Navajo Students Wind Schoolyard STEM Lab

Joanna Schroeder

Nizhoni Elementary School in Shiprock, New Mexico has been awarded the first-ever Schoolyard STEM Lab from Samsung and the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF). The STEM Lab was donated during the 10th annual National Environmental Education Week. The Schoolyard STEM Lab is an outdoor classroom space designed to work in any climate for a hands-on, immersive environmental education program that …

Alternative energy, Environment, Geothermal, Renewable Energy, Solar

Farmers Live #EarthDay Every Day

Cindy Zimmerman

This year marks the 45th anniversary of Earth Day but farmers have been living the spirit of stewardship for natural resources for generations and have been leaders in the generation of renewable energy sources like biofuels, wind and solar. “For hundreds of years, America’s farmers have been working our land and providing the country and the world with high quality …

biofuels, Environment, Farming, Growth Energy

MIT Climate CoLab Seeks World Changing Ideas

Joanna Schroeder

Earth Day is April 22, 2015 but climate change is on many minds year round. This week Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Climate CoLab announced twenty-two contests that seek high-impact ideas on how to tackle climate change. A project of the MIT Center for Collective Intelligence, the Climate CoLab is attempting to harness the knowledge and expertise of thousands of …

Clean Energy, Climate Change, Environment

Study- Clean Power Plan Won’t Affect Reliability

Joanna Schroeder

The second study in a few days has been released that finds that implementing the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan will not negatively affect grid reliability. Analysis Group’s report, “Electric System Reliability and EPA’s Clean Power Plan: Tools and Practices,” addresses the impact of ongoing changes in the energy industry for stakeholders and offers recommendations to ensure reliability. …

Clean Power Plan, Electricity, Energy, Environment, EPA

E15 Would Cut 358K Tons of CO2 Emissions in MN

John Davis

A new study is showing how a 15 percent blend of ethanol, E15, would cut hundreds of thousands of tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in Minnesota. This news release from Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association touts an analysis by the University of Illinois at Chicago. In response to a query by the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association, Dr Steffen Mueller, principal research economist …

E15, Environment, Ethanol, Ethanol News

Electric Cars Gain Ground in Vehicle Rankings

Joanna Schroeder

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) has released its 18th annual vehicle environmental ratings on greencars.org. The top rated vehicles for the year were Mercedes-Benz Smart ForTwo Electric Drive Convertible/Coupe with the highest score ever, Chevrolet Spark EV, Fiat 500E, Toyota Prius C and the Nissan Leaf. Six out of 12 places in this year’s Greenest List were …

Alternative Vehicles, automotive, Electric Vehicles, Environment

West Coast Biodiesel, Ethanol on the Rise

John Davis

Advanced biofuels, especially biodiesel and ethanol, are on the rise on the West Coast. Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2), a national, nonpartisan group of business leaders, investors and others promoting smart environmental policies, says fuel policies in Oregon, Washington state and California, as well as federal initiatives, have helped the country as a whole produce more than 800 million gallons of advanced …

advanced biofuels, Biodiesel, Environment, Ethanol

Chicago to Vote on E15

Joanna Schroeder

Today the Chicago City Finance Committee is considering an amended ordinance that according to Alderman Ameya Pawar, one of the bill’s co-sponsor, will ensure Chicago motorists will have a choice at the pump. The “Chicago Clean Air Choice” ordinance would enable retailers to offer drivers E15 fuel. “Through the ordinance the City of Chicago will once again help lead the …

biofuels, Environment, Ethanol

Ansell Installs Biomass Boiler to Reduce Energy Costs

Joanna Schroeder

The Ansell factory complex in Biyagama, Sri Lanka has installed its second biomass boiler as part of company initiatives to be greener. The new boiler has a capacity of 12.5MW and will be the largest hot water boiler in Sri Lanka. Ansell Lanka already has a 10.5MW boiler installed at its premises, which reduced CO2 emissions by 11,000 MT per …

biomass, Carbon, energy efficiency, Environment, Renewable Energy