My New Year’s proposal: All-year waste awareness the ‘WAY’ way

America’s population in late 2006 was 300 million people. Eight years later in late 2014, U.S. population has grown by 19 million more. Nothing too out of the ordinary as far as that goes. What may, on the other hand, surprise you is Florida. Once trailing New York (what had been the nation’s third most populated state), the Sunshine State is now itself in … Read more

Air Quality Matters – 2014 in review: Stationary sources – Part 5: Business, industry, home

Air pollution: where does it come from? There are myriad sources. Many have been referenced here in the “Air Quality Matters – 2014 in review” series and on the Air Quality Matters blog. On the stationary sources side, there is fuel combustion and fuel production, waste and power generation. Been there, done that. Today’s post … Read more

For one praiseworthy program business is ‘cleaning up’

On cleaning up, well, there is this praiseworthy program in Fresno, California known as “Operation Clean Up.” In “Garbage in = garbage out? Not always” I made brief reference. What I wrote was: “Described as follows, ‘Operation Clean Up program is designed to assist City of Fresno (not county residents) single-family homeowners and residents in … Read more

The big cleanup dustup that need not be

Whether home or away it is impossible to not notice leaf-blowing activity. Leaf-blowing activity: no big deal, right? Think again. For starters, I just don’t see where the area supposedly being leaf-blower cleaned is actually being ridded of debris and/or dirt and/or dust. It is my observation that debris and/or dirt and/or dust gets airborne … Read more

CATS: Clean vehicle transport that’s, uh, ‘organic’?

Number 29 in the Clean Air Technologies Series. Organic cycling I have heard of recycling of organic matter but organic cycling? I am fast reminded of a familiar saying: “What’ll they think of next?!” Well, what, in fact, was at one time “next” on the time continuum is what today goes by the name pedal-slash-electric … Read more

Garbage disposal: Rubbish not just for burning and dumping anymore

Garbage disposal is not rocket science, but it’s no easy endeavor either. As is typical in cities, armies of sanitation workers are charged with the task of picking up refuse (and recyclables where applicable) in an armada of waste-collection vehicles that are there to haul away the solid waste- and recycle-material, which is itself typically … Read more

California tractor exchange program produces cleaner air

Each winter, an international agricultural equipment exposition – the World Ag Expo – comes to California’s bread basket – the San Joaquin Valley and in Tulare in particular. WAE draws people from all corners of the globe. Like some of the equipment on display, this three-day extravaganza is huge. I have been there but once. WAE … Read more

CATS: Trash – it’s the ‘stuff’ of biomass and documentaries

Number 22 in the Clean Air Technologies Series. Trash. By any other name – “garbage,” “refuse,” “rubbish” – trash is, well “trash,” and it is seemingly everywhere. Under the kitchen sink, in the bathroom, on the side of the house or back yard, on the street or out along the highway. Trash – it is the … Read more