Goodyear Develops Tires Made of Renewable Rubber

The future of tires could mean using rubber made from plants, and it could happen within the next five years according to TechNewsDaily.

The technology is called BioIsoprene, which is produced by the Genencor division of Danisco.

While natural rubber is itself a bio-based product since it comes from trees, most tires are produced using synthetic rubber made of petroleum.

This increases the environmental footprint during manufacturing, and also poses issues for disposal since the tires are prone to fires in a landfill that produces black smoke.

Genencor manufactures the polymer by fermenting plants with microorganisms, so oil is not required. The company says its tires should last as long as petroleum-based ones and is investigating the use of BioIsoprene in other rubber products and adhesives.

more  http://earth911.com/news/2010/03/31/goodyear-develops-tires-made-of-renewable-rubber/

Article courtesy of Trey Granger earth911.com

 

It's National Cell Phone Recycling Week!

The U.S. EPA’s Plug-In To eCycling National Cell Phone Recycling Week runs this year on April 5-11.

The EPA’s project brings together leading cell phone manufacturers and service providers to encourage consumers to recycle used wireless devices, batteries, chargers and other accessories and to reduce the amount of reusable materials in landfills, including e-waste.

Cell phone coatings are often made of lead, and their lithium-ion batteries can explode if exposed to high temperatures or direct sunlight, which are common conditions in landfills.

It’s estimated that just 1 percent of the 4 billion wireless users worldwide recycle their cell phones after use.

Article courtesy of Amanda Wills earth911.com

 

DEQ Launches 'Oregon Carbon Calculator'

A new interactive tool on the DEQ website lets Oregon residents measure their carbon footprint and discover ways to improve it. The Oregon Carbon Calculator calculates all direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions from personal transportation, household energy use, and consumption of food, goods and services.

Find out how your household's carbon footprint compares to households of similar size and income. And learn how you can take action to reduce your carbon footprint from a number of specific ideas and strategies.

The Oregon Carbon Calculator is made possible through Oregon DEQ's support of the CoolClimate Network, a program of the University of California, Berkeley, and through financial support by the California Air Resources Board and the CoolCalifornia.org partnership. Oregon DEQ selected this calculator for its approach and depth in calculating human impacts to climate change.

Chemical-free Lawns Benefit Kids, Pets and Environment

It may surprise you to learn that the best weed control for a lawn is provided by healthy soil, not synthetic fertilizers and herbicides. Some lawn chemicals actually kill the soil microbes necessary for a healthy lawn.

Using a "weed and feed" product to fertilize a lawn also broadcasts toxic herbicides across the entire lawn. These herbicides can stay there for weeks. Rain or watering can wash the chemicals into storm drains that lead to rivers and streams where fish are at risk. Moreover, herbicides are toxic chemicals that can be unsafe for children and pets.

There are safe and healthy ways to care for your lawn without the use of toxic herbicides. Visit DEQ’s Health Lawns, Healthy Families website to learn about natural lawn care and how lawn-care habits affect water quality

Earth Month 2010 - Going Beyond "Green"

For the 40th anniversary of the planet's holiday, we're looking to help redefine its scope

It's pretty amazing that we've been celebrating Earth Day for 40 years now. Though the specific campaigns have grown and changed over time, the message has remained: Let's celebrate the planet. Think global, act local. Make Earth Day every day. Together, we can all make a difference.

That message has produced some eye-opening results over time. As we turn the corner on the second decade of the 21st century, we've got a lot to look back on, but even more to look forward to. That's the idea behind our Earth Day feature for this year: Let's look forward to another 40 years of great accomplishments.

for more visit http://planetgreen.discovery.com/feature/earth-day/earth-day-2010.html

Article courtesy of  Collin Dunn- Planet Green

 

Study: Water vapor may help 'flatten global warming trend'

Article Courtesy of Doyle Rice, USA TODAY

Why the Earth's surface temperature hasn't warmed as expected over the past decade continues to be a puzzle for scientists. One study out earlier this month theorized that the Earth's climate may be less sensitive to greenhouse gases than currently assumed.

Another surprising factor could be the amount of water vapor way up in the stratosphere, according to a new study out Thursday in the journal Science.

In the Science paper, Solomon and her colleagues found that a drop in the concentration of water vapor in the stratosphere "very likely made substantial contributions to the flattening of the global warming trend since about 2000."

While climate warming is continuing — the decade of 2000 to 2009 was the hottest on record worldwide — the increase in temperatures was not as rapid as in the 1990s.

The stratosphere is the layer of the atmosphere just above the troposphere, which is the layer of air here at the planet's surface. (The troposphere goes from the surface up to about 8 miles, and the stratosphere is from about 8 to 30 miles above the surface.)

The decline in water vapor in the stratosphere slowed the rate of surface warming by about 25%, compared to that which would have occurred due to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, notes the study. Specifically, the planet should have warmed 0.25 degree F during the 2000s, but because of the influence of the water vapor, it rose just 0.18 degree F.

for more visit http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/globalwarming/2010-01-29-watervapor29_ST_N.htm

 

Get a Better Fridge

Help keep the planet cool, switch to energy-efficient appliances

By Brian Clark Howard

If it's time for a new refrigerator, make sure your new purchase is labeled Energy Star. You'll save on energy bills, and reduce emissions.

Refrigerators account for 15% of the typical homeowner's yearly electric bill. Fortunately, new Energy Star models use 40% less electricity than typical units sold in 2001. That means you could easily save over $50 a year by upgrading to an Energy Star fridge

Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/going-green/tips/energy-star-refrigerator-460226#ixzz0jxoYwj9Z

Article courtesy of The Daily Green