Comments acschwim has made

  • What about bio-plastics?

    Just wondering...are bioplastics as damaging, and would they be appropriate to use in such products? I realize that smaller life forms ingesting foreign objects is never a good thing, but are the chemical components as detrimental?

    Bio-plastics have been touted as an innovative way to avoid unnecessary petroleum use and to increase biodegradability, but I'm not sure about the logistics of its chemical composition. It's been used in packaging and conventional products, but is there any reason to rule them out in personal care products?

    Source: http://www.biobasednews.com/node/17102    On Beads in many face scrubs harmful to marine life posted 1 year, 4 months ago 5 Responses

  • There's more...

    Yes, MLB still does need to step up its efforts. However, the article only mentions some of the activities the organization has taken to " go green."

    During All-Star Week, for example, they handed out reusable All-Star totes, which were made from 80% post-consumer recycled content, to fans.  Also, they purchased carbon offsets for activities and shuttled fans to events on MTA clean air hybrid buses.

    On an individual team level, the Pittsburgh Pirates launched a greening initiatives program which has been branded "Let's Go Bucs. Let's Go Green." The initiative, supported by the Natural Resources Defense Council,  involves recycling, of course, and also has incorporated the use of biodegradable products in the team's stadium. In additon, the club will extend the program to public environmental education, through various ballpark signage, service announcements from Pirates players on the video board, postings on the official website, Pirates.com, and in its various publications.

    Sources:
    http://www.biobasednews.com/node/15943
    http://www.biobasednews.com/node/13098
    On Major League Baseball going, going, green! posted 1 year, 4 months ago 9 Responses

  • The ENTIRE Beast!

    Not only is a more "complete" form of meat consumption needed, but no part of the animal - bones, feathers, hide - should be put to waste. And speaking of waste, let's not ignore the byproducts of raising livestock. Animal feces are an integral part of making such an operation sustainable.

    Biodigestors are making a big difference in the incomes of former subsistence farmers, along with avoiding the pollution that comes from other forms of energy generation, while here in the states, entire livestock systems are becoming self-sufficient in this way. For example, a Michigan feedmill is set to begin using turkey manure to power its operation.

    "Waste" only comes into being when a material is not put to appropriate use, and everything under the sun can find some place in our systems of production and consumption!

    Source: http://www.biobasednews.com/node/17108
    On If you're going to eat meat, you can't shy away from the whole beast posted 1 year, 4 months ago 41 Responses

  • Contradiction

    As McCain continues to remind us, Obama is relatively new to Washington, which makes it even more ridiculous for him to place the blame for the rise in gas prices on Obama's shoulders!  On New McCain ad blames Obama for rising gas prices posted 1 year, 4 months ago 7 Responses

  • Forestry Byproducts

    In response to the comment about the source of the wood biomass: Austria is 47% forested, and only two thirds of the timber that regrows in its forests every year is currently used.

    While I'll agree that forest industry wastes are the way to go, given the circumstances, if the materials used in the project cited in the article weren't wastes, it doesn't seem too detrimental in this case. In other situations, alternatives should be considered.  

    Source:
    http://www.biobasednews.com/node/15047
    "Biomass Heat and Electricity Plants on the Rise in Europe" On The human-scale, renewable, domestic power systems reviving rural Austrian economies posted 1 year, 4 months ago 13 Responses

  • Further steps

    While efforts to improve fuel efficiency pose are important in boosting the sinking airline industry, no one approach will provide a silver bullet to the energy/fuel crisis. US companies should be looking at alternative fuels, too, as Air New Zealand has already done, in its research into jatropha fuel.

    Even though it took an economic crisis for carriers to start thinking "green," it's definitely a step in the right direction.

    Air New Zealand story: http://www.biobasednews.com/node/16710  On Aviation industry is into greening, to an extent posted 1 year, 4 months ago 2 Responses

  • One step further

    No, "green fashion" has not yet hit economies of scale, but expansion of production into new areas will provide a much-needed stimulus for the sector. Along these lines, today I stumbled across this article, originally from a UK newspaper, about a woman who makes jewelry AND funeral shrouds (biodegradable, of course!) from jute. A bit odd, but interesting nonetheless:

    http://www.biobasednews.com/node/16983 On 15 Green Fashion Finds posted 1 year, 4 months ago 10 Responses