CSIRO and Monash University have developed a chemical process that turns green waste into a stable bio-crude oil.
The process uses low value waste such as forest thinnings, crop residues, waste paper and garden waste, significant amounts of which are currently dumped in landfill or burned.
As you may have read on here before, or already knew, biofuel to-date has been made of corns and grains meaning a strain on the farming community which is already hurting.
However, the Sustainable Power Corporation still wants to move ahead with using feedstock to make the biofuel and then later try other components including algae. Announced today was he declaration that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (with Haytian Tractor & Equipment Co. S.A. ("HayTrac") located in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The Memorandum of Understanding is designed to produce Vertroleum green bio fuels that meet all ASTM specifications, including biocrude, biogasoline, jet fuel, marine fuel and other biofuels to be used in the generation of 24 megawatts of power.
While I support the idea of moving forward and finding a way to lessen our dependence on oil, I also believe it should be done in a practical and economically friendly manner. Which means finding the best avenue for making biofuel. It doesn't seem like SPC wants to wait any longer, they want to jump right in and use the feedstock regardless of the opportunities to save the feedstock for its true purpose and use green waste. Why do I care? Because if you need to grow more corn or soybeans or whatever, then you need more fertilizer and if you need more fertilizer you will actually be leaving a bigger carbon footprint in the act of trying to make a smaller one. Fertilizers release the largest amount of greenhouse gas into our atmosphere.
But since SPC has EXCLUSIVE rights to all green energy I suppose its all under their control and who am I to disagree.
Click here to order the poster you see in the image above. The poster will be printed by Greener Printer. They provide environmentally friendly printing services, featuring New Leaf Paper and Climate Cool shipping.
And the tagline is "Future Friendly is about living today, with tomorrow in mind."
So far the participating brands are Ariel, Lenor, Fairy and Flash. So far this is completely based in the UK, but I'm sure it will spread over here to the states soon enough. At least I hope we take the intiative.
I would definitely look for the future friendly mark on my products. If I see one with and one without I could be persuaded to change what I buy. I think this is a great idea. Like any cause, when I see something with the pink ribbon for breast cancer, I am more prone to buying that product than if it didn't have the ribbon. I suppose it makes me feel like I'm doing a small part in helping a big problem. =o)
So look for the Future Friendly logo if you wish to buy products that save energy and water or reduce waste.
The Center for ReSource Conservation has been around for over 30 years (in one form or another) educating people about energy technology. It has only been during the last 5 years they have branched out and begun working within four realms: Water, Waste, Energy, and Green Building.
In May of 2007 they released an article to the press titled, "Spring greening: 50 simple ways to be environmentally responsible." The article includes tips such as, "Water before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m. to prevent evaporation." Helpful green tips like that are important to share because a lot of people honestly just don't know why or what to do to "be green."
They are also responsible for installing solar hot water systems in low income housing units around Boulder, Colorado, their home base. On Sunday, September 30, 2007, they will be presenting The Boulder Tour of Solar and Green Built Homes. If you can make it out there you should check it out to "see first-hand that solar and green built homes are comfortable, practical, reliable, and affordable." It's all part of Solar Week in Boulder.
Of course I checked out the Sierra Club website today, it's something I try to do everyday. There was an article about biofuels, so I decided to give it a read through.
It seems that these are the days in which because are scrambling to figure out how to fix the mess that our environment is in...and figuring out other sources to make fuel from is a topic that keeps coming up. Biofuels produce less carbon dioxide.
BUT
Biofuel crops are typically grown on land which is burnt and reclaimed from tropical forests. Of course also, if you are clearing land to grow brops to make biofuel, there will be less land for farming and therefore the cost of food will rise. Like high yielding crops of corn and soy that will most likely be used to make biofuel. Corn will be the new caviar.
And I digress.
There will probably always be a Catch 22, an equal and opposite reaction...Murphys law, etc.
Back to the drawing board folks. How can we make carbon-free, renewable energy? If only the sun would shed some light on this problem...
