Good Fact

Paint to Electricity

- Cam Proctor

I don’t propose to understand how this works but apparently Ford is planning to capture the paint fumes from their Oakville plant to power a fuel cell that will convert the fumes into electricity! I knew paint fumes were strong stuff but who knew they could power a 300 kilowatt fuel cell completely eliminating NOX and reducing CO2 by 88%? I’ll tell you who knew, Ford knew.

“The Oakville installation is the first of its kind in the world to harvest emissions from an automotive facility for use in fuel cell,” said Kit Edgeworth, Ford’s abatement equipment technical specialist for Manufacturing. “It is the greenest technology and offers the perfect solution to the industry’s biggest environmental challenge traditionally.”

Google Investing in Green Companies

- Adam Clare

Google.org is looking to fund a lot of companies that are looking to improve cars to run off of electrifying technologies. Google sees a lot of promise in getting people to use plug-in cars because it would greatly reduce energy consumption in the USA.

Today, Google.org has issued a request for investment proposals (RFP) to the tune of $10 million in order to advance sustainable transportation solutions. We are inviting entrepreneurs and companies to show us their best ideas on how they can contribute to this important cause. We need catalytic investments to support technologies, products and services that are critical to accelerating plug-in vehicle commercialization. That is why we have structured this RFP to offer investment dollars to for-profit companies to promote social and environmental change.

This initiative continues Google’s adventure into trying to be super-green.

It’s NOT Going to be a Long Day

- Adam Clare

I had to fight with myself to get out of bed this morning. I hit that snooze button more times than I ever have before, it looked like today was going to be a little rough. Then I found this article How to raise the odds that it’s going to be a fantastic day!

So now I’m a little more optimistic about my day! Although I missed one of the suggestions:

Get up early. I know that sounds like punishment, and bed always feels especially comfortable first thing in the morning, but you should allow yourself plenty of time to get ready—and then some.

I follow this suggestion everyday, but it’s made easier because I ride my bike.

Vary your route to work as much as you can. Make it as interesting and varied as possible. Look around you. Enjoy the ride.

Keep it Cool with no Energy

- Adam Clare

The other day in Vancouver I was discussing the inefficiencies of refrigeration and now it seems kinda freaky that the headline “MAGNETIC REFRIGERATOR NEEDS NO ELECTRICITY” appeared on my monitor the next day. To get straight to the meat of the matter:

The new method uses opposing magnetic fields to increase the temperature of the materials employed. The heat energy is transported through a non-volatile fluid, such as water, and then thermodynamically reversed to a cold temperature. The scientists have already been able to cool a 20° C room to 11°C using the new technology.

Greenpeace Reveals Harsh Truths About the Boreal Rainforest

- Vanessa King

Now, you may think that ‘harsh truths’ doesn’t sound a lot like good news. But I beg to differ. I recently joined the Greenpeace e-mailing list, and by doing so I have been updated with some ‘harsh truths’ about our planet, but whats more this information is educating me on how to diminish my effect on the destruction of our planet and contribute to larger scale change. Which I feel is pretty good indeed.
My most recent e-mail was so very eye opening I felt the desire to share what detailed info I came across regarding Canada’s forests.
*Canada’s Boreal Forest is the largest ancient forest in North America and comprises 90% of the Countries remaining intact forest areas, providing habitat for endangered species like the woodland caribou, lynx, grizzly bear and wolverine. It also provides the largest storehouse of terrestrial carbon on the planet!
*The forest is home to nearly a million aboriginal peoples-many of these First Nations and Metis are currently in conflict with logging companies and governments over forestry in their traditional territories.
*Ancient forests are being detroyed at a rate of one football field every 2 seconds, and more than half of all forest destruction has taken place over the past 35 years.
*Consumers like us can make a difference by purchasing recycled paper products or FSC-certified products, refusing to buy from companies that use or sell products made from the destruction of the Boreal Rainforest and by taking action toward greener initiatives.
*In British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest many of these campaigns to stop deforestation, and the support of consumers and companies changing their ways, has led to the protection of great areas of the old growth forests totalling over 2 million hectares!!!!

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