What are the Solutions?: Innovation

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Innovation



“Believing in this entrepreneurial process is not sufficient; we must communicate, encourage, and nurture it. However, believing is a good place to start.”

-Newt Gingrich-

         Have you ever realized that carbon dioxide (C02) is necessary in the plant growing business? It is used in greenhouses all over the world to create a better growing environment for plants and flowers. Every bulb that you buy at the store or at the greenhouse contains C02, which is essential to ensure healthy growth for the plant. However, have you ever considered where that C02 comes from?


         Up until two years ago, large greenhouses burned natural gas to get the C02 that they needed for their plants and flowers. This wasted fuel and produced more greenhouse gasses that may have contributed to global warming. In reaction, Shell Oil Company has come up with a solution which is a win-win situation for everyone, the environment included. The company has thought of a way to efficiently use the C02 which is a by-product in their refinery. This CO2 would normally have gone into the atmosphere. It is separated from the natural gas and is put in a large pipeline that runs 800 meters under the Norwegian North Sea. This pipe line was originally built for natural gas transport, but it was never used. It is now being used to export the CO2 to greenhouses all across Holland. These greenhouses then use this C02 to promote healthy plant growth.

         This innovative way of using recycling carbon dioxide is helping the flower growers, the oil company, and in the long run, our environment! However, we shouldn’t stop here. When we start to think outside of the box, we can come up with innovative solutions that help everyone.

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Sources:

Hanisch, Carola. “Exploring Options for C02 Capture and Management.” Environmental Science and Technology. February 1, 1999, Germany. Accessed 2 February 2008. <http://pubs.acs.org/hotartcl/est/99/feb/explor.html>

Alter, Bonnie.“Dutch Flower Growers Get Greener.” Treehugger. June 16, 2006, London. Accessed 2 February 2008. <http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/06/dutch_flower_gr_1.php>

Newt Gingrich and Terry L. Maple. A Contract with the Earth. The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007. Accessed 2 February 2008.

Photograph:

Britton, Ian. Daffodils. Freefoto.com. Accessed 2 February 2008. <http://www.freefoto.com/preview/19-12-59?ffid=19-12-59&k=Daffodils>
Used in under the Creative Commons License.   <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en>