The results of a new study are disrupting “conventional wisdom” about the sustainability of plastics. The study, conducted by Trucost, found that the environmental costs of using plastics in packaging and consumer goods is nearly four times less than they would be if plastics were replaced with alternative materials. While the environmental costs to produce […]
Tag Archives: Energy
What do a solar panel and pacemaker have in common?
From solar panels to medical devices to sports safety equipment to personal care products, silicones are used in thousands of products. This family of high performance materials is crucial to countless industries, including medicine, construction, transportation, fashion, and sports. A recent socio-economic report released by the Global Silicones Council underscores just how important silicones are […]
Spray foam insulation and California’s goal for zero net energy
Residential and commercial buildings together in the United States account for about 40 percent of total energy consumption – a greater share than either the industrial or transportation sectors. Furthermore, residential energy consumption exceeds commercial, accounting for 22 percent of total primary energy consumption. California has been a leader in reducing energy consumption and greenhouse […]
Spray foam gives energy efficient boost to award winning home designs
Homebuilders consider many factors when designing new homes and one of the most important is choosing energy efficient materials to control heating and cooling use in the home. For insulation, spray polyurethane foam (SPF) offers unique benefits that can help lower energy costs* and strengthen a home’s structure while also achieving energy efficiency goals and […]
Natural gas helps shape future of U.S. manufacturing
Natural gas continues to play a starring role in our nation’s energy story, revitalizing the chemistry industry and spurring manufacturing growth. Just yesterday, Royal Dutch Shell announced that Shell Chemical Appalachia LLC has taken the final investment decision to build a major petrochemical complex, comprising an ethylene cracker with polyethylene derivatives unit, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. […]
EE Global 2016: Remarkable gains, significant potential for energy efficiency
The Alliance to Save Energy’s 9th annual Energy Efficiency Global Forum (#EEGlobal), held May 11-12, showcased the many ways energy efficiency drives productivity and profitability across the economy. Industry professionals, policymakers and members of academia reflected on the significant gains achieved to date and “next steps” for efficiency efforts. In exciting keynotes, Senators Rob Portman […]
What “hulk” Mark Ruffalo doesn’t understand about trade policy
If you’ve listened to some of the discussions on trade policy during the Presidential primary season, you’d be forgiven for thinking that trade deals have had a negative impact on the U.S. economy. That’s far from the case. Indeed, it’s been a frustrating few months for those in favor of rational, evidence-based debate on U.S. […]
Energy outlook to 2040: Chemicals and plastics growth — in the U.S. and globally
Industrial energy usage is projected to rise by 30 percent from 2014 to 2040, with the chemical sector leading the way, according to an ExxonMobil report released last month, “The Outlook for Energy: A View to 2040.” Energy demand in the chemical sector will grow by about 50 percent over that period, driven by improving […]
It may be the end of 2015, but American Chemistry is just getting started
As we near the end of 2015, it’s worth taking a look back at how far our industry has come the past few years, and where we think American Chemistry will be in the years to come. There’s no doubt that this is a transformative time for the U.S. chemical industry. Access to vast new […]
12 days of giving? How about 12 ways of living…energy efficiently, that is!
This winter, innovations in building products made from plastics are lending a helping hand to homeowners with “more energy efficiency” on their holiday wish list. As many of you know, plastics play a major role in every household and provide benefits that can help us save money, reduce waste and conserve energy. They’ve played a […]
