The trade imbalance with China is leaving thousands of empty 40-foot cargo containers at many shipping docks. Green Star Products will find a home for some in Idaho. The company announced it will construct a biodiesel plant using empty containers in much the same way modular housing is built. Officials also say the containers will provide security of the intellectual property related to their production process. Other advantages include reduced transportation costs of materials and improved fire protection. The plant will be built in Glenns Ferry on a 7.8-acre tract.

Related:

• New biodiesel plant will be carbon neutral
• Green Star Products biodiesel reactors make biodiesel in two minutes
  

[Source: Business Wire]

Most of the green we talk about here at AutoblogGreen relates to a car's engine, fuel tank and/or tailpipe. Today we've got a story from the Salem, Oregon Statesman Journal about a common harmful toxin that is often found in cars, but this one's in the trunk.

Turns out, until 2003, most cars used a small switch made with a gram of mercury to light up under the hood and the trunk. Of course, there are mercury-free alternatives, and in Oregon, 116 auto shops participate in a free program to replace the switches with a switch that contains a steel roller. Shops in Idaho will also remove the mercury switch and safely recycle it. If you live in one of these two states, click here to find a local mechanic who will perform the surgery.

The Statesman article mentions a related issue that parents should know about: those little flashing lights in kids' shoes contain mercury.

[Source: Statesman Journal, Hat Tip to Joel A. Photo Credit: Statesman Journal]