Conservation News

Paula Deen’s favorite ingredient may soon be powering your car. Researchers from the American Chemical Society are experimenting with butter as a potential source of bio-diesel fuel. Preliminary studies show that this fatty treat meets all but one test for bio-diesel standards. Further research is being conducted to see whether further purification or combining butter with other bio-diesel sources such as corn will make it suitable for use.
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/39378/20100729/butter-biodiesel-fuel-american-chemical-society-us-european-union-u-s-commodity-markets-eco-friendly.html

New York City may not sleep, but it sure sweats. Climate scientists at The City College of New York City predict that heat waves such as the ones last July may intensify in the future. Manhattan is already subject to a greater urban heat island effect than the suburbs and because of the density and heat-inducing surfaces. This means that the city cannot cool off as quickly and thus continues to amplify heat. Researchers suggest that landscapers and policymakers implement cooling tactics such as green roofs to mitigate the effects.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100729101613.htm

The UK-based company Ecopod offers elegant coffins which are made from 100% recycled newspaper, silk and mulberry pulp. Available in five different colors, the casket biodegrades naturally and conserves precious forest resources.

http://www.ecopod.co.uk/design-choice/

Your hands may be doing all the dirty work. According to recent research, a common germ- fighting soap ingredient called triclosan is keeping your hands clean, but damaging the environment. Although triclosan is not harmful in soap, once it goes down the drain, it combines with chlorinated water to form a toxic compound that is detrimental to aquatic life. Studies conducted in Minnesota lakes shows that the most disruption occurred in the reproductive cycle, limiting sperm production in male fish and altering egg producing habits.
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/59333/title/Science_%2B_the_Public__A_new_source_of_dioxins_Clean_hands

All-electric vehicle skeptics often gripe about the shortage of accessible charging stations, but the California-based company Coulomb Technologies has begun putting those concerns to rest with their inventive ChargePoint Network. The company has teamed up with nine regions across the U.S. in order to develop charging infrastructures that will provide city-owned and personal vehicles a convenient way to power up and navigate the areas.The networks allow drivers to locate the closest stations via smart phones and to receive charging status updates via text message and e-mail.

To learn more, visit http://www.coulombtech.com/solutions-municipalities.php

Researchers at Stanford University want more greenhouse gases in their lives. Seem sadistic? Not at all. These scientists are looking at sludge from waste water treatment. The gooey mess contains bacteria that produce two greenhouse gases, methane and nitrous oxide. Encouraging their production will make it easier to remove the nitrogen from the nitrous oxide as well as promote the growth of methane that can be used for fuel. They hope that their project will help lower the costs of waste water treatment as well as increase energy production.

http://www.physorg.com/news199366527.html

The program, which focuses on advancing the American market for high-efficiency water products, concluded its multiyear tour of the country with a water-saving competition between two households in New Jersey. The campaign stressed the necessity of sustainable practices in light of the fact that less than 1 percent of the world’s water is available for human use. On the website, users can search for WaterSense-approved products by category, brand and model number.

http://www.epa.gov/watersense/about_us/why_watersense.html

Hospitals and medical centers usually have the same sterile look: white walls, white floors, and decor that would make any interior designer cringe. But the Franklin Woods Community Hospital located in Johnson City, Tennessee, is not only stylish, it is eco-friendly as well. The hospital was awarded LEED silver certification for green features such as their cork floors, wooden beams, and use of natural light. Although the environmentally friendly features are a bit more expensive, they end up cutting costs in the long run. Mountain States Health Alliance, the company that built the facility, plans to expand such features to other hospital and clinics.

The $72 million renovation of San Jose Park and Zoo may be pricey but well worth it. LEED gold certification, the highest green building and performance measure, has been awarded to the Happy Hollow Park and Zoo for meeting several standards in different categories such as water efficiency and indoor environmental quality. Happy Hollow includes many green features including green growing roofs, recycled water systems, and porous asphalt paving.

Should public urination be rewarded? It’s possible. Researchers at the University of Kuopio in Finland have combined human urine with wood ash to form an effective mineral fertilizer. They used this fertilizer to nourish an array of produce including beets, cucumbers, cabbage and tomatoes, all of which grew to become healthy vegetables. The experiment could pave the way for  improvements in sanitation and agriculture in developing nations.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=human-urine-is-an-effective-fertilizer