We hear more about Alternative Energy, so what is it. Alternative Energy is the energy that is derived from nontraditional sources like compressed natural gas, solar, hydroelectric or wind etc.

Natural Gas

A hydrocarbon gas that is usually obtained from underground sources, often in association with petroleum and coal deposits, as opposed to gases which are manufactured. Underground deposits of gases consisting of 50 to 90 percent methane (CH4) and small amounts of heavier gaseous hydrocarbon compounds such as propane (C3H8) and butane (C4H10).

Before natural gas can be used as a fuel, it must undergo extensive processing to remove almost all materials other than methane. The by-products of that processing include ethane, propane, butanes, pentanes and higher molecular weight hydrocarbons, elemental sulfur, and sometimes helium and nitrogen.

Compressed natural gas (methane) is a cleaner alternative to other automobile fuels such as gasoline (petrol) and diesel. As of 2005, the countries with the largest number of natural gas vehicles were Argentina, Brazil, Pakistan, Italy, Iran, and the USA.

[ Reference - wiki ]

The 12 Principles of Green Chemistry, published by Paul Anastas and John Warner in Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice (Oxford University Press: New York, 1998) provide a road map for chemists to implement green chemistry.

Green chemistry technologies provide a number of benefits, including: Reduced waste, eliminating costly end-of-the-pipe treatments, Safer products, Reduced use of energy and resources, Improved competitiveness of chemical manufacturers and their customers.

12 Principles of Green Chemistry

1. Prevent waste
2. Design safer chemicals and products
3. Design less hazardous chemical syntheses
4. Use renewable feedstocks
5. Use catalysts, not stoichiometric reagents
6. Avoid chemical derivatives
7. Maximize atom economy
8. Use safer solvents and reaction conditions
9. Increase energy efficiency
10. Design chemicals and products to degrade after use
11. Analyze in real time to prevent pollution
12. Minimize the potential for accidents

[ epa.gov ]

A carbon footprint is a “measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our day-to-day lives through burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation.

The carbon footprint is a measurement of all greenhouse gases we individually produce and has units of tonnes (or kg) of carbon dioxide equivalent.

A carbon footprint is made up of two parts

1. The primary footprint is a measure of our direct emissions of CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels including domestic energy consumption and transportation (e.g. car and plane). We have direct control of these.
2. The secondary footprint is a measure of the indirect CO2 emissions from the whole lifecycle of products we use - those associated with their manufacture and eventual breakdown. To put it very simply – the more we buy the more emissions will be caused on our behalf.

Source - carbonfootprint

Aiming to reduce CO2 emissions by 30 million tons by 2020 through environmental innovation, Fujitsu Limited has announced that the Fujitsu Group has established “Green Policy 2020,” its medium-term environmental vision.

The policy is embodied in the three keywords Creation, Collaboration, and Change:

• Creation of advanced technologies and business solutions;
• Collaboration with customers, business partners, and other key stakeholders in the international community;
• and the promotion of Change within the Fujitsu Group itself.

Three Goals

1. Benefit our customers and society as a whole
2. Pursue internal reforms
3. Preserve biodiversity