural beauty, holding its own against surfaces with cooler colors and textures.
Many companies also now make butcher block from reclaimed or salvaged wood. Reclaimed wood countertops can be made from pallets, water tanks, even telephone poles. Butcher block can also be made from bamboo, a sustainable wood source. Interested in wood countertops? Start with Endura Wood’s maple butcher block.
Click here to read the full article
Disruptive tech will transform consumer packaging
Time-temperature indicators, active packaging, battery-free printed RFIDs and high-barrier biopolymers to have major impact on everyday food, pharma and beverage packaging.
PRESS RELEASE, Converting Magazine, Dec. 14, 2009
Capable of eventually displacing an existing technology and transforming the industrial landscape, disruptive technologies are now revolutionising the consumer packaging industry, according to a major new study by Pira International.
Based on primary research and expert analysis, Forecasts of Disruptive Technologies in Consumer Packaging to 2019 seeks to identify and assess the various, exciting disruptive technologies that are being commercialised in the consumer packaging sector. Classifying technologies on the basis of components (e.g. RFID labels, bioplastics) and end-use packaging products (e.g. beverage containers, blister packs), the study examines the possible integration of these innovative technologies into corporate business strategies and plans.
Generally seen in low or high-end niche markets, a disruptive technology is essentially a new, emerging technology that upends an existing technology and eventually replaces it, or at least is accepted as its equivalent. This occurs even though the new technology originally appears to be inferior or too expensive. These technologies tend to cultivate slowly at first, then grow at an exponential pace. Once established and available at a reasonable benefit-cost ratio, the technology may act like a virus wiping out more conventional technologies and eventually taking over the mainstream.
Recent trends impacting consumer packaging technology include material and energy cost fluctuations due to volatile oil prices, growth of sustainable packaging and new innovations in materials and packaging formats (e.g. increased penetration of flexible packaging and rigid plastic in food packaging).
Click here to read the full article
Ithaca company turning carbon dioxide into plastic
Novomer's process gets state investment
By Stacey Shackford, The Ithaca Journal, Dec. 13, 2009
ITHACA -- Pollutants that once belched out of power plant chimneys may soon make an appearance in our refrigerators and reduce our dependency on petroleum, thanks to the pioneering work of an Ithaca company.
Researchers at Novomer at the South Hill business complex have discovered a way to harness the harmful greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) and transform it into a plastic that is not only biodegradable and more energy efficient to produce, but also remarkably durable and light-weight.
They have now teamed up with Kodak and the Rochester Institute of Technology to manufacture products using the plastic and send them into various industries for commercial testing.
Applications of the new technology are almost endless, according to Mike Slowik, strategic planning and analysis manager for Novomer.
Click here to read the full article
Chinese bank launches biodegradable credit cards
Plastic News, Dec. 11, 2009
China's Shenzhen Development Bank has launched two sets of biodegradable credit cards, which are said to be able to break down to water and carbon dioxide. The bank said one of the green-themed sets comes with paperless statements only, another way to protect the environment.
It's unclear what specific material(s) the cards are made of. But the bank started issuing the first set of four "Beauty Cards" in November, targeting environmentally conscious female consumers.
The second set of four "Green Cards" made a debut in Beijing this week. These cards use electronic statements exclusively, the bank said on its Web site. Users can choose to receive an email newsletter on environmental protection from the bank. They also have the option to redeem membership points for "green products."
Click here to read the full article
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Keep toxins out of our water by buying biodegradable
Keep our waterways cleaner by paying close attention to what you send down the drain.
By Aileen Brabazon, Homemakers.com, Dec. 7, 2009
Have you ever thought about what goes down your drains?
Besides water, toothpaste, hair dye, shampoo, soap, laundry detergent and bathroom and kitchen cleaners swim through your pipes and eventually end up in our waterways.
And if these products contain chemicals that don't neutralize into harmless compounds, there's a big ecological price to pay. For example, surfactants -- the stuff that makes solutions foam up and spread well -- found in some degreasers, disinfectants and cleaners breakdown into agents that can feminize fish, Adria Vasil reports in Ecoholic (Vintage Canada, 2007). Eek!
To help keep our waters and marine life healthier, choose personal care and cleaning products that are as chemical-free as possible and choose items that quickly biodegrade (the best products often have a certified biodegradable stamp on the bottle and state how long it takes to break down).
Click here to go to original article
S'pore businesses eye green SIM, smartcards
By Vivian Yeo, ZDNet Asia, Dec. 07, 2009
SINGAPORE--Mobile operators in the country are exploring the use of biodegradable SIM (subscriber identity module) cards, should the technology become more pervasive.
Spokespersons from all three local operators SingTel, MobileOne (M1) and StarHub told ZDNet Asia they were interested in deploying the eco-friendly alternative.
StarHub's corporate communications manager Cassie Fong said in an e-mail the telco would soon commence "initial talks" with its SIM card supplier "to find out more on the product".
In an e-mail, a SingTel spokesperson noted that the company is already using biodegradable paper material for its pre-paid mobile top-up cards and is currently evaluating the use of biodegradable paper for all its SIM cards.
Click here to read the full article
Government wants your input on plastic bags
By Staff Writer, Winnipeg Free Press, Dec. 8, 2009
WINNIPEG - Conservation Minister Bill Blaikie wants your thoughts about what to do with plastic bags.
Blaikie said in a news release today the province wants ideas from consumers, vendors and bag manufacturers. Proposals already before government include:
* plastic carry-out bags sold and distributed in Manitoba contain a minimum of 25 per cent post-consumer recycled material, increasing to 50 per cent within five years;Click here to read the full article
* all larger stores that distribute plastic bags have take-back programs for recycling plastic bags;
* all plastic bags sold or distributed in Manitoba be imprinted with a message reminding users to recycle or reuse the bag; and
* all compostable or biodegradable plastic bags sold or distributed in Manitoba be required to meet national or international standards and be certified as such.
Project to Promote Use of Biodegradable Bags Launched
Project to support recommendations for bioplastics environmental policy
PR Newswire, Dec. 4, 2009
BANGKOK, Thailand - The National Innovation Agency (NIA), Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ: German Technical Cooperation), Thai Bioplastics Industry Association (TBIA) and BASF today launched a pilot project to highlight the potential of composting as a feasible and effective waste management option. The pilot project is a first for Thailand and will demonstrate the use biodegradable plastic bags to collect household organic waste in the most efficient way, as well as the potential of producing organic matter or fertilizer from organic waste.
The project will support the recommendations for the bioplastics environmental policy to build composting facilities in Thailand, as it is the infrastructure required to fully realize the potential of composting. When the model is endorsed, the potential production capacity of high quality organic fertilizer is 6 million tons annually, which could be exported.
"The pilot project is a key initiative towards the development of the bioplastics industry as one of Thailand's new wave industries. In evaluating and developing sustainable options for end-of-life product waste management, we have to remember that landfilling of organic, biodegradable waste generates methane - a greenhouse gas 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide - and composting helps to reduce emission levels of this harmful green house gases. For the first time, since we put forth the road map for the development of the bioplastics industry which was approved by the Cabinet in 2008, we are implementing measures at a community level," said Dr. Suchinda Chotipanich, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology and Chairman of the Bioplastics Industry Development Subcommittee.
As part of the launch, which was held at the pilot plant site in the Kradangar District of Samut Songkhram Province, a community outreach group consisting of community leaders and students promoted the use of biodegradable plastic bags to 730 households.
"The pilot project further demonstrates that Thailand is well-placed to achieve its goals backed by strong supporting industries, international alliances, active industry cooperation and supportive governmental policy. We believe that the project will provide useful information to support recommendations for the bioplastics environmental policy. Additionally, to further raise environmental awareness and encourage the use of environmentally friendly products as a new social norm. This in turn will be a significant boost to Thailand's ambitions of becoming a key bioplastics player in the region" said Dr Supachai Lorlowhakarn, Director of NIA.
Recommendations for the bioplastics environmental policy, which is expected to be completed within the next six months, will outline the infrastructure, framework, instruments and guidelines to promote the use and production of bioplastics in Thailand.
The biodegradable plastic bags could be made of cassava starch and calcium carbonate compounded with BASF's Ecoflex, a fully-biodegradable, compostable polyester which is tear-resistant, puncture-resistant, waterproof, printable and elastic. Ecoflex significantly improves the functionality of raw materials based on renewable resources and as such has been used in the production of the biodegradable bags to provide very demanding mechanical properties.
"Fully biodegradable and compostable polyesters can make a significant contribution to efficient biowaste management. BASF is a global market leader in the area of biobased and biodegradable polyesters, and our Ecoflex is already commonly used in Thailand for organic waste bags, carrier bags and shopping bags. Our participation in the pilot projects demonstrates our firm commitment and contribution towards Thailand's ambitions of developing the bioplastics industry. We believe this project will also be an excellent showcase for other countries in the region which are considering a similar initiative" said Dr. Jens Hamprecht, Head of Global Product Management, Biodegradable Polymers, BASF.
About BASF
BASF is the world's leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals as well as oil and gas. As a reliable partner BASF helps its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF posted sales of more than euro 62 billion in 2008 and had approximately 97,000 employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at http://www.basf.com .
MEDIA CONTACTS
National Innovation Agency
Asaya Siriaoutan
Tel: +66-2-644-6000 ext 111
Email: asaya@nia.or.th
GTZ
Siriporn Treepornpairat
Email: siriporn.treepornpairat@gtz.de
BASF
Beverley Tan
Communications Manager
Biodegradable Polymers
Specialty Plastics Asia Pacific
Tel: +65-6432-3284
Mobile: +65-9791-9182
Email: beverley.tan@basf.com
Supriya Kaewjai
Corporate Communications
BASF Thailand
Phone: +66-2-664-9222 ext. 1207
Email: supriya.kaewjai@basf.com
SOURCE NIA; GTZ; TBIA and BASF
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Are Biodegradable Bags a Viable Option for Composting?
By Jennifer Berry, Earth911.com, Dec 10, 2009
Industry and governmental groups partnered to launch a campaign in Thailand to test the option of composting as an effective means of waste management for the country, utilizing biodegradable bags in the collection of household organic waste in the process.
The pilot program will also serve as a foundation for developing Thailand’s bioplastics industry, which was initially conceived in 2008. Some estimates put Thailand’s potential fertilizer generation capacity in the range of 6 million tons annually, creating a potential export product for the country.
As composting programs continue to grow in cities such as San Francisco, broader means of collecting organic waste could be a future challenge.
The use of bioplastic bags could address this issue, and in Thailand, will “further raise environmental awareness and encourage the use of environmentally friendly products as a new social norm,” according to Suchinda Chotipanich, permanent secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology and chairman of the Bioplastics Industry Development Subcommittee.
Click here to read full article
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Nutek, LLC Introduces New Soy-Based, Biodegradable Lubricating and Cleaning Wipes
Nutek, LLC press release, Dec. 8, 2009
CLEVELAND - Launched in 2007, Nutek brings high-performance products to the market with a Smart Green(TM) focus. With 100% biodegradable formulations, superior performance and recyclable packaging, Nutek's products continue to provide safe alternatives to petroleum-based and environmentally-toxic competitors.
Nutek's products are on the shelves of Home Depot, Ace Hardware, True Value, Northern Tool and others. Bolt Off(TM) helps to reduce the frictions that make nuts, bolts and other rusty objects hard to move. LubFix(TM) is a multi-purpose lubricant for squeaks and creaks around the house. Shield It(TM) is a dry lube that protects surfaces from friction, even under tough climate conditions. Simply Soy(TM) is a 100% biodegradable lube that is safe to use around children, pets and food prep areas.
The Chagrin Falls, Ohio Company launched this week its newest line of biodegradable wipe products that both lubricate and clean. This line features extra large, biodegradable wipes or towelettes with soy-based lubricants and environmentally-friendly cleaners. Unlike tube packages, these biodegradable wipes can be kept in a glove compartment, garage storage area or at home with no risk of drying out.
Simply Soy(TM) biodegradable wipes feature the same safe chemistry as the Simply Soy (TM) lubricant, and can be used to clean and lubricate tools and other metal surfaces to prevent rust-build up. The wipes are certified for safe use in food areas. With gentle hand cleaning action, Gas Off(TM) wipes are extra-large and heavy-duty to thoroughly remove, suspend and absorb gas smells from your hands and other surfaces. Grime Off® removes drips and smears from many non-porous surfaces like tools, equipment and much more. These wipes remove oils, dirt, brake dust, grease, hydraulic fluid and other potentially-hazardous chemicals from your hands and other surfaces.
Nutek, LLC is a company that stands for new technology solutions for your everyday, household needs. The company focuses on the creation of greener, sustainable, bio-preferred products that provide businesses and consumers with superior, cutting-edge performance results.
For information, contact either Cathy Horton or Kimberly Novotney at 1-888-NUTEK4U or visit www.nutekformulations.com.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Alternative packaging from biodegradable farm waste
By Jean-Louis Santini, AFP, Google News, Dec. 6, 2009
WASHINGTON — Two young American businessmen have developed a green alternative to ubiquitous polystyrene packaging -- made from farm waste and mushrooms -- that uses 10 times less energy to produce, and biodegrades into a natural fertilizer.
Called EcoCradle, the product can also be used as insulation and is grown, not manufactured, with no greenhouse gas emissions, such as CO2, as a byproduct, co-inventor Eben Bayer, 24, told AFP in an interview.
"We have developed a platform that we think is perfect for replacing the polystyrene that is used in packaging, because... it is biodegradable and it's created using almost no energy, almost no CO2 emissions," he added.
Bayer and Gavin McIntyre, classmates from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, founded Ecovative Design in 2007 to produce EcoCradle.
"For each unit of EcoCradle we produce, compared to the same unit or volume of polystyrene, we use ten times less energy and emit eight times less CO2 over the life of the product from production, use and to disposal," Ecovative Design CEO Bayer said.
"Our long-term vision is actually to replace all plastic and foams and mitigate their environmental consequences... and this natural platform we have discovered or invented will allow us to do that," he said.
EcoCradle is a patented trademark in the United States and 30 other countries, including the European Union members.
Currently polystyrene, a plastic, is so prevalent in the packaging industry it accounts for 30 percent of all the waste in US landfills, Bayer said.
EcoCradle, on the other hand, degrades naturally in contact with water or moisture and has "a positive impact on the environment... as a natural fertilizer for plants."
The new product is made from agricultural byproducts including cottonseed hulls, buckwheat hulls and rice husk that are mixed with a filamentous fungi -- mycelium -- as a bonding agent -- and allowed to grow inside molds.
The mycelium secretes a powerful enzyme that decomposes the organic waste as it grows. After seven days at room temperature in the dark, a compact, ultralight, malleable material is formed that can resist temperatures of up to 800 degrees Celsius (1,472 Fahrenheit), Bayer said.
The production cost is comparable to that of polystyrene, he added.
EcoCradle is planning to take on the 20-billion-dollar a year polystyrene industry dominated globally by a Dow Chemical subsidiary.
At present, Ecovative Design has a factory in northern New York state, where a staff of eight churn out thousands of EcoCradle packaging for several companies.
"Our vision is to take the same plant we have designed and deploy it next year as a larger facility in the midwest United States, then in Europe and in Asia over the next three years," Bayer said.
The factories require "a fairly low capital investment, in the order of millions of dollars," he said.
"It's low-tech biotechnology... it's almost closer to cooking or farming vegetables than it is to genetic manipulation."
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Now You Can Even Die Green: Biodegradable Eco-Coffins Introduced in U.S.
By David Gutierrez, NaturalNews.com, Dec. 5, 2009
A Colorado-based company is now offering U.S. consumers the option of being buried in a fully biodegradable casket made out of banana sheaves and bamboo.
"As more and more American families and communities look for eco-friendly solutions to everything in life, Ecoffins provides fitting tributes to those choosing to honor their environmentally conscious lifestyle at the time of their death," says the company, Ecoffins USA, on its Web site.
According to Ecoffins USA's marketing director, Joanna Passarelli, the coffins have proved particularly popular in New Mexico, where there is strong support for eco-friendly ceremonies. Passarelli says that the company has also found interest among Jewish and Muslim communities.
Jewish and Muslim tradition discourages anything that would prevent the body from returning quickly naturally to the earth, such as embalming or cremation. This sentiment is shared with supporters of natural burial.
Click here to read the full article
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Better Wipes for a Better World! Introducing Gro Baby(TM) Bio Wipes - All Natural and Compostable Baby Wipes, Made from 100% Renewable Resources
Natural Baby Company's Eco-Friendly Diaper Line Helps Keep the Planet and Baby Clean, from the Bottom Up
The Natural Baby Company, Dec. 2, 2009
BOZEMAN, Mont. - Get to the bottom of greening your baby with Gro Baby Bio Wipes, the latest earth friendly product born from the creators of the Gro Baby reusable diapering system for modern parents. Free of harmful chemicals, compostable and made from 100% renewable materials, the all-natural Gro Baby Bio Wipes offer today's mom and dad a better way to wipe up baby's messes without leaving a mess on the planet.
The essential diapering tool for modern parents on-the-go, Gro Baby Bio Wipes are a natural and effective way to tidy up baby in seconds. Moistened with Aloe Vera botanicals, Vitamin E and purified water, Gro Baby Bio Wipes work to naturally clean, calm and soothe baby's sensitive skin. Made from plant based Ingeo fibers derived from 100% renewable resources, the Gro Baby Bio Wipes are high in strength making them sturdy and tough on messes, but not on baby. Now mom and dad can clean up the most unpleasant diaper change with ease, speed and a minimal impact on our planet.
"The ingredients used in most commercial baby wipes are not only harmful for the planet, but are enough to make both baby and parents uncomfortable," said Kim Ormsby, Creator of Gro Baby. "And as roughly 18 billion disposable diapers are dumped each year, the number of wipes that join them is staggering. At Gro Baby, our mission is to help clean baby's waste without being wasteful to the environment, making the Gro Baby Bio Wipes the perfect addition to our Gro Baby family of earth friendly products."
Unlike other baby wipes that use harsh chemicals, alcohol, perfumes, and even chlorine to scrub babies clean, Gro Baby Bio Wipes are completely free of chlorine, preservatives, alcohol, fragrances, and dyes. Gentler on baby's skin, and gentle on the planet, Gro Baby Bio Wipes are a perfect match to Gro Baby's recently released Bio Soaker diaper pads--the eco friendly diapering system that protects baby and the earth. With compostability at the forefront of Gro Baby designs, Gro Baby's Bio line allows mom and dad to start greening baby early, from the bottom up.
Gro Baby Bio Wipes retail for $5.99 and include 80 wipes in each easy to open and resealable package. Gro Baby can be purchased at: www.TheNaturalBabyCo.com
About The Natural Baby Company:
The Natural Baby Company's mission has always been to create the ultimate in cloth diapering and natural baby products. Gro Baby(TM) a revolution in the cloth diapering has taken the market by storm. The Natural Baby Company's product lines include: Gro Baby(TM), Dream Eze, Tiny Bubbles, Wonder Wraps, Kiwi Pie and Magic Stick(TM). Each product was designed out of necessity and innovation. Buying from The Natural Baby Company means you are purchasing well made, often organic, products that have been tested and proven in the marketplace. Since its inception NBC has practiced supporting small businesses that help sustain healthy lifestyle choices, such as cloth diapering.
Most of us use a lot of oil without ever driving a car
By Harry Fuller, ZDNet.com, Dec. 1, 2009
Nearly all the plastic and resins in our daily life are–you guessed it–made from petroleum. The case on your iPod and the food wrappers in the vending machine: processed from oil. I recently talked with the CEO of a small firm that hopes to help change that.
He’s Frederic Scheer, Founder and CEO of Cereplast, Inc. The California-based company has two plants turning out plastic resin, one in California and one in Indiana. The raw material for their resins are biomass, from potatoes to corn. Any good source of vegetable starch. Scheer says Cereplast is now working toward using wood chips and other biomass not a potential food.
TWO CLASSES OF PLASTIC RESIN
Cereplast, says Scheer, is already selling two classes of resin. One is compostable. The other is permanent or “hybrid.” The plastic tableware or the biodegradable dog poop bags are in the first class. Plastics for permanent use are found in appliances, toys, toothbrushes, credit cards, card keys, hand-held devices, and cars. That’s the permanent variety.
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Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Drive for 'zero waste zones'
Restaurants unite with businesses for greener disposal of garbage.
By Meridith Ford Goldman, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Dec. 1, 2009
Stop. Wait a minute. Did you just throw out that dryer lint? Think of all those Thanksgiving leftovers that might make your garden grow. Did you know that they — along with a multitude of other garbage such as coffee grounds, tea bags, yard trimmings and that apple core you were just about to throw away — are all compostable?
Steve Simon of Fifth Group Restaurants knows. In a move toward helping Midtown become a “zero waste zone,” he’s leading restaurants such as Ecco, La Tavola Trattoria and South City Kitchen into a new era of composting and recycling.
Industry and the private sector setting an example for saving the planet? Did we hear that right?
“As recently as a year ago,” Simon says, “I was the poster child for what not to do.”
Now, he and other members of the Green Foodservice Alliance (an environmental affiliate of the Georgia Restaurant Association, but working to be its own association) are helping restaurants and businesses work to produce “zero waste.” The goal is to recycle, compost, reuse spent grease for biofuel and donate consumable food to charity.
“I don’t know if the restaurant industry is the largest producer of trash, but it’s certainly a possibility,” Simon says. Ecco, Fifth Group’s flagship restaurant in Midtown specializing in Mediterranean cuisine, no longer dumps waste into the garbage — kitchen workers and servers scrape scraps into a compost heap. Fifth Group restaurants no longer have garbage Dumpsters on their restaurants’ sites.
So did big business suddenly get a conscience?
“I think what’s happened over the last few years is that the collaboration between government, the private sector and trade associations has helped get the kinks out of a very kinked-up system,” says Holly Elmore, the founder and executive director of the alliance. Ten years ago, just getting a trash or recycling hauler to come to your business on a regular schedule was a “nightmare,” according to Simon. Now, entrepreneurs such as Farmer D Organics are actually making money from trash and waste.
The bottom line was a motivating factor. “When businesses in Georgia, particularly Atlanta, started losing conventions because the city and state aren’t perceived as ‘green,’ it got business owners’ attention,” Simon says. “It’s really an ‘oh, by the way, this is the right thing to do’ kind of thing.”
Trash as a moneymaking investment aside, why are composting and recycling so important?
Well, let’s go back to environmental protection 101: landfill use would be tops on the punch list. Producing less waste creates smaller landfills. Composting and recycling properly are the way to start. Methane emissions at landfills are contributing factors to global warming, and Americans, according to the EPA’s Web site, produce 4.4 pounds of garbage per person, per day — a figure that has nearly doubled since 1960. Simon’s research estimates that 80 percent of what’s in our landfills might have value — in other words, it could be recycled for profit.
So what can this urban tale teach the average consumer? First, it’s up to you to “take responsibility and learn,” Elmore says. Don’t expect your overworked local government or municipality to lead the way.
“Know your city’s plan and regulations. The last thing we want is for contamination to occur in single stream recycling [all recyclables in one bin] — one mistake, and the whole bin could end up in the landfill,” Elmore explains.
She recommends using a compost tumbler (available at Farmer D Organics and most Whole Foods Markets) for composting, and stresses the importance of proper disposal of kitchen grease. “Don’t pour your grease down the drain!” Elmore exclaims.
Follow the restaurants’ lead and recycle it by storing it in a plastic container, then finding a source in your area such as Green Grease, Inc., a business in Clarkston that has just begun consumer-based programs for dropping off kitchen oils for recycling. Entrepreneurs Todd Williams and Warren Brawley will provide a plastic recycling bin for your used cooking oils for $7, and arrange when to pick it up based on the amount of oil generated. Or you can drop it off at Green Grease in a plastic container. Either way, it’s better than eventually throwing it in the trash.
“Everytime you buy something,” says Elmore, “you really should be thinking about how you’re eventually going to dispose of it.”
Not all garbage is suitable for consumer composting. Recycling and composting regulations differ. Know your city and county’s regulations. For more information, go to www.georgia.uscity.net
/Recycling_Centers or www.earth911.com or www.gacompost.org. Contact Green Grease at 678-754-4887 or 404-447-2217.
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Bioamber and Sinoven Partner for Biobased Succinic Acid
PR Newswire, Dec. 1, 2009
PRINCETON, NJ - Bioamber (a joint venture between DNP Green Technology and ARD) and Sinoven Biopolymers Inc. have signed a supply agreement for biobased succinic acid. Under the terms of the agreement, Bioamber will be Sinoven's exclusive supplier of biobased succinic acid, enabling Sinoven to produce renewable modified polybutylene succinate plastic (PBS).
Sinoven's revolutionary modified PBS has better performance than other biodegradable polymers sold today, with heat resistance above 100 degrees C, excellent strength properties and the ability to be processed in existing production equipment. Sinoven will be the first company to commercialize PBS with renewable content above 50%. Sinoven's modification technology has opened up new markets for PBS, fulfilling end user cost and performance requirements not currently met by other biodegradable polymers. Applications include foodservice coffee lids, cups, dishes, cutlery, straws and stirrers, as well as consumer use products such as disposable razors, writing instruments and cosmetics packaging.
"Affordable, biobased succinic acid is the key to renewable, high performance PBS that can cost effectively compete with today's petrochemical based plastics. Bioamber is the only company supplying commercial quantities of biobased succinic acid. This agreement will enable Sinoven to rapidly move into biobased commercial production and meet the needs of our customers." says Ray Balee, President and CEO of Sinoven. "The fact that the production of biobased succinic acid is a significant consumer, rather than producer, of harmful CO2 greenhouse gas is an added benefit for our customers".
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Western Washington wins green cleaning award
By DAVE GALLAGHER, THE BELLINGHAM HERALD, Dec. 1, 2009
Western Washington University has won the 2009 Green Cleaning Grand Award for Schools and Universities from American School and University magazine, the top award given in the category nationally.
"We're honored to receive this prestigious award and to be recognized as the national leader in green cleaning. We work hard every year to make our cleaning practices more sustainable and environmentally friendly, and are always seeking ways to improve - and I think that shows in awards such as these," said Tim Wynn, WWU's director of Facilities Management in a press release. "The hard work of our cleaning staff has really paid off."
The award is sponsored by American School and University magazine, The Green Cleaning Network, and Healthy Schools Campaign.
WWU's Academic Custodial Services has been a "green" department for the last six years and has been on the nationally recognized leading edge in the green-cleaning movement for the past nine years. The department has divested itself of petrochemical cleaning products and has begun using compostable trash liners with a goal of reducing the university's waste stream to zero in a few years.
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Biodegradable Bags Are Good For The Environment And Good For Your Business
Promotional Merchandise, Dec. 1, 2009
For companies that deal with a lot of merchandise, biodegradable bags are an excellent way to help control the amount of damage that your business does to the environment. These bags are designed to dissolve when exposed to the elements. As the process of breakdown is not immediate, the bags are suitable for general purpose use. When it is left out in the environment, they will degrade within several weeks to compounds that can be absorbed into the soil and used by plants as a form of nutrients. In addition to this, depending on the type of bag you invest in, the bags may be recyclable, which allows the materials to be reused several times before it ends up degrading beyond usability. However, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind if you are intending on purchasing a lot of paper or other natural material bags.
First, you should determine the type of biodegradable bags that you are interested in. The most standard type of bag purchased are paper bags. These are made from trees, which can have both negative and positive consequences on the environment. If the trees that produce the paper are grown exclusively on tree farms, they are always young trees that are kept separate from natural ecosystems and forests. This removes risk of destroying habitats while also allowing the young trees to filter carbon dioxide and convert it to oxygen. However, if the trees are cut from standard forests in the wild, they remove necessary habitats for animal and plant species. If you are concerned about this, it is important that you identify the source of the trees. Using recycled papers for your bags can limit the amount of damage done to the environment as well. The other types of bags are crafted from corn or other vegetable matter. These bags are known to deteriorate far more quickly than paper does, dissolving within weeks of exposure to the elements. This is extremely useful, especially if you anticipate your bags of being discarded extremely quickly. These bags are ideal for food products that have no more than a two week shelf life, as the bags are known to decay after that length of time.
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Click here to view biodegradable bags available from Carolina Green FoodService Supply
