Food trucks are eco-friendly for a number of reasons which can be seen here. To encourage the frequency of dining at these small, efficient eateries here are a few websites that show you the location of food trucks (click to go to their website):
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Harley-Davidson announced a new, super-fast, sleek electric motorcycle that is soon to go into production.
( Electric Engine on LiveWire )
Handmade demonstration models of Harley-Davidson’s first electric motorcycle, LiveWire, were shown in New York at an invitation-only event. Harley’s research facility is in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin and it’s designed to go from 0 to 60 in less than four seconds.
( LiveWire on the road )
From a business perspective, it has been said that there is almost zero market for a full-sized electric bike, so one common thought is that Harley has the marketing power to create demand for full-sized electric bikes. Not only is Harley going to generate some demand, they will also work to lower costs, build charging stations, and to improve technology that will in-turn, help all of the players in the market. In 2012 Harley sold 260,000 bikes, and Zero Motorcycles, the top seller of full-sized, high-powered electric bikes sold only 2,400 electric bikes in 2013.
The President of Haley, Matt Levatich said that technology in regards to the electric bikes is expected to improve and that Harley is more interested in the long-term potential than immediate demand. With the increase in sustainability and environmental trends over the years, Levatich explains that these trends are part of the lifestyle and the requirements of riders. Harley’s decision really puts electric motorcycles on the map since no one can tell how big this industry will be or how significant it will be but Harley has the resources to make it humongous.
( Hand-built LiveWire )
( Source: http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140707/LIFE02/407070303/-1/SITEMAP )
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This gem just came on the web, besides the awesome graphic design and the fact that this is paperless environmental education this infographic is just jaw-dropping.
Prepare to be amazed:
L. Kevin and Donna Philippe-Johnson talk about their story here: http://earthstar.newlibertyvillage.com/thinkingsmall.htm
They downsized from an annual income of $42,000 to $6,500 by means of their voluntary creative simplicity.
Here’s an outline:
1. They were a middle class American couple who had an income of $42,000 a year in the 80’s but got sick of dealing with frequent layoffs and the instability of being unemployed and then employed off and on.
2. They decided to drastically cut expenses by moving to the country where they also met plenty of like-minded people.
3. Kevin and Donna decided to shake loose from the things holding them down and paid off all of their debt, cancelled credit cards, and followed an efficient financial plan to track every penny.
4. This led them to be able to save a little bit of money, so they decided that the next thing to do would be to change their eating habits to stay strong and healthy. They broke away from fast-food, pre-packed food and even prescription medicine to eating organic whole grains, fruits, vegetables and more.
5. They set up a special savings account for emergency first-aid treatment so that they could stop paying health insurance premiums.
6. Of course, the cell phone, cable television and internet bills were the next thing to go.
7. Eventually they began their “simple life” when they set up a dome tent to live in. They “happily lived in [their] tent that summer while clearing the land and constructing a rustic 10’ by 12’ room with a sleeping loft” on a pay-as-you-go plan.
8. The couple then build an underground cistern for collecting rainwater and finally, a 500 square foot cabin. Kevin took drafting, dish washing, courier, and other jobs to pay for the little cabin.
9. Kevin and Donna spent the next few years working towards their goals, building things, growing crops, spending quality time with one another and “replaced all of the costly false values that had occupied [their]time before”
10. In the end, the couple felt independent and truly self-reliant. Surprisingly enough, Kevin realized that the only thing he truly loved to do was to bake his own whole-grain sourdough bread to give away to his friends and family. He then came to the conclusion that he should stay at home and bake bread to sell to their neighbors. This provided for him and his wife. He also wrote this story to tell others that “little things” like baking bread for a neighborhood can be financially supportive and can make some people happier.
Recently, a NASA “mega-rocket” and a spacecraft video was posted on the web and it explained that NASA plans to test this new rocket later this year. This would be the “largest and most powerful rocket in history” so Orion will fly farther than any other spacecraft has in 40 years. Experts say that Orion has a somewhat old-fashioned design which is reliable as well as cost effective. Orion can also stay in space for over 6 months.
Orion is designed to deliver up to four astronauts even further into the solar system than ever before. Orion might go to the moon, asteroids and eventually Mars. For those familiar with the Space Launch System (SLS) seen here:
This is an artist rendering of an SLS that is planned to launch the MPCV.
British Airways is partnering with Solena Fuels to build the world’s first landfill waste to jet fuel conversion facility. The project will be based out of Thames Enterprise Park, which is located on a part of the former Coryton oil refinery in Thurrock, Essex.
Through an innovative and revolutionary process, Solena Fuels will convert approximately 575,000 tons of post-recycled waste to 120,000 tons of clean burning liquid fuels thus diverting over half a million tons of waste from landfills or incineration facilities. British Airways has made a long term commitment to purchase all 50,000 per annum of the jet fuel produced at market competitive rates, representing 2% of their overall fuel consumption with hopes of obtaining 10% of its fuel from the waste-to-energy process. Willie Walsh, chief executive of British Airways’ parent company IAG said:
“We are always striving to reduce our impact on climate change and this first-of-its-kind project marks a significant step for the aviation industry. The construction of the GreenSky London fuel facility at Thames Enterprise Park will lay the foundations for British Airways to reduce its carbon emissions significantly. The sustainable jet fuel produced each year will be enough to power our flights from London City Airport twice over with carbon savings the equivalent of taking 150,000 cars off the road. Solena has been developing the project and will be using its patented high temperature plasma gasification technology to convert the waste efficiently into synthetic gas. The gas will then be converted into liquid hydrocarbons using third party technologies which will include cleaning and conditioning of the gas, a Velocys Fischer-Tropsch conversion process, hydrocracking and electric power production. With the initial engineering design completed, Solena and its partners are now starting the next phase of engineering of the GreenSky London facility.”
Even though flights will not be taking off any time soon, consumers should feel relieved that leading companies are taking the initiative and looking for alternative, sustainable fuel options.
To learn more about Solena’s Fuel Solution, including Velocys Fischer-Tropsch conversions and hydrocracking, please visit http://www.solenafuels.com/index.php/our-solution
For a video of Willie Walsh, CEO of IAG (parent company of British Airways) discussing the new project visit British Airways’ YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF5YzmQzL3Y
3D printing may be all the rage in design, but for Big Tech, drones are where the money is. On Monday, web giant Google beat out Facebook in a race to acquire Titan Aerospace, a solar-powered drone manufacturer. Although Google claims the drones will be used for the forces of good, such as broadcasting Internet signals to remote areas, some worry that the high-flying drones may pose troublesome consumer privacy implications.
New Mexico-based drone maker Titan Aerospace specializes in the creation of high-altitude solar-powered drones. “It’s still early days, but atmospheric satellites could help bring Internet access to millions of people, and help solve other problems, including disaster relief and environmental damage like deforestation,” said a Google spokesman in an email to AFP. Google also plans to use the high-flying drones to assist their ongoing Project Loon, which uses giant balloons to broadcast Internet signals, as well as Makani, a project to build an energy-efficient airborne wind turbine.
The drones may also be used to enhance Google Earth’s aerial imagery capabilities. According to Titan, its drones can stay airborne for up to five years without the need for routine maintenance. The search engine giant’s continued foray into drone investing mirrors similar gambits by other high-profile consumer-based businesses such as Amazon’s proposed drone delivery service and Facebook’s similar plans to deliver Internet via drones to third-world countries.
The country’s first all-electric school bus began transporting students to and from Kings Canyon Unified school district in central California. The new electric vehicle is a modified SST Trans Tech Bus with an electric powertrain from Motiv Power Systems. The electric bus is estimated to save the school district around 16 gallons of fuel a day, which equates to a total annual savings of $11,000. For a school district like Kings Canyon, which serves one of the largest geographical areas in California, these savings are quite significant.
The pilot project was the result of collaboration between Motiv Power Systems and Trans Tech Bus Company and the California Air Resources Board, which contributed $400,000 cost-saving vouchers to the ambitious project. Thanks to a federal highway program, three more electric buses are on their way to the Kings Canyon district and similar programs are in the works in both Chicago and New York.
Although the initial cost of an electric bus is much higher than the traditional gas-guzzling bus, electric buses offer long term savings such as lifelong fuel and maintenance costs, not to mention the reduction of harmful greenhouse gases. According to founder and CEO of Motive Power Systems, “The buses cost about twice as much as a comparable gas bus, but cost 1/8 as much to fuel and 1/3 as much to maintain,” he said. “In the life of a school bus, 2-3 times the cost of the vehicle is spent on fuel and maintenance.”
The smaller electric buses hold up to hold 25 students and are equipped with four or five battery packs that allow for a range of 80 to 100 miles. Although the smaller buses were refitted for the pilot program, full-size electric bus fleets are also being considered for an all-electric makeover in the future.
Brammo did for electric motorcycles what Tesla did for electric cars by creating a high performance vehicle that is both environmentally-friendly and aesthetically pleasing. For 2014, the company has gone above and beyond to make their new Empulse model lighter, faster, and even kinder to the earth. What’s more, because the bike now meets EU regulations, it will soon go on sale in the UK and across Europe.
Aesthetically, the bike is very much the same as the original model, but it weighs 10 pounds less and reaches a new top speed of 110 mph. Two Continental SportAttack tires, which keep the bike glued to the tarmac and enhances performance, while an adjust riding position provides added comfort and control.
The Empulse has the same water-cooled engine and six speed gearbox that was in last year’s model, which ensures the same great efficiency and reduced running costs. Its battery charges from 20 to 80 percent in under two hours at a Level 2 public charging station and boasts a city range of 128 miles and 58 miles on the highway. Riders who hit both can expect an 80 mile range.
A redesigned LCD dashboard, which includes vital information such as speed, rpm, battery charge, energy usage, and estimated range, makes it easier to keep track of the bike’s performance while in use. But don’t worry: despite the enhancements, prices will stay the same. The Empulse will go for $16,995, while the Empulse R will cost $18,995. In the off-chance you’ve never heard of Brammo, it might be time to check them out, especially if you have an interest in high-performance vehicles that any adrenaline junkie would be proud to own.
The Rally Fighter electric vehicle is set to be the first direct digitally manufactured vehicle to debut at the 2014 International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago, which takes place in September. The 3D-printed Rally Fighter designed by a global community will be built to meet the city’s growing urban transportation needs. “IMTS is the perfect venue on which to showcase the next evolution of Local Motors’ World of Vehicle Innovations,“ said Local Motors CEO Jay Rogers. “To deliver the first co-created, locally relevant, 3D-printed vehicle on an international stage dedicated to celebrating cutting-edge manufacturing technology is powerful reinforcement of our commitment to driving the Third Industrial Revolution.” Local Motors is set to change the way we think about buying cars, since its business model focuses on building small scale vehicles that are actually designed by potential customers. A few other automakers are doing similar projects, but most of those Rolls-Royce and Bugatti models are far out of reach for the average consumer. Local Motors hopes that its crowdsourced cars will make customized vehicles more accessible to more people.
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