15 Jan
2016
Dawn of the Anthropocene: five ways we know humans have triggered a new geological epoch
Others | UNITED KINGDOM
Published by : Care 2 Trade
Jan A. Zalasiewicz, University of Leicester and Mark Williams, University of LeicesterIs the Anthropocene real? That is, the vigorously debated concept of a new geological epoch driven by humans.Our environmental impact is indeed profound – there is little debate about that – but is it significant on a geological timescale, measured over millions of years? And will humans leave a distinctive mark upon the layers of rocks that geologists of 100,000,000AD might…
14 Jan
2016
TAIWAN: Polls Harken End of Nuclear Power
Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency | TAIWAN, ROC
Published by : Care 2 Trade
Taiwan may soon be the first nation in Asia to resolve to become a nuclear free nation after four decades of reliance on nuclear power. Nearly 14 million of Taiwan’s 23 million people are expected to go to the polls Jan. 16 to choose between three presidential contenders: ruling Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang or KMT) Chairman Chu Li-wen, 55, Democratic Progressive Party Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen, 59, and People First Party Chairman James Soong, 73, a…
14 Jan
2016
The World Is Hemorrhaging Methane, and Now We Can See Where
Resource Recovery & Environment Management | UNITED STATES
Published by : Care 2 Trade
For more than two months now, a ruptured storage well has poured thousands of tons of gas into the Porter Ranch section of Los Angeles. The Aliso Canyon leak is huge—California’s largest known source of methane emissions at this point—but not compared to another font of wasted gas miles away in Venezuela.Punta de Mata is home to the world’s largest gas flare, one of the flaming chimneys used to burn off excess natural gas at oil wells and other energy sites.…
14 Jan
2016
The Advantages of Solar Cooking the High Tech Way
Eco Products & Services | UNITED STATES
Published by : Ecotechtube
Outdoor Cooking Comes Out of the Dark Ages with The Advantages of Solar Cooking.In many places around the world, outdoor cooking is very popular, not just for camping or vacation but also all year round if the weather cooperates. One of the problem with most forms of outdoor cooking, be it propane or charcoal is that you need to haul around the fuel with you and a fairly heavy cooker.The other issue is of course with traditional combustion based cooking is…
13 Jan
2016
The Little-Known Reason Renewable Prices Are Dropping
Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency | INDIA
Published by : Care 2 Trade
Plummeting costs for renewable energy have finally made solar and wind a viable alternative to fossil fuels. But what’s responsible for the drop in price? Technological innovation and expanded manufacturing share some of the blame, but less examined is the low cost of intellectual property.According to a report from the International Center or Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD), “the basic approaches to solving the specific [clean energy] technological…
13 Jan
2016
Goodyear’s New Tire Design Charges Your Electric Car As You Drive
Green Transportation & Logistics | UNITED STATES
Published by : Ecotechtube
Let’s be honest here, shall we? The primary reason why many folks are privy of driving an electric car is due the fear of running out of charge in the middle of nowhere and that is indeed a scary thought. For the conventional car, the problem can be solved by going to a gas station that are abundantly built. However, the same can’t be said about the electric cars and their charging stations.Goodyear has suggested a way of solving this problem via an innovative…
12 Jan
2016
This Unity Homes prefab is revolutionary on so many levels
Green Building Materials, Construction & Design | UNITED STATES
Published by : Care 2 Trade
In November at the big Greenbuild show, I declared the Unity Homes model home as theBest of Show. I would have liked to have shown more of it at the time, but unfortunately it is hard to photograph inside a house, particularly when it is full of people.Image Credit: Unity HomesUnity Homes builds prefabricated houses in Walpole, New Hampshire, using a mix of panellized and modular construction. But these are very different from most prefabricated houses; over…
12 Jan
2016
A Massive Solar Power Plant Is Taking Shape in the Sahara Desert
Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency | MOROCCO
Published by : Care 2 Trade
Construction for the first phase of Morocco’s Noor 1 power plant is nearing completion. Once complete in 2020, the solar farm will be the largest of its kind in the world. But even now, the plant’s half-million solar mirrors are already visible from space.There’s no question that solar power is the future, an energy trend that’s fueling the development of massive solar farms in such places as California, China, and elsewhere. And where better to put these…
12 Jan
2016
French power station generates electricity from cheese
Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency | FRANCE
Published by : Ecotechtube
Cheese-based power station in the Alps produces enough power to supply a community of 1,500Generating electricity from cheese could be the plot of an Asterix comic book, but that is exactly what is happening at a new power plant in the French Alps.A by-product of Beaufort cheese, skimmed whey, is converted into biogas, a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide, at the plant in Albertville, in Savoie.Bacteria are added to the whey to produce the gas, which is…
11 Jan
2016
Malaysia’s Bauxite Mining Makes the News – But not the Disasters Behind It
Resource Recovery & Environment Management | MALAYSIA
Published by : Care 2 Trade
Rust-coloured dust and sludge, laden with mercury, arsenic and heavy metals, has been unleashed in frightening amounts upon Malaysia as a result of bauxite mining.Photo Credit: GERAMIn order for an environmental issue to receive real attention – no matter how important, impactful or terrible it may be – a certain ignition factor is required. It’s unfortunate, but it often takes something like an explosion, mass species die-off or natural disaster to spur action…
11 Jan
2016
China Isn’t Approving Any New Coal Mines For The Next 3 Years
Others | CHINA
Published by : Ecotechtube
China, the largest coal producer in the world, won’t be approving new mines for the next three years (until 2019), as it grapples with alarming pollution and pursues other energy sources, including nuclear plants.The country announced the move last week, according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency. This ban on new mines is unprecedented, published reports note, though mines have been closed in the past and will continue to be shut down in the coming year.The…
10 Jan
2016
High-flying solar balloons could produce clean electricity night and day
Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency | FRANCE
Published by : Ecotechtube
Combining solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, hydrogen production, and fuel cells, these solar balloons are meant to be deployed above the clouds.A team of researchers at NextPV, a lab jointly operated by the French National Center for Scientific Research and the University of Tokyo, are working toward building a prototype of a unique solar energy solution that could overcome some of the limitations of standard ground-based PV arrays.Solar has a lot of potential…
09 Jan
2016
Grand Cancun eco island cleans up the ocean while generating renewable energy
Green Building Materials, Construction & Design | GERMANY
Published by : Ecotechtube
Richard Moreta Castillo has envisioned a grand offshore marine platform on stilts to commemorate the 50th anniversary of beginning of Cancun's development in 2020. Although the design for the mega Grand Cancun eco-complex will include all of the luxury amenities often associated with a project of this scale, including underwater dining and shopping galore, the project's inspiring eco ethos is all-encompassing.Richard Moreta Castillo envisioned an offshore…
08 Jan
2016
AECOM’s tulip-shaped design selected for Istanbul’s new Air Traffic Control tower
Resource Recovery & Environment Management | TURKEY
Published by : Ecotechtube
iGA, a consortium of five Turkish contractors, selected AECOM and Italian firm Pininfarina to design Istanbul’s new Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower and technical facility. The design combines the aesthetic properties and dynamics of the aviation and automotive industries, reflecting speed and movement through its architectural form. The winning entry was chosen from six entries of famous firms, including Zaha Hadid Architects, RMJM and Moshe Safdie.The ATC…
07 Jan
2016
Volkswagen Budd-e Concept: 373-Mile, All-Electric Van Signals The Future
Green Transportation & Logistics | GERMANY
Published by : Ecotechtube
On the eve of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Volkswagen has revealed the Budd-e concept, a vehicle that follows up on some of the purpose and utility of the Microbus, yet looks to the next decade, as a compelling template for an all-electric family vehicle.The Budd-e Concept, in many ways, is the first of a new generation of plug-in vehicles. It’s the first vehicle based on the new Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB), a platform developed to help maximize…
07 Jan
2016
Innovative New Wind Turbine From Iceland Is Tough Enough For The Strongest Gales
Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency | ICELAND
Published by : Ecotechtube
Interview with Icewind by CBS Evening NewsIceland already runs on 100 percent renewable energy. Most of it comes from geothermal sources, but researchers have been working on ways to harness the incredibly powerful winds in the region as well. Traditional wind turbines would spin out of control in the high winds common to the small country, but one bright inventor realized that an entirely different type of wind turbine could withstand the winds. In fact,…
06 Jan
2016
Repurpose’s Solar-Powered Schoolbags Do More Than Carry Stuff
Eco Products & Services | SOUTH AFRICA
Published by : Ecotechtube
Repurpose's schoolbags are more than a way for students to schlep books. Designed with underprivileged South African schoolchildren in mind, the backpacks feature a rechargeable solar panel that transforms into a "homework lantern" after sundown. Thato Kgatlhanye and Rea Ngwane of Rethaka, the Rustenburg-based firm behind the carryalls, believe that children should focus on their sums, rather than the cost of purchasing kerosene and candles. Crafted from 100…
05 Jan
2016
Technopicnic Makes The Urban Picnic More Fun
Eco Products & Services | SPAIN
Published by : Ecotechtube
Technopicnic is a backpack designed by Atelier Teratoma, an architectural studio nestled in Madrid. It is no ordinary backpack but a special one, which is equipped with speakers, solar panel, has social network connectability and doubles itself into a picnic table.A Backpack Ideas For PicnicsYou love going out into the wild for picnics but you do not like the thought of parting with the basic amenities such as your electronic gadgets, as there will be no way…
04 Jan
2016
25 Verde, A Five-Story Residential Building in Turin, Italy That Has 150 Trees Growing on Its Balconies and Roof
Green Building Materials, Construction & Design | ITALY
Published by : Ecotechtube
25 Verde is a remarkable five-story residential building in Turin, Italy that has 150 trees sprouting from various terraces, balconies, and roof gardens. With an additional 50 trees in a central courtyard, the property’s 200 trees produce upwards of 150,000 liters of oxygen per hour during daylight hours, and absorb almost 200,000 liters of carbon dioxide during nighttime hours. The 63-unit building’s design continues the arboreal theme, with wooden shingles…
03 Jan
2016
Electric flight waiting on better batteries before it can really take off
Green Transportation & Logistics | CHINA
Published by : Ecotechtube
Manned, electric planes are flying into the mainstream. Manufacturers in Europe, the US and China are now awaiting certification in order to commercialise their models. And this isn’t just enthusiasts. Airbus can see where the market is going, at least for smaller planes, and has thrown its hat into the ring.In China construction has begun on a plant manufacturing two-seat Rui Xiang RX1E electric airplanes. Developed at Shenyang Aerospace University, the aircraft…