Be the First of Your Friends and Family to See Toyota’s Prius Plug-in Hybrid, RAV4 EV and More Hybrid Vehicles

Little Tokyo Design Week (LTDW): Future City, this coming July 14-17 in Little Tokyo (Los Angeles, California), proudly presents the Toyota Advanced Technology Vehicle Display which will feature the future of green consumer transportation. Vehicles to be exhibited include the Prius Plug-in, the RAV4 EV battery-electric vehicle and the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Hybrid. More info and complete event listing can be found at http://www.ltdesignweek.com. Since its initial launch 10 years ago, one of the Prius¹ main efficiencies has been a hybrid system with its own on-board recharging system that never needed to be plugged in to take people where they wanted to go. With the addition of new technology, the Prius Plug-in Hybrid is the family member that represents the best of both worlds the superior fuel economy of the Prius with added EV driving capability. Depending on driving conditions, the Prius Plug-in can be driven approximately 13 miles on battery power at speeds up to 60 mph. Its compact Lithium-ion battery can be recharged in three hours on 110 volts and 1.7 hours on 220 volts.

July 8, 2011

SXSW Eco: Connecting Leaders for Sustainable Solutions

South by Southwest (SXSW) Conferences and Festivals announced today it will launch the inaugural SXSW Eco Conference to bring together experts in the fields committed to finding solutions for a sustainable world. The event will take place at the Hilton Austin in Austin, Texas, October 4-6, 2011. SXSW Eco will feature three days of diverse, top-level programming for executive decision makers from the public, private and academic sectors, and provide a platform for attendees to collaborate and advance solutions to the most pressing challenges facing the environment, the economy and civil society. SXSW Eco will provide an open and creative space for experienced, passionate and pragmatic professionals to network with a diverse group of influential organizations and individuals, while contributing to cutting-edge discussion. The conference will feature a mix of sessions, including keynote presentations, panels, and core-conversations. Session ideas submitted via the SXSW Eco website will be considered by SXSW Eco staff as well as the SXSW Eco Advisory Board. The SXSW Eco Advisory Board features an eclectic group of experts with decades of experience dedicated to sustainability technology, research and education. Advisory Board members will assist the SXSW Eco staff with programming well-rounded sessions intended to encourage thought-provoking discussions among panelists and attendees alike. The Advisory Board currently includes dedicated professionals such as Robert Skinner, Associate Director, United Nations Foundation; Callum Grieve, Global Director of Communications, The Climate Group ; Melinda Taylor, Executive Director of the Center for Global Energy, International Arbitration, and Environmental Law at the University of Texas School of Law; and Karl R. Rábago, Vice President for Distributed Energy Services with Austin Energy. Additional members will be announced via the SXSW Eco website in the coming weeks.

July 8, 2011

Fuel Economy: Debunking Industry Myths

An infographic titled “Auto Industry Cost Predictions vs. Reality” comparing estimated versus actual costs of meeting fuel economy standards across multiple decades, using bar graphs and timeline callouts.

by Roland Hwang Just in time for summer, the auto industry has released their own version of the Hollywood standby, the sequel to the blockbuster disaster movie. In their version, the automaker lobbyists claim if President Obama requires their industry to double fuel efficiency over the next 14 years, cars will become unaffordable and workers will be tossed out of jobs. However, time and time again, the auto industry storyline that the sky will fall whether its air bags, seatbelts, or catalytic converters has proven to be wrong. [In a plot twist, the one notable exception is GM which says it will “find a way” to achieve 56.2 mpg.] Automakers have the technology and the know-how to meet strong fuel economy standards, despite their protests to the media and the White House. Meeting strong standards does not require any breakthroughs in new technologies and only modest amounts of electric vehicles. The auto industry has a four decades long, well documented and not-so-proud history of exaggerating cost claims by 2 to 10 times. Their latest 3 times higher costs claims ring hollow when compared to latest peer-reviewed cost analysis of what can be achieved by 2025.

July 8, 2011

Eco Friendly Green Living For Dogs is Plush for a protective semi-privacy

In the human world there are side sleepers, back sleepers or stomach sleepers; in the canine world, cuddlers and sprawlers. Cuddlers like to curl up at rest, nose-to-tail, while sprawlers stretch their limbs out full length in sleep. Dogs who fall in the ‘cuddler’ category will take great comfort in two of PoochPlanet’s newest beds: CouchComfort and DreamBoat+. These two distinctive beds are uniquely different from one another, yet have this in common; they surround cuddle-loving dogs with plush perimeter walls that provide nest-like privacy, security and warmth. “PoochPlanet has made the most of a dog’s different sleeping styles by designing beds to meet each style,” said Christina Gray, Marketing Communications Manager. “This makes it easier for dog owners to find just the right bed to suit their dog. CouchComfort and DreamBoat+ are just two of many PoochPlanet pet beds designed for dogs that love to curl into a cozy ball at sleep time. The beds come in a range of sizes for all dog types and in decorator colors and patterns that style-conscious pet owners will also take a cozy to. Like all PoochPlanet pet beds, CouchComfort and DreamBoat+ are made using environmentally-responsible resources, such as EcoRest® recycled fiber blend made from recycled plastic bottles. Here’s more about each bed:

July 8, 2011

GHG Plus Carbon Markets Take Flight (In Europe) – Txchnologist

At a time when many are adopting the narrative that carbon markets are faltering, the European Union (EU) is aggressively pursuing the expansion of theirs to include aviation. One of only two mandatory greenhouse gas (GHG) cap-and-trade systems in the world, the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) plans to fold in a new sector beginning in January 2012. Our research shows reducing GHG emissions from aviation is critical if we are to mitigate the impacts of global climate change. Low-carbon fuel technology and other technologies for airplanes are advancing at a rapid clip, but we need a climate policy – either a price on carbon or something else – to get over the hump. Although there are many opportunities to reduce aviation’s impact on global climate change available now, experts expect GHG emissions from aviation to grow by up to 300 percent by 2050 if left unchecked. Action in the areas of advanced biofuels, airplane navigation and landing systems, and engine and airframe efficiency could help considerably. However, because of market failures, many new technologies may not succeed without public policy.

July 8, 2011