Learn Something Green Today

Learn Something Green Today

By Diane MalletScience
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Learn Something Green Today episodes

  • How to save CO2e and money on trips

    Because the average annual carbon footprint per person in the European Union is currently around 7.25

    metric tons of CO2e, we need to drastically reduce that to 2 metric tons per year to stay within the 1.5°C warming limit set against pre-industrial levels.
    In today’s episode, we’re going to explore how we can save money, reduce CO2e emissions, and even save time—all while making more sustainable travel choices.

     

    (00:00:00) Learn something green today Introduction

    (00:01:55) Individual European Carbon Footprint

    (00:04:23) Transportation habits and impacts

    (00:09:30) Introduction of the great Interrail pass

    (00:12:20) Concrete life case (mine)

    (00:12:40) Money Money Money

    (00:19:40) CO2e analysis

    (00:23:05) Even saving time

    (00:24:08) Did I convince you? Here is it how to get your pass

     

    Sources :

    Our World in Data

    CO₂ emissions - Our World in Data

    Breakdown of carbon dioxide, methane and

    nitrous oxide emissions by sector - Our World in Data

     

    IPCC Special Report: Global

    Warming of 1.5°C  https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/

     

    AeroCorner: Types of Airplane

    Fuel | https://aerocorner.com/blog/types-of-airplane-fuel/

     

    Interrail pass : for EU

    residents and non-european residents who are legal residents  Global Pass: Cheapest Rail Pass in
    Europe | Best Budget Train Pass (eurail.com)

     

    Eurail pass : for Non-EU

    residents : Global Pass: Cheapest Rail Pass in Europe |
    Best Budget Train Pass (eurail.com)

     

    Newsletter interrail for best

    deals update : https://www.interrail.eu/en/interrail-passes/stay-updated-email

     

    Greengo concrete life example

    from Luxembourg to Danemark Comparateur Transports GreenGo |
    Luxembourg - Odense, Danemark


    CO2 impact tool from the ADEME Agence de la Transition Ecologique (France) Transport | Impact CO₂ (impactco2.fr)

     

    ICAO Carbon Emissions Calculator (ICEC) from the International Civil Aviation

    Organization (ICAO) ( United Nations agency) ICAO Carbon Emissions Calculator
    (ICEC)

    32 min
  • A new type of renewable energy? Osmotic Power

    Its not Solar, Wind, Hydroelectric, Geothermal,

    neither Biomass. We are diving into a renewable energy  which offers supply stable electricity on a 24/7/365 basis, harvest energy from salinity gradient and is based on chemical and physical phenomenas.

     

    (00:00:00) Learn Something Green Today Introduction

    (00:01:34) What is Osmosis?

    (00:04:12) What does it mean for nature? For humans?

    (00:10:40) Disclaimer: Let’s keep protecting our oceans, our amazing carbon sinks

    (00:12:46) 1st technology Pressure Retarded Osmosis (PRO)

    (00:16:57) 2nd technology Reverse Electrodialysis (RED)

    (00:21:40) 3rd technology Ionic Nano Osmotic Diffusion (INOD)

    (00:23:06) Technology Readiness ranked out of 9

    (00:25:20) Assumptions for potential for osmotic power

    (00:29:06) Potential for osmotic power EU and WW estuaries

     

    Sources :

    The potential of

    osmotic energy in the EU by the EU (ENTEC Energy Transition Expertise Centre (EnTEC) in 2024.The potential of osmotic energy in the EU -
    Publications Office of the EU (europa.eu)

    Database on

    Osmotic potential by ENTEC  in 2024. https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fenergy.ec.europa.eu%2Fdocument%2Fdownload%2F097a9d42-0947-47cb-a68d-0cca2dde377b_en%3Ffilename%3DDatabase_on_Osmotic_potential_by_ENTEC.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK

    Existenceof PRO power plant in Denmark commissioned in 2023 (Hobro). Constructor : SaltPower

    Existence of RED plant (not pilot) in Spain since 2023 (Alicante/Life hyreward) and in 2025  inNetherlands (Afsluidijik/scaleup of pilot). Constructor: REDstack company - Blue Energy ReverseElectroDialysisElectroDialysis

    Existence of INOD plant in 2025 in France (Bouche-du-Rhône). Constructor : Sweetch Energy’s

    33 min
  • Is your neighbor who bought a Tesla really saving the planet?

    Because transportation still account for 24% of

    direct energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) global emissions and passenger road
    vehicles is the largest contributors accounting for 45%.

     

    (00:00:00) Learn something green today Introduction

    (00:01:50) Electric cars impact over conventional cars in EU

    (00:06:50) Is your neighbor who bought a tesla really saving the planet?

    (00:12:40) Start of the journey: birth of the car (production)

    (00:18:09) Lifestyle of the car : the use phase

    (00:25:15) End of life of our car : recycling?

    (00:26:47) Conclusion


    Sources :

    European Union Determining the

    environmental impacts of conventional and alternatively fuelled vehicles
    through LCA written by the European Union in 2022 Determining
    the environmental impacts of conventional and alternatively fuelled vehicles
    through LCA - Publications Office of the EU (europa.eu)

    How clean are electric cars? The calculator

    Written by Yoann Gimbert (EU) from transport & environment in May 2022 How
    clean are electric cars? | Transport & Environment
    (transportenvironment.org)

    ICCT Global comparison of the life-cycle

    greenhouse  gas emissions of combustion
    engine and electric passenger cars written by Georg Bieker in 2021 A
    global comparison of the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of combustion
    engine and electric passenger cars (theicct.org)

    Life cycle assessment of battery electric

    vehicles: Implications of future electricity mix and different battery
    end-of-life management  written by Michael
    Samsu Koroma in 2022. Life
    cycle assessment of battery electric vehicles: Implications of future
    electricity mix and different battery end-of-life management
    (sciencedirectassets.com)

    21 misleading myths about electric vehicle

    written by Simon Evans in 2023 Factcheck:
    21 misleading myths about electric vehicles - Carbon Brief

     

    29 min
  • Pay attention to your juicy fruits - a pesticide story

    In this episode, we'll discuss :

    (00:00:00) Introoooo

    (00:01:25) Pesticide Use in the World

    (00:05:34) Pesticides: What Are They?

    (00:09:22) Different Types: Chemistry Time - Polar & Non-Polar

    (00:14:22) Environmental Aspects

    (00:17:18) Human Health - Pesticides Use Cases

    (00:19:29) Glyphosate

    (00:20:53) Phosmet

    (00:23:23) Cypermethrin

    (00:26:02) Pesticide-Free Shopping List

    (00:29:02) Further Advice to Help You Avoid Pesticides


    How to avoid pesticides? The shopping list

    The Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce written

    by the US Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration in 2024. The 2024 guide includes data from 47,510 samples of 46 fruits and vegetables. EWG's 2024 Shopper's Guide to
    Pesticides in Produce | Full List

    Forbidden fruit written by pesticide action network Europe

    in May 2022. The 2022 report includes data from 97,170
    fruit samples and 113,090 vegetable samples (2011-2019 data).

    ForbiddenFruit_01.pdf

    (pan-europe.info)

    Fruits et légumes - Comment éviter les pesticides written

    by Observatoire Pesticides in June 2022. The 2022 report includes data
    from 4,000 fruit and vegetables samples.

    Fruits

    et légumes - Comment éviter les pesticides - Actualité - UFC-Que Choisir

    Use of pesticide in the world

    Managing the Biodiversity Impacts of Fertiliser and

    Pesticide Use Overview and insights from trends and policies across selected
    OECD countries written by the OECD in 2020. 
    pdf
    (oecd.org)

    Which European country used the most pesticide?

    Written by touteleurope.eu in 2023.

    Quel

    pays européen utilise le plus de pesticides ? - Touteleurope.eu

    Harmful pesticides – use cases

    Determination of pesticide residues in fruits: a

    systematic review and meta-analyses written by Sarina Ahmadi in 2024.

    Determination of pesticide residues

    in fruits: a systematic review and meta-analyses - ScienceDirect

    Pesticides Occurrence in Water Sources and

    Decontamination Techniques written by Sophia Subhadarsini Pradhan in 2022. www.intechopen.com 

    The 2022 European Union

    report on pesticide residues in food written by EFSA Journal in 2024. The 2022 EU report includes
    data from 11,727 samples of 12 fruits and vegetables.

    The 2022 European Union report on

    pesticide residues in food - - 2024 - EFSA Journal - Wiley Online Library

    Toxic dozen database written by pesticide

    action network Europe last update 2024.

    Toxic

    12_Database1.pdf (pan-europe.info)

    Phosmet specific

    Phosmet in the United States: Harmful Health Effects

    and Widespread Use written by Earthjustice.

    Phosmet in the United States: Harmful

    Health Effects and Widespread Use - Earthjustice

    6 Fruits and Vegetables Loaded With Pesticides

    written by Catherine Roberts in 2024 .

    6 Fruits and Vegetables Loaded With

    Pesticides - Consumer Reports

    Cypermethrin specific

    Enhanced Cypermethrin Degradation Kinetics and

    Metabolic Pathway in Bacillus thuringiensis Strain SG4 written by Pankaj Bhatt
    in February 2022 Enhanced
    Cypermethrin Degradation Kinetics and Metabolic Pathway in Bacillus
    thuringiensis Strain SG4 - PMC (nih.gov)

    Peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the

    active substance cypermethrin written by

    European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in July 2018

    Peer

    review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance cypermethrin -
    - 2018 - EFSA Journal - Wiley Online Library

    Natural pesticide

    22 Plants that are Natural Pesticides: The Ultimate

    Guide written by Vince S.

    22

    Plants that are Natural Pesticides: The Ultimate Guide | DIY Herb Gardener

    34 min
  • Is Solar Panel Recycling Possible?

    Thank you for listening <3 Don’t hesitate to drop a comment or suggest a topic you would like to hear about next time!

    In this episode of Learn Something Green Today, we delve into the fascinating world of solar energy. We'll begin by examining how solar panels help avoid CO2 emissions and identify the countries installing the most solar panels. We'll also discuss the growing issue of solar panel waste and the valuable materials that can be recovered through recycling. Learn about the functioning of photovoltaic (PV) systems and explore the innovative recycling processes that are transforming old panels into new resources. Tune in for a comprehensive look at how solar panel recycling is closing the loop on sustainable energy.


    Main sources:

    Snapshot of Global PV Markets 2023. Written

    by the International Energy Agency (IEA) in 2023.
    Snapshot of Global PV Markets - 2023 (iea-pvps.org)

    The Opportunities of Solar Panel Recycling.

    Written by Attila Tamas Vekony on 28 March 2024
    Recycling: A Solar Panel's Life after Death | GreenMatch

    Recycling of end of life photovoltaic solar

    panels and recovery of valuable: A comprehensive review and experimental validation. Written by R. Vinayagamoorthi  in February 2024.
    Recycling of end of life photovoltaic solar panels and recovery of valuable components: A comprehensive review and experimental validation - ScienceDirect

    Recycling PV panels Process Video (not the

    same process mentioned as within the podcast, but you can see how it can look like) :  Solar Panels Recycling
    Process - Zero Waste Recycling Solution (youtube.com)

    Startup ROSI link : ROSI | Return of silicon (rosi-solar.com)

    ROSI is a company offering innovative solutions for recycling and revalorization of raw materials in the photovoltaic industry.

    39 min

About Learn Something Green Today

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Learn Something Green Today aims to explain today's environmental issues and solutions in simple terms. My goal is to popularize information about environmental topics and make it accessible to…