Researchers turn cow manure into clean water

If life gives us lemons, the saying goes, we should make lemonade. But that's not the formula applied by the University of Michigan on a colossal project and that took ten years ago: investigating the production of clean water from cow manure.

The technology, made public now, extracts nutrients and pollutants from manure from cows and produces enough clean water for livestock drinking. Technology has a name â€" McLanahan Nutrient Separation System â€" and began to be developed for ten years, in American University. Is not yet at the marketing stage but, if it comes, will have a significant impact on reducing waste of agricultural holdings and resource management.

"In Michigan, we have a tendency to take water for granted. But in the West, for example, drought continues to be an important issue. And access to clean water can make the difference between a farm stay viable or go bankrupt, "said a professor at the University of Michigan, Steve Safferman, the site of the institution.

This nutrient separator uses an anaerobic digester, in which bacteria break the manure to release gas that can be collected and used as energy. The digester is coupled to a system that combines the air extraction, ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis to remove pollutants and keep the water clean.

The system not only creates energy and water from the water, but reduces the environmental impact of manure, extracting nutrients such as ammonia, which can be harmful to the environment, and turns them into usable compost.

If it is tradable, this system will certainly be a success. In 2011, every American farm had averaged 179 cows. A cow produces 37,800 gallons of manure a year, scientists say, but 90% of this is water. The system capture 190 liters of clean water for every 380 gallons of manure, although the researchers themselves want to increase this number to 250 liters of water to 380 of manure.

IE: If a farm accumulates 6.7 million gallons of manure per year, it can produce almost 3.4 million liters of water, almost at zero cost.

According to the University, the system may start to be marketed at the end of the year. It is likely, however, that only here for many years to reach the European market â€" and Portugal.

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Daphne Sheldrick: the "grandmother of the elephants" makes 80 years

Known as the "grandmother of the elephants", Daphne Sheldrick has dedicated the past 60 years to wild animals, especially orphans in Kenya. In the years 60, she helped create the Tsavo National Park in Kenya, and spent many of the years following the fight against poaching.

Daphne, who lives a few miles from Nairobi, capital of Kenya, led many animals to your House, the elephant gazelles and hippos. Geri, a Gazelle orphan who rescued many years ago, became even in your pet, having refused to leave the tie that with Daphne created.

Today, she is one of the most respected names in wildlife and a day to 80 years, continues to lead the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, on whose achievements so often write in Green Savers.

"Build the Tsavo National Park, over many years, it was pretty special," recalled the almost octogenarian. "But to see the love of my children and grandchildren by nature and his loyalty to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is very rewarding. And I know that the legacy for which we have worked will continue for many years, "he explained.

Now, however, things have changed. Despite the Sheldrick family continue with conservation projects and the Daphne itself not be properly reformed, the truth is that the increased poaching and reduced funding is putting enormous pressure on the sustainability of their projects, confessed to the British press.

Daphne explained, including that the own Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is in danger, despite the efforts that the family has done to ensure support for all orphaned animals found.

See some of the pictures from the life of Daphne.

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Sustainable projects in Cape Verde (with video)

Cabeólica, Turtle Foundation of Cape Verde, Mariventos, Ruy Spencer Lopes dos Santos and Spinguera were the big winners of the first edition of the Green Project Awards in Cape Verde. The award, which took seven years in Portugal and has arrived to Brazil, landed finally in Cape Verdean lands and the results are in sight: 15 winners, between winners and honorable mentions, and the certainty that, in Cape Verde, sustainability is not a valid Word.

"There is a broad movement of environmental protection in Cape Verde", explained to the green economy Antero Veiga, Minister of the environment of Cape Verde. "This move should be encouraged".

One of the winners, the Cabeólica, is a privately held company in which the State of Cape Verde is minority shareholder. "Last year we produce 75,000 MW/h, representing about 20% of total electricity distributed in the country," explained Anthony, Sources of Cabeólica.

Another of the winners, the Spingera Ecolodge, on the island of Boa Vista, is supplied by wind and solar energy. And is the result of an old dream, as he explained to the green economy the proprietor, Larissa Lazzari. "The Spinguera Ecolodge arose from a dream of my father, who fell in love with the island for 22 years and saw in this abandoned village something special," he revealed.

"I've also fallen in love, so I made the suggestion of reconstruct the ancient ruins, instead of creating a project from scratch," he continued.

In addition to the cultural heritage, the Boa Vista has natural values the preserve. With the turtles caretta caretta, arriving in the island of Boa Vista between mid-June and September to spawn. For years, they were slaughtered by the thousands, for human consumption. More recently, this number has dropped dramatically, due to the intervention of the Turtle Foundation, another award-winning agencies.

Among the honorable mentions and the finalists are several companies and institutions such as Banco Comercial do Atlântico, school of Business and technology in Cape Verde, the Gesture, the Association for the defense of the environment and development, school nº 24 of Juncalinho São Nicolau, the Waters of Coimbra, City Hall of São Domingos, PromoSan, Vivo Energy Cape Verde and Caritas Cape Verde.

"We were sure, preliminary contacts made by companies, Government and NGOs, who had a huge appetite for this topic. The number of applications submitted and their quality reinforces that was a bet wins, "explained John Sebastian, CEO of GCI, a consultant that co-hosting the GPA in the three countries.

Learn why sustainability is Queen in Cape Verde in episode 261 of the green economy.

Foto:  sheilapic76 / Creative Commons

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Coca-Cola launches 16 different covers to reuse plastic bottles

Coca-Cola is launching 16 different covers for its iconic plastic bottle, which allows to reuse in several functions â€" the toy marker or paintbrush, sharpens or SOAP dispenser.

For now, this innovation is only present in the Vietnamese market, according to the American brand advertising itself. Afterwards, will be exported to the entire Asian continent.

According to the brand, the very high number of plastic bottles that end up in the ground, rivers or seas, around the world, was in the genesis of this release. Coca-Cola intends to encourage its consumers to recycle or reuse the bottles.

The caps will be offered to those who buy a bottle of Coca-Cola, a sustainability strategy known as 2ndLives ("second lives", in Portuguese). See the ad.

Released in Vietnam in March, the campaign will come to Thailand, Indonesia and China. Creativity is the Ogily & Mather Beijing. "The idea is universal and can be applied in other markets. These covers can help change consumer behaviour in a simple and amazing. And very smart, "explained Juggi Ramakrishnan, executive creative director of the advertising agency.

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Where are the Disney characters were created today?

The forest where she lives the Pooh bear was destroyed, the 101 Dalmatians are in small cages, a test lab, and Mulan uses a mask to avoid Chinese pollution. If some of these Disney characters have been created today, this would be their fate, according to the New York artist Jeff Hong.

The artist is responsible for a series of illustrations called "Happily N'Ever After", which address, with wit and sarcasm, the way the man is taking care of the Planet.

The illustrations depict other iconic Disney characters, such as Small, Ratatouille Sereira or Bambi, but if you continue to follow Hong in Tumbrl, it may be that new characters are portrayed â€" the artist keeps the project permanently updated.

See some of the illustrations of Hong.

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The Portuguese company that promotes the hiring of toys

What if, instead of buying a toy, opt for a car? This is the central idea of Rent to play, a toy rental online store which operates in the North of Portugal founded a month ago.

The store was born of the need to create a system of rotation of toys for two cousins, Nanu and Tami, which was founded by the dream of their parents â€" the sisters Ana CATIA Jesal Patel and their husbands Ivo Pinheiro and Paulo Costa â€" build a family business, parallel to other professional activities.

After identified this business idea â€" from an experience felt by the own-and a little research by identical ideas, the two couples took the decision to move on. "The Rent to play aimed at anyone who wants to provide maximum fun at children aged zero to six years. There are toys for everyone, from individuals to the parties, holidays, corporate events, waiting rooms or producers of catalogs, "explained Ana Katie Parker Green Savers.

The Rent for Playing ensures that security conditions are "carefully examined", being the toys sanitized after each use. "Our vision [passes] offer more fun for children and greater quality of life for their families and other customers, offering a service that promotes sustainable consumption, the valuation of the shares, the turnover of toys and save money, time and space," explained the entrepreneurial.

Those responsible for the project ensures that the customer pays, on average, only 20% of the selling price of the toy, but the truth is that the prices seem a bit high, even for quality toys-an example is this gym for newborns, whose price of a car for a month is around € 20.

Deliveries and collections are free and made House calls in the Big Harbour and in the headquarters of municipality of Viana do Castelo, Esposende, Barcelos, Braga, Guimarães and Vila Nova de Famalicão.

Foto:  _-0-_ / Creative Commons

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MIT investigates smart mobile for cities of the future

One of the major trends on the planet, long announced, is related to the migration of people from rural areas to the cities. However, the major cities, we also know there is very little have been doing to prepare for the invasion of population in the coming years, both in terms of mobility or urban sustainability.

Still, there are now universities and technological institutes who are concerned how the lifestyle that these new urbanites will find in large cities: employment to housing.

The big problem is the way in which the citizen will manage this trilogy essential in everyday life: home, work and leisure. Today, there are two trends: anyone who spends a lot of time in traffic to get to work, since it does not give up a spacious House and, often, suburban; and who give up the space to live right near the city centre.

Is for both the MIT Media Lab has released the CityHome, a project which is investigating a smart mobile that fits every room in the House. According to MIT, it is likely that, in the future, there are apartments with no more than 20 square meters, so it is better to innovate while there is time.

This mobile looks more like a smartphone â€" a iHome â€" with traditional furniture. Controlled by gestures, touch or voice, he moves constantly through an internal motor that allows you to transform a Division in kitchen, living room or bathroom in just a few seconds â€" as you can see here.

To be digital, the system can also allow the download of applications for domestic control. "He would work very well in cities where youngsters are pressured to leave, due to high prices of the market", explained Kent Larson, Chief researcher at MIT Media Lab. With this solution, in addition to saving money on rent, consumers need to be constantly buying furniture, alleviating the wallet and the environment.

If, as many say, the major cities are increasingly similar to those Asian metropolises, where millions of people live in small spaces, the better it will look for an alternative. So that our quality of life do not leave something to be desired.

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