Honda To Build Hybrid Motorcycles.
Honda Motor Co., the world’s leading motorcycle manufacturer, announced recently that it will be producing gas-electric motorcycle that would use a hybrid drivetrain. Fifty percent fuel economy is expected from the hybrid model. Honda plans to use lithium-ion batteries that will provide a range of about 60 miles. The range of the motorcycle is expected to be 30 kilometers in one charge.
Mobile App to Calculate Carbon Footprint.
Carbon Diem, a smartphone app which can calculate a person’s carbon footprint by monitoring the movement by using phone’s GPS. The software determines the mode of transportation from the GPS data and then calculate the impact on environment. The software proved to be 100% accurate when working out or when people were on airplanes or trains. But its only 65-75% accurate at guessing when people travel on buses. Carbon footprint is a measure of the impact that someone’s activities will have on the environment, measured in units of carbon dioxide produced. Reducing carbon footprint is beneficial to the environment. This kind of efforts will definitely help to reduce these footprints.
Redewin : New Online Ecostore.
Redewin, a new online eco-store that sells unique vintage and reconstructed clothing,launched recently. Redewin says their philosophy is “Re-define your connection with earth by recycling clothing. Re-dew your thinking about wasteful consumption.” All of the items on Redewin are created from used garments—they take button-ups, t-shirts, dresses, doilies, sweaters, jeans, etc, and stitch them together to create innovative, intriguing new fashion blends.
Bill Gates Invests in Bio Fuels
The San-Diego based Sapphire Energy, is trying to make second generation bio fuels out of algae. The company hopes to make the fuel can be made available commercially in three to five years for a cost of $50 to $80 per barrel. It plans to produce about 10,000 barrels a day, and last May it announced that it succeeded in creating “ASTM-certifiable 91 octane gasoline”, the premium fuel at the pump, from algae. Bill Gates’ Cascade Investment is putting money in the firm.
Secret Green Community Saved.
A secret Green community that was only discovered during an aerial survey of a Welsh national park,UK will not be demolished after it was finally approved. The inhabitants secretly built the sustainable village and lived there unnoticed until the aerial survey was carried out in 1998. The village relies on solar power and a wind turbine for electricity, and has compost toilets, reed beds, a workshop and a hay barn.
US oil agency accused of ethics violations
The US interior department agency Minerals Management Service was accused of ethics violations, ranging from accepting high-priced gifts from energy companies and manipulating contracts to cocaine use and sexual misconduct. An investigation by Minerals Management Service Inspector General Earl Devaney revealed, nearly a third of the staff of the Denver Minerals Management Service office accepted gifts from oil and gas companies between 2002 and 2006. The report also says that several employees “frequently consumed alcohol at industry functions, had used cocaine and marijuana, and had sexual relationships with oil and gas company representatives”. MMS collects roughly $10 billion in royalties each year.
Human Virus : Cool Cartoon
In each and every way we act like parasites. Who knows the truth?
Bacteria: Alternative Energy Source in Future
Hydrogen is the environmentally cleanest and most abundant fuel. But extracting it from other organic materials or water, needs significant amount of energy, and it is currently not an efficient process. Fortunately, scientists are have discovered certain bacteria that exhale hydrogen during the normal metabolism.
These particular microbes grow in hot temperatures nearly boiling point of water. These thermophilic (heat-loving) bacteria is known as Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus found in a hot spring in New Zealand. Hydrogen Fuel cell vehicles are available in California and the New York area. These vehicles run off of hydrogen gas and emit only water vapor. Therefore in future, Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus microbes can be used as an alternative energy source to power our vehicles.
Image Credit:http://i44.photobucket.com
World’s Smallest Car : Toyota iQ
Toyota unveiled Toyota iQ at the Frankfurt Motor show. Toyota is promoting the iQ as the ultimate refined mode of transportation. Despite its small size Toyota iQ received a 5-star safety rating in Euro NCAP testing. According to Toyota the 1.0-liter gasoline iQ should record 54.1 mpg on the European driving cycle (99g/km of CO2). iQ will go on sale in Japan in October and few months later in Europe. The price is expected to be in the range of $13,000 - $15,000.
Leak Found in Earth’s Atmosphere
ESA’s formation-flying quartet of satellites, Cluster, has discovered that Earth’s atmosphere is constantly leaking Oxygen into Space. Charged oxygen ions, flowing outwards from the polar regions into space. The data collected by Cluster from 2001 to 2003 is used to find the phenomenon. Compared to the Earth’s stock of the life-supporting gas, the amount escaping is negligible.
Image Credit : http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMQ8LKRQJF_index_0.html
The World’s Cheapest Car At Risk
The Tata group is threatened to move an important auto factory out of India. This move could delay the debut of the world’s cheapest car, pint-sized Nano, priced at $2,500. It was scheduled to go on sale by the end of the year.
Protesters are angry farmers who claim not to have received proper compensation for the 997 acres Tata acquired. The opposition party, which has led the fight against Tata, requested the company to return 400 acres to the farmers. Company chairman Ratan Tata said that he is prepared to leave West Bengal if the protests continue.
Windspire : Backyard Wind Turbine
Windspire is a vertical axis wind turbine which can generate 25 - 30% of the power needed in a home. The design was inspired by a 3 000 years old wind mill used by Egyptians to grind wheat. The 9 meter tall devices can be plugged into household power. Customers can also view in their home computer how much power is generated by the Windspire.
