Natural Environment Blog

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 I wrote about Henry Ford’s hemp car, I knew it was only a matter of time before I’d be writing about another car made from hemp.

Lotus has announced its latest eco-friendly car - made from hemp. OK, the whole car isn’t made from hemp but hemp has played a large role in it’s construction.

Lotus will unveil the Eco Elise at the British International Motor Show later this month.

With the Eco Elise, Lotus is aiming for a car that’s different to most “green” cars. While most of today’s green cars are being measured by how little gas they consume, the Eco Elise goes much further than this.

In fact, the Eco Elise project focuses on the following areas:

• Sustainable materials - using materials such as hemp, sisal, and biodegradable woolen fabrics.
• Cleaner manufacturing processes - by using a totally water-based paint system.
• Renewable energy generation - through the use of two solar panels on the hemp hard top.
• Reducing carbon miles - by using locally grown hemp fibers, as well as recycled packaging.
• Efficient driving techniques - by assisting the driver in driving more economically. A green light informs the driver the most optimal time to change gears for best economic performance.
• Weight reduction - a lighter car means a more economical car. The Eco Elise is 32 kilograms lighter than the (already lightweight) Elise S.

According to the Lotus press release:

The new green materials sourced for this car have been carefully studied to ensure that each technology used reduces the environmental impact of the vehicle. The life of the components has been analysed; during the production stage, in-use and at the end of the vehicle’s life. The technology used aims to offer lower emissions of both solvents and CO2 in the lifecycle of the vehicle, with reductions in energy consumed during manufacture.

Another great environmental achievement for Lotus is that their manufacturing plant has become more eco-friendly. In 2007, Lotus used 14% less electricity, 30% less gas, and 11% less water than it did in 2006. Lotus also recycle 57% of its waste product.