Self: Diff for "Sustainability"

Sustainability

This project supports ECE 379 – WI Make Sustainability, a pilot interdisciplinary makerspace centered class on sustainability using Garage Physics (Fall 2013) by Prof. Duncan Carlsmith (duncan@hep.wisc.edu), Prof. Erica Halverson ( erhalverson@education.wisc.edu), Prof. Giri Ventkataramanan, giri@engr.wisc.edu) Contact Prof. Giri Ventkataramanan to enroll.

This class and project supports sustainability locally and world wide and the mission of the UW-Madison Office of Sustainability:

"The University of Wisconsin–Madison is embarking on an ambitious plan to integrate and enhance research and education thrusts in sustainability science and practice across all parts of campus. The University has a long history of scholarship in a broad range of topics relevant to sustainability, ranging from using recycled industrial materials in infrastructure to ensuring the sustainability of rural agricultural communities.

Creating solutions to the sustainability challenges of the future will require integrated teams and a comprehensive approach that address coupled sustainability problems such as water, finance, energy, health, food and community. Addressing these challenges in practice will require an educated workforce that has been trained to consider sustainability broadly."

Get involved and informed by attending events of the student sustainability council http://sustainability.wisc.edu/opportunities/student-engagement/. Start an R&D project in the Garage.

Warmup ideas

Check out Startuply. Click on "startup companies" then select "cleantech." http://www.startuply.com/Startups/

Check out a WANDA report on greening the Middle east: http://www.wamda.com/2013/06/csr-a-tool-for-sustainable-development-in-the-middle-east-report

Southeastern universities Clean Energy Challenge http://www.accnrg.com/

SBIR awards in energy http://www.sbir.gov/sbirsearch/technology?term=energy

The next bright idea: Microbe-powered ‘Biobulb’ earns WID students spot in Popular Science magazine competition: http://wid.wisc.edu/featured-science/the-next-bright-idea-microbe-powered-biobulb-earns-uw-students-spot-in-popular-science-magazine-competition/ and see bioluminescence under Projects.

App writer? Check out and submit existing and needed green apps at http://www.epa.gov/greenapps/existing_apps.html http://www.epa.gov/greenapps/ideas.html

Resources

UW(s)

UW-Madison Office of Sustainability http://sustainability.wisc.edu/

WE CONSERVE http://conserve.wisc.edu/hm.html

Energy on Wisconsin UW Extension http://energyonwi.uwex.edu/

Zero net energy http://www4.uwm.edu/shwec/zeronetenergy/index.cfm

Solid and hazardous waste education center http://www4.uwm.edu/shwec/

UW-Madison sustainability project studying the human component of green buildings http://www.engr.wisc.edu/news/archive/2012/Sept26a.html

UW-Madison Experts in Sustainabilty http://experts.news.wisc.edu/experts/tag/262-sustainability

UW System faculty in sustainability management http://sustain.wisconsin.edu/degrees-and-certificates/bachelors-certificate/faculty.aspx

Madison and WI

Leonardo Academy http://www.leonardoacademy.org/

Wisconsin Green Building Alliance http://wgba.shuttlepod.org/

Growing food and sustainability http://growingfoodandsustainability.wordpress.com/

ENACT: Steps to Greener Living http://www.enactwi.org/

Federal and beyond

US Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy http://www.eere.energy.gov/

USAID Development Innovation Ventures http://www.usaid.gov/div

Higher Education Solutions Network (HESN) http://www.usaid.gov/hesn

NSF Sustainable Energy Pathways program http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2011/nsf11590/nsf11590.htm

Resources for energy education http://inside.mines.edu/~rsnieder/Energy_resources.html

Environmental Science and Technology and EST Letters http://pubs.acs.org/journal/esthag e.g. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ez4000059

Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education http://www.aashe.org/index.php

National Environmental Education Act of 1990 http://www2.epa.gov/education/national-environmental-education-act

US EPA Education http://www2.epa.gov/education

US EPA Sustainable Practices Science Resources http://www2.epa.gov/science-and-technology/sustainable-practices-science-resources

Classes and programs

UW-Madison

ECE 379 – WI Make Sustainability, a pilot interdisciplinary makerspace centered class on sustainability using Garage Physics (Fall 2013) by Prof. Duncan Carlsmith (duncan@hep.wisc.edu), Prof. Erica Halverson ( erhalverson@education.wisc.edu), Prof. Giri Ventkataramanan, giri@engr.wisc.edu) Contact Prof. Giri Ventkataramanan to enroll.

Physics 115 Energy MWF 11am-11:50am Chamberlin 2241

Global Climate and Energy Project Energy 101 Tutorials http://gcep.stanford.edu/learn/energy101.html

Great Lakes Energy Biofuels course http://www.glbrc.org/education/programs/sustainable-biofuels-course

UW-Madison Certificate in Engineering for Energy Sustainability http://energy.wisc.edu/education/energy-certificate

UW-Madison Master of Engineering in Sustainability http://sse.engr.wisc.edu/

Search for other UW classes with keywords "energy" and "sustainability" https://portal.isispub.wisc.edu:7052/psp/public/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/COMMUNITY_ACCESS.CLASS_SEARCH.GBL and http://sustain.wisconsin.edu/degrees-and-certificates/bachelors-certificate/curriculum-and-courses.aspx

Madison and WI

Edgewood College Sustainability Leadership Program http://www.edgewood.edu/Academics/Graduate/Sustainability.aspx

UW System Sustainable management certificate and masters program http://sustain.wisconsin.edu/degrees-and-certificates/

Outside WI

Biomimicry education resources and curricula http://ben.biomimicry.net/curricula-and-resources/university-curricula/

MCAD Summer Biomimetic Design Class http://ben.biomimicry.net/uni/2013/mcad-offers-summer-biomimetic-design-class/, http://mcad.edu/course/biomimicry-designers-sd-6611

Santa Fe Institute Global Sustainability Summer School http://www.santafe.edu/education/schools/global-sustainability/

Harvard Business School cases https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/search?term=sustainability&navigation=

Research Programs and Funding sources

http://sustainability.wisc.edu/research/

DoE Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative http://www1.eere.energy.gov/energymanufacturing/funding_opportunities.html

Competitions

DoE Solar Decathalon competition: http://www.solardecathlon.gov/about.html.

Biomimicry Design Challenge: opportunities for students to work in interdisciplinary teams to apply biomimicry concepts and tools as a means to arrive at sustainable and innovative designs. http://biomimicry.net/educating/university-education/student-design-challenge/

Greener gadgets http://www.greenergadgets.org/, http://www.solarfeeds.com/the-10-coolest-green-gadgets-for-2012/

Suggested projects/areas to consider

Waste processing technology evaluation

Are any new commercial waste processing technologies viable for UW-Madison or for Madison? http://advancedbiofuelsassociation.com/members.php

1) General trash gasification - The Sierra Group FastOx Pathfinder http://www.sierraenergycorp.com/ http://www.sierraenergycorp.com/fastox-pathfinder/

Trash Into Gas, Efficiently? An Army Test May Tell -http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/business/trash-into-gas-efficiently-an-army-test-may-tell.html?pagewanted=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130818&_r=0

2) Biomass (wood/leaves) to gasoline and diesel Kior Inc http://www.kior.com/

3) Biomass to ethanol http://www.ineos.com/en/businesses/INEOS-Bio/

Smart trash

What do you think would happen if your trash can had an electronic lock only you and the trash truck could open and an rf tag ID to identify it as yours and you paid by the pound for trash removal as measured by and identified by the truck and were billed like for electricity and water? You would buy bulk, avoid and reuse containers. Cut trash a factor of two before it is even purchased? Retailers would accommodate. It would be a fair system that could pay for itself. The lock option is for those who leave trash bins out and worry others would fill their bins. The cheapest solution is just to mail out rf tags on license plate registration-like stickers and have the truck read them then bill on number of pick-ups. The consumer would fill the bin full to reduce the number of pick-ups and charges so weighing is unnecessary. Many consumers keep trash bins in garages so security is not an issue for them. Just add an rf scanner to each truck - end of story.

UW Madison first? Ideas for a premium solar powered with built in scale trash can that tell the user the weight? (Must not be adjustable by the user!) Shows a smiley face when empty that turns into a frown? A built in scale could wirelessly transmit the weight to the city so the truck wouldn't stop unless necessary. Or the user could push a request pickup button when it is full and it could broadcast that request wirelessly immediately to the city and the city route trucks accordingly.

Other smart trashcans:

Big Belly: http://bigbellysolar.com/, http://thinkgreen.com/point-of-view?pid=13 There are issues... People whine about these in Philly. Plus this doesn't reduce trash. It is a trash enabling technology.

Green inventors: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OrTA57alO0k&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DOrTA57alO0k

Thought: A public smart trashcan for plastic/glass/metal that would sense and ONLY accept plastic/glass/metal. If you tried to put in the wrong material, it would groan, frown, upchuck...

Inspiration: A trash continent in the pacific gyre: http://maryeaudet.hubpages.com/hub/Pacific-Ocean-Garbage-Patch-

Sensors

Sensor-equipped construction helmet can detect carbon monoxide http://www.rdmag.com/news/2013/08/sensor-equipped-construction-helmet-can-detect-carbon-monoxide?et_cid=3431513&et_rid=517740405&type=headline

Huh.. How might you use new miniature sensors? What would you love to imagine detecting/sensing?

Bioelectricity

Electrical Circuit Runs Entirely Off Power In Trees http://www.gizmag.com/tree-powered-electricity/12772/, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090908151330.htm , http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/abstractReferences.jsp?tp=&arnumber=6306957&queryText%3Dtree+electricity+university+of+washington

Combined and micro power systems

Micro power system - low voltage power from cooking stove. (see Thermoelectric Devices under projects https://wiki.physics.wisc.edu/garage/Thermoelectric%20devices)

Truly micro refrigeration - refrigeration from cooking stove. http://www.ted.com/talks/adam_grosser_and_his_sustainable_fridge.html

Micro combined heat and power -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro_combined_heat_and_power http://www.marathonengine.com/

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CE0QFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nist.gov%2Fel%2Fupload%2F5-2-Cocking-Ecopower.pdf&ei=2V0CUvmBG-qEygHnv4G4Aw&usg=AFQjCNHCuOl1E7w6R53LZ6-Sh8z5p9UsGg&bvm=bv.50310824,d.aWc

Einstein's refrigerator - http://www-old.me.gatech.edu/energy/andy_phd/one.htm#I

Clip-on wind turbine aims to supplement solar panels http://www.gizmag.com/wind-turbines-for-solar-panels/28527/

Thermoacoustic devices

Ben and Jerry's went to thermoacoustic green refrigerators thanks to Penn State University: http://www.acs.psu.edu/thermoacoustics/refrigeration/benandjerrys.htm

Cooking with sound: new stove/generator/refrigerator combo aimed at developing nations http://arstechnica.com/uncategorized/2007/05/new-stove-generator-refrigerator-combo-aimed-at-developing-nations/

Green Technology for Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration that uses Thermoacoustic Technology http://www.coolsound.us/

A sound way to turn heat into electricity http://phys.org/news100141616.html

http://www.qdrive.com/UI/default.aspx

Hilsch-Ranque Vortex Tube http://www.oberlin.edu/physics/catalog/demonstrations/thermo/vortextube.html http://www.exair.com/en-US/Primary%20Navigation/Products/Vortex%20Tubes%20and%20Spot%20Cooling/Vortex%20Tubes/Pages/Vortex%20Tube.aspx

Acoustics resources: http://www.acoustics.org/journals.html , http://acousticalsociety.org/, Handbook of Engineering Acoustics Müller, Gerhard; Möser, Michael (online, UW Library)

1d, 2d, 3d printing

See project 3D Printing.

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2013/07/24/vincennes-u-promotes-sustainability-cuts-costs-with-3d-printing-technology.aspx?=CT21&m=1

Hey, is there a way for the consumer to feed empty plastic bottles directly into a 3d printer? Here's a concept for turning coffee grounds into ink http://www.core77.com/greenergadgets/entry.php?projectid=38#img112

Batteries

Environmentally friendly battery made from wood http://www.rdmag.com/news/2013/07/environmentally-friendly-battery-made-wood?et_cid=3386363&et_rid=517740405&type=cta , Tin Anode for Sodium-Ion Batteries Using Natural Wood Fiber as a Mechanical Buffer and Electrolyte Reservoir

Lignin: http://www.ornl.gov/ornl/news/news-releases/2013/ornl-team-uses-lignin-to-power-green-battery

Supercapacitors: See Projects page.

Photovoltaics

A direct thin-film path towards low-cost large-area III-V photovoltaics http://www.nature.com/srep/2013/130724/srep02275/full/srep02275.html

Plastic solar cells’ new design promises bright future http://www.rdmag.com/news/2013/08/plastic-solar-cells%E2%80%99-new-design-promises-bright-future?et_cid=3423200&et_rid=517740405&type=cta

NRL develops low-cost, high-efficiency solar sensor http://www.rdmag.com/news/2013/08/nrl-develops-low-cost-high-efficiency-solar-sensor?et_cid=3419079&et_rid=517740405&type=cta

Agriculture

World-changing technology enables crops to take nitrogen from the air http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130725125024.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29 , http://www.rdmag.com/news/2013/07/technology-could-enable-all-crops-take-nitrogen-air?et_cid=3390276&et_rid=517740405&type=cta

Battery free wireless communication (scavaging the airwaves)

Wireless Devices Go Battery-Free With New Communication Technique http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130813130328.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29 http://www.washington.edu/news/2013/08/13/wireless-devices-go-battery-free-with-new-communication-technique/

Crowd sourcing with mobile devices - what could YOU do?

Crowdsourcing Weather Using Smartphone Batteries http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130813121620.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29

Archetecture - Air conditioning, lighting,...

AC demand in developing countries could put chill on energy supply http://www.rdmag.com/news/2013/08/ac-demand-developing-countries-could-put-chill-energy-supply?et_cid=3419079&et_rid=517740405&type=headline

BIOMIMETIC ARCHITECTURE: Green Building in Zimbabwe Modeled After Termite Mounds http://inhabitat.com/building-modelled-on-termites-eastgate-centre-in-zimbabwe/

Top ten Green buildings http://www.gizmag.com/aia-top-ten-green-buildings-2013/27215/

New skylight scoops up daylight http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130820185347.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29

Bimimicry

Biomimicry's surprising lessons from nature's engineers http://www.ted.com/talks/janine_benyus_shares_nature_s_designs.html

Making stuff smarter, NOVA on biomimicry http://video.pbs.org/video/1786635771/?starttime=3188000

Drinking water

'Super sand' for better purification of drinking water http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110622102831.htm

Other: rethinking life, and death!

New app provides green fuel map for the U.S. http://www.leonardoacademy.org/newsandevents/press-release/495-leonardo-academy-develops-alternative-fuel-locator-app-free-download.html

Greenbutts cigarette filters sprout flowers when planted http://www.green-butts.com/

Resomation and corpse-composting: green alternatives to cremation and burial http://www.gizmag.com/resomation-corpse-composting-green-burial/15603/

Green burial project developing corpse-eating mushrooms http://www.gizmag.com/infinity-burial-project-developing-tissue-digesting-mushrooms/19385/

Fashion: Vapor Apparel spins trash into sustainable fashion

• http://www.gizmag.com/vapor-apparel-spins-trash-into-sustainable-fashion/24214/

Advanced Denim process makes blue jeans “greener” http://www.gizmag.com/advanced-denim/23023/