Exxon Mobil Forms Partnership with Synthetic Genomics to Develop Transportation Fuels from Algae

Exxon Mobil Corp. will make its first major investment in greenhouse-gas reducing biofuels through a $600 million partnership with Synthetic Genomics Inc. to develop transportation fuels from algae. The company has been harshly criticized by environmental groups, members of Congress and even some shareholders for not spending enough resources to explore alternative energy options. Well, they have seen the light!

Exxon Mobil says photosynthetic algae appears to be a viable, long-term candidate. If the alliance is successful, pumping algae-based gasoline at Exxon service stations is still several years away and will mean additional, multibillion-dollar investments for mass production.

"This is not going to be easy, and there are no guarantees of success," Emil Jacobs, a vice president at Exxon Mobil Research and Engineering Co., said in an interview with The Associated Press. "But we're combining Exxon Mobil's technical and financial strength with a leader in bioscientific genomics."

Jacobs said the project involves three critical steps: identifying algae strains that can produce suitable types of oil quickly and at low costs, determining the best way to grow the algae and developing systems to harvest enough for commercial purposes.

Besides the potential for large-scale production, algae has other benefits, Jacobs said. It can be grown using land and water unsuitable for other crop and food production; it consumes carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas blamed for climate change; and it can produce an oil with molecular structures similar to the petroleum products _ gasoline, diesel, jet fuel - Exxon already makes. That means the Irving, Texas-based company will be able to convert the bio-oil into fuels at its own refineries and use existing pipelines and tanker trucks to get it to consumers. Source: Huffington Post

The $600 million price tag includes $300 million for Exxon's internal costs and $300 million or more, if research and development milestones are met successfully, to Synthetic Genomics.

New Ebola-Reston Strain found in Pigs in the Philippines, Scientists Say it Could be More Dangerous for Human

We have another serious problem on our hands. Researchers are worried about a type of Ebola virus, Ebola-Reston, that is spreading in pigs in the Philippines. They have warned that it could mutate in the swine population and become very dangerous for humans.

The researchers said the Philippines had tested 141 people and six of them, who either worked on pig farms or with swine products, were found with antibodies to the Ebola-Reston virus, which means they might have been infected by pigs at some time. None of them fell ill, but the scientists warned that the virus could change.

"REBOV (Ebola-Reston virus) infection in domestic swine raises concern about the potential for emerging disease in humans and a wider range of livestock," they wrote in a paper published in the latest issue of Science."There is concern that its passage through swine may allow REBOV to diverge and shift its potential for pathogenicity."

REBOV belongs to the family of filoviruses which target primates. These viruses cause viral hemorrhagic fevers, which result in bleeding and coagulation, and can lead to death. In their study, the scientists examined blood and tissue samples taken from pigs suffering unusually severe respiratory infections in different parts of the Philippines and found they contained widely varying strains of the virus. This suggests that the virus may have circulated widely in pigs even before it was first discovered in monkeys exported to the United States from the Philippines in 1989, they wrote. Source: Reuters

To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.

Dozens of Giant Squids Washed Up on La Jolla Beach after Earthquake

SHOCK: San Diego residents were stunned to see dozens of giant squid washed up on La Jolla beach after an earthquake. It's unclear whether it was the initial earthquake or the aftershock that jolted the huge squid onto the beach.

US High Speed Rail Association to Advocate for High-Speed Rail Network Across the USA

USHSR Network

As you know, President Barack Obama strongly supports high-speed rail and the Federal Railroad Administration is now reaching out to other countries that have had success with it. It's about time the United States got with the program and make high speed rail a reality. The questions on the table are what kind of system will be built, how extensive will it be, how fast and how integrated will it be? Enter the US High Speed Rail Association, which tags itself as the only organization in America focusing entirely on advancing a state-of-the-art national high speed rail network across the country. The nonprofit trade association, based in Washington D.C., "is chartered to organize and mobilize the industry with a shared vision for a 21st century, 17,000 mile national high speed rail system built in phases for completion by 2030."

The Association’s advancement of this national transportation plan will help develop an entirely new industry, which will revive our economy and manufacturing sector by creating millions of new jobs. This new, electric rail system will greatly reduce our dependence on oil and significantly lower our carbon footprint. Source: USHSR

The organization unveiled a map showing what a complete national system, built in 4 phases and completed by 2030 (for the animated version, click here). The map bears a resemblance to the "Vision for High-Speed Rail in America" unveiled by the Obama Administration in April. Both are based on the same 10 regional corridors, but the Association's plan seriously raises the bar. It calls for 17,000 miles of track, multi-modal stations and travel speeds of 220mph, the proposal bears a greater resemblance to rail maps in Europe.

The USHSR plans to generate support for the plan and help advance the industry by organizing a series of public events and conferences, with the first scheduled for October 22-23 in Washington DC. The group also formed a partnership with the International Union of Railways in Paris, and plans on hosting tours of European and Asian high-speed rail systems.

President Obama's plan to drastically improve the current railroad system as we know it, is poised to effectively modernize the system and the very concept of traveling by rail. The $8 billion investment is the biggest of its kind in American history and the president hopes to build upon the model currently in place by installing railroads to link cities in other parts of the nation, an effort he believes could help revitalize the Midwest. A faster rail service could relieve traffic congestion, conserve energy, prevent pollution, and offer greater accessibility for intercity travel.

Boston's Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo May be Forced to Close its Doors Due to Budget Shortfall, Some Animals may be Euthanized

Boston's Franklin Park Zoo might be forced to close its doors and possibly euthanize some of its animals due to deep budget cuts imposed by Governor Deval Patrick. Zoo officials have said that they will run out of money by October and have to close both the Franklin Park Zoo and its smaller counterpart the Stone Zoo. They would lay off most of their 165 employees and attempt to find new homes for more than 1,000 animals. They said they would be unlikely to find homes for at least 20 percent of these animals, which would lead to euthanization or the care of the animals in perpetuity. According to media reports, the Legislature had originally provided $6.5 million to the zoos, which accounts for more than half of their budget, but Governor Patrick, using a line-item veto, cut the state funding to $2.5 million.

The zoos, which are run by Zoo New England and reportedly attracted nearly 570,000 visitors over the past year, are operated through a public-private partnership that is funded by taxpayers and revenues from visitors. If the partnership dissolves, as it would in October if it runs out of money, the custody of the zoos would be turned over to state officials, according to state law. Zoo officials estimate that it would take three years and cost at least $9 million to completely shut down the zoos, and they said the state would be in charge of that process.

The Franklin Park Zoo, which was founded in 1913, has faced closure numerous times in the past because of a lack of funding, most recently in 2002 when House lawmakers cut its funding from $6 million to $3.5 million. The total operations budget for the zoos last year was $11 million, about 60 percent of which came from state funding. The remainder came through admissions, food and gift shop sales, memberships, and fund-raising.

It would be a real shame if these zoos were closed. What's sad is that these animals were taken out of the wild and brought to zoos all across the world and it's just not fair to euthanize them when the going gets tough.

Best Buy to Sell Green Vehicles, Adds Electric Bicycles and Scooters

Brammo Enertia Electric Bike (Enertia Bike)

Consumer-electronics retail giant Best Buy Co., is charting a new course -- selling green vehicles. The company has already begun offering electric powered scooters, bicycles and Segway Inc. transporters. The company will introduce the Brammo Enertia, a futuristic electric motorcycle , which can travel 45 miles at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. It plugs into a standard wall outlet. The company is mum on when it will actually begin selling the motorcycles, but Brammo Inc. representatives have told the Wall Street Journal that they will debut in a Portland store this month. These green motorcycles will retail for about $11,995, a price that is too high given the current economic climate.

Best Buy plans to sell green vehicles like electric-powered scooters. These electric vehicles won't be a cash cow for Best Buy anytime soon, but the investment could prove to be a wise one in the years to come. The retailer told the Wall Street Journal that its electric vehicles push is part of a re-imagining of the company's product mix involving a corporate division known as Best Buy Labs, which is looking to make better use of the company's Geek Squad electronics technicians.
Another frontier being explored: home automation systems that manage air-conditioning, lights and appliances, and reduce energy use.

More News on Brammo Enertia

Consumer Reports Features Brammo Enertia

David Ballinger Introduces the MetroShip Houseboat for Sustainable Living

MetroShips

Prefab construction guru David Ballinger has turned his sights to a new market -- prefab houseboats. The new design, MetroShip and , is a sleek and more sustainable reinterpretation of those unsightly and clunky houseboats of the past. Ballinger has consistently worked to provide eco-friendly alternatives to traditional prefabricated construction projects, including MetroShedMetroCabin.

Among the highlights of the MetroShip are:

• Countertops can be made from recycled faux-granite acrylic

• Sloan touchless water-conserving faucets

• Solar-powered exterior LED lights

• High capacity tankless water heater

• Fresh water tank

Meet the MetroShip....

It is inspired by open plan New York City loft spaces and is a 48ft x 12ft modern houseboat, as the company's site touts this latest innovation. The houseboats are handmade in the United States using translucent aluminum grid panels, among other things. The furniture is made from recycled frames and remnant fabrics made by sister company MetroSofa.

More interesting Green News Beat articles

Ecoffins USA Makes Environmentally Safe Coffins from Banana Sheaves and Bamboo

SHOCK: US Supreme Court Ruling Says Lethal Mining Waste can be Dumped in Lakes

Green Bedding -- A Mystery About to be Uncovered by The Specialty Sleep Assn. Green Initiative

SHOCK: Supreme Court Ruling Says Lethal Mining Waste Can Be Dumped in Lakes

Photo via Flathead Basin

The US Supreme Court's latest ruling will undoubtedly shock environmentalists. The court has decided that the Clean Water Act should not prevent mining companies from dumping their toxic waste into lakes, even with full knowledge that doing so will exterminate every trace of life within. This is absolutely reprehensible, but, unfortunately it's legal. SCOTUS' decision will allow Coeur Alaska Inc, a gold mining company, to dump 4.5 million tons of waste into Lower Slate Lake. What I find absolutely infuriating is the fact that the mining company and the Supreme Court are well aware of the devastating implications of this ruling -- the literal extermination of all life in the lake.

How did this all start?

In 2005, Coeur Alaska applied for a permit to dump 4.5 million tons of slurry waste -- toxic stuff that likes to break out of containment areas. They applied to the Army Corps of Engineers, overseen then by the Bush administration, which granted the permit with full knowledge that the dumping would eliminate all life in the lake and leave permanent environmental degradation. Some environmental groups learned of the situation, and sued, saying the Bush administration was violating the Clean Water Act with the action. The US Court of Appeals agreed, and promptly negated the permit in 2007.

Enter the Supreme Court, after two more years of appeals, essentially overturning the Court of Appeals' ruling. Ahoy, dump away, the ruling basically said.

Possible Precedent for Unregulated Dumping.

The biggest problem here isn't that 4.5 million tons of waste are going to be dumped into a lake in Alaska. It is the fact that this ruling could set a precedent for unregulated dumping in the future.

The New York Times reports:

“If a mining company can turn Lower Slate Lake in Alaska into a lifeless waste dump, other polluters with solids in their wastewater can potentially do the same to any water body in America,” said Trip Van Noppen, president of the environmental advocacy group Earthjustice, whose lawyer argued the case before the court.

There's a glimmer of hope on the horizon. The EPA could decide that the ruling affects its ability to keep US waters safe, though the agency has only said thus far that is is looking into the matter. This ruling by the Supreme Court is a shame and it is amazing that it has managed to fly below the mainstream media radar. SCOTUS has basically said that the safety of US lakes and rivers aren't that important.

Ecoffins USA Makes Environmentally Safe Coffins from Banana Sheaves and Bamboo

Banana Cerise coffin, Photo: EcoffinsUSA LLC

I know people hate to talk about death, but it's a road we all must travel. Casket makers have found a new niche -- natural burials. There are now biodegradable coffins on the market. These caskets are made of materials such as recycled newspapers or cardboard. Ecoffins USA, takes it a step further. The company is now selling coffins made of banana sheaves, which takes six months to two years to biodegrade. The company reportedly sold $40,000 worth of banana-sheaf or bamboo coffins to funeral homes last year. At least 14 funeral homes across the United States offer them to their customers.

In natural burials, bodies aren't embalmed and eventually decompose into the earth. Ecoffins USA is the sister company of The SAWD Partnership, which has helped fuel the "green" funeral movement in the United Kingdom.

The company contends that the bamboo and banana coffins, made in Asia (no surprise), are better for the environment than the cremation process. According to the company's website:

• Standard sizes are available up to seven feet in length. We also provide a range of smaller sizes which may be suitable for smaller adults, children and infants.

• Constructed with a sturdy “eco-ply board” base, Ecoffins are engineered to accommodate up to 325 pounds.

• Lightweight in construction, an empty coffin/ casket weighs less than 80lbs, making final transportation somewhat easier on pallbearers.

To the environmentally conscious consumer, the options for adhering to your beliefs are becoming virtually limitless.

Obama Administration Refuses To Clamp Down On Cow Burps

Cow burps, a big contributor to global warming -- bigger than coal mines, landfills and sewage treatment plants -- is being omitted from efforts by the Obama administration and House Democrats to limit greenhouse emissions. I know, many people didn't give this a second thought, but it's a big issue. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, belching from the nation's 170 million cattle, sheep and pigs produces about one-quarter of the methane released in the United States each year. That's a big deal because they are the largest source of heat-trapping gas.

In part because of an adept farm lobby campaign that equates government regulation with a cow tax, the gas that farm animals pass is exempt from legislation being considered by Congress to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

The EPA under President Barack Obama has said it has no plans to regulate the gas, even though the agency recently included methane among six greenhouse gases it believes are endangering human health and welfare.

The message circulating in Internet chat rooms, the halls of Congress and farm co-ops had America's farms facing financial ruin if the EPA required them to purchase air-pollution permits like power plants and factories do. The cost of those permits amounted to a cow tax, farm groups argued. Source: The Huffington Post

The Administration and House Democratic leaders have tried to assure farm groups that they have no intention of regulating cows. That's a big mistake. You can't just pick and choose which contributors to greenhouse gas emissions you regulate. They should all be regulated for the good of everyone.

To read the entire article, CLICK HERE .

Green Bedding a Mystery that's About to be Uncovered by The Specialty Sleep Association's Green Initiative

The notion of green bedding did not occur to me until I read a recent article by The Specialty Sleep Association, which is currently working through its new Green Initiative to standardize the manner in which mattress manufacturers and retailers define green, organic, and natural products. Nearly 40 bedding industry leaders from companies like Sealy, Simmons, Serta, Tempurpedic, Foamex, Hickory Springs, Cargill, Nutura World, OMI and Anatomic Global agreed during a recent meeting in Bonita Springs, Fl., that the industry needs a common set of definitions to reduce consume confusion about the environmental benefits of bedding products. While a green mattress might seem like a pretty pricey investment, there's no doubt that we spend a huge amount of time in bed. The fact is, we spend a third of our lives in bed, so being ecologically responsible is paramount, but the notion of "green bedding" has remained a mystery that may be about to change.

The ultimate goals of the SSA, while still being formalized by the participants, include the creation of a standard certification program based on established standards and definitions for terms such as green, natural, all-natural, and organic. In the mean time, there are several important things to look for in a green bedding. Planet Green's guide to buying a green mattress is also a great resource. Here are some tips, as excerpted from Treehugger :

Make sure there are no phthalates.
Phthalates, which can be found in the covering of some mattresses, have been linked to health problems. They have already been banned in mattresses designed for use by children in California. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), phthalates are harmful platicizer chemicals commonly found in crib mattresses and mattress pads. The group of chemicals are known to affect a child's developing endocrine (hormonal) system, and may cause asthma, allergies, or even cancer.

Watch out for PBDEs.
A conscious green consumer should also watch out for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), especially in crib beds. This harmful fire retardant has been found to cause immune suppression, endocrine disruption, behavioral problems, and cancer. A federal law enacted in 1973 requires all mattresses to meet certain guidelines designed to prevent cigarette-ignition, so most conventional mattresses are treated with toxic fire-retardant chemicals that pose significant potential health risks.

Avoid polyurethane foam.
Polyurethane foam is made from petroleum and can emit volatile organic compounds (V.O.C.'s). These compounds have been linked to respiratory irritation and other health problems, according to both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Disney Co. Accused of Polluting Groundwater with Hexavalent Chromium and Other Toxic Chemicals

LOS ANGELES (CN) -- Disney contaminated groundwater with hexavalent chromium and other toxic chemicals, including trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene, an environmental group claims in Superior Court.

Environmental World Watch and homeowner Dennis Jackson say Disney has used poisonous hexavalent chromium in its air conditioners since 1988. They say Disney has dumped air cooling water and the chemicals into curbside drains every day for the past 21 years.

The plaintiffs say they discovered the problem when the City of Burbank proposed building a new sewer system on an 11-acre parcel - called the Polliwog parcel - next to Disney's Imagineering building. Jackson says the chemicals contaminated his property. The plaintiffs want damages and penalties. C. Brooks Cutter filed the lawsuit.