Image Microsystems is facing this challenge head-on.

This Austin, Texas company provides innovative solutions to the environmental issues created by consumer electronics waste. Through their e-waste reclamation, recycling and disposal efforts, they recently introduced their newest product: traffic safety and road signs made from recycled electronics components.

Made from 100 percent post consumer recycled e-waste, this green signage provides a closed loop in the manufacturing process. These standard looking but unique signs can be recycled and/or re-manufactured at their end-of-life, eliminating their adding to already burgeoning landfills. Not only is this good for the environment, it’s also cost effective for the towns and municipalities that invest in them.

With innovations like this, and the millions of pounds of e-waste that Image Microsystems has diverted from our landfills, the e-waste problem could be in danger of being solved.

Other Posts from Debra Atlas:

Green Gadget Spotlight: PowerGenix’s Powerful NiZn Rechargeable Battery

Human  Rights of Greenpeace Anti-whaling Whistleblowers Were Denied by Japan

Seafood in Crisis-Sustainability and Tracking May Bring the Solution

What you’ll find here are new-to-market, moderately priced products that really do something useful. I’ve tested or in some fashion put my hands on a sample of everything you’ll see here. verifying they live up to what the company says they can do. You won’t see greenwashing here!

So here we go!

Batteries have been around for over 200 years. Since the modern alkaline battery hit the market in 1959, there’s been a drive to come up with a long lasting rechargeable battery. The newest entry in this race is the NiZn Rechargeable by PowerGenix.

These batteries aren’t just rechargeable. They have 30% higher voltage than other rechargeables, meaning faster performance for your digital cameras, handheld GPS systems and other electronics. They’re also recommended for UPS systems (Uninterrupted Power Systems that protect computers from power surges).

The new NiZn battery gives photographers a real advantage with 300 to 400 flash charges per battery charge versus up to 200 with other rechargeables.

These batteries are way ahead of the pack. They:

• are less expensive, half the cost per kilowatt hour of a lithium-ion battery
• can be stored for long periods without effecting either their lifespan or performance
• have a shorter recharging time than other rechargeables.

The NiZn rechargeable is an excellent choice for cordless power tools, since they can increase their power output. They give 10% more tool torque and use 25 percent fewer batteries (15 Sub C versus 20 batteries).

I replaced the battery in my laptop mouse with this amazing rechargeable. My mouse suddenly zipped along like crazy!

As for being green, these batteries eliminate harmful greenhouse gas emissions and every part of them can be recycled!  They can be taken to any of over 50,000 drop-off recycling locations around the country, and don’t require any special handling.

With plans to use this advanced technology for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), PowerGenix reports that these batteries have an estimated lifetime use of over 7 years  (100,000 miles in electric based vehicles).

These batteries are available in AA,  Sub C and D batteries (not AAA unfortunately). PowerGenix also makes adaptable chargers, which come with universal voltage, making for easy travel use.

Competitively priced and available on Amazon and DepotEco, the PowerGenix NiZn rechargeables are  definitely a big step forward in rechargeable technlogy.

Other Posts from Debra Atlas:

Green Gadget Spotlight: PowerGenix’s Powerful NiZn Rechargeable Battery

Human  Rights of Greenpeace Anti-whaling Whistleblowers Were Denied by Japan

Seafood in Crisis-Sustainability and Tracking May Bring the Solution

Junichi Sato

With the trial of the  “Tokyo Two”, Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki, due to begin on February 15th, the Working Group found the two anti-whaling activists were acting in the public interest as they worked to expose criminal embezzlement within the Japanese taxpayer-funded whaling industry.

Toru Suzuki

The Working Group’s conclusions stated: “The right of these two environmental activists not to be arbitrarily deprived of their liberty; their rights to freedom of opinion and expression and to exercise legitimate activities, as well as their right to engage in peaceful activities without intimidation or harassment has not been respected by the (Japanese) Justice system.” The Group also said the activists had been denied the right to challenge their detention “ before an independent and impartial tribunal in fair proceedings, and requested that the remainder of the trial be conducted fairly.”

There’s been a worldwide outcry over the apparent persecution of these two. Legal experts (including Supreme Court advocates), international human rights and advocacy groups such as Amnesty International and Transparency International have been outspoken in their criticism of these proceedings.

Known for their often flamboyantly dramatic protests for animal rights around the world, in the case of Japanese whaling, Greenpeace has preferred to let the Sea Shepherds take the lead in preventing Japanese whalers from killing their annual “quota” of “whales in the name of ersatz “research”.  Holding to their principles of non-violence, Greenpeace has been working behind the scenes to bring about an end to what many consider to be an illegal whaling practice by Japanese whalers.

Many eyes will now be focused on Japan and this trial. Will it make a difference to help stop the whaling? Perhaps it will raise awareness with the Japanese public which, in itself, could be a determining factor.

Other Posts from Debra Atlas:

Green Gadget Spotlight: PowerGenix’s Powerful NiZn Rechargeable Battery

Human  Rights of Greenpeace Anti-whaling Whistleblowers Were Denied by Japan

Seafood in Crisis-Sustainability and Tracking May Bring the Solution

In 2006, a stunning four-year study was released in the journal Science that predicted the world would run out of wild-caught seafood in 2048. Overfishing was one of the major factors scientists pointed to as a cause of fisheries decline and habitat degradation.But there’s a slim ray of sunshine. A West Coast pilot program has been gaining momentum that allows consumers to track where the fish they buy came from, right back to the boat and the fisherman who caught it!

Pacific Fish Trax is a program run by the Seafood Consumer Center and funded by the state of Oregon. Originally formed in 2005 in order to develop new methods of helping fishermen conserve weak salmon runs, it tracks western fish like albacore, salmon and tuna on its journey from the rivers and the ocean to the dock, and on to your supermarket. The program also includes fish genetics and the conditions of marine ecosystems.

Pacific Fishing Trax was one man’s vision. Fisherman Scott Boley realized that having a centralized website would bring together scientists, managers, fishermen, and marketers and help connect them with people who cared about sustainable fishing, habitats and the communities whose lives  depended on these increasingly fragile resources.

To track salmon, hoping to keep fishermen away from weakened salmon stocks and steer them toward healthier ones. California began its own pilot program in 2007.

Tagging salmon as part of Pacific Fish Trax

In 2006, Oregon researchers began recruiting commercial fishermen to tag and map chinook salmon to follow their migratory patterns. The state of Washington began their own pilot program

This was the first time all three states had such tandem programs.

It’s hoped that by improving the traceability of our fish, it will help buyers choose fish that’s good for you and that doesn’t hurt the ocean and be harder to pass off “farmed” fish as the more popular wild kind.

There’s currently a conference on this topic taking place in San Francisco – the Sustainable Seafood Multi-Stakeholder Summit. The agenda covers issues including:

• defining sustainability
• wild versus farm fish
• sustainable aquaculture practices

All are hopeful that tangible results will come from this conference. Afterward, the Online Collaboration Network will coordinate sustainability, certification and traceability communities progress. A follow-up conference - ”Sustainable Seafood Asia’ - will take place in the spring in Bangkok.

Knowing where your fish comes from could be an important key to making sure our children’s chidren know fish as more than a textbook reference.

Other Posts from Debra Atlas:

Green Gadget Spotlight: PowerGenix’s Powerful NiZn Rechargeable Battery

Human  Rights of Greenpeace Anti-whaling Whistleblowers Were Denied by Japan

Seafood in Crisis-Sustainability and Tracking May Bring the Solution