Just how environmentally friendly are electric vehicles?

Hey all,

I just had to share this with you, remember we had some discussions about electric car, and many people still seem to think that we would be just shifting the problem. Well, the research has now been done, and looking at LCA of the whole electric car, including the batteries. You can find the article, very interesting outcomes: Just how environmentally friendly are electric vehicles?

Obviously, electric cars are winning the fight, even though researchers had only looked at coal, nuclear and gas electric power, and also they assumed that electric technology would remain same, and also assumed current oil prices.
What do you guys think?

The underwear washing machine.

Designer: Yoon Kisang

Reusing water is what's best for underwear. Seriously basically everyone wears underwear and most of those people have clean underwear on, or at least underwear that was clean when they put them on. Mr. Klein uses reused and reusable water. It doesn't need a restrictive hose coming on into it. It's all transportable. It uses the water, filters the water, then uses that water again. And you know you should be washing your underwear regularly so you'd better get on top of this.

'Green tax' push resumes

Hi all,

Another good article with some good news, this time in Thailand: 'Green tax' push resumes . I think this could be a real win win situation, as companies and industries would be able to invest easier in green technology and waste management, and the government would not spend so much cleaner after those dirty industries, and instead concentrate themselves on other green energy and technology promotion. Really hope that they don't slow down this bill anymore, and also hope that home owners would get some tax incentives regarding solar panel equipment and such.

Obama says electric car battery prices to tumble

Hi guys,

This a good article. Please read it here: Obama says electric car battery prices to tumble. I think that it's very good that the US government is supporting the battery industry, as we know the electric cars are going to take over the market. As they are all predicting, the prices will go down. I just hope they do have come up with proper regulations on recycling, as obviously that would be major issue. Also, charging of the electric cars should be from renewable energy to make them even more greener.

Solar Concept Tent

The Orange tent is a concept idea which aims to be the "Tent of the Future". It was designed by Orange and is covered with fabric solar panels allowing you to make sure your essential gadgets can always be kept charged.
The Tent Concept harnesses solar energy by using photovoltaic fabric around the top of the tent. This power is then channelled down to a wireless charging pouch where you can place your phone and other similar gadgets to keep charged. The fabric that captures the energy also moves to match the direction of the sun to harness it's rays at all times of the day.

Read more at : http://www.gadgetvenue.com/orange-solar-concept-tent-06233617/

Nokia Unveils Bike-Powered Cell Phone Chargers

Nokia has released a padal powered cell phone charger kit slated for developing nations where the power supply is limited, unreliable or expensive. The kit includes a bottle-dynamo, like the ones used to power a bike light, plus a cell phone holder that attaches to the handlebars. Nokia hopes to begin selling the kits by the end of 2010 for around 15 euros in countries that have a large bicycling population. These dynamos are great sources of renewable and human power and make it that much easier for people to want to choose biking as their main mode of transportation.

Nokia says that charging times will vary according to they cyclist as the phone, but riding for a mere 10 minutes about 6 mph (10 kph) will produce enough power for 28 minutes of talk time or 37 hours of atandby time. You can even go as slow as 4 mph and still rechange your phone, although it will certainly take longer to charge it. The device is designed for any phone with a 2 mm charger jack.

The first powered chargers will be made avaliable in Kenya for around 15 euros and then go on sale later this year worldwide. When they unveiled the charger, Nokia also showed off four new cell phones designed for developing nations where the electricity supply is limited. The handsets are designed to have a long battery life with six weeks worth of standby time.

Sugar > Electricity

In Florida, a sugar mill facility called Florida Crystals powers their business operation and 60,000 homes with electricity generated from burning bagasse (and wood waste when it is not sugar cane season).

The reason sugar cane can be used to make sugar and generate electricity is that it is very efficient in converting sunlight into energy. Florida Crystals estimates it saves hundreds of thousands of tons of carbon emissions by burning bagasse to run its facility, rather than fossil fuels. It is one of the largest sugar producers in the U.S. and runs the largest biomass plant in North America.

read full article at http://green.yahoo.com/blog/care2/23/sugar-can-make-electricity.html;_ylt=Am9emfK_3IZFc9T4qWvYNu6AV8cX