Teru Talk News

Teru Talk Newsletter

Volume VI, Issue 16, April 25, 2016
Teru Talk by Michael Theroux (pronounced "Terú")  

Teru's Trash Talk

Earth Day, April 22, 2016: one day in the year when Humans graciously come together to think about where they live, and to concern themselves with the health and well-being of our planet. How thoroughly Human of us! What's amazing is the arrogance with which we make these grand assumptions about what is or is not 'good for the planet'. Face it: Humans aren't very good for the planet, but somehow we continue.

We have it from 'reliable' sources that this year, Planet Earth has decided to declare May 1, 2016 as Human Day. For a one day-cycle out of that grand lap of the sun, our planet will take time to consider what she might do to better our lot, to make us healthier, stronger, more 'together'. Why, Earth can just emulate Humans' ability to fix things. Hummm … let's think this through:

Surely, that background radiation that spurs animal evolution can be tweaked just a little to speed things up.  Humans just need to 'evolve' a little faster … And that heat-versus-cold thing should be re-adjusted a smidgeon, nobody's ever happy about the temperature. And hey! Maybe the land-sea-air water balance needs rethinking… when it comes to water for Humans, there's always too little, or too much.

Humans make this plastic stuff that hangs around almost forever. They keep making it and tossing it, and it's gotten into the ocean. Now, there are tiny plastic bits in all the fish they eat. There are indeed natural bacteria that can eat plastic - maybe all humans need plastic eating bacteria inside 'em. That might work.

Humans are always scratching around for metals, especially the shiny ones needed for the buzzing gadgets they use a year, toss and replace: more upwelling magma will bring those funny metals closer to the surface. And Humans sure like to stack rocks on top of each other – boring gray rock blocks – only to tear their rock block buildings down and make new ones. That's an easy fix: more rocks around the cities coming right up.

They are always so hungry too. Humans need something they can catch and eat that replicates fast, isn't too big, something that they don't need to take very good care of: how about rats? Lots more rats can fill that bill. Then there's that More Energy thing, another easy one: a little brighter sunlight, a bunch more wind, and bring that methane gas and crude oil up closer to the surface where they use it, right in the middle of their communities.

There's so much natural stuff the Humans need already right handy, and more grows every day. There's a natural Earthly balance that provides what Humans need if they'd only take care of their home. But they use all this good stuff once and throw it away, then gripe about how bad it is to wallow around in their own trash. No problem: let Humans eat trash.

Hey Rube!

Here's hoping you celebrated Earth Day, fellow Humans. In the spirit of truthfulness, we still must recognize that all our efforts to out-guess the reasons for Global Hunger, the Need for Energy and the horrors of abrupt Climate Change tend to boil down to one underlying theme: Use what you need of the Planet's bounty, but don't be wasteful. Conserve resources, and try not to be too irritating, planetarily. Remember, our planet tends to self-heal: with a decent shrug, Earth could rid herself of these annoying pests we call our brethren.

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The Week's Top Story

Praxair Signs Long-Term Agreement to Source Waste Carbon Dioxide in US

Praxair, Inc has signed a long-term agreement to purchase by-product carbon dioxide from US Nitrogen LLC, a subsidiary of Austin Powder Company. 04/21/2016

The Week's News

Tarkett Partners with Veolia to Accelerate Its Transition to Circular Economy

The Tarkett Group, a global flooring and sports surface solutions company, has chosen Veolia to help accelerate the deployment of its ReStart® program for the collection and reuse of its products. 04/22/2016

ZooShare Celebrates Groundbreaking for Biogas Plant at Toronto Zoo

On April 19th 2016, Zooshare, the Toronto Zoo, Bullfrog Power, and TREC Education gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of the ZooShare biogas plant. 04/21/2016

Valmet Supplies Wood Pellet Heating Plant to Helsinki Power Facility

Finland based Valmet Corporation will supply a wood pellet heating plant to Helen Oy's Salmisaari power plant. 04/20/2016

Ecova Schedules Webinar on Starving the Landfills: Food Waste 201

Washington state based Ecova, Inc has announced the second webinar in its food waste series, Starving the Landfills: Food Waste 201, on how Chelsea Market found food waste success by leveraging waste characterization studies to provide the data driving long term diversion strategies. 04/20/2016

Clariant Concludes Extensive and Successful Tests On Sugarcane Residue

Clariant has conducted comprehensive tests on over 40 containers of sugarcane bagasse and tops and leaves from Brazil at its pilot and pre-commercial facilities in Straubing, Germany to validate its sunliquid® technology. 04/20/2016

Comet Biorefining Signs Supply Agreement with BioAmber

Canadian company Comet Biorefining Inc has signed an off-take agreement with bio-succinic acid producer BioAmber for high-purity dextrose from Comet’s planned commercial plant in Sarnia, Ontario. 04/19/2016

UPM Biofuels Gains ISCC PLUS Certification for Bio-Based Applications

UPM Biofuels has received extended sustainability certification to cover all of its output streams from the Lappeenranta Biorefinery in Finland under the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification Scheme ISCC PLUS. 04/19/2016

The Week's Action Items

Due 05/31/2016: Abstracts for Biochar 2016 Conference at OSU

Abstracts are now being accepted for the Biochar 2016: The Synergy of Science and Industry: Biochar's Connection to Ecology, Soil, Food and Energy conference scheduled for August 22-25, 2016 at Oregon State University (OSU) in Corvallis, Oregon. 04/19/2016

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Recommended Reading:

 CHAGALL: The Recycling Dragon
CHAGALL: The Recycling Dragon
by Marty Strauss

Out of the Wasteland: Stories from the Environmental Frontier by Paul Relis  
Out of the Wasteland: Stories from the Environmental Frontier by Paul Relis

 

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Teru Talk is an online publication of JDMT, Inc with the goal of opening the dialogue and providing current news and commentary on issues and successes associated with waste conversion to renewable energy, biofuels and other bio-based products for resource recovery.

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