Early fall always seems like such a busy time of year, even though the temps here in NC continue to be in the 80’s with way too much humidity that still has things feeling like late summer. I have had no time to do more planning for our upcoming Seattle trip, but did come across the articles below that I thought were interesting.
Recycling is Broken (EcoWatch)
With heavy reliance on single-stream recycling systems, very little in the U.S. is currently recycled correctly, and it also requires a great deal of manpower to process. While most people want to recycle, we don’t really know how to do it properly and messaging is confusing at best. 42% of people studied were unaware that plastic bottles can’t be recycled unless you first remove the labels. I freely admit that far too often I forget to remove those labels.
Thankfully, a number of companies are stepping up though in order to improve the recycling process. SKC Inc has developed a label that doesn’t need to be removed, and can in fact be recycled in the same stream as the PET bottle. Another company, Recyclops, is working to change the collection process by using an Uber Eats style app to facilitate the pick up of recyclables from areas that currently are not being serviced.
You can read the full article here, and I encourage you to do so as it is a great article that provides a depth of information and further links.
Powering Our Homes With Kitchen Scraps (Fast Company)
With the growth in BioGas technology, we can imagine powering a kettle using energy generated by the vegetable scraps breaking down in your compost bin. BioGas is a green alternative to fossil fuels that helps reduce emissions and can also be a source of cheap, clean energy. It is “green” because it reduces greenhouse gas emissions from decaying food waste by storing the gases and using them to generate heat and electricity. You can read about the obstacles to greater adoption of this technology in the article, but good policy decisions would definitely help remove these perceived roadblocks.
After reading the article, did anyone else immediately flash to an image of Doc Brown and a flying DeLorean?
Sustainable Dorms at UC Davis (KCRA)
Billed as the “largest student housing project in the nation”, the new complex at UC Davis encompasses 1.3 million square feet of student space that runs green, being 100% electric with solar panels to offset all of the energy spent. UC Davis has faced a housing crunch for its student population for a number of years, and this complex will house 3,300 students which is a big step for the university to achieve its goal of housing half of its students on campus. You can read the full article and watch the news clip here.
That’s all for this week. Hopefully I will find some time to do some fun stuff this week like vacation planning and I can share some details soon.
The Free Range Viking
The Free Range Viking 