Green Sanctuary
Inspirational Developments
5/13/2025: Cattle raising is a large contributor to greenhouse gases. Especially methane. Feedinga bit of red algae to cattle has been shown to significantly reduce methane emissions.
Here are a couple of the many articles that chronicle some of the research being done on this topic.
Red algae for cattle to reduce methane emissions – FoodTimes
Can the red algae Asparagopsis taxiformis reduce methane production in dairy cows? | Externwebben
4/23/2025: An account of encouraging developments in the effort to make hydrogen more accessible as a fuel.
“This innovation could accelerate the adoption of hydrogen-powered vehicles and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on a massive scale by making hydrogen more accessible.”
4/2/2025: Good news regarding Styrofoam.
More states have “launched bans on expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam packaging and products.” This is significant in that EPS is a major source of microplastics that persist in the environment. Check out the full article to learn more! –> Click Here
2/24/2025: Progress is being made on making a “green” floor to replace steel.
According to a recent article from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, “The SM2ART Nfloor cassette also is fully recyclable.”
Click Here to read the full article and learn more about this important research!
2/4/2025: Meet Carbon Capture Innovator Varin Sikka
Varin Sikka, age 16, is a Carbon Capture Innovator from California. According to Earth911, “Varin invented AirCat, a groundbreaking Direct Air Capture (DAC) system designed to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere on a large scale.” Open the link below for a brief text account about this plus a podcast which consists mainly of an interview with Varin.
Click Here –> Earth911 Podcast: Meet Carbon Capture Innovator Varin Sikka, Barron Prize Young Hero Prize Winner – Earth911
1/22/2025: Circular Economy Progress
One can certainly expect that with the new administration in the U.S. that efforts to develop a more circular economy are going to take a hit. However, there is significant momentum in that direction that should keep going, though the rate may be slowed. Click Here to check out the article to learn more.
1/7/2025: Another article on the improvements in EV battery technology!
Looking for more updates about the latest EV battery technology? Check out this article from The Cool Down, which reports that new batteries will be able to “charge nearly as fast as filling up a gasoline tank.”
10/29/2024: New study reveals how ancient heating method could revolutionize the way we store energy: ‘The impact is very large’
Click the links below to bring up a couple articles on this. The first is short and covers the basic implications of the potential benefits of using firebricks, while the second is a journal article which covers the topic in depth.
The Cool Down Article
PNAS Nexus Article
10/1/2024: Progress on large scale harnessing of wave energy.
According to a recent article published in The Cool Down, “A new grid-scale wave energy device has been deployed off the coast of Hawai’i to produce electricity, which the company that developed it says is a world’s first for its type at this scale.” This could be a major step towards a more sustainable future. To learn more about this exciting development, read the article here.
9/9/2024: Another way of reducing the amount of CO2 contributing to climate change.
Last month, from a conversation with my cousin’s son, Jeff Moberg, I learned that his daughter Megan is doing PhD work on deconstructing CO2 into value-added products. I thought, “how cool”, and had to mention it here. Below is a quote from the paper, with a link to the scientific paper below that, plus an image illustrating some of the chemistry involved.
“Electrochemically reducing CO2 to value-added products is a potential way to address its steadily increasing atmospheric concentrations while supplanting the use of nonrenewable petrochemical reserves through the generation of new carbon-based resources.”
8/25/2024: More good news: This regarding ways to help reduce the amount of methane released into the atmosphere.
From a February 2024 updated posted on our website:
“methane is responsible for at least 25% of today’s global warming and has 80 times more warming power, pound-for-pound, than carbon dioxide in its first 20 years in the atmosphere.”
Identifying specifically where on earth the methane is coming from is an important step in helping to reduce the amount of methane released. The TED Talk link below covers how satellite and spectrophotometry technology are involved in this effort.
Watch this TED Talk to see how MethaneSAT will protect the climate | Environmental Defense Fund
8/5/2024: Check out these 2 very recent articles for more encouraging news regarding better battery technology for EVs!
Looking for more news about the possibilities of EV battery technology? These two articles from The Cool Down have plenty of great info for you! And if you poke around on the links within the articles you will find even more info on new EV battery technology innovations. Click on the article titles below to learn more!
7/15/2024: Scientific discovery that could revolutionize EV battery space.
The Cool Down recently published an article all about an encouraging development regarding batteries for electric cars. This could help significantly extend the range of these vehicles before their batteries need to be recharged. As
Click Here to read the article!
6/25/2024: The Environmental Defense Fund reports on the climate power of soil.
This interesting article from Environmental Defense Fund describes how many farmers are using practices that help manage carbon by storing more of it in the soil. The author of the article, Tom Clynes, explains that
“More and more farmers today are adopting techniques such as reduced tilling and cover cropping to improve the health of their soils. In addition to reducing fossil fuel and water use, these soil management techniques also hold promise for storing carbon. But soil has many secrets that scientists are just beginning to unravel.”
Tom Clynes, Environmental Defense Fund
Click Here to read the full article!
6/11/2024: Wyoming Governor indicates the big coal producing state is aiming for carbon negative status.
Check out the video below for an interesting segment from “60 Minutes” in which Bill Wittaker interviews Wyoming Governor, Mark Gordon.
5/27/2024: “Largest US grocery store chain pioneers zero-waste shopping program: ‘Another big step'”
Offering a reuse program for packaging is a profound leap in the right direction to reduce waste.
The headline above for the 2022 article by Abby Jackson caught my eye. It’s always nice to run across some ostensibly good news!
I believe the reuse program mentioned was referring to a 6 month pilot program, but it is still a step in the right direction. You might want to check out the links to Loop and TetraCycle that show up in the article. I found the TetraCycle information especially interesting and helpful as it offers ways of recycling materials that are generally not acceptable for curbside recycling. I actually signed up for the Tom’s of Maine program.
If you’d like to read the full article, Click Here. If you’re looking for more information about the pilot program, check out this February 22 article published on GreenBiz (Click Here). You can also read more out Kroger’s plan to go plastic bag free for grocery shoppers by 2025 by visiting their website (Click Here).
5/20/2024: What is ‘green capitalism’ and can it tackle the climate crisis?
The concept of Green Capitalism is an interesting one, and it seems as though significant movement in that direction has already taken place. However, will that be enough to tackle the climate crisis. In my humble opinion, probably not.
As Kris Cooper notes,
“Few disagree that capitalism, as humanity’s dominant economic system, has played a central role in driving climate change. It remains to be seen if it – or a version of it – can adequately facilitate the shift towards a global green economy.”
Click Here to read the full article that delves into this question.
We’ve also collected a list of books that you may find of interest on this topic include:
Irrationality of Capitalism and Climate Change: Prospects for an Alternative Future
by Andrew Kolin (Author), published in 2022
Green Capitalism. The God that Failed.
by Dr Richard Smith (Author), published in 2016
5/1/2024: This hydrogen-powered concept plane could fly halfway around the world without stopping to refuel
Wouldn’t it be great for the planet if folks didn’t need to travel so much and think they need to travel so much? With the use of Zoom and other technologies and somewhat thanks to the covid pandemic, it becomes more apparent how modern society can function without so much (especially business) travel. In addition to less travel in general, travel with less carbon footprint impact would surely be helpful. It’s encouraging to learn that experts involved with the FlyZero project have been working on this. Read on to learn more about this project! Information taken from a recent newsletter from The Cool Down Company (TCD).
Experts at the Aerospace Technology Institute’s FlyZero project designed a hefty aircraft — twice the size of a Boeing 737 — equipped with super-cold hydrogen tanks that, if built, could power flights longer than 11 hours without stopping to refuel.
Aviation accounts for about 2.5% of global carbon pollution, but planes are trickier to electrify than road vehicles because they would need big, heavy batteries to make long-haul journeys. Researchers are looking to liquid hydrogen as a cleaner-burning alternative to jet fuel.
This concept plane was developed by the FlyZero project, a program led by the Aerospace Technology Institute with the goal of providing air travel with no pollution (zero-carbon) in the next decade, as the agency states on its website.
4/17/2024: Switzerland put vertical solar panels on a roadside retaining wall.
Check out this interesting article from Switzerland about a new location for solar panels!
The canton of Appenzell Ausserhoden in northeastern Switzerland is aiming to generate at least 40% of its electricity from renewables by 2035. So, it exercised a little creativity and covered a roadside retaining wall with 756 glass-glass solar panels.
electrek
3/26/2024: Solar paint technology could become a cheaper alternative to panels.
What if you could get that power to make electricity from sunlight without having to install solar panels? That’s the beauty of solar paint, as reported by Solar Action Alliance.
The Cool Down
To learn more about the potential of solar paint, check out this article on The Cool Down website: click here to read!
3/11/2024: A local solar success story!
Check out this interview with UU La Crosse Member and director of Solar on La Crosse Schools, Alysa Remsburg, as she explains the benefits of the solar panels installed at local schools! Solar on La Crosse Schools, raises money to bring solar power to campuses in the La Crosse School District.
2/26/2024: Test your knowledge about methane with this short quiz!
The following information and quiz was provided by the Environmental Defense Fund:
Did you know that the best way to save Arctic summer sea ice is by tackling methane? That’s because methane is responsible for at least 25% of today’s global warming and has 80 times more warming power, pound-for-pound, than carbon dioxide in its first 20 years in the atmosphere.
And Arctic summer sea ice is incredibly important. Adult polar bears can survive for days at sea, but freshly born cubs don’t have the strength of their mothers and may drown as the stretches between sea ice get farther and farther apart.
But the more we know about this issue, the better we’re able to tackle it. Take a few minutes today to quiz yourself and learn more about methane pollution.
As we learn about methane, we can cut emissions, save the Arctic sea ice and create a brighter future for polar bears. EDF has been working for over a decade to learn more about this potent greenhouse gas and no one knows more about methane than we do.
What percentage of Arctic summer sea ice has vanished? Where do methane emissions come from? How much methane are we able to cut with current technology? These seem like simple questions, but the answers may surprise you!
2/18/2024: Solar in Arizona
Check out this interesting solar project in Arizona designed to help address its major drought issue!
In a transformative move to combat water scarcity and harness renewable energy, the Gila River Indian Community, in collaboration with the US Army Corps of Engineers, has initiated a solar-over-canal project in the arid landscapes of Arizona, the Arizona Department of Water Resources announced.
With much of the state currently experiencing moderate to extreme drought conditions, this project aims to generate clean energy and address the critical issue of water evaporation in the region.
With a budget of $6.74 million, the project stands as the first of its kind in the United States, breaking ground on a concept that holds immense promise for sustainable energy solutions.
Click the link to read the entire article.
Arizona’s solar-over-canal project will tackle its major drought issue
And this link for a related article.
UUA Green Sanctuary 2030: Mobilizing for Climate Justice
The mission of the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Green Sanctuary is to provide structure, leadership and support, in broad collaboration, for the UU faith community to engage in an ambitious environmental and climate justice movement that seeks to live fully our seventh and eighth principles and achieve our vision of a sustainable and just world for all. Click here for an Overview of Green Sanctuary 2030. To learn more about Green Sanctuary, and how we’re working towards re-accreditation, Click Here
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