The kids are alright!
3 teens invented a salt-powered #refrigerator that doesn't need #electricity. They're building 200 of them for #hospitals to use. https://buff.ly/O2SMoIP
The kids are alright!
3 teens invented a salt-powered #refrigerator that doesn't need #electricity. They're building 200 of them for #hospitals to use. https://buff.ly/O2SMoIP
"The first of 150 #windturbine blades, manufactured in Hull by Siemens Gamesa, are also ready for installation. Each will be #recyclable, which the firm has described as "pioneering".
BBC News: Huge ship set to carry turbines to North Sea farm
BBC News - Huge ship set to carry turbines to North Sea farm
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2349xx14jmo
#greenenergy
#renewableenergy
#windfarm
#offshorewind
#climatechange
#Yorkshire
The next-generation #SolarCell is fully #recyclable
12 February 2025
Anders Törneholm
"In a study published in Nature, researchers at Linköping University have developed a method to recycle all parts of a solar cell repeatedly without environmentally hazardous #solvents. The recycled solar cell has the same efficiency as the original one. The solar cell is made of #perovskite and the main solvent is water."
Read more:
https://liu.se/en/news-item/nasta-generations-solcell-ar-helt-atervinningsbar
#SolarEnergy #SolarCells #sustainability #recycling #SolarPunkSunday #SolarPanels
Ultra-light, low-speed, short-range #MicroEVs should not be built with carbon fiber composites—which are not and never will be #sustainable, by their very nature, despite their strength/weight ratio.
They should be built with 100% #recyclable #steel and #aluminium #bicycle (or at most #motorcycle) #technology, with #replaceable, #biodegradeable plastics where it makes sense (like body shells), and #natural #materials where possible (like #textiles).
Recycling post. I receive a lot of packages by post and delivery. Mostly cardboard, but a lot of plastic non-recyclable packing and sometimes totally unrecyclable plastic envelopes (I'm looking at you Amazon). Today I received this, which proved 100% recyclable. Even the tape was paper. So is the bottle. It's glass not plastic. Look folks, you can package products without landfill. Glass and metal containers are secure. I was inspired. Not a product placement, just a hero shot for a company being responsible. More in the #altText.
#Copper is 100% #recyclable without loss of quality, but only about one-third of global demand is met through recycling. Recycling copper saves up to 85-90% of the energy required for mining & refining virgin ore, making it a more sustainable alternative.
6/n
I was feeling #sick today so I came home early for a #sickday and made myself a cup of #chamomile #tea and of course added it to my tea #journal
My sinus has been feeling swollen and I think it is draining blood into my throat so I've felt queasy and my head feels a lot of pressure. I think tea is exactly what I need!
#journaling #chamomiletea #honey
Of course I'm using my #reusable #recyclable #starbucks cup
More of this, please...!
This #eBike Doesn’t Need a Battery
A French inventor has created an e-bike that runs on a #supercapacitor rather than a #LithiumBattery.
By Micah Ling
Published: Dec 07, 2023
"#AdrienLelièvre, has recently engineered a sustainable solution to power the e-bike boom. According to Euronews, Lelièvre 'designed and patented an e-bike called #PiPop, which doesn’t use lithium batteries but supercapacitors.'
"Lelièvre told Euronews, 'The system gets charged when the ride is easy and when the bike brakes—thanks to engine braking—the energy is given back when needed.'
"So, what exactly is a supercapacitor?
"A supercapacitor essentially stocks up energy in the form of a slow-moving charge, which can be released when needed. A battery stocks up energy as a chemical reaction. This means that the bike is constantly stocking up energy when ridden on easier terrain, and then using that energy when going uphill, in the form of an assist.
"According to TS2, 'Supercapacitors, which have been around since the late 1970s, offer several advantages over lithium batteries. Rather than relying on the consumption of natural resources like #lithium or #RareEarthElements, supercapacitors store energy through electrostatic means. This allows them to stock and release energy quickly, providing instant assistance to riders when needed.'
"Unlike many other e-bike manufacturers, Pi-Pop also uses #recyclable materials such as #carbon, conducting polymer, #aluminum foils, and pulp, thus avoiding the need for rare earth elements in its production.
"#TS2 reports that 'the longevity of the Pi-Pop sets it apart from traditional e-bikes. While lithium batteries typically last five to six years, the supercapacitors in the Pi-Pop are projected to have a lifespan of 10 to 15 years. This prolongs the bike’s usability, reducing waste and minimizing the environmental impact associated with battery disposal.'
"Another perk to the Pi-Pop bike is that there’s never a need to charge it when it’s stationary. You’ll never hop on the bike and realize you forgot to charge it up.
"Euronews reports that according to Lelièvre, 'We can’t innovate if we lose control of production. When we talk about sustainable development, ecological transition, and energy transition, we need to provide the jobs.' Lelièvre’s company employs 25 people.
"Pi-Pop currently produces 100 bikes per month. And moving forward the company aims to produce at least 1,000 bikes per month in 2024."
Source:
https://www.bicycling.com/news/a46064993/this-e-bike-doesnt-need-a-battery/
#Bicycles #BikePower #NoLithiumMining
Alliteration strikes again. I bet "Turn Trash Into Trees" ended up with tons of garbage in the bin. "Recyclables" is more specific.
Alas, alliteration ain't always awesome.
https://enviromom.com/mylar-bags-recycling-reusing/
Mylar is not #recyclable, so please some other gift bags and substitutions for balloons.
#environment
"The #study also finds people tend to guess whether #foodpackaging is #recyclable from how the packet feels, rather than studying the container to determine whether it is recyclable and accepted by their local council due to confusion around #packaginglabels and symbols."
#Research into UK's use of #plasticpackaging finds households 'wishcycle' rather than #recycle
Bonta also suggested the fund could produce a “re-education” campaign to help consumers understand what #plastics are—and, just as crucially, which are not #recyclable.
The suit also calls for a substantial shift in communication from #ExxonMobil. The suit calls for “the end of the deceptive statements that have misled” the public.
"Companies whose futures depend on #plastic production are trying to persuade the federal government to allow them to put the label “recyclable” on plastic shopping bags and other items virtually guaranteed to end up in landfills and incinerators.
Environmental experts worry that if the #FTC sides with the industry, companies could slap the “#recyclable” label on virtually anything."
https://www.propublica.org/article/plastics-industry-redefine-recyclable-ftc-grocery-bags
From #ProPublica’s series, Selling a Mirage: The Deception Behind #Plastic #Recycling
When Is “Recyclable” Not Really #Recyclable? When the #Plastics Industry Gets to Define What the Word Means.
Companies whose futures depend on plastic production are trying to persuade the federal govt to allow them to put the label “recyclable” on plastic shopping bags & other items virtually guaranteed to end up in #landfills & #incinerators.
#ClimateCrisis #climate
https://www.propublica.org/article/plastics-industry-redefine-recyclable-ftc-grocery-bags
#EV #battery repair is dangerous. Here’s why mechanics want to do it anyway.
Fixing car and #ebike batteries saves money and resources — but challenges are holding back the industry.
by Maddie Stone, Dec 08, 2023
"About three times a day, Rich Benoit gets a call to his auto shop, The Electrified Garage, from the owner of an older Tesla Model S whose car battery has begun to fail. The battery, which used to provide several hundred miles of range, might suddenly only last 50 miles on a single charge. These cars are often out of warranty, and the cost of replacing the battery can exceed $15,000.
"For most products, repair is a more affordable option than replacement. And in theory, lots of these Tesla batteries can be fixed, said Benoit, who runs one of the few Tesla-focused independent repair shops in the United States. But due to the time and training involved, the safety considerations, and the complexity of the repair, Benoit said that the bill to fix one car battery at his shop might run upwards of $10,000 — more than most consumers are willing to pay. Instead, he said, many choose to sell or donate their old vehicle for scrap and buy a brand new Tesla.
“'It’s getting to the point where [the car] is almost like a consumable, like a TV,' Benoit said.
"Benoit’s experience heralds a problem that early adopters of EVs, as well as electric micromobility devices like e-bikes and #escooters, are beginning to face: These vehicles contain big, expensive batteries that will inevitably degrade or stop working over time. Repairing these batteries can have sustainability benefits, saving energy and resources that would otherwise be used to manufacture a new one. That’s particularly important for EVs, which contain very large batteries that must be used for years to offset the carbon emissions associated with making them.
But many EV and e-mobility batteries are difficult to repair by design, and some manufacturers actively discourage the practice, citing safety concerns. The small number of independent mechanics who repair EV or e-bike batteries struggle to do so affordably due to design challenges, safety requirements, and a lack of access to spare parts.
“'There are a lot of automakers who do not allow battery repair, even in case of minor damages to the battery case,' a GDV spokesperson told Grist. Automakers sometimes choose to replace the battery if the car was involved in an accident that caused the airbags to activate. Both practices 'will lead to an increase of repair costs,' and ultimately, higher insurance premiums, the spokesperson said.
"New rules around EV battery repairability would come at a critical time. Helps, of Cox Automotive, said that two trends in EV battery design are occurring in parallel: 'Batteries are either becoming very serviceable, or not serviceable at all.'
"Some, like the batteries inside Volkswagon’s ID.4, feature LEGO-like modules that are easy to remove and replace. Others, like Tesla’s new 4680 structural battery pack, don’t include modules at all. Instead, all of the cells are bonded together and bonded to the pack itself, a design Helps described as 'impossible to service.' If a bad cell group is found, the entire battery must be replaced.
“'It’s still a fully #recyclable battery,' Helps said. 'You’re just not able to repair it.'
"#Tesla didn’t respond to Grist’s request for comment."
@breadandcircuses
The grotesque increase in #plastics production was justified by the grotesque #lie that plastics are easily #recyclable.
@primonatura Oooooh...! This is very exciting news!
"Starting with proven battery designs that use #zinc anodes, the researchers add alkaline water electrolysis to come up with a completely new technology. By contrast to common #lithium batteries, zinc batteries are substantially cheaper and need only easily available, fully #recyclable materials (steel, zinc, and potassium hydroxide). And that is not the only trick up their sleeves: The system would be able to produce hydrogen on demand."
#Batteries #Hydrogen #Energy
Fun tip:
(almost) Everything on #boxes.py (https://www.festi.info/boxes.py/) an be cut from cardboard. And even the humblest cheap diode #lasercutter can cut cardboard packaging.
I've used this to good effect with some of the 'hinged box' designs for presents and gifts.
But this is more practical, a sorting tray that took an hour from thinking about it to fully assembled. So tight it doesn't need glue, and fully #recyclable once it gets manky or superseded.
We can at least make good use of the Vanadium we already have. And yes, this a press release -- but I've been following the progress of Vanadium Flow batteries for over 10 years and I've seen a tremendous amount of progress in perfecting the technology.
2021: U.S. #Vanadium Successfully Recycles Electrolyte From Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries at a 97% Recovery Rate
"Because of their nearly unlimited energy storage capacity, high efficiency, zero emissions, very long cycle lives, and relatively low cost of available electricity on a lifecycle basis, VRFB energy storage systems are enabling consumers to utilize #renewable energy systems for 100% of their actual power needs without having to rely on renewable energy credits and other accounting offsets.
“'VRFB technologies are key to the U.S. and other nations in moving closer to truly 100% grid-level renewable energy power generation systems,' said Mark A. Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Hot Springs, Ark.-based U.S. Vanadium.
"Against a background of increasingly prevalent waste disposal issues faced by #lithium-ion batteries, VRFBs have the important benefit of its liquid electrolyte being nearly 100% #recyclable. Vanadium electrolyte, and its ability to be recycled for continuing use, is considered to be a key advantage for the technology that is expected lead to increased worldwide adoption of VRFBs as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries."
#Wind #Solar #RenewablesNow
@MarkRuffalo
The #plastics industry was finally exposed for its #recyclable plastic #fraud, so they pivot to another excuse to manufacture more consumer plastics.