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Disney Switches to Environmentally Sound Soundtracks

Buena Vista Partners With Kodak, Dolby and NATO to Eliminate Silver Soundtracks Starting this fall, Buena Vista Pictures Distribution will begin issuing 35mm prints of Walt Disney Pictures and Touchstone Pictures releases with environmentally friendly pure-dye cyan soundtracks. The new soundtrack technology represents a significant environmental advance for the motion pictures industry, and eliminates the use of traditional silver- applicated tracks and the caustic chemicals involved in that process. Buena Vista plans to switch entirely to cyan soundtracks on all of its worldwide release prints by January, 2005. To accomplish this goal, the Disney distribution arm is working closely with Dolby, Kodak, Technicolor and NATO to perfect the technology and encourage theater owners to install RED LED soundtrack readers on their projectors. RED LED readers, which are now standard in all US manufactured projectors, are currently installed in the vast majority of projectors in use in this country. MGM has also announced that they will be issuing pure-dye cyan soundtracks on all release prints beginning this May. In addition to eliminating silver and all of the associated caustic chemicals used in the old process, the new cyan soundtrack technology provides enormous benefits in terms of water conservation. Given that a […]

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Europe Funds Clean Water in Africa, Caribbean, Pacific

The European Union celebrated World Water Day on Monday by finalizing a special funding mechanism to promote access to clean water and sanitation for people in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. Called the Water Facility, the idea was originally proposed by European Commission President Romano Prodi in 2003. In the first phase, it could be worth up to 500 million (US$616 million) and is designed to stimulate the generation of additional funds for water and sanitation. Following the decision by EU foreign ministers to support the Water Facility, President Prodi, joined with Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Poul Nielson, and Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom in a statement welcoming the move. They said it "sends a strong signal" that the EU is prepared to stand by its commitments to ensure that the Millenium Development Goal of halving the number of people without clean water and sanitation by the year 2015 becomes more than just a goal but a reality. One in every two hospital beds in the world is occupied by a victim of a water borne disease, the three commissioners said, and an estimated 6,000 children are dying every day of diseases caused by poor sanitation and hygiene. […]

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Hydrogenics Hydrogen Generator to be Installed at National Research Council

Hydrogenics Corporation (Nasdaq: HYGS; TSX: HYG), a designer and manufacturer of hydrogen and fuel cell systems, announced the National Research Council Canada (NRC) will take delivery of a HyLYZER(TM) electrolyzer, which will use solar power to make pure hydrogen from water. The electrolyzer, which is specified to produce 1.9 kilograms of hydrogen a day, will be delivered in the second quarter to the NRC Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation in Vancouver. The hydrogen produced will be compressed into storage containers for the building's backup power system. "This installation at NRC demonstrates perhaps the most important benefit of using hydrogen as an energy carrier. When we use a resource such as solar power to generate hydrogen as a fuel for fuel cell appliances and vehicles we have a truly renewable, non-polluting energy system," said Pierre Rivard, President and CEO of Hydrogenics. "This also emphasizes our commitment to developing the hydrogen solutions that are required by emerging markets, especially at this early demonstration stage. Being able to provide hydrogen generation devices, as well as fuel cell power products, differentiates Hydrogenics within the industry." Hydrogenics is currently developing HyLYZER systems in three sizes that range from a personal refueler that produces up to […]

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Northern Power Systems Receives DOE Grant

Northern Power Systems, Inc. a subsidiary of Distributed Energy Systems Corp. (Nasdaq: DESC), has received a two-year grant of $600,000 from the US Department of Energy (DOE). It will be used to develop the company's MicroGrid power network in the area known as Mad River Park in Waitsfield, Vermont. Northern's MicroGrid system is an advanced power network solution that incorporates distributed generation, energy storage, and load management subsystems into a highly reliable, efficient, and robust power system. MicroGrid power networks can operate either interconnected to or isolated from the overall utility distribution system, and can transition seamlessly between these operating modes with no interruption to the end user's electrical loads. As the first implementation of the new distributed power solution, the Mad River Park MicroGrid power network is being undertaken in concert with the local electric power utility — the Washington Electric Cooperative (WEC) — and with the support of the Vermont Department of Public Service. The Mad River Park MicroGrid power network will serve customers residing in the park — approximately five businesses and 12 residential power users — which is also the site of Northern's headquarters.

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Office Depot Partners with Leading Conservation Organizations on Biodiversity & Paper Procurement

Five Year, $2.2 Million Effort Funds New Forest & Biodiversity Conservation Alliance Office Depot, (NYSE: ODP) announced today a five-year, $2.2 million strategy to develop the information, standards and tools needed to advance the companys forest and biodiversity conservation policies. The project work is expected to help reduce the environmental footprint of the companys forest and paper product suppliers while contributing to global biodiversity conservation. Office Depot is collaborating with NatureServe, Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy, three of the worlds most respected science-driven conservation organizations to form the Forest & Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, to address forest and biodiversity conservation issues in the supply chain. Said Bruce Nelson, Office Depot CEO, "We are perfectly clear on the values we want to promote and advance, the types of forests we want our suppliers to avoid, and the forest practices we will and will not accept. The activities of this alliance will assist forest managers in their efforts to address those values, and provide Office Depot with the information and tools we need to incorporate conservation science into our procurement decisions. Alliance goals are reflected in a new Forest & Biodiversity Conservation section of Office Depots Environmental Paper Procurement Policy, also released […]

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