The book, Sustainable Energy-without the hot air by David JC MacKay has brought an insightful look into how everyone can make efforts to use sustainable energy and energy sources.
To read this intuitive and informative book you can go online and read each section or download pages from the contents table.
Many have endorsed and reviewed the book, from scientists, economists and engineers to environmentalists and politicians. Robert Sansom, EDF Energy commented ’ At last a book that comprehensively reveals the true facts about sustainable energy in a form that is both highly readable and entertaining.’
Peter Ainsworth, MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs mentioned ’ “Sustainable Energy-without the hot air” is engagingly written, packed with useful information and refreshingly factual. Those, like, me of a non-technical bent will find the Technical Chapters at the end daunting ; but we don’t have to read them to get the message.’
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The new buzz word that is being used all over the world is upcycling!
def:// upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value.
Now you would be among the many that will be thinking this is just the same as recycling. It is very similar to recycling but the major difference with upcycling is that no energy has gone into developing the new product from the old one. When recycling paper, plastic, cardboard etc processes are in place to melt, cut and re-make the new products thus using energy. Upcycling products use man-power and time to produce pieces such as artwork, luggage, furniture, useful materials etc.
Several successful businesses have come from being based on upcycling and the huge benefits it offers. Rebagz is an eco-chic handbag company that use great design and sustainability to produce their fabulous products all by upcycling. The ‘Juicy handbag’ (picture) is made from weaving sections of juice cartons and is one of their biggest and most popular sellers. Rebagz is best know for being both eco and human friendly and only re-use materials to make their products.
Resurf, another well established company that is promoting and using upcycling is based in the US and re-uses broken surfboards and turns them into asphalt filer. The Resurf, surfboard waste recycling centres find solutions and homes for the communal waste as an industry.
There is a lot to be said for what one person considers to be junk and useless, to be another persons piece of artwork or furniture.
Ok, so perhaps America hasn’t got the best green credentials and that’s putting it mildly, but under the new Obama administration there are some very positive noises for change coming from across the pond.
If there’s one thing we can say about our American cousins, it’s that when they do something they do it big time! While Obama is doing what all American Presidents dread, going head to head with the oil conglomerates to cease the horrendous oil spills off the coast of Mexico, it seems the American people are also picking up on the grassroots environmental movement.
Working For Green is a video-based web community which showcases innovative ways to save money and find meaningful work, all tied together with a very green bow. It’s a fascinating site. The rapidly expanding online community features everything from green hair salons to eco-dentist, including green hotels, green careers, community projects, knowledge sharing, you can even sign up to be a Green Irene, something which must be seen to be believed.
What all of these sites, services and the YouTube clip below show, is that perhaps here in the UK we’re missing a trick. What is so clever about all of these very green initiatives is that the saving the planet ethos shares centre stage with cold, hardnosed commercialism. If anyone was going to come at green issues from a hard line capitalist stance it would be the Americans and frankly I think it’s genius!
The focus on business, on jobs and on what a green approach can realistically and materialistically offer an individual other than a warm fuzzy feeling inside, makes it compelling to a much wider demographic. Of course this has been going on here for a long time, but because the Americans are so frank and open about blatantly making money, their approach seems particularly effective. If this little spark ignites it could mean big, bold and brash changes are afoot in the USA – bring it on!!
In the ever-increasing charge forward to find sustainable sources for biofuels, it has been found that green algae could be the answer. The Algae Biofuels Challenge has taken shape and a team of 11 UK scientific institutions have been selected to begin work to find a winning formula for refining 70 billion litres of algae biofuel by 2030.
Green algae, the type found floating on the surface of ponds, rivers etc is what is know as a microalgae and it is this that has researchers and scientists excited about producing a biofuel. Getting down to the scientific facts of algae, and green algae in particular, it has a very high percentage of lipids and oils and is made up of many tiny organisms. These organisms are capable of photosynthesis making the process and green algae an exciting move towards a future of sustainable resources.
The microalgae, not to be confused with macroalgae which is seaweed, can double their overall mass over several times in a day and can produce 15 times more oil per acre than any other alternative. The green algae is producing results off the charts making the current fuels rapeseed, palm and soybean seem dated. Another bonus of the algae production is that there can be a daily collection of the mature algae (this is the top layer that is separated away and accumulated), compared to the crops of soy or corn that can only be harvested yearly.
A following task of adding ethanol to the algae will make a suitable bio diesel and any remaining waste can be developed into a high-protein animal feed. From pond to engine there is no wastage and is very time and energy efficient. This process has already been tried, tested and approved in Florida and there is now plans for a 100,000 gallon pilot plant due to open this year in Okeechobee.
Looking for some green, environmentally friendly outer clothing? Well the Spudcoat could be the answer to your prayers. It comes in two styles the waterproof cloak (good for the festival goer) or the raincoat (for the more dapper eco-warrior). The spudcoat is made entirely from bioplastic which is derived from potato starch and other natural resources.
The coat is 100% biodegradable and compostable and even has a small clay ball with seeds in it so that once its lifecycle is over; you can dig a hole in the garden and bury it. So the garment doesn’t just return to the natural cycle, it also helps the seeds inside grow into plants – what more could you ask for?
Chew Magna, the beautiful, traditional village in Somerset, has been labelled ‘Britain’s Greenest Village’.
Following a parish council survey, it became clear that the biggest concern of the community was the environment and as a result the Go-Zero project was initiated.
Villagers now strive towards zero-waste and buy local produce including; fruit, vegetables, venison, ice-cream, medicinal herbs and trout from Chew Valley Lake. Action groups are discussing and encouraging the inhabitants to recycle more, change their transport methods and reduce their home energy consumption. Local energy companies have even donated light bulbs which the villagers can pick up for free. Approximately 85 percent of the village now recycles, that is almost 4 times the national average.
Chew Magna have also set up a ‘carbon-offset fund’; when someone books a flight with the local travel agent, the distance travelled determines their donation to the fund, even their journey to the airport will be eco-friendly, as the village has plans to run it’s own bio-fuelled coach shuttle service.
This community have many other plans in the pipe-line including becoming a Fairtrade village, following their support for African charities. What is truly inspirational is that all this came about because the community consolidated and discussed their concerns for the environment and together they were motivated to make changes – perhaps this small idyllic rural village will be responsible for providing a template for other towns and villages in the country.
The University of Bath is undergoing a project to find environmentally friendly building materials that can be used as an alternative to the current products used within the construction industry.
A straw house came up as a viable option. Straw is not only a renewable resource, but also a farming by-product, which made it a popular choice for the researchers. It can be locally grown and absorbs carbon monoxide, therefore buildings made from straw have zero or even a negative carbon footprint. It can potentially provide such good insulation that normal heating may not be necessary, keeping running costs low and minimising environmental impact.
The construction itself has been built using prefabricated panels, consisting of wooden frames filled with straw or hemp, then rendered with a breathable lime based system.
Research into alternative building materials is important as cement contributes up to 10% of all carbon dioxide emissions. Hopefully this project, which over the year is to be monitored, will prove that straw is a sustainable building material. Let’s just hope it can withstand all the wolves huffing and puffing and trying to blow the house down!
Go green with a wormery. Compost leftover food scraps, newspapers, even the contents of your vacuum bag – worms love it! The invertebrate’s waste products create fantastic compost, known as vermicompost, which is full of nutrients and beneficial to both indoor and outdoor plants.
Waste is a huge problem in this country, households’ dispose of around a third of the food they buy. Over 6 tonnes of food is thrown away each year, ending up in landfill sites therefore contributing a large percentage to the methane emissions that pollute our atmosphere. A wormery is a simple and eco-friendly solution.
The wormery comes in the form of a plastic or wooden box. The type of worms used (generally Red Tiger and Dendrobaena worms) live on decaying matter, as opposed to the common earth worm which burrow underground. A wormery comes in varying shapes and sizes, but shallow trays seem to be the most favoured – surface area rather than depth is recommended. This type of environment allows the waste to compost down quicker allowing the worms to feed and breed quicker.
Prices start from around £30 for a basic model and go up to £80 for an ‘executive’ version. Give it a go, it’s good for the environment and the kids will love it!
Following the diary posting on Greenmomentum for 24th October – International Day of Climate Action, I urge you to check out the 350.org website. The photographs are truly awesome and inspiring
Our population is increasing and our death rate decreasing, can the country cope? Britain’s birth-rate is an environmental disaster waiting to happen, warns The Optimum Population Trust. They believe that the government should follow the lead of China and Iran and encourage families to restrict themselves to two children or less.
‘Each new UK birth, through the inevitable resource consumption and pollution that UK affluence generates, is responsible for about 160 times as much climate-related environmental damage as a new birth in Ethiopia, or 35 times as much as a new birth in Bangladesh,’ says the report. ‘A voluntary stop-at-two guideline should be adopted for couples in the UK who want to adopt greener lifestyles. It would aim to set an example.’
It is an undenialable truth that the UK population has quadrupled since the 1970’s, and growth at this rate is going have a huge impact on housing, energy and power supplies, reservoirs, schools, hospitals, transport, shops, waste disposal, prisons – the waste and emissions from these being potentially catastrophic!
Human rights, freedom of choice, democracy – has anyone the right to dictate the size of our families? But what is a sustainable level and at what point if any, should population growth stop or be controlled due to environmental factors?
