We all know how frustrating it can be when a local road is being repaired. You get a whole host of vehicles and workmen blocking the traffic, not to mention the cauldrons of tar, concrete etc that they use. Nu- Phalt Scotland are different. They can do road repairs with only one vehicle and two operators. Not only that, by recycling the existing road materials on site, it means there are no excess lorries travelling back and forth from the site (therefore less carbon emissions) and none of the old road surface is sent to landfill.
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The recent earthquake in Japan, which measured 6.8 on the Richter Scale, triggered a leak at a nuclear power plant. The leak from the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa facility was minor and thought not to be harmful.
A spokesman from Tokyo Electric, who run the plant, said: "We have confirmed that water containing a slight amount of radioactive materials leaked out of the facility. But the leakage is believed to be far below the levels that could affect the environment." The quake also triggered a serious fire which took several hours to contain.
[via Energy Daily]
Related story: More on the nuclear power debate
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It looks a bit like an armadillo, but it's actually a solar powered motorbike by Spanish company SunRed. The idea, which won a prize for innovation at the Barcelona Motor show, is that when the bike is parked the large fold-out solar panels will cover the vehicle and the rays will charge up the bike's battery. It will have a range of around 13 miles and a top speed of 30mph, so not exactly one for a blast down the coast at the weekend, but ideal for city use. This is a concept model, but the company are planning a prototype soon, so watch this space!
[via treehugger.com]
Related: E-max funky electric scooter - The price might be right! | Vectrix electric scooter – Yay or nay?
The battle lines are being drawn on the Greek island of Skyros. The battle has started. The residents of this little island have taken a stand against the developers of one of the world’s largest wind farms. With pressure mounting from the EU for Greece to increase its renewable energy production, the local population will have little chance of stopping the proposed wind farm. The EU is offering millions of Euros in grants to the developers and the potential profit margins are incredibly high, making it even harder for the local people to fight against the wind farm. There will be 100 wind turbines, new access roads and supply line cables on the uninhabited side of the island. Uninhabited by humans that is, the area is home to the wild horses of Skyros and to many species of birds.
[Via The Independent]
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If you’ve been wondering what that biodiesel option was at your local petrol station but wasn’t sure if it was for you, here’s a brief breakdown of what it is. Biodiesel is a diesel equivalent renewable fuel that can be manufactured from algae, vegetable oils, animal fats or recycled restaurant greases and can be used in unmodified diesel engine vehicles – clever eh? It is also biodegradable and non-toxic. However, there has been concern over where the source plant matter used to produce the fuel comes from. Farming for fuel can have huge environmental effects and also impact the food markets.
How does it save CO2 emissions: Burning biodiesel is not much different in pollution terms to burning petrolium-based diesel. However, since it is produced from plants, carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere is absorbed by photosynthesis when the plants grow. Therefore, biodiesel’s overall CO2 emission are about 60% less when compared to producing and processing petroleum-based diesel. Most of the carbon dioxide emitted when burning biodiesel is simply recycling that which was absorbed by producing plant growth, so the net production of greenhouse gases is smaller.
[via wikipedia]
Related stories: The true cost of biofuels | Biofuels would create greedy cars and hungary people
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It's an age old dilemma for green folk...whether or not to send out greetings cards for birthdays, Christmas etc. The Friendly Greetings Company makes the decision easier by producing cards which don't leave a whacking great boot print on the environment. They have a large selection of cards, for all occasions, and the styles range from original watercolour designs to wacky cartoon cards. They are all printed using vegetable oil-based inks, recycled board, and printed on presses run on renewable energy. Prices range from 90p to £1.20 or you can buy a multi-pack of 32 cards (one from each of their everyday range) which will see you through the year, at least, for £30 plus p&p.
Related: Sheep Poo Paper Christmas Sheepy Cards | Rescued paper pads from Sukie
This week UK farmer's role in the production of renewable energy was given a high profile boost with the release of an 'Energy White Paper', which has been hailed as the most fundamental review of the UK's energy policy yet. The document outlines how the government plan to deal with our future energy needs, and it highlights the crucial role our farmers will have in the production of bio-fuel crops and small-scale biomass heat and power production.
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