A recent report from the Carbon Trust notes that there are "more carbon emissions from crisps (potato chips) than cement." Although it may be a surprising bit of news at first, it conceals the greater issue of scale. Undoubtedly though, someone is certain to rail against potato chips and argue that we don't need to worry about cement production when snack foods are the bigger problem. While the Carbon Trust's statement is factually correct from one perspective, as the famous saying goes, there are "Lies, damned lies, and statistics", so let's talk about numbers a bit.

First, let's take a look at the amount of CO2 produced for each item. Producing cement releases about an equivalent amount of CO2 (producing one ton of cement releases one ton of CO2), while producing potato chips releases about 2.3 times as much CO2 (producing one ton of potato chips releases 2.3 tons of CO2). What is key here is that the factor of CO2 produced is in relationship to the weight of the finished product. Cement is much denser and heavier than potato chips, so a sack of cement has a much, much higher carbon footprint than an equivalent volume of potato chips.

Secondly, let's consider the annual production of each item. A figure for yearly global production of potato chips wasn't readily available, but just looking at relatively recent US consumption, roughly 3 million tons of potato chips are produced annually, yielding about 7 million tons of CO2. However, US cement production is around 100 million tons per year, yeilding about 100 million tons of CO2.

Even though cement produces less CO2 per pound, cement production is still nearly 15 times more significant to US production of CO2. Although there is more CO2 per unit of potato chips, a lot more cement is produced, which helps make that the larger problem.

However, there's more to it than just that. Global cement production in 2000 was 1.56 billion tons. The US production is only about 6% of that total. On the other hand, the US is probably responsible for a higher percentage of total potato chip consumption, so the global figure for cement production is even more significant.

Big numbers and surprising ratios can catch our attention, but it's important to look at the overall picture. Although more CO2 per pound was released when the potato chips were made, a one pound bag of potato chips still represents less impact than an 80 pound sack of cement; the bags are far from equivalent to one another.  And even though producing a pound of chips releases more CO2 than producing a pound of cement does, that doesn't make potato chips a greater environmental hazard than cement.

Thanks @MelStarrs

Image credit: CC-By-SA-2.5 by Paul Hurst

Amtrak is on course to break its annual ridership record this year.  By the halfway point (their fiscal year starts in October), 13.6 million passengers have traveled on the rail system.

Ridership for March 2010 was up 13.5 percent from March 2009 on its popular Acela line and five short-haul routes had double digit increases in the past six months too.  All this bodes well for the rail system's request to Congress for a $446 million budget increase that would go towards upgrading to more fuel-efficient trains, possibly including GE's diesel-electric rail cars.

If this trend continues and more passengers choose rail travel over air travel, the environment stands to benefit greatly.  The Guardian has reported that train travel reduces greenhouse gas emission by a factor of five to 10 compared to air travel on domestic trips.  And if Amtrak upgrades to more efficient trains, the emissions savings could grow even more.

via DC Streetsblog and Guardian

Just yesterday we brought you news of Cree's new module that will soon be working it's way into lighting fixtures. We asked when we'd see their technology taking the shape of high-brightness bulbs that could fit in for home use.

The answer was within the next year or two. But today GE announced that they'll have an LED bulb replacement using Cree's LEDs available by the end of 2010. Now, let's be clear, this joint project from Cree and GE isn't as bright or as technologically advanced as the module we discussed yesterday, but it is a huge step forward for LED technology and I can't wait to get my hands on one (or a dozen).

These bulbs will fit into any traditional bulb socket and will produce about as much light as a 40 watt bulb. It consumes just 9 watts and lasts up to 17 years. It doesn't contain any hazardous substances but will cost up to $50. 

Of course, over the life of the bulb, it will be cheaper than incandescents, but when you just want a new lightbulb, it's hard to choose the $50 one over the $0.50 one.

April 9, 2010 – General Electric has revealed its latest LED replacement for the standard 40 watt incandescent bulb, due out in late 2010 or early 2011. It is expected to consume just 9 watts of electricity, provide a 77% energy savings and last more than 25 times longer than its incandescent cousin.

April 8, 2010 – The office supply giant has teamed with EarthEra, a program of North America’s largest producer of wind and solar power, NextEra Energy Resources, to launch their “Greener Shipping” program – investing in EarthEra renewable energy products with money saved by participating businesses.

Cree, one of the world leaders in LED-for-lighting technology, is bringing a new product to market that could help rapidly increase the adoption of LED lighting. LEDs are complicated, the drivers to control them, the optics to focus them, even the bodies to house them have to be specially designed for heat management. These are all things that the manufacturers of lighting fixtures are not used to thinking about. They just take the light, plug into into a power source, and it's supposed to work.

That's why Cree is going to be producing the LRM4 line of LED modules. Everything is included, so the folks designing and manufacturing the light fixtures don't have to be experts in semiconductors to make it work.

The LRM4 is also feature Cree's new "TrueWhite" lighting technology. By combining specially tuned red and yellow LEDs (you can actually see them in the image above) Cree is able to match the warm light from a 65 watt incandescent bulb quite well. Other advantages over fluorescent lights include longer lifespan (over 12 years before the bulb dims more than 70%) full dimming capability and even higher efficiency.

Of course, the disadvantage is likely to be the price, which Cree wouldn't disclose in a recent interview.

The lights are directional, so they're only suitable for directional lighting applications like in-ceiling lighting and desk lamps. The modules will be built into various designs by manufacturers and then those products will be available for sale "soon," likely first at specialty lighting stores.

Finally, I had to ask Cree about traditional bulb applications and whether this high-quality, high-brightness, surprisingly awesome technology might make it's way into multi-directional, Edison socket formats they replied, "Those are coming. You will see those come over the course of the next year to two years"

Engine idling is a significant factor in gasoline engine inefficiency, making up as much as 17% of the fuel consumed in urban driving. To address this, some manufacturers are looking at incorporating hybrid-style technology such as start-stop systems as a way of gathering some of the "low-hanging fruit" of hybrid efficiency for the non-hybrid vehicles in their fleet.

Start-stop (turning off the engine instead of idling at red lights and other times when the car isn't moving) is already a staple of hybrid vehicles. But start-stop technology only costs $300-400 per vehicle, as opposed to the thousands of dollars a full-hybrid version of a vehicle represents.

European and Asian markets have taken to this more readily, while in the US, Mazda has encountered EPA testing regulations that offer no fuel-efficiency credit for their i-stop system. BMW, Smart, Mercedes-Benz, and Mini are also working on adopting this technology to vehicles in their fleets.

via: bnet

image: Mazda 3 i-stop

April 6, 2010 - Plus Minus Solar, a U.K. based firm dedicated to the design and development of innovative humanitarian products for the developing world, will be releasing its Solar Pebble in Uganda this June - a solar-powered device aimed at replacing the highly toxic kerosene lamps used for lighting in much of rural Africa.

The largest non-profit health maintenance organization (HMO) in the country is getting into the solar game.  Kaiser Permanente has announced plans to install 15 MW of solar PV arrays on their buildings throughout California, saying "what's good for the environment is good for our health."

Hospitals, offices and other buildings will be outfitted with the arrays by next summer by solar company Recurrent Energy.  Recurrent will own and operate the systems with Kaiser agreeing to purchase the power over 20 years.  The solar energy generated by the installations will equal 10 percent of Kaiser's energy usage at those facilities, getting them closer to their goal of having 25 percent of their energy come from renewable sources by 2020.

Over the course of the 20-year agreement, Kaiser will pay about the same amount for the solar energy as they would for power from the grid, but if energy prices go up, the company could save quite a bit of money during that time, while cutting emissions in the process.

via Green Inc.

Japanese company Teijin Ltd has designed an ultra-light concept EV that barely tips the scales at 963 pounds, showcasing technologies and manufacturing methods that shed weight, but, unfortunately, also make the car unsafe to drive.

The PU_PA EV is a two-seater that weighs about half of a normal EV and almost 60 percent less than a smart fortwo, which weighs in at 1,600 pounds.  The designers used techniques like integral molding to reduce the amount of parts to 100, compared to 20,000 parts for a normal EV.  The core structure was made of feather-weight carbon composite material and the interior fabrics were made from biodegradable PET.

The car does run -- it's capable of reaching 35 mph and has a range of about 60 miles -- but it would be illegal to take it on the road.  The polycarbonate resin windshield is half the density of glass, making it weigh less, but also making it unsafe.  Other problems include the headlights not having enough light density and the lack of airbags.

But the point of the car is less about putting it on the road now than inspiring new ways to shed weight in our cars and therefore increase fuel efficiency (electricity or gas).  The designers think that a road-safe version of the PU_PA EV (hopefully with another name) could be ready in five to 10 years.

via TechOn

April 2, 2010 – The world’s second largest parcel delivery company revealed this week a pilot program which will bring four new all-electric delivery vehicles to the U.S. market. The company will begin use of the trucks, which it had built from the ground up optimized for all-electric usage, in Los Angeles beginning this June.

Microsoft has a new partner for its Hohm software:  Ford Motor Co.  The two companies are pairing up to outfit Ford's electric vehicles with Hohm's energy management tools.

The partnership will allow the EV drivers to charge their cars in a more affordable and responsible way, lessening the strain on the grid during peak hours and allowing the utilities to better cope with the demands of EVs as they become more commonplace.  Smart grid tools are necessary for electric cars to be successful, so integrating this type of energy management software right into the car is a great step by Ford.

The software will be installed in future all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles from Ford, beginning with the all-electric Ford Focus in 2011.  Ford and Microsoft will also be working with individual utilities and cities to bring together what they're calling the "entire energy ecosystem."

via GreenBiz

 

Cree is a leading manufacturer of LEDs and the circuitry and components needed to bring them into our homes and businesses. They've been growing like crazy and, thankfully, have also managed to hire someone who knows something about social media. That someone decided to show, very clearly, the effects of incandescent lighting on the Easter Bunny. The result? Incandescent lights KILL THE EASTER BUNNY! So if you don't want the Easter Bunny to die...you should consider investing in some next-generation lighting technology.

The EPA and the International Maritime Organization have announced stricter emissions regulations for ships operating in the waters off the coast of the U.S. and Canada.

Starting in 2012, ships within 200 nautical miles of the shores will either have to use cleaner, more expensive fuel that contains less sulfur or be equipped with scrubber devices that clean the sulfur dioxide from the exhaust.  By 2016, new ships will have to use advanced emissions control systems.

California already implemented an emissions control zone within 24 nautical miles of its shore last year and ships have tried avoiding the area.  These new rules extend the control zone along most of North America and much farther out to sea, so avoidance won't be an option anymore.

The EPA says the emissions controls will reduce U.S. NOx emissions by 1.2 million tons annually and particulate matter emissions by 143,000 tons annually.

via Green Inc.

March 31, 2010 – The American automaker has instituted a new technology management program which centralizes all the power settings on the company’s Windows laptops and desktops, optimizing software updates and reducing energy waste by shutting down all computers when not in use.

We've all been waiting to hear what exactly Nissan has meant by "competitively priced" when describing the LEAF.  Well, now we know.  The all-electric sedan will have a sticker price of $32,780, slightly more than expected, but still pretty cheap for an EV.

At that price, the LEAF is a good $10,000 more expensive than gas-fueled sedan models like the Honda Civic, Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima, but cheaper than announced prices for EV models like the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Coda Automotive's sedan and far below the nearly $60,000 Tesla Model S.  Plug In America calls the price a "game changer" and I'd have to agree.

Not convinced?  Here's more to consider.  The price includes the installation of a home charging station, it will be available for lease for $349 a month (not too shabby when you compare it to the mortgage-sized lease payment for the Tesla Roadster) and once you apply federal tax credits, you're actually looking at a $25,280 car.  If you live in a state like California that's offering an additional $5,000 rebate, that price drops to $20,280.

Now you're in the territory of a base model Toyota Prius.  The cost of a hybrid, but it's all electric.  I have a feeling there are people at GM right now recrunching the numbers for the Chevy Volt.

via Nissan and Earth2Tech

 

FedEx says it will be the first U.S. delivery service to add all-electric trucks to their fleet.  Starting in June, the company will enter four EVs into service in Los Angeles.

Two of the trucks will come from Navistar, based on a design the parcel service already is using in Europe.  FedEx has 10 EV vans in London and five scheduled to enter routes in Paris.  The other two trucks are coming from a yet unnamed company.

FedEx plans to eventually have electric charging stations powered by solar arrays or even the Bloom Energy Server at its various locations for its electic fleet to juice up.

While it slowly transitions to all-electric vehicles, the company is making good use of hybrid technology.  They've been converting old trucks into hybrids and their Bronx, NY outpost exclusively uses hybrid vans.

via Press Release

March 30, 2010 – General Motors will unveil their new non-hybrid sedan, the Chevrolet Cruze Eco, At the New York Auto Show this week. At 40 mpg, the Cruze Eco achieves better gas mileage than comparable hybrid’s made by Nissan, Toyota and

Energizer's DUO Charger is a battery charger for NiMH (nickel metal hydride) rechargable batteries. (This isn't the same as USB batteries that have a built-in USB port on the batteries themselves.) Energizer provided a nice little desktop app for computers so that the user could see the charge status of their batteries along with the charger. We're not sure what the point of this is, really. I mean, is the indicator light on the charger not enough for you?

Unfortunately, that app included a Trojan that would compromise security and open a back door for unauthorized access on Windows machines. The trojan allows files to be sent and executed on your machine without your permission. There are alerts about this from both the computer security company Symantec as well as from US-CERT (Computer Emergency Readiness Team). Energizer has an advisory notice on their site where the software was downloaded from.

Only users with Windows computers who downloaded the software are at risk; there is noting in the battery charger hardware itself that threatens computers. If you have installed this software, which you would have had to seek out and download separately, you need to uninstall it to prevent it from putting your computer system at risk.

[Edit to add: It's pretty clear that Energizer was not a willing party to this.  They have stopped providing the software for download and put out the announcement about the problem.  They also note they are "currently working with both CERT and U.S. government officials to
understand how the code was inserted in the software."]

My advice, never install software for a piece of hardware that obviously doesn't need it. Battery chargers should charge batteries, there's no reason to make that relationship more complicated.

Link: Energizer advisory (PDF)

A boat aptly called the Plastiki, made out of 12,500 recyclable plastic bottles filled with carbon dioxide, has set sail for a great voyage through the Pacific.  While it seems like an extreme stunt, the journey has more of a purpose than just seeing if a plastic boat can make the trip.

By now, many of us have heard about the giant collection of floating plastic known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.  The large aquatic dump is located in the North Pacific Gyre, one of the five major vortices of currents in the world's oceans.  It is twice the size of Texas and contains billions of tiny pieces of plastic.

The boat's crew including David de Rothschild, Jo Royle and David Thomson came up with this interesting way to draw more attention to the tons of plastic that make it into our oceans.  They constructed the Plastiki to tour the Pacific Ocean, teaching us about recycling and lowering our consumption along the way.

The team will take approximately three months to reach Sydney, Australia from San Francisco, heading straight through the garbage patch.  They will also visit other environmental hot spots including damaged coral reefs and low-lying island nations threatened by rising sea waters.

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