Natural Environment Blog

There is a lot of buzz around eco-friendly passenger cars, however some truck manufacturers have also decided to go greener. Many companies are interested in hybrid and all-electric vehicles, but the price of the vehicles may be discouraging. That is why the U.S. government decided to help the industry develop.

US Government Grant

In March 2009 President Obama announced Transportation Electrification Initiative worth $2.4 billion. The money will go to support companies manufacturing advanced batteries and related drive components as well as for demonstration and deployment projects. The general aim is to accelerate and facilitate the market introduction of advanced electric drive and plug-in hybrid vehicles of all kinds.

Examples of Companies Testing Greener Trucks

Some examples of companies that that want to test the greener trucks include: UPS, Coca-Cola, AT&T or FedEx.

• UPS recently ordered 200 hybrid trucks. Thanks to the new vehicles in their fleet, the company aims to decrease fuel consumption by over 170,000 gallons a year which means a reduction of CO2 emissions by 1,786 metric tons. The vehicles purchased by UPS use a Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation body and a hybrid power system from Eaton Corporation. The trucks are equipped with diesel engines combined with lithium ion battery packs and regenerative braking system.
• AT&T has purchased all-electric Ford Transit Connect vans. The lithium ion batteries enable the vehicles to go up to 80 miles (129 km) on a single charge and at a top speed of 75 miles per hour (121 km/h). The van will be officially available in the second half of 2010.
• FedEx has also invested in a greener fleet. This year they have started testing an all-electric truck called eStar. It is a medium-duty vehicle with a range of 100 miles, fully rechargeable in 6 to 8 hours. A huge advantage of eStar is that the battery is a cassette-type one and can be changed in 20 minutes, which enables the truck to be used 24/7 if needed. FedEx claims that the operating cost of eStar compared to a standard truck is 30% lower. Will it be enough to cover the extra purchase price?

For the time being the governmental grants will help the green truck industry develop. Hopefully, in the near future the manufacturers will profit from economies of scale, and their vehicles will be attractive to buyers not only due to environmental concerns.

This post was written by the team of Mascus.com. Visit our site to find various new and used trucks for sale.

University of southern California experts show us a more powerful use of graphene solar panels.

Is it possible to imagine people powering their cellular phone or music/video device while jogging on a sunny day?

A University of Southern California team has produced flexible transparent carbon atom films that may have great potential for a new breed of solar cells.

In a paper recently published in the journal ACS Nano, researchers stated that organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells have been proposed as a way to create low cost energy due to their ease of manufacture, light weight, and compatibility with flexible substrates.

This work shows that graphene, an extremely conductive and highly transparent form of carbon consisting of atoms-thick sheets of carbon atoms, has high possibility to fill this role.

While graphene’s existence has been known for many years, it has only been studied extensively since 2004 because of the impossibility of manufacturing it in high quality and quantity.

The Study

The University of southern California team has produced graphene/polymer sheets ranging in sizes approximately 150 square centimeters that in turn can be used to create dense arrays of flexible organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells.

These organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices convert solar radiation to electricity, although not as efficiently as silicon cells.

The power provided by sunlight on a sunny day is approximately 1,000 watts per meter square, for every 1,000 watts of sunlight that hits a square meter area of the standard silicon solar cell, 14 watts of electricity will be generated, Organic solar cells are less efficient; their conversion rate for that same 1,000 watts of sunlight in the graphene-based solar cell could be only 1.3 watts.

Benefits of OPV

But what graphene organic photovoltaic (OPV) lack in efficiency, can potentially be compensated by its lower price and, greater physical flexibility.

Researchers think that it may eventually be possible to cover with inexpensive solar cell layers extensive areas like newspapers, magazines or power generating clothing.

In the meanwhile Prof. Ruoff and his colleagues of the mechanical engineering department at the University of Texas at Austin, are studying the basic science in the development of graphene-based ultracapacitors for usage in electronics and other fields.

Batteries vs Ultracapacitors

Prof. Ruoff says batteries are relatively slow, they can store energy but require sometime to charge up, and then they distribute energy slowly, over time.

Ultracapacitors can be charged quickly, within seconds, and discharge in a short time, but, right now, they’re not able to store very much electrical energy.

The introduction of stable and less expensive ultracapacitors could be a key step in using wind or solar-generated power, specially if researchers can discover methods to enable capacitors to store energy longer, that is not yet possible.

Current Potential Usage

Even with their current storage capacity, the graphene devices could provide quick energy when needed in certain situations on the ecological way.

They could be used, as an example, to absorb the heat generated in braking an automobile or train, and store it for a short time, and use it for the electrical needs of the vehicle (i.e. starting the car or acceleration).

About the writer - Sophia H. Walker writes for the solar panel battery charger blog, her personal hobby site focused on tips to help individuals save energy using solar power for small devices.

The Big Wild asks “How Wild is North America?”

Theodora at The Big Wild recently contacted me to let me know about an infographic posted on The Big Wild website.

The infographic (right), compares how “wild” Canada, the United States, and Mexico are based on facts like each country’s ecological footprint.

I was particularly interested to see that Canada’s “wildness” factor is 82%, compared to 36% and 18% for the United States and Mexico respectively.

I was also amazed to learn that Canada accounts for 24% of the world’s wild forests, 20% of the world’s fresh water, and 24% of global wetlands.

According to The Big Wild:

Real wilderness needs to be large enough to keep the natural balance – and that means thinking big.

That’s the vision behind The Big Wild. Conservation scientists believe we need to protect at least half of Canada’s wild spaces to ensure the integrity of our ecosystems.

About The Big Wild

The Big Wild is a partnership project between Canada’s Mountain Equipment Co-op and Canadian Parks and Wilderness. The Big Wild is a a conservation project dedicated to protecting at least half of Canada’s publicly-owned land and water.

Mark Tercek, President & CEO  of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), has sent an email to TNC members encouraging them to help with the clean up efforts of the Gulf Oil Spill.

If you want to help with the clean up effort, but you’re not sure what you can do to help, here are 3 things Mark asks you consider:

• Make a donation to help The Nature Conservancy restoration efforts in the Gulf — your contribution to our Fund for Gulf Coast Restoration will help TNC determine both the extent of the spill and the necessary long-term restoration work in the Gulf and states along its coast.
• Second, tell your friends about The Nature Conservancy’s blog and what’s at stake for the Gulf Coast. Forward them this post, post it to Facebook or tweet on Twitter. Get the word out that the plants, animals and people in one of North America’s most treasured places will need our help.
• Third, consider being a volunteer. The Conservancy is still assessing what volunteer opportunities will be needed and coordinating with groups like gulfresponse.org.

And in case you’re interested, here are the contents of the email:

Thank you. It’s hard to express how much all the phone calls and emails in the wake of the Gulf Oil Spill mean to me and to all the Conservancy’s staff — especially those working long hours in the Gulf states.

Many of you contacted us again after reading our Alabama director of conservation’s blog posts in yesterday’s e-newsletter, asking what you can do to help Bill and his team respond to the spill.

Here are three things you can do today to help the Gulf coast, its wildlife and the people who depend on it.

• Make a donation to help our restoration efforts in the Gulf — your contribution to our Fund for Gulf Coast Restoration will help us determine both the extent of the spill and the necessary long-term restoration work in the Gulf and states along its coast.
• Second, tell your friends about our blog and what’s at stake for the Gulf Coast. Forward them this email, post it to Facebook or tweet on Twitter. Get the word out that the plants, animals and people in one of North America’s most treasured places will need our help.
• Third, consider being a volunteer. The Conservancy is still assessing what volunteer opportunities will be needed and coordinating with groups like gulfresponse.org.

Already, we’ve put to work The Nature Conservancy’s best knowledge and expertise in the Gulf region.

Our Fund for Gulf Coast Restoration will help us do even more and will be put to use by the Conservancy and its marine scientists and staff knowledgeable about the Gulf and about oil spill impacts to help the long-term restoration of this critical ecosystem.
Currently, our Louisiana staff is conducting flights over the coast with federal, state, and some of our non-governmental partners to help determine the extent of the spill and are working to protect critical oyster reefs in the Grand Isle, Biloxi Marsh, and Vermilion Bay areas.

I am in the Gulf region today to assess what more the Conservancy can do to respond and support our staff members who live along the Gulf and work every day on conservation here.

As you know, this is not just about the shrimp, the oysters, and the crabs. It is about both the Gulf’s marine ecosystem, as well the local economy and the people who depend on it.

I hope you will continue to follow Bill’s work and our progress on our blog.

Thank you for your offer to help and your critical support,

So, go ahead and take action now!

April 22nd will mark the 40th anniversary of the first Earth Day and with a new anniversary comes a new meaning for the day. Started in 1970, Earth Day was originally conceived as a day in which the people of the world could come together and educate themselves about the needs of the planet. However, with the “Green” movement in full effect, Earth Day has gone from a day of environmental education to a day of environmental action.

For this year’s festivities, a massive rally has been planned to take place in Washington that organizers are hoping will force Congress into signing a new and much needed climate bill. Organizers have also set up The Earth Day Network to give information about the day itself and give awareness to green campaigns that need members and support.

One of these green campaigns is A Walk For Water. This campaign will help raise funds to build permanent water resources in West Africa, which in the 110+ degree heat of the area, will both help save the water supply and countless lives of the impoverished West African communities. The Earth Day Network has also crafted other grassroots campaigns to help save important environmental areas like forests and wetlands. However, not every green initiative is of the grassroots variety.

The major conglomerate Siemens is getting in on the movement by running a green campaign called A Million Acts of Green that motivates customers to come up with green solutions for the upcoming Earth Day. Many other major companies like Globetrotters Engineering Corporation (an architectural company founded by CEO, Niranjan Shah) work every day to help the environment by designing energy efficient buildings and homes. This shows that the green movement is big enough even for companies like Siemens and Niranjan Shah’s Globetrotters Corporation.

Earth Day will celebrate its 40th anniversary, but in many ways this year’s celebration is somewhat of a rebirth. The day that was originally created to spread awareness and education of the planet’s problems has now become something more meaningful. It has now become a day in which the world works together to help and protect the Earth we all call home.

This post was contributed by Dan Grifen of Everything Left.

What is the Green Garage About?

If we look back in the history of inventions, considering mainly the civilian technology start-ups, we will find out that a lot of major success stories including the most famous one of William Hewlett and David Packard, came straight from a garage. The two Stanford University graduates built their first HP’s product right there, in Packard’s garage in 1939.

Today, HP is the world’s largest technology company.

The garage has become a symbol of a triumph of the idea over earthly limitations - evidence that it is not the place that matters, but the belief that you can change the world.

In that spirit, the Green Garage can be viewed as a pro-eco initiative that gives way to different kinds of projects aiming at the invention of cutting-edge green automotive technologies.

Through those garage doors comes hope, with the EcoCar Challenge

When you browse the offers of the vehicles for sale, do they mention the level of tailpipe emissions? Well, why would they, we all know that gasoline-powered cars emit millions of tons of carbon dioxide and other air pollutants into the atmosphere. But that can change in the nearest future.

The U.S Department of Energy together with General Motors have become two major sponsors of the EcoCar Challenge held across the U.S and Canada. 17 universities have been challenged to take part in a three-year program, during which young engineers strive to develop innovative sources of clean energy.

17 teams in 17 garages across North America were provided by the sponsors with all the support needed for such an undertaking: money, technical mentoring, vehicle components and development facility.

Their task is to redesign a 2009 Saturn VUE so as to minimize fuel consumption and emissions. They can experiment, reengineer, cross the boundaries. There are three competition finals: one each year. Yet, all in all, those garage innovators work together to find the alternative sources of energy that would benefit the environment.

A new generation that will make the world a cleaner place

The whole project is not only about new approaches that may be innovative, but inefficient and difficult to adapt.

The team that wins the competition is going to be the one to actually produce the environmental vehicle of the future.

In a way, the EcoCar competition will give an incentive to the next generation of scientists and engineers to think ahead and see the future in developing the green vehicle industry.

So, maybe next time when you decide to look for cars for sale you will be able to choose the one that has come all the way through the Green Garage doors.

The post was contributed by CarTruckTrader.com. Visit us online to find vehicles for sale.

When you receive your electricity bill, do you often wonder, “Why do I pay so much?” There is no doubt that energy prices will not get any lower. On the contrary, they seem to increase all the time. However, there are things you can do to significantly cut back your energy intake. If you want to save your money to spend it on something more fun than bills, read the tips below.

1. Replace your light bulbs with energy saving ones if you haven’t already. They use up to 80% less energy and last 10 times longer than ordinary bulbs.
2. Always turn off the lights when leaving a room. This tip is commonly known, yet it applies strictly to traditional light bulbs that are not energy efficient. Remember that if you have got energy saving light bulbs, you should turn them off only in the case that you are leaving the room for more than 6 minutes. Constant turning these bulbs on and off will use more energy.
3. While cooking, always put a lid on the pot. This saves up to 15% on energy and your meal will be cooked faster.
4. When buying new appliances, choose Energy Star qualified models. They use 10 to 50% less energy and water than standard appliances.
5. When planning and building your house, make decisions that will make it energy efficient. Proper high quality house insulation and tight windows will ensure minimal energy loss. Installing windows shutters or outdoor roller-blinds will prevent warmth gathered inside the house throughout the day from escaping at night.
6. When ventilating a room, always turn off the heating.
7. Invest in a high-efficiency condensing boiler. This investment will surely pay off. Such a boiler is a real energy and money saver. A condensing boiler captures much more usable heat from its fuel than non-condensing boilers, meaning it does not require as much energy. This kind of boiler is equipped with a set of heating controls that gives you full control over the temperature in your home. You can adjust the temperature whenever you want.
8. Use heating wisely. If you have a programmer or timer combined with a boiler, set it so the boiler is working only when needed. If you spend part of the day out of the house, turn the boiler off. Modern houses warm quickly even if the heating was turned off for a long period of time. Most people do not need the heating on when asleep.
9. Do not leave electronic devices on standby. Maybe it sounds unimportant, but appliances left on standby still use energy. In an average household there are many electronics with standby modes, including TV sets, PCs, radios, and DVD and CD players. Every day, leaving them on sleep mode amounts to additional expenses which can easily be avoided. Each time you turn off an electronic device remember to unplug it as well.
10. Charge your cell phone properly. It is unfortunately a common mistake to leave the battery charger plugged in after the telephone has already charged. The charger left in the socket, even without the device, is still consuming energy. Always remember to unplug the charger.

Obeying these simple rules will help limit both energy usage and expenses. Simultaneously, you will contribute to reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. World leaders are trying to do this on a global scale, but without the help of the citizens, they will never succeed.

Written by PennySaverUSA.com. Visit us online to find eco-friendly appliances for sale.

The Energy Star program was created by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in an attempt to limit energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Savvy consumers know to look for the Energy Star logo when shopping for appliances, heating and cooling equipment, home electronics, office equipment, or lightning.

By purchasing one of the certified products you can be sure that energy expenses will be lower due to reduced consumption. You can often save up to 30% on your energy bill. The EPA has also extended the Energy Star label to cover new homes, buildings, and manufacturing plants.

At Home

Home electronics such as TVs, DVD players, cordless phones, and audio equipment use electricity even when on standby mode.

TV sets are probably the most popular and the most energy consuming in this category. An average household has at least two of them. In order to qualify for the Energy Star label, a TV has to be at least 30% more energy efficient than a standard unit not only when it is on, but also when on standby. There is a wide variety of Energy Star compliant TVs to choose from, whether you prefer LCD or plasma. They are manufactured by Hitachi, Panasonic, Sony, Samsung, and many others.

Another group of energy absorbers at home are appliances such us washers, fridges, freezers, and electric heating and cooling units. When it comes to dish and clothes washers, the Energy Star versions not only use less energy, but are more water-efficient when compared to standard models.

Heating and cooling equipment usually generates the highest costs, so pay extra attention to energy consumption data when changing one of these units.

In The Office

Offices use many electronic devices, so it is obvious that they use lots of energy. What is more, most office equipment is left on 24/7. It is really important to make sure that energy consumption is kept to a minimum.

Energy Star labeled devices use less energy to perform regular tasks and automatically enter a low-power mode when not in use. As far as computers, certified models use as much as 70% less energy than those without active power management features.

Again, there are many companies that produce energy-efficient office equipment. Hewlett-Packard offers as many as 1,000 models of office products that have earned the Energy Star logo. These include notebooks, printers, scanners, and all-in-ones. Samsung proudly features that their entire line of notebooks and netbooks have qualified for the certificate.

Summary

In summary, the US government ratings system called Energy Star helps consumers choose energy-efficient equipment that on average uses 20–30% less energy than standard units. Buying items labeled as Energy Star compliant ensures not only reduced energy expenses, but also gives you the ability to have your own input in limiting greenhouse gas emissions.

This post was contributed by PennySaverUSA.com. Please visit us online if you are interested in refrigerators, freezers, washers, or other energy-saving appliances for sale.

If you would like to drive more environmentally friendly, but there is no chance for you to switch to a hybrid, there is probably a way to make your used car burn less fuel and therefore reduce emission.

Have you ever heard about “remapping”? Although many people will associate the term with the modified car scene, it is actually becoming an increasingly common practice amongst mainstream motorists.

What is engine remapping?

Remapping refers to a process that alters a car’s standard ECU settings to gain more horsepower and torque, and, in some cases, to reduce fuel consumption. What’s more, remapping is a cost-effective modification that, when performed by a certified remapping specialist, can take as little as two hours to complete.

Those who own turbocharged cars will benefit from the greatest power gains, with up to 30 percent more horsepower and torque obtainable after a remap, whereas non-turbo engines typically give a 10 percent gain in these areas.

For example, the hugely popular  BMW 320D, which boasts 163hp and 340Nm of torque in standard guise, will have its power rating boosted to around 190hp and 400Nm of torque after a remap. Similarly, a 1.6 TDCi Ford Focus, which only offers 109hp as standard, will gain almost 30hp after a professional remap.

Can remapping my car’s engine improve its fuel efficiency?

In many cases, yes. Although the remapping process won’t directly make your engine cleaner, it can increase its fuel efficiency rating, which will have a positive environmental effect, and benefit your wallet, too.

For example, in both the cars mentioned above, fuel consumption will drop by around 1mpg after remapping. In the case of the Volkswagen Golf GTi 1.8T, meanwhile there is a 2mpg improvement after remapping, which will add up to considerable savings over time, particularly for those doing high annual mileages. What’s more, you can achieve even greater fuel efficiency gains at the expense of power, if this is your priority.

Why would I want to change a car manufacturer’s standard map settings?

When car manufacturers launch new models, they usually map the car on standard settings to suit many markets around the world.

For example, Ireland has cold weather and Spain has warm weather, but car manufacturers usually apply a base map setting that suits both of these climates. A remap, however, exploits the car’s ECU to better suit a specific location.

Manufacturers also leave a possibility to upgrade the programme later to respond to market changes and customer demands, which leaves the opportunity for aftermarket tuning companies to offer after-sale remapping services.

How does the process work?

Many drivers talk about having their cars remapped, but most won’t be able to tell you what the process entails. Although it sounds like a highly complex procedure, it isn’t!

Unlike most car modifications, a remap doesn’t require any handheld tools such as screwdrivers and spanners. Instead, the mechanic simply plugs a diagnostics laptop into the car’s ECU and sets about introducing the new settings.

There are several ways to remap a car, but the popular method is to remap the car’s ECU by reading data on the car’s EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) chip. The easiest way to do this is by connecting a diagnostics machine to the car’s diagnostics socket, which allows the mechanic to both read and modify the car’s standard map settings. Once the data has been read, the mechanic can then choose to overwrite the EPROM file and replace it with a completely new file, which means they can apply different maps where appropriate, but also restore the original mapping settings should you need them again.

All drivers considering having their car remapped should be aware of any warranty implications – you need to know if the process will affect your manufacturer’s warranty or not, as it still counts as an aftermarket modification. For this reason, we would advise you to check with your local dealer before going ahead with the procedure.

Similarly, you should notify your insurer after having a remap carried out. Although it is almost impossible to visually trace a remap, authorised dealers will be able to tell the difference when driving the car. Most car mapping companies offer a service that allows you to have the ECU reset to the old settings for a small fee if you aren’t happy with the remap. Prices vary for each car and company, but in the UK, you can expect to shell out in the region of €350 for a remap, including labour and the required diagnostics.

This post was contributed by the Editorial Team at Car Buyers’ Guide. Car Buyers’ Guide is the publisher of Ireland’s leading motoring websites and magazines. CBG.ie is the only motoring website to have exclusive partnerships with the leading national newspaper websites (The Iris Times and Independent Newspapers). CBG.ie is visited by buyers over 450,000 times per month and users view over 11.5 million pages on the website per month.

For the latest motoring news and views, as well as road tests, videos and a host of quality used cars for sale, visit CBG.ie

Small businesses will always strive for ways to reduce their outgoings, particularly in an unfavorable economic climate such as the one we find ourselves in. One good way to reduce expenditure is to look at utilities; switching suppliers or reducing usage can help with energy bills, although it can often be a complicated task.

One way that small businesses are beginning to benefit from attempting to reduce their outgoings is through generating their own electricity. Previously the costs associated with generating electricity prohibited small businesses from considering this option, but  generating your own power is becoming a relatively affordable thing to do.

Increasingly generating electricity is becoming a viable option for small businesses, who can pocket the reduced utility bills, and even selling surplus energy back to the National Grid. Here are three ways in which small businesses can generate their own electricity.

Solar Panels

There are two ways in which solar power can be used to generate electricity. Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) uses the sun’s energy to boil some water, while Photo-Voltaic (PV) solar panels convert the energy directly into electricity.

Photo-Voltaic solar panels are still reasonably expensive, but can generate a significant amount of electricity. These are solar panels which use light, so they can still generate power even on grey, overcast days although obviously not as much as long, sunny days.

One problem with solar panels is that they tend to mean power is only available during the day, when the sunlight is casting onto the panels. For domestic properties this can mean that solar panels are not appropriate, but for many businesses the majority of energy use takes place during office hours, when the sun is shining.

Either way, it will be useful to store the energy being generated, so most PV systems come with batteries which can be charged.

Another solution is to sell your energy surplus back to your electrical supplier (as long as you are still connected to the National Grid) and then paying them for your electricity when the sun goes down and you’re no longer generating power.

Wind Turbines

Wind turbines are experiencing a rise in popularity recently, particularly due to the shrinking price of micro-turbines in DIY stores.

While it may seem like the perfect solution, with the wind blowing all day and night, the amount of electricity which can actually be gleaned from these wind turbines is often negligible, depending on the specific location.

Wind speeds are always faster above ground level, at heights above an average house. The wind disturbance caused by other buildings around it further decreases the amount of electricity which can be generated.

A large turbine on the edge of a building where it can receive clean, fast air is more likely to generate a decent amount of energy, but there is also the annoyance of the noise of the blades spinning around.

Combined Heat & Power Units

Another method of generating electricity which is bound to become more widely available in the future is the use of Combined Heat and Power units (CHPs).

While they were previously only suitable for large buildings like factories and universities now small CHP generators are on the market, running on natural gas. The heat generated is channeled to provide heating and hot water for the building and is no less efficient than a modern gas boiler.

Future Benefits

While the technology required to generate electricity may still require a sizable initial outlay, the benefits should be apparent for years and years for a small business, with greatly reduced energy bills. As fossil fuels become scarcer the price of energy is bound to keep rising, so it’s no surprise that forward-thinking businesses are beginning to attempt to run under their own steam.

While these opportunities for businesses to save money on their energy use are still worth investigating, many of the technologies are not yet developed appropriately for businesses, and should probably be considered as future prospects rather than immediate changes.

Save Money Now

Most small businesses could be saving money now by switching business electricity supplier and employing energy-saving measures such as using natural light and ventilation where possible, avoiding leaving equipment on standby and turning off lights in rooms that aren’t in use.

This article was written by Adam Cairn on behalf of uSwitch for Business, a price comparison website, helping small and medium-sized businesses save money on their energy costs.