AskPablo: What's up with "Clean Coal" and Carbon Capture and Sequestration?

November 12, 2007 08:20 AM - Pablo, Triple Pundit

Many people have asked me about the feasibility of "clean coal" paired with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) as a genuine option for a more sustainable future. In a previous article I wrote about coal-fired power plants (see AskPablo: Coal-Fired Power Plants) so I won't beat that dead horse too much. However, I will discuss coal-to-liquids as well as the feasibility of CCS.

Some politicians will have you believe that coal-to-liquids is a viable and sustainable alternative to our dependence on oil-based fuels. Whether or not these politicians are from coal-rich states, or which party they belong to I will leave up for you to explore.

act2: The Evolution of Eco Friendly Laptop Cases

November 8, 2007 09:13 AM - Paul Smith, Triple Pundit

These days, there seems to be an abundance of green alternatives to a myriad of products. Food, cars, clothing, energy, even web hosting. And for the most part, they don't, unless you want to, trumpet their greenness. What about laptop cases? If you have a look, there's plenty of them out there: Hemp, recycled tires, even pillow cases. But what if you're well, normal, and you just want a case that you can take to work, while keeping true to your values? Up until now, you were largely out of luck. Sure, there's the new line by Targus, but it falls short, largely defining itself by what it is not, in this case, it has replaced the PVC...with what? It doesn't say.

You Can't Eat Scenery: Economic Progress, the Environment and Indicators

November 5, 2007 08:05 AM - , Triple Pundit

Well, it may not be as beloved or popular as The Year’s Ten Best Films or Ten Worst-Dressed Academy Awards attendees, but from its lofty seat on the shores of Lake Geneva, the august World Economic Forum has issued its Global Competitiveness Report 2007-2008, ranking 131 national economies based on a survey of 11,000 business leaders and according to factors grouped into 12 categories.

Ol' McDonald had a Farm (Bill)

November 2, 2007 09:59 AM - , Triple Pundit

For most of this year, Congress has been debating what to include in the 2007 Farm Bill, but there is still time for you to contact your legislators and have an influence. This opportunity to shape what food is grown, how it is grown, who grows it, and who can afford to eat it only comes around once every 5 years! Farm Bill policy is controversial and it helps to understand why. Food & Water Watch’s Farm Bill 101 provides an easy-to-read 1-page history of the development of farm bill policy.

World Series Goes Solar

October 26, 2007 11:01 AM - Paul Schaefer, ENN, Triple Pundit

The 103rd World Series is here, the Boston Red Sox and Colorado Rockies both swinging at a shot to become the next world champs. So what does this have to do with green business?

Goodwill Revolutionizing Used Clothing

October 25, 2007 08:40 AM - Nick Aster, Triple Pundit

Buying used clothing is a great way to go green and get an interesting wardrobe at the same time. But it's still hard to get the mainstream to accept it. Goodwill has never been sexy. That may be about to change.

The Power of Smoother Noodles?: Eco-Strategies from Hamburger Helper

October 18, 2007 12:42 PM - , Triple Pundit

How many General Mills product developers does it take to envision a more sustainably produced Hamburger Helper? The geniuses came up with smoother noodles. Yes, that’s right. Smoother noodles, not the twisty kind, allow the product to settle more compactly in the plastic pouch and, thus, require a smaller cardboard box for the product. Voila! Sustainability in Action! Hardly.

Ever Wonder Where All those Foreign Aid and Development $$$ Went?

October 15, 2007 08:06 AM - , Triple Pundit

Corruption, institutionalized corruption in particular, has been a plague on societies for, well, since societies began to develop, I’d imagine. And while it almost surely exists in every country today, its scope and scale, and whether or not authorities publicly discredit and have the means and motivation to actively try and stop it, varies greatly between nations. And that makes a big difference in terms of how pervasive and damaging corruption’s effects are on the often fragile fabric that holds together the just functioning of any given society.

Green Roofed Gas Stations?

October 12, 2007 08:40 AM - Nick Aster, Triple Pundit

Whether or not a gas station can be LEED certified, I've no idea, but this creative entrepreneur in Port Washington, WI plans to give his gas station a green roofed touch. Not only that, but he plans to build it into a hillside so that the roof becomes the "front yard" of the building higher up the hill (which happens to be his house). That way, not only is he combating drainage and doing away with an "eyesore", he's also differentiating his product.

AskPablo: How Many Trees Does My Office Kill?

October 8, 2007 10:37 AM - Pablo Paster, Triple Pundit

This week I was asked by Craig how many trees his office kills each year. In order to give him an answer I had him collect some basic information, like how many reams of paper they use each week. His office uses around 60 reams per week, an average of 100 sheets per person and 30,000 sheets in total (a ream holds 500 sheets). Over a year the office would use 3000 reams, or 1,500,000 sheets! But how many trees gave their lives to make it possible for old people to print every e-mail they get? Well, let's find out...