recycling

Start's advice: Today, the concept of recycling - or turning an old or unwanted product into something new - is more popular than ever. That's because recycling is an effective way of reducing landfill and energy consumption (and therefore pollution). Recycled materials in manufacturing use considerably less energy than producing new products from raw materials - even when comparing all other associated costs, including transport.

Today, experts estimate that UK recycling is the equivalent of taking 5 million cars off the road. Take aluminium, for example. The organisation Recycle Now calculates that recycling aluminium uses just five per cent of the energy needed to make it from scratch. What's more, the metal can be recycled time and time again.

Reduce, Re-use, Refill

Submitted by Tracey Smith on 11 February, 2011 - 14:00

Pop a re-usable water bottle in your bag/car and simply re-fill as necessary. Some are made from recycled plastic or collapsible to save space.

Tracey Smith, Writer & Broadcaster

Tracey Smith is a writer and broadcaster on sustainable living and author of The Book of Rubbish Ideas.

Penney Poyzer, the Queen of Green

Penney Poyzer is one of the UK’s leading environmentalists. She is much in demand across the media - and for corporate clients - as a commentator and inspiring speaker across the spectrum of environmental issues. She is regularly called on by BBC TV news and many national and local radio stations for her quick fire commentary on green stories.

Cycle like a champ without looking like a cycle champ

MikeWhelan's blog

Submitted by MikeWhelan on 17 November, 2010 - 04:07

Cycling is the fastest way to get around the city from meeting to meeting, TWOnFRO‘s range of bikes, clothing and accessories ensure you’ll arrive on time: stylish, creaseless & sweat-free.

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Pit Stop-Park Plaza Hotel, London-2010 Bridgestone Eco-Rally

Submitted by ParkPlaza on 18 June, 2010 - 11:48

Date:

7-7-10

Admission Fee:

FREE

About the Venue

Old EV batteries used in windfarms & solar generators

MikeWhelan's blog

Submitted by MikeWhelan on 13 April, 2010 - 10:51

Nissan and General Motors hope to sell used batteries from electric vehicles to wind farms, according to The Sunday Times. If successful, the scheme could have a major impact on the cost of EVs since batteries form a large part of the vehicle costs.

Once batteries can no longer store more than 70 per cent of their charge - probably after 10 years or 150,000 miles - they are not able to be used to power cars but still have enough storage capacity to be used to store power generated by wind turbines at off-peak times, when it is not required by the national grid. The batteries could also be used for emergency power supplies.

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A 'rubbish truck' that actually runs on rubbish!

Submitted by Gasrec on 10 June, 2009 - 11:48

For six months, a street cleansing truck in Camden was actually powered by a fuel derived from landfill waste. Or, as Mayor Boris Johnson put it, "it runs on rhubarb!" Liquid biomethane (LBM) is considered to be a carbon neutral alternative to fossil fuels.
The truck emitted almost 60% less CO2, less noise and consumed less fuel than either diesel or CNG, with no reliabilty issues. It also travelled twice as far as the current CNG fleet between re-fuelling stops. The trial was conducted by Veolia Environmental Services, Iveco and Camden Council using Gasrec’s liquid biomehtane fuel, with funding and evaluation support by Cenex. The next step is to produce the fuel at local landfill sites.

Oliver Heath, Designer & TV presenter

Oliver Heath is one of Britain's most innovative and well-respected interior designers. Since winning the prestigious title of Young Designer of the Year in 1998, Oliver has gone on to further acclaim on our television screens. He was snapped up by the BBC to bring eco-chic to Changing Rooms and has since presented Homefront, From House To Home and UKTV Style. Oliver is also the founder of online shop Ecocentric.

Lotus Eco Elise - hemp body panels & interior

Submitted by Lotus on 6 June, 2009 - 16:17

The Eco Elise project promotes a different perspective on “green”, one which does not revolve solely around tailpipe CO2. Sustainable materials: hemp, eco wool and sisal have been developed for body panels and trim and, combined with hi-tech water based paint solutions, showcase new affordable green technologies. The green credentials of the technology on show in the Eco Elise have been analysed throughout the lifecycle of the car.

Shai Agassi's Better Place: "Batteries not included"

Submitted by MikeWhelan on 29 May, 2009 - 20:19

How do you fuel an entire country without oil...?