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Scientists from Harvard University have created a system, dubbed the ‘bionic leaf’, that splits water molecules into its base hydrogen and oxygen atoms, then uses bacteria to create a liquid fuel, called isopropanol, a versatile fuel that can be used as a propellant. The way it works it after a Read More...
If you’ve ever noticed smoke billowing from a power plant and been concerned about the effect that is having on the environment, don’t worry—you’re not alone. This past June, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the Clean Power Plan, a proposal that endeavors to Read More...
Rush hour isn’t fun for anyone, and it’s even worse for the environment. Cars back up the highway, people crowd the metro, and the entire time our machines pump gallons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Surely there must be a better way. Fortunately for us, there is. The Institute for Read More...
Biofuel crops can reduce or offset greenhouse gas emissions by directly removing carbon dioxide from the air as they grow and store it in crop biomass and soil. Fuels from bioenergy crops are thus considered emission-neutral when burnt. The challenge is to get a good energy yield from the crops. Read More...
Innovative technologies created by British washing machine manufacturer Xeros, and Dutch textile–dying company DyeCoo have removed the water from the textile cleaning and dying process, saving millions of gallons of water and preventing waterway contamination. Researchers developed the waterless Read More...
In more ways than one, the US is extremely wasteful, with food in particular. Americans throw out 40% of food that is produced in the country, but when you live alone, which 27% of households do, it can be extremely difficult to eat everything you buy. Food waste in a landfill is even worse than Read More...
The world’s air quality is deplorable, and you don’t have to look far to find examples of how bad it is. Harder to find are solutions to this problem. Government mandates and clean air initiatives help the goal of reducing greenhouse gases on a larger scale, but these measures do little to help Read More...
If you live a green life, but haven't maximized the energy efficiency of your home, you're in for a big surprise. The carbon footprint of an average American household is 48 tons of carbon dioxide per year, which is far above the global average. Housing is the second largest source of carbon Read More...
Walk down any city street and you’ll undoubtedly see an underlying commonality: plastic bags. Either littered about the gutter or being used by a passer–by, plastic bags are everywhere. Plastic bags are inexpensive to produce, easy to transport, and take about half a millennia to biodegrade. Read More...
It’s no secret: many places in our country are hot. While that may appeal to beach bums and bikini-lovers, it also brings with it huge environmental consequences and economic pressures, most notably in massive energy bills for cooling and a large cloud of emissions–carbon and Read More...