Project Green Planet


Sodabot
June 29, 2007, 11:52 am
Filed under: DIY

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Pretty cool picture taken by Thomas. You might want to try it out yourself.

Source: beta.zooomr.com/photos/thomashawk



2007 Honda Accord Hybrid
June 29, 2007, 3:55 am
Filed under: Motoring

Cheat the Wind. Cherish the Air.

What you want is a high-end luxury vehicle with all the accoutrements. What you need is a car that takes it easy on the environment.

What you should get? The 2007 Accord Hybrid. Honda’s history of driver-focused design ensures the Accord Hybrid will satisfy your inner need for speed with a 253-horsepower V-6 engine. The great news is that scintillating performance comes at no sacrifice to economy, because the gas engine is complemented by an integrated electric motor as part of the Integrated Motor Assist (IMA™) System. The Accord also makes you a very comfortable creature with supple leather trim and an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. A clean AT-PZEV emissions rating means the environment shares your smile.

Isn’t it nice to want what you need?

Get a complete brochure for the 2007 Accord Hybrid.

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Source: honda.com



2007 Honda Civic Hybrid
June 29, 2007, 3:45 am
Filed under: Motoring

The stylish Civic Hybrid is definitely green. But when it comes to fitting your lifestyle, this technological marvel is also true-blue.

Smart Honda thinking has earned the revolutionary Civic Hybrid its Advanced Technology Partial Zero-Emission Vehicle (AT-PZEV) rating. You save on gas. The environment thanks you. But that’s not the end of the story. Its IMA battery pack comes with an 8-year/80,000-mile warranty, or a 10-year/150,000-mile warranty in CA,CT, MA, ME, NY or VT. † See your dealer for details. That means you will be enjoying great gas mileage along with high-tech amenities—like the two-tier instrument panel, and available navigation system—for a good long time.

Get a complete brochure for the 2007 Civic Hybrid.

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Source: honda.com



Build slower cars, save the planet: British politician
June 28, 2007, 5:52 am
Filed under: News

BRUSSELS – Cars sold in the European Union should be built so they cannot drive faster than 162 kilometres per hour to cut carbon dioxide emissions from driving, a Member of the European Parliament has proposed.

Chris Davies, a British MEP, said cars should not be able to drive any faster than 25 percent above 130 km/h – the speed limit in most of the EU’s 27 member states – from 2013.

“Driving a car (faster than) that is against the law in every country but Germany,” he said. “It’s nonsense. I believe it needs to be countered.”

His non-binding proposal could influence parliament’s opinion ahead of new CO2 legislation for cars expected from the European Commission in the next year. Davies also recommends giving the auto industry more time to improve motor technology.

The Commission plans to propose new rules by mid-2008 to force carmakers to cut emissions from new cars to an average of 130 grams of CO2 per kilometre across the fleet by 2012 through improved engine technology.

Davies’ report suggests moving that date back to 2015 but with a target of 120 g/km. It also suggests longer-term targets of 95 g/km by 2020 and 70 g/km by 2025.

EU environment ministers meeting on Thursday are expected to ask the Commission to set out CO2 targets for road vehicles for 2020 as part of the bloc’s efforts to fight global warming.

Source: nzherald.co.nz



DIY: Recycling Floppy Disks
June 28, 2007, 5:18 am
Filed under: DIY

floppydisk1.jpgThe floppy disk was the medium of choice during the 80’s and 90’s, they are now relegated to landfill, and cost dollars to dispose of correctly. People are great at finding ways to recycle and are making the floppy disk into something useful! Instructables has a great ‘how-to’ on how to make stuff out of floppy disks. Try your hand at making a bag or if that is too much for you get some crafty geekery for your home office with this floppy disk pen holder from Etsy. Others ideas for re-using these floppy disks include, notepads like this or this and there is a simple little ‘how-to’ at gear log for these and more fun floppy disk geekery, but for something slightly more stylish try this bag.

Source: treehugger.com



County’s firms urged to go green
June 27, 2007, 8:21 am
Filed under: Company

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Local businesses in Cornwall are being asked to go green.

The organisers of Cornwall Business Week want companies to pledge to be more environmentally friendly.

Organised by Cornwall Pure Business and Cornwall Enterprise, the Grow Greener campaign encourages firms to reduce car use and turn off lights and computers.

More than 50 companies have already signed up, including BBC Radio Cornwall as part of its Planet Cornwall campaign.

The organisers are hoping to have many more pledges by the end of the week.

Source: news.bbc.co.uk



Schools to plant three trees each
June 27, 2007, 6:44 am
Filed under: School

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: All 10,000 schools nationwide have been directed to plant at least three trees each.

Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said he decided on this move as he was touched that children were concerned about the environment.

Hishammuddin also planted a sapling at the school.

His ministry, he added, would work with the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry on which trees would be suitable.

Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk S. Sothinathan, who was present, said his ministry would give full support to the project.

On the campaign, Hishammuddin said he was proud that a group of students from Malaysia, who were members of the Tree Theatre Group, had taken up the challenge of working with others all over the world to celebrate World Tree Day on Sept 27 next year.

The theatre group performed an eco-play and song titled Tears of Trees at the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Tunza International Children’s Conference on the Environment in Malaysia last year.

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Source: thestar.com.my



IKEA & the Environment – An Interview with Anders Berglund
June 27, 2007, 1:53 am
Filed under: Interview

anders_berglund1.jpgAnders Berglund is the co-owner of IKEA Seattle, the popular Swedish-based home furnishing retailer. Earth Share of Washington (ESW) recently interviewed Mr. Berglund regarding IKEA’s leadership in the areas of sustainable design, resource conservation, & forestry, and IKEA Seattle’s strides to become a better corporate steward of the natural world.

IKEA is probably best known for its cutting edge home furnishings at affordable prices, featuring modern designs with a Scandanavian flair. Perhaps lesser known are IKEA’s social and environmental initiatives. Their focus is on designing products that use fewer raw materials and create less waste. By working in close cooperation with their suppliers, they can monitor all aspects of a product’s life, from choice of raw material through production and distribution. IKEA does not accept wood from intact natural forests or from forests with a clearly defined high conservation value. Instead, they source all wood from verified, well-managed forests that have been certified according to a forest management standard.

This spring, Earth Share of Washington linked IKEA Seattle with the NW Biodiesel Network, so that they can begin to recycle the waste cooking oil from their cafe and turn it into biodiesel, a clean and renewable vehicle fuel.

(more)

Source: esw.org



What makes Ikea different?
June 27, 2007, 1:42 am
Filed under: Company

bagthebag1.gif Since we began our initiative to reduce plastic bag use in our store, charging 5¢ for each plastic bag a customer uses, we have sold 36,571 plastic bags, and that means $1,828.55 in money donated to American Forests! According to early estimates we are reducing plastic bag consumption by 80-90% at IKEA stores across North America. Thank you to IKEA Seattle customers for helping us “Bag the Bags” and help American Forests.

IKEA is asking our customers to join us in reducing plastic bags usage by 50% – from 70 million to 35 million in the first year. On March 15th, 2007 we began charging 5 cents for every “throw-away” plastic bag. All proceeds* from the first year of this program will be donated to American Forests, the nation’s oldest non-profit conservation organization, to plant trees and offset CO2 emissions.

WHY? The amount of plastic shopping bags that we all use once and toss is overwhelming…..

- The average family of 4 accumulates 1460 plastic shopping bags a year
- 100 billion are given away each year in the US
- Plus it can take up to 1000 years for a plastic bag to break down in the environment.

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE! IKEA has a great alternative to “throw-away” plastic bags- the IKEA Blue Bag. We’ve reduced the price on this large, reusable and durable bag to 59 cents. One of these bags can replace hundreds of “throw-away” plastic bags and has lots of great uses!

* A maximum contribution of $1,750,000 within 12 months

Source: ikea.com



A Philips Green Product Showcase
June 27, 2007, 12:30 am
Filed under: Products

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TL’D Super 80 NG lamps are a low-pressure mercury discharge lamps with a clear tubular 26mm envelope. Environment and business efficiency benefits over TL(D) standard colours include: 30% brighter light, 20% longer life time, 80% mercury reduction and higher colour rendering.

>> Click for Detailed Specification PDF

Website: philips.com.my