Start A Green Living Now!
Green Transportation - Travel
The Green Car Of The Year
The 2011 Chevrolet Volt was awarded the title Green Car of the Year at the recent Los Angeles Auto Show. The Chevrolet Volt is the first electric car to win the prize, which has been handed out every year since 2005 by the Green Car Journal. Additionally, Chevrolet announced that the company is donating $40 million to local environmental projects across the United States. Their goal is to help reduce carbon emissions by 8 million metric tons, which is about the same amount of carbon dioxide emitted in 1 year by the 1.9 million Chevrolet cars that expect to sell in the next year. General Motors vice president for environment, energy, and safety believes that the program is the first of its kind for any automaker. Chevrolet did this to distinguish their brand and encourage consumer confidence in their car. General Motors vice president of marketing in the United States claims that it will take another couple of years for projects to be chosen to receive the donation dollars. Organizations will be able to apply for the grants for projects like putting up small-scale wind energy projects or weatherizing schools. General Motors will determine whether they will extend the program as it ...- Bookmark :
- Digg
- del.icio.us
- Stumbleupon
- Redit it
Advancements In Electric Cars
While steps have been taken to take action against the negative effects that cars have on the environment, there is still much room for improvement. More and more eco-friendly or hybrid cars have been produced but they tend to be unpractical or expensive. It appears that these trends are starting to change. The European Union has enacted strict new regulations in regards to the average carbon dioxide emission from cars. Thus any car manufacturer interested in doing business with Europe has to make an effort to reduce emissions in the cars that they are selling in order to maintain the business. Fortunately, many car manufacturers are taking these new regulations to heart and are putting money toward research to develop environmentally sound vehicles. With this research occurring, we could be seeing a rapid change in the type of vehicles on the road in the near future. Most car manufacturers feel that electric cars are the best way to help the environment and reduce emissions, while Honda and BMW feel that hydrogen is the future of eco-friendly cars. Nissan recently introduced the Nissan Leaf, which is an electric car that looks just like any other family car, but has a range of 100 plus ...- Bookmark :
- Digg
- del.icio.us
- Stumbleupon
- Redit it
Tips for Increasing Your Cars MPG
Even if you don’t drive a hybrid, there are still ways to get more miles per gallon in the car you have. People known as hypermilers compete over how much they can improve their fuel economy by utilizing better driving techniques. These tips make a big difference when it comes to maximizing your miles. Take it easy on the brake: * Avoid breaking hard at traffic lights. * Use the momentum you already have by easing off the gas early and coasting to a stop. * When you turn wide, you don't have to brake as hard so it’s suggested when possible. * Anticipate changes in traffic lights by paying attention to pedestrian walk and do not walk signs, which indicate when the traffic light is going to change. * Always accelerate slowly because flooring the gas pedal wastes gas. Hypermiling before you start the car: * Bike racks are best suited to go on the back of a car. When positioned on the front of a car, bike racks increase drag. * Remove roof racks when not in use. * Check your tire pressure. Tires that aren't properly inflated produce too much friction on the road and slow you down. Note: tire pressure drops with temperature, so be sure to ...- Bookmark :
- Digg
- del.icio.us
- Stumbleupon
- Redit it
Is A Used Car More Eco-Friendly Than A New Car?
If you are debating the merits of purchasing a new car versus a used car and how each impact the environment, check out the following information to consider in your decision. The choice between new and used isn’t definitive and it most certainly depends on your specific circumstances. The general guideline to abide by is if a new vehicle gets superior gas mileage than what your current vehicle can attain, then a new car is probably your best bet. Fuel economy needs to be dramatically better to offset the energy that went into producing and shipping the vehicle. Conversely, the same logic can be applied to a used vehicle in good condition that also achieves better mileage. The downside is that an older vehicle may not deliver optimal fuel performance like it did when it was bought fresh off the lot. FuelEconomy.gov is an excellent resource for conducting a side-by-side comparison of the fuel economy of your current, new or older model vehicles. This website lists current models as well as models all the way back to 1984. When looking to purchase a new car, you also must not forget to consider how you are going to dispose of your current vehicle. ...- Bookmark :
- Digg
- del.icio.us
- Stumbleupon
- Redit it
Pros and Cons of Vegetable Oil as Fuel
The use of vegetable oil to power vehicle engines is gaining popularity. It is also gaining viability as the technology improves. There are both pros and cons involved in using vegetable oil to power vehicle engines, however. Here are some to consider. Pros 1. Abundant - Vegetable oil is everywhere, especially if you include used cooking oil from restaurants. Even conversion kits, which allow you to convert vegetable oil for use in a standard diesel engine, are easily obtained. 2. Cleaner - The burning of vegetable oil does not emit the greenhouse gases that fossil fuel combustion does. 3. Sustainable - Unlike fossil fuels, vegetable oils are a renewable energy source. 4. Efficient - Vegetable oil can provide far greater mileage per gallon that gasoline. It has been said that a car fueled with a combination of diesel and vegetable oil can go nearly 1000 miles between fill-ups. 5. Cost - Vegetable oil can be extremely cheap - free, in fact. This is not only due to the lengthy mileage, but also due to the fact that waste oil can be filtered and used. Cons 1. Cost - Yes, this was a pro but it's also a con. The potential problem is that the cost of vegetable oil ...- Bookmark :
- Digg
- del.icio.us
- Stumbleupon
- Redit it
