Are LEDs The Latest Energy Efficient Lighting Option?

Compact fluorescent bulbs are not the only option when looking for energy-efficient lighting.  LEDs, or light emitting diodes, are long lasting, energy-efficient options as well.  LEDs are semiconductors that glow when an electric current runs through them.  They have been used in cars and electronic devices for years, so the technology is not new.

LEDs are safe and last longer than both incandescent bulbs and CFLs.  One LED can last 50,000 hours and save $50-$90 over the life of the bulb compared to incandescent bulbs.  LEDs have no fragile parts, resist breaking, and can be used in cold weather.  They are compact and low profile, and are good at directing light where it is needed.  LEDs do not require warming and therefore illuminate immediately when switched on.  There are no infrared or ultraviolet radiation emissions and no toxic chemicals.

Makers of LED lights have been working hard to reduce the cost of making the bulbs, and it is believed that in a few years the cost will be similar to CFL bulbs.  LED lights have already become very popular for outdoor lighting, as they can be used in cold weather and don’t break.  The average carbon footprint of a building using LED lights can be reduced by 68% by changing out incandescent bulbs for LEDs.  For those who are eco-conscious it is well worth the slightly higher purchase price.

Turning Petroleum Based Plastic To Oil

A public-private partnership may have just discovered the solution to oil shortage and excess plastic waste.  Envion has discovered a way to turn petroleum-based plastics into fuel.  That’s right, Envion can turn discarded soda bottles and other plastics that would normally fill up landfills or add to the Great Pacific Garbage Parch into gasoline, kerosene, and jet and diesel fuels.

The generator should be able to turn 10,000 tons of plastic waste into 50,000 barrels of oil annually.  Sound too good to be true?  Its not, they have already done it and the cost will surprise you.  The Envion Oil Generator can create one barrel of synthetic light medium oil for less than $10.  The estimated conversion cost is a measly $17 per ton of plastic, making it cheaper to recycle than dispose of.  Disposing of that much waste in a landfill would cost between $70 and $200.

This is perhaps the most exciting news that environmentalists could ever hear in regards to plastic waste; an efficient, inexpensive, and effective way of turning waste into gasoline.  Our dependence on virgin oil extracted at any cost will be a thing of the past and landfills will have more room.  The pilot program at the Montgomery County Solid Waste Transfer in Derwood, MD is underway and going smoothly, and there is a brighter future for all of us for it.

Government Investments In A Green Auto Industry

The auto industry in America took a big hit with the economic downturn and they now have a chance to rebuild the whole industry from suppliers to design and manufacturing.  Last year, congress approved grants to auto companies to develop fuel-saving technologies like hybrids and biofuels.  This year, Michigan Congressman Gary Peters introduced legislation that does more.

Gary Peters saw the opportunity to change the entire way cars and trucks were made, but since most companies involved in automobile manufacturing are struggling just to make payroll, the opportunity may be missed without additional help.  What Peters suggested was offering an additional $3 billion in grants to truck makers, parts suppliers, and steel companies to help them develop green technologies as well.  That way, the whole supply chain can be brought into the new millennium with cleaner, better, sustainable technologies.

The legislation was introduced and passed with a bi-partisan majority.  Much of the support came from people that can never agree, but in this case, it just makes sense.  Support was offered by the UAW, environmental groups, the US Chamber of Commerce, and the National Manufacturer’s Association.  The bill will be introduced to the senate next, where there is already some support.  If the senate approves, then the US auto-industry will be able to receive a green makeover at every level.  Not only will the cars save gas, but they will also be made in greener ways and the country can once again lead the world in auto-making.

Pittsburgh Goes From Industrial Wasteland To G20

Pittsburg, PA has long been famous for its steel industry, and the environmental degradation that follows from it.  The sky was black and longtime residents stated that the only time the sky was blue in Pittsburg was when the steel workers were on strike.  You couldn’t even wear a white shirt to work without having to change into a clean one once you got there.  Luckily for the G20 that is no longer the case.

When the G20 meet in Pittsburg for their economic summit, they will be greeted by clear skies, award-winning green architecture, and a growing solar power industry.  The summit will open in the Phipps Conservatory, a gorgeous glass structure that houses more than mere plants.  Inside is a tropical rainforest and a sophisticated system of pipes that provide natural, electricity-free air-conditioning.
The main venue, the Pittsburg Convention Center, has won awards for its green architecture and design.  What was once a city directly contributing to global warming, is now a city leading the nation into the future.  Even the old steel factories have solar panels and millions of dollars of improvements to eliminate soot and CO2 emissions.  The city is striving to conserve energy and grow in sustainable ways.  Hopefully, being in such a changed city can inspire the leaders of the G20 to work towards an economic solution for the world.