MEXICO CITY, Mexico — Researchers are looking at two of the 200 different types of agave plant as potential sources of biofuels for arid lands around the globe. A special issue of the journal Global Change Biology Bioenergy is devoted entirely to agave as a source of bioenergy. The plant is an attractive potential source of…
First, researchers from the University of Warwick developed a race car made from potatoes, carrots and chocolate. Now Brazilian scientists have found a way to turn fibers from pineapples, bananas, coconut shells and other plants into plastics that can be used in automobiles. These fruits and plants contain cellulose, which can be processed into tiny…
“It isn’t what we don’t know that gives us trouble, it’s what we know that ain’t so.” — Will Rogers This nation’s energy policy for the past forty years is not that hard to judge — it’s disjointed, shortsighted and largely ineffective. We know it, we say it, but we continue to ignore it. It’s…
Eating responsibly is a complex and multifaceted issue. It is important not just for improving the environment, but also ensuring quality of life. Responsible eating is part of a healthy lifestyle, which leads to greater vitality and happiness. Here are the 10 most important things to consider when shopping for food. Eat locally. Buy produce…
The Chinese get all the press for rapid construction, but the new Terminal 3 at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi has set a very high bar. Not only was this airport, designed to handle 34 million passengers per year, awarded LEED-Gold certification by the Indian Green Building Council, but it also was constructed in…
Global food prices rose sharply in December, following an increasing trend that brings them close to levels that led to shortages and riots three years ago in developing countries. February marked an eleven-month trend of new monthly highs for food prices. Prices for grain alone have increased dramatically with wheat elevating over 55 percent and corn…
EL CAJON — The Helix Water District last week switched on a new solar panel system that is designed to provide the bulk of electricity needed to run its operations center in El Cajon. The photovoltaic panels were largely funded with a $463,000 rebate awarded through the California Center for Sustainable Energy in San Diego. A…
SAN DIEGO, CA — Companies that say their packaging will biodegrade in landfills as if that feature is a benefit are actually touting that they’re contributing to a system that hurts the environment. As more companies are marketing the fact that their wrappers, boxes and other packaging materials will break down in landfills, the Sustainable…
LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA — Innovation to help sustainability goals is coming from a variety of directions in some of the world’s largest companies, a panel of executives said today. The event, sponsored by IBM and Esty Environmental Partners at the beginning of the Fortune Brainstorm: Green conference in Laguna Nigel, Calif., brought together an impressive…
What does it mean to be green? In today’s society it is a word that can dichotomize or unite. Individuals use it to identify themselves as caring f or the environment. Corporations use it as a way to improve their images, a practice that is degrading its eco-friendly connotation. For some, it means reducing your…