Grading “Green” or Just How Eco-Friendly Is My Laundry Detergent?

Eco-Friendly Dishwasher Detergents

The last time you went to the grocery store or the local Walmart, did you count the number of cleaners, soaps, and detergents that labeled themselves “green.” At Target last week while attempting to find the laundry detergent that was supposed to be on sale, I was boggled by all the new green chemicals that [...]

Pre-Cycling: A Contrarian’s Perspective

garbage_bin_4_lusi

Recently, a new term has been coined in the green socioverse — “precycling.” While defined different ways, the term basically refers to a change in customer thinking toward the reduction in waste and a predisposition toward recyclable packaging and packaging or manufacturing components that make products easier to recycle. There are some great trends coming [...]

Laughing Gas: The Latest Environmental Threat

The Earth

Nitrous oxide, more commonly known at your dentist’s office as laughing gas, is now the most prevalent man-made substance damaging the ozone layer. And it’s a greenhouse gas. Sadly, the joke’s apparently on us. In a report published in Science on Friday, scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) located in Boulder, Colorado, have calculated [...]

Inspired Economist: Pick of the Week

  This column highlights the top economic stories of the week. While Detroit has benefited from Cash for Clunkers, foreign automakers have gained even more. Some critics of the program warned that because it let consumers buy domestic or foreign cars, Clunkers could end up spending more American tax dollars to help foreign companies than American [...]

China Bans Scrap Polysilicon

A Solar Panel Array

In an effort to curb solid waste pollution, China banned the import of scrap polysilicon at the beginning of August, an effort supported by its current environmental laws according to its Environmental Protection Ministry. Scrap polysilicon is a low-grade form of silicon not pure enough to use in microchips. However, it can be used as [...]