May 31, 2020
Construction of a full-scale sidestream ANITA Mox treatment plant will commence later this year at Urban Utilities’ Luggage Point Resource Recovery Centre in Brisbane. The plant will use Anammox bacteria to break down nitrogen in wastewater, requiring less energy and chemicals than traditional treatment processes. Veolia Water Technologies and Urban Utilities will work together to install the
...May 31, 2020
Usable water is a precious commodity. The saying “without water there is no life” becomes very real in times of drought as individuals and communities are impacted by the scarcity of supply.It is during these times that there is a greater focus on our water resilience. The remedy to these issues is often reactive, including the implementation of water restrictions and the identification of new
...May 29, 2020
Demystifying the ‘Absolute Zero’ concept Heather Clancy Fri, 05/29/2020 - 02:15 If your sustainability team has regular debates about how to label or describe its various initiatives, it’s not alone. The nuances of all the various adjectives and descriptors that are used to describe climate action — from "science-based" to "net zero"
...May 29, 2020
Residential energy is becoming companies' business Sarah Golden Fri, 05/29/2020 - 01:45 In this crazy upside-down world, the line between residential and commercial energy is getting fuzzy. Everything changed so quickly, it makes sense that climate and energy teams have yet to figure out how to account for the shift. But as companies such as Mastercard, Facebook and Twitter
...May 29, 2020
Can companies rely on regenerative agriculture's carbon removal impact? Jim Giles Fri, 05/29/2020 - 01:30 Amid the recent headline-grabbing investments in food ventures, one event went largely unnoticed: FedEx’s involvement in a $200 million raise by Indigo Ag, a company that provides services and data to farmers. Why would a delivery behemoth invest in an outfit that sells seeds? The answer
...May 28, 2020
How the Navajo got their day in the sun Danny Kennedy Thu, 05/28/2020 - 02:00 In late March, during the early hours of the COVID-19 crisis, just as New Yorkers were realizing how many might die, a small solar development company closed a $4 million financing deal. "Closing" is never easy, but getting a half-dozen high-net-worth individuals, family offices and foundations to pony up
...May 28, 2020
How Stripe’s ‘negative emissions’ team picked its first four carbon removal projects Heather Clancy Thu, 05/28/2020 - 01:14 Among the many notes to myself about potential follow-up stories lies my scribbled reminder to check in on online payment tech company Stripe’s pledge last year to put at least $1 million annually toward carbon removal activities. Last
...May 27, 2020
Using waste carbon feedstocks to produce chemicals Elizabeth R. Nesbitt Wed, 05/27/2020 - 14:36 Emerging carbon capture utilization (CCU) technologies potentially allow chemical companies and other manufacturers such as steel companies to convert waste carbon from industrial emissions — in the form of carbon monoxide (CO) and/or carbon dioxide (CO2) — into sustainable,
...May 27, 2020
Despite living in a country full of wide-open spaces and beautiful rural landscapes, most Australians opt to live in cities. Indeed, even if the COVID-19 pandemic and the confinement of populations around the world makes it difficult for some people to live in cities, urban populations will continue to grow at such a rate that only a smart city strategy will improve the lives of all residents. According to the
...May 27, 2020
Installing a 1.1 MW Tesla Powerpack behind-the-meter battery system has saved The University of Queensland almost $74,000 in electricity costs in three months. UQ Energy and Sustainability Manager Andrew Wilson said savings from the university’s solar panel installations had fully funded the $2.05 million battery system. The battery was a key step in allowing UQ to start trading directly in the
...May 27, 2020
One of Florida’s largest low-pressure ultrafiltration (UF) membrane plants has installed over 300 Rotork K-TORK pneumatic vane actuators. The plant treats water from two separate sources — one for surface water from the surface of a lake and the other for groundwater from the well fields. It is the only municipal drinking water plant owned and operated by the county and has the capacity to
...May 27, 2020
The Turritopsis dohrnii is known as the immortal jellyfish because it is capable of a remarkable biological trick. When it gets old or sick or suffers a shock, this tiny tentacled sea creature is able to transform the state of its cells and revert to its nascent polyp stage, effectively beginning life again.Image: Channels: EnvironmentTags: DSMCanarycircular economyAupingEuropean
...May 27, 2020
How Dell and Levi's envision the future of repair Elsa Wenzel Wed, 05/27/2020 - 02:00 Doing away with a culture of disposability is one of the big dreams of the circular economy. A jolt in this direction came overnight as COVID-19 drove people indoors, forcing many to rethink how they reduce, reuse or recycle items they took for granted only weeks earlier. As U.S. unemployment claims
...May 24, 2020
An urban solar station on the rooftop of DHL Supply Chain’s (DHL’s) new warehouse in Sydney’s west has the ability to direct solar energy either partially or fully to the consumer onsite, or directly trade the energy on the National Electricity Market (NEM). Developed by Epho Commercial Solar and partially funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Association (ARENA), ‘Bright
...May 22, 2020
“I think that in the 20th century we made a big mistake. We built habitats much more for cars than for humans. So now all over the world we are realising that we made a mistake." So said Enrique Penalosa, the inspirational former mayor of Bogota, Colombia, who introduced the first city-wide car-free day in 2001. Now cities across the world, including London, Paris, Mexico City and New York are setting
...May 22, 2020
Episode 221: Mapping biodiversity, repair and the circular economy Heather Clancy Fri, 05/22/2020 - 01:21 Week in Review Commentary on this week's news highlights begins at 4:35. AB InBev VP: Our quest for "agile" sustainable development continues Let's get together: Intel's 2030 commitments include "shared" climate and social
...May 22, 2020
How TerraCycle's safety and cleaning practices can be adopted across industries Deonna Anderson Fri, 05/22/2020 - 00:05 The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the safety of reuse into question. But Tom Szaky, CEO of TerraCycle, thinks when the crisis is over there will be even more opportunity for reusable packaging and containers to become more commonplace, if done
...May 21, 2020
Turbidity measurement to optimise drinking water filter backwash cycles is a critical aspect of the water treatment process. Filter backwash needs to occur at the proper intervals and for the proper duration of time to preserve water quality and maintain filter integrity. Learn about new technology that helps drinking water treatment plants to operate as efficiently as possible.
...May 21, 2020
Researchers at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) have proposed the design of a new carbon nanostructure made from diamond nanothreads that could one day be used for mechanical energy storage, wearable technologies and biomedical applications. Dr Haifei Zhan, from the QUT Centre for Materials Science, and his colleagues successfully modelled the mechanical energy storage and release
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May 20, 2020
The Digital Transformation of the Food Value Chain webinar (May 28 - 12.00pm EDT // 9.00am PDT) will deep-dive into how companies across the food industry are using technology to improve productivity and drive efficiencies in food production and supply.
May 20, 2020
Bush Brothers counts on water reuse to reduce local impact of bean production Jesse Klein Wed, 05/20/2020 - 03:20 "There was nothing except a pipe going out the back of the plant." This was how Rodney Aulick, president of integrated solutions and services at Evoqua Water Technologies, described the wastewater system at Bush Brothers and Company’s Tennessee plant, when
...May 20, 2020
Is it scooter company Lime's moment to shine? Katie Fehrenbacher Wed, 05/20/2020 - 02:20 If you look at the headlines about the shared scooter industry — with service shut-downs and cratering valuations — you easily could predict the long-hyped sector's demise. But what if now is the moment for scooters to really shine and deliver the unique transportation value
...May 19, 2020
Endress+Hauser has introduced the Turbimax CUS50D sensor, a robust turbidity and suspended solids measurement tool for industrial applications. The sensor is designed to withstand aggressive media in a wide range of applications such as solids measurement in industrial wastewater. The sensor measures turbidity and suspended solids in accordance with ISO 7027, even in very dark liquids and
...May 19, 2020
Pressure on heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment at Melbourne sporting and entertainment venue AAMI Park means that reducing CO2 emissions (CO2e) and running costs is an ongoing commitment of the venue’s management, Melbourne & Olympic Parks (M&OP). To help meet operational growth targets, M&OP consulted technical partner Johnson Controls to identify the best
...May 19, 2020
AB InBev VP: Our quest for 'agile' sustainable development continues Heather Clancy Tue, 05/19/2020 - 02:37 Like most big companies with a complex multinational footprint, Anheuser-Busch InBev's sales slipped in the first quarter and the beer maker is embracing new financial discipline amid the coronavirus pandemic. But the company also has acted quickly to prop up key members of its value
...May 18, 2020
Rebuilding recycling to go circular Keefe Harrison Mon, 05/18/2020 - 18:18 This article is part of our Paradigm Shift series, produced by nonprofit PYXERA Global, on the diverse solutions driving the transition to a circular economy. See the full collection of stories and upcoming webinars with the authors here. After the coronavirus pandemic has passed, the world will need
...May 18, 2020
With key decisions on Covid-19 recovery efforts in Europe and the US due to be made this week, 155 multinational companies today issued a statement reaffirming their own science-based commitments to achieve a zero-carbon economy and calling on governments around the world to match their ambition.Image: Channels: EnvironmentTags: CoronavirusUnder2 CoalitionSDGsParis
...May 17, 2020
With Oligo Infrastructure Indonesia leading the consortium, the processed engineered fuel (PEF) made for a waste-to-energy power plant will convert approximately 650,000 tonnes of waste per year into baseload renewable energy, with a full capacity of 25 MW, along with segregated recyclable materials for further valorisation, biogas and inert fillers. ResourceCo Asia Managing Director Pavel Cech said
...May 17, 2020
Archimats are ‘architectured’ materials that have an organised intertwined or interlocking inner architecture that can be engineered to have superior strength, a high tolerance to damage and good thermal insulation compared with other conventional composite materials such as concrete. Archimats can also better absorb energy and provide improved compliance and flexibility. Led by
...May 15, 2020
The fashion industry is unsustainable — here's how journalism is inspiring activism to improve it Kirstie Dabbs Fri, 05/15/2020 - 01:43 The fast fashion industry has long been critiqued for unsustainable practices and unethical working conditions. From global cotton supply chains to pollution from textile factories, the need to improve the industry in favor of both people and
...May 14, 2020
Inner Sydney’s Central Park has been announced the Environmental Excellence Award winner in the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) Wingate National Awards for Excellence at a special virtual awards announcement this week. Selected from five finalists in the Environmental Excellence category, the sustainable precinct by Frasers Property Australia and Sekisui House Australia is an
...May 13, 2020
Infrastructure firm AECOM has launched a platform that streamlines environmental documentation and stakeholder engagement throughout the environmental assessment process. Presenting technical information in a user-friendly online and interactive format, the AECOM Environmental Engagement platform was initially developed for public- and private-sector clients in Australia. The scalable
...May 13, 2020
Watch for ADM to pioneer biofuels, more carbon capture projects Heather Clancy Wed, 05/13/2020 - 02:57 Although decarbonization of industrial processes remains a big technical challenge, food processing and commodities giant Archer Daniels Midland recently adopted new commitments to cut its absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2035 — with additional carbon
...May 12, 2020
In the Italian Pusteria Valley, the Beton Werk-Bauschutt Excavation and Recycling Company (BWR) operates one of its many plants. It’s a challenging environment from an operational perspective due to the strong and constantly shifting winds that are typical of the region. These winds pick up dust particles created during operations and disperse them widely — including onto panels at a nearby solar
...May 12, 2020
How cosmetics retailer Lush is making purposeful profit through circularity Katrina Shum Tue, 05/12/2020 - 01:30 This article is part of our Paradigm Shift series, produced by nonprofit PYXERA Global, on the diverse solutions driving the transition to a circular economy. See the full collection of stories and upcoming webinars with the authors here. Commerce as we know it is
...May 12, 2020
The robotic, hybrid-electric future of agriculture Shane Downing Tue, 05/12/2020 - 00:15 While many around the world, ordered indoors amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, are coming up with innovative ways to plant small victory gardens in, around and on top of their homes, plenty of change is afoot in big ag — much of it driven by new technologies. A recent IDTechEx
...May 11, 2020
As we self-isolate, we must be careful not to isolate our ideas and thoughts. We have the opportunity to ensure we deliver a clean, low-carbon and inclusive global recovery. It has never been more important for our industry to share, collaborate and inspire. For that reason, we’re hosting the Responsible Business Week [June 8-16], as an online event and it will be entirely free to attend. We are humbled
...May 11, 2020
Wireless charging pads already exist for smartphones, but they only work if the phone is sitting still. Using this technology for cars would be just as inconvenient as the current practice of plugging a car in for an hour or two at a charging station or overnight at home. So what if a car could recharge as it drives? Engineers from the Stanford School of Engineering have demonstrated a practical way to use magnetism
...May 11, 2020
Inside Eastman’s moonshot goal for endlessly circular plastics Joel Makower Mon, 05/11/2020 - 00:44 At first glance, the sprawling industrial site, covering roughly 900 acres in Kingsport, Tennessee, appears to be just another chemical manufacturing facility. There are hundreds of buildings and countless miles of pipes, conveyors, distillers, cooling towers, valves, pumps,
...May 8, 2020
How online ordering could cut food waste Jim Giles Fri, 05/08/2020 - 02:50 This article was adapted from the GreenBiz Food Weekly newsletter. Sign up here to receive your own free subscription. "It feels like we’re peeling an onion." That’s what sustainability veteran Dave Stangis said when I asked him about the long-term changes being wrought
...May 7, 2020
As part of the 2020 Virtual Responsible Business Week I interviewed Satya Tripathi of the UNEP to get his thoughts and ideas as to why now's the time for business to re-imagine a new normal and turn from a system focused on the value proposition to one of a proposition of values. You can watch the 15-minute interview below:Image: Channels: EnvironmentTags: UN EnvironmentUNEPSatya
...May 7, 2020
The Australian Government has issued a mandate that will see $300 million invested in Australia’s hydrogen industry via the Advancing Hydrogen Fund. Under the mandate, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) will make available up to $300 million in CEFC finance to support the growth of a clean, innovative, safe and competitive Australian hydrogen industry. One of the CEFC’s first
...May 6, 2020
A next-generation solar cell that can maintain efficiency in the heat has been developed by engineers at Iowa State University. This solar cell takes advantage of the electro-optical properties of perovskite materials, and the materials are much more stable at high temperatures. One problem with the current generation of silicon solar cells is their relatively low efficiency at converting solar
...May 5, 2020
Two ways P&G is working toward its packaging goals Deonna Anderson Tue, 05/05/2020 - 11:33 Procter & Gamble's Tide laundry detergent brand first introduced in January 2019 its "Eco-Box," which has been compared to a wine box because of its design made from paperboard with a tap for dispensing, in an effort to reduce the plastic in its packaging. In mid-May, the
...May 5, 2020
New compostable packaging guidelines have been published by the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO), the Australasian Bioplastics Association (ABA) and the Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA) in a united approach to help Australian businesses make informed choices when it comes to compostable packaging. The guidelines — Considerations for Compostable Packaging
...May 5, 2020
Sustainable infrastructure investments can aid the post-COVID recovery Katherine Davisson Tue, 05/05/2020 - 04:23 The economic fallout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing governments around the world to come up with policies for stimulating the global economy. Many are considering a tried-and-true method to boost economies in the short term and provide wide societal benefits in
...May 4, 2020
Four key considerations for infusing sustainability throughout your entire supply chain.
May 4, 2020
The time has passed for small commitments, hyperbole and delays in embracing sustainable investing.
May 1, 2020
Here's what real benefits for workers and communities can look like, as laid out by Circle Economy.
May 1, 2020
So far, money is still flowing into utility-scale deals but it's harder to come by for residential, distributed solar, commercial and industrial, and community solar projects.
May 1, 2020
Many shoppers will find the process quicker and easier post-pandemic, which begs the need for more serious attention to the transportation footprint associated with getting groceries to consumers' front doors.