Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, has invested $11 million in enhanced geothermal systems. Enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) involve pushing water through hot rocks and using the resulting steam to drive turbines. This contrasts with more traditional geothermal operations that rely on naturally occurring steam and hot water. Link to original article
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Grow Design is a sustainable product development firm in Torrance, California. In this interview, Barent describes a unique reusable packaging solution his firm designed for the purpose of shipping small items. It is made from PET (polyethylene), and the advantage would be its all inclusive inner and outer protection, with the possibility for continuous reuse for mail delivery.  Link to original post...
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Texas plans to spend $4.9 billion to build new transmission lines to carry wind energy from rural areas to urban centers. Texas will soon be super-sizing its commitment to wind power, proving the adage that everything is, indeed, “bigger in Texas.” Already the nation’s leader in wind energy, the Lone Star state has been given a [...]
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. [Video Link for Email/Other Subscribers] Natural Source Printing is a green printing company in Orange County, California. In this interview, I ask President Mary Loyer how she helps clients both be more eco-friendly in their marketing communications, in addition to her thoughts on what green printing is all about. Additional Resources: FiberStone paper Article, Food Production Daily: Tree-free, waterproof [...]
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In an attempt to beat a federal tax break deadline, many US stores are hurrying to install solar panels.
States with incentives — California, New Jersey and Connecticut — have the highest concentration of participants. However, in spite of costs — solar electricity costing 27 cents per kilowatt hour, compared with 6 cents for coal — [...]
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[Video Link for Email/Other Subscribers - 22min] John from Lunar Design interviews individuals involved in sustainable design at the Digging Deeper seminar on July 22nd, hosted by the San Francisco chapter of the Industrial Design Society of America. You’ll see perspectives from designers, researchers, innovation consultants, and materials vendors in this 22min video. Helpful Resources: Designer’s Field Guide to [...]
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I really love Wal-Mart’s leadership on this. My only concern is how those products are communicated and marketed. With the top 250 suppliers having until August 18th to submit proposals for Spring 09, I’m sure we’ll see an nice mixture of offerings. Some will use certifications of sorts, some will use house-designed labels and graphics. [...]
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It is said that, once upon a time the forests in Central Anatolia were so thick that two passing armies would not hear each other. Today, mostly a desert, the City of Ankara’s main goals is to bring the trees, the greenness back into Ankara. So much so that, in the middle of an afternoon [...]
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Renewable energy and energy-efficient industries were responsible for creating 8,500,000 green jobs in 2006. That number is expected to reach 40,000,000 jobs in 2030. Popular jobs include urban planners, forestry professionals and environmental lawyers, Challenger said. There is also a growing demand for architects and engineers with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from [...]
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GM CEO Rick Wagoner announced that GM has invested in Coskata, a company that uses crop waste and even garbage to produce ethanol. The company uses a two-step process, which begins when the feedstock (formerly waste) is cooked into a synthesis gas, which is made from a mix of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. This gas is then processed by means of bacteria that consume synthesis gas and excrete ethanol as a waste product....
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