BioDiesel From Cooking Oil

Vegetable Oil Bottle

It is simply the conversion of cooked oil that is no longer good for human consumption to be transferred into biodiesel that can be used in any diesel engine. Yes, any diesel engine!, in a matter of fact biodiesel that is processed correctly is even better for your engine than regular diesel can you believe that!, don't and we will tell you why later.

Just imagine that if we made use of the 52.1 million tonnes ,of palm oil alone, that were produced in 2012 and transformed it into biodiesel (of course that will mean that we had 26.05 million tonnes of cooking oil that was got rid of and the other 26.05 of palm oil was consumed with whatever was cooked in that oil) so if we used that oil and turned it to biodiesel then we will have substantial amounts of biodiesel that can fuel trucks to load goods to and from thriving cities with lower, I mean much lower environmental impact than diesel. Carbon Dioxide emissions are 80-85% less from biodiesel compared with regular diesel. That is good news for everyone especially for cities that are too congested and are suffering from car emissions.

If we look at the total world production of vegetable oil which is 175.65 million metric tonnes, then using the same criteria we could have access to around 87 million metric tonnes of used vegetable oil that means 735.15 million barrels of potential biodiesel. In 2010 the world diesel consumption were 9173 million barrels a year and that is around 8% of the total world need for diesel oil. If you find that 8% is just too little then please let me tell you that you are wrong. Because if you look at the quantity of carbon dioxide that can be reduced from this 8% you will reconsider your thoughts (I hope) for the record one liter of diesel produces 2.772Kg of CO2 compared with just around 0.5Kg from diesel oil. That is 2037.83 million tonnes of CO2 compared with 367.575 million tonnes of CO2 from Biodiesel. One tree can process 21Kg of CO2 in 1 year this would mean that from this 8% then we are reducing the need to plant around 80 million trees (but don't get me wrong we need to plant millions and millions of trees)

Not only that, but usually in many developing countries oil is disposed off in a very non environmental friendly way. This leads to many problems among of which is the accumulation of oil on the surface of lakes or bodies of water which leads to reduced oxygenation of water and thus threatens marine life or at least impacts fish numbers in those areas. You might want to know more about the waste oil disposal issues by visiting the link that better addresses such problem.    

But don't get too excited there many engine manufacturers recommend that pure biodiesel is not a good alternative to your car or truck and say that your engine is under warranty if you use 20:80 ratio that means that you can only mix 20 gallons of biodiesel to 80 gallons of regular diesel oil this term is also known as B20. You can use B100 that complies with the ASTM (American Society for Testing materials) but that right now is not recommended by many engine and car manufacturers around the world.  

VW XL1

Recently the car guru Volkswagen has revealed its new highly efficient car that they claim that is capable to go for as much as 60 miles per one liter of diesel! and if we use a B20 blend this would mean that the car is a really good choice for those who are caring for earth and the environment around them. Its name is the XL1 and is a hybrid car that has the name of the one liter car!. Unfortunately its price tag is around 111K in Euro and is a concept car, but there are other diesel car that are within the reach of the public and here are the best 10 diesel cars with the highest MPG.
For me even if it ranked fourth in the list but I will really consider a VW Golf if I ever want to buy a new car for me (I think these are my male genes speaking now).

All in all the message is clear, we can be green and care about the environment, while also keeping our modern lifestyle. We just have to make certain adjustments and tweaking so that we live in a more energy conserving and use more energy efficient gadgets.    

For even more in depth info around this topic you might want to see:
How to make your own biofuel
How To Start Your Own Biodiesel Fuel Program (PDF)
Palm Oil Facts and Figures
how it's made wikihow topic
how to convert cooking oil to a biodiesel
McDonald's turning green Plan
Brazil want to become the Saudi Arabia of Ethanol

Hope you like this article, please for your opinions and comments type them in the comment box below, thank you.

Green Hosting: Reduce Your Site's Carbon Foot Print

Many website owners prefer green hosting to reduce carbon footprints as well as to grab the attention of environmentally conscious consumers.

If you are planning to launch a web business, web hosting is an important thing that you will have to consider. There are various different kinds of web hosting solutions that you can think of. Green hosting has become very popular. When you are starting a new business, it is natural that you need to think of your target customers, because businesses that do not have effective customers cannot operate successfully and efficiently. As the name implies in this case, such a hosting solution can create a good impact on the environment. 

Reduce The Harmful Effects Of Web Hosting:

There are plenty of harmful effects of web hosting. If you want to reduce these harmful impacts, you can definitely avail the option of green hosting. Your server will have to offer your website constant support round the clock. This is turn, makes the server release lots of heat as well as consume electricity as well. Moreover, with the increased numbers of these servers, the power consumed by them also increased. As a result, larger numbers of people are effectively emphasizing on the need to go for green solutions regarding server hosting services.

Necessity Of Green Solutions

There are large numbers of companies that are offering the green solutions for web hosting. In fact, it has become a necessity today to go for such hosting solutions, and the best thing about it is that there is absolutely no problem in the availability of cheap green hosting companies. Therefore, if you want, you can always look for such options, by means of which the constant emissions from your server can be largely reduced. 

Importance of Green Hosting

As a site admin you need to know that it is better for you to have a green hosting company, by notifying your customers or site visitors that you care about the planet and that you are using green web hosting services. This will make you stand out from the crowd of other websites that are not environmental aware. In turn this will lead for more loyal visitors to your website. Especially if your site is about selling green products like solar panels or wind turbines of what ever; this will increase your green devotion and credibility.

How these green hosting services operate

These green hosting companies simply switched to green sources of electric energy. Some have switched to windmills others switched to more than one type of electricity generation. Also they are spreading paper usage awareness and getting green sources of papers, that are recycled and did not harm trees in the process. 

Latest Trends Of Hosting:

In fact, in the recent days, the latest trend of hosting is green, and therefore, there are large numbers of web owners that are increasingly looking for such solutions. If you carry out a thorough research on the internet, you will also be able to find cheap green hosting companies that will offer you environment friendly solutions for your website. Accordingly, you can be assured that the internet communication will be safe and effective not only for you, but also for your customers that are frequently visiting your website. Accordingly, you can also maximize your earnings potential due to increased visitors.

While you are on the search for cheap green hosting companies, the best solution for you is to check with Cheap Web Hosting Geeks. You will get affordable solutions for green hosting. Here is a good site for information about linux servers.

If you have any comments please write them on the comment box below

Rechargeable Batteries Are Green

Like many people today, I am very concerned about the environment and all the damage that is occurring on a daily basis. From air and water pollution to mountainous landfills, we are filling our world with harmful emissions and millions of tons of garbage that will never disappear. I'm not an activist by any stretch of the imagination, and understand that there is bound to be some degree of pollution as long as humans inhabit the Earth. But I want to do what I can to reduce my own negative impact on the environment. I already take public transportation or ride my bicycle to work instead of using my car, and I recycle everything I can. Now I'm also starting to use rechargeable batteries instead of standard ones.

A battery, of course, is not biodegradable. If you just toss a used one into the trash, it will sit in a landfill and the toxic chemicals it contains will seep out and possibly contaminate the soil in the immediate area. There are many battery recycling programs in place, but I know a lot of folks simply dispose of them with their regular garbage. I want to get rid of the temptation altogether -- and reduce my own consumption -- by using rechargeable batteries.

Rechargeable batteries are more expensive to purchase than regular ones -- at least initially. The advantage of rechargeable batteries is that you can use them many times over. Once the "juice" runs out, simply stick them in a suitable charger for a couple of hours and they'll be ready to go again. This is a great way to power all your video games, controllers, wireless keyboards, assorted toys, and many other electronic items that you use regularly.

The quality of rechargeable batteries largely determines how many times you can reuse them. I recommend going for the best quality you can afford because that decision will pay off in the long run. There's no sense in buying cheap rechargeable batteries that can only be reused a few times. That doesn't save money or do the environment any favors. Instead, it would be much better to go with a name you can trust so you can count on having a dependable product.
Rechargeable batteries are available at local electronics shops as well as online. You can probably get better deals if you shop on the Internet, so be sure to check out several online stores to compare prices. In addition, some places offer additional discounts if you buy larger volumes, so that's something to consider as well.

Purchasing rechargeable batteries instead of standard ones is an easy way to show off your green side and demonstrate a bit of concern for the environment. If we all start doing this, we can ease the strain on our landfills without sacrificing our high-tech gadgets. Nowadays, there are rechargeable batteries that have current capacities six times the capacity of one-use batteries. This means that these batteries will last longer in your gadgets and will be able to be recharged and reused so many times. Moreover, rechargeable batteries are becoming better and better that some good quality types can stay charged for 6 months or more. Also some new types have gotten rid of the memory effect!

using rechargeable batteries is considered economical as well as green act as rechargeable batteries are cheap to recharge and will cost almost nothing of a considerable value compared to having one-use batteries. many well known battery manufacturers like Energizer and Duracell already started manufacturing rechargeable batteries, which pretty much proves that rechargeable batteries are better.

So instead of using 1000 batteries for one time and then tossing then away you can use just two rechargeable batteries and recharge them 1000 times!. So do you see the great benefits of using rechargeable batteries?!

part of the article is from here

Samsung Gone Solar With Blue Earth

If you have a solar powered home, solar cooking machine, solar watch, solar charger for your devices and you're thinking about buying a solar car, then this solar mobile phone is for you. The new Samsung Blue Earth is the first solar smartphone in the mobile industry.

Smart and Stylish Move
With all the environmental problems the world is facing, anyone can now be a part of the solution by using environment friendly products that are available in the market. The well-known Korean company takes the lead in raising environmental awareness by producing this incredibly smart solar powered phone that would be perfect for everyone's needs.
Armed with a solar panel on the back, the phone can go anywhere with you when you go for camping and other out of town trips. The sleek and stylish design can match your executive or casual look. At a cut of 107 x 53 x 13.9 mm, this phone is a little heavy with the weight of 118.9 grams.

The phone has different shades of blue with a glossy that gives a relaxing and comfortable feel to its users. The common touch screen display has a pixel size of 240 x 400 which displays 256,000 colors makes images lively and pleasing to the eyes. You can find the solar panel at the back of phone which adds a classy look to it. The phone is handy but is not easy to hold because of the slippery feel of the solar panel.

Phone Functions
Samsung Blue Earth is a basic smartphone that doesn't have high powered hardware that other smartphones have. This phone only matches the personality of simple Earth loving people. Integrated to the mobile phone is a 180MB read only memory (ROM) and an additional 16GB memory that can be accessed with a MicroSD card. You can stay connected with friends, family and co-workers with GSM, GPRS, EDGE, A-GPS, HSPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, and USB connectivity tools.
You can easily send information through text and multimedia messages, email, social website updates and calls anytime too. The phone has tools for time management such as the alarms, calendar, memo and to-do list to help keep you on track and increase your productivity. It has tools like the calculator, world time application, countdown timer and stopwatch as well as a voice recorder and unit converter that can be used when the need arise.
One of the editors of cnet website Kent German says:"With its eco-friendly design and spiffy solar panels, the Samsung Blue Earth is more than just a gimmick; it's also an appealing cell phone with character."

Earth-Friendly Package
This high quality eco-friendly phone from Samsung will be a sure hit to nature lovers. You see, the phone including its package is made from recycled materials. Though it may be hard to believe at first, Samsung has disclosed that the handset is made from old water bottle plastic. And also during production, it shows that there are no emissions of harmful substances like phthalates and beryllium. The box used for packaging the phone is made from recycled paper and printed with soy ink.

And if that is not enough to make eco-fans happy, the phone boasts of eco-friendly tracker apps and profile. The unique "Eco Mode" profile lets you save energy by automatically timing the backlight and reducing the brightness. It also runs the "AccuWeather" that gives update on the weather condition and the "Eco Walk" application that keeps track of how much carbon dioxide was reduced in the air with your every step.

Paper or Plastic Which is Green

Almost everyone has heard that to help the environment at the grocery store you need to choose paper bags over plastic. But why is this? And with new manufacturing technology, does that adage still hold true?

In a study done in 1990, paper and plastic bags were assessed based on both the energy used to produce the bags and the pollutants produced from the bags. The study had interesting results. Researchers found that products of two plastic bags used only 87% of the energy used to produce one paper bag. To produce a paper bag, high amounts of coal, wood, and petroleum are used, resulting in a total energy usage of 1,680 kilojules (kj). Plastic bags, on the other hand, use petroleum and natural gas, and use only 1,470 kj to produce two.

In looking at the pollutants generated by both plastic bags and paper, plastic bags again came out the winner. Researchers divided the pollutants into three different waste categories: solid, atmospheric, and waterborne. In every category, two plastic bags produced less pollution than did one paper bag. There are flip sides to the argument, however.

While plastic takes less energy to produce than paper, and produces less pollutants, paper can be composted, while plastic cannot. Also, a common energy source to produce plastic bags is nuclear fission, which results in radioactive waste – a potentially harmful pollutant in its own right. So what is the right answer? Unfortunately, there is no clear cut winner. If you really want to be as contentious as possible when bagging your groceries, bring your own string or cloth bags that can be reused.

McDonald’s Turning Green

In McDonald’s 2009 Best of Green highlights, they mention that their use of an interactive software program, EcoProgress, for managing and reducing energy usage in restaurants in France achieved an 11% savings in electricity.


In Australia, McDonald’s is involved in water management and say that over a 20 year period their advanced stormwater retention tanks can save nearly 4 million liters of water. In addition to this they are using water-conservation technologies that include low-flow spray nozzles, dual-flush toilets, and extensive native landscaping and water conservation improvements through smart irrigation practices. McDonald’s Australia’s recently updated landscaping guidelines educate contractors and field personnel on issues such as water conservation, the use of native and drought-resistant plantings, and advanced stormwater retention methods.

“In Brazil, Chile and Argentina, McDonald’s has partnered with local organizations that transform used cooking oil into biodiesel. Currently, 270 restaurants in these markets deliver their used oil to be converted into biodiesel, representing over 1,000,000 liters of oil to date.” Is this superficial greenwashing or is McDonald’s stepping up to the plate on environmental issues?


McDonald’s is also jumping into the green building environment in the US. Last year, they opened their first “green restaurant” (in Chicago) for a new pilot program on green building. It received the Gold LEED rating! In one location in North Carolina, it has actually installed a charging station for electric vehicles.
McDonald’s is also making a big difference in Japan. By joining the Team Minus 6% program hosted by the Japanese government, “to reduce CO2 emissions by 1kg per person, per day, by offering a discount to consumers who registered to participate in the program,” McDonald’s helped to increase the participants from 40,000 to 380,000.Also McDonald’s Japan has installed LED lighting in 33 restaurants in 2009, CO2 emissions were reduced by 18 tons annually per restaurant and electricity consumption in the restaurants’ dining areas was reduced by an average of 44 percent, saving an average of $9,400 per year. Based on the demonstrated environmental and cost benefits, the decision has been made to install LED lighting in all new McDonald’s restaurants in Japan, and a review is underway to determine if LED lighting should be standard for all McDonald’s Japan restaurants.

In 2003, McDonald’s opened its first HFC-free restaurant in Vejle, Denmark. Equipped with appliances operating on natural refrigerants such as Propane, Isobutene, and CO2, the restaurant has none of the HFC gases harming the ozone layer and contributing to climate change. Compared with restaurants using conventional technology, the pilot restaurant consumes about 12 percent less energy and its Total Equivalent Warming Impact is on average 27 percent lower. Emissions are reduced by 25 tons of CO2 equivalents per year. "It really is cool to be green!" they say.

Moreover McDonald's saves nearly 161,000 trees a year thanks to the fact that the innovative container that holds the Big Mac (as well as the Quarter Pounder and Filet-O-Fish) is made with at least 37 percent recycled content.

Is McDonald’s a world leader in environmental issues now, or is this minor activity compared to their non-environmentally friendly activity?

Thus such an influential company is going behind green matters and that can be a huge benefit to the environment. For sure, they have influence on the success of the soya and cattle moratoria in the Amazon. And, clearly, they are helping to boost climate change action in Japan. They are doing a lot with some of their buildings to reduce energy usage. Is it enough? Is it living up to it’s environmental responsibilities? Is it a multi-national company others can follow?

If you have any thing in mind please write your comment below, and I'll be very happy to read it and even reply to it!

Eco-Friendly Kitchen: Tips For Going Green In The Kitchen

Today, we must keep in mind the environment in most everything we do and that includes the renovation and construction especially in the kitchen is the room in the house with the most used. If you are either building a house that needs a kitchen design, or you're in the middle of a project of remodeling the kitchen, trying to be environmentally friendly should be part of your plans. Here are some tips for cooking green, you might consider: 

Cork, bamboo flooring or recycled: When it comes to green cooking tips, choosing a kitchen floor green can go a long way to be green. Consider using a cork, bamboo or other natural flooring or recycled. There are a number of options out there, and most are very durable. The coating most readily available is a recycled rubber flooring. They are made of 80 to 100% post-consumer products including tires. Rubber floors are extremely durable and come in a variety of colors and styles. Cork and bamboo, while not recycled, the products offer both rapidly renewable that do not require deforestation of millions of trees to produce these types of floors. Both cork and bamboo are natural products as well. 


Reclaimed wood flooring: If you prefer to look older, more traditional or even old, you might consider reclaimed wood floors that will give you a traditional look in your kitchen eco-friendly. This is exactly what it sounds like; wood used was taken from another house or building, then repackaged and is ready to install in your home. For the rich warmth of old wood, this product can provide the look without destroying more trees. 

Eco-friendly lighting: When it comes to going green in the kitchen, you must choose your lighting carefully. When choosing lighting for your new or remodeled kitchen, you can use products that will keep the green theme. First, look at the types of bulbs you will use. Devices that have CFLs rather than incandescent bulbs use one quarter the power. LEDs can reduce energy consumption by 80-90%. Lamps and lighting fixtures that use LED lamps are generally constructed exclusively for this type of bulb. CFLs can be used in any device that accepts a regular incandescent bulb. In addition to artificial lights, also consider the use of skylights and sufficient quantities of energy-efficient windows in your plan. By readily available natural light in your kitchen, you can greatly reduce the need for artificial light sources, at least during the day. You can also consider options for solar powered lighting. 

Recycled Counters: One of my favorite tips green kitchen is recycled glass countertops are becoming a popular product for use in kitchens. These glass countertops are very durable and have a variety of styles which emulate the look of granite and marble. They are a mixture of recycled glass with a base of concrete or resins that are non-petroleum based which can be used for safe and beautiful green kitchen counter. 

Energy-efficient appliances: One of the most talked about ways to go green in the kitchen is the appliances energy efficient. When you are ready to equip your kitchen with new appliances, be sure to look for devices that are marked with the Energy Saver labeling. All major appliances are now energy rated, so you'll be able to comparison shop for the best on the market.
Solar Power: While many people think that solar energy comes in the form of a whole-house which includes panels that cover the roof of your house, there are other options that can provide the solar energy for applications that are much less effective complicated. Instead of taking on large-scale conversion to solar power all your needs, you might consider a small solar system that makes your water heater to take care of all your hot water needs that can help add to your design green kitchen. These systems are compact and designed to work exclusively on the electrical system of the heater. This type of system costs a fraction of what the entire solar system of internal costs, and can save you hundreds of dollars a year on your electricity bill.
Once you have your new eco-kitchen in place, there are some things you can do every day to be more environmentally friendly and live a greener life in your kitchen: 

Use cloth, not paper whenever possible: This is going shopping and cleaning the kitchen. When you go shopping, use cloth, reusable bags to carry your purchases home. This allows literally tons of plastic and paper from landfills each year. Another canvas to opt for towels is that you use. Choose cloth napkins for your kitchen cleaning instead of paper. Not only will you keep all that paper out of the additional landfill, but you will save a lot of money not spent on a paper towel so it's one of those things cooking green can save you money too! 

Composting: Start composting your kitchen waste. You can create a soil rich in organic matter from the compost you. In other words, composting is a process that allows you to place food, coffee and other food waste created in a pile outside. Materials added through a natural process that eventually rot them in a product that can be added to the soil in your garden to provide nutrients. Composition is relatively easy and another way to keep unnecessary waste in the trash. 

Use environmentally friendly cleaning products: There are cleaning products greener and available to use in your home. These green products are not harsh chemicals to clean. They come from natural materials and safe to do a great job cleaning things without putting something dangerous in the wastewater. You can also come with some of your own green products with things around the house, like vinegar to clean windows or baking soda for stains on dishes. 

Using local and organic products: Going green in the kitchen can be as tasty and delicious way to fit your eco-kitchen is trying to buy as much organic produce and local as possible. Organic products are popular because the process used to grow organic agriculture does not deplete the earth and not to introduce chemicals into the soil or plants. Whether organic or not, using local produce and is a great idea because it supports local business and you know where the product is grown. Best of all, it does not get shipped across the country in a truck, and it is usually picked fresh at the peak of maturity, so it just tastes better. 

Whether your redoing your kitchen or simply try to do things better, you can make many changes that will lead to a greener kitchen in your home. It just takes a little attention to doing the right things, and it will eventually become your lifestyle. 





Get some more green kitchen tips and find other ways of going green at http://greenologyspot.com.