Conservation News

As digital technology continues to define contemporary life, some companies have aimed to curtail the impact of IT equipment on the environment. Western Digital offers the sustainable WD Caviar Green Hard Drive, which uses 40 percent less power than standard desktop storage devices and operates more quietly. With a 2 TB capacity and a low price tag of $109.99, the eco-conscious drive doesn’t force consumers to sacrifice performance or loads of cash.

The Los Angeles-based eco-conscious company Falcon offers sleek urinals that require no water. Each urinal, equipped with a special cartridge and sealant system, is estimated to save up to 40,000 gallons of water per year. The airtight and flush-free operation also eliminates odors and reduces bacteria.

http://www.falconwaterfree.com/how/stage2.htm

As part of an effort to increase the percentage of energy its power grid receives from renewable sources (only 6 percent of the country’s energy is green), Australia is set to build a billion-dollar wind plant in Victoria State. The 140 wind turbine configuration is expected to yield enough power for 220,000 homes and to displace 1.7 million tons of greenhouse gases annually. The project is just one of many steps Australia is taking to meet its 2020 goal of powering the grid with at least 20 percent clean energy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/23/business/energy-environment/23green.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&src=busln

Among vehicles and fossil fuels, cows are a top producer of methane, a greenhouse gas. But researchers in the UK have found a way to make the cows less gassy. In turns out that tumeric and coriander, two additions in curry, kill methane producing bacteria in cow stomachs. The study concludes that by adding these spices to feed, farmers could reduce methane emissions by 40%.
http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-07/seasoning-feedstocks-curry-spices-cuts-methane-emissions-livestock-40

Mounting standard solar panel systems can be a lengthy and complex process that involves contractors, electricians and about $10,000. The Sunfish, which is expected to hit stores by spring 2011, is a new solar energy module that costs $799 and can be installed in under an hour. Its panels plug into a regular outlet, and users can monitor their power-saving via the web.

http://www.clariantechnologies.com/main/page_plugin_solar_power.html

Calculators were previously used for basic math equations, but now they have just gotten a little fancier. Researchers at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station have developed a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Calculator, a helpful device for farmers who trade this on markets. The calculator is available online and uses inputs such as crops, farming techniques, and fertilizers to determine how much carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide were produced. Researchers hope that this tool will assist farmers in making more environmentally-friendly decisions.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100809093643.htm

Before long, the ocean water in Hawaii could be used for more than just surfing. Several hotel owner in Waikiki are looking to use cold deep-sea water to power air conditioning. The cold water from the ocean would be pumped into a heat exchanger that would chill a closed container of fresh water. The fresh water would be used for the air conditioning and the sea water returned to the ocean. Hotels could potentially save 20% on their cooling costs.

http://www.staradvertiser.com/business/businessnews/20100809_The_cooling_wave.html

This week the store began selling the high-efficiency bulbs online for just under $20. While this may not seem like a spectacular deal, the bulbs are purported to last for as long as 30 years and experts had previously predicted prices to be upwards of $30 until 2012.  According to company officials, the light bulbs are flying off the virtual shelves and it is struggling to keep them in stock. The energy-efficient lights will hit the bricks-and-mortar stores in September. To get your hands on one, click below.

http://www.homedepot.com/Electrical-Light-Bulbs-LED/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xmiZbm79/R-202188260/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Farms are more than just  cute animals and crops and fields. They also are major consumers of energy, which can be expensive. Realizing this, the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Center put together a web page to help farmers calculate and cut down on costs. The site features energy calculators for many variables including animal housing, tillage, and nitrogen. It also has calculators for biomass as well as renewable energy.
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/farmenergycalc.html

The UK plans to use brewery and local food waste to create renewable gas that will flow back into the nation’s gas grid. The new plant will use anaerobic digestion to produce up to 4.8 million kilowatt-hours of energy—approximately the amount needed to heat 235 homes. Because the British consume 28 million pints of beer daily, there is more than enough room for expansion. That much beer could produce enough biomethane to heat 47,000 homes.
http://www.greenbang.com/coming-soon-to-uk-heating-gas-from-brewery-waste_14696.html