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Written by Hank Green on 22/06/06
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Takeo Fukui, Honda's CEO, is getting ready to take on Toyota, and the world, with a line of green vehicles that will surprise the world starting in 2009. Their two-seat Insight was the first ultra-high efficiency hybrid, and now they've converted their Civic to the technology as well. As the price of gas rose, so did Honda's market share. They're not looking to abandon the strategy.
In a monstrous article from Bloomberg, this strategy is laid out, all except for the parts that are kept top-secret by Honda.
Their research budget is the biggest in the car industry, more than $3,000 per vehicle sold, but it's not all going towards their 2009 diesel engine that will be 30% more fuel efficient than today's engines. They're researching robots, genetically engineering sugar cane for ethanol production, bio-plastics for airplane fuselages, and yes, fuel cells, hybrid technology and alternative hydrocarbons.
Honda is certainly on the forefront of the green revolution. So let's all take our hats of to Takeo Fukui who recently said, in an interview, "We'd like to have the brand image as the world's biggest contributor to the environment.'' So take some time to read a couple thousand words at Bloomberg. And if you're gonna invest in a car company, how about the one that invests the most in itself.
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Written by Hank Green on 20/06/06
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Your computer probably has a 300 watt power supply, most do. But your
computer doesn't use 300 watts. It could, if it wanted to, but power
supplies very rarely get maxed out. Usually computers run at around 80
watts, less than your average lightbulb, a remarkable thing,
considering what they can do. Your monitor is a different story. Add
in a 17 inch LCD and you can add in another 60 watts.
But the Fantsuam Foundation of Nigeria has just produced a
computer that can be powered by a single small solar panel with an
output of roughly 8.5 watts. The computer has no moving parts, the
hard drive is solid state flash, which we've touted the power saving
virtues of before.
What's important is that it's possible. The 'Solo' has one gig of
storage, one gig of RAM (both solid state), and a 14 inch monochrome
LCD keeps costs and power use down as well. The system maxes out at
$1,200, a fair price considering that the unit comes with a solar panel
and rechargeable battery. It's a ways off from Negroponte's $130 laptop,
but at 8.5 watts, I'm impressed no matter what the pricetag.
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Written by Hank Green on 20/06/06
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Anything that removes a wire or frees
up an outlet has a place in my office. My battery charge has a
permanent place hanging from my wall charging double and triple A's
that power my wireless mouse, my Sony Librie, my digital camera, various remote controls, etc. But the Everfast USB charger promises to rid my ofice of those wires and free that battery outlet. Unfortunately, my USB
outlets are not in extreme abundance either. But it would be nice to
be able to charge my batteries right here where I sit, and not have to
get up and walk all the way across the room to replace my mouse
batteries.
The chargers accept two batteries at a time, either AA or AAA and
charge nickel metal hydride batteries (always make sure you're using
the right battery with the right charger.)
So, if you want to reduce your heavy metal waste without taking up
extra outlets, or if you're too lazy to leave your workstation to get a
fresh pair of AAA's you might want to look into this.
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Written by Hank Green on 18/06/06
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Popular Science is currently featuring the " 10 steps to end America's fossil fuel addiction. " Their steps make a lot of sense to me and they even quote Amory Lovins, sustainability guru, in their tenth step. So, here are the steps, the details are definitely worth a read: 1 Harness the Wind 2 Make Power where we use Power 3 More Hybrids 4 Better Ethanol 5 More Solar 6 Use Hydrogen 7 Wave Power 8 Geothermal 9 Make gas from Trash 10 Use less energy All together, an excellent article. Nothing in it is controversial or new, but it's exciting to see something so EcoGeek featured so prominently. Possibly the most interesting thing about the article, though, is the excellent graphic by Nick Kaloterakis that shows a gas pump twisted into a light bulb. Upon inspection, howver, it's quite obvious that this 3D model was originally a gas pump twisted into a noose, and it's just been very slightly reworked to look like a light bulb.
I don't actually have permission to use these images, of course, please don't sue me. {mosimage}
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Written by Hank Green on 16/06/06
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{mosimage}And speaking of cell phones...isn't this a beauty! Of course, it's just a concept, but we couldn't help but share. This little phone, about the size of a credit card, was created to be an Eco-Phone. Made out of bamboo, lower power E-Ink display, etc. The concept further pleases the EcoGeek by providing a rewards system for green activities. Designer Nicola Reed says that a phone such as this could be able to analyze the user's day to day impacts on the environment. Based on that analysis, green users are rewarded with free minutes and other bonuses. We don't know that Verizon would buy intosuch a scheme, but Nicola gets props for the idea nonetheless.
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Written by Hank Green on 16/06/06
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{mosimage} We've already seen prototypes for a solar powered MP3 player here at EcoGeek, and a solar cell phone is an obvious next step for the prototypers of the world. Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is a consortion of over 50 technology research firms (most of which are, surprise! German.) Details on their solar powered cell phone are sketchy, and we are skeptical. This would, at best, simply be an alternate method for charging your phone. It wouldn't replace power chords and, unless solar panels get much more efficient (or some mysterious Russian substance saves the day) there simply won't be enough surface area on a phone to power it. Now, we should be fair, phones are getting more efficient all the time. But they're also getting smaller (less room for panels.) I'm ready to say that, if this ever happens, it's five years away. For now, we'll just have to settle for solar backpacks and clothes .
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{mosimage}Whether you're a bustling urbanite or a happy camper (or both) your portable devices need to be charged. The New York City based company Voltaic provides the solution in the form of bags that double as mobile power generators. Three solar panels grace the bags and generate up to 4 watts of power, allowing you to recharge most small electronic devices including: cell phones, cameras, two way radios, PDA's, and MP3s. Unfortunately the bags won't charge your laptop. The award winning bags come with eleven standard adaptors for common cell phones and other devices and a full range of optional adaptors are available on the website. Best of all, is the battery pack containing a 2,200mAh Lithium Ion battery, a voltage converter, built in LED torch and charge indicator. It clips inside the back pocket of the bag and allows you to save the juice for later. In case the forecast is really gray, the battery pack can also be charged using an AC travel charger or car charger (both included). Currently Voltaic offers 4 different models, Backpack, Daypack, Pouch and Messenger and you can customize your bag by choosing the color of the solar panels – silver, orange, green or charcoal. Regardless of which you choose, curious random strangers will stop you and ask "are those solar panels?" giving you an excellent opportunity to speak to the virtues of renewable energy sources.
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{mosimage} The quirky Dutch design studio OOOMS has created a USB 2.0 flash stick housed inside of an...actual stick. While the odd juxtaposition between the computer and the natural stick is a nice way to declare to the world that you are an EcoGeek, there is nothing really environmentally friendly about the product. Each stick is hand picked from the forest. Selected based on natural beauty, no two are alike. Choose from four sizes, 128Mb, 256Mb, 512Mb or 1Gb available at OOOMS website . While you're there check out other clever designs like Rebellious Cabinets, Hairhats and the Anti Gravity Machine.
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Written by Hank Green on 13/06/06
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{mosimage}Make: makes our hearts warm. And Make: writer Gavin Harper can make a fuel cell out of a couple of bandaids . So, listen up, all you need is two bandaids (the kind you would put on a nice big knee scrape,) some steel screen (the kind you would put around your pool in Florida,) some methanol (which, alas, you probably shouldn't have lying around the house) and an MEA (Membrane Electrode Assembly, which you should probably buy, rather than Make.) Follow the simple instructions and, voila, a fuel cell. Just plop a couple drops of methanol on your creation and, voila, .25 volts. Enough to power, well, not much. But still, your very own fuel cell.
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Written by Hank Green on 13/06/06
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Some countries actually use mass transit. Especially countries where urban centers are as densely packed as they are in Japan. East Japan Railway Company servers some 16 million passengers every day. When your citizens use mass transit, it becomes important to make that {mosimage}transit efficient and non-polluting. JR East is working on alternative fuels for it's train system. We've already mentioned their hybrid train technology, but now they're taking another step with a plan to introduce a fuel cell powered train.
Right now they're still in the planning stages, of course. The first trial would have a one-car train pushing 65 mph and emitting only water as its waste. The train will also be 'hybrid' in that electric batteries will also power the train and charge when the train breaks.
The biggest obstacle to the introduction of hydrogen vehicles has always been lack of infrastructure. How many gas stations have you seen with hydrogen pumps? This is less of an obstacle for trains, because there are fewer fueling stations and the fuel cell trains will follow specific lines, but creating the infrastructure will still be a challenge.
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The results of a probably somewhat biased poll given to 1,004 Americans by the world's largest solar-cell producer, Japan's Sharp Electronics Corp show that 80% of Americans want to have solar power as a part of their houses. Two thirds of Americans are willing to pay a premium for solar panels and half said they'd pay 10% more for a house with solar panels. 
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