Archive for the 'products' Category

US Researchers Clean Waste Water & Create Energy in One Generator

Published on 03/04/2012 in products, wastewater and water technology. 0 Comments Tags: , .

Photo retrieved from: www.greenprophet.com

“Researchers from Pennsylvania State University have developed technology that treats waste water and generates energy at the same time – two priorities for Middle Eastern municipalities. Combining Reverse Electrodialysis (RED) technology developed in the Netherlands and Norway, which harvests energy where fresh water and sea water meet, with Microbial Fuel Cells (MFC) that use organic matter to create an electric current, Professor Bruce Logan and his team have found the ultimate solution for developing countries that have limited access to water and power.

Where fresh water and salt water meet

RED technology involves placing fresh water and salt water in intermittent chambers of a fuel cell which are separated by membranes and then create an electrochemical charge, but Penn State researchers told the BBC that this technology has limitations.”

Read more: Green Prophet

lily victoria

New Technology Turns Air Into Drinking Water For Troops

Published on 02/29/2012 in products, solutions and outreach and water technology. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Retrieved from: Triplepundit

“Military leaders’ greatest concerns are often to ensure water sources are always available, even in the most arid of places.

“One Israeli company took up the challenge to ensure water can be readily available, anywhere and at any time, by extracting it from the most common of things: air.

“Water-Gen, based in Rishon LeZion, Israel, specializes in water generation and water treatment technologies integrated with tactical military vehicles and ground units. Their technology extracts water from the ambient air humidity, and turns it into drinking water.

“First, the system filters the air so that water can be extracted and accommodated in containers. Then, it is cooled and purified into drinking water. This water can be served from a tap within the system or inside the cabin.

“Chairmen and co-CEO, Arye Kohavi, says that “water transportation is one of the most common reasons for the departure of convoys across Afghanistan. These convoys are attacked and have casualties.” He adds that “if we can produce the water to the exact point where it is consumed, we spare the need to transport water and reduce the risk and expenses.”

“According to the Water-Gen, the device, which can be fitted onto vehicles, produces 10-20 gallons (40-80 liters) of pure drinking water a day, even in harsh weather and field conditions. The system, which is operated by solar or electric energy, is designed to meet military needs and standards, the company adds.”

Read more: Triplepundit

sammykayed

Mexico’s Water War

Published on 02/23/2012 in bottled water, greenwashing, policy, products and tap water. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Photo retrieved from: www.petrecycling.com

“It isn’t just tourists who won’t drink the water in Mexico. It’s nearly everyone, making the country one of the most valuable markets in the world for beverage companies. Mexicans are the world’s biggest drinkers of soda, putting away 166 liters of the bubbly stuff per person in 2010, and of bottled water, chugging down 248 liters per capita in 2011, according to preliminary estimates from the Beverage ­Marketing Corp. The latter figure is more than double Americans’ annual consumption of 110 liters.

With growth in the soda segment flattening out, in part due to government antiobesity campaigns (soda sales have been banned in schools), the growth and competition are in water, where market leader Danone is fighting it out with Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

“Soft drinks are no longer such a great business in Mexico,” says Ana Trulin, an analyst in Mexico City with Euromonitor. “Water is the big profitmaker.”

Analysts project Mexican bottled-water sales will grow to $13 billion by 2015, up from $9 billion in 2011, surpassing the U.S. to become the world’s largest market.”

Read more: Forbes

 

lily victoria

Ford Targets 30 Percent Water Reduction Per Vehicle

Published on 12/30/2011 in management, products, solutions and outreach and water technology. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

PR Newswire: news distribution, targeting and monitoring“Ford enters 2012 with plans to further reduce the amount of water used to make vehicles and continue showing efficiency is not only inherent in its vehicle lineup, but also in its manufacturing practices.

“A new goal calls for Ford to cut the amount of water used to make each vehicle 30 percent globally by 2015, compared with the amount of water used per vehicle in 2009.

“Ford is also developing year-over-year efficiency targets as part of its annual environmental business planning process and has established a cross-functional team spanning several divisions to review water usage more holistically.

“Water remains one of our top environmental priorities and our aggressive reduction target helps ensure continued focus on this critical resource,” said Sue Cischke, group vice president, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering.

“Ford’s latest water reduction initiatives are designed to build on the success the company has had with its Global Water Management Initiative that launched in 2000. Between 2000 and 2010, Ford reduced its global water use by 62 percent, or 10.5 billion gallons. That’s the equivalent of how much water 105,000 average American residences use annually, based on figures from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“If Ford meets its goal of reducing the amount of water used by 30 percent between 2009 and 2015, the amount of water used to make a vehicle will have dropped from 9.5 cubic meters in 2000 to approximately 3.5 cubic meters in 2015. One cubic meter is equal to 264.2 gallons of water.”

Read more: PR Newswire

chrismorrow

Parks Chief Sets Conditions for Plastic Bottle Bans

Published on 12/16/2011 in bottled water and products. 0 Comments Tags: .

Retrieved from: www.banthebottle.net

“The director of the National Park Service, after blocking Grand Canyon National Park’s attempt to ban the sale of small plastic water bottles, will now allow such bans, but under a restrictive set of conditions, the park service announced on Thursday.

Jon Jarvis, the director, issued a policy directive to all parks this week requiring that any park contemplating such a ban comply with a detailed checklist calling for written reports on issues like the amount of waste to be eliminated and the effect on the revenue of concessionaires and nonprofit groups that support the parks. The policy also requires parks planning a ban to consult with the park service’s public health office on its potential impact.”

Read more: New York Times

lily victoria

At the Nexus of Agrofuels, Land Grabs and Hunger

Published on 12/07/2011 in agriculture, climate change, contaminated water, management, oil, policy, products and wastewater. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Retrieved from: www.afronline.org

“Industrialised agricultural practices currently produce 13.5 percent of all green house gas emissions, mostly methane and nitrous oxide. The latter is emitted in huge doses through the spraying of fertiliser, which is used 800 times more frequently today than it was 100 years ago.

The production of fertilisers themselves requires the burning up of fossil fuels, emitting up to 41 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually according to the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO).

On top of this, heavy farm machinery spits about 158 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere every year, while the water needed for industrial-style irrigation is pumped using fossil fuels that release another 369 million tonnes of C02 into the atmosphere.

And yet, powerful governments like the U.S. and various players from the eurozone, together with the WBG, continue to advocate for the proliferation of agrofuels, which employ the same dirty, large-scale farming techniques described above, as a “green solution” to the climate crisis.

In fact, the production of mono crop agrofuels guzzle thousands of gallons of freshwater, are processed into biodiesels – the very products that have overheated the planet to begin with – and create long, oil-thirsty transport chains to carry the product.”

Read more: All Africa

 

lily victoria

Flushing Your Toilet Will Someday Power Your Home

Published on 09/24/2011 in graywater, products, wastewater and water technology. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

Retrieved from: engr.psu.edu

“Many sewage treatment plants currently use bacteria to treat wastewater. Essentially, the bacteria help clean the water by eating the organic material.

“But researchers at Penn State have found an even more productive use for the bacteria.

“Led by environmental engineer, Bruce Logan, they’ve designed special microbial fuel cells that use “bacteria to turn any organic matter directly into electricity.”

“Considering that in the United States, we use 5% of our electricity to run our water infrastructure, the breakthrough represents a chance for us to cut costs, while also curbing our reliance on fossil fuels.

“And while this is exciting news for U.S. consumers, the technology has the potential to have an even greater impact on developing parts of the world.”

Read more: Wall St Daily

 

 

chrismorrow

Coca-Cola Mexico harvesting 1.25Bl/y of rainwater

Published on 08/14/2011 in greenwashing, products, rainwater harvesting and wastewater. 0 Comments Tags: .

Photo retrieved from: www.americajr.com

“The Coca-Cola Mexico Foundation captures 1.25Bl/y of water through its water harvesting programs, Luis Fuentes, Coca-Cola Mexico’s deputy director of corporate communication, told BNamericas.

The foundation set up a national reforestation and water harvesting program in 2007 in association with the national forestry commission (Conafor), and the national commission for the protection of natural areas (Conanp).

The program aims to “return to nature 100% of the water we use in our drinks and production processes,” said Fuentes.

As well as planting 30mn trees across the country, the foundation has built 162,000 groundwater recharge wells to harvest rainwater. The wells are 2m deep and built in mountainous regions across 250ha of land.

Water captured in the wells filters into the ground and recharges the aquifers, “ensuring water for Mexico’s future,” said Fuentes.

The reforestation and water harvesting programs have ensured that 87% of the water used in Coca-Cola Mexico’s processes is returned to the land.”

Read more: Water World

 

lily victoria

AT&T fined over San Jose fuel spill

Published on 07/24/2011 in contaminated water, greenwashing, policy, products and wastewater. 0 Comments Tags: .

Photo retrieved from: www.electronlifer.com

“AT&T will pay $40,490 in fines for violating California water pollution and hazardous waste laws after an equipment failure at its San Jose facility caused 1,300 gallons of diesel fuel to spill into the Guadalupe River, officials announced Thursday.

The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office said an automatic float valve at the company’s facility on South Almaden Boulevard failed on Oct. 2, leading diesel fuel to spill off the roof and eventually into the street’s storm drain that flowed into the river. Emergency response crews put absorbent booms across the river to prevent the fuel from flowing downstream, and then removed contaminated materials from the water.”

Read more: Mercury News

lily victoria

Water pollution and health awareness driving bottled water consumption in China

Published on 07/21/2011 in aquatic ecosystems, bottled water, contaminated water, greenwashing, peak water, products, rivers, tap water, wastewater and waterborne diseases. 0 Comments

Photo retrieved from: www.newsgd.com

“Bottled water plays a major role in solving water pollution problems and providing the public with safe and convenient drinking water. It is one of the fastest growing and competitive industries in China.

The report begins with an overview to the bottled water market in China covering the market size and growth. It also gives a brief introduction to the various bottled water segments widely used in the market. It further shows overall import and export of mineral and aerated water, as well as the segmented share for major countries.

An analysis of the drivers influencing the industry growth includes China’s rampant water pollution, increasing health awareness, poor quality tap water, huge population and increasing disposable income, panic water buying triggered by chemical spills and impact of natural calamities.”

Read more: openpr

lily victoria