Calif. business sells oil to restaurants, retrieves used product for vehicles
NAPA, Calif. - Call it the biofuel boomerang. Valentin and Nanette Humer sell their gourmet grapeseed oil to upscale Napa Valley restaurants. Then, they pick up the used oil to run their company cars.
The fry 'em up, fill 'er up approach saves restaurants money, greases the wheels of recycling efforts and makes the Humers' wallets a little fatter, too.
"We haven't seen a gas station in two years," Valentin Humer said with a laugh.
Humer, founder and...
» Read the rest of the post
PORTLAND, Ind. - The ethanol refineries sprouting across the Corn Belt are typically touted as desperately needed economic engines for rural towns, a boon for American farmers and a way to ease the heavy dependence on foreign oil.
When James Clear hears the word ethanol, he instead thinks about the tons of pollutants that will come from the 50-acre industrial complex being built on the edge of this eastern Indiana town.
“It would just kill me looking out on our playground there and picturing our kids breathing that air,” said Clear,...
» Read the rest of the post
» View all photos
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets guidelines for six "criteria" air pollutants. These National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) are authorized by the Clean Air Act. Areas where pollutant concentrations regularly exceed the NAAQS are in violation of the standards and can be declared "nonattainment" areas.
Ozone is one of these criteria pollutants, and has two measurements to determine whether levels in the atmosphere are hazardous to our health. The 1-hour standard measures the highest peak concentration of ozone...
» Read the rest of the post
The grey squirrel has had a bad couple of years. OK, to be honest, it's history has never been pleasant. It has long been associated with all but wiping out the native British red squirrel because of it's superior size, strength, appetite and fatal viruses that it passes onto the reds. Recently the alien grey has also been associated with the decline of certain bird populations as it destroys nests and eats the eggs and young chicks.
However, Wales has been leading the way in fighting for the return of the red and culling the grey. The...
» Read the rest of the post
In many places in the UK, spring has already begun. Frog spawn is already widespread in southern England, snowdrops and crocuses seem to be flowering everywhere, and more and more green shoots are poking through the bare ground. Very soon, you should be seeing the bright yellow lesser celandines in woods and hedgerows. These make the most of the light by opening their petals wide in the sunshine, until shade or cloud blocks it causing them to close.
By the end of March, there should be carpets of wood anemones in ancient woodlands with...
» Read the rest of the post
The UK’s leading woodland conservation charity the Woodland Trust and local residents fear that an irreplaceable 800 year old ancient tree could be lost if plans to build residential properties in Suffolk go ahead.
Local residents near to Beck Row are in uproar over plans to build eight new homes on Apsal Lane, despite recommendations for refusal from Forest Heath Planning and Countryside Officers.
The ancient oak tree is thought to be 800 years old and was most probably once part of Bury St Edmunds Abbey. Ancient trees of this age are...
» Read the rest of the post
Hi and welcome to The Green Room.
Being a tree surgeon and keen countryside walker I am also interested in the environment and the natural world as a whole. Although I'm no activist/lobbyist/do-gooder I do try and keep up-to-date with the goings-on out there.
Being a Brit I will most probably just start with UK related issues... and they may be just tree related too. If you have anything to add then please feel free to do so.
Thanks for your time and thanks for visiting.
1 Vote
