'Tiles' May Help Shrink Carbon Footprint by Harnessing Pedestrian Power.
These newly invented tiles are being used in a large urban mall in England upon which millions of residents and tourists walk.The well- designed squares aren't just ornamental. They are designed to collect the kinetic energy created by the estimated 40 million pedestrians who will use that walkway in a year, generating several hundred kilowatt-hours of electricity from their footsteps. That's enough to power half the mall's outdoor lighting.
The power generated from millions of footfalls can be used to operate a range of low-power applications, including lighting, signs, digital ads, and Wi-Fi zones.
Gradually, this new 'Pavegen' technology is slowly dispersing itself across the country, and hopefully, soon around the world. Now, along with some malls, even elementary schools have these tiles which proves to be the source in lighting up the corridors.
The City of Surrey has engendered a new waste collection and recycling program which is to be put in action by October 2012.
This plan has been implemented keeping in mind the provincial goal of a waste diversion of 70% by 2015. This particular program included 3 bins being placed on the curb-sides of Surrey homes: one for organic waste, one for recycling, and for garbage.
Food scraps and yard waste collected in the organic waste bin will be processed to generate carbon neutral fuel, which will be used to refuel Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) garbage and recycling collection trucks.
Surrey's Waste Reduction Challenge is a call to all Surrey residents and businesses to reduce the amount of waste ending up in landfills by creating less waste, recycling more, and reusing all that one can.
Through such actions, the benefits that will result are abundant and the illumination in status that the city receives will be widespread.
Ontarians are being asked to imagine what it would be like if the Great Lakes disappeared.
The Council of Canadians said that could happen if something is not done to protect the lakes. Canada holds 20% of the world's fresh waters, much that is comprised within the Great Lakes. Though, due to variant sources of contamination and over-consumption, the freshness and abundant quality of these lakes is under threat.
Maude Barlow, a chair of the Council of Canadians, says it is often heard how much people love the Great Lakes but she warns that we don't love them enough. The lakes are under attack by pollution, invasive species and a host of other threats, the populace in proximity to the fresh water bodies.
Millions rely on the lakes for their drinking water.
If the Great Lakes are being pumped at the same rate globally ground water is being pumped, the Great Lakes could be bone dry in 80 years.
