Preserving the Water-Food-Energy Nexus for Sustainable Development

Going Green With Brown Sustainable development and national security have a common nexus based on water, energy, and food. The United Nations has stated the water-food-energy nexus is vital for sustainable development especially as the world population continues to increase. An integrated framework of the nexus is vital for...

13 CleanTech Companies to Watch Right Now (2022)

Electric vehicles are no longer a distant aspiration. Sustainable infrastructure has made its way to the top of the government policy priorities list. The International Panel on Climate Change AR6 report nudged climate conversations further into the mainstream, and COP26 illuminated ideas about what must be done to solve...

How Does Biden’s Climate Plan Stack Up?

Image credit: Gage Skidmore Joe Biden’s presidential campaign just released a new climate plan that could dramatically reshape the US economy if implemented. The plan calls for two trillion federal dollars to be invested in clean energy and infrastructure to put the US on a path to zero-carbon electricity...

Bring Yourself to Work Day, Every Day

If I had the opportunity to share one word of advice with someone just entering the workforce, it would be to bring yourself to work as soon as possible. And for employers, it would be to allow your employees to bring themselves to work as soon as possible. Enough...

The Pandemic is Raining on Parades, But I Choose to See These Silver Linings

By the time the coronavirus reached a pandemic status, it overhauled how we go about our lives. Things are less predictable all-around, and uncertainty can easily feel like the enemy.  My approach in these crazy times is to try to find the silver lining. Yes, you should be informed...

Anaerobic Digestion

Introduction to Anaerobic Digestion Anaerobic digestion is a biochemical conversion process that is used for treatment and reduction of organic wastes such as organic sludge or concentrated organic industrial waste which contain solids. In this process, microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen. Anaerobic digestion is...

Key Feedstock Consideration

Importance of Feedstock Composition Feedstock composition may be the single most important factor in the safe and reliable operation of a processing facility. While systems can be optimized for specific feedstock composition, there are some general guidelines regarding the appropriateness of technologies for specific waste types. The selection of...

Biomass Conversion Technology Overview

Biomass Conversion Pathway For thousands of years, the thermal process of fire has been a source of warmth and cooking fuel, while the biochemical fermentation of fruits, grains, and vegetables has provided food and beverage preservation. These biomass conversion pathways are ingrained in the human experience, and they continue...

Why It’s So Hard to Innovate in the Construction Industry

Career reflections from a self-taught construction coder turned COO. In the 1990s, my parents brought home our family’s first PC and loaded up AOL. Remember the days of dial-up? My brother and I were ecstatic.  From there, one of my best friends introduced me to Netscape and Geocities where...

What Burnt Toast and WWII Can Teach Us About Waste Management

Plastic and organics are America’s waste management weak points. Thermochemical conversion can help. We’ve all witnessed one solution to our waste problem when we’ve made toast. Yes, I mean toasting bread. When you put bread into a toaster and apply heat, you’re putting the organic matter of that bread...

I Am Writing A Book. This Is My Prologue.

I am writing a book. It is titled CRAP: Building a Modern-Day Business Around Modern-Day People. Yep, you read that correctly. I have decided to share the prologue, What You Are About to Read. Although several chapters are already written, I feel that engaging with my colleagues and friends on the subject...

How Organic Waste Bans Are Eating Away at Our Waste Problem

When you’re chopping vegetables in your kitchen, what do you do with the scraps? Do they go in your trash can?  If you answered “yes,” consider the following.  Your organic waste can be converted into clean energy. As much as 40% of the food supply is wasted in the United States....