New LEAF System Will Provide Easier & Quicker Charging for Owners-

While the Chevy Volt has been making headlines in a not-so-desirable way with its battery fire debacle (any publicity is good publicity probably doesn’t apply here), Nissan LEAF is once again proving itself a more than worthy competitor in the EV market – especially considering the LEAF is an actual EV. Yesterday at the Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan announced its newest wireless charging technology which will allow owners of the LEAF to completely recharge its battery without having to install a charging system or find an extension cord. The flat floor pad can be positioned anywhere your car can fit, like a driveway or parking lot space. When LEAF owners park over the charging pad, sensors located underneath the EV will activate an electromagnet that sucks electricity from the car’s recharging coil. The auto maker affirms that weather conditions will not affect the wireless charging system. Another positive aspect about the new system is the accelerated charge time, which is eight hours using the pad. Typically, plugged into a standard 110V outlet, the charging time can be up to twenty hours if the battery is fully depleted. Nissan says its wireless system will become available sometime in 2013. Unfortunately, the currently existing LEAFs can not be altered to feature this technology, so those who have already purchased one will have to continue using the standard outlets and charging stations.

StreetScooter, a lightweight electric car, is currently in development by a group of 80 engineering firms, electronics companies and auto parts suppliers with the goal of providing a financially sustainable alternative to today’s high cost EVs. It was recently unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show, and with its many innovations proved itself a worthy competitor in the race to offer marketable, affordable green vehicles to the masses. The Scooter runs solely on rechargeable batteries and uses state-of-the-art technology like its heating and air conditioning system which uses roughly 20 percent battery power when compared to the standard.

Those who’ve ever driven an electric car most certainly know all about the “range anxiety” that kicks in when the battery power is low, home is still miles away, and its over 90 degrees outside. But apparently, the StreetScooter’s HVAC technology will lower the instance of such occasion which is a big plus. It only reaches a top speed of about 74 miles per hour, however, and unfortunately its range only extends to roughly 50 miles per charge. While its not ideal for long distance travel, it is a viable solution to around town driving and its cost is much lower than, lets say, the Nissan LEAF. Consumers can choose to buy their StreetScooter with up to three batteries depending upon their needs, with each battery lasting about 28 miles per charge. The downside really is the size and range of this little guy. Its only a two-seater so it doesn’t offer the option of family trips, and it will probably even be a feat to hold luggage for two. With all that said, this car could really be the start of something great in terms of the affordability factor. StreetScooter should be available for market sales in Europe by 2013, and will cost only $7,000.

With the rising cost of electricity people are starting to look to alternative ways to power their homes. Think about the increased rent you could charge on your investment properties! The need to provide electricity using more environmentally friendly methods is also becoming more important. Having solar panels for your home (or investment property) is one method of producing alternative power and many people have already taken this on board. If you go to sell your home there are certain real estate agencies that deal specifically with environmentally friendly homes, but it is also worthwhile speaking to conveyancing services who can offer you professional advice.

Solar Energy

Solar energy is created by collecting the sun’s energy in the cells of solar panels and transferring it to power. Solar panels can be installed on the roof of your home and power your lights and your appliances. It can be used to heat your hot water system and your swimming pool and solar energy can even power cars. Small appliances like calculators can run on solar power. Solar power is a green alternative and does not create any carbon emissions in its production. Solar power is an extremely effective way of creating electricity.

Hydro Electricity

Harnessing energy created by moving water has been done for thousands of years. People would use flowing water to push a wheel that would then go on to grind grain. Today hydro electricity is created in much the same way. Water is directed to flow through a turbine which causes it to spin which then powers a generator. Much of the United States’ energy is created this way. Hydro electricity is a greener option and it is a recyclable energy source as the water can be directed back up through the turbine.

Wind Power

Australia has the resources to provide a substantial amount of energy created by the wind. The southern states are subject to the Roaring Forties and wind speed is enough to create a large portion of energy. Currently about two percent of Australia’s energy demand is being met by power created by wind turbines. There are fifty-two wind farms in Australia.

Geothermal

While it might only seem appropriate for those living near volcanic activity, geothermal power is actually viable anywhere you have some space to dig deep. Six feet down, the earth holds a constant of around 50° and 60° all year. By laying some pipes underground, running fluid through a “heat exhanger” – or heat transfer from one medium to another – and adding a compressor to the mix, it is possible to produce a consistent air flow that keeps you cool in the summer months and warm during the winter. To boot, a geothermal heating and cooling system provides better air quality than you get by circulating an A/C or heater.

Solar Charging Project Brings Renewable Energy Future to Jordan-

AllCell Technologies, a leading manufacturer of lithium-ion battery packs, has teamed up with multiple cleantech companies to create a completely off-grid solar EV charging station. Located in Amman, Jordan, the station can charge both a Nissan LEAF and multiple light electric vehicles simultaneously, is off-grid and includes a lithium-ion energy storage system that is protected from the scorching heat of the desert sun using AllCell’s thermal management system. The country, despite its ideal location for energy derived from oil, is apparently lacking in fossil fuel resources and imports over 90 percent of its energy. What the country lacks, however, it makes up for with a solar radiation zone perfect for generating clean, renewable energy which has been largely untapped as of yet.

The charging station consists of a 3 kilowatt solar canopy developed by Sun Phocus, AllCell’s 25 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion energy storage system, and DBT’s Level II charging station. For the project, Nissan provided its all electric Nissan LEAF vehicle, Matra contributed two electric scooters and a pair of electric GEM cars – with each GEM car incorporating a solar roof. AllCell CEO Said Al-Hallaj, who has been overseeing the project since the fall of 2010, is very excited at what the future will hold for energy impoverished nations like Jordan. “The combination of solar energy, electric vehicles, and energy storage holds enormous promise as a solution to multiple problems inherent in today’s energy systems. The benefits include reduced oil consumption and carbon emissions, increased peak electricity generation, and grid-friendly load shifting. As the prices of solar panels, batteries, and electric vehicles continue to fall, such a system will be economically feasible in the near future.” The charging station will serve as a model for a large-scale infrastructure project to eventually help the government meet its goal of using at least 10 percent renewable energy by 2020.

In October, a team of British researches will initiate the preliminary phase of a geoengineering project that they hope will help in the development of planet-scale techniques to bring the earth’s climate under control. But will such plans succeed? And should experiments meddling with our atmosphere even be allowed? In recent years, geoengineering – the large-scale and intentional manipulation of the earth’s climate in order to stop global warming – has migrated from the whacko fringes of the scientific world to establish itself as the respectable discipline of reputable scientists and research institutions.

Some of the suggestions that have been proposed to affect global cooling include:

• Painting large areas of “unused” land with reflective paint to increase the planet’s albedo;

• “Planting” hundreds of thousands of artificial trees capable of scrubbing CO2 out of the air;

• Installing orbiting mirrors in space – either a few gigantic ones or millions of tiny ones; and

• Deploying a fleet of ocean-going cloud-making machines.

The British scientists plan to suspend a kilometre-long hose in the air using a balloon. They will then attempt to pump water up the pipe and spray it into the atmosphere. In future, this sort of technology could be used to disperse fine droplets of liquid sulphur compounds in order to create a reflective blanket that would mimic the effects of a volcanic eruption in blocking sunlight from reaching the earth’s surface.

Sometimes results are unexpected

There have been field trials of several other geoengineering schemes. In 2009 Russian scientists sprayed a small amount of sulphate aerosols into the atmosphere reporting a 1 to 10% reduction in solar radiation. In the same year, an Indian-German expedition “fertilised” 300 square kilometres of the Southern Atlantic with tonnes of dissolved iron. A bloom of phytoplankton resulted, but instead of sinking and trapping absorbed CO2 on the seafloor as expected, the plankton was eaten by a voracious swarm of tiny crustaceans, keeping the carbon in circulation through the food chain rather than removing it from the system.

Proponents of geoengineering experiments argue that they may turn out to be our only emergency fall-back options if and when climate change starts running out of control. Personally, I’m sceptical, particularly since there are a number of questions regarding the long-term efficiency and cost-effectiveness of geoengineering.

But more worryingly, there are several potentially detrimental and unpredictable side-effects. Sulphate particles injected into the upper atmosphere, for instance, could deplete the vital ozone layer and cause pollution, and while some geo-engineered clouds may help to cool the planet, others may actually trap more heat in the atmosphere.

Ultimately, all geoengineering interventions address the symptoms instead of the causes of climate change. Solving the problem is increasingly a political issue: we have the technological capacity to very drastically reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and halt climate change by curing ourselves of our fossil fuel addiction. But do the powers that be have the political will to make it a reality?

What do you think: is geoengineering our last resort in the battle against global warming? Or is it a set of dangerous technologies that will waste money and do more damage than good by meddling with an exceedingly complex and unpredictable natural system?

About the Author: Andreas is a book shop manager and freelance writer in Cape Town, South Africa. Follow him on Twitter: @Andreas_Spath. Article originally posted on Care2.

I heard a writing professor interviewed on the radio today who instructs his students to write stories that take place within five miles of their hometowns. He said the point of this exercise is to encourage his students to become attuned, in a deeper way, to the story and character of their locales. The same can be said with eating locally.

Food, of course, is about more than just what we put in our mouths. It has social, cultural, and historic functions. And by becoming familiar with the foods that grow around us, we gain a more meaningful – and intuitive – understanding of the place where we live. For example, I was born in Ohio and lived there until I was 13. To me, Ohio green beans taste quite distinct, and are more appealing to me than green beans grown anywhere else. My mother says the same thing about Ohio tomatoes. And specifically, tomatoes grown in southern Ohio, in the Ohio River valley. By familiarizing ourselves with the foods that grow in our areas, we physically and fundamentally connect to our environment. And, as we build memories around that food, our emotional ties to our surroundings grow stronger.

In addition, eating locally means eating seasonally, which helps us build an intuitive simpatico with the ebb and flow of the earth’s cycles. I am currently reading The Backyard Homestead, a fantastic book that I highly recommend for anyone interested in gardening or homesteading. The author explains how she knows when to plant particular crops by the flight patterns of insects and the colors of leaves. She is truly in sync with the earth, and she achieved that because she wanted to grow foods that would thrive in her particular locale, at particular times of the year.

There are many benefits to eating locally. The food is fresher, the carbon footprint is smaller, and local businesses are supported. But perhaps the most profound benefit is the way that eating locally helps us to become attuned – in a fundamentally human way – to the earth and our surroundings.

Sarah Cooke is a writer living in California. She is interested in organic food and green living. Sarah holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Naropa University, an M.A. in Humanities from NYU, and a B.A. in Political Science from Loyola Marymount University. She has written for a number of publications, and she studied Pastry Arts at the Institute for Culinary Education. Her interests include running, yoga, baking, and poetry. Read more on her blog.

It’s rough out there. That’s no joke.

Between the economic decline and our country’s credit rating taking a nosedive, understandably we’ve all been feeling a little down in the dumps. Many of us had to shift our spending from “Whoa, I really gotta have that robot dog” to “Name brand ketchup!? Have you lost it, man?”

So money’s tight and we all feel like crap. What do we do?

Well it’s commonly known that giving makes people feel better instantaneously. Studies have found that giving affects our brain chemistry, inducing a “helpers high” and contributing to reducing stress hormones.

You: But how can we give money to others when we’re struggling ourselves?

Me: Who’s talking about money?

There’s a great new service out there called Givmo that helps you give, for free. Founded by Dustin Byrne, MIT grad and former Zappos Engineering Manager, and Judy He, Brown grad, Givmo helps you give away your already owned but-not-needed-anymore-stuff for free. By using Givmo, you can essentially donate anything to anyone, anywhere in the United States. Since all items are shipped directly from the Giver to the Receiver, there’s no need to arrange drop off or pick up times and locations. And for an extra twist of good—with every item you give away, Givmo donates $1 to charity.

Here’s how it works: Simply gather up some of those gently loved items in your home that you don’t need anymore, snap a photo, post it on Givmo, and then sit back and relax and wait for someone to claim it. Givmo will send you a pre-paid shipping label and all you have to do is box it up, slap on the label and send it on its merry way.

So for the cost of absolutely nothing, you’ve just:

1. Cleaned out your closets, increased your space, and simplified your life
2. Given your unused stuff a new lease on life
3. Made someone else happy by giving them something they’ve wanted
4. Sent money to charity
5. Helped the environment by recycling
6. Gained some extra special feel-good points

Even in today’s tough economic times, this is a way for you to give to others, give to charity and give to the environment — without spending a penny.

It’s no secret that offices are powerhouses and can have an incredibly negative effect on the environment. The realms of wasted paper and abundance of computers that may not even be in use are wreaking havoc with the Ozone layer and contributing to climate change. Working from home is now becoming more popular than ever, due to the advances in technology and communication. Not only is it a convenient alternative for many employees, it also carries environmental and financial benefits.

Commuting

The drive to and from work each day is accountable for a large amount of CO2 emissions. Axing the drive to work reduces this effect, reducing the damage to the Ozone layer. The financial aspects mean the employee no longer has to pay extortionate prices for fuel in an attempt to get to work. Even if the employee doesn’t drive, they may have to pay for public transport which can be equally as cost for long distance commuters.

Renewable Energy Options

When an employee works from home the benefits of renewable energy sources such as solar panels can be even greater. Solar PV panels can be extremely beneficial to home workers who may need to have their computer and other electronic devices plugged in all day. They have the ability to produce clean, green energy whilst supplementing their income with the feed in tariff rates.

Green Office

When working from home, the employee has the ability to choose which accessories and stationery to use in their office. This allows them to be able to buy green accessories which will help the environment such as energy saving light bulbs, recycled office supplies and solvent-free adhesives. When working in a company office, the employee rarely has much control of what kind of office supplies are used, meaning the ones being purchased could be potentially harmful to the environment. Although the employee will have to buy their own stationery, there are office supplies companies which sell stationery at cheap, discounted prices to keep costs low.

No Work Wear

Many office workers buy an entirely new wardrobe for a section commonly referred to as “work wear”. Employees may not have control over what’s acceptable to wear in the workplace, forcing them to pay for more clothing. Working from home, this problem is non-existent. The worker may choose to stay in their pajamas all day if they wish, cutting costs and reducing the likelihood of buying clothes from retailers who don’t support Fair Trade.

Childcare

This is one of the main reasons people choose to work from home. Childcare costs can be extortionate and the worker may not be able to provide sufficient funding. Also, working from home gives the employee the opportunity to bond with their children in between working, which could improve productivity and family relationships. Working from home carries many benefits, making it an extremely attractive alternative to the daily office grind. Employees have the ability to manage their own workload, choose green products and services and save money in the process.

Research Indicates that Antibiotic-Fed Poultry is at Higher Risk of Drug Resistant Bacterial Contamination-

A new study shows that the use of antibiotics in farm-raised poultry has led to higher instances of enterococci bacteria contamination than those raised with organic methods. Discontinuing antibiotic use in large scale poultry farms “can result in immediate and significant reductions in antibiotic resistance for some bacteria,” according to “Lower Prevalence of Antibiotic-resistant Enterococci on U.S. Conventional Poultry Farms that Transitioned to Organic Practices,” recently published in Environmental Health Perspectives.

“We initially hypothesized that we would see some differences in on-farm levels of antibiotic-resistant enterococci when poultry farms transitioned to organic practices. But we were surprised to see that the differences were so significant across several different classes of antibiotics even in the very first flock that was produced after the transition to organic standards,” explained Dr. Amy R. Sapkota, the study’s lead researcher, an assistant professor with the Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health. “It is very encouraging.” Scientists discovered that a whopping 67 percent of Enterococcus faecalis studied in poultry from farms using traditional antibiotics were resistant to the antibiotic erythromycin, however only 18 percent of the bacteria from organic poultry farms studied were found to be resistant. More information can be found by visiting TriplePundit.com.

Carbon Tax May Follow Debt Ceiling Deal-

According to the Center for American Progress (CAP), the new debt ceiling deal may just lead to an imposed carbon tax in the near future. The reasoning behind the group’s presumption is mainly due to the fact that the deal eliminated revenue increases and tax code reforms – which could signify that a pending agreement is still possible. CAP maintains that Democrats will push revenue increases as part of the debt ceiling deal, and Obama will “have maximal leverage right after the 2012 election” since the Bush administration’s tax cuts are set to end unless action is taken. In theory, Obama could exchange the tax cuts and the corporate tax rate reduction for a carbon tax. While the idea is better than a cap-and-trade, it still has its negative aspects. American families are already under water with the dwindling job market and a government-imposed tax of any amount of its choosing doesn’t seem right when there still is yet a hope of stable work. How about start creating jobs, Obama administration, like you’d promised from the beginning – and then we can focus on taxing the masses for their emissions.