We Can Change the World

I talk a lot about the power individuals have in changing the world, specifically as consumers, and that’s because I truly believe we can each make a difference that matters. And more and more consumers are starting to embrace their role in influencing companies to go green.  Consider these recent findings from “BBMG Conscious Consumer Report: Redefining Value in a New Economy” as reported in BBMG Study Finds ‘Green Trust Gap’:

•    77 % of Americans agree that they “can make a positive difference by purchasing products from socially or environmentally responsible companies.”
•    Nearly seven in ten Americans agree (67%) that “even in tough economic times, it is important to purchase products with social and environmental benefits,” and half (51%) say they are “willing to pay more” for them.
•    Seven in ten consumers (71%) agree that they “avoid purchasing from companies whose practices they disagree with”; and approximately half tell others to shop (55%) or drop (48%) products based on a company’s social and environmental practices.
•    Green factors are very important in purchasing a product: 47% energy efficiency, 32% locally grown or made nearby, 31% all natural, 29% made from recycled materials and 22% USDA, a significant growth over 2007.

These numbers are exciting and suggest a great change that is taking hold.  But at the same time, these numbers are only statistics unless the green revolution becomes personal.  Personal to each one of us.  Personal in a way that makes us change our own behaviors to become part of the solution.  So…what’s one thing you can do this week to make a difference?  What’s one thing you can buy or not buy?  Let’s make it personal and see the world change.

Algae Converted to Transportation Fuels

GreenFuel, founded in 2001 and headquartered in Cambridge, MA, profitably recycles carbon dioxide!  It turns out that algae can be converted to transportation fuels and feed ingredients or recycled back to a combustion source as biomass for power generation.  According to their website, GreenFuel’s high yield algae farms recycle carbon dioxide from flue gases to produce biofuels and feed, reducing net carbon dioxide production as waste becomes profit. Harvesting algae for biofuels enhances domestic fuel production while mitigating CO2.  Wow.

GreenFuel uses Algae because it has several advantages over other crops:

• Algae are the fastest growing plants in the world and can be grown year round, unlike seasonal crops.
• Algae farming does not require agricultural land or clean water, so it does not compete with food crops for these resources.
• While it is difficult to compare one energy crop to another, per hectare of land algae is more productive than corn, soy or palm.
• Unlike other energy crops, the entire biomass produced from algae can be used in end products.
• Lastly, the algae produced by GreenFuel can be used to produce renewable biofuels needed to reduce dependence on non-renewable fuel sources such as coal, oil and natural gas.

GreenFuel doesn’t claim that recycling carbon dioxide will solve all of the world’s energy problems, but they certainly have a great start.  Greenfuel is one example of the kind of innovation needed to save our future.  Pretty awesome.