Solar-Powered Water Treatment at Superfund Site Inspires Renewable Energy Projects
Photo via peasap
Superfund sites are hazardous waste areas that were once abandoned but have (finally) received funding for clean-up efforts. They’re all over the US and are usually kept on the down-low in the public eye by the government since they’re so hazardous to those living nearby. So when something is going right at a superfund site, the EPA is eager to get the same good thing going at other s…Read the full story on TreeHugger
Luna Ring: A Giant Solar Power Plant on the Moon
Image: Shimizu
One of These Days, Alice. Bang! Zoom! Straight to the Moon!
Big problems need big solutions, and the Shimizu corporation in Japan certainly can’t be blamed for thinking small. It has made plans to provide enough clean energy to all of humanity by turning the moon into a kind of anti-Death Star, a giant solar power station that brings life instead of death. It might sound like complete science-fiction now, but who knows what will be possible in a 100 years (if we ma…Read the full story on TreeHugger
Getting Developing Nations on a Greener Path Without Creating a New Renewable Energy ‘Colonialism’
Family and friends pose in front of a house in South Africa with a new solar heating system. Photo by Abri_Beluga via Flickr
No matter how much it might help the environment for fewer nations to produce and consume at U.S.-style levels, slowing global development would clearly be an unworkable — and profoundly unfair — way to address the climate crisis. As environmental scientist Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker put it this morning at a conference in Berlin: “Poor and cle…Read the full story on TreeHugger
Western US Grid Can Handle More Renewable Energy Than Previously Predicted
Photo: Flickr, CC
Solar and Wind Could Play a Much Bigger Role
A new study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Colorado has found that the Western section of the U.S. power grid could handle up to about 35% renewables if properly integrated. That doesn’t mean it would be simple, but it’s a counter-arguments to those who think the grid can’t handle much intermittent sources, and the NREL is definitely a credible source….Read the full story on TreeHugger
11 Potentially World-changing Projects Tackling Climate Change (Slideshow)
Photo via Deutsche Welle
In its new online short-film documentary series Global Ideas, Germany-based news broadcaster Deutsche Welle draws attention to smart sustainability projects all over the world: island conservation in Micronesia, reforestation in Tanzania, green electricity in Spain, energy-efficient stoves in Peru (like the one above), and more. The quick clips, most less than 10-minutes long, show off the future of green technology and its effect on local communities — and reach a wide audience. …Read the full story on TreeHugger
Maker Faire 2010: Cool Green Stuff You Want from the Maker Shed
Sugru was a special surprise in the Maker Shed this year. The magical putty-like stuff is perfect for hacking or fixing just about anything. It became a huge hit after TreeHugger, Wired and several other top sites covered it when it hit the market. The makers thought they had made enough for a two month supply for their shelves, but eager buyers snatched it all up in just 6 hours. A second manufacturing run sold out in just 8 …Read the full story on TreeHugger
New Mexico Farmer’s Market Goes Entirely Solar
Image Credit: empracht via Flickr
Farmer’s market, meet solar power.
Solar power, meet farmer’s market.
And so begins a beautiful relationship, one whose novelty may surprise many TreeHuggers. The matchmaker? Albuquerque, New Mexico’s Downtown Action Team, a non-profit dedicated to renovating the city’s downtown. A few months ago, the group set out to see if they could provide enough solar energy to power their farmer’s market for its entire season- from June 5 to October 30. The answer? Yes (it is a desert, after all)….Read the full story on TreeHugger
How Can Solar Power & SRECs Turn Your Roof Into An ATM? (Video)
If you’ve ever heard the term SREC (that’s ess-wreck) but had no idea what it referred to, let alone how you can profit from them while at the same time generating green electricity from your rooftop solar power system, then check out this short video from <a href="h…Read the full story on TreeHugger
Portable Solar Windmill Gathers Gusts for Gadgets
Images via Yanko Design
Portable wind power is, on the whole, a failure for a viable way of gathering up a charge for gadgets. There are a few winners out there on the market, such as the HyMini, but personal wind turbines are really only a good idea if you’re a cyclist and want to keep your iPod turned on during your commute from home to work. And even then a charger that runs off your pedal power is probably a better option. Still, the <a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/…Read the full story on TreeHugger
Solar Powered Trash Can Texts When Full (Video)
Image via video
BigBelly Solar Trash Cans have been around for years – we wrote about them all the way back in 2005. They’re waste bins that use solar power to run compactors so that they don’t have to be emptied as often, making them perfect for areas like parks and beaches that are short on staff. But now, they’ve learned a new trick making them even easier to tend to in places short on maintenance staff. They can text sanitation crews to say they’re full and…Read the full story on TreeHugger
