Super Eco

Photo credit: Badger and Blade

Like many men, I prefer to be clean-shaven, and my beard is much like that of Clint Eastwood's "Man with No Name" - I could strike a match on my beard stubble.

My current electric razor is nearing the end of its useful life, because the battery will not hold a charge. Even when plugged in, it does not have enough power anymore for a good shave.

Rather than purchase another electric razor or switch to a cartridge razor, both of which generate a significant amount of waste throughout their service lives, I have decided to go "back to the future" and purchase a modern version of the old-fashioned safety razor.

Just like in the good old days, these razors use fully recyclable steel blades, and even the razor itself could be recycled when it is no longer needed, or given to someone else. However, the razor does not need to look and function like an antique.

There are a few companies, such as Classic Shaving, that offer a good variety of razors to fit every budget and taste.

For example, the Merkur Vision (pictured here) allows for full adjustment of blade angle, which may appeal to those who like to tinker.

Although some of these modern safety razors can be quite expensive on initial purchase, the blades themselves are inexpensive compared with cartridge razor refills, or foil and blade sets for electric razors.

Of course, a badger-hair brush is a must to work up a good lather, and a good quality shaving soap completes the package, giving a much closer and smoother shave, with less irritation. If the gentleman chooses wisely, the soap may even be ecologically friendly.  The Gentlemens Refinery carries several shave creams with certified organic ingredients.

So, the next time you need to replace your razor, give some consideration to "the good old days!"

(Photo credit: Badger & Blade)

Photo credit: Paula Pandey Chhetri on stock.xchng

I work in the nuclear energy sector—kind of ironic that I write for an eco site, isn't it! Anyway, my current role is in nuclear waste management. Most of the time when we are performing a clean up operation or decommissioning an old site, we have good documentation to help us plan the work so there are no surprises.

However, every once in a while, we encounter something unexpected—nothing we can't handle, because we are trained to work with radioactivity—but it does make the job more challenging.

That's what happened at the Department of Energy Hanford Site in Washington State back in 2004, although they did not realize the historical significance of the find until recently. The Hanford site had manufactured plutonium for the first nuclear weapons test at Trinity, as part of the Manhattan Project, and also for the Fat Man nuclear weapon that was used to strike Nagasaki at the end of World War II.

Photo credit: Paige Foster on stock.xchng

Wherever you turn, it seems to be a hot topic these days. People are talking about buying more fuel-efficient cars, not only to save themselves money, but also to reduce carbon emissions. While the idea is one with good intentions, upon further examination it is not quite as simple a solution as it seems.

I currently drive a small gasoline powered car, and if I use light hypermiling techniques, I can achieve approximately 42 miles per gallon on the highway. As I live in a remote area, the bulk of my driving tends to be highway driving.

For my daily commute, things are a bit different. My wife and I drive her car to work (we work at the same location), and we drop our children off at daycare on the way to work. Hence, my car is only driven about once a week because we carpool.

If I chose to trade it in for a hybrid car or a compact diesel, of course I would save money when I did drive my car.

Photo credit: Anthony Carlucci on Flickr

Many people would love to own an Apple computer, but many of these same people are scared away by the prices, which are perceived to be much greater than for other non-Apple machines. While in my experience the prices for Mac hardware and other manufacturers are very close for the same hardware components, Apple doesn't offer entry-level models for their computers, with the exception of the Mac Mini. Therefore, it's possible to purchase a Windows-based laptop or desktop for much less than the least expensive Apple machine.

So what can you do?

Sometimes, new computers have tiny manufacturing errors that prevent them from working perfectly out of the box, and Apple is not immune to this. These brand new machines are typically returned to the manufacturer, picked over with a fine-toothed comb, and restored to perfect working order. They are then offered up for sale as refurbished units, with full warranties, just like a brand new computer, except at a significant price discount. Because the machines have been so closely scrutinized during the refurbishment process, they tend to have fewer problems than comparable "new" computers that were not subject to the same inspections.

Models from Apple's complete product line are available from time to time, and it is not limited strictly to computers. The Apple Store also carries refurbished iPods for those who wish to save. Not only will you receive a more thoroughly tested unit for a better price, but you will smile knowing that your brand new refurb has kept one more computer out of a landfill, and that's good for all of us.

Photo credit: Kitchen

I have a few friends who drive diesel powered cars, and they are seriously investigating the use of waste vegetable oil to power their vehicles. Some local restaurants are willing to give them the waste oil, free of charge.

But thanks to the Vegawatt Cogeneration Power System from Owl Power Company in Boylston, Massachusetts, my friends may not find it so easy to obtain their cheap biodiesel.

According to Ben Prentice, the VP of Sales at Owl, the currently available Vegawatt produces 5 kilowatts of electricity while using 50 to 80 gallons of waste oil—the amount produced weekly by a typical restaurant. This translates to approximately 10-15 percent of the power requirements of an average restaurant. Owl estimates that the $22,000 system would pay for itself in approximately four years.

Photo credit: Angel Norris on stock.xchng

In our household, my wife and I split all of the duties just about 50:50. With four children under the age of 7, we don't have much choice!

As you might imagine, we use a lot of laundry soap, dish soap, hand soap, shampoo, and so forth—much more than the average household. Laundry soap seems to be one of the biggest offenders. Let's just say that one of us is better at conserving soap than the other and leave it at that, to keep this author out of trouble.

Recently we switched our brand of laundry soap, and the one we are using now has an easy to read measuring cup. Of course, if you're using liquid soap most of the bottles have a combination measuring cup and bottle cap, and the powdered soaps come with scoops. I have been experimenting with using the minimum recommended amount of soap or less. It seems that as little as half of the recommended minimum amount is more than enough for average laundry loads.

I have also done the same with shampoo, both for myself and the children. Very small amounts, perhaps the size of a dime, are enough for a good lather. We've noticed that the shampoo lasts much longer this way, and our hair seems to be much nicer in the end.

As is often the case, less is more with some consumer products. This means more money in our bank account, less material for recycling, and less waste going to the water. In my eyes, that's a win-win arrangement!

Are You Using Too Much Product? [via planet green]

Photo credit: London Permaculture on Flickr

Someday I will be in the market for a new house as my family continues to grow. We currently live in a standard house, built using traditional materials and techniques. While this is okay, there are alternative designs made of recycled and natural materials. One alternative type of house like this is known as an Earthship.

Development of the Earthship concept was led by Mike Reynolds, founder of Earthship Biotecture. These houses are constructed of materials such as used tires, which are filled with earth to provide insulation from heat and cold. The roof is heavily insulated with earth, to increase energy efficiency. Non-load bearing walls are often made of recycled cans and concrete. The homes are designed to operate off-grid as much as possible, and can be constructed fairly easily by the average person with no special skills. Windows are oriented towards the sun, to capture light and heat. A typical Earthship also uses wind turbines and photovoltaic panels to generate electricity.

Water is collected naturally from rain or snow, and filtered to make the water suitable for drinking. Greywater systems direct drainage from sinks so that it may be reused by plants, reclaiming the proteins in soaps and returning the water to the earth. Blackwater systems treat toilet discharge via solar-enhanced septic tanks. If flush toilets are not feasible, dry solar toilets are recommended.

Earthships may be found in almost every part of the USA, in the UK, and in Canada. In fact, there is an Earthship in Ontario, Canada, not far from where I live! The owner is a musician named Errol Francis, and he even offers tours of the Earthship where his family resides.

If you are in the market for a new home, consider one of the sustainable alternatives — consider an Earthship!

The overwhelming majority of the world’s freight is shipped by sea, which burns vast quantities of fossil fuels - greater than half a billion tons per annum.

It is little wonder, then, that environmentally minded people are seeking cost effective improvements and alternatives to current water-borne transportation technologies.

The Seatrade Middle East Maritime 2008 will run from December 14th to 16th at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center, and will showcase technologies such as drag reduction, wind power augmentation, and alternative fuels such as compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG). In addition, a discussion of the effect of the economic downturn on the shipping industry will likely highlight potential areas for cost savings.

On a smaller scale, there is already a shipping company blazing the trail towards green transportation of freight, by the name of Compagnie de Transport Maritime a la Voile, or CTMV.

Headquartered in France, CTMV services Northern European countries with a fleet of modern, sail-driven merchant ships. The first line was opened in mid-2008, and wine is shipped from Bordeaux to Dublin under the FairWindWine banner. Additional lines have since been opened to London, and to Montreal.

While a sailing ship might not be the first choice for time-critical goods, not everything needs to arrive in a just-in-time fashion, and companies such as CTMV offer truly sustainable transport, now and for the future.

90% of Freight Goes By Sea - Greening Shipping Makes Sense! [via The Inspired Economist]

(Photo credit: FairWindWine)

When I finally reach full superhero (or is that supervillain?) status and I need a unique and attractive mountain dwelling from which to plan my next scheme for total world domination, I'll be sure to call Ross Lovegrove of Lovegrove Studio in London to design and build it for me.

I mean, a Bavarian castle would be grand, or maybe some kind of underground tunnel complex, but the modern uber-being needs something more futuristic.

(Sharks with lasers on their heads are completely optional, of course!)

Constructed of reflective acrylic and looking for all the world like a gigantic blob of mercury, the Alpine Capsule offers a full 360 degree view, as it is to be completely transparent from inside.

Because a superhero would be nothing without an array of computers and gadgets, electricity is to be provided via solar power and wind power. This will allow for true off-grid living. Besides making a great hideout for James Bond types, the structure would be perfect for those weekend getaways with friends or family, and I could see it being an ideal writing studio for a well-to-do author.

Construction of the first example is scheduled to begin in 2010 in Alta Badia, Italy. Located 2100 meters above sea level, the Alpine Capsule will offer incredible views of the Dolomites, and make the owner the envy of superheroes everywhere.

Superman has the Fortress of Solitude, and the rest of us can have our very own Alpine Capsule.

Mountain Cabin Made of Glass [via io9]

(Photo credit: Dezeen)

After air, the next most important thing we need to sustain life is water.

Imagine if you could obtain all of the drinking water you need, in pure form, right out of the air.  No more water quality tests for your well, no more trips to the store for water bottles, and no reliance on your town's water treatment plant - no more worrying about the quality of the water that you and your family are consuming.

The WaterMill from element four can do just that, extracting water out of the air much like the Fremen windtraps in the story Dune.  The collection takes place outside of your home, as the outside air is much cleaner than the air inside of your house - I know it is at my house!  The water is then purified, and passed on to various points in your home where pure drinking water may be required, such as a water cooler or the refrigerator.

Because the WaterMill extracts water from the air, and does so very efficiently, it lends itself to low-energy requirements and off-grid living.  The parent company is currently exploring options to power the machine via alternative renewable energy sources such as wind or solar.

As I looked at the WaterMill, I also wondered if it might be possible to mount it on a motorhome.  Hey, why not!  I am sure that some enterprising individual will do just that, and figure out a way to wire it into the vehicle's electrical system for water collection on the go.

The WaterMill is just what I need for that log cabin I've always wanted!  Now, if only I can convince the rest of my family to move there with me...

(From Slashdot)

(Image credit: Element Four)