Thursday, May 22, 2008

Not One Thin Dime for Gas!

You wouldn't feel any pain at the pump if you had a solar powered car. And you can have one now for only $117,000. By the looks of it you can only take one passenger and neither of you will have much leg room. I'm guessing there isn't a lot you can put in the trunk (if it has one). And it might not get top scores in government crash tests. But maybe these will be much more practical and affordable five or ten years down the road.



With Venturi's Astrolab, solar cars have moved beyond the plaything of engineering students and tech geeks into the hands of ordinary consumers.

The manufacturer claims the two-seater Astrolab can reach top cruising speeds of 75 mph and has a potential driving range of 68 miles. Along with no gas bills, the car aims at the simple but revolutionary math of zero fossil fuel consumption and zero carbon dioxide emissions. That is news to make the heart of the tightwad or the environmentalist grow warm.

The car works by combining four key pieces of technology: an ultra-light auto body constructed from carbon monocoque, a sleek aerodynamic shape to minimize wind resistance, photovoltaic cells coated by a film of nano-prisms to concentrate solar energy, and rechargeable NiMH batteries. The price tag for this technological wonder? Approximate manufactures' suggested retail price is a cool $117,000.

Global warming effects: A Decrease in Hurricanes?


A new study, from NOAA, says that we may actually see fewer hurricanes in the coming decades.




The new research suggests that the number of hurricanes
each summer could decrease by about 18 percent.



Major hurricanes—those with winds in excess of 110 miles (177 kilometers) an hour—could decline by about 8 percent.



Currently about ten Atlantic hurricanes form—two to three of them major—during an average season, which runs from June 1 to November 30.


One of the ways that global warming could reduce hurricanes is by increasing upper-level winds—known as wind shear—that can inhibit hurricane formation, said lead author Thomas Knutson.



Read the article at National Geographic.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Solar bra brings conservation closer to the heart


I've read lots of interesting ideas on how we can help save the Earth, but this one is quite unusual:



"Ladies, take your battle for the environment a little closer to your heart with a solar-powered bra that can generate enough electric energy to charge a mobile phone or an iPod.

Lingerie maker Triumph International Japan Ltd unveiled its environmentally friendly, and green colored, "Solar Power Bra" on Wednesday in Tokyo which features a solar panel worn around the stomach."

Friday, May 2, 2008

Super MoneyMaker Pump

While "hi-tech" developments are always interesting to read about, sometimes a "low-tech" device can have a big impact. A $100 pump can be used on small farms to help them bring in an extra $1000 profit each year. This could be a great help to farmers in Third World countries that are trying to work their way out of poverty. The pump is by KickStart. Read about it here also.