Goal For The Green

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Archive for the ‘Energy’ Category

Ausenco

May-11-2013 By Barbara Zak

More and more counties, cities, corporations, and individuals are finding the value in the collection and recovery of renewable resources through mineral processing and mining infrastructure. But, what happens once all this material is collected? Then, how do these types of businesses find a company that is proficient in handling all phases of these types of projects from the management phase to the end result?

Infrastructure improvements

Infrastructure improvements (Photo credit: Scottish Government)

In today’s competitive and busy digital world, it is important to find a company that can meet the needs of their clients and give the best return on  investment. Ausenco  in Australia, is an example of a company that offers  everything form project management to a successful end result where everybody wins.

With the fast pace of the world today, we often forget the important role that infrastructure plays in our daily lives, in most major cities everywhere. With that thought in mind, it is important to work with  companies that offers  experienced engineering solutions and management skills, to execute both large and small scale industrial and urban infrastructure projects on a global scale.

Infrastructure designed by highly qualified engineers will meet the requirements of urban growth and development world wide. In the cases of resource development works, the demands associated with heavy equipment used in mining infrastructure and mineral processing and often in very difficult environments can be very challenging. A company that can offer experience across the globe, and end to end solutions that lead to sustainability, are key influences to successful business relationships across the energy and resources industries.

From Project management to end results here are some of the areas that are most often customized to clients and projects on a global scale:

Environment and sustainability
Environmental and social solutions
Sustainability solutions
Mining engineering
Geotechnical and civil solutions
Water management
Tailings and mine waste management
Minerals processing
Energy
Transportation systems
Ports and terminals
Pipeline systems
Operations and maintenance
Infrastructure
Services
Commodities

A company such as Ausenco, also offers a vast range of services in the area of these commodities: Biomass,Coal, Copper, CSG/CBM, Gas, Industrial minerals, Iron ore, LNG (Liquified natural gas), Mineral sands, Oil sands, Precious metals, Uranium and Zinc.  They help their clients evaluate extraction processes, treatment and transportation options while creating optimum value for the entire operation.

From the time the commodities are extracted from the ground, through processing, and on to global markets, end to end solutions are customized to the projects. At the beginning of each project to the finish, the environment and sustainability are the first consideration in doing business, while conserving energy and the world’s resources is the main goal. Together all are working toward greener tomorrows for everyone.

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Cars receive most of the attention when speaking about eco-friendly transportation — and rightly so — but there are many other vehicles and devices that aim to reduce emissions with alternative power sources. From two-wheeled transports to landscaping equipment, prepare for the ever-increasing availability of machines fueled by green, sustainable power.

Motorcycles

Motorcycle manufacturers are making significant strides in producing green, alternative-fueled bikes. Zero Motorcycles has been accelerating to the top of the electric motorcycle industry with groundbreaking innovations. Zero’s 2013 S, powered by the new Z-Force motor, offers the longest range of any e-bike, traveling 137 miles in the city with a top of speed of 95 miles per hour, according to EarthTechling.com. By charging at the CHAdeMO charge stations, Zero motorcycles can be charged to 95 percent in 60 minutes or less.

photo by muc10

Lit Motors is peering further down the e-bike pipeline with its innovative C-1 model prototype. The C-1 takes the best parts of a motorcycle and splices them with the safety features of a car. The result is an enclosed two-wheeled vehicle that drives like a car. It can travel 200 miles on a single charge and can hit a top speed of 120 miles per hour, according to The New York Times.

Lawnmowers

Homeowners underestimate the frightening volume of noxious fumes that gas-powered mowers release into the atmosphere. As an alternative, there exist corded and cordless electric lawnmowers, but some mowers take it a step further. Autonomous mowers like the Husqvarna Automower utilize both solar energy and electricity to mow your lawn. The hybrid’s solar panels soak in ultraviolet light on sunny days, but if it needs more juice, the Automower automatically returns to its base station for an electric charge. The installation of a perimeter wire contains the mower from wandering into a neighbor’s yards. Of course, if you want the greenest mower available, your best bet is always the push reel mower that’s powered solely by you.

ATVs

Environmentalists usually decry ATVs as wasteful and a blight to the land, but these utility vehicles do serve important functions. Farmers and park rangers rely on ATVs to pull heavy tools and traverse difficult terrain. Electric ATVs are a godsend to rural riders. Electric ATVs are whisper quiet and free of emissions. Owners don’t have to fret about replacing oil, fuel filters and spark plugs either. Electric Vehicle System’s (EVS) E-Force is one such economical ATV that’s applicable in farming, border patrol, park maintenance and of course for recreation. Impressively, it achieves three times the torque of a gas motor, according to ATV.com. Polaris also released one of the first completely electric side-by-sides, the Ranger EV. Polaris claims that their EV has the longest range of any mid-size, electric side-by-side.

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How to go Green Creatively

May-7-2013 By Barbara Zak

Guest Post by Aimee Claire

Living in an environmentally-friendly manner can extend into all areas of one’s life, including the design and furnishing of the home. Instead of being boring and unattractive, eco-friendly furniture is a very stylish alternative to standard furniture. Wooden furniture, made from materials harvested from certified forests, is one of the most popular options for eco-friendly furniture, and a wide variety of designs, both modern and traditional, are available in stores and online.

Eco-friendly wooden furniture

Unlike standard wooden furniture, eco-friendly wooden furniture is constructed from a variety of different woods that are harvested from approved sites around the world. Certified growers nurture trees from the seedling stage, constantly renewing the crop by planting new trees when old trees are felled.    Venice_range

Bamboo is also a popular material that is used to make eco-friendly wooden furniture. This kind of furniture is frequently made to look like wood. Bamboo furniture is also popular because of its sustainability, since bamboo is such a fast-growing and hardy grass.

Green furniture design tips and advice

Whether a major remodeling or just freshening up a single room, designing the interior of a home in an eco-friendly way is a great opportunity to be creative. Start by refurbishing or repurposing furniture that is already in the house. Refinishing an oak dining table or adding a fresh coat of paint in a color that complements the room décor can brighten a room and change its mood almost immediately.

If paint is the finish of choice, choose a non-toxic type. Many paints contain volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, that release chemicals into the atmosphere of the home. Low-VOC or no-VOC paints are available and are especially important if there are children in the home, or if the piece of furniture being painted will form part of a child’s room. The same goes for wall paint, and wallpapers should be avoided as the adhesives that are used to attach them to the wall also contain toxins.

Furniture with fabric coverings can be easily re-covered, either by a professional upholsterer or as a do-it-yourself project. A wide variety of naturally-sourced fabrics can be used to cover sofas and chairs; there are also many materials that mimic leather, suede and other animal hides, offering a green alternative to these materials.

Eco-friendly flooring and floor coverings

Having a green home starts from the bottom up, so selecting eco-friendly flooring and floor coverings is an important first step towards creating an environmentally-friendly home. Bamboo flooring is one of the most attractive, long-lasting and greenest choices for flooring that is available. With higher fiber content than most hardwoods, bamboo offers a comfortable alternative to standard flooring. It is also safer, as it doesn’t contain the harmful chemicals that many standard flooring materials emit. Bamboo can also be recycled when it has worn out.

If wood flooring is not the best option for a room, tiling may be a better way to go. Some floor tiles are environmentally-friendly, produced using green technology, and have the added bonus of providing warmth to the home by providing thermal insulation.

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