Since we are already on the green transport spree, here’s a look at another eco-friendly option. Since zipping past lanes, riding on two-wheelers is the most favored option for an urban set up, take a look at a pair of electric scooters from Vectrix. The VX-1E and VX-2 scooters are the best solution for city commuting woes. These electric scooters help to reduce the CO2 emissions and at the same time move ahead of the traffic infested lanes with ease. While the VX-1E can speed up to 62 mph with a range of 35 to 55 miles, the smaller VX-2 can only manage 30 mph along with a range of 40 to 50 miles. Three hours of plug-in is all that is needed to deliver 55 miles. Expected to be priced at $5,000 for the VX-2 and $8,500 for VX-1E, the duo seems to be the best affordable alternative for eco-commuting.
Treading closely behind the green Honda and Lexus vehicles, Audi once again gets a chance to park in our green transport slot. About two weeks back, it was the all-LED Audi R8 that grabbed the limelight. Today it’s the silent buzz surrounding a whole new lineup of five eco-friendly Audis. These low carbon-emitting cars, christened as E1 to E5, range from city cars to racing beasts. Though there isn’t a detailed official word on this eco-friendly family of cars, it is known that E1 is the tiniest of the five. Based on the VW Up sub compact concept and fitted with small gas and diesel engines, E1 will graduate to an electric motor heart. Moving up to the two-door E2, it’s based on the VW Concept BlueSport. This one too will be shipped with two three cylinder engines at start but later will come in electric version.
What a green relief, I can now rummage around the internet without a gram of guilt! At the start of this week we reported about the Google Search’s Carbon Footprint. But before the week ended, it is reported that claimer in question, the Harvard University physicist, has denied any such claims. His words have been twisted as he asserts that he has never mentioned Google in the study. Secondly he would never refer to any sort of measurement having to do with tea. His focus was exclusively on the Web overall, and he found that it takes on average about 20 milligrams of CO2 per second to visit a Web site. However the scientist did mention that a Google search has a definite environmental impact and Google operates huge data centers around the world that consume a great deal of power. But that need not stop us eco-bloggers from going about our job to spread the awareness of a clean green earth!
[Techcrunch] Via [Greenercomputing]
Watch out for the green toys being spilled out at the oncoming American International Toy Fair, scheduled from February 15-18 in New York City. Shaped out of recycled plastic milk containers, the maker Green Toys also packs these toys in recyclable corrugated materials to help save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Ideal for parents who care for their planet as they care for their children, this latest line include award winning toys like Recycling Truck, Dump Truck, Tool Kit, EcoSaucer Flying Disc and Jump Rope. The Recycling Truck in the line comes with movable recycling bed and open/shut rear door. It also does without the use of metal axes. Exposing the kids to such environmentally responsible toys will also help to instill eco-values from a tender age.
Pool maintenance doesn’t have to be a tedious chore that consumes grid energy or human energy. And Solar-Breeze pool skimmer is the best alternative to keep your pool at its cleanest. GWS Technologies has joined hands with Eco Pool Technologies, Inc. to bring the green pool skimmer to the pools of United States. Free from the dependence on electricity, the Solar Breeze pool skimmer is a smart solar powered, robotic pool surface skimmer and chemical dispenser that allows you to use your pool pump only half the time. Soaking in the sun rays with ease, this pool cleaner dispenses as it skims like no other skimmer. as it goes about its job to keep the pool clean, it promises to leave no carbon footprint behind. Such green cleaning will ensure that your swimming pool remains inviting and free of debris too.
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Step out of your run-of-the-mill dens to step in the most out-of-the-box, recycled, livable room. Simply book your self on a flight to Netherlands to reach the De Vrouwe van Stavoren Hotel and unwind in the wine barrel rooms. These days, you come across everyone sipping on to a sparking French wine to celebrate good times. But here is your chance to celebrate with the wine but in a distinctive style. Stavoren hotel has recycled four original Swiss Wine Casks in to well-designed woody rooms. Enter the 14.500 liter cask and you will come across a small sitting room, bathroom and entertaining amenities like TV and radio.
Tesla Motors inks out a deal with Daimler to power up 1,000 Smart electric vehicles for the year 2009. Though not much is revealed officially, the founder of Tesla Motors did mention that, “If the 1,000-vehicle fleet is successful and the economics make sense and the product is compelling, that will expand to tens of thousands of vehicles per year.” So we can only cross our fingers to see lithium powered Smart EVs in the near future. Though the deal was on cards since some time, the announcement came right in time for the Detroit Auto Show too. Though Daimler hasn’t divulged anything from their end, Tesla did hint that the battery will utilize the same lithium ion cells as its flagship, the Roadster. I’m sure more beans will be spilled out on this joint venture outcome.
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As the weekdays steers towards weekend, take a break with this cute solar powered bugbot, dubbed Cthulhu that promises to vibrate your funny bone with a green style. Only if you managed to pronounce its name correctly you can move further to read about its weirder personality. This solar powered octopus soaks in all the sunlight and starts wobbling all over the place. Though it seems to be an entertaining plaything, this bugbot can be a scary thing for kids or folks with weak nerves. And what’s more nervy is that it silently soaks in the light from indoor fixtures too. When full on energy, out of the blue, he will simply wiggle out of its position and scare the hell out of people sitting around. For $80, you can order the Cthulhu from Etsy and enjoy playing pranks on fellow colleagues or siblings.
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Recycle on January 15, 2009
Coca-Cola ringed in 2009 with a green bang by illuminating the Times Square billboard with a wind power. And keeping up with its resolution to lead the green trend, the cola giant has now officially opened the world’s largest bottle-to-bottle recycling plant. Located in South Carolina, the unit is estimated to produce approximately 100 million pounds of food-grade recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic for reuse each year. This is equivalent of producing nearly two billion 20-ounce Coca-Cola bottles. Such a plastic recycling scheme yields financial benefits and also helps to consume less energy than producing bottles with virgin materials. It also helps to reduce waste and greenhouse gases.
In this Green Age, it’s not only the green hued uniform that will render a green touch to the U.S. Army. It’s the (possible) acquisition of 4,000 neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs), the largest acquisition in the entire country that brings the Army under the green scan. And this is just a fraction of the whole package that, if materializes, will support the Army with as many as 28,000 electric vehicles to over 155 installations. For a start, swapping 4000 fuel guzzling army vehicles with fuel-efficient NEVs will help save 11 million gallons of fuel over the 6-year service life of the vehicle and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 115,000 tons.
