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| Our list of key terms and definitions: |
| • Sustainability Glossary |
| Getting started in corporate sustainablity: |
| • Resource List |
Energy Audit
Waste Audit
Water Audit
Energy Efficiency
Water Conservation
Carbon Footprint
Sustainable Manufacturing
Cost Saving
Cost Cutting
Eco
Green Strategy
Energy Audit
Waste Audit
Water Audit
Energy Efficiency
Water Conservation
Carbon Footprint
Sustainable Manufacturing
Cost Saving
Cost Cutting
Eco
Green Strategy
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12 Steps for a Green Radio Station
In the past decade, radio stations have increasingly been turning
to sustainable practices in order to reduce their environmental
impact as well as to save money. As well-known hubs for music
and pop culture, radio stations have found that their environmental
initiatives attract widespread attention from local media and
profoundly influence the communities in which they are located.
As a result, clean tech companies have come to view radio stations
as leaders in spreading environmental awareness and have been
keen to partner with them to install cutting-edge clean tech
products in the radio station facilities. BlueMap Inc., a sustainability
research firm, has assessed a number of radio stations across
the US to determine 12 essential steps towards sustainability
each radio station should consider.
Flue Gas Economizers:
Helping the Food Processing Industry Re-Process Heat
At the heart of every food processing facility is a relentless boiler, which is often an unknown source of waste. Running full-time and emitting pounds upon pounds of scorchingly hot flue gas, the boiler is a prime candidate for efficiency-inducing retrofits, such as installing a flue gas economizer. BlueMap Inc., a sustainability research firm, has explored flue gas economizer technology in order to assess the benefits that installing economizers can provide to the food processing industry. The best part is that the installation of this device has a payback time of three years or less.
Methane Waste as Fuel: Methane Capture Technologies for
Breweries and Dairies
One of the distinguishing characteristics of contemporary
industry is the impetus to become more energy efficient while
also consuming renewable sources of energy as a greater proportion
of the whole. While many technologies address one or the other
of these objectives, such as compact florescent light bulbs
as an efficiency tool, or solar voltaic power as a renewable
option, there are very few technologies which address both
that are as effective as methane capture. In order to appreciate
the elegance of a methane capture system, it is first necessary
to remind our readers what methane is and where it comes from.
Calculating Office Paper Footprint
In attempting to calculate exactly how many trees are used to make the paper for that newest office report, the Environmental Defense Fund has created a paper calculator on its website. Although this paper calculator is a great tool, it expects the user to simply know how many pounds of paper are used. Most people don’t know that number. In order to easily and effectively calculate your office’s paper use in relation to the number of trees used, please follow the steps listed below.
10 Steps toward Sustainability Every Brewery Should Consider
As the push for sustainability gains momentum, one only needs to look down at the pint or mug they are holding to see how breweries are joining the growing green movement! Beer is the third most consumed beverage in the world behind water and tea. Upon surveying a number of breweries, and sustainable brewing documents, BlueMap Inc. has determined 10 green steps every brewery should consider.
The Breakdown (and Lowdown) on Spudware
That plastic fork you’re using to chow down your Chow Mein will be lasting longer than your yummy noodles – much longer. Plastics are a petroleum based product, which means not only are they non-biodegradable but they remain in the environment for hundred to thousands of years. As a result, even though your lunch will be gone in 20 minutes, that one-time-use fork will see its 500th birthday. Next time, avoid using plastic forks and instead, use Spudware!
CO2 Recapture – Cashing in on the Byproducts of Fermentation
In the fermentation process, yeast feeds on sugars to produce carbon dioxide and alcohol. Typical package brewery operations allow this CO2 to escape, which is problematic for several reasons. Since breweries have to purchase CO2 for carbonating beer before bottling, the fact that this naturally-created CO2 eventually finds its way into the atmosphere does not add up financially. It also contributes to the brewery’s overall CO2 emissions. HMM, is there a better way??? Yes: by recapturing CO2 from the fermentation process, a brewery can reduce its C02 purchasing and decrease its emissions.
Save Caustic Cleaner, Save Money – Greening Your Cleaning Process
Breweries seeking simple ways to “go green” may not have to look further than their everyday cleaning processes. By simply extending the life of caustic cleaner – a basic solution used in many breweries’ cleaning processes in breweries – breweries can reduce operating costs, decrease the amount of chemicals they use, and reduce their carbon footprint.
Benchmarking – Maximizing Your Brewery’s Efficiency
Like any industry, breweries must use its resources efficiently in order to be sustainable. Benchmarking is a valuable tool in monitoring a brewery’s resource usage in relation to its overall production. Benchmarking is the process of comparing the cost, cycle time, productivity, or quality of a specific process or method to another that is widely considered to be an industry standard or best practice. In brewing, benchmarking can be applied to gauge how efficient a brewery is in relationship to others in uses of resources.
13 Green Hotel Projects Proven To Save Money
Luxury resorts and small motels alike benefit financially from being energy efficient: cutting energy usage is good for the planet, it helps the economy, and it puts money in the hotel’s pockets. However, while energy efficiency opportunities abound, they are frequently not taken. Why? In working with hotels, sustainability analysts at BlueMap Inc. found many managers simply did not understand how fast the cost of wasting energy adds up to real money. To help clarify this, BlueMap compiled the list below of simple steps any hotel can do to save energy – but more importantly they figured out how much each one can save you.
Composting Options for Offices
Fifteen years ago if your household recycled its Diet Coke cans and Cheerios boxes, you were considered environmentally forward. Now, if you do not compost, you are considered lazy and wasteful. In a city where recycling and composting are at your fingertips and events such as Green Drinks are at the forefront of social calendars, residents of San Francisco are well aware of environmental issues and sustainability. Now, environmental initiatives are clearly entering the workplace. Composting is a great way to cut down on what goes into your trashcan (and then to the dreaded landfill), but it also produces something pretty cool, especially for those environmentally aware: extremely nutrient rich soil.
Sustainable Packaging Solutions: What Does It All Come Down To?
Packaging. You want a cost efficient solution that will ensure safe delivery of your product. And you want it to be environmentally responsible. There are many companies out there which advertise an eco-friendly solution, but when it comes down to the purchasing decision, which is the best? You might say, that’s easy, just pick something that is compostable but it’s not as straightforward as you think…
How Assisted Living Communities Become Green and Reduce Costs
“We’re finding that the myth that building green is a major expense doesn’t hold water,” says the manager of La Posada, a “continuing care” assisted living community located in Arizona. According to a recent article in EcoHome, the elderly residents at La Posada are “part of the driving force behind greening the existing buildings.” In making their community far less wasteful, La Posada expects only a “3% to 5% increase in cost,” which will result in an immeasurable increase in their residents’ quality of life.
Greenwashing By International Paper and Pulp Companies Hides Facts
BlueMap Inc. was excited to hear about the paper product supplier Solaris; it is not only environmentally friendly, but cheaper than non-eco-friendly competitors such as Kimberly-Clark. According to Solaris, its paper products are made from 100% renewable fiber sources and the company claims to hold the protection of the environment as a core value, so we decided to test their claim.
Denver and San Francisco Zoos Take Steps Towards Sustainability
The purpose of a zoo is not only to provide educational wildlife information to its visitors, but also to house animals in a protected environment and help preserve endangered species. As Craig Piper, CEO of the Denver Zoo puts it, "If we're to achieve Denver Zoo's vision of making a better world for animals, than we have to make a better world for people, too." And as the necessity increases for all zoos to join in this mission of environmental conservation so do the opportunities.
Illuminating Facts on LEDs
The benefits of LED lights are now widely touted. But it was not until recently that the parts that make an LED light efficient became cost effective enough to be considered a viable alternative to mainstream lighting. Let us, if you will, shine some light on the benefits and disadvantages of these bulbs.
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