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Author Archive for Guest Post

The Newest Hybrid Cars to Reduce Environmental Impact

What's new in hybrid carsSpecial feature by Maria Ortega

According to National Geographic, more than half the air pollution in the United States is caused by mobile devices, primarily by automobiles. These greenhouse gases that vehicles emit, such as carbon dioxide, are wreaking havoc on the ozone layer as well as polluting the soil and surface water in many cases.

Bottom line— while cars are an everyday necessity and convenience, they’re not doing the environment any favors. That’s part of the reason why the federal government is offering tax incentives to those who purchase hybrid or electric vehicles, as well as challenging automakers to develop vehicles by 2025 that are able to achieve 55 mpg on the highway. It’s a bold goal but, as you can see from how much cars are responsible for pollution, it’s a necessary one that’s becoming more important.

However, we’ll focus on some of the hybrids and electric vehicles that either greatly reduce or eliminate fuel emissions altogether, both new and used. Here’s a closer look: Read More→

Guide to Government Incentives for Green Commercial Trucks

There are many government incentives for fuel-efficient truck fleetsThere are numerous benefits for utilizing fuel efficient commercial trucks. In addition to being better for the environment, fuel-efficient trucks boosts your company image and positively impacts your bottom line.

While these vehicles are more expensive than their less-efficient counterparts, the U.S. government has set up incentive programs to provide loans, offset costs and offer tax credits and exceptions to help companies outfit their transportation operations with green fleets.

At the federal, regional and state level, there are five types of incentives for those that purchase new commercial vehicles or upgrade in fuel-saving trucking equipment:

  1. Grants
  2. Rebates and vouchers
  3. Low cost loans
  4. Tax credits
  5. Tax exceptions

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Ford MyEnergi Campaign

The Ford MyEnergi campaign is an example of the convergence of home appliances and electric vehicle for conserving energy and greater energy efficiency By Ben Randalls

At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Ford announced the launch of MyEnergi Lifestyle. The auto manufacturer partnered with Whirlpool, SunPower, Eaton and Nest Labs to create a product that connects plug-in vehicles to energy-smart appliances to the same database, instead of going to and from separate places. Once consumers are connected in the MyEnergi Lifestyle database, they can team-up their products with the grid to produce overall household energy efficiency.

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It’s All in Your Tread: The Future of Tires

The future of tires will mean tires made with plant material instead of rubberBy Lily Gregory

Riddle me this: how are dandelions, oranges and sunflowers related to car tires? These three items may be the future of tires and their production. Tire manufacturers are searching for alternative ingredients for tires as the demand for rubber and eco-friendly products increases. Engineering innovation and organic ingredients are ushering in the next era of tires.

It’s All In Your Tread

The carbon footprint of tires can be attributed to gas mileage, rather than the raw materials it’s made from. “We found that 86 percent of the tire’s environmental impact revolves around how it affects fuel consumption,” stated Forrest Patterson, the technical director for tires at Michelin North America, according to the New York Times. He’s stated that raw materials and manufacturing only account for 12 percent of CO2 emissions.

Low rolling resistance tires are one of the most powerful tools in fuel consumption reduction. Continental Tire’s ContiEcoContact tires use long chain rubber polymers to ensure low rolling resistance. As part of the Energy Saver series, HydroEdge with Green X Michelin tires from Discount Tire utilizes mini cuts, called sipes, in the tire tread. According to GreenCarReports.com, sipes minimize heat and rolling resistance. Read More→

Infographic: Home Energy Use in the US

home-energy-use-post-main-imgIn the US, residential energy accounts for 22 percent of our total energy use and a considerable cost to our wallets and the environment. Over the last number of decades our homes have grown consistently bigger but also more efficient, leading to many changes in how much energy we use and how we use it.

Insulation and other efficiencies mean space heating now accounts for a smaller percentage of our home energy use.  As technology continues to be increasingly embedded in our everyday lives however, appliances and electronics are a growing energy cost. Energy use per home has fallen consistently as developments such as energy efficient, multi-pane windows spread. The problem is that the number of homes continues to rise.

Whether because of environmentalism or concerns for energy security, energy and the means by which it is generated are big topics and a concern for many. Electricity, water heating, space heating and air conditioning are all major parts of our home energy use. Perhaps by understanding where energy is used in US homes today, we can get some indications of where we can reduce our use or seek alternative energy sources (such as solar or wind power for example).

US Home Energy Use – An infographic by Green Business Watch

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