Apple is 75% Renewable

A huge congratulations to Apple facilities around the United States. They set a goal of making their facilities run completely off of renewable energy sources and it looks like they have met their goal!

A combination of geothermal, wind, and solar—like their 100-acre solar farm next to their Maiden, North Carolina data center, pictured below—provide all the juice these facilities need, obviating the need for coal. Their latest data center, currently under construction in Oregon, will reportedly add hydropower to the list.

What a great example to many other companies out there who are considering becoming renewable facilities.

 Source: http://www.core77.com/blog/sustainable_design/apple_hits_100_renewable_energy_at_all_data_centers_aims_for_companywide_renewable_energy_next_24624.asp

Using Bales of Straw to Grow a Garden

Did you know that you can create a garden with a bale of straw? I would not believe it either had I not read the latest article in the New York Times about a man who is already doing this. Not only is he doing this in his spare time he wrote a book about it.

It was Mr. Karsten’s clever notion to condition the bale with a little fertilizer and water, creating a kind of instant compost pile. “The crust of the bale decomposes slowly,” he said. This is the vessel. The inside, which decays faster, “is our potting mix.” Stick a soaker hose on top, then plug some tomato seedlings into a hole gouged out of the straw. Time to wash the taint of barnyard off your hands: you’ve got a vegetable garden.

Check out the the rest of the article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/21/garden/grasping-at-straw-a-foolproof-vegetable-plot.html

Composting Made Easy

Considering Solar Panels on the Roof?

freedigitalphotos.net

Kudos to you if you have considered adding solar panels to your house. However, thinking about it and doing it are quite different things. Consider the following article from The Good Human which outlines many ideas to consider before outfitting your house with solar panels.

For example, do you rent or own your home?

How long do you plan on living in your home?

What kind of exposure to sunlight does your roof get?

Check out the answers and more here: http://thegoodhuman.com/2012/10/31/is-my-house-a-good-candidate-for-solar/

Closing the Loop - An Interesting Study

Closing the Loop: Risk or Reward? from Sustainable Brands

Eco Destinations

freedigitalphotos.net

Vacations are a time to relax, have fun and forget about the worries of today. If one of those worries happen to be about the environment, then we have a solution for you. Travel to an Eco Destination for your next vacation.

In today’s fragile environment, there are a number of vacation getaways and romantic destinations that are both luxurious and eco-friendly.

Check out the Top 5 by clicking here: http://www.ways2gogreenblog.com/2013/02/25/guest-post-top-5-eco-destinations-for-green-travelers/

The Problem With Plastic Waste

It's no secret that figuring out what to do with plastic after it has been used is complicated. Unlike other recyclable material, plastic typically has a petroleum base which means it is non-renewable. However, plastic can be reused by breaking it down and to it's base level to be rebuilt into a new product. An example is the plastic found in automobiles.

All 40 kinds of plastics used in a North American automobile can be recycled, the need to separate and clean them makes using them more expensive than using virgin plastic resins. This translates into a higher proportion of plastics in the remnants of shredded end-of-life automobiles – a contaminated mixture of plastics and non-plastics that is usually disposed of through some combination of landfilling, incineration, and secondary recycling.

Read more about new promising ideas to make plastic a recyclable product at http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/boosting-global-plastics-recycling-by-marino-xanthos#ZRk3XvwT7zXxXRvJ.99

Recycling Dog

This is so cute.

Trash to Fashion

We are always excited to hear about innovated new ways to recycle product. Recently, students at Eastern Kentucky University put together a fashion show using all recycled products. Students were first required to submit designs which were then chosen to be apart of the fashion show.

Among the predictable materials used to create sustainability-inspired designs were curtains, trash bags, newspapers and duct tape.

More bizarre materials used for clothing included Starbucks sleeves, orange construction fencing, an entire garment bag, Christmas tulle, shredded soda cans and cacti. Yes, one model walked the catwalk wearing three small cactuses as accessories.

That sounds like the kind of creative fun we can get behind!

Source: http://easternprogress.com/2013/03/06/trash-in-fashion-students-create-and-exhibit-fashion-crafted-from-recycled-materials/#comment-4722

Sinkhole Swallows a Garbage Truck

The news of the sinkhole in Florida that swallowed a man alive has us a little on edge. So it certainly didn't help to hear the story of a garbage truck in Oregon that was partially swallowed by another sinkhole. It happened in the parking lot of the local Sizzler in North Bend, Oregon.

The truck, which was partially swallowed by the sinkhole, had to be towed away. A storm line approximately 18 feet below the surface of the lot was crushed by the formation of the sinkhole, the report said. Crews have not yet located the end of the collapsed storm line.

Rather than walk around worried about being swallowed by sinkholes, we did a little digging into what they are and how they form.

It starts with the layer of rock such as limestone, carbonate rock or salt that is dissolved by ground water leaving pockets of air in it's place. The ground starts to sink into these pockets of air as the weight above get's heavier, eventually forming a sinkhole.

Some signs of sinkholes:

• Cracks around doors, window frames, and in the foundation
• Cracks in your foundation, walls, or swimming pool
• Sagging fence posts, utility poles or trees, or loosening of the soil around them
• Cracks that look like “stair steps” going up or down?
• Doors, windows or cupboards that difficult to open
• Growth of depressions in the ground on your property
• Separation of walls from the floor or ceiling
• "Dead patches" of grass or shrubs in your yard 

So remember to be cautious...especially when parking your garbage truck!


Source: http://www.wasterecyclingnews.com/article/20130305/NEWS06/130309962/garbage-truck-partially-swallowed-by-sinkhole-in-oregon

Recycling Old Mattresses

Source: freedigitalphtos.net

It doesn't sound pleasant but Midwest Mattress Recovery LLC is taking the task of recycling mattresses seriously. There are over 17 million mattresses that are disposed of ever year!

This company is hoping customers will bring old mattresses to them. They will then disassemble all of the parts for recycling purposes.

Mudler says he has been working to get the word out on his company.
"Right now, I am really in the marketing stage and trying to turn interest into business," he said. The company initially will employ between seven and 10 people. "The interest around the state has been incredible."

Source: www.jsonline.com