I received an email the other day from an interesting company, Organica, that creates biological processes for treating wastewater.  I like the idea of rethinking our assumptions to things like wastewater treatment –  recycling need not be limited to paper and cans, but can capture multiple consumables that we use in housing…sustainableschmidt

Organica’s Approach

by sustainableemily, Organica

Humans waste large amounts of water, and current projections of population and economic growth imply that in 2030 global water requirements will be 40% greater than current supply.  Our population is growing by 50 million people per year, and it continues to migrate into cities. Freshwater consumption has more than doubled since World War II. All of this means our lifestyle, which is completely dependent on freshwater consumption, is not sustainable.

But, there is good news: Water can be recycled and reused. Organica Technologies has a solution for recycling and reusing wastewater on a scale that is efficient, sustainable and cost effective.

Organica wastewater treatment plants combine the latest developments in ecological engineering with traditional wastewater treatment technology, offering communities and corporations around the world a low-cost and efficient method to treat wastewater to reuse quality.

Organica treatment plants purify water by harnessing the metabolic processes of living organisms that digest organic pollutants. In addition to the bacteria found in traditional activated sludge systems, Organica treatment plants are populated by 2,000 to 3,000 species of plants, animals, and microbes. The organisms work together to maximize biological degradation of contaminants. The ecosystems provide a high degree of biodiversity, thus resulting in a very stable and resilient system. The treatment plants use of natural organisms, applied human intelligence, innovative bio-nano, and information technologies helps nature accelerate the purification of waste water, freeing it for reuse in non-potable applications; irrigation, cooling tower makeup and flushing.

Inside_Organica_pond

Additionally, this compact and odorless design fits in tight spaces within urban environments. This decreases the need for expensive pipes bringing the water back and forth. More importantly, it allows for the water to be reused directly on site for irrigation, toilet water, cooling towers, and all other needs depending on specifications. It also saves costs, in addition to all the above benefits. Fitting in small areas of land reduces capital costs, and the operational expenses are much lower than all other options.

Wastewater management has remained relatively stagnant for the past 80 years. Now, Organica’s approach is changing the game. In order to create a sustainable world, we must secure and allocate water supplies with a growing population and decreased water levels. Organica provides the solution.

Organica helps nature do its job, just better and faster.

Connect with Organica:
On Twitter
On Facebook

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Cash for Boilers – Update!

by Sustainable Andy on August 31, 2010 · 0 comments

in Miscellaneous Schmidt

Last Week, we were able to meet with Matt Greco (Department of the Environment) at the apartments on Guerrero st.  He informed us that our low pressure stream boiler did in fact qualify for the incentives program, which could save us 20-30% on the cost alone.  Luckily, when Mr. Greco was inspecting the boiler, he found heavy corrosion, a result of the steam over the past 30 years. In addition, he mentioned that we can receive incentives for a new thermostat, radiator, and pipe insulation!

Overall, it was a success.  From here, I will be contacting contractors trained through this incentive program who will give us quotes in the weeks to follow.   Check out the photos of the existing boiler on Guerrero St. below

Guerrero Boiler rust1

Corrosion in Boiler on Guerrero St.

Guerrero Boiler rust3

Close-up of Corrosion

If you missed the first part of this article, check it out here.

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Sustainable Water Options

by schmidt on August 31, 2010 · 0 comments

in Miscellaneous Schmidt

The amount of water we use on a daily basis is monstrous.  However, there are many opportunities for your household to conserve water. Here are four ways to save some water (and a lot of money!):

Collect rainwater

For a low cost, you can purchase a specially designed barrel or a building block to hold rain water.  You can reuse this rainwater to water your garden.  Using this system can translate into saving you hundreds, if not, thousands of gallons a year.  Rain Harvesting Systems sells rain barrels that are convenient and affordable.  For a different look, check out some building blocks that can be put along your fence or under your house.

Drink clean water

If you have a water cooler/dispenser in your house or business and refill it every week with another 5 gallon jug of water, you should check out the DewPointe filter.  You will no longer need to buy the jugs of water because this filter accumulates the moisture in the air and converts it to drinking water – a true renewable resource.  To give you an idea, a gallon produced by DewPointe costs 60 cents.  This translates to $3 for 5 gallons of water, in comparison to a water distribution company such as Alhambra, which costs around $9 for a 5 gallon jug.  Sure, the DewPointe is an investment, but translates into an overall profit.

Buy a new toilet

The average toilet uses up to 5 gallons on each flush.  In a family of four, this roughly translates to almost 40,000 gallons of water a year.  These days, toilets are much more efficient.  You can buy a dual flush toilet and save tens of thousands of gallons of water every year. Look around the Caroma website to see what options would be good for your household.

Install Rain Panels

Made from 100% recycled paper, rain panels make a stylish, affordable, and sustainable product.  Whether you are remodeling your house or wanting to improve your draining system, rain panels is a great option.  The product, RainStone, can be arranged in various ways for looks, a draining system extension, or a combination of both.

These are just a few ways you can save thousands of gallons a year.  Remember that when saving a gallon or two is applied to a large scale, it can mean the difference of hundred of millions of dollars.

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Cash for Crappy Boilers

by Sustainable Andy on August 24, 2010 · 1 comment

in Miscellaneous Schmidt

If you have been thinking to replace that old inefficient boiler of yours that is wasting space and money, now is the time to act!  Recently Helmut was able to attend a meeting held by Matt Greco, Program Administrator for the SF Department of Environment, dealing with a new incentive program involving boiler systems.  Fortunately, the federal stimulus package included this block grant that can give a large incentive (up to 30%) for the replacement of an old boiler.

I just spoke and scheduled a free on-site assessment with Mr. Greco at an 11 unit apartment building on Guerrero street.  We are hoping to find out how efficient the current boiler is, how realistic it would be to replace it, and whether or not it is eligible for this incentive program.

If you have an old boiler you are looking to replace, you can set up a free on-site assessment at your location by contacting Matt at:
(415)355-3708
Matthew.greco@sfgov.org

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Sustainable Lighting Options

by schmidt on August 24, 2010 · 2 comments

in Miscellaneous Schmidt

Looking to replace your inefficient old-fashioned light bulbs for some sustainable lighting? Whether for home or commercial use, installation of sustainable lighting can translate into a large transformation of energy savings in your next monthly bill.

If you are doing a remodel or just want to install efficient light fixtures, Energy Savings Technology is a great place to start searching (based in CA).  They offer a wide variety of household lighting options that offer an easy way to install and save.  WattStopper, switches the focus on light reduction to save energy in a household or business.  With dimming, time interval, audible, and sensor switches, energy is saved no matter what you choose.

Lutron, a more sophisticated company compared to WattStopper, not only explores more options for light reduction, but also sells light fixtures that are extremely sustainable and efficient.  A service called “Quantum” accounts for natural lighting and manipulates the electricity flow in specific rooms to increase or decrease depending on how much natural light is available.  This is a very advanced option that is great for office buildings to maximize savings over many rooms.

Many office buildings are required to have lights on 24/7, and often we forget to turn off the lights in our own homes.  For this, it is vital that we understand that there are opportunities to save money, electricity, and even comfort by exploring sustainable lighting options.  To give you an idea, when the New York Times building in NY adopted Lutron technology, the 600,000 sq. ft. building began saving over 70% in energy savings and $30,000 per floor each year.

In the outdoor setting, streetlights are also very important to think about – They are on at night every day of the year.  A few companies including Zemos create lights for uses such as street lights that are powerful, durable, yet also efficient.  They have a lot of lights that are perfect for long-term outdoor uses.  If you are considering putting flood lights in your backyard or light panels around your house,  look into Zemos’ website.

From a bulb replacement in a bedroom to a full scale building remodel, make sure to check out your sustainable lighting options.

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