Month: February 2011

One-Earth.com Overview: Cities Index Environmental Solutions

What is One-Earth? One-Earth.com was started in Fort Greene, New York in 2006 by Steven S. Matt, a graduate of Pratt Institute. The goal of One-Earth.com is to Index the world's environmental solutions. It works like Wikipedia and it's free. Other organizations encourage people to do things like conserve energy and water or compost food scraps. That type of generalized advice isn't very helpful because people need to know specifically how and where to do these things. One-Earth.com organizes solutions by city and category so anyone can learn exactly how to conserve energy and water in their city, where the local compost drop off locations are, where to shop for local food, and much more. The most important feature of One-Earth.com is the ability for users to add and edit content (like Wikipedia.org). The idea is simple: informed locals know their city better than anyone, so it should be up to them to supply information about their city. The choice is yours: you can be an observer, a participant... or both.

Ford Decides To Go Green Lighting!

The lights around Ford’s Dearborn, Mich., campus are going to get more efficient, as a new lighting project kicks off that will bring an estimated energy reduction of more than 18.2 million kilowatt-hours – enough to power 1,648 U.S. residential homes for a year.
The project eliminates more than 11,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions and offers an annual cost reduction of more than $1.3 million. We are talking 50,000 light fixtures, across Southeast Michigan and more than 6,000 fixtures in Ford World Headquarters alone will be replaced.
“We are continuously taking steps to make sure we’re current with the technologies that offer us reduced energy consumption, along with a cost savings for the type of space,” said Gary Jensen, manager of energy efficiency. “This project helps the environment, reduces demand on the grid and brings bottom line savings for Ford, too.”

Is My Ceramic Mug the Only Green Solution to Coffee Drinking?

Look, we know that coffee is the world's most commonly traded commodity after crude oil, and tea is the world's most consumed beverage after water.
As I have been writing my next book, Build Your Own Plug-in Hybrid at my local coffee house, I too have wondered what the heck we can do to make our coffee drinking a little more green than it was before.
Is the Ceramic Mug the Only Way to be Eco-Friendly?
Now I have heard all the debate about using ceramic cups: if you can reuse it 3-4,000 times, it is the most eco-friendly coffee cup choice. However, in the same article, I also read that if you reuse a paper cup 3 times, then that is the more eco-friendly option. Even the cheapest waxed cup is capable of holding 3 cups of coffee.

Build Your Electric Vehicle: A Step-by-Step Guide

The generated image vividly captures the essence of building your own electric vehicle, as discussed in the Green Living Guy article. In the foreground, we see a partially assembled electric car chassis, which forms the backbone of any DIY electric vehicle project. The exposed wiring and battery compartments highlight the complex electrical systems that are central to electric vehicle conversion. Scattered around the workspace are various tools and components crucial for the build. We can spot electric motors, which will provide the vehicle's power, and battery packs that will store the energy. Control systems are also visible, emphasizing the importance of proper power management in electric vehicles. A person in work clothes is shown consulting a manual or blueprint, underscoring the need for careful planning and research when undertaking such a project. This aligns with the article's emphasis on asking the right questions before starting your build. In the background, whiteboards with technical drawings and calculations are visible. These represent the planning and problem-solving aspects of the project, which are critical when converting a conventional vehicle to electric or building one from scratch. The overall scene conveys a sense of innovation, technical complexity, and hands-on engineering. It effectively illustrates the key components and considerations involved in an electric vehicle conversion project, such as: Choosing the right donor vehicle or chassis Selecting appropriate electric motors and batteries Designing and implementing control systems Ensuring proper wiring and electrical connections Addressing safety concerns This image serves as an excellent visual companion to the article, helping readers visualize the process of building their own electric vehicle and the questions they should consider along the way.

Many people have converted their own vehicle to electric. It requires the least amount of money but the most amount of your time. A typical conversion can take 150-300 hours. There are a number of advantages to doing your own conversion. First, you have control of the project (the converted vehicle and the components selected); second, you have the ability to diagnose, troubleshoot, and repair any problems quickly. However, there are many choices when building an electric car so get ready.

Why Do We Need More Electric Cars by Seth Leitman

Ford Focus electric car

Excerpt from Build Your Own Electric Vehicle
Why do we need more electric cars on the road?
Electric cars are the cleanest, most efficient, and most cost-effective form of transportation around. Seriously, electric cars are high-performance vehicles that will continue to meet new challenges in the future.

Up ↑