Thursday, December 30, 2004

[Fuel cells] Fuel Cell Today's end-of-year report: 2004 The end of the year is always the time for the media to reflect on events throughout the year and try to place them in some sort of context. Hopefully, it becomes possible to remove the hype, to look on whether promises made were actually delivered, and by comparing the year to the previous twelve months, to gain a sense both of progress made and what could realistically be achieved in the coming year. So, with this in mind, the Fuel Cell Today team sat down to write their reflections on the year: an end-of-year report for fuel cells. Like any growing industry (or child), is the verdict an unimpressive "could try harder" or something more like "outperforming her potential"? 9:58:45 AM Google It!    [Technology] Technology Research Advances of 2004 Each year sees more researchers at work and more research papers published than the last -- the volume of scientific and technological research has doubled every decade for the past three centuries. The profusion of technology research in 2004 includes notable advances in biotechnology, communications, computing, engineering, energy, security, nanotechnology, applied physics and the Internet. [Source: Technology Research News] 9:55:52 AM Google It!    [Water] Melting snow's contaminants pose threat to waterways With warmer temperatures beginning to melt last week's snow, water pouring into local streams and the Ohio River over the next few days also will carry tons of ice-melting salt and other contaminants. [Source: Louisville (KY) Courier-Journal] 9:53:30 AM Google It!    [Wildlife] The Most Cold-Blooded Candidates in Hissssstory Snakes, frogs, turtles and other slimy politicos tip the scales in the race to become Illinois' official reptile and amphibian. [Source: Los Angeles Times] 9:51:38 AM Google It!    [E-waste] First Contracts Issued for Environmentally Responsible Computer Disposal Throughout Federal Government EPA has awarded its first contracts to help all federal agencies in the environmentally responsible disposal of computers and other used electronic equipment.  Called Government Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs) for Recycling Electronics and Asset Disposition (READ) services, they provide federal agencies with a dependable method of properly recycling and disposing of excess or obsolete electronic equipment. The U.S. Government buys seven percent of the world's computers.  In fiscal year 2005 alone, EPA expects federal agencies to spend almost $60 billion on Information Technology equipment, software, infrastructure and services.  The Government disposes of approximately 10,000 computers every week, a significant number of which are ending up in storage closets, warehouses and landfills, or overseas where generally the environmental standards are lower.  Electronic equipment contains toxic materials such as lead, mercury, chromium, cadmium, and beryllium, which, if mishandled, could be released into the environment.  This complex waste stream poses challenging management issues and potential liability concerns for federal facilities. The GWAC is composed of eight contracts (three nationwide, three in the eastern U.S. and two in western U.S.) awarded to small businesses.  The contractors are Molam International, Marietta, Ga.; Supply Chain Services, Lombard, Ill.; UNICOR (Federal Prison Industries), Washington, D.C.; Asset Recovery Corp., St. Paul, Minn.; Hesstech LLC, Edison, N.J.; Liquidity Services Inc., Washington, D.C.; Global Investment Recovery, Tampa, Fla.; and Hobi International, Batavia, Ill.  The basic contracts approved Dec. 16 run for one year with up to four possible one-year extensions, with a combined potential value of up to $9 million. Contractors must maintain an audit trail to the equipment's final destination to ensure that reclamation and recycling efforts are documented.  The contracts will also maximize revenues from usable electronic equipment currently in storage through a share-in-savings (SiS) program.  Under SiS, the contractor will attempt to identify opportunities to save costs associated with recycling efforts and share those savings with federal agencies to offset the latter's recycling costs. For more information on the READ program, go to http://www.epa.gov/oamhpod1/admin_placement/0300115/fact.htm. In a related issue encompassing all parts of American society, not just the federal government, EPA is also working to increase the number of consumer electronic devices collected and safely recycled in the United States under a program called "Plug-In To eCycling."  Plug-In is one component of EPA's Resource Conservation Challenge, a national effort to find flexible, yet more protective ways to conserve our valuable resources.  More information on "Plug-In To eCycling" is available at: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/conserve/plugin/index.htm. 9:32:17 AM Google It!    [Automobile industry] Honda Earns Green Automaker Award from Environmentalists The Union of Concerned Scientists last week dubbed Honda the nation's greenest automaker in a report on car companies' environmental performance. [ENN Business Headlines] 9:29:45 AM Google It!    [Alternative energy] Lodi, California Winery to Be Solar-Powered Since grapevines are solar-powered, The Lucas Winery should be no less, owner David Lucas concluded. [ENN Energy Channel] 9:28:27 AM Google It!    [Recycling] Farm Uses Waste Cooking Oil to Heat its Greenhouse Ralph and Lisa Turner of Laughing Stock Farm have a new recipe for salad this winter: Take a vat of used cooking oil from restaurants, strain out food bits ranging from bread crumbs to chicken bones, then use it as fuel to heat a greenhouse. [ENN Recycling Channel] 9:25:55 AM Google It!

© Copyright 2005 Laura L. Barnes. Last update: 10/25/2005; 12:08:20 PM.