2009: A Year in Waste

When it comes to energy there’s just something fascinating about waste products. Sure, the material’s almost always gross, but the idea of using garbage that would otherwise lay in piles or puddles makes great economic and environmental sense. Vancouver, for example, has plans to build six new waste-to-energy plants, dealing with the problems of residential garbage burning and reduced landfill capacity in one fell swoop.

So, in the spirit of sifting through piles for the best and brightest ideas, here’s a review of some of the icky, useful subjects that Flow waded through in 2009.

Banana peels

As it turns out, banana peels aren’t just for slapstick anymore. Like other cellulosic materials, bananas’ fibrous peels aren’t worth eating, which makes them a perfect source of biomass. The skins and leaves are mashed into a pulp and mixed with saw dust, which eventually hardens into bricks that can be burned as fuel.

Mountain pine beetle-killed wood

With mountain pine beetles spreading as fast as warmer winters will let them, the amount of wood destroyed by their infestation is growing. But while wood that’s been chomped on by the beetle’s larvae is useless as building material, it can still be packed into dense pellets for use as fuel. In fact, British Columbia has already integrated these wood pellets into its energy strategy through the BC Bioenergy Strategy.

Lumber mills

There are several ways to use the waste from lumber mills to create biofuels, from extract sugars from waste wood that can eventually be refined into ethanol, to the less tested bio-butanol, which has a more difficult refining process. Either way, in a country where “timber” is practically as important a phrase as “hello,” there’s no sense in letting wood waste go, well, to waste.

Manure

Manure, droppings or plain ol’ poop: call it what you will, but in the right hands the brown stuff is practically golden. Stories about the use of animal droppings as a fuel source were always cropping up in 2009, from a German town using its cows’ manure to produce biogas to chicken droppings as a source of heat to burning the methane from pig manure to produce electricity, no source is to smelly to be useful.

Shrimp shells

It takes a catalytic agent to turn biomass like canola oil into viable biofuel. As it turns out, an ideal source for that catalyst might be the chitinous shells of shrimp, which can not only increase the efficiency of biofuel production but, unlike other catalysts, is reusable. Hand it to researchers in Wuhan, China for turning a cocktail appetizer into a cleaner source of energy.

Finnish fish

All right, they don’t technically have to Finnish fish, but scientists in Finland are looking at the possibilities of fish waste in biodiesel. Between using fish’s chopped-off bits as an energy source or oceanic pollution, which would you choose?

Coffee grounds

Have you ever spilled a hot drink and watched a dark stain ruin the page you’d been reading? As it turns out, coffee’s (or tea’s) staining power can actually work to your advantage in a refillable ink cartridge fed by old grounds.

Cutaway your Christmas list

BibliOdyssey has the perfect gift idea for those impossible-to-buy-for people on your Christmas list. We bet they don’t have these.

Nuclear reactor wall charts.

Beautiful cutaway illustrations of the Super Phénix, the Snupps, the Fulton, a Canadian classic the Candu 3, the Douglas Point BRW/6, the Grand Gulf, the Guangdong and last but not least the Oskarshamn.

With this much choice, there is no excuse for not wrapping up you Christmas gift shopping today.

Image: UNM CSEL Nuclear Engineering Wall Chart Collection

Sea water to jet fuel

It’s true; you can make fuel out of just about anything these days. Scientists in the US Navy are making jet fuel out of sea water. Using a variation on the same technique used to make hydrocarbon fuels from syngas (derived from coal), they can extract carbon dioxide from the sea water.

Then, it can be further processed into unsaturated short-chain hydrocarbons, and refined into a kerosene-like fuel. The CO2 found in sea water is about 140 times more concentrated than in the air, making the ocean a veritable gold mine for this process.

With water, water everywhere, not a drop to drink, the Navy figured it should find some use for it other than floating their boats. With the threat of global warming, glaciers and icebergs melting, sea levels rising, maybe using sea water for fuel isn’t such a bad idea. After all, there may be a surplus.

Of course, they are developing it as a “clean” energy – or they will, provided they find the best catalyst; one that will create a minimum of carbon or methane during the process. Which means the glaciers and icebergs will not be melting, and there will not be a surplus of sea water…

But maybe the key here is using CO2- extracted from any source- as a fuel. This could solve a number of the worlds’ current problems, included global warming, and reliance on foreign oil.

Recycle CO2 as a fuel source, and reduce it in the atmosphere as well.

Shrimp shells

Food and fuel meet again; shrimp shells increase the efficiency of bio-fuel production.

The conventional method of turning soybean or canola oil into valuable fuels requires a single-use catalyst like sodium hydroxide that needs to be neutralized by lots of water. Despite making a “greener” fuel than gasoline, all this polluted water isn’t doing anybody any favours.

Scientists in Wuhan, China have done what they always knew makes a dish better- they have added shrimp. Not only is shrimp a cleaner catalyst, but it can be reused, and is much more efficient at rendering plant oil into bio-fuel.

The shrimp shells are composed mainly of chitin. That’s significant, because it’s a material that when heated, becomes very porous. That makes the process much faster. In only three hours, 89 per cent of the batch can been successfully converted.

The researchers at Hua Zhong Agriculture University heated the shrimp shells beforehand, making a framework material that is then mixed with potassium fluoride. The goal was to find an environmentally friendly way to make an environmentally friendly fuel.

Certainly the scientists were happy with the result. By adding shrimp shells to the process, there is less waste and pollution, less energy required due to its efficiency and no wasted water to neutralize. Additionally, there is less cost associated with this method, as the shrimp shell catalyst can be used again, and shrimp are cheap to acquire. The results are a sustainable process and a cleaner fuel.

That’s a deliciously good solution for all.

Drive-through energy

The bad news: the Whopper is still bad for you. The good news? All that kinetic energy going to waste when you pull your car through the drive-thru window will be put to good use.

At least, it will be at a Burger King in New Jersey. They’re experimenting with speed bumps that could actually harness enough energy to power half a million homes. Company officials say the energy collected could be routed right into the power grid.

Using a regenerative technology similar to that used in hybrid cars, metal plates in speed bumps are pushed down as a car drives over them. The movement of these plates can create kinetic energy, which translates to as much as 30 kilowatts per hour.

While this doesn’t exactly offset the emissions from either the cars or cows involved, it’s a step in the right experimental direction. The company who developed this prototype, New Energy Technologies, is eager to apply it to busy intersections, toll booths, and any number of other places that cars drive.

In the UK, tests are already underway with similar technology in supermarket parking lots and residential speed bumps. The collected energy is used to power nearby traffic and street lights, but could also be stored or fed into the local power grid.

Some have criticized Burger King for attempting to “greenwash” an unhealthy and ecologically unfriendly habit.  But if people are driving their cars for a quick burger anyway, generating electricity from that is still bonus. Provided, of course, you don’t look the gift cow in the mouth.

Eco ice cream

Is carbon-counting the next big food trend? Unilever is introducing a new low-carbon “ambient” ice cream. You read that right.

In an effort to reduce their carbon footprint, the company responsible for other successful ice creams such as Ben & Jerry’s, has developed an ice cream that need not be frozen until the consumer takes it home.

Freezing is an incredibly carbon-intense process when done on such a large scale.  By omitting the frozen storage and transportation, Unilever hopes to see huge savings. The company is also making changes to their bases of operations, installing more energy-efficient appliances and making other carbon-smart energy upgrades.

Low-carbon ice cream sounds like a great place to start. But the company is less confident about how the product will be received, and even how it will taste. If you’ve ever let a bowl of ice cream melt, and tried sticking it back in the freezer, you’ll understand why.

A spokesperson for Unilever says “when the ambient ice cream is frozen at home it will have the right microstructure to produce a fantastic consumer experience.”  But will the product taste any good after it’s been frozen in an uncontrolled environment?

So far, it looks like taste has taken a back seat to carbon-conciousness. But as any carb-counter will tell you; if it tastes good, it must be bad for you – and may be bad for the planet too!

Energy Horoscope

Virgo  August 23 – September 22

What have you been building for yourself lately? How about for the planet? With one-third of Canada’s energy use going to running homes, offices and other buildings, it’s important that we build a greener future for the planet by modifying how we build and how we use our buildings. If you haven’t already, consider taking advantage of Canada’s push towards energy efficiency retrofits. The residential energy assessment initiative was crated by the Office of Energy Efficiency of Natural Resources Canada to connect residential property owners with licensed energy advisors who would perform an assessment to identify how your home uses energy, where it’s being wasted and what you can do to save energy and money in the long-run. If you’re really ambitious, once you complete an energy efficiency retrofit you could also apply for a grant to complete other initiatives such as increasing attic insulation or replacing your gas furnace with a qualified ENERGY STAR® model.

Libra  September 23 – October 22

Are you or anyone you know getting geared up for back-to-school season? Ever consider getting green gear? Try to look for supplies with recycled content, and even more ideally, post-consumer recycled content. Often manufacturers will mislead consumers into thinking they’re purchasing something recycled, when really the recycled material comes from waste materials from the manufacturing process. As well, consider purchasing electronics such as computers that have the Energy Star label, which are the more energy efficient models. Also, if you have children, empower them early to make their own wise health and eco-conscious consumer decisions by teaching them to read labels and find out more about the products they use, using such tools as lesstoxicguide.ca which rates specific products according to toxicity levels.

Scorpio  October 23 – November 21

Does the all-around chaos of back-to-school season drive you mad? Instead of being driven mad, stop and plan what’s being driven when it comes to transportation for you and/or other students you know. For example, you can reduce the number of vehicles on the road by implementing a ride sharing program and there are resources available online to assist in the effort of finding other like-minded individuals. If you have children and live relatively close to the school, join or start an arrangement in which neighbourhood children walk or bike to and from school together under the supervision of an adult. If you have to drive to pick children up, be cognizant of wasteful habits such as idling outside of the school, especially for any period longer than 10 seconds.

Sagittarius  November 22 – December 21

Is back-to-school season driving you out to lunch? Consider that a significant source of waste in schools and offices is packed lunches. Fortunately there are ways to mitigate the impact they have on the environment. The first step is purchasing reusable lunch boxes and packing individual comestibles like sandwiches, drinks and fruit slices in reusable containers. Also, consider talking the teacher or lunchroom supervisors into setting up a vermicomposter to dispose of compostable materials. Your lunch shopping habits can also have a huge influence on the environment. For example products should be purchased in bulk and divvied into smaller reusable containers at home, therefore reducing the amount of packaging, and therefore emissions, used overall. Also, avoid purchasing products contained in No. 7 plastics, such as some water bottles, which may contain bisphenol A. When it comes to food and the environment, it’s the little things that add up and ultimately prevent an environmental reality that could really turn your stomach.

Capricorn  December 22 – January 19

Do you or your kids consider back-to-school season a time to start fresh and look your best? Back-to-school clothing purchases are a contributing cause of the peak in unnecessary consumerism that occurs this time of year. But if you or your kids insist on having a brand spanking new wardrobe to sport for the first day back, there are eco-conscious ways of greening your threads. For example, always purchase clothing that is manufactured close to home as a rule of green thumb not just to avoid extensive use of carbon emission-spewing engines, but also to fuel the economic engine as well. Also, only purchase fabrics like organic cotton, bamboo, soy, hemp or wool, keeping in mind that cotton production accounts for 25 per cent of the world’s pesticide use.

Aquarius  January 20 – February 18

Getting ready for a little back-to-school shopping? One journalist provides some useful tips that will help you green your shopping habits and encourage you to reflect on the degree to which this heightened level of consumerism is really necessary. First, ask yourself what you really need. Do a thorough inventory of what you already have. Who knows, you may be able to reuse supplies you never knew you had, and avoid a GHG spewing trip to the mall. For things you don’t have, is it possible that it could be shared, rented or borrowed? And finally, when you are done, think about what you can do with it after you’re done. Is it recyclable or compostable? Can it be traded or donated? Either way you look at it, the less consumerism and packaging needed for this yearly event, the more overall emissions and waste is reduced over time.

Pisces  February 19 – March 20

Have you had a lot of kids hanging around lately? While back-to-school time is top of mind, why not school them in topic of environmental awareness? There are a number of easy ways to inspire kids to start thinking ”green” by taking advantage of the increased interest in environmentalism increasingly demonstrated by kids today. The first step should be energy awareness and one site recommends assigning a “Power Captain” for the household who would be responsible for turning off the lights whenever people leave the room; give the Power Captain points or small rewards for every light they turn off. Other ways to instill a love for the greener side of life is planting a garden or making a game of sorting recyclable materials. Whether you provide them options on how to conserve water, such as turning off the faucet while teeth brushing, or encourage them to use reusable containers for lunches, you’d be surprised how much a little schooling now will stick with them well into their latter years.

Aries  March 21 – April 19

Do you enjoy a little political debate every now and then? You’ve probably noticed that people, who rarely vote or press for change, often complain about “the system”. Challenge yourself to be a doer instead of a talker this month when MPs come back to their seats at the House. In the first half of 2009 the primary focus has been economy, but now that things are starting to pick up again, you might want to encourage your politicians to focus on the environment. But don’t put the cart before the horse. First, educate yourself on all sides of energy and greenhouse gas issues by referring to bias-balanced sources for information, such as the Centre for Energy. From there you can develop an opinion based on thorough awareness of the issues and lobby the government for constructive change.

Taurus  April 20 – May 20

By the off chance, do you happen to work in the food service industry? Well, even if you don’t, being aware of how much energy is wasted by leaving freezer doors open and ovens running is a big step towards addressing the emissions problem. One large franchise owner is taking drastic steps to address this issue by installing sensors in the freezers of his various establishments, notifying him via text message every time someone leaves the doors open. Although not all restaurant owners can afford this approach, anyone who works or knows someone working in the food industry can save energy by remembering to shut doors, turning off unused ovens and even shutting the drive-through window in order to block air-conditioned air from escaping.

Gemini  May 21 – June 20

Have you been thinking seriously about reducing your carbon footprint? What about being paid to do it? The carbon offset market is booming so you might as well cash in and do your part to help the environment. My Emission Exchange is a free carbon-offset marketplace where members tally their carbon footprint and actually sell carbon credits to bidding companies, all of which is pocketed by the member. You can even calculate your current carbon footprint on their handy Express Calculator. Regardless of how large it is, if you can reduce your carbon footprint by 10 per cent annually, you earn carbon credits which can be sold at market value. What better way to encourage people to consider the effect their actions has on the environment, than to pay them to correct them?

Cancer  June 21 – July 22

Does the whole concept of carbon offsets and the existence of multiple offset providers make your head spin? Now, Canadians who wish to alleviate emissions guilt but don’t know who to go to can refer to a new guide released this summer that ranks carbon offsets and vendors. The guide, which was written jointly by the Pembina Institute and the David Suzuki Foundation, is the first of its kind in Canada and ranks 14 Canadian carbon offset vendors and six international vendors. One journalist said the fundamental difference between rankings in the guide seemed to hinge on the cost of offsets – the higher the cost the higher the ranking. Although some might debate the fairness of the judgment criteria, it’s a step in the right direction for those who want to be green, but don’t quite know where to go.

Leo  July 23 – August 22

Are you a bit of an activist? Do you like to affect change? If you’ve been protesting environment related issues, here’s a new one to add to your plate: feminism and how it’s linked to the environment. One journalist suggests that women’s rights are directly linked to climate change because the majority of people living in poverty are women and the majority of people severely affected by climate change are those living in poverty. The rationale is, the majority of impoverished people on the planet lack access to basic water supply and climate change induced drought require women to walk greater distances for water, causing fewer opportunities for education and career development. So next time you want to raise a stick or sign in favour of a good cause, consider killing two causes with one sign by fighting for women and the environment.

I’m Fantastic Bioplastic

The latest in eco-friendly attire to make its way down runways and bike trails in all the hottest fashion houses of New York, Milan and Hoboken: potato raincoats. That’s right. Soon you too could be the proud owner of your own spud duds. 

We’re assuming that it takes a heck of a lot of energy to manufacture plastic, so this eco-friendly alternative is right up our hiking path. This waterproof coat is made entirely of potato starch bioplastic and other natural resources, which makes it a 100% biodegradable and compostable. 

But don’t worry: it won’t mean that the coat will start biodegrading right off your back at the sign of the first heavy rain; it only starts biodegrading under very specific conditions. And this coat is more than just a pretty face: it educates every passer-by on bioplastics by telling them “I was a potato”.

Not all ‘biodegradable’ products are compostable and those with oxodegradable additives are frequently labeled improperly. That means that when the plastic disintegrates, its harmful components go into the earth.

But wait! There’s more: the coat can be planted once it’s no longer needed! The seeds are contained in a small clay ball which is integrated right into the raincoat.

The coat’s seeds contain Mediterranean herbs, flowers, trees and bushes. The product is a real European collaboration: produced in Spain with German bioplastic made out of more than 20 varieties of French potatoes.

Ah oui, oui. Be good to the Earth: plant a raincoat.

Eco-vending

Well…prepacked goods dispensed from brightly illuminated appliances is miles away from a truly green food source, but thanks to a new proposal from the U.S.’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, vending machines are gearing up to go green.

Currently the purveyors of pop guzzle approximately 1,900 kwh to 2,600 kwh per year. The proposed measures would cut energy use of glass- or polymer-front machines by as much as 42 percent and about 15 percent in the more traditional solid-front vending machines.

Each machine manufactured under the new standards would save about $320 per year in energy costs. With 3 million beverage vending machines in the United States, the energy savings would literally be pouring in.

And in the long-term, the savings are even more…er…juicy. Over a 30-year period, as much as 10 billion kwh of electricity could be saved.

How much is that? About enough electricity to heat roughly 800,000 homes for a year. The cost savings to the vending machine property owners would be in the $250 million range and CO2 emissions eliminated could be as much as 5 million metric tons, according to the Department of Energy. 

Doesn’t that just make you feel all warm and fizzy?

On-demand ocean hydropower

If solar or wind energy don’t float your boat, maybe generating power from waves will be more up your oceanic alley.

In an effort to create even more predictability from the ocean, Dartmouth Wave Energy, a British company has developed an energy converter called the Searaser, which is making waves. Literally.

The machine attaches to the ocean floor by a movable tether, which allows it to float up and down. Pumping is made possible by the motion of waves lifting the device as it rises and falls. This water is either pumped to shore to drive a turbine at sea level (the on-demand ocean hydropower part), or up a hill where it could be held in a reservoir and used as needed to drive a hydroelectric turbine.

So far the prototype has successfully pumped water up a 160 foot hill and the company expects a full-sized version to be able to pump water up a 650 foot hill and have the capacity to generate 0.25 MW per device. 

Looks like you would need  to corral a school of searasers to make this idea float.

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