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Friday, March 21, 2008

Green

The shape of lights to come? Not everyone's buying it - USATODAY.com
But now that more people are using CFLs, the bulbs' shortcomings are giving some consumers pause.
Cleaning Naturally
Scrub for less without the risk. Clean with these four safe and natural cleaners.
Souped Down 1959 Opel T-1 Gets 376.59 mpg : TreeHugger
Common sense wins again: Make cars lighter, more aerodynamic, and use smaller engines.
New Clothes Dryer Could Save Billions | EcoGeek | Heat, Air, Energy, Oil, Written
Generally when people offer up miracle devices from backyard and basement tinkering, we're pretty skeptical. But it's hard to argue with Michael Brown. Especially when he hooks his "Dryer Miser" up to a Whirlpool dryer, turns it on, and pulls out dry clothes using half as much energy as the exact same dryer without his device.
New materials can selectively capture CO2, scientists say
Scientists have created metal-organic crystals capable of soaking up carbon dioxide gas like a sponge, which could be used to keep industrial emissions of the gas out of the atmosphere.
Small Wind, Big Market: 4 Wee Wind Startups « Earth2Tech
...a few startups are beginning to offer smaller scale, lower-cost turbines that can fit into more compact spaces and are geared at a less commercial type of customer.
Electric Car Faster than a Porsche
For those of you who want an eco-friendly car for your conscience, but a superfast car for the cool factor, you no longer have to be conflicted.
America's 50 Greenest Cities | Popular Science
Want to see a model for successful and rapid environmental action? Don't look to the federal government—check out your own town. Here, our list of the 50 communities that are leading the way.
Honda Recaptures Lost Heat, Blows Highway Hybrids Away | EcoGeek | Would, Electric, Power, Car, February
Honda just dropped a bit of a bombshell on the world with its announcement that their heat-harnessing hybrids recapture more lost energy than even Toyota's hybrid drive during highway driving.
Green Mutual Funds
"With the success of the US-based renewable energy fund, Guinness is now launching a UK-based version. It will be the first in a series of funds dedicated to energy, Asia and innovation. According to Tim Guinness, 'These are areas at the heart of the forces that will transform the world over the coming decades. As such they provide the greatest potential for high investment returns.'"
Artificial Energy Islands Could Power The World
A decade old idea to generate renewable electricity for the globe with offshore, floating ‘Energy Islands’ could soon become a reality. The concept - creating artificial islands to collect wind, wave and solar power in the tropics - is based on the work of Jacques-Arsène d’Arsonval, a 19th-century French physicist, who envisioned the idea of using the sea as a giant solar-energy collector.
Sailor takes on Pacific in wave-powered boat - Yahoo! News
A Japanese sailor has set out from Hawaii for Japan, hoping to complete the 7,000 km (4,400 mile) journey using only the power of the waves beneath his boat.
MAKE: Blog: Solar charging, electric lawn mower
The solar charging system makes this DIY electric mower different from the rest.
100 Percent, Another Great Product from 3form
100 Percent is a contertop product from 3form, which is made entirely of old milk and detergent bottles. Pretty neat. This means the product is made with 100% post-consumer waste, an impressive feat, even within the green product world.
Windspire: Propeller-Free Household Turbine Gets Approval
Windspire has a propeller-free vertical-axis design, and is expected to produce about 1800 kilowatt hours per year in 11 mph average wind conditions.
Green IT: Corporate Strategies
Recent reports from Gartner, Forrester, and McKinsey highlight the costs of and savings from implementing green-tech corporate strategies
DVICE: 'Gravity Lamp' lasts 200 years, never needs to be plugged in
Because it's self sufficient, there are no cables or cords to worry about, so you can place it anywhere. The best part? It'll last for 200 years if used 8 hours a day, 365 days a year. You'll never buy another lamp again; it doesn't get much more green than that.

Posted by KenW at 11:13 AM
Categories: Green

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Green

Wine to come in red, white and ... green
Kiwi wine is turning green with a new tool for calculating the carbon footprint of vineyards and wineries.
Alternative Cleaners and Recipes
To get a home that is truly clean, rather than covered in toxic chemicals, try making your own non-toxic cleaners at home.
Ecofashion makes the catwalk, helps farms
In a workshop in the city's Mission District, Ally Beran's team of fashion designers is sprawled out over buttons and spools of thread, hoping to stem global warming by stitching new outfits from thrift store finds.
Maximum impact restaurant greening
In the US, restaurants are the top electricity consumer among retail businesses. 33% of it. Each restaurant produces an average of 50,000 pounds of waste.
Green building is the new black
The press is gushing with green-building news:
Pics of the First Production Tesla Roadster
...the company’s first production Roadster, what Tesla Chairman Elon Musk called “the first production electric car on the road since God knows when,” was delivered to the auto maker’s headquarters in San Carlos, Calif. We were there and snapped these pics of the inaugural vehicle
Quiksilver's Eco-Friendly Outerwear
Quiksilver will unveil an all-new line of eco-friendly winter outerwear. Recycled PET water and soda bottles combine with sustainable Hemp fabric and non-toxic natural dyes (free of heavy metals that contaminate waterways) to create outerwear that is highly functional, environmentally conscious and supremely stylish.
Biofuels 'do more harm than good'
Biofuels have been hailed as a green alternative to oil by some, but in the US, where there are massive plants converting maize (corn), it has been criticised for making food more expensive and being environmentally unfriendly.
Earth Friendly Ice Water
...requires 75% less energy to produce, ...is recyclable, ...when disposed of occupies 96% less landfill space and the packaging dissolves in less than 5 years.
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Honda Cub
Not only does this motorcycle throw out the conventional motor, it’s a pretty cool looking design to boot.
10 Easy Ways for Going Green in the Kitchen
Save time, money and resources in food preparation and storage
CBC.ca - Video
Who killed the electric car -- again?
SkySail
Illustrating how SkySail to reduce energy consumption of shipping
Solar Powered AC Is Genius!
One of the biggest Money and energy wasters finally got solar!
Wal-Mart to open stores that use less energy
Wal-Mart Stores Inc, the world's largest retailer, said on Tuesday it will open four stores that use 25 percent less energy than its supercenters that were in operation in 2005.
Charge Your Cellphone Just By Moving
Well, for those of you who hate the pain of cell-phone charging, there is now a promising new technology that could get rid of the messy problem of cellphone chargers once and for all, AND eliminate 30 to 40 percent of the toxic heavy metals that are currently found in cell-phone batteries.
Population pressures Western water
People driving their cars, cranking on their air conditioners and switching on lights and dishwashers are responsible for most of the climate changes that are gradually drying up water supplies in arid and growing western states, a new study finds.

Posted by KenW at 6:19 AM
Categories: Green

Monday, January 07, 2008

Green News

Road Energy System Siphons Heat From Parking Lots
...a Dutch company is siphoning the heat from roads and parking lots to heat homes and offices.
Kill A Watt EZ
Concerned about your electricity bill? Not sure what is running your bill up? Use the Kill A Watt to let you see how much power your electronic devices are using.
AA Batteries - 2 cell pack - Use Cases
USBCELL can be used in the home, when at play or in devices you use every day:
Many Americans aim to go green in 2008: survey
Three-quarters of Americans, the world's largest polluters, plan to be more environmentally responsible in 2008 by reducing household energy or recycling more, a survey showed...
Your Stuff: If It Isn't Grown, It Must Be Mined
"In the sustainable society, nature is not subject to systematically increasing concentrations of substances extracted from the Earth's crust"
Fuel Savings - Making the Best of What You Have Today
"..one man has taken his gas-guzzling SUV - and rather than trading it on a Prius, has instead tried to make the best use of what he has -- with amazing results
Recycled Jewelry from Plastic Bags
Lovely jewelry created from recycled plastic bags and shampoo bottles combined with sliver and gold.
Affordable Hybrid SUV Please
raise your hand if you’d like to see a more affordable hybrid suv option.
Top 10 eco-buildings | Environment
Vikki Miller looks at 10 of the most innovative and sustainable buildings around the country [UK]
Nanosolar’s Breakthrough - Solar Now Cheaper than Coal
They [Nanosolar] have successfully created a solar coating that is the most cost-efficient solar energy source ever. ...This makes, for the first time in history, solar power cheaper than burning coal.
ENN: Biofuels: Let's look before we leap
A commitment to biofuels should be based on a careful assessment of their prospective benefits and costs, not a blind leap of faith.
Accountability Central: Get Green From Green
"There are still plenty of profitable packages under this market's tree, and exchange-traded funds specializing in environmentally conscious companies are prominent among them."
The Solar Powered Myth
"...there are some very common misconceptions about solar power (and wind power)"
Kite-Assisted Ship Prepares For January Maiden Voyage
Harnessing the winds to propel ships around the world has been a successful form of renewable energy for hundreds of years. ...a new company called Skysails is reintroducing the concept to tankers and ocean transport mammoths looking to cut costs, reduce energy consumption, and put a little green in their portfolios.
Energy Independence: How Denmark Kicked Its Foreign Oil Habit
In 1976 the Danish public got behind an ambitious (and expensive) program to become entirely energy-independent
GreenIQ » Get Your GreenIQ » Step 1
Get Your GreenIQ
New Year resolutions to green your home
Have you been meaning to go green but couldn’t find the time? Start off 2008 by following these easy suggestions that don’t require any major renovations but can help reduce your carbon footprint.
Breakthrough battery for electric cars?
Toshiba promises 'energy solution' with nearly full recharge in 5 minutes
Red, White or Green?
Wine enthusiasts love to discuss the aromas of wine — the raspberries, the leather, the fresh-cut grass — but are we ignoring a prevailing whiff of petroleum? With some wines emitting three times their weight in greenhouse gas, the answer is yes.

Posted by KenW at 7:38 AM
Categories: Green