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January 07, 2009

Motorola W233 - First Carbon Neutral Cell Phone




motorola W233

Motorola's W233 Renew is " ... made from plastics that contain recycled water bottles and is the first certified Carbonfree® cell phone on the market. ... offset the enMotorola logoergy to manufacture, distribute and operate the phone by investing in renewable energy sources and reforestation.  ... 100% of the Motorola W233 Renew's phone housing is recyclable. ..." 

" ... packaging, ... reduce its size by 22 percent and the box and all of the materials inside are printed on 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper. ... a postage-paid recycling envelope in box makes it easy to return your previous mobile phone for recycling at no cost."


Via:  Motorola  LINK

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January 05, 2009

EcoHomeGear - Green Products for Living




 eco home gear logo

Looking for home products that were made that are made with a GREEN approach?  Eco Home 

"Eco Home Gear, LLC strongly believes that environmental education is the key component for consumers to make the right purchasing decisions. ... our products may have one or more of the following characteristics, ... "

Recycled or Reclaimed Materials ... using ... recycled plastic or paper (pre- and post-consumer waste) or reclaimed wood (i.e. from a manufacturing process). ...Energy and Natural Resource Saving ... products that, when used ... conserve energy and natural resources. ...Responsibly-Grown Natural Materials ... materials that are grown with a minimal environmental impact ... Environmentally-Responsible Manufacturing Process ... manufacturing process that reduces waste, natural resource consumption and/or polluting emissions.

 

Via:  ecohomegear  Link

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January 03, 2009

PECO's First Green Building - West Chester, PA.




PECO logoAs part of their 2020 Low Carbon Roadmap .... PECO opened their first "green" building in West Chester (Chester County) Pa. 

" ... $2 million, 8-month project to open PECO's first 'green building' at the company's service site in West Chester, Chester County. ... expected to use about 20 percent less energy and 40 percent less water. ... the use of reflective roofing materials; low flow water devices; recycled construction materials, ... energy efficient lighting, ... and more .."


Via:  PECO  LINK

 

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January 01, 2009

New Solar Panel Technology Concentrated PhotoVoltaics (CPV)





SolFocus logo... using innovative optics ... SolFocus systems dramatically reduce the amount of expensive and often supply-constrained solar material used in the system."SolFocus solar panel

"SolFocus CPV solar panels are the only CPV technology listed by the California Energy Commission as qualified for California Solar Initiative (CSI) incentives. ... panels are constructed primarily of readily available and cost-effective materials such as aluminum and glass resulting in systems which are over 95-percent recyclable. ...has a very low carbon footprint in manufacturing and short energy payback period. "


Via:  SolFocus  Link

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December 28, 2008

PECO Green Roof in Center Citry Phila, Pa.




PECO logo

PECO is installing a green roof at it's Phila HQ location at 23rd and Market Sts.  The planned 45000 sq. foot roof will " ... reduce the summertime temperature of a dark roof by 60 to 80 degrees, saves on heating and cooling costs, and grows without conventional soil..."

" ... green roof development ... is part of the company’s recently-announced comprehensive environmental initiative with a range of programs over the next several years.

 

Via:  PECO  PECO

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December 27, 2008

First Green Dental Office on the East Coaast - in PA




Here is the first I have read about Green Dentistry ... an established practice (over 50 years) in Aston, Pa that is Green Dentistry ... renovating to become GREEN.

" ...Dental Health Care Associates ... undergoing a major renovation ... and will soon become the first LEED certified "green" dental office on the East coast."

"... measures are being taken to create a state-of-the-art facility that will meet or exceed the Gold certification standards for LEED  ... buildings. ... renovations include, but are not limited to:tooth and toothbrush

    " ... recycled building materials ... Geothermal HVAC ... Solar and wind-powered energy ... No-VOC cabinetry, carpets, flooring, and paints ... rainwater collection tank ... Water-free landscaping ..."


Via:  PAGreenDentist.com  Link

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December 26, 2008

Duck Energy Saving Products




Duck Products Now that it is cold and wintry, in the northeast at least, it is a good time to look at simple home energy saving tips and materials.

Duckj - EarthHomeSmart

Check out Duck Products line of window films, switch plate inserts,  and the like to keep drafts and the cold out. 

Check out the video on sealing widows with plastic film ... LINK

 

Check out their website for more information on how to get started ... LINK



Via:  DuckProducts  LINK

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December 23, 2008

Geami Green Pakaging Material




 

Geami Logo Geami has a really neat sustainable packaging material.  It is a available "in bulk" to companies that ship lots of product and to consumers .... I saw it a my local Staples ...  Geami packaging

The product is made from kraft paper that is cut and then expanded into a 3-D profile with a paper liner ... so instead of using plastic foam, bubble wrap or plastic peanuts you have an all recyclable product ... and one that is available with post consumer waster paper.... this is an all recyclable product that takes up less storage space and therefore uses less fuel to ship.

 

Read on for more and check out the Video on the middle of  the page  >>> 

 

Via:  Geami Protective Packaging  LINK

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December 22, 2008

Excelon to be Carbon Neutral by 2020: 3 Prong Road Map




Excelon 2020

Excelon, whose PECO subsidiary servers Pennsylvania; has stated that they want to be carbon neutral by the year 2020.Excelon logo

" ... goal is to reduce, offset or displace more than 15 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year by 2020.  ... more than our current annual carbon footprint ... equivalent to taking nearly 3 million cars off our roads ... a three-pronged strategy ..."


" ... Reduce or offset Exelon's carbon footprint by greening our operations ... Help our customers and the communities we serve reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. ... Offer more low-carbon electricity in the marketplace."

 

Via:  Excelon  LINK

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December 21, 2008

Pennsylvania's "Mercury Free Thermostat Law"




mercury thermostat bulb

For years thermostats have been made with a small vial of mercury (center top in picture) that was used to make electrical contact based on temperature.

Newer digital thermostats does not contain mercury so as consumers replace the old with the new -- there is the possibility of contamination from disposal of the old style thermostats.  Mercury can contaminate the air and the water and is a neurotoxin ... it is nasty stuff!

" ... Pennsylvania's new Mercury-Free Thermostat Law ... will allow people to safely dispose of out-of-service thermostats containing mercury."

" ... Law, effective December 8, 2009, bans the sale, installation and disposal of mercury thermostats. ... requires that thermostat manufacturers establish and maintain a collection and recycling program for out-of-service mercury thermostats; ... Wholesalers who sell thermostats must participate as a collection site for mercury thermostats."


Via:  nbcbayarea.com  LINK

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December 17, 2008

Verizon's Recycling - Success Story




VErizon logoVerizon has an active and effective recycling program in place.  Read on for some statistics >>>

" .. waste reduction and recycling program that focuses on minimizing waste, utilizing quality products made with recycled material, and recycling marketable materials."
 

" ... Defective equipment is repaired and reused. ... collects used cellular phones to resell, refurbish or recycle under its HopeLine® program. ... more than 4.5 million cell phones have been recycled or refurbished and more than 200 tons of electronics waste and batteries have been kept out of landfills. ... customers can drop their used rechargeable batteries at any of our retail locations nationwide. Between the HopeLine® and Charge Up to Recycle programs, Verizon Wireless recycled 35 tons of batteries in 2007."

 

Via:  Verizon  LINK

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December 15, 2008

Electrovaya Maya-300 Electric Car





electrovaya logo

 Toronto Canada based electovaya (Toronto Stock Exchange EFL) has announced its Maya-300, a ZERO emission elelectrovayaelectric car that will go up to 35 mph and have a range of up to 120 miles.  Using Lithium ion type batteries with film materials from ExxonMobil the Maya-300 might be your next city car ... or second car.

Read on for more ...

" ... Maya-300, a zero-emission ... transportation solution with sufficient range for many drivers. Its top speed is electronically regulated to either 25 or 35 mph ...  long electric range of up to 120 miles on a single charge and works very well in cold weather conditions ...on-board battery charger allows for convenient recharging with standard 110V outlets ..."

 

Via:  elecrovaya  LINK

 

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December 14, 2008

Amazon Works to Eliminate Wasteful Packaging





Amazon.com logoSome of the current consumer goods packaging is both wasteful and hard to open.  Amazon is launching an initiative with major retailers to eliminate both ... a result in wasteful packaging and reductions in transport costs ...

"... "Frustration-Free Packaging," ... focusing first on ... hard plastic cases known as "clamshells" and those secured with plastic-coated wire ties, commonly used in toy packaging...."

" ... launched in the U.S. with 19 bestselling products from leading manufacturers ... will expand across Amazon's international sites beginning in 2009."clamshell packaage

" ... major goal of the Frustration-Free Packaging initiative is to be more environmentally friendly ... the Fisher-Price Imaginext Adventures Pirate Ship, ... new packaging eliminates 36 inches of plastic-coated wire ties, 1,576.5 square inches of printed corrugated package inserts and 36.1 square inches of printed folding carton materials. Also eliminated are 175.25 square inches of PVC blisters, 3.5 square inches of ABS molded styrene and two molded plastic fasteners."


Via:  Amazon.com  LINK

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December 11, 2008

Recycle old Christmas Tree / House Decorating Lights





Holiday LEDs LogoSo ... you are finally convinced to switch from incandescent bulbs to LEDs for your tree and house ... and other decorations?  Good idea ... but what to do with the old bulbs?

Holidayleds.com will take them for you and recycle them and give you a discount off products.
recycle logo
Read on for more >>>

" ... Mail them in and the company recycles the lights and the box they were shipped in, ... will send you a coupon for 15 percent off LED light purchases through their site. ..."

" ... lights will be processed and any material that cannot be recycled (i.e. loose bulbs)is discarded. ... we take them to a 3rd party recycling facility ... recycling company puts the lights through a commercial shredder, ... the various components ... are separated and transported to a region center for further processing...."

 

Via:  Holiday LED  LINK

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December 10, 2008

Eco Hand Powered Media Player




eco media player 

High tech media player meet low tech hand cranked "power supply"?  Green powered media player?

" ... Eco Media Player ...music, ...movie clips ... .FM radio  ... without the need for external power or expensive and environmentally harmful batteries."

"One minute of winding ... provides up to 45 minutes play time, ..."u're on holiday abroad or commuting to and from work, the Eco Media Player is the ideal personal entertainment solution.

 

Via:  ecomediaplayer  LINK

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December 09, 2008

Green up your Christmas Tree




green holiday logoWant to make it a GREEN Christmas this yer?  Wondering what you can do to be GREEN this holiday season?

Read on for more ...

"... LED Light ... switch from ... incandescent lights to LED (light emitting diode)  ... and watch your energy bill and carbon footprint drop. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, ten incandescent Christmas light strands, running all night, produce 300 pounds of CO2, versus 30 pounds with LED lights."

" ... Rent a Tree ... The Living Christmas Tree Company in Portland, Ore., will deliver ... then return and pick up the tree after Christmas and deliver them to local parks, schools and other groups who pay $10 to have the trees planted on their property. ..."

 

Click the LINK below for lots more ... 

 

Via:  earth911.com  LINK

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December 08, 2008

Rockefeller Center's Solar Powered Christmas Lights




 Rockefeller Center

Rockefeller Center has solar powered lights on its huge tree.  Just like last year the popular tourist attraction in NYC has solar powerred lights. 

" ... the solar-powered Christmas tree ... is sending a good clean message to cities and towns far beyond the city limits ..."


 

Via:  energyrefuge / godcleantech  LINK

 

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Recycle your Christmas Tree





earth911 logoChristmas tree

If you have a cut Christmas tree - you probably threw it in the trash each year ... now there many local options to "recycle" your cut trees into mulch. 

Check earth911 for a location near you.  Enter your ZIP code to see what your options are ...LINK

 

 

Via:  earrth911.com  LINK

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December 07, 2008

Philadelphia's Solar Powered Chrismas Tree Lights





solar powered Chrostmas Tree Lights" ... Christmas tree at 3rd and Poplar Streets in Northern Liberties [Philadelphia, Pa] is 40-feet-tall, and it's lit by solar panels ..."

" ... sponsored by the Northern Liberties Business Owners Association,... a nice twist for the neighborhood especially being a neighborhood developed by artists and folks that really focus on alternative methods ... after they're done with it, it will be chipped and used as mulch ..."

 

Via:  KYW1060.com LINK

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December 05, 2008

Philadelphia Prison Installs Solar Panels for Hot Water




Riverside Correctional Facility - Philadelphia
The Riverside Correctional Facility, part of the Philadelphia Prison System "... hopes to save money - and the environment - by using solar panels to provide hot water ...project will save about $1.1Phila Prison System logo million and 1 million pounds of carbon emissions over the anticipated 25-year life of the system."

" ... solar-powered system ... replaces traditional oil- and gas-fired water heaters. ... prison system and the mayor's Office of Sustainability provided about $665,000 for the project.

 

Via: CentreDaily.Com Link



Continue reading "Philadelphia Prison Installs Solar Panels for Hot Water" »

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December 04, 2008

Subway Restaurants Provides Energy Saving Tips




Change the World start with ENERGY STAR

" ... SUBWAY® ... has made a commitment to do its part to save energy and help protect the environment. ... take the Pledge to Change the World by starting with ENERGY STAR. Change at least one light to an energy-efficient one or make other energy-saving improvements at home,  ... small step that'Subway logos already making a big difference."


"As one store, we can take steps to become more environmentally friendly. Together, with the more than 29,000-plus stores in the SUBWAY® chain, we can make a difference!"

 

Via:  Subway LINK

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December 03, 2008

NatureWorks Compostable PLA Plastic




NatureWorks LLC logoMy family and I had Thanksgiving dinner at Longwood Gardens (Kennett Sq, Pa) - a beautiful garden that is getting more into being GREEN and their impact on the planet.  As I was eating leftovers I noticed that the plastic container was not the #1, #2 or #5 that I expected ... but #7 (inside a recycling triangle) PLA and was marked as composable.compostble plastics

"PLA stands for polylactic acid, or Polylactide, ... produced by NatureWorks LLC.  ...  made from lactic acid. Lactic acid is made from dextrose by fermentation. Dextrose is made from starch and starch is made from carbon dioxide and water."

"Ingeo™ biopolymer is the world's first and only performance plastic made from 100% annually renewable resources. Corn-based Ingeo™ biopolymer ... Clear and strong like petroleum-based plastic, yet Ingeo™ biopolymer can be commercially composted."

The label shows the container comes from NatureWorks and is composable.  I will see if it decompooses in my mulch pile (may take a while as it is probably inactive in the winter ...)

Look for a future post on my success with composting this ...

 

Via:  NatureWorks  LINK

Continue reading "NatureWorks Compostable PLA Plastic" »

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Marriott Embraces Going Green




 

recyclable plates made from potatoesMarriott International Inc has embraced going green.  Read about what they are doing corporate wide to become more environmentally friendly.
Marriott logo
" ... a brochure, printed on recycled paper, titled "Social Responsibility & Community Engagement," that outlines the company's environmental sensitivities. ... chief executive Bill Marriott blogs about the "greening of Marriott." ... travels to hotel groundbreakings to tout environmentally sensitive buildings and speaks regularly about his commitment to the subject."

" ... has installed low-flow shower heads and toilets at its hotels. It is moving to compact fluorescent light bulbs. It strives to reduce energy consumption year-over-year. At its headquarters cafeteria, Marriott is using biodegradable utensils made of potatoes. And by 2010, the firm hopes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1 million cubic tons."


" ... getting help from Conservation International, an on-the-ground protector of the environment that is now nudging companies ... toward meaningful green efforts."

Via:  Washington Post  Link

Via: Marriott  Link

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November 29, 2008

Solar Panels in Spanish Cemetary





Solar Panels on Spanish mausoleums"Santa Coloma de Gramanet, near Barcelona [Spain] , has placed 462 solar panels over its multi-storey mausoleums. ... the scheme was initially greeted with derision, but families who use the cemetery eventually supported the idea ... are now plans to erect more panels at the cemetery and triple the amount of electricity generated.Solar Panels in Spanish cemetary

" ... installation cost 720,000 euros (£608,000) but will keep about 62 tonnes of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere every year, 

" ...solar panels cover less than 5% of the total surface area of the cemetery, ... Santa Coloma de Gramanet - has four other solar parks, mostly on top of buildings, but the cemetery is by far the largest"

 

Via:  BBC News  Link

 

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November 28, 2008

GreenPots - Planters made from RICE





ecosource logoWhile browsing through the Longwood Gardens (/www.longwoodgardens.com/ - Kennett Square, Pa) gift shop, I came across a neat product ... GreenPots, made by Ecosource.  GreenPots These are planters that are environmentally friendly.

" ... ecosource was born… to source products that are better for the planet ... in order to minimize our own impact on the earth ... to keep goods affordable and accessible to tgreenposts logohe average consumer ..."

" are made from rice hulls, a natural by-product of renewable and sustainable crops ... contain no harmful ... ingredients, ... deplete no natural resources, breakdown to easily decompose in landfills or into the earth ... 

 

 

Via:  Ecosource  Link

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November 26, 2008

California Academy of Science - Greenest Museum?




The California Academy of Sciences is an example of GREN design - from solar cells, to green roof, to skylights to reused literature ... See the Video for more ... Via: ZDNet LINK
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November 24, 2008

BMW MINI E (electric)




 e-mini plugs in 

The very popular Mini (by BMW) is set to come out in a plug in version.  Dubbed the Mini e ... the first 500 are planned for the greater LA area and NYC.

"introduced the MINI E electric vehicle at the 2008 Los ABMW -e-Miningeles Auto Show ... MINI E is a pure electric ... runs on lithium-ion batteries. ... "

" ... have set up a special website where you can put your name on the list. ... taking reservations until December 10, 2008 ..."

" ... the MINI E will be the first lithium-ion powered electric to hit the streets in any quantity. This is just the start of more electric happenings to come. "

 

Via: Examiner.com LINK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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November 19, 2008

Vatican Solar Panels




Vatican Solar Panels

" ...the first solar panels have been installed on the Paul VI auditorium at the Vatican. ... BBC News reports Pope Benedict has become the first pontiff to harness solar power to provide energy for the Vatican."

"Roof tiles on the Paul VI auditorium, ...  are being replaced by 2,700 solar panels ... photovoltaic cells ... generating enough power to light, heat or cool the 6,000 seat hall ..."


" .... When ... not in use, the surplus energy produced will reportedly be fed into the Vatican's power network."

 

Via:  CathNews.com  Link

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