Another step toward algae diesel

An American company called Solazyme has announced that its algae derived biodiesel has passed US standards testing and is compatible with unmodified diesel engines. The process can use waste materials and has a big advantage over farmed biodiesel in that it doesn't take capacity away from food production.

via Jalopnik

Technorati tag: biodiesel

The tropical Atlantic ozone sink

Measurements in the Atlantic have shown that the actions of ultraviolet light and sea spray are scrubbing ozone and methane out of the atmosphere in the area faster than expected. Which is fairly good news, if only we can stop pumping out so many pollutants the Earth may clean the rest up faster than we deserve.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Energy independence begins at home

Gordon Brown has announced a £100billion renewable energy plan. The Daily Mail and its readers have reacted as you'd expect, ignoring the boost to the economy from all the jobs created and the opportunities through grants to go energy independent.

So, those of you who can, I'd recommend stealing a jump on the whingers and using their tax money to go off grid. When I researched grants for solar panels last month I found that the existing scheme had been phased out, which was annoying. I'm now willing to give Brown the benefit of the doubt and hope this was because they were gearing up to a new and improved scheme. It isn't easy. I'm not as obnoxiously and knee-jerkingly anti Brown/New Labour as the Mail's readers, but past performance does mark the Government as untrustworthy.

The schemes for householders will be announced later this Summer. I'll be looking out for them and will try to do some number crunching on them when they arrive.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Guerrilla Gardening in Tokyo

Even one of the most densely populated cities in the world still has some space for an enterprising guerrilla to plant tomatoes.

via BoingBoing

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Algae powered adventures in Chicago

In a piece of brilliant education a Chicago science teacher ran a project with his students to see if they could create enough biodiesel from algae to run a VW camper on a 20 mile round trip from their school to the Sears tower and back again. The algae "farm" was set up in a corner of the classroom, using fluorescent lamps to double for sunlight, and the resulting liquid separated in a centrifuge at a proper lab. A writer for Jalopnik was along for the ride as the battered old vehicle puttered its way through the windy city's heavy Friday traffic.

Obviously the small scale set up the students used was probably carbon negative overal, with its reliance on pumps and artificial light, but large scale algae farms could benefit from natural light and wind or solar PV to power any motors.

Technorati tag: Biodiesel

CO2 scrubbers, a step toward a technological fix

A team of Arizona based scientists believe they are close to building CO2 "scrubbers". These will collect the greenhouse gas from the atmosphere using plastic membranes that could later release the gas into greenhouses or other more permanent traps. They're not the solution, millions would be needed to soak up current production levels and I doubt they'll be cheaper than most of the methods used to reduce emissions at source, but they could be deployed as part of a clean up campaign.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

The Suzuki Crosscage- a hydrogen fuel cell powered motorbike

Suzuki are at the testing stage with their fuel cell powered motorbike, which sounds like an option for commutes that are too long for cycling (over ten miles I'd say).

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Next generation wind power

Scifi blog io9 looks at a couple of wind power options for domestic use. The micro turbine borders on a joke, but the Phillipe Starck designed transparent turbine is pretty. I'm still not convinced by wind power in suburbia because at least one study has shown that the small windmills erected by house owners don't go high enough to get away from the blocking effects of nearby structures. They might be effective atop taller buildings though.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Mancat saves £300,000 by going Green

Mancat college in Manchester has cut its fuel bills by almost a half by adopting energy saving technology and techniques on its campus.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Build your own biosphere

I used to have a biosphere and loved it. It survived a couple of years despite a very slow leak and more than once being stuck in a box for months after a move. As well as being pretty, they're a neat little image of the world. The video above introduces the concept of building your own biosphere in a Kilner jar. The secret ingredient is pond scum.

This page has more biosphere information, including a series of experiments to see what works best.

via BoingBoing

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Manchester University wins an eco award

Manchester University has won an award for making its student accomodation more environmentally friendly.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

The Virtual Forest

The Virtual Forest is a Spanish endeavour to get people cutting their greenhouse gas emissions by appealing to their wallets. The energy saving questionnaire it offers stresses the financial benefits of saving energy as much as the environmental. They also promise to plant trees for you, in Second Life and real life.

The site is bilingual and there are phrases that seem imperfectly translated, but not as badly as I've seen elsewhere. The questions on your energy consumption are also formed from a Spanish perspective. For example, here in Manchester I find I never have need for any form of sun shade to keep the house cool. The cultural differences don't minimise the message however, and I'd really like a Second Life tree.

This review was paid for through ReviewMe.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

The Oxford Road Green Corridor

Plans are in place to close sections of Oxford Road to all traffic but special buses (and bikes?). The scheme won't begin for around five years and is dependent upon the introduction of a congestion charge and the access to funds that will allow.

Oxford Road is already officially the busiest bus route in Europe. Perhaps it's time to let them take some of it over. The planned closed section covers the only part of the road that I regularly cycle on, from around the University all the way into the centre, so I hope they intend to stick a cycle lane into the mix.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

The Rural ZED house- affordable eco-homes

ZEDFactory, a design and build consortium, have announced the RuralZED house. It's timber framed modular design and incorporation of recycled materials make it an affordable net-zero energy home that they hope will lead the way for future developments.

chnorati tag: EcoHouse

Branson's biofuelled jumbo

A Virgin 747 has flown from Heathrow to Schiphol with one of its fuel tanks filled with 20% biofuel. Richard Branson says that commercial flights will be powered by algal biofuel and is investing in alternative fuel development. However, there are questions about the effectiveness of teh systems Virgin will be using, the biggest of which is why aren't they working to cut flights?

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Manchester Arndale to go Green

All the businesses in Manchester's Arndale shopping centre have pledged to go Green, cutting their carbon footprint and increasing recycling. The only problem is that a shopping centre exists to encourage consumption. Before the goods arrive and after they leave they have an impact on the environment, no matter how green the shops that sell them are.

Technorati tag: Shopping

The Leading New York General Contractor Goes Green

I'm not sure what the UK equivalent of a general contractor is, some sort of one stop building renovations. My Home say they're they're the leading general contractor in New York and have announced in a press release that they intend to promote green options for their projects.

There are some deniers whose argumnents have moved on to moaning about the cost of going green. They just can't see, or refuse to acknowledge, the flip side of their argument- that the economy is going to get a boost from all the companies being paid to work on green projects.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Battle of the Green streets

Streets with Green in their name are competing against each other to see which can save the most money and energy. the winning street will get £50,000 toward community projects.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

One solution for city centres

Science fiction blog io9 has concept sketches for a possible repurposing of a mundane and moribund city centre.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Green home blues

The Prince of Wales plans to build a low carbon house out of natural materials, even if that means it won't attain the highest possible green building rating.

Some people are becoming convinced that the Government's stamp duty rebate for zero carbon homes is actually a con. It's possible the scheme will take off slowly, but I would be unsurprised, though a little disappointed, if the requirements for eligibility have been set too narrow deliberately.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Climate change denial can lead to poverty

Iain Martin roles out is a tired old argument that I've heard several times before. So this is as good a time as any to reply.

"but it makes no sense to send our economy, or those of developing countries, into reverse gear on the back of apocalyptic warnings by those who enjoy predicting disaster"

Really? Who is going to build the windmills? Manufacture and mount the solar panels? Build all the low energy houses? Bring existing houses up to standard? Where are they going to spend the billions that stand to be made? What are home owners going to do with the money they save by cutting down on waste?

How blinkered do you have to be to miss the huge opportunities that are available to the early adopters of energy saving technologies? You can finesse your arguments against climate change as much as you want, but you'd be an idiot if you couldn't see the advantages of switching to renewables and becoming more efficient.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

To Timbuktu on Chocodiesel

Biotruck took a biodiesel processing plant to Timbuktu in Mali, so the locals could produce fuel from waste cooking oil. They made the journey carbon neutral by powering their truck with biodiesel derived from waste chocolate.

via BoingBoing

Technorati tag: Biodiesel

Environmental news round up

Nuclear clean-up bill £12bn higher than predicted.

Manchester Council announces carbon cutting plans.

Using thermoelectrics to cut fuel consumption.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Grown up green

grownupgreen aims to encourage people to think and act in ways which protect and improve the natural environment and shows how sustainable development is relevant to all of us.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Grant Management - Green letting agency

Grant Management promise that all the properties they let are carbon neutral because their energy use is offset by buying trees. If that were all it would be nice, but just a bit of canny marketting. However, their About Us section suggests that the commitment goes deeper-

About Our Commitment to the Environment

Grant Management has embraced the environment by achieving carbon neutral status. This was accomplished by reducing the company's carbon footprint and offsetting the balance through tree planting via Global Trees. Additionally, Grant Management has made the properties it manages carbon neutral, recycling, re-using and sharing environmental knowledge and ideas with other individuals and companies.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

The useful + agreeable house

The u + a house is a pre-designed (not pre-fab) pod with a skin of aircraft grade aluminium, minimal footprint and built in solar and other energy saving features.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Environmental news round up

Trees absorb less carbon dioxide as the world warms up.

The ability of forests to soak up man-made carbon dioxide is weakening, according to an analysis of two decades of data from more than 30 sites in the frozen north.

Oil price hits $100 per barrel for the first time.

German cities ban the most polluting cars.

Solar school in Trafford.

A School in Trafford is about to become one of the country's 'greenest' when solar panels are installed on its roof as part of a renewable energy drive.

Sale Grammar School is being given the panels, which are worth about £20,000, by the Co-operative Group.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Comparative Planetology

Kim Stanley Robinson has some interesting things to say about mankinds effect on the environment and the badly thought out assumptions behind some ideas of sustainability.

It’s easy to imagine people who are bored in the modern techno-surround, as I call it, and they’re bored because they have not fully comprehended that they’re still primates, that their brains grew over a million-year period doing a certain suite of activities, and those activities are still available. Anyone can do them; they’re simple. They have to do with basic life support and basic social activities unboosted by technological means.

And there’s an addictive side to this. People try to do stupid technological replacements for natural primate actions, but it doesn’t quite give them the buzz that they hoped it would. Even though it looks quite magical, the sense of accomplishment is not there. So they do it again, hoping that the activity, like a drug, will somehow satisfy the urge that it’s supposedly meant to satisfy. But it doesn’t. So they do it more and more – and they fall down a rabbit hole, pursuing a destructive and high carbon-burn activity, when they could just go out for a walk, or plant a garden, or sit down at a table with a friend and drink some coffee and talk for an hour. All of these unboosted, straight-forward primate activities are actually intensely satisfying to the totality of the mind-body that we are.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

The XR-3 Hybrid

The XR-3 plug in hybrid is a self build project that promises between 100 and 225 miles per gallon (US gallons, US=3.785411784 Litres- UK=4.54609 Litres, according to this page). You can pre-order the instructions, $170 for the basic set, $200 for the deluxe version with lots of data on a dvd. There are plans to produce body and chassis parts within the year for those of us who aren't so adept at laying carbon or glass fibre.

via Jalopnik

Technorati tag: Green Transport

The Green car show

Wired went to the International Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exposition to drool over pollution free motoring and photograph lots of cool technology.

Technorati tag: Electric car

Wind power for all

Great Britain could get all its energy from offshore wind farms.

Technorati tag: Wind Power

The power of cheese

An Austrian cheese factory now gets some of its power from a gas burner that uses methane released when whey is heated. The system, created by a Rochdale business, is dual fuel, switching to piped natural gas when methane production is too low, and has helped the factory cut its carbon footprint by 30%.

Technorati tag: Renewable Energy

Chicago's green alleys

Chicago, which claims to have more square miles of alleyway than any other city, is starting to pave them with permeable materials that will reduce run off and cut the heat island effect. They'll also be installing low energy lighting. The initial costs are greater than just relaying concrete or tarmac but cut the risk of flooded basements and other knock on effects.

Perhaps the scheme could be extended to pavement outside the ally and other pedestrian areas. Far too many of the pavements around here drain off into huge puddles on roads or where there are dips. Take it another step further and let's have rules that require these materials be used in domestic paving to mitigate all the short sightedconcreting of front lawns that's become so prevalent.

via Common sense Agriculture, Conservation and Energy

Technorati tag: Drainage

Europe's trees are absorbing more carbon than expected

The forests of Europe are a more effective carbon sink than previously believed. Between 1990 and 2005 they absorbed nearly 11% of emissions, over twice the amount calculated in 1992. Forestation isn't going to solve all our carbon emission problems, but it has to help.

Technorati tag: Forests

Using Africa's sun to power Europe and provide fresh water

Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan has proposed a grand solar power scheme to the European Union. Using cheap land on the African and Middle Eastern coasts of the Mediterranean, a string of concentrating solar power stations could be constructed to generate power for local towns and Europe and run desalination plants to provide fresh water.

It's another grand scheme, and I'm dubious of grand schemes, but it has the benefit of being made up of lots of smaller components. Rather than waiting a decade for one big power plant to come online, as with nuclear or plans like the Severn Estuary barrier, saller plants can be built in shorter time periods and start making a difference immediately.

Technorati tag: Solar Power

Google saves the world

Google is to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in renewable energy technologies. The company has a division which aims to develop renewable energy sources that are cheaper than coal.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

The CBI goes Green

The Confederation of Bitish Industry has released a report saying they must do something about climate change. Coming from what used to be an institutionalised denier this is a big step forward. But the details could be more promising. They're calling for the development of nuclear power and have plans to cut 1 million of teh 370million tons of carbon dioxide produced by member corporations. And they may still back such unGreen proposals as airport expansion.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

The wind up media player

Backed by Trevor Baylis, he of the wind up radio, this media player is a guilt free way to listen to your music collection on the move. One minute of winding gives forty minutes of listening, or you can charge it using a usb cable if you're lazy.

via Treehugger

Technorati tag: technology

The future of air travel?

A resurgence in airships has been predicted for years. Maybe if governments could start applying realistic taxes on airlines than super luxury airships would become more viable economically.

Technorati tag: Airship

Training for Green jobs

If you're looking for a job in renewable energy you can now get all sorts of training.

Epogee provide many courses in solar installation.

We offer a variety of DIY training courses which will tell you everything you know to set up your own DIY renewable energy scheme.

We also offer a range of courses aimed at the householder or business owner aimed at reducing the amount of energy used by energy-efficiency improvements and by advising on the practicalities of renewable energy implementation in every-day situations.

The Green Energy Academy provides training for Domestic Energy Assessors and installers of renewable energy technologies-

Solar InstallationCourses
Water Reclamation, including rainwater harvesting systems
Micro Wind Turbine Installation
Ground Source Heat Pumps
Air Source Heat Pumps
Photo-Voltaic Systems
Under Floor Heating
Bespoke Energy Efficiency Courses
Bio Mass Generation

Stroma Technologies also provides training for domestic energy assessors-

STROMA Technology Ltd is dedicated to providing quality accredited training and over the coming months will be expanding into a variety of training fields within the environmental sector. In the foreseeable future, Stroma will become a City & Guilds training centre, allowing us to provide a variety of quality course, in addition to our current BINDT Accredited Training.

Please return to this section for additional information, which will be uploaded as soon as it becomes available.

Technorati tag: Training

Aptera - 300mpg plug-in hybrid trike

The Aptera trike will be available in electric and plug in hybrid versions. The electric Aptera has a range of around 120 miles on a full charge, whilst the hybrid can achieve anything up to 300 miles per gallon. They're taking pre-orders (for California only at the moment) prior to launching next year.

It's possible the vehicle will make it over here, priced at less than £15,000. I'm going to start saving now.

Technorati tag: Aptera, Hybrid

C8 - "green influentials"

From the inbox-

Forget the G8, Gordon meets the "C8" for fresh thinking on how to tackle climate change

To mark this year's Energy Saving Week, the Energy Saving Trust has assembled the "C8" to start one million conversations on climate change during the Week. Like the G8, the C8 is made up of important leaders – but these leaders represent the everyday influential communities in the UK that have the most potential to drive mass adoption of energy efficient behaviour and reduce the UK's carbon footprint.

The C8 includes leaders from the likes of the Women's Institute and the Church of England as well as a leading green blogger, Adam Vaughan. During Energy Saving Week, the C8 is urging people within and beyond their networks to take action to reduce C02 emissions. Women's Institute groups will be holding electrical appliance amnesties and climate coffee mornings while priests up and down the country will be putting climate change at the heart of their Sunday sermons.

C8 members were selected by the Energy Saving Trust on the back of the launch of the world's first ever climate change Influence Index that measures potential to influence large numbers of people through understanding of green issues, social networks and their community connections. Membership of the Women's Institute and religious groups was each made up of 72% 'green influentials' – the most persuasive and powerful group on the Index - busting the national average of 38%. Shopkeepers were also shown to be a key community, with 61% falling into the green influential category.

Following a summit on Monday to discuss the best ways to spread the word about climate change through their organisations and networks, representatives from each community visited Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, yesterday to secure his backing for the campaign.

Gordon Brown said: "Energy efficiency is firmly on our agenda here and we value the great work that the Energy Saving Trust has done in this area and the potential of its 'C8' partners to spread the message. As the 'C8' has stipulated, saving energy and fighting climate change isn't solely about the Government taking action, it is also about what we can all do as individuals and in our communities."

Philip Sellwood, Energy Saving Trust Chief Executive, said: "If all 211,000 members of the Women's Institute boiled only the water they needed rather than overfilling the kettle each time, collectively they would save around £1,000,000 in annual fuel bills and more than 5,600 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. The message is – individual actions do make a difference and encouraging communities to club together motivates people to do their bit."

To find out whether you're a green influential, take the test at: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/influencer

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Energy Efficiency

Biofuel duty cut

I missed this when it was announced, but I think it's a step in the right direction-

Small biodiesel producers will no longer have to pay duty of their fuel, while medium sized manufacturers will only have to pay quarterly rather than monthly. Under changes to the duty process which will come into force on Saturday (30 June) only those producing more than 450,000 litres per annum will not see any changes to the amount or way they pay duty. An HMRC spokesman says: "We can confirm that, with effect from 30 June, producers of biofuel of less than 2,500 litres annually will no longer need to pay any excise duty. Those producing up to 450,000 litres annually will only need to submit and pay returns quarterly.

Technorati tag: Biodiesel

Gordon Brown's climate cowardice

I've been away for a while, sorry about that. (And I flew across the Atlantic whilst I was away, I'll have to look into offsets.) But I'm back again now, and with something to really rant about.

Ministers are drawing up plans to abandon plans and promises to drastically increase Britain's renewable energy production. Faced with some expense and a bit of hard work, new New Labour (or whatever we're supposed to call them now Gordon's in charge) want to bottle out and go home. So they're trying to team up with Poland and others to try and have the targets turned down before the final draft goes through.

Some of the reasoning behind this move is nonsensical to say the least.

One of the main objections of government to meeting the renewables target set by Mr Blair is that it will undermine the role of the European emission trading scheme. This scheme was devised by the Treasury under Mr Brown and allows wealthy governments to pay others to reduce emissions. "[Meeting the 20% renewables target] crucially undermines the scheme's credibility ... and reduces the incentives to invest in other carbon technologies like nuclear power", say the papers.

Investment in reducing emissions is going to harm investments in reducing emissions? That doesn't make any sense.

Gordon could find the estimated £4billion a year required to make the change, probably quite easily. For one thing he could stop funding terrorism by bringing all of our troops back from Iraq and coming up with a more coherent plan for Afghanistan. He could create a multi billion pound industry in this country by subsidising start ups in the renewables sector (who'll than employ lots of people and pay masses of tax). And he could champion smaller, local, schemes that aren't as doomed as resurrecting nuclear power or hopelessly long term as a Severn barrage. Mini barrages up and down tidal estuaries might be an idea. Or community geothermal schemes. Taxing/ banning incandescent bulbs and putting a rebate on compact fluorescents would help cut the country's energy needs drastically, as would increasing the standards for new build homes.

There's so much that could be done that would pay back so quickly. I fear our political class lacks imagination and spines.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Renewable Energy, Gordon Brown

A plug in biodiesel system

Or, as the people at Toolmonger call it "Biodiesel for dummies". The BioPro 190 from AGR Energy can produce 50 gallons of biodiesel every two days, runs off a domestic power supply and has a small footprint so it could sit unobtrusively in the corner of a garage. You still need to handle chemicals- methanol, lye and sulphuric acid- but they have tried to cut this to a minimum, claiming that one batch requires just half an hour of priming.

You could build your own biodiesel reactor for less, but I imagine a creative fast food outlet that incorporated one of these to fuel its fleet would have less trouble with health and safety than if they set up a bodge with oil drums in the back yard.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Biodiesel

Blog Action Day

October 15th is Blog Action Day, when blogs from all over the world will post on a single subject. The subject for the inaugural BAD is the environment.

Spread the word.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Living Space 21

Living Space 21 aims to provide cheap, low impact housing for the UK. If you have 40 square metres of land with access you can have one of their Studios on Stilts for £60,000. What's more, they've teamed up with the Co-operative bank who will provide a 95% mortgage, with stages if you choose to go the self build route.

If you do go the self build route they will supply the frame with doors, patio and stilts, if necessary, for less than £20,000. Plotsearch is recommended if you need to find the land for your build.

via TreeHugger

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

It's gonna take a forest- ecolibris, plant a tree for every book you own

Ecolibris intends to offset the publishing industry by having readers pay for tree planting. There are economies of scale, but it comes out at around a dollar a book. The current casa Spinneyhead, where every spare surface is stacked with reading matter, would cost a fortune to offset.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

BioDepot - franchising biodiesel

I doubt it's the first eco franchise to come along, but it's the first I've seen. For a minimum investment of £35,000 franchisees can start producing fuel compliant with EN 14214 and ASTM standards (more on biodiesel standards).

Included in the franchise package are:

* A complete production plant (Bio Micro Brewery)
* Collection facilities for base material (UVO & Crush)
* End user sales systems (Public & Commercial)
* A production by-product disposal system
* Quality fresh vegetable oil delivery
* Full Training: (operational Bio Diesel production, technical, business/finance, sales & marketing.)
* Full launch programme
* Ongoing mentoring and quality assurance support
* National branded identity
* Significant personal income potential (In excess of £100,000)

I'd like to see biodiesel pumps springing up everywhere, so long as the primary source of raw material is locally sourced waste cooking oil. More power to them.

Technorati tag: Biodiesel

Ladies Love Green Guys

According to Nuts magazine "Caring about the environment" is now the number one most attractive trait a man can possess, displacing old favourite "Good sense of Humour". The Green Guy has the full press release.

It's not the easiest thing to start a conversation about in the pub though. "Hey, do you compost?"

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Organic farming cuts greenhouse gases

A 27 year comparative study has concluded that organic farming methods such as no-till sowing and growing winter cover can see soil retain 30% more carbon than ploughing and chemical use. Not only do these methods sequester carbon in a cheap and simple way, they can produce as much, or more, food as "intensive" farming methods.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Farming, Carbon Sequestration

An X Prize for fuel consumption

The foundation that handed out $10million to the makers of SpaceShipOne for being the first non-government space craft has announced a $10million prize for the first team to produce a commercially viable car capable of 100 miles to the gallon. So far 30 teams have announced their intentions to participate.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, X Prize, Fuel Efficiency

Hard Rain

Greenhouse gasses are causing shifts in rainfall patterns, leading to summers like this one (so far the wettest since records began). Just to make things more complicated, this heavier precipitation is going to alternate with hot summers like last year, but in entirely unpredictable ways.

Aside from focussing on the root cause of all of this I think it's time to do some better planning around water use. Perhaps every new build should have mandatory rainwater storage for grey use (toilets etc.) All of those tanks would provide a buffer during heavy rain fall that would lessen run off and thus flooding and save water in dry spells. Whilst we're about it, how about fines for the fools who concrete over their gardens and/or rewards for anyone who rips the paving up and plants a lawn.

Neither of these measures woudl stop flooding, particularly with water volume such as that seen in the last week, but they could soak up overflow in lesser events, and cut the burden on reservoirs.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Morph goes Green

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Heywood Gardens low energy homes

Seddon Homes have put some serious thought into this new development, turning cookie cutter looking homes into energy efficient buildings. The designs have been thought through from first principles, with well planned insulation and energy saving measures so that the houses require less (solar and wind) power in the first place. I'm not in the market, so I don't know if the £245,000 asking price is comparable to similar mundane homes, but Manchester Confidential seem convinced.

Most of us are still ignorant to the fact that energy efficiency doesn't mean compromising standard of living. Yes you can give up your car and wash the dishes as oppose to using a dishwasher, but where eco-homes are concerned there really aren't any sacrifices because the changes are already in place and finely tuned to provide maximum comfort.

Seddon Group's case study on Heywood Gardens

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Vegetarian shoes

If you don't want any cows to suffer for your footwear then why not get your next pair from vegetarian shoes? I don't have any problem with leather, and there do seem to be a lot of man-made materials used in their range. This isn't a big problem if, like me, you recycle your old boots into plant pots after five years of service, but if they're just thrown away the ethical balance is skewed.

On balance, I think I'd rather have some of the ethical, hemp or recycled footwear from Arkadash.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Shoes, Vegetarian

Nil Rubbish

Bryn Fogden challenged himself to produce no landfill for the whole of May. To do this he had to change his shopping and some of his eating habits, but he did manage and intends to carry on. He blogged the whole experience at nilrubbish.blogspot.com.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Rubbish

Manchester's Green King and Queen

A couple from Hulme have won £1500 to spend on energy or wasyte saving work on their house after making great changes to help tackle climate change. Alan and Shelley Heckman lowered their energy and water consumption over eight months whilst taking part in MAnchester's Eco-Diet Challenge.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Manchester

Tent top wind powered phone charger

Commissioned by Orange, this mini windmill sits atop any dome shaped tent. It would be ideal for Glastonbury or one of the other festivals.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Wythenshawe's carbon neutral festival

Wythenshawe is to hold the "Party without Pollution" festival next month, and is encouraging local residents to save enough energy to make the whole event carbon neutral. The headquarters for the festival are in a building made from shipping crates that incorporates a number of energy saving, if gimmicky, devices such as a cycle powered photocopier.

Technorati tag: Festival, Carbon neutral

Daryl Hannah's love life

Daryl Hannah is a Green goddess, using her celebrity to promote environmental issues. She also walks the talk, and her website with news, tips and a videoblog.

Technorati tag: Green, Celebrity, Daryl Hannah

Everything's bright in the solar world

A few pieces of promising news from the world of solar power and heating.

The Worldwatch Institute estimates that the cost of photovoltaic cells may drop by as much as 40% in the next few years. One factor contributing to this is the increase of manufacturing of photovoltaics in China, such as the new facility announced by Suntech, a key supplier of building integrated solar products.

Bosch Solar Thermal Systems say they have seen a 60% increase in year to date sales over the same period last year and expect to sell 150,000 units this year.

Technorati tag: Solar Power, Photovoltaic, China, Solar Thermal

Boosting Prius performance

Lithium Technology Corporation has developed lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) cells which can greatly increase the fuel economy of hybrids. There are issues with safety, which mean Toyota are not yet ready to start using them.

Another way to increase a hybrid's mileage is to get Solar Electric Vehicles' fitted solar panel roofs.

Somewhere out there is the ideal combination of solar panelled garage and car, with high capacity batteries.

Technorati tag: Hybrid Car

Dirty Old Town

Manchester produces more carbon dioxide than any other English city after London.

Technorati tag: Carbon Dioxide

Downlaod Razorlight's carbon neutral song

Johnny Borrel of Razorlight has recorded a song in support of Friends of the Earth's Big Ask campaign. He recorded the song in a solar powered studio at The Premises in London. iT can be downloaded free from 7Digital in wma format.

Technorati tag: Music, Campaign

Eco talk at the Hay Festival

Some of the contributors to the Guardin's Comment Is Free section are at the Hay Festival. Here are a few of their Green flavoured posts-

Is political leadership renewable?

The challenge facing David Miliband is clear - to realise the potential of renewable energy. Today's question at Hay: does he have the courage to do it?

I'm not climate change's Billy Graham

Climate change denial, I discovered at the Hay festival, shares the same characteristics as religion.

The joys of going green

Dick Strawbridge's talk at Hay was enough to make the most jaded nip out for a low-energy lightbulb.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Climate Change

It's a Mini economical adventure

BMW has announced changes to the Mini line that could see its diesel model achieving up to 72.4mpg. Utilising "hybrid like" technology, the little car will only engage its alternator on deceleration, rather than having it be a constant drag, and the manual versions will will turn the engine off rather than idle and give the driver hints on teh best gear to engage.

The caveat, as always, is that we should all be using cars less. However, for those of us who must, we should all consider the new breed of economical super-minis and/or alternative fuels.

Technorati tag: Mini, Transport, Hybrid

Hot Rodding for the Environment

If you must use a car, then you should at least try to use it as efficiently as possible. Jalopnik has some simple suggestions for improving mileage. Obviously, I would have put "Don't use your car when you don't have to" at the top of the list, but I don't have a car, so it's my only option.

Should I ever need to get a car I'll be looking for something I can run on biodiesel, or possibly a biodiesel/ petroleum diesel mix because you can't always get to a green fuel pump. I hanker for a Volvo estate or small van to cart my bikes around in. Efficiency isn't such a concern with a closed circuit fuel supply like biodiesel, but VCACarFuelData.org.uk, allows you to search for your next ride by this and other criteria. If I could forgo the space considerations then the Citroen C1 would be worth considering, the most efficient of the cars currently listed on there.

Of course, another option is to do something as inventive as this Russian driver, who replaced his Opel's engine with a 50kw motor and filled all the spare space with batteries.

Technorati tag: Electric car, Fuel Efficiency, Transport

C40

The C40Large Cities Climate Summit was held in New York this week, with mayors of major cities from around the world vowing to do their bit to cut greenhouse gas emissions. This is looking increasingly like a problem that's going to be tackled first at a personal and local level before national governments are going to pay any attention.

Technorati tag: Climate Change, New York

Dojo Ecoshop

Tucked away in Manchester's old textile district is a wonderful souinding source of ethical and eco beds and furnishing.

We are a small, independent company with strong roots in the textile heart of Manchester, we’ve been making tough, beautiful furniture here since 1990. We left our jobs in scientific research to set up a sustainable business where we could be responsible for the ethical and environmental impact of every aspect of our actions. We wanted to extend our holistic outlook on living to the way we worked too, as a positive and practical force for fairness, healthy living and a sound environment.

Our approach has always been simple and down to earth, we use the best organic and natural materials to produce well designed, functional eco goods that are made to be used, to be enjoyed and to last. We are committed to fair trade from start to finish, from sourcing ethically produced fabrics and fillings to honest pricing of our products.

Our journey has been challenging, exciting and creative and would mean nothing without the support and inspiration of family, friends, producers, suppliers and of course our customers. We look forward to developing more of our plans for new products and meeting new people along the Way.

Sarah and Jonathan

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Ethical Business

Devon's £3billion wind farm

The world's largest offshore wind farm could be built off the north coast of Devon. If it goes ahead it could provide nearly all of the county's electricity, and there are plans to supplement it with tidal power schemes.

As this article appears in the Daily Mail expect the usual NIMBY nonsense in the comments.

Technorati tag: Devon, Wind Power, Offshore Wind Power

Gordon Brown's eco-towns

Gordon Brown is getting on teh home ownership bandwagon, hoping to outdo Thatcher's grand vision. The promising part of his pronouncement is a call for "eco-towns", to be powered locally from sustainable sources.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Gordon Brown

Green China

Chin has the potential to be one of the countries worst hit by- as well as one of the prime causes of- global warming. So, thankfully, there is a growing Green awareness in the country, with solar water heaters popular in even the poorest areas and efforts to curb pollution before it kills too many rivers and destroys too much land. It can't hurt the expanding economy that they're moving more directly to efficient systems either.

via BoingBoing

Technorati tag: China

Golly G-Wiz

Boris Johnson on the G-Wiz electric car and Government efforts to destroy it.

Technorati tag: G-Wiz, Boris Johnson, Electric Car

Become a Domestic Energy Assessor

dea-training.co.uk is the National Home Energy Rating scheme's sites for people who are interested in assessing homes for Energy Performance Certificates to be issued with Home Information Packs. NHER will train and accredit you, when accreditation terms are agreed upon, for £3,250 + VAT (£2,750 + VAT if you are already an experienced practitioner in the field). I don't know if career development loans would cover this, I may do some research.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Home Information Pack

The Community Recycling Network

It can be hard disposing of waste sensibly and ethically. No matter how well meaning, your local council is likely to send you round in circles trying to find the right department or service. However, there are a lot of community based programmes out there that make creative use of the things everyday folks leave behind.

The Community Recycling Network tries to keep track of all these groups, allowing you to search by various criteria for the one best suited. They also produce rather nice directories, I picked up the Community Waste Network North West one on Saturday at the Green Architecture event.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Manchester Campaign Against Climate Change Carnival

Greater Manchester Campaign Against Climate Change will be holding a carnival on Saturday 30th June in the Peace GArdens near St. Peter's Square. You can download a pdf of the flier to print out and distribute.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Climate Change

Anatomy of a green roof

Anatomy of a green roof
Originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

Amongst the talks at the Green Architecture Event on Saturday was one on green roofs, given by Jeff Sorrill of the Green Roof Centre. Amongst the things I learnt was that you don't want too much organic matter on your roof- an 80:20 to 90:10 mix of rubble and soil is best- because then only the hardiest plants can survive on it. Make your roof too nutritious and you run the risk of getting larger plants with more active roots that will push the weight limits and try to work their way into your building.

A section of green roof was brought along in a fish tank and set up on a table.

Ecology Building Society hits 10,000!

The Ecology Building Society, which is dedicated to providing mortgages for Green projects, has reached the 10,000 saver mark. Accounts with the society provide the funds for mortgages on renovation or eco new builds and more esoteric schemes such as small woodland purchases for protection and conservation (pdf).

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Mortgage

The Ecopod

Looking like the the rocket ship from Georges Méliès Voyage dans la Lune, ecopodhomes are prefabricated 4 metre diameter structures (6 metre diameter coming soon) that are built off site and can be erected in 2 hours. They can be connected to mains water and electricity or built "off-the-grid".

We have set out to produce a modern comfortable home, which will have the minimum impact on the environment by cutting energy requirements and costs by up to 90% and producing virtually no CO2 emissions.

We want to demonstrate the savings that can be achieved through this pioneering design and innovative off site construction methods

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

The Micro Compact Home

The Micro Compact Home, or m-ch, is an effort to create a tiny space that is still liveable in. It would fit in a large parking bay, future versions will come with solar panels and a wind turbine to make it energy independent. I'd need to get rid of a lot of my possessions before I could live in one, and I don't yet know where I'd want to put it.

Each cube costs $96,000, including delivery anywhere in Europe. So if I start saving now I might know where I want to put it by the time I can afford it.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

The 200mpg supercar

The Velozzi is a concept car promising supercar performance- 0 to 60 in 3 seconds and a 200mph top speed- with 200mpg fuel consumption. It achieves this by recharging its batteries with a micro-turbine which can use any "heavy fuel"- such as gasoline, ethanol, methanol, diesel or bio diesel. It's also super light, being built out of composites and liquid metal.

The research and development company behind the concept wanted to produce the most spectacular demonstration of the technology possible. The use of a turbine to charge the batteries means the car isn't tied to electrical supply points and the versatility of teh fuels means it can use the existing petrol infrastructure. Everyday production vehicles are going to be heavier and less efficient, obviously, but still a vast improvement on current motorcars.

via Jalopnik

Technorati tag: Electric car, Micro turbine

Supermarkets against excess packaging? Who'd have thought

Asda are setting up a pilot scheme where they will collect examples of over packaging from customers to build a case to present to their suppliers. The Daily Mail is supporting it because they think it will mean a return to weekly refuse collections.

I try to buy as much as possible from the local grocers, which reduces waste quite substantially. I just need to remember to take my backpack with me so they don't put everything into a carrier bag.

Technorati tag: Packaging, Shopping

Green architecture event in Manchester - Saturday 28th April

The Green Architecture Event is taking place at the CUBE Gallery and MERCi sustainability centre this Saturday. CUBE is also running an exhibition on Green Modernism at the moment which I've been meaning to check out.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Green Architecture

Wind turbines on Blackpool promenade

From Manchester Evening News-

TWO wind turbines are being set up on Blackpool's promenade to help power the resort's famous illuminations.

In May, a third will join the pair, which cost £147,000 each, and together it is hoped they will cut £13,250 from the town's annual energy bill.

They will sit on the front, close to the Sandcastle Water Park, and are expected to have a 25-year lifespan.

It's possible the NIMBYs will still complain about these turbines, despite the fact that there can be few better places to site them than on a sea-front (and the fact that there's little that could be done to make the Blackpool beach front uglier. It's an endearing ugly, but it's ugly nonetheless.)

Technorati tag: Wind Power, Blackpool

Eco-Schools- teach them carbon free

Up to 200 environmentally friendly schools are to be built as part of the drive to reduce carbon emissions and tackle climate change, the government has announced.

Education secretary Alan Johnson claimed the eco-schools would help save five million tonnes of carbon dioxide.

The scheme, which comes as part of a £110m investment package to be delivered over three years, will also see all secondary schools given a copy of Al Gore's film 'An inconvenient truth'.

"As people and businesses try to reduce their carbon emissions, it is only right that the government plays its part," Johnson said.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Volkswagen's 200mpg car

A few years ago, Volkswagen built a concept car that could manage over 200 miles to the gallon. The project was shelved because the price of a complete vehicle was judged to be too high. Now, with advances bringing costs down, and changes in management at the company, the project has been resurrected.

via Jalopnik

Technorati tag: Cars, Fuel Efficiency

Energy saving freebies from politicians

Only promised, so far, however.

The Lib Dems are proposing energy saving packs, subsidised to the tune of £2,000 (though they would probably cost £5,000 to £10,000).

Households could get free energy monitors, according to ministers.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

I'm the only green MP

Alan Simpson MP details his ecohouse project. An odd aspect of this report is that it appears in the Daily Mail, one of the last newspapers still in denial and desparately trying to find fault with the few things the Government is doing. For example- the assessors for the energy consumption section of Home Information Packs won't have criminal record checks and will therefore all be burglars, apparently. They'll also be able to make a lot of money if they work hard (how dare they!).

Alan Simpson's website

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Government

A Green roof for Piccadilly Gardens

Manchester's Piccadilly Gardens, imperfectly redeveloped a few years ago and with a lawn that needs constant relaying, is to get a green roof on the crescent of food outlets that line one side. This should help compensate for the excess of concrete and paving that was laid as part of the remodelling and maybe ease the big puddles that cover the tram tracks after a heavy rain. The popular fountains in the Gardens are now being fed from a ground source of water under the area, which should also cut their impact.

Technorati tag: Architecture, Green Roof, Public Space

Censorship and anti-science

Every time another unscientific denial of climate change is debunked the deniers come out crying about censorship, or threaten to sue. In truth, as George Monbiot points out, it is the scientists doing the hard work that proves mankind is changing the environment who are the ones being censored.

Technorati tag: Climate Change Denial, Censorship

Eco-houses for the rich and famous

A development of £4.5million houses in Kensington are set to have £50,000 of energy saving devices installed, including geothermal heating that will produce enough excess to keep the drive ice free.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Lightbulb denial in the Daily Mail

Cheaper bulbs have some of the problems attributed in this article to all Compact Fluorescent Lights, but to pretend they all do is as lazy and shortsighted as they're accusing the politicians of being. Better quality CFL bulbs (the ones from Philips are highly recommended) light up as fast as incandescents, have a pleasant colour and, even with normal switching on and off, last far longer then old style bulbs. And they pay for themselves within a year in normal useage.

Most of the people I know have houses lit with low energy bulbs and not a one of them has ever commented on problems fitting the lights. Now that everyone else is into CFLs I'm thinking of moving to LEDs, which are even more efficient.

As for China, so what if they're not making changes right now? They will in the future. If your neighbour told you they hadn't fitted smoke alarms, would you endanger your family by removing the ones in your house?

Technorati tag: EcoHouse

Taking your top off for the environment

Keeley Hazell, the Sun's top Page Three model has been name checked by David Cameron as a Green icon and, the Independent finds, she has the credentials to back this up.  Sex sells and if if it makes Sun readers invest in low energy bulbs that's cool.

Keeley Hazell on Fleshbot (NSFW)

Keeley Hazell products at Amazon

Technorati tag: Sexy

Going Green in the bedroom

Canada.com on environmentally aware sex toys, picking up on some issues raised by Treehugger and the growing trendiness of all things Green.

via Fleshbot (NSFW)

Technorati tag: Sex, Sex Toy

The Green capital

The capital will reduce its carbon emmissions by 60% within 20 years if Ken Livingstone's plans work out.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, London

How Green should Gore be?

Do Green campaigners have to be absolutely pure? The question arises from the fuss caused by snide naysayers who are attacking Al Gore's lifestyle to turn attention away from his message.

By all accounts Gore and his family have gone beyond carbon neutral.  No matter how much energy his mansions consume he's planting the trees or making the investments to write that off and then spending a bit more.  Of course, the antis know this but don't bother to mention it because that would destroy their argument.

It's time for Gore to slap solar panels and windmills on his properties and ask what the rumour mongers are doing to reduce their carbon footprints.

Technorati tag: Al Gore

Wood- the once and future fuel

Wood pellet stoves may not have the romance of a log fire or solid fuel stove (my parents just got a Rayburn, which I haven't seen yet, but they're surrounded by a near free supply of downed trees and off cuts), but they could be as near to carbon neutral as an energy solution gets.

A few thoughts-

How are the factories making these pellets powered?  If they can close the circle and have a combined heat and power system on site powered by some of the pellets produced that will be brilliant.

The fuel will never be entirely carbon neutral until the chainsaws are powered by ethanol and every vehicle used runs on biodiesel.  But that's being picky, it's still a hell of a lot closer than anything else, and they could always plant excess trees to offset production costs.

How clean do these stoves burn?  A lot of Britain is now smoke-free zone, which has to hinder the uptake of solid fuel.  I imagine as they become more efficient the stoves create less smoke.

Technorati tag: Biomass, Renewable Energy, Wood

The denial business is still going strong

I think the title says it all "All those Scientists may still be wrong". All those thousands of intelligent, highly educated people, experts in their fields, who have spent billions of hours examining the data, testing theories and extrapolating alternatives might, just possibly, not be absolutely 100% correct in their predictions. So we should do nothing and hope they're not right.

The question should be, what's so wrong with reducing carbon dioxide output? What's being called for is an increase in efficiency and a reduction in reliance on limited resources. It's a winning combination for everyone and a great way to alleviate poverty. Even without global warming this should be the aim of every person on the planet. Or do the deniers not want to see poorer people leapfrog ahead of them into the future?

Technorati tag: Climate Change

Shell's Biomass to Liquid biofuels

Shell are investing in a technology to convert wood chips and straw to biodiesel, to take the strain off food crops.

Technorati tag: Biodiesel