Things you should know
The Carbon Negative Quest: Portland Gym Converts Energy Of Pedal Bikes Into Electricity
The world’s finally come full circle for members of a new gym in Portland which is converting the pedal power of its bikes into real energy.
The gym, opening September 1, takes human powered energy from its fitness bikes and stores it in a battery which runs some of its other equipment. The 2,800 square foot gym, called the Green Microgym is owned by Adam Boesel, a former grade teacher. He was interviewed by the Seattle Times and told them its the first human-powered gym in the US. Read more...
What is the "true cost" of a bottle of Fiji Water?
This is the classic question that sent the bottled water industry into PR overdrive - Pablo's legendary analysis of the real cost of bottled water - a cost far greater than a simple carbon footprint or a plastic bottle
Please note: Due to overwhelming reader interest in this topic some of the assumptions made in this column have been adjusted. Numerous readers were kind enough to provide more accurate values for some of my previous assumptions.
Trailer Tails - Commercially Available Device to Make Trucks 6-12% More Efficient
Enter ATDyamics, who have invented a device called a "Trailer Tail" which is an aerodynamic attachment to the rear of a truck which results in 5-6% greater fuel efficiency. Match the Trailer Tail with side-skirt panels and you'll get an additional 4-7%, tests show.
Of course such ideas come with unexpected challenges - The biggest - how do you close open the doors when there's a tail on the truck?
Eco Cabs -Free Zero Emissions Transportation for Drunks
Imagine you're drunk. Toasted. No way you're driving home. Too far to walk. No cash in your pocket, and the ATM card's back at home. Then you see it. This little green bug of a vehicle, pulling up to you, and someone says, "Need a lift? We don't charge."
"Who are these people and what do they want?" you think. Or did you say that out loud? They proceed to tell you that they're from Eco Cabs, a company that is providing these emissions free cabs, for free, courtesy the sponsor enveloping their vehicle, 7UP in this case.
RIP Hugg.com
It has just been announced that Treehugger will be shutting down hugg.com for good. For those of you who don't know what hugg is, its a digg like website for green news. People are able to submit stories and vote on the best ones to bring them to the front page. Hugg has done well over the years, it's been relaunched about a year ago and if you ask me it's never been the same.
New book is looking for personal stories and images about global warming
The Union of Concerned Scientists and Penguin Classics are encouraging aspiring writers and photographers to submit their personal stories and images about global warming for publication in a new online book, to be published in 2009, Thoreau's Legacy: American Stories about Global Warming.
Another publisher is proudly going green!
Eco-Libris announce a new collaboration with Aaspriations Publishing, a green publisher of
Greening the Black Car
While NYC is having a hard time clearing the air when it comes to taxis, some claiming they're not as safe as the 15 mpg relics common on the road now, Boston and San Francisco have a solid option that goes far beyond being a transportation service that's replaced the black car with a green car.
Fix It: Get Your Green DIY Supplies
Part of living a sustainable life is not taking the normal route of tossing something when it ceases to work/look/be as it did upon first purchase. Actually, let me rephrase. That's not a normal route unless you're an American. We're pretty bad about tossing stuff thoughtlessly. We've been able to do so without consequence (or so we thought) for many years. And with the superabundance of disposable products, it seemed like a habit that made sense.
Top 5 Ways to Make Your Kitchen More Eco Friendly
1. Change How You Light Things Up
Believe it or not those little light bulbs that you are using consume a lot of energy, so why not replace them light bulbs that consume a lot less energy? Replacing regular light bulbs with CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light) Bulbs you can make a huge difference. What kind of a difference you ask? Look at these wattage stats of CFL bulbs compared to regular bulbs and then you tell me:
Regular Bulb / CFL Bulb
60w / 13w-15w75w / 20w100w / 26w-29w150w / 38w-42w
T-Shirt Design Competition to Benefit US Forests
You are invited to submit a design for the 2009 I Plant Trees T-Shirt
Rules and Guidelines: There is no minimum age to submit a design; however if the applicant is under 18, a parent or guardian shall sign the release form. Submission shall be no larger than 10 inches x 10 inches. Design is limited to four solid colors. No gradients or transparencies allowed.
BookSwim.com Is Netflix For Books!
BookSwim is a green-focused organization that rents books in an effort to offset production of paper used in new book printing.
Help Keep the Great Bear Rainforest Safe
The Great Bear Rainforest is the largest tract of intact coastal temperate rainforest left on Earth. It's 30,000 square miles--about the size of Austria. 2 years ago, the province of BC committed to protecting this region under a new conservancy. Send a message to the government of British Columbia, urging them to keep their promise. (Photo by Drew Brayshaw)
Collaborative Giving: Avoid Giving and Getting Unwanted Gifts
A website dedicated to helping people achieve their dreams through collaborative giving. You post a 'dream' (a trip to Europe, a new bicycle, etc) to DreamBank.org, and then invite your friends and family to contribute to that dream. Avoid the environmental costs of unwanted gifts. Plus, the site gives the interest on accruing funds to charities like Save the Children, Kiva and the African Wildlife Foundation.
It’s going to be a battle of Smart vs. IQ
Who will win the battle? Will it be German's Smart car or Toyota's IQ?
Toyota Prius goes Solar
The 'Prius' is Latin for '(to go...) before'. Quite fittingly it heralds a new era of hip cars which have moved away from Henry Ford's vision. Today, they are petrol powered environmental ogres. Necessary 'evils', for cars have been the harbingers of human advancement by taking the wheel much forward. They may be Hollywood's latest fad...Leonardo DiCaprio owns one, but they also are truly one of the most practical environmentally cars on the roads today. The 2008
Unique, Earth Friendly Gift Giving
It’s not just the poor economy that turns people to homemade, handcrafted gifts this season. Instead of purchasing more unnecessary goods this gift-giving season, why not use what you have and create beautiful items you know your recipients will use, and love.
Top 10 Eco Friendly Countries
Based on Yale University’s Environmental Performance Index (EPI) for 2008, which measures factors such as a country’s environmental health, air pollution, water resources and productive natural resources, ten countries have once again made it to the top of the charts as the most eco-friendly nations in the world.
Curbing the Energy Appetite of Older Homes
It can be hard to live in a green house, especially when they’re what are often categorized as “older homes.” Not your new-fangled office building with geothermal heating, or house made of shipping containers. Older Victorian style homes, popular in New England and subject to reprisals until as late as the 1950s, are commonplace in my small-time town. My current job is even housed in one, a 1960s recreation with wrap-around porch. While the style is endearing, the fact is that house is a glutton for unnecessary electrical waste.
