“Vegetable Oil…it runs on vegetable oil?” I get that question alot lately. And the answer is yes, or at least 99% yes. Often lost in the discussion of a ‘green’ future are the steps and technologies that we can utilize today, as in right now, and this is just one such technology. Our first conversion is already on Bermuda roads – a Mack truck for local Water Trucking company Water Now, as of February 2010, has passed 4,500 miles on SVO. The primary tank holds 75 gallons of processed SVO, while the 6 gallon startup/shutdown tank is now running a blend of 30% Biodiesel from a local supplier, "Biodiesel Depot"
and 70% conventional diesel (B30).Running on 'Dino Diesel' this truck would have added better than 15-30 tons of new C02 to the atmosphere each year. Now upgraded, it contributes less than 1% of this, as it’s primary fuel sources are ‘carbon neutral’.
So what does this result in? Apart from being made from renewable sources that are already being recycled into a second life: Carbon monoxide emissions are reduced by 43%, hydrocarbons by 56%, particulates by 55%, and sulfurs (a key cause of acid rain) are reduced by 100%.
Water Filtering System that you want to display and not HIDE
by Randy Stafford
OVOPUR is a cost effective, environmentally friendly choice. It provides superior quality water at a fraction of the cost whilst respecting the environment and the cycle of nature.
We can all agree that water is an essential part of our lives. It is part of our world, part of our bodies. Yet nothing in our daily routine suggests its importance. In our modern society, water is taken for granted or hidden away. 0V0PUR restores water to its central role in our lives. AQUAOVO pays tribute to water.
No, we don’t mean using too much water when you do your laundry. ‘Greenwashing’ is ‘the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service.’ In other words, the recent surge in environmental awareness has led to a lot of false or misleading claims from marketers.
In 2007, TerraChoice Environmental Marketing conducted a survey of environmental marketing claims in North America and identified ‘six sins of greenwashing’. Of the 1,018 products they surveyed – from toothpaste to printers – all but one committed at least one of these six sins.
It's not easy being green: You and your carbon footprint
By Felix Tod
We all create carbon as we consume. This is in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2), the gas that causes the earth to be warmed by insulating it. The amount of carbon we each produce is called our carbon footprint. Almost everything we use, from electricity to clothes to cars, involves the burning of fossil fuels in its production and has therefore created CO2 pollution.
It may seem easy to reduce your carbon footprint: just buy green products. But as we learn more about our environment, we discover that trying not to pollute is harder than we imagined. For example, you choose to buy a hybrid car to do your bit for the planet. A hybrid car is very complicated to construct as it essentially contains two engines, so the first 250,000 miles are spent just offsetting the carbon debt caused by manufacturing the car.
Everything seems to happen slowly in Bermuda, including change. Sometimes the culprit is our laid-back island mentality or Black Seal, but when it comes to implementing change, it’s usually a lack of information that prevents Bermudians from making more sustainable choices. A great example of this cultural paradigm is biodiesel.
Biodiesel is diesel fuel that contains components derived from renewable raw materials, such as vegetable oils and animal fat. It has been available on island for at least three years, and yet most vehicles with diesel engines are still running on regular diesel. This traditional petroleum-based version draws on limited reservoirs of fossil fuels, as well as polluting the atmosphere with unnecessary levels of dangerous volatile organic compounds in their emissions.
Solar power is finally being welcomed into Bermuda, and onto a rooftop near you. Living in one of the world’s sunniest countries means solar is an ideal choice for Bermudians. With our high cost of electricity, we can repay our investment within 10 to 15 years, and we can expect low cost or virtually free electricity for at least another 10 to 15 years with an average system.
The Department of Energy has cleared the way for the solar industry with removal of duty on solar systems (panels, inverters and other component parts) whether you are talking photovoltaic energy or thermal hot water. They have also announced a solar panel initiative in which those installing panels receive a payment from the Government based on the wattage of system installed. There are several companies with experienced installers at work on the island.
Recycling in Bermuda: There’s more to it than ‘TAG’
By Amy Harvey
Recycling has been going on in the background of Bermuda’s tapestry since the early ’90s, but it has had its ups and downs along the way. Local sceptics have even questioned whether it actually occurs.
In 2007, Works and Engineering (W&E) opened a new multimillion-dollar, state-of-the-art Material Recovery Facility (MRF), able to process and sort Bermuda’s current and future volumes of recyclables efficiently and effectively. The opening of this new plant, along with a publicity campaign, confirmed Government’s commitment to the importance of recycling in Bermuda. The campaign educated the public on what can be recycled on the island and encouraged locals to become active recyclers.
Green Kids: Witches and goblins and ghosts! Oh, my!
By Rowan Hallett
I doubt there’s a kid on the island who doesn’t look forward to the simple childhood pleasures that characterise Halloween: dressing up, thrilling games and activities and, of course, a copious supply of candy.
However, as I’ve grown older and become more aware – yes parents, it does happen one day – instead of mountains of delicious candy, I see a mounds of wrappers that fill our trashcans. Instead of a vast array of creative costumes, I see outfits that are only worn once then abandoned or thrown away. Even the thrills of haunted houses and Halloween games are fringed with gloomy knowledge that most of these things are destined for a future career as landfill.
