Must of us are too young to remember World War II rationing but climate scientists are calling for it in rich countries. The idea is to stop economic growth in developed countries to allow developing countries to continue to advance. Residents and businesses in countries like America and Germany would be asked to sacrifice to improve the lives of those living in poorer sections of the world.
Technology for a greener future
Archive for November, 2010
Climate change may be faster than we thought
The Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico is relying on new studies that show that climate change may be worse than initially thought. If you remember the goal at the Copenhagen conference was to reach an agreement to limit global temperature rise to two degrees Centigrade. Now scientists are saying that reaching the two degree mark is not likely. Instead scientists expect it to reach closer to three or four degrees. If nothing is done, we will probably see a rise of seven degrees.
Thermoelectric technology turns car exhaust into electricity
Purdue University researchers are developing technology that will turn the heat from vehicle exhaust into electricity. Collaborating with GM, the researchers are developing thermoelectric generators (TEGs) that will take that heat and use it to run vehicle electrical systems and reduce fuel use.
Air hybrid system adds new meaning to regenerative braking
When you talk about regenerative braking, you normally think of recharging a vehicle’s batteries. Researchers at the Universities of Brunel and Loughborough are working on a system where regenerative braking compresses air for use with cheaper, more fuel efficient buses and delivery vans.
Bio-waste becomes plastic using “trained” bacteria
TU Delft doctoral candidate and researcher Jean-Paul Meijnen has shown that bacteria can be “trained” to break down plant waste into the chemicals that are the basis of bioplastics. The bacteria goes through a little gene therapy, a little evolutionary selection and finally training to achieve this feat.
Easy to assemble and clean Sanergy toilets provide opportunities in Kenya
Sanergy was conceived as a new model of sanitation that would not only provide clean toilets but would also be a new business model. This new model is seen as a way to improve sanitation, health, the local economy, and the environment.
People Powered Poo Pump cleans up slums
A Cambridge researcher, Nate Sharpe has developed a method for cleaning up sewage in slums using a bicycle, bucket, hose and pump. Public housing and homeless shelters in industrialized countries are all connected to sewer systems that remove excrement. In many slum areas of the third world, sewer systems are non-existent. Bathrooms are latrines where urine and fecal matter can build up creating unsanitary conditions.
Fighting global warming by seeding the ocean with iron is a bad idea
Experiments that used iron to cause large blooms of plankton or algae in the Pacific Ocean seemed like a good idea at the time. Algae absorbs large quantities of carbon dioxide so creating more algae seemed like a no brainer for fighting global warming. Turned out to be a very bad idea. Large carbon dioxide blooms of algae were created but the algae released a toxin called domoic acid.
Baking soda doubles algae oil output in half the time
Researchers at Montana State University (MSU) have discovered that if you add baking soda at just the right time during the algae growth cycle, the algae will produce twice the amount of oil in half the time. There are two types of brown algae and one type of green algae that respond well to the addition of baking soda. For biofuel manufacturers that are using algae for oil production, this is a significant breakthrough.
The University of Bath is researching the costs of AC vs DC power
The University of Bath will spend the next six months comparing the costs of AC and DC networks. The experiment is designed to establish whether a DC system might save money and provide environmental benefits over the traditional AC system. If so, building DC networks could be worth building.