Ecover laundry detergent produces from algae oil

Soon it will be possible to wash the clothes with detergents produced from algae oil, a more sustainable alternative to Palm oil, which is used today in most detergents.

The new laundry detergent cleaner was produced by Ecover, a company that produces and markets more sustainable cleaning products as part of the brand's commitment to replace the use of palm oil.

Palm oil is widely used in cleaning products and in food industry and is one of the causes of deforestation, once the rainforests and peat areas are replaced by palm plantations, particularly in Southeast Asia. Deforestation, in turn, increases carbon emissions and threatens biodiversity, especially orangutans.

"The algae oils have a high value of functionality and a lot smaller ecological footprint than most tropical oils such as palm oil, which makes them ideal for products for the home, where the tropical oils are widely used. The research carried out, it was discovered that algae are able to produce one of the most pure and clean oils available, "says Dirk Develter, director of the Department of research and development of Ecover, in a statement.

Already in 2009, the Ecover replaced, in its range of cleaning products, surfactants from Palm oil rapeseed alternatives with origin in Europe. Currently, the tropical oils (coconut and Palm) are currently the main sources of all surfactants, after crude oil.

Initially, 7% of the ingredients of the new Ecover detergent will be produced based on seaweed, and the aim is to increase its presence as the algal oil is being studied and developed.

The product should be launched on the European market â€" and in Portugal â€" at the end of 2014. In the domestic market will be possible to find in the new detergent, as well as other products from Ecover, Jumbo stores, El Corte Inglés, Supermarkets and other specialty shops Panache Biological, referred to the Ecover in notified.

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The forest engineer that transforms the furniture of our grandparents in contemporary objects (with video)

When inherited several pieces of furniture from his grandmother, Paula Jorge decided to restore them and put them in your own home. At the time, realized he had to broaden their knowledge on the subject, and sought a way to do it.

The successive successes of restoration took on later in 2009, launching the project Workshop of the garbage, which restores furniture in a small annex of his house, at Estoril. The example, of rest, of which I spoke in the first episode of the green economy, with the brand Once Upon a Trash or in episode 217, with the Skiff.

"The pieces are coming mainly from the trash. Gather them together to containers. However, in recent years I have noticed that people leave fewer things next to the garbage, I find it difficult to find them, "explained Paula Jorge to the green economy.

This forest engineer decided to turn to the business of junk and the stuffing of houses, allowing raw materials to work with. In addition to restoration of furniture, Paula transforms other old parts in new products â€" wardrobe cabinets transformed into television, cabinets or doors which are now dressing. To broaden their skills, the workshop of Garbage made partnerships with a Carpenter, a Glazier and an upholsterer.

"I do a lot of night tables and chairs. See also coffee tables, bathroom cabinets, kitchen cabinets, chests or trunks, "continued Paula George. Other services requested by clients who want to recover antique furniture. Some of the deals are made on the blog and Facebook page of the workshop of the trash, but it's especially in fairs that the brand has won more interested.

The shop sells garbage between two to three pieces per month. "There is the need for containment of expenditure of money, and the reuse of parts that we have in the House, which passed from grandmother to mother, and who have a history. There are those who want to continue this story or make it contemporary, "he explained. See all the latest episode of the green economy.

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Shops of CTT will receive textbooks used

The 623 stores of CTT will start receiving textbooks used, the institution announced on its website. "CTT will open your network, free of charge, to all Portuguese who wish to donate textbooks for reuse. To do this, just go to any of the 623 stores of CTT, ask for the packaging, depositing her books and deliver it to Reuse ", explains the institution.

The Reuse Movement is the partner of CTT on this project and adds more than 150 banks of books scattered throughout the country. These banks support the parents and students in obtaining textbooks at no cost. "CTT see your Association for this initiative within the framework of social responsibility and corporate citizenship as a form of one of the largest networks in the country â€" the postal network â€" take an active role as an element of the community," continued the institution.

Books fundraiser campaign coincides with the approaching end of the current academic year, which should mean a "significant collection of textbooks". All who wish additional information must be taken to a shop of CTT or consult the website of the Reuse Movement.

This news gets a special dimension, to the Green Savers, because they are dozens emails we have received every month from people who want to donate their schoolbooks. Now, they have the answer to the question that has long made us.

Foto: wohnai/Creative Commons

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Oikos search Coordinator for Mozambique

The OGN for the Portuguese development Oikos seeks a Country Coordinator for Mozambique, a person who will be responsible for all aspects related to the management of Oikos and its institutional and legal representation in this country.

According to the Green Savers Mozambique, citing the Organization's own website, the Country Coordinator is responsible for the program of Oikos nationally and represents the organization before local authorities, agencies, donors and partners. It is also responsible for the strategic management and financial maximum of organization and management of human resources of the country, which includes engineers and project administrator. All this work is developed in conjunction with headquarters.

See the announcement on the site of Oikos.

In addition to the application, which can be made by filling in a form on the website of the Organization, the applicant must send the updated CV and a motivation letter. The deadline of nomination is the day April 25. The Oikos does not inform what the remuneration provided for.

Foto: Stig Nygaard/Creative Commons

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Arid regions help to retain part of the excess CO2

Washington State University researchers found that the arid areas, which are among the largest ecosystems on the planet, absorb an unexpected amount of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere.

With this discovery, you can now know how much of the carbon remains in the atmosphere as CO2, and how much is stored on land and in the ocean, other forms of the substance.

The study, published last week in Nature Climate Change, is the result of 10 years of experience, in which the researchers exposed tracts in the Mojave desert in California, the high levels of CO2, similar to those you would expect to find in 2050. They collected the soil and plants, up to three feet deep, and measured how much carbon was absorbed.

The work comes to a unknown facets of global warming: the degree to which land ecosystems absorb or emit CO2 when its presence increases in the atmosphere.

The arid areas receive less than 25 cm of rain per year, occupying an extensive range of 30 degrees North and South latitude. With the semi-arid areas, which receive less than 50 cm of rainfall per year, they account for almost half of the planet's surface.

In fact, as we stated in the Green forest soils, Savers have more organic matter and, if we make the account per square metre, retain more carbon. But as the arid soils cover much area, according to Science20, they can have a considerable role in the evaluation of carbon and in how much the Earth warms when greenhouse gases accumulate in the atmosphere.

Foto: geographyalltheway.com/Creative Commons

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NASA invites the global selfie to celebrate earth day

If so many people make selfies â€" photos of themselves, made by a mobile phone â€" a day, why not make one for the planet Earth? This is the proposal that the American space agency, NASA, is making all of us: celebrate the planet with a very peculiar image, which will be released in May.

The idea is to create a global selfie composed of self-portraits of people from the four corners of the world, encouraging people to have environmental awareness. The proposal has as its backdrop the day 22 April, eight from tomorrow, the day that commemorates earth day.

To participate, simply choose a beautiful landscape â€" can be a City Park, mountain, River, Lake or anywhere else near the reader â€", reach in with your mobile phone and aim for the face and the landscape in the background. Then, you must put the picture on social networks. To better identify the place, the reader can download the official logo of the action, print it and use it during the selfie.

Don't forget to mark the publication with the hashtag #GlobalSelfie. In this way, NASA will be able to monitor all images published for the campaign and create a mosaic of photos with the shape of the planet. Social networks participants are Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Google and Flickr.

The celebration also happens because the launch into space of five missions, NASA, for Earth observation in just one year. The mission number 17 is already in orbit, taking pictures of the daily planet to help answer critical current challenges such as climate change, sea level rise, extreme weather events and lack of drinking water.

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Surf and sustainability have created 200 jobs in Peniche since 2009 (with video)

In Peniche, surfers, fishermen, population and tourists share the sea, and all that moves through it, the local economy: hostels and environmentally friendly hotels, schools that develop the sea economy and innovations related to the energy of the waves.

Such as Nazareth, also the city of Peniche won a new impetus with the surf and the increasing flow of tourists who seek to view or even surf the next wave. This connection dates back to 2009, when the city became part of the world tour of surfing, receiving one of the stages of the sport.

"[We have benefited from the surf], mainly in the area of hospitality, which goes far to meet what is the profile of the people accompanying the circuit, regardless of age and social stratum. There is a common trait [these people], that has to do with issues of environmental sustainability, "said the green economy António José Correia, Mayor of Peniche.

Since 2009, it's been around town about 120 thousand people, attracted by the waves and quality of athletes. In each contest, the tourists leave in the city approximately € 7 million. The success of the world stage has been the best advertising to draw tourists to other times of the year, and today Peniche ceased to be a city, solely, of summer.

These tourists want quality of accommodation services, but also more sustainable options. The revolution generated by surf passes by the creation of new businesses, such as shops, factories or schools boards of the sport â€" the high performance center dedicated to water sports was founded in 2012.

The other axis of Peniche overboard is related to the energy of the waves. The project is based on a submarine device, called Wave Roller. "It's a structure placed on the seabed, with wings, and that depending on the movement of water in the bottom of the sea, it generates energy that is harnessed. The curious thing is that the space where is licensed this device matches the projected nuclear power station in 1975 and 1976 ", joked the President of the municipality. The project expects European funds to boot the cruising speed.

Foto: Gusty/Creative Commons

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