Return2Green Blog

Ghana: The World's Fastest Growing Economy in 2011

2011-10-15T05:57:00.000-07:00

In an economic research by the Economy Watch led by Juan Abdel Nasser, Ghana is ranked the fastest economic growing country in the world. Looking at the data on the Economic Statistics database from the Economy Watch.com., with the data points from the IMF's tracker of GDP Growth in constant prices in the national currency (not converted to US dollars).

Even though many people assume that China is the fastest economic growing country in the world, but that is not the case, it is the fastest growing largest economy, but that is a different thing.

What matters here is the key trends that are driving the growth figures. Looking at the Economic Indicator list for the year 2011, it is surprising to see who is now leading the pack in terms of economic growth.

It is not one of the countries that is normally thought of in those terms but rather Ghana which is currently the World's fastest growing economy in the year 2011.

The statistics for 2011:
Economic Indicator Listing in Year 2011

Ghana 20.146 %
Qatar 14.337 %
Turkmenistan 12.178 %
China 9.908 %
Liberia 9.003 %
India 8.43 %
Angola 8.251 %
Iraq 7.873 %
Ethiopia 7.663 %
Mozambique 7.548 %
Timor Leste (East Timor) 7.4 %
Laos 7.395 %

Growth rates are much higher this year. The chart tops out at over 20%. Last year there was a projected high of 16.4% from growth leader Qatar.

We can see once again that developed countries do not feature in the Top 12. Almost half of the top 12 come from Africa. Ghana has swept from 4.5% last year, to an astonishing 20.146% for 2011.

One third of the Top 12 are from the Far East, two from the Middle East and one from Central Asia. In 2010 there was only one G20 nation in the Top 12. This time India also makes the grade. This is the beginning of a larger trend. According to a political economic expert, with China's ageing population and India's young demographic, India's growth rate will overtake China's within 10 years, as it will start to enjoy a ?demographic dividend.? However India will not be without its own challenges as the chief political economist David Caploe points.

* The African decade continues to hold sway. 2010 to 2020 is bringing massive development to the continent. As China continues to boom we will see the Chinese offer more large-scale infrastructure development to African governments in return for natural resources and farmland to support it's vast population. In turn African countries are continuing to challenge old perceptions of corruption and violence through practising better governance. Chart leader Ghana is one of Africa's strongest democracies. African countries will continue to veer in favour of increased prosperity. The picture continues to be replacement of Western aid for Africa by Eastern trade with Africa.

* Energy is still remains a major key and will continues to play a key role. We expect this trend to continue with the advent of ?peak oil? and the continuing upward trend in oil and natural gas prices. Countries like Qatar and Azerbaijan with their huge natural gas and oil reserves will continue to boom.

* Rapid population growth is a key factor in economic growth. The countries with some of the highest rates of population growth in the world dominate the growth chart. As their economies mature, expect to see this trend slow down somewhat for these countries.

* A low growth base offers more opportunity for expansion. This explains the lack of highly developed economies in the Top 12. As these markets contend with the credit crisis or as "Dr Dave likes to call it, the Loan Freeze", the ongoing costs of supporting an ageing population and the law of diminishing returns will ensure that we will see much higher growth performance from economies that have more room to grow.

* Democracy and transparency in governance is the only way to (peace and) promote economic development, countries like Ghana who are experiencing a new era of good governance will enjoy massive growth increases. Where there is peace and good governance, prosperity will follow as we see in other countries making profitable use of their resources for development, rather than wage war. Underdeveloped economies surging ahead for 2011 will assist in closing the gab between rich and poor in the World.

Article by GhanaWeb

RETURN2GREEN VISITS AFRICAN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATIONS (AUCC) TO DISCUSS EDUCATION PROGRAMS BASED ON NEW TECHNOLOGIES

2011-10-05T14:31:00.000-07:00

September 29, 2011 – Accra, Ghana
Press Release

RETURN2GREEN VISITS AFRICAN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATIONS (AUCC) TO DISCUSS EDUCATION PROGRAMS BASED ON NEW TECHNOLOGIES

Ms. Lily He of Return2Green International and Professor Zhou visit AUCC President, Mr. Kojo Yankah, Chief Scientist, Dr. Moses Mensah, and Senior Staff for discussions on new courses to be offered by the University.

Mr. Yankah and Dr. Mensah intend to create “Green” primary and advanced degree courses for the new generations in the following disciplines: sustainable agricultural, agricultural waste recycling, renewable Green technologies, Green products development, Green biotechnology, environmental crises aversion, and other related areas of study.

Many of the courses will be based on the technologies developed by Prof. Mouzhi Zhou.

Return2Green International and Prof. Zhou are very excited at the prospects of contributing to the enhancement of Ghana’s students who wish to take those courses, eventually becoming tomorrow’s leaders in Green technology.

RETURN2GREEN CALLS ON MINISTER OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

2011-10-05T13:59:00.000-07:00

September 29, 2011 – Accra, Ghana
Press Release

RETURN2GREEN CALLS ON MINISTER OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

Ms. Lily He of Return2Green International and Professor Zhou made a call on Hon. Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister of Food and Agriculture, and Cecilia Erzuah, Director of Finance and
Administration for the Ministry. Ms. He and Professor Zhou were invited to the Minister’s office to discuss the wide ranging benefits of using agriculture waste and plant fiber with Prof. Zhou’s MZ-3 manufacturing technology.

Full discussions were conducted on ways to capitalize on the technology and the immense benefits Ghana will realize by turning agriculture and plant fiber waste to create a wide range of environmentally friendly biodegradable products for a broad spectrum of industries.

Minister Ahwoi and Cecilia Erzuah, expressed their full support and appreciation to Return2Green International and Prof. Zhou for bringing the technology to Ghana. They are confident it will bring added status to the country’s agriculture and food production sectors as well as improving Ghana’s farmer economic status.

Mr. Kojo Yankah, President of Africa2Green, was also present at the meeting.

RETURN2GREEN VISITS LARGEST RICE MILL IN NORTHERN GHANA

2011-09-26T23:01:00.000-07:00

September 26, 2011 – Tamalee, Ghana
Press Release

RETURN2GREEN VISITS LARGEST RICE MILL IN NORTHERN GHANA

Ms. Lily He of Return2Green International and Professor Zhou call on Minister of Food and Agriculture Regional Director and Council Members to introduce new technologies for manufacturing with agro-waste and distributed energy using agro-waste as fuel.

The group also visited Nasia Rice Co. Ltd, the largest rice mill in Northern Ghana, which was assisted by Africa Development Bank. Nasia Rice Co. Ltd produces 830,000 kg rice of chaff per month.

The factory is literally choking itself with rice chaff waste, a common problem with all rice producers.

Rice husks have to be shipped to distant locations to be burned, which costs money and creates harmful emissions.

Next, Ms. He and Prof. Zhou met with Chief Andani Abdulai II, director of Ghana Council for Scientific and Industrial Research to discuss the potentials of starting up Return2Green projects in different regions of Ghana.

Over the last 4 days, high level meetings have indicated a very strong interest in Return2Green project proposals. They are much needed and a great fit for Ghana’s rural areas and industries.

RETURN2GREEN VISITS EJURA MAIZE FARMS IN EFFORT TO ENHANCE FARMER INCOMES AND REDUCE TONS OF CO2

2011-09-25T12:18:00.000-07:00

September 24, 2011 – Ejura, Ghana
Press Release

RETURN2GREEN VISITS EJURA MAIZE FARMS IN EFFORT TO ENHANCE FARMER INCOMES AND REDUCE TONS OF CO2 BEING CREATED BY BURNING OF AGRICULTURAL WASTE

Ms. Lily He, President of Return2Green International, visited expansive maize farms in Ejura, the largest maize producing district in Ashanti, with officials from The Ministry of Food and Agricultural. The purpose of the visit was to gain cooperation with the Farmer’s Association for a public and private investment program in which agricultural waste from
the farms is collected for use as Distributed Energy Fuel and raw materials for MZ-3 flower pots.

By collecting the agro-waste for alternative uses; as opposed to burning it, thousands of tons of CO2 per year that harm the environment will be eliminated. Additionally, thousands of hours of paid working time for farmers at the manufacturing plants will be created, thus adding to their economic and social status.

The program which is still in the development stages is intended to be spread around the entire country creating substantial positive effects for thousands of Ghanaians.

RETURN2GREEN INTERNATIONAL ADDRESSES 5TH ANNUAL GHANA SOCIETY OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING

2011-09-24T15:23:00.000-07:00

September 23, 2011 – Kumasi, Ghana

Press Release

RETURN2GREEN INTERNATIONAL ADDRESSES 5^TH ANNUAL GHANA SOCIETY OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING

Ms. Lily He, President of Return2Green International, addressed the 5th Annual Ghana Society of Agricultural Engineering (GSAE). One of the topics of the conference was achieving agricultural growth through introductions of new technologies to Ghana’s farmers, who have been depending on outmoded farming practices for years.

Ms. He mission in going to Ghana was to introduce new technologies in sustainable agriculture. The introductions included: manufacturing of biodegradable products made from agro-waste using a patented process developed by Professor Mouzhi Zhou. Ms. He also introduced a revolutionary new sustainable Sunlight Greenhouse technology along with a Distributed Energy technology that will provide power to the operations using waste as fuel.

Ms. He and Prof. Zhou were invited to address the conference by the Minister of Food and Agriculture.

Lighting Science Group and Dixon Technologies Announce World’s First Sub-$15 Ultra-Efficient 60 Watt Equivalent LED Bulb

2011-09-23T19:27:00.000-07:00

Company's Full Range of High-Performance LED Lighting Products will Transform the Indian and Emerging Countries’ Lighting Markets

At a press conference in India, Lighting Science Group (OTCBB: LSCG), the world’s premier maker of LED lighting solutions, and Dixon Technologies India Pvt. Ltd, a world-class electronics products manufacturer in India, unveiled one of their first joint products: a high-performance, sub-$15 omnidirectional 60-watt equivalent A19 LED bulb that will be available in India by the end of the year and will be sold worldwide by Lighting Science Group early next year. Utilizing Lighting Science Group’s revolutionary technical design, the bulb is the first in a series of products being jointly manufactured and distributed by the two companies. The full line of products will include street lights, outdoor and industrial light fixtures and replacement bulbs that will set a new standard for lighting product performance, producing more light for less energy than any similar products currently available in India.The Indian market for LED lighting is expected to grow to $400 million by 2015 (53% per annum), making it one of the fastest-growing sectors of one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. According to India’s Ministry of Power, the country plans to build 80 new coal-fired power plants to keep up with rising electricity demand over the next 5 years, and the potential savings from simply changing light bulbs to the new LED technology can significantly reduce they county’s electricity demand by as much as 40%.

“With India’s peak load electricity deficit expected to increase upwards of 15% in the near-term, the adoption of energy efficient technologies will prove critical in meeting India’s infrastructure needs and demands of continued economic growth. Our partnership with Lighting Science Group will make LED technology available for large scale implementation in the Indian market and we expect to be the market’s leading seller of LED lighting within two years,” said Sunil Vachani, chairman and managing director of Dixon Technologies.

Consistent availability of good quality electricity can be a constraining factor on economic growth, and moving to LED lighting is the low lying fruit of efficiency initiatives without polluting the environment: easy to implement with rapid repayment of the investment from power savings. The newly announced Lighting Science Definity® bulb fits perfectly into existing screw-in light sockets and creates a clean, bright light level equivalent to a conventional 60-watt incandescent bulb using 85% less electricity and is designed to handle the variable quality of power in India and other emerging economies. Even compared with relatively efficient compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), the new bulb uses 35% less electricity and, unlike all fluorescent lights, contains no toxic mercury. At a retail price that is below $15, the payback from electricity savings versus traditional incandescent light bulbs is 8 months and the LED bulb has an expected life of approximately 8 years.

“With 800,000,000 incandescent light bulbs and 300,000,000 CFLs sold in India each year, the market is ripe for these highly efficient, long lasting and nontoxic products,” said Atul Lall, deputy managing director of Dixon Technologies. “The economic and environmental implications of this partnership are significant: old-style light bulbs use 60 billion units of electricity each year, 7% of India’s total, and our Lighting Science Group Definity® lamps could save over 70% of that, equivalent to 32 coal fired plants with 500MW capacity.”

With its high efficiency, long life and high quality light, LED technology is transforming the $100 billion global lighting industry. That is why the Indian government is targeting LED lighting as a sector of excellence and as a driver of the future Indian economy.

“As India undergoes an infrastructure transformation in the next few years, the country has an unprecedented opportunity to leapfrog the rest of the world by becoming an early, large-scale adopter of LED technology,” said Jim Haworth, chairman and chief executive officer of Lighting Science Group. “Augmenting our production capabilities by utilizing Dixon Technologies’ manufacturing facilities in Noida, we’ll be able meet the expected strong demand from individuals, businesses and government in India and I expect that our LED lighting products-particularly the new 60-watt equivalent bulb-will quickly become some of the best selling lighting products in the world.”

About Dixon Technologies
Headquartered in Noida, India, Dixon is a leading Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) provider focused on delivering high quality, cost effective solutions for consumer electronics, lighting, set top boxes and home appliances for the domestic (India) and international markets. With fiscal year 2009-2010 revenues of USD $200 million (Rs.1000 Crores), Dixon provides its customers with world-class electronics products through a network of manufacturing facilities spread across India. Dixon is ISO 9000 & 14001 certified.

All of Dixon’s facilities are audited and approved by Multinational Customers, as per their global standards. This ensures that customers are able to optimize their operations by lowering their costs, providing reliable and safe products to their customers and reducing their time to market.

About Lighting Science Group
Lighting Science Group Corporation (OTCBB: LSCG) designs, develops, manufactures and markets LED lighting solutions that are environmentally friendlier and more energy efficient than traditional lighting products. Lighting Science Group offers retrofit LED lamps in form factors that match those of traditional lamps or bulbs and LED luminaires for a range of applications including public and private infrastructure for both indoor and outdoor applications. Lighting Science Group’s Advanced Projects Group business unit designs, develops and manufactures custom LED lighting solutions for architectural and artistic projects. Lighting Science Group is headquartered in Satellite Beach, Florida; the Company’s European operations are based in Middelburg, The Netherlands; the Company has a sales office in Sydney, Australia; and it has a manufacturing facility in Monterrey, Mexico. Lighting Science Group employs approximately 600 workers building lighting products from domestic and imported parts. Lighting Science Group is a Pegasus Capital Advisors portfolio company. More information about Lighting Science Group is available here.

Forward Looking Statement. Certain statements in this press release may constitute “forward-looking statements” made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the performance of LSG and/or its products and/or the marketplace and/or use terminology such as “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “goal,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “seek,” “target,” “will,” “will be,” “will make,” and variations of such words and similar expressions. Such statements reflect the current view of LSG with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. In evaluating these statements, you should carefully review the risk factors detailed under “Risk Factors” in our most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that may cause our actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements.

Article courtesy of Got2BeGreen

Military Green Investments Could Hit $10 Billion by 2030

2011-09-22T14:57:00.000-07:00

Breakdown of the DOD's energy use for operations and facilities. Eighty-one percent of operational costs go toward jet fuel, while 64 percent of facilities costs go toward electricity.(Credit: Pew Environmental Group/Federal Energy Management Report 2010)

It's no secret to anyone following green tech that the Department of Defense has taken a particular interest in advanced biofuels, vehicle fuel efficiency, renewable energy, and building efficiency. But many may not realize to what extent the DOD has changed its policy, or the large impact this shift is going to have on the economy, according to a report released yesterday afternoon by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

The report asserts that the DOD is one of the world's largest institutional consumers of fossil fuels, consuming 300,000 barrels of oil a day in 2009. The DOD's energy cost for 2010 was $15.2 billion (PDF) with 74 percent going to operations and 26 percent going to facilities. About $11 billion of that was spent on liquid petroleum fuels, according to the report.

The study and the report, which took two years to complete, was overseen by retired Republican Senator John Warner, who is a former Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and former Secretary of the Navy. Warner is the senior policy adviser at the Pew Project on National Security, Energy, and Climate.

Aside from cost, a major nuisance of fossil fuel dependence is the danger involved in having to transport liquid fuels to combat areas, and the impact fuel availability has on the effectiveness of military operations. The DOD has estimated that 80 percent of supply convoy missions in Iraq and Afghanistan are for fuel, according to the report.

In view of that, the DOD has determined that incorporating renewables and other green tech into its energy ecosystem will improve security for the armed forces, as well as national security.

A move to less fossil fuel, especially in light of volatile oil prices, will also save the branches of the military money long-term both home and abroad, according to the report.

To that end, the DOD has set the ambitious goal of getting 25 percent of its energy needs from renewables by 2025.

The U.S. Air Force plans to be on 50 percent biofuels for all its domestic aviation needs by 2016. The U.S. Navy plans to reduce ship fuel consumption by 15 percent by 2020 compared to its 2010 levels. The U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marines both plan to get 50 percent of their needed energy from alternative energy sources by 2020.

And while all branches of the military have plans to upgrade bases and installations (PDF) with more efficiency for buildings, the U.S. Army has a "net zero" program under way to get its bases to produce as much energy and water as they consume, and reduce, recycle, and reuse their waste. Fort Bliss in Texas and Fort Carson in Colorado are on track to be net zero in all three categories by 2020.

There have also been myriad smaller roll-outs and programs within the last few years.

The Navy began using algae-based shipboard fuel on a limited basis in 2010. The Army began replacing its light-use vehicles on military bases with electric vehicles and ordered military bridges made of recycled thermoplastic composite in 2009.

The Marine 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment at Forward Operating Base Jackson, and their Afghan national army counterparts have been using portable solar charges in Afghanistan that enable them to carry fewer batteries and more ammunition, solar tarps on tents to power lights, and solar panels to power mobile command centers and computers.

The report noted that the DOD's shift in energy policy is a wise choice in terms of saving money and improving its own security drastically in the coming years. But its switch is also a secondary way to protect American national security, by helping the country to become less dependent on foreign energy sources. As in other areas of tech, military investment in green technology will help it reach commercial maturity more quickly, the report said.

"In fact, the department has created a far-reaching memorandum of understanding with the Department of Energy to help accelerate the innovation process in service of the nation's energy and national security goals. DOD and DOE are working cooperatively on advanced batteries, energy efficiency, microgrids, and 'smart' technology," said the report.

Concurrent with this shift in policy, DOD clean-energy investments increased from $400 million in 2006 to $1.2 billion in 2009, a 300 percent increase. The institution plans to invest even more, projecting its green-tech investments will reach $10 billion annually by 2030.

Warner said he's not surprised that the DOD will once again be the leader in a new space as it's always been one of the earliest supporters of cutting-edge technology.

"The Department of Defense fostered the Internet, GPS, computer software, and other economically important innovations. Today, our uniformed men and women and their civilian counterparts are committed to transforming the way the department uses energy through efficiency and technology development. Their accomplishments and innovations are enhancing our national security, our economic security, and our environmental security," Warner said in a statement.

Article by Candace Lombardi, CNET

Small Scale “Recirculating Aquaponics” Project On Maui Demonstrates A Feasible Way To Incorporate Aquaculture And Hydroponics For Sustainable Living (Video)

2011-09-12T10:36:00.000-07:00

This Maui project is a great example of what grassroots ingenuity can accomplish. Click here to watch video

The Burrito That Changed the World - Or at Least American Farming (Video)

2011-09-08T11:59:00.000-07:00

If you lump all fast-food restaurants into the same profit-driven-pushers-of-unhealthy-food category, you may want to delineate a new group: sustainable farming advocates.

Chipotle, the fast-casual Mexican-inspired chain with 1,100 locations across the U.S. that has been serving up healthy food made with organic and local produce since 2008, has just announced the creation of a nonprofit foundation targeted at increasing the amount of sustainable farming practiced by American farmers. They're the only U.S. fast food chain committed to organic and local produce (10 million pounds coming from a 350-mile radius of each location just this year), and they buy more naturally raised meat than any other restaurant -- proving not only that it can be done, but that it can also be affordable and excel in flavor. Chipotle's success may be one of the examples that led McDonald's to agree to begin purchasing cage-free eggs and moved one of its former executives to develop a healthy fast-food chain set to launch in the near future.

The Chipotle Cultivate Foundation will use its funding to support family farms and ranchers developing sustainable practices and youth-targeted education programs focused on food and healthy eating. In a statement from Steve Ells, founder, chairman and co-CEO of Chipotle, he says, "By creating the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation, we are extending our reach beyond our restaurants and will be supporting organizations and people that are working to improve individual family farms, animals and the environment, and youth and education programs."

Don't think they're serious? Chipotle also released a video this week featuring country music star and president of Farm Aid, Willie Nelson, singing Coldplay's "The Scientist" over an animated video of a farmer who turns his small family farm into an industrial operation that includes drugging livestock and creating pollution before a change of heart reverts him "back to the start" -- the song's refrain, where he embraces sustainability and better food.

Article courtesy of Organic Authority

Top 10 U.S. Cities For Green Job Seekers

2011-09-05T09:33:00.000-07:00

According to a Mother Nature Network listing, the top 10 cities for green jobs. California led the pack with three of its cities: San Francisco, Los Angeles and Sacramento in the top 10. Green jobs increased in California by 36% between 1995 and 2008, compared with an overall job growth of only 13%. The top five from their list follows:

1. San Francisco is the number one city with more than 42,000 green jobs. As the San Francisco Chronicle's blog points out, for a city with a population of 809,000, that's a pretty impressive number. A sixth of the city's green-collar jobs are in the energy generation sector, with most of these in the solar industry. The city recently passed $100 million worth of bonds to create sustainable jobs and businesses. In addition to solar jobs, San Francisco is also filled with environmental consulting, green tech, and greenhouse gas emission monitoring jobs. MNN invited green architects in search of work to move to the city by the Bay, noting that 20 big construction projects have recently applied for LEED certification here.

2. Denver came in at number two, which wasn't surprising given that it is home to Vestas Wind Systems and other solar firms and clean tech companies. Government institutions, such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which is based in Denver, have produced green opportunities. During the Obama administration, NREL funding has almost doubled.

3. NYC was ranked third among the top U.S. metro areas for job creation, according to Clean Edge, a clean energy research firm. Also, many of PlaNYC's 127 initiatives are expected to create green jobs, especially because of the $1 billion for building retrofits to increase energy efficiency and because of the plans' target to reduce greenhouse gases by 30%. NYC also hosted a Green Collar Jobs Planning Commission and benefits from active organizations such as Sustainable South Bronx that provide green collar job training.

4. Portland created close to 20,000 clean-energy jobs in 2007. More than 1% of Oregon's 1.9 million jobs are related to the clean energy economy, the highest percentage in the U.S. Oregon ranked 3rd for producing sustainable manufacturing jobs.

5. In Los Angeles, energy generation jobs recently increased by 35% and energy efficiency jobs by 77%. Much of the green-collar job growth in L.A. is due to the 2009 Green Building Retrofit Ordinance, which required that all city-owned buildings greater than 7,500 square feet or built before 1978 be retrofitted to LEED silver certification standards. The ordinance also created a green jobs training program to help combat unemployment.

San Francisco, NYC, and Portland were also on The Daily Green's List of 5 Best Cities to Land a Green Job. The Daily Green also included Boston, which isn't surprising given that the Boston area was recently ranked fourth in a Clean Edge survey of the top U.S. metro areas for clean-tech job creation. Boston also benefits from its many renowned colleges including MIT, Harvard, and Boston University.

The more surprising choice that made both the Daily Green's and MNNs list was the City of Detroit since it currently has an unemployment rate of about 14%. However, Detroit has been the recipient of of U.S. Department of Energy grants that are creating jobs by funding hybrid and electric vehicle manufacturing.

Other cities which have been recommended but didn't make either list are: Washington D.C., Seattle, Chicago, San Diego and Austin. What is exciting about all of these cities is that the green job potential is growing not solely in the domain of cities along the coasts but also in the Midwest and Southwest.

(Click Image to Enlarge)

Health Clubs Can Fight Recession By Going Green

2011-09-02T12:46:00.000-07:00

Did you know an average treadmill uses about 1500 watts of power that is equivalent to powering 15 old-fashioned light bulbs and in the process produces two pounds of CO2? Did you know the energy produced by 30,000 fitness centers located in the United States can power a small city?

Increasingly as Americans are looking for green options from driving hybrid cars to buying local produced food, business owners are facing a host of new questions. What are you doing to reduce your carbon footprint? How environmentally friendly your business practices are? How do you actually become green during recession?

Being a health club owner, going green becomes a natural step forward. The primary focus of health clubs is to improve the health of the members and going green focuses on protecting the health of the planet. With increased competition in the health club industry, businesses can differentiate themselves from the competition by going green while simultaneously, improving the bottom line.

Adopting sustainability practices can help reduce the electricity bill which is the major operating cost for most health clubs. Shifting to energy-efficient compact fluorescent lights or LED bulbs can cut significant costs. Turn of lights in non-essential areas or turn on only every other row of lights in large areas such as gyms and swimming pools. Install dimmer switches on lights and keep lights at half brightness are other small steps that health clubs can take.

Today, many companies are producing special equipment for making health clubs energy efficient. The Green Revolution, a Connecticut based business has added around 1000 bikes at 60 gyms that convert the direct current created by pedaling into alternating current to be sent to the power grid.

Another important aspect of making your sustainability goals successful is to educate your employees. Encourage employees to share the health clubs initiatives with the clients to ensure that everyone at the facility is acting responsibly towards the environment.

Article by Marcos Cordero, Green Business Bureau

San Antonio To Give Composting A Try

2011-08-24T10:33:00.000-07:00

San Antonio’s City Council approved a pilot organic waste program last week that could divert 9,000 tons of waste in its first year.

Next month, 30,000 households across four council districts will receive “green carts” for compostable waste as part of the Organic Material Recovery Program.

These green carts will accept yard trimmings, food scraps, food-soiled paper and uncommon compostables like cotton balls, dryer lint and sawdust.

The new program is part of the city’s 10-year plan to divert 60 percent of its waste by 2020. City officials expect to make significant progress towards this goal by collecting an estimated 9,000 tons of organic waste in the pilot’s first year.

Although the council ultimately voted 10-1 to approve, the high cost of the program raised concern for some council members, according to an article published last week by The San Antonio Express-News.

The new bins alone cost $1.8 million, and the city will pay a local waste management company up to $195,000 as part of a one-year deal to collect and transport organics.

If the program is expanded, officials estimate that the cost of carts and transportation could reach $33 million over five years.

Many city officials are confident that revenue from compost will offset costs. But some remained unconvinced that the program is an efficient use of taxpayer dollars – especially since it will be partially funded by solid waste rate increases.

In addition to high prices, some council members said questions of convenience and sanitation made constituents wary of the program.

San Antonio residents already use two carts for trash and recyclables, and some said that another cart would only further clutter their streets and alleyways.

Additionally, some residents worried that leaving organic waste outside during the hot summer months would result in icky smells and outrageous bug problems that could pose a threat to public health.

Some council members sought to delay the vote while concerns were mulled over. But Mayor Julian Castro, who is a supporter of the program, said that funds were allocated for organic waste diversion last year and costs shouldn’t keep the council from moving forward.

The performance of the pilot program will be tracked over the first year.

Pending city council approval, organic waste diversion programs will be instated city-wide by 2014, officials said.

Supporters noted that approving the pilot program does not oblige the council to continue with additional phases if performance standards are not met.

Article by Mary Mazzoni, Earth 911

13-Year-Old Makes A Solar Breakthrough With Fibonacci Sequence

2011-08-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

One would be excused for suspecting that Aidan Dwyer, said to be 13, is in fact a small, very young-looking, 37-year-old college-educated con-man of the highest order. Such is not the case though for what the young Long Island lad has accomplished in a feat typically associated with much older individuals. As reported on the Patch community website out of Northport, N.Y., Aidan has used the Fibonacci sequence to devise a more efficient way to collect solar energy, earning himself a provisional U.S. patent and interest from "entities" apparently eager to explore commercializing his innovation.

And you're wondering what the Fibonacci sequence is. Aidan explains it all on a page on the website of the American Museum of Natural History, which recently named him one of its Young Naturalist Award winners for 2011. The awards go to students from middle school through high school who have investigated questions they have in the areas of biology, Earth science, ecology and astronomy.

So back to the Fibonacci sequence: Starting with the numbers 0 and 1, each subsequent number is the sum of the previous two - 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13.... These numbers, when put in ratios, happens to show up in the patterns of branches and leaves on trees. Aidan, having been mesmerized by tree-branch patterns during a winter hike in the Catskills, sought to investigate why. His hunch: "I knew that branches and leaves collected sunlight for photosynthesis, so my next experiments investigated if the Fibonacci pattern helped."

One thing led to another, and before you know it, this kid, three years from being eligible for a driver's license, had built a tree-like stand affixed with small solar panels in the Fibonacci pattern. He compared its ability to collect sunlight to a flat-panel collector. And Nature won.

Summing up his research and imagining the possibilities, Aidan wrote: "The tree design takes up less room than flat-panel arrays and works in spots that don't have a full southern view. It collects more sunlight in winter. Shade and bad weather like snow don't hurt it because the panels are not flat. It even looks nicer because it looks like a tree. A design like this may work better in urban areas where space and direct sunlight can be hard to find."

Article courtesy of Tree Hugger

PepsiCo Beverages Canada Announces the 7UP EcoGreen™ Bottle

2011-08-18T10:33:00.000-07:00

PepsiCo Beverages Canada announces the 7UP EcoGreen™ bottle, Canada’s – and North America’s – first soft drink bottle made from 100% recycled PET plastic.

The development of the 7UP EcoGreen bottle is a significant achievement for PepsiCo and a breakthrough for the Canadian beverage sector because the company has identified a way to couple existing technology with the best sources of rPET and best-in-class processing techniques to produce a 100% rPET, food-grade bottle that meets all regulatory requirements and is of the highest quality. Creating a bottle made from 100% recycled plastic for soft drinks is more challenging than creating a bottle for non-carbonated beverages because of the stress on materials from carbonation pressure.

By introducing the 7UP EcoGreen bottle in Canada, PepsiCo Beverages Canada will reduce the amount of virgin plastic used by approximately six million pounds over the course of one year. Studies published by the Association for Post-Consumer Plastic Recyclers in 2010, estimate this reduced use of virgin plastic will lead to a reduction of more than 30% in greenhouse gas emissions and more than 55% in energy use, based on current 7UP production levels.

A step beyond Naked Juice

It’s a stepwise development for PepsiCo: The technology is identical to that used for last year’s Naked Juice reNEWa bottle in a non-carbonated application, Denise Lefebvre, PepsiCo’s VP, Global Beverage Packaging, informsFood & Beverage Packaging.

“That’s no small technical feat getting to the right quality post-consumer recycle content, particularly for a carbonated soft drink bottle that has so many design requirements from pressure and product retention and utility in the marketplace,” she says. “We see a continued consumer demand for this kind of packaging.”

The 7UP EcoGreen bottle will be available across all 7UP and Diet 7UP package sizes beginning in early August, and will look and feel like any other PET plastic soft drink bottle. The bottle will be produced in multiple PepsiCo manufacturing facilities across Canada. The company invested $1 million in production enhancements in its facilities, including resin handling systems and inspection systems. Although there will be an incremental cost to produce the 7UP EcoGreen bottle, PepsiCo Beverages Canada plans to price 7UP beverages on par with other soft drink brands.

PepsiCo Beverages Canada’s long-term plan is to increase the use of bottles made from 100% recycled plastic. Currently, PepsiCo leads the industry by incorporating an average of 10% rPET in its primary soft drink bottles in Canada and the U.S.

Article by Food and Beverage Packaging

US Navy To Jump-Start Biofuels

2011-08-16T10:22:00.000-07:00

The RCB-X is powered by an alternative fuel blend of 50 percent algae-based and 50 percent NATO F-76 fuels.

The federal government is using the weight of the military to counter years of disappointment with biofuels and commercialize drop-in replacements for diesel and jet fuel.

Three government agencies--the Departments of the Navy, Agriculture, and Energy--today announced a memorandum of understanding to spend $510 million over three years to scale up the industry for advanced biofuels.

The agencies will put out a request for proposals to build commercial-scale biorefineries, called "pioneer plants," able to make diesel and jet fuel from non-food sources at prices competitive with fossil fuels. The biorefineries will aim to be built in different locations for a diverse feedstock supply and to encourage economic activity in rural areas.

To participate, commercial companies will have to invest at least as much as the government puts in, said Navy Secretary Ray Mabus during a media call with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Energy Secretary Steven Chu today. Funding for the program will be split equally among the three agencies and come from existing sources, they said.

"I can think of nothing more vital to national security than to diversify our forms of energy," Mabus said.

The Navy will act as a customer for production from these advanced biofuel refineries and define technical requirements for aircraft and boats. Mabus set an ambitious target of getting at least half of its energy from non-fossil fuel sources by 2020.

Transporting fuel creates security vulnerabilities in areas of combat and the volatility of oil prices hurts the military, which consumes about 80 percent of all energy from the federal government. When the price of oil goes up one dollar, it costs the Navy an additional $30 million in fuel costs. The Navy has already successfully tested biofuels or a blend of biofuel and petroleum in aircraft, he added.

The U.S. biofuels industry is now dominated by corn ethanol, which has come under fire for the subsidies the industry receives and the environmental impact from corn ethanol.

The feedstocks for producing drop-in replacements for jet fuel and diesel can be sugar or cellulosic feedstocks, such as wood chips or grasses, said Secretary Chu. The end goal is to make jet fuel and diesel directly from cellulosic sources, he said. The Navy has also tested fuels made from algae, Mabus noted.

Even with research and development and funding for pilot plants, though, cellulosic ethanol has not met industry targets or been able to meet a cellulosic fuel mandate set in 2007. Chu said there has been continued technical progress and that large-scale plants serving the Navy will help the industry get established.

"We have been making rapid progress in the next generation of biofuels...which has put us on the cusp of a biofuels revolution. The announcement we are making will keep the momentum going," Chu said.

Article by Martin LaMonica, Green Tech Media

Coming Soon to Home Depot: Grape Solar

2011-08-14T11:02:00.000-07:00

Grape. It’s a cluster of solar companies with a knack for retailers. Plus: solar varmint zappers.

Grape Solar isn't the largest solar panel maker in the world, but it does seem to understand retailers.

The company -- which assembles panels in Oregon with components sourced from a wide variety of suppliers in China -- will soon begin selling its panels at Home Depot locations. A formal announcement is due soon.

It's a notable accomplishment, as solar -- and a plethora of solar brands -- are not as prevalent at large retailers as you might think. It takes time and a certain degree of retailer tribal wisdom to earn shelf space at many of these places.

As reported in April, Grape already sells complete solar systems and panels through Costco and Amazon. While both retailers sell small solar panels and devices, Grape is the only brand available on the websites of both Costco and Amazon for complete residential solar systems. (You can also go to Costco and touch and buy the Grape systems, according to my neighbor.)

Home Depot's website currently offers a few kits featuring individual Sharp panels and offers solar leases through SolarCity, but the available selection is nothing on the scale that one might expect from the big-box behemoth.

If you happen to be shopping at the moment, Costco offers a better deal. The 5-kilowatt bundle there costs $16,999 while at Amazon it sells for $19,999. Costco's web site strongly recommends hiring a professional installer. Amazon is a little more cavalier.

"The Solar Power System comes complete with everything you need to rack-mount the 22 solar panels on your roof," says Amazon's site. "Should you decide to expand the array, connecting additional kits is easy."

Home Depot and Lowe's, needless to say, are two of the ultimate channel partners for green home companies. Getting shelf space at either store won't guarantee success, but it certainly creates an opportunity to get close to consumers. Home Depot sells LED bulbs from Cree, Philips branded under its own EcoSmart label, and recently started offering Wi-Fi smart thermostats from Radio Thermostat a few months ago.

Lowe's, meanwhile, has alliances with Westinghouse Solar and has invested in energy retrofitter Recurve and solar installer Sungevity.

And expect more from Costco too. Back in June, Ken Lowe, the founder of Vizio, told us that his company would soon come out with LED bulbs. A few years ago, Vizio was an unheralded, unknown TV manufacturer. After teaming up with Costco, sales zoomed. It is has since become the most popular TV brand in the U.S. for two years in a row. These two companies like each other quite a bit and Costco tends to have a loyal, strangely upscale, clientele. (I interviewed the CFO and CEO at Costco once about hot dogs and patio furniture. It's quite an interesting operation.)

Wal-Mart currently does not appear to offer residential solar systems on its website, but check out this 225-pound solar-powered barrel feeder with varmint zapper for $129.

in Japan, Softbank founder Masayoshi Son said his company would begin to build solar power plants earlier this year.

Besides residential systems, Grape also participates in commercial-scale solar projects.

The company used to be called Centron Solar, but founder Ocean Yuan changed it after getting a legal notice from Germany's Centro Solar. The Grape name comes from the fact that the company gets its components from a cluster of manufacturers near Shanghai. Yuan emphasizes that the company has a horizontal business model, leveraging suppliers, rather than a vertical one in which a single company produces its own wafer, cells and modules.

Grapes and the sun also have an affinity.

How I Fell In Love With a Fish. Great Insight Into Sustainable Farming (Video)

2011-08-12T09:40:00.000-07:00

Chef Dan Barber talks about his visit to a 100% sustainable fish farm in Spain that could be a model for the world.

$1.5 Billion Star Trek Theme Park in Jordan to Run on Green Energy

2011-08-11T14:54:00.000-07:00

Beam Me Up, Abdullah!

You can file this one under "slightly off-beat". Not only because it's a $1.5 billion Star Trek theme park that runs at least in part on "green energy", but because it's going to be in Jordan. I'm not sure if the local trekky population can commercially support such a thing, or if worldwide trekkies will make the trip (too bad teleportation isn't ready for prime time). Oh well, I suppose having King Abdullah of Jordan as a backer of the project and big fan of the show should be enough to make it get off the ground.

According to HME: "The themed entertainment destination will also serve as a model for "green energy," incorporating state-of-the-art renewable technologies throughout the facility, and hosting a "future" pavilion where businesses, students and attendees can learn about alternative energy sources ranging from solar and wind energy to greywater harvesting."

Article by Michael Graham Richard, Tree Hugger

San Francisco Hotels Participate in Green Business Program

2011-07-29T16:10:00.000-07:00

SAN FRANCISCO—Approximately 20 San Francisco hotels are now participating in the San Francisco Green Business Program, a program of the City and County of San Francisco. At least nine hotels have been recognized as San Francisco Green Businesses. In order be recognized as a San Francisco Green Business, a hotel must meet environmental standards in five areas: waste reduction, water conservation, pollution prevention, waste water, and energy conservation. Businesses must also be in compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations. To get to the point of recognition, which is valid for three years, one must complete an online application and provide supporting documentation. An on-site audit is also conducted to verify the information provided about a hotel.

According to Anna Frankel, Green Business Coordinator, Toxics Reduction Division, San Francisco Department of the Environment, the Green Business Program was launched in 2006. Unlike some hotel certification programs that have multiple certification levels (e.g., bronze, silver, gold), San Francisco’s program has just one recognition level. There is no fee to participate; it is a free service provided by the City. Those businesses earning recognition benefit from access to city rebate programs and have the right to use the San Francisco Green Business Program logo in marketing and publicity efforts. There is an annual award reception at which a certificate is presented, and recognized businesses are listed in multiple business directories.

“Our program standards are very stringent and it takes a lot of work to be a green business,” Frankel says. “But in the end there are many benefits.”

Many Items Covered in Application

The San Francisco Green Business Program standards for hotels, available here, show that hotels must meet at least three measures in solid waste diversion, nine in source reduction, nine in energy conservation, three in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, six in lighting, two in energy management, one in water conservation, three in water management, nine in water conservation, four in pollution prevention, four in janitorial cleaning, one in pest management, seven in storm water pollution prevention, seven in general/staff education, and 16 in environmentally preferable purchasing.

Environmental performance data is being collected from each participating business in the San Francisco Green Business Program. “Hotels” is just one of the business categories.

“We are interested in doing a lot of things with the data,” Frankel says. “We are in the process of creating an online report card for each business. We also want to use the data to see how much effect we are having as a program.”

Those interested in participating in the program for hotels have access to workshops where application completion assistance is provided. An online toolkit that addresses waste diversion, source reduction and environmentally preferable purchasing is available. The City and County of San Francisco also produce a green business newsletter.

The San Francisco Green Business Program is one of many green business programs in the San Francisco area. Nine Bay Area counties have similar programs. Click here for more details.

“The California Green Business Network has a baseline of standards that we all follow,” Frankel says.

Article by Glen Hasek, Courtesy of Green Lodging News

Congress Bans Department of Defense From Getting LEED Certification

2011-07-28T11:01:00.000-07:00

Defense Department Hospital at Fort Belvoir

The US Government has been a big supporter of LEED, thanks to that radical leftist George Bush, who imposed Executive Order 13423, which set "goals in the areas of energy efficiency, acquisition, renewable energy, toxics reductions, recycling, renewable energy, sustainable buildings, electronics stewardship, fleets, and water conservation." The Department of Defense was a real leader in this, with 49 projects, the most of any Department of government. But if the Republican congress gets its way, it's over; in the National Defense Authorization Act, there is what Chris Cheatham of Green Building Law Update calls "a real kicker":

The bill would prohibit FY 2012 DoD funds from being used to achieve a LEED Gold or Platinum certification, however these certifications could be obtained if they impose no additional cost to DoD.

But wait, there's more!

The bill would also require a cost-benefit analysis and return on investment for energy efficiency attributes and sustainable design achieved through DoD funds used to receive a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold or Platinum certification.

So Congress won't let the Department of Defense pay for LEED applications, but even if they found the money for it, they would have to also pay for a cost benefit analysis. What would that do to the rainwater collecting roof of the new hospital, its landscaping, or every other feature that reduces water and carbon footprint but doesn't give a direct cost benefit? they are gone.

According to one source, 28% of the more than 35,000 total building projects participating in the LEED certification and rating process are federal, state, and local government owned or occupied. The federal government is the largest single owner of LEED certified buildings.

Chris wonders, "Is this the beginning of the end for federal policy that supports LEED?" You betcha! What happens to the green building industry and to the US Green Building Council when almost a third of its market is wiped out by these people?

Article by Lloyd Alter, TreeHugger.com

EU to Pay Fishermen to Collect Ocean Litter

2011-07-13T16:12:00.000-07:00

The European Union is launching a pilot program in the Mediterranean this month that will pay fishing fleets to collect and then recycle the plastic waste littering the ocean.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Falken

The European Union is taking an innovative approach to dealing with the growing problem of plastic litter in the ocean – paying fishermen to collect the trash.

Starting this month in the Mediterranean, fishing fleets will collect the plastic waste, using EU-provided nets and equipment, and then take it to processors for recycling. The EU plans to pay for the initial costs of the pilot program, but hopes the revenue from the sale of the collected plastics will eventually make the program self-sustaining.

Fish and other marine life can become injured or die when they ingest plastic. Marine litter also threatens the fishing industry by depleting fish stocks, damaging fishing gear and contaminating the catch.

“Preserving the Mediterranean Sea is not only a matter of environmental sustainability. It is also a matter of considerable economic and social implications,” wrote EU fisheries commissioner, Maria Damanaki, in a blog entry about plastic marine litter.

The EU’s pilot program will provide a much-needed second source of income for fishermen who have been losing profits due to diminishing fish stocks.

Article by Alexis Petru, Earth911