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- Category: Blog
- Last Updated on Friday, 29 June 2012 10:26
- Written by Ingo Ratsdorf
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I had pleasure attending the 2012 Sustainable Housing Summit yesterday.
I must say that I went home with mixed emotions, some presentations were really good and some were rather inappropriate.
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- Category: Blog
- Last Updated on Wednesday, 04 July 2012 08:00
- Written by Ingo Ratsdorf
- Hits: 461
Traffic jams can be amazing.
This morning I slept too long after a late night yesterday and woke up with the knowledge that I will have to queue in the traffic jam. If I do not leave home at 6:30 in the morning, the likelihood of ending up in rush hour traffic jam is rather high, probably some 90%.
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- Category: Blog
- Last Updated on Friday, 22 June 2012 12:58
- Written by Ingo Ratsdorf
- Hits: 763
This weeks sustainability award goes to Barilla (http://www.barillaaus.com) for the genius packaging...
They have gotten rid of their plastic packaging and instead used plain cardboard boxes. Seems to be so easy but only the first pasta/noddle manufacturer available in NZ mainstream supermarkets that has done it.
Not only that you do not have to seal the silly plastic bags anymore in order to prevent all pasta in the bag left to spill though your pantry, you can also dispose the flat cardboard box in your weekly paper recycling. It won't go to landfill, you don't have to pay for the plastic rubbish.
Happy ;-)
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- Category: Blog
- Last Updated on Friday, 22 June 2012 12:58
- Written by Ingo Ratsdorf
- Hits: 554
I am seriously starting to get sick of all those green buildings going up. They have the same design as all other buildings, they have the same materials than most other buildings and many of them generate the same rubbish as other buildings.
Being green just because you use low VOC adhesive? Or because you run a chillie bin with refrigerant that is better for the environment? Possibly put some solar thermal element on the roof?
Well, we still use far too much glass, we still use the wrong materials, we still do a wrong design, we still don't do natural ventilation, and still none of the other great features known to mankind for centuries.
And the contractor especially does not care... rubbish everywhere.
Design & build phase failed - do you think the operation phase will be better?
Even the bin is green: http://twitpic.com/9q0y3s
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- Category: Blog
- Last Updated on Friday, 22 June 2012 12:58
- Written by Ingo Ratsdorf
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Biodiesel may be an alternative to fossil fuel, however, it still is a one-way street.
I found a report on the EECA website, CRL energy report on life cycle asssessment of tallow biodiesel, and it's quite interesting to read. As usual, rather confusing data display but the bottom line is clear: By using tallow for biodiesel generation, we can save something around 50% of green house gas emissions.
Read more: CRL energy report on life cycle asssessment of tallow biodiesel
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- Category: Blog
- Last Updated on Wednesday, 04 July 2012 08:00
- Written by Ingo Ratsdorf
- Hits: 438
Sometimes you can find interesting things on your twitter updates. The one below I found particularly good. It's a collection of articles, ideas, concepts and thoughts about sustainability, what it is, how it's defined and what you can do to get into it or get better with it.
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- Category: Blog
- Last Updated on Friday, 22 June 2012 12:58
- Written by Ingo Ratsdorf
- Hits: 591
I received an email today about the latest Green Thinker Network (http://www.greenthinkernetwork.com/) updates.
On the front page you will find the winner of the "sustainable product competition 2011" and also the runner-up.
The champion is a "smog-eating tile". I must say that I am somewhat disturbed by this. While the idea might be great, I though that sustainability is about the long run, the future, future generations and our kids etc. Having a short term solution to a man made problem, that does not make the problem as such any better or make it go away is like basing your head continuously against a wall and talking painkillers for the pain.
Read more: Green Thinker Network and the confusion about GREEN
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- Category: Blog
- Last Updated on Friday, 22 June 2012 12:58
- Written by Ingo Ratsdorf
- Hits: 715
I increasingly see eco cleaning companies sprouting, there is one that I know of in NZ, which is Environmental Choice NZ certified and I stumbled just across another one in UAE.
In New Zealand, we have mw cleaning, Environmental Choice NZ certified and NZ Green Building Council member. They use GreenEarth cleaning products and can offer the PacificGreen range of Pacific Hygiene, TCF and FSC certified paper products.
They have also some recycling and waste separation / minimisation ideas on their website.
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- Category: Blog
- Last Updated on Friday, 22 June 2012 12:58
- Written by Ingo Ratsdorf
- Hits: 824
Below is a letter I sent after I received a copy of the NZ Herald's "Elements" magazine. A magazine dedicated to health and sustainability.
The magazine came wrapped in plastic - as they usually all do. But why? What for? And why even through the Green Building Council?