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November 4, 2009 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF Share | Sign up | Archive | Advertise Changing the Paradigm  Buffet seeks complete ownership of fuel-efficient rail company Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway plans to purchase the remaining share of Burlington Northern Santa Fe, a rail company that Buffett said moved "a ton of goods" 470 miles while using only 1 gallon of gasoline. Berkshire Hathaway currently owns 23% of the company. Still, coal accounted for a substantial share of the materials BNSF transported last year. The Economist/Free Exchange blog (11/3) Pioneers  Owens Corning seeks to reduce asphalt roofing shingles in landfills Owens Corning will launch a national initiative -- beginning in the Midwest -- to recycle asphalt roofing shingles. About 11 million tons of waste shingles are created each year, and the goal is to keep most of them out of landfills. Heritage Environmental Services will partner with Owens, and shingles can be brought to their recycling facilities. GreenBiz.com (11/3) Israel's "fly-by" system identifies water waste New technology in which a drone aircraft reads water meters helps a technologist on the ground identify leaking pipes. It has helped to save billions of dollars in lost water in Israel. Reuters (11/3) Slow-growing grass helps Toyota cut emissions Grass surrounding the Toyota plant in Toyota City, Japan, needs mowing only once a year because it has been engineered to grow more slowly than conventional grass. The slow-growing grass is just one part of Toyota's plan to cut emissions at the plant. It also developed flowers that can absorb heat and emissions and has installed solar panels on the plant's roof and reflective tubes that beam reflected sunlight inside. NYTimes.com/Wheels Blog (11/3) Solutions  Book holds New York City as a model for sustainable living Less driving, smaller homes and tight living quarters are essential to a sustainable way of life, according to "Green Metropolis," a new book by David Owens. And this description defines New York, where residents live in densely populated areas and fewer than half own cars. They also produce less than one-third the amount of greenhouse gases that the average American produces. San Francisco Chronicle (11/4) Manufacturers roll out green construction materials A number of startups are producing bricks, concrete and other building materials using sustainable raw materials and environmentally friendly methods. One such company is California-based CalStar Products, which has developed a way to make bricks from fly ash, a byproduct of coal burning. The process uses 85% less energy than conventional brick manufacturing. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (11/4) Green Living    Geothermal could be viable method for energy-efficient renovation Geothermal heating and cooling is a promising option for those looking into green home renovations, writes blogger Alexandra Marks. Energy costs can be up to 70% lower with a geothermal instead of fossil-fuel system. In addition, homeowners can take advantage of federal and state tax credits to help with the initial cost of installation. The Christian Science Monitor/Bright Green Blog (11/3) Dogs responsible for larger ecological footprint than SUVs, study finds A New Zealand study found that the land required to raise animals that would later become dog food makes for an "ecological footprint" that is twice that of a sport utility vehicle. Clark Williams-Derry, the Sightline Institute's chief researcher, views the report skeptically. "It doesn't mean dogs don't have a big impact," he said. "But I view it with a healthy dose of skepticism." The Seattle Times (11/2) The Greening of SaaS Learn how Software as a Service (SaaS) can green up your IT environment by reducing local energy and resource consumption, and lowering hardware acquisition and maintenance costs. Click here for the download now. 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