Kathy Hannun, president and cofounder of Dandelion Energy, introduces an untapped heating and cooling capacity source for homes — geothermal energy. Typically associated with high temperatures and geologically active areas such as hot springs or locations at the intersections of tectonic plates, geothermal heat pumps tap into the consistent year-round temperature of Earth’s outer crust to maintain a comfortable home […]
Meet Vivian Tai, Director of Innovation at GS1 US, the American division of GS1, a nonprofit organization you interact with daily and probably do not know by name. Its product, the Universal Product Code, or UPC barcode, is on virtually everything you buy and could power your participation in the circular economy. The original UPC barcode transformed shopping in the […]
Reducing the number of solo commuters in and around cities and the emissions associated with going to work and the store make a positive difference for the environment and human health. Meet Nanci Fitzgerald, President and CEO of The Rideshare Company. This nonprofit organization develops ridesharing services for companies, governments, and residential facilities. Founded in the 1980s, The Rideshare Company […]
The rise of fast fashion resulted in a tidal wave of clothing in the world’s landfills. Even traditional fashion choices can increase your environmental footprint if not selected using sustainable criteria, cared for and washed correctly, and worn until you donate or recycle it. Meet Erin Houston, cofounder of Wearwell, a woman-owned company that helps customers choose sustainable clothing, accessories, […]
Most of us know the value of recycling and reusing items like plastic bottles, hand-me-down clothing, and newspapers. Through reuse and recycling, we can reduce what goes to the landfill, reduce waste, and save on energy used to produce new materials. But is just as important, is scrap metal recycling. By recycling metals, we reuse a valuable and finite resource […]
When e-cigarettes, or vapes, came on the market in 2007, they were initially seen as 1) a healthier alternative to smoking tobacco cigarettes and 2) a possible stepping stone to quitting smoking once and for all. Unfortunately, the use of vapes has proven to have many health risks. Vaping has increased dramatically since they were introduced over a decade ago. […]
Despite its other environmental impacts, including toxic waste that requires centuries or millennia of storage in facilities designed to protect future generations from the genetic and acute effects of radiation, nuclear power is considered by some influential environmentalists an essential component of the post-fossil fuel economy. For example, James Hansen, the NASA scientist who raised the alarm about global warming […]
This week’s inspiration from the great French author and playwright, Voltaire: “Men argue. Nature acts.” The transition to a sustainable society cannot wait for the debates to end, it must start with each of us making changes. Be like nature, when you know an action is needed, take the step. Make your case with action. One individual action is more […]
Different types of packaging for the same beverage can have very different impacts on the environment. As a sustainability professional in the beverage industry, I’ve seen the impact our choices can have on the environment. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) provides valuable insights to help make sustainable choices when evaluating the ecological impacts of beverage packaging. Each type of packaging […]
The rise of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles will require a transformation in battery technology, the charging infrastructure, and the electric grid. Sam Abuelsamid, Principal Analyst for E-Mobility at Guidehouse Insights, joins the conversation to discuss electrification issues, from battery technology and mobility to smart cities, EV range anxiety, charging networks, and the distributed energy grid evolving around us. Sam […]