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
Filed under: DIY
The 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
