Zero-Waste Goals: As Landfills Reach Capacity, San Francisco Leads an Alternative Charge in Handling Waste

For more two decades, the number of landfills in the U.S. has steadily dropped, from 7,924 in 1988 to 1,654 in 2005, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).(1) One key reason for the decline is that many of them are reaching capacity. According to the latest waste statistics from the EPA, Americans produce over 250 million tons of municipal solid waste. That is roughly 4.43 pounds of trash per...

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Nissan’s energy saving programs recognized with Energy Star awards

Nissan’s energy-saving programs have saved enough power to propel one of their all-electric Leaf’s for 750 million miles. The automobile maker has received a 2013 Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The award is given to selected organizations that the E.P.A. sees dedicated to protecting the environment through energy efficiency. "Since becoming an...

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Biofuel byproducts make stronger concrete

Mixing biofuel byproducts with concrete can create a stronger and greener building material. This is the finding of a group of civil engineers at Kansas State University who have been studying ways to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions of concrete production. “Even though making concrete is less energy intensive than making steel or other building materials, we use so much of it that concrete production accounts for...

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Net zero energy drugstore to rise in Illinois - Walgreens

American drugstore chain Walgreens will build the nation’s first net zero energy retail store in Evanston, Illinois. The net-zero energy store will produce energy equal to or greater than it consumes and reduce its energy usage by more than 40 percent. Walgreens plans to generate electricity from renewable energy at the Evanston site with the use of more than 800 roof-top solar panels, two wind turbines, and geothermal energy from drilling...

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Efficient recycling programs for a better planet, better bottom line

Recycling and proper waste management aren’t just activities that are good for the planet but also activities that make good business sense. “Recycling is actually the most visible activity that a business can do to really communicate their environmental commitment,” Erik Makinson, a senior manager with the Waste Solutions group of Ecova told EcoSeed. According to Mr. Makinson, by putting a recycling program in place,...

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Walmart continues solar expansion in Ohio, Hawaii

Retail giant Walmart has installed more than 4.7 megawatts of solar power generation capacity in their stores in Ohio. Walmart has set a goal to be 100 percent powered by renewable energy. The completion of the Ohio installations comes at the heels of several similar solar installations in Walmart stores in Hawaii. Working with SolarCity, Walmart installed solar panels on 12 Walmart Stores and Sam’s Clubs in...

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No more idle time for truckers – Chevrolet and IdleAir

Nowadays, businesses are urged to incorporate sustainability in their practices and are challenged to be more responsible citizens who care about the welfare of the environment. Chevrolet, produced by auto giant General Motors and one of the world's largest car brands, is meeting this challenge and going beyond its business-as-usual operations to espouse corporate responsibility and sustainability. In November 2010, the company...

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Daimler India to use solar power at their Chennai production facility

Daimler India Commercial Vehicles set up a 300 kilowatt solar power plant at their warehouse facility in the city of Chennai. According to The Hindu, the solar plant will use polycrystalline silicon modules and be connected to the area’s power grid. Power produced will go to the company’s commercial vehicles production plant. Daimler India opened their production plant in April of last year. Aside from manufacturing facilities,...

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Ikea completes largest solar installation in South Florida

Home furnishings company Ikea is now a solar power giant in Florida. The retailer officially plugged-in a 1,057-kilowatt solar energy system at their store in the city of Sunrise, the largest solar installation in South Florida. When combined with existing solar projects in stores in Orlando and Tampa, the Sunrise project also makes Ikea the state’s largest non-utility solar owner. The Sunrise project will produce approximately...

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ECM BioFilms goes beyond recycling with biodegradable plastic

As the world seeks to cope with the reality of climate change, there are something’s we either have to learn to live without or find a way to change to better fit into the vision of a low-carbon economy. One everyday thing that we can’t seem to live without is plastic. With the material forming the basis of so many essential parts and products that we use it would be impossible to rid ourselves of it completely. Yet, with its high...

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