Changing to strawless lids and phasing out straws will have a significantly positive impact on the environment.
Before switching to strawless lids, Intermountain went through 94,000 plastic straws per week. That’s 4.9 million straws a year which end up in local landfills.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT , USA , May 30, 2019 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In an effort to reduce plastic waste and help the environment, Intermountain Healthcare is making the switch to strawless lids at all 39 of its cafés and bistros across the state, a move that is expected to reduce the number of straws used at Intermountain Healthcare facilities by two million per year.
Before the switch, Intermountain went through 94,000 plastic straws per week. That’s 4.9 million straws a year which end up in local landfills. Changing to strawless lids and phasing out straws will have a significantly positive impact on Utah’s environment.
“One of the big problems with plastics, is they break down, but they never go away,” said Steve Bergstrom, Intermountain Healthcare’s director of sustainability. “The plastic in straws takes even longer to break down than regular plastics. Intermountain is committed to reducing waste and helping our environment and the communities that we serve through these initiatives.”
The new strawless lids are also more environmentally-friending as they’re manufactured using less plastic, so less waste is created.
“Removing plastic straws from the cafés is an easy way to support Intermountain’s sustainability initiatives,” said Robin Aufdenkampe, Intermountain Food & Nutrition Director. “It’s a good feeling to know we’re greatly reducing plastic usage and helping Utah’s environment.”
Straws will still be available to patients, and upon request in our cafes.
Intermountain understands the key to healthy communities includes a cleaner environment. This switch to strawless lids and future sustainability planning are all aimed at that goal. This is one of several “green” initiatives underway at Intermountain to help reduce waste and improve the environment.
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Phaze Concrete digs into what their experience, helping clients decorate their yard in a useful, aesthetic manner.
CEDAR CITY, UTAH, USA, May 30, 2019 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Summer is heating up across the country, which makes it the perfect time for people to start taking advantage of their yard. Whether you have a large space, or a small space to work with, there is always a curb appeal. When the weather is nice, everyone wants to enjoy their yard.
Fortunately, Phaze Concrete has the tips to help you create an outdoor oasis. This company loves the outdoors and have witnessed (and help create) some beautiful yards. Now, they want to share their knowledge by offering outdoor decorating tips to help you take advantage of your yard.
Comfort is Essential
The yard can be a perfect place to enjoy the sights and sounds of the nature that surrounds you. However, if your yard does not have a comfortable place to sit and relax, it is difficult to enjoy anything else. That is why comfort is so crucial to making a yard you are proud of. There is no need for expensive outdoor furniture, though. The only anyone is going to truly care about is that it is comfortable and welcoming.
Add Color
Different colors play a role in our comfortability. Dark colors bring our mood down and light colors help us get excited. Bright and varying (but matching) colors are the perfect addition to any yard. Plus, the degree of colors and exactly what the color comes from is entirely up to you. Colors can come from decorations, lights, or anything that makes you happy.
Plants Give Life to Your Yard
Gardening is either loved or loathed by most people. There is rarely an in-between. Unfortunately, for the people who usually do not like gardening, it is because they do not have a green thumb. The good news is, adding plants to your outdoor décor does not have be difficult. There are plenty of plants that are low maintenance and will thrive in a natural environment. Plus, you do not have to make your yard look like a jungle; simply adding life to it makes the yard more vibrant and inviting.
Get Creative
The most important decorating tip is to make your yard into an area that is comfortable for you. Get creative and have fun with it. Adding décor that make you happy is the only true way to make an outdoor space that you enjoy. Plus, in a creative environment, people feel fresher, rejuvenated, and in-tuned to their own sense of self. This will make guests more inclined to enjoy your yard as well.
In summation, Phaze Concrete is keen to help each of their clients and potential clients enjoy their outdoor surroundings. As is present in the tips Phaze Concrete revealed, the size of the yard does not matter. Rather, it is all about making the best out of the space you have.
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Grid-scale energy storage with renewable hydrogen production and utilization forms core of Advanced Clean Energy Storage project in central Utah
SALT LAKE CITY, UT, USA, May 30, 2019 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS) and Magnum Development today joined The Honorable Gary Herbert, Governor of Utah, to announce an initiative to launch the Advanced Clean Energy Storage (ACES) project in central Utah. In the world’s largest project of its kind, the ACES initiative will develop 1,000 megawatts of 100 percent clean energy storage, thereby deploying technologies and strategies essential to a decarbonized future for the power grid of the Western United States.
According to researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, carbon emissions from the U.S. power sector have dropped 30 percent since 2005 (www.emissionsindex.org), because of a combination of natural gas and renewable power replacing retiring coal-fired power plants. MHPS has been instrumental in this transition and last year became the global market share leader for heavy duty gas turbines. As a next step in decarbonization, MHPS has developed gas turbine technology that enables a mixture of renewable hydrogen and natural gas to produce power with even lower carbon emissions. The MHPS technology roadmap aims to use 100 percent renewable hydrogen as a fuel source, which will allow gas turbines to produce electricity with zero carbon emissions.
Magnum Development owns and controls the only known “Gulf Coast” style domal-quality salt formation in the western United States. With five salt caverns already in operation for liquid fuels storage, Magnum is continuing to develop Compressed Air Energy Storage and renewable hydrogen storage options. Strategically located adjacent to the Intermountain Power Project, the Magnum site is positioned to integrate seamlessly with the western U.S. power grid utilizing existing infrastructure.
In many parts of the western United States, there are times of day when demand for electricity is lower than the production of renewable power. This leads to curtailment of renewable generation and negative electricity pricing. Continued deployment of renewables will require that excess power be stored for later use. To serve the needs of the entire western United States, many gigawatt-hours of storage capacity are required.
Initially developing enough energy storage to completely serve the needs of 150,000 households for an entire year, the ACES initiative will deploy four types of clean energy storage at utility scale. These energy storage technologies include:
• Renewable hydrogen
• Compressed Air Energy Storage
• Large scale flow batteries
• Solid oxide fuel cells
“For 20 years, we’ve been reducing carbon emissions of the U.S. power grid using natural gas in combination with renewable power to replace retiring coal-fired power generation. In California and other states in the western United States, which will soon have retired all of their coal-fired power generation, we need the next step in decarbonization. Mixing natural gas and storage, and eventually using 100 percent renewable storage, is that next step. The technologies we are deploying will store electricity on time scales from seconds to seasons of the year,” said Paul Browning, President and CEO of MHPS Americas. “For example, when we add gas turbines powered with renewable hydrogen to a hydrogen storage salt-dome, we have a solution that stores and generates electricity with zero carbon emissions.”
“Central Utah is the ideal location for this project, and Utah is a business friendly state for projects like this. Magnum’s site adjacent to the Intermountain Power Project is positioned to take full advantage of existing regional electricity grid connections, fully developed transportation infrastructure, ample solar and wind development capacity, a skilled workforce currently transitioning away from coal, and, of course, the unique salt dome opportunity,” said Craig Broussard, CEO of Magnum. “Magnum and MHPS are great partners. Magnum has the below-ground technologies necessary to store energy at utility scale, while MHPS has the above-ground technologies such as hydrogen-fired gas turbines, compressed air storage, solid oxide fuel cells and battery storage technology, to supply electricity at grid scale. With the ACES initiative, we will dramatically accelerate the vision of a western renewable energy hub that we launched over a decade ago.”
"The unmatched investment and innovation brought forward by MHPS and Magnum Development to rural Utah again demonstrates the power of the forward-looking energy policy I have advanced throughout my administration. Utah continues to set the standard among states for driving next generation solutions to market," said Gov. Herbert. "I'm proud that Millard County's skilled workforce, strategic energy infrastructure and unique geological salt domes have put Utah on the map as the epicenter of utility-scale storage for the Western United States."
"The Governor's Office of Energy Development is committed to creating and building the strategic partnerships that provide local, regional and global leadership for powering a sustainable, reliable and affordable energy economy," said Laura Nelson, the Governor's energy advisor and executive director of the Governor's Office of Energy Development. "Governor Herbert's strategic energy plan continues to accelerate unprecedented investment, innovation and workforce opportunities for Utah's diverse energy landscape and provide the energy future that delivers global solutions to meet ever-evolving market demands."
The ACES project will engineer, finance, construct, own, and operate facilities to be located in Millard County, Utah. Over the coming weeks and months, additional strategic and financial partners will be invited to participate.
Learn more about MHPS renewable hydrogen by visiting www.changeinpower.com/acgt.
