Environmental Review for July 2008

Posted by Pixelhead

A shorter list this month than June’s Environmental Links, but still some very interesting environmental resources.

From Stumbleupon

From Sustainablog.com comes Low Impact Living: 10 Ways to Cut Home Energy Consumption. Some really good energy conservation tips. Do you hang your clothes instead of using a dryer? I also found out about using solar screens on your windows to cut up to 75% of the solar heat you get from the sun beating on your windows.
Twenty-five Reasons to go Reusable which gives a strong case to not use those handy little plastic bags, which have been outlawed in many countries.
SEQL.org has 100 Ways to Save the Environment. Check out the list and see how many of these you can do to help.

A Norwegian company is ready to bring its electric cars to the US market, and hopefully will start introducing them to the US market sometime in 2009.

A great video which was made of a 12 year old girl quite a while ago, who was giving a speech to the UN.

From Paul of Newhomesection.com I found out about The Story Of Stuff. It is a really cool video about our society. Check out The Story of Stuff. I dare you.

From Toyday’sGizmos.com we find out about compostable paper plates made from leaves.

From Treehugger.com Newsletter, I learned about Volkswagons’ limited edition 1-Liter Car, and via the comments in the post, I learned about the Aptera, which is a hybrid car made by a small company that gets well over 300 miles to the gallon, but will only be available in California, and is classified as a motorcycle. You Californians can check out their site and reserve one today!

Via one of my many newsletters I came across the Greenlivingtips.com solar water heater guide. I also read an interesting post about the oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens, who is investing in wind power.

One of the readers submitted a link to a heating and cooling calculator, which is a good idea to know how much you are spending.

I also signed the petition at Care2’s petition site to Break America’s Addiction to Oil.

For July 2008 that is the environmental news post, if you have some environmental news you would like to share, please leave a comment.

Technorati Tags: environment

Written by Pixelhead on July 16th, 2008 with 36 comments.
Read more articles on Environment

Wired Electric Car Article (August 20th, 2008)
Environmental Resources for August 2008 (August 15th, 2008)
The Story of Stuff (June 24th, 2008)
Environment Links and News for June 2008 (June 16th, 2008)
Save Some Trees for the Squirrels (May 29th, 2008)

36 comments

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WebChicklet
#1. July 16th, 2008, at 6:54 PM.

I’d buy that Think Ox electric car in a heartbeat! I’m not quite sure I believe that article’s statement that there isn’t a market in America for electric cars. I think it’s more about not giving us enough choice, and that may be due to (conspiracty theory coming…) oil companies running scared. In any case, I have a hard time believing they couldn’t find a lot of buyers for affordable electric cars.

Ok, now I’m off to check out the other links, especially the solar powered water heater one. That sounds promising.

Pixelhead
#2. July 16th, 2008, at 7:35 PM.

Thanks for stopping by WebChicklet…love your site, I know where I am going for some CSS Help.

Discount DSLRs
#3. July 17th, 2008, at 12:15 AM.

Man, I’m well over 6 feet tall, not sure if I could fit into that little hybrid thingy! Cool list, though.

Wayne
#4. July 17th, 2008, at 1:30 AM.

I wonder if I could wrap the entire west facing side of my house in that charcoal solar screen…that would be just super. Its hotter than hell in this house, and it’s all on the west side thanks to the positioning of everything around here.

Excellent find on the 100 ways too! There’s a lot of common sense stuff in there that you just don’t consider sometimes. Each little thing adds up though.

Funny thing, we used to get letters from people trying to make a genealogical connection to T Boone Pickens. Pickens is the family name on my mothers side. Unfortunately, we are not related either. I did my tree when Ancestry.com came out. It always feels weird reading or hearing about him.

So, I grind each day…it’s the life.

Pixelhead
#5. July 17th, 2008, at 1:45 AM.

That would be cool if you were related to T Boone Pickens though.

Colin
#6. July 17th, 2008, at 9:04 AM.

I always said I wouldn’t get a car until they were environmentally better. then there was all that rubbish last year about electric cars actually being worse for the environment… I’m hoping that was just propaganda put out by the oil companies…

Wayne
#7. July 17th, 2008, at 4:03 PM.

Found this:
http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080506/MULTIMEDIA02/80505016

Thought of your post. It’s a flash slideshow about plastic bags, and why we should begin using cloth bags instead. I thought it made a good statement and fit well with your post.

Utah Personal Injury Lawyers
#8. July 17th, 2008, at 4:52 PM.

I once was a student at an interior design college and one of the things I found fascinating to study was turning a home into a Green home. It was a fascinating process! The part that shocked me is how inexpensive it is especially when you consider how much money you will save in your monthly bills. It really is a minimal investment for a ton of future savings.

business networking
#9. July 17th, 2008, at 6:45 PM.

Interesting info, but none of them will ever work. Not the cars, not the biodegradable shopping bags, not air drying your clothes.

The reason why is that you can’t reverse technology. Once technology has been developed, the only way to eliminate that technology is to make it obsolete by creating something better. For example, “Low Impact Living: 10 Ways to Cut Home Energy Consumption” talks about:
1. keep refrig closed
2. air dry clothes
3. get solar screens on windows
4. spend one night each week with candlelight (that’s the funniest of all of them)
5-10 etc.

These are a joke. Yes they save a tiny bit of energy, but this is not solving the problem. It’s putting a bandaid on a gun shot wound. If you want to solve the problem, you create an open source platform where 100k+ scientist, engineers, businesses can share information on how to develop cleaner, more efficient, and less expensive alternative to fossil fuels.

When we get something that is better, people will switch over by choice. Sorry, guys, this is the only option to fixing our broken planet.

Forrest
#10. July 17th, 2008, at 7:11 PM.

I’d love to comment on a lot more, but need to get some work done. Still, while I’m waiting for this SQL index to build, I’m reading one of my preferred blogs … and thanks for doing these environmental posts, by the way! I keep telling people that when we’ve polluted all the air, I’ll have nothing left to photograph.

Seattle, my home town, is getting ready for the public discussion phase of implementing a $0.25 or $0.50 cent tax on those little plastic bags you get at the corner store or supermarket. I’ve got mixed feelings … it’s easy enough not to need them. Most of the time I go to the store, it’s only for a few key items, and I carry them by home. I make a point of bringing a backpack otherwise, since I’m generally traveling by bike. There are a few cases when it would be an inconvenience, and cost me half a buck - I can live with that. Sadly, I have a feeling people will revolt. I get the sense that any sacrifice at all is too much; even if most people could accept it, individually, we get dumb in big groups.

Pixelhead
#11. July 17th, 2008, at 11:31 PM.

Colin, Lets hope they do as Business Networking suggest below and start spending a ton more on RD to make them more viable.

Wayne, thanks for the plastic bag link. Banning plastic bags just makes sense.

UPIL, I am seriously thinking green when any of my future home modifications are being made. I can see some sort of solar water heating system for sure. It would be really sweet to be able to pump some electricity back into the grid.

Forrest, Maybe a petition should be started that encourages a national tax on plastic bags. Groups can be both negative and positive at the same time. Perhaps the tipping point has come for plastic bags? Just found the Ban all Plastic Bags Now petition, which I also signed. OH, Kudos to Seattle and all the other locations that have passed anti-plastic bag legislation.

Goran
#12. July 18th, 2008, at 5:46 AM.

Excellent post! Nice to have people aware, and promoting awareness! The plastic bag issue is one that urgently needs adressing. There is a continent sized plastic litter concentration in the pacific ocean, where natural currents are causing the litter to converge. Sickening stuff!

JB
#13. July 18th, 2008, at 1:32 PM.

Nice post. I enjoyed the video. What a very well - spoken young lady!

Bowers Industrial Sales, Inc
#14. July 18th, 2008, at 2:51 PM.

If only all 12 year olds could have the same thought process! And interesting looking car, I’m sure that would stand out on the road!

Paul
#15. July 18th, 2008, at 5:21 PM.

Those cars are incredible. I am not sure if they are saying that the car will cost more or less than $25K. I hope it will be less expensive so everyone can afford them.

Pixelhead
#16. July 18th, 2008, at 6:12 PM.

I agree that would be really sweet if they could make electric cars available to larger economic base.

Patrick
#17. July 19th, 2008, at 11:08 AM.

Great List of links. The Aptera is such a great idea for a car. It’s extremely efficient and still has enough room for 15 grocery bags.

tammy powell
#18. July 21st, 2008, at 3:15 PM.

I learned about the aptera which is a hybrid car. Made by a small company that gets well over 300 miles to per gallon. Have a wonderful day.

Always Tired
#19. July 21st, 2008, at 3:57 PM.

WOW that car was cool looking. I’d like to have one, although I don’t know exactly what I’d do with it.

Cotto vs Margarito
#20. July 22nd, 2008, at 2:21 AM.

My 2008 top 3 alternative car:

e-jeepney - electric commuter transpo in the Philippines
tesla - an electric supercar
volt - mainstream american car

Davin
#21. July 22nd, 2008, at 4:11 AM.

The 10 tips to Cut Home Energy Consumption from Sustainablog.com are great points. I just read about how to use AC efficiently. One of the point I note well is don’t set AC to very low temperature (16-18 Celcius). Lower temperatur need higher energy.

Niccolo Svengali
#22. July 23rd, 2008, at 12:39 PM.

Want to save the Earth?

Stop buying things just to salve emotional sores. Buy second-hand if you can, and use things until they wear out.

CholestaPro
#23. July 25th, 2008, at 2:56 PM.

Wonderful review you made and with useful links. That young girls speech at UN is astonishing and am surprised at it.

Gary (aka Old Dude)
#24. July 25th, 2008, at 9:00 PM.

I have no problem giving up the throw-a-way plastic bags, and have switched to those neat paper bags with handles—but NOW having read that paper bags are not exactly all that great either am in a quandry—–where does one find to purchase reusable cloth bags. Do they come in large sizes, I usually have about 4 paper bags full when I return from the store? (right now trying to think if I know anybody that knows how to do macrame—(heh heh, heh)

Gary (aka Old Dude)
http://threescoreplusten.blogspot.com/

Eva White
#25. July 28th, 2008, at 11:07 AM.

I really liked the 25 reasons to go…
Plastic bags are truly strangling the Earth and we don’t seem to be doing a thing.

Kids GPS
#26. July 28th, 2008, at 5:45 PM.

The plastic bag thing gets me all the time. Ever since I was in gradeschool I have always requested a paper bag. Now that we have re-usable bags, why would you use anything else?

Chris
#27. July 28th, 2008, at 11:34 PM.

LOVE the screens! Those would be great in my house, my air conditioner won’t shut off in the extreme summer heat! And they are a great price.

Web Services India
#28. July 29th, 2008, at 1:26 PM.

I’m glad to know that you are in the favour of environment friendly practices. Surely your efforts will inspire a lot of people. I also like to contribute in such practices as these are for the good of humanity.
http://www.web-services-india.com

Pixelhead
#29. July 29th, 2008, at 4:39 PM.

If I inspire some people that would be groovy. I think the environment needs all the help it can get.

Jay @ Advance
#30. July 30th, 2008, at 6:23 PM.

The Aptera seems like it could have a lot of success in any US market. Why is it only being sold in California? A seriously fuel-efficient car that is either aesthetically pleasing or particularly comfortable would be a cash cow, especially given current gas prices. People are interested in buying green; you just have to give them a reason.

Saratoga Picks
#31. July 30th, 2008, at 8:41 PM.

Yea I could definitely use one of those cars right now..At least oil prices seem to be coming down a bit now..

trendy colored laptops
#32. July 30th, 2008, at 11:02 PM.

Oh my, that Aptera car looks like a space ship. I wish I could drive one here in Illinois. Talk about show-stopper.

Travel blogs
#33. August 5th, 2008, at 7:03 PM.

WOW that car was cool looking. I like this post very much..its like the future.

Natur-Tec
#34. August 14th, 2008, at 6:59 AM.

Excellent post! It’s nice to see people aware of plastic bags which causes harm to our environment.it’s better to go for Biodegradable bags which can be reused.

Pixelhead
#35. August 14th, 2008, at 1:17 PM.

Natur-Tec, thanks for stopping by…great site by the way…I’ll feature your site in the August Environment post, as biodegradable bags are certainly an alternative.

Mention from Pixelheadonline.com
#36. August 15th, 2008, at 4:42 PM.

Environmental Resources for August 2008 - My Online World: of plastic bags has come up on more than one occasion. Yesterday, a comment was left on the July ...

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