Filed under: Diesel, Green Culture, Hybrid, Lexus, Toyota

We’ve all seen the assorted tinsletown glitterati rolling up to award shows and premiers in their shiny new hybrids. Some of them like Ed Begley, Jr. and Darryl Hannah are genuine greenies. Others not so much. So why do so many celebrities show up in Priuses instead of stretched limos when the cameras are turned on? Look no further than the EMA.

EMA is a non-profit that is funded at least in part by Toyota and Lexus, CNN reports. The Japanese company has spent about $100,000,000 marketing their hybrid technology over the past decade with at least some of that money going to convince the likes of Pierce Brosnan, Blythe Danner, and Ted Turner to show up in their products. So far Toyota is still well ahead in their promotional efforts compared to the Europeans like Mercedes and Volkswagen that are pushing new diesels but that may change in the next year as many of the new BlueTec diesels hit the streets.

[Source: CNN]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Filed under: Flex-Fuel, Hybrid, Hydrogen, Ford

Some future and current Ford vehicles will be part of the first Brighton to London eco-rally on June 5 – World Environment Day.

While the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run marks the abolition of the ‘Red Flag Act’ requiring a man on foot to precede motorised vehicles, next month’s eco-rally follows the route in reverse to bring tomorrow’s alternative fuel technologies to the capital.

A Ford hydrogen-powered FocusFuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) will be the centrepiece of the blue oval’s line up crossing the Trafalgar Square finish line. The Ford Explorer FCV prototype will be Europe’s first glimpse of the latest North America-developed fuel cell system achieving a range of 350 miles on the zero-emission fuel.

Accompanying the FCV will be the Focus Flexifuel cars, representing the only real low-carbon models that are on sale now: Ford Focus and C-MAX Flexifuel bioethanol/gasoline cars. The Focus was the first Flexifuel car on sale in Britain and in early 2008 Flexifuel versions of the new Ford Mondeo plus S-MAX and Galaxy models will be put on sale by Ford.

More about the eco-rally here.

[Source: Revolve]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

If coffee (or tea) is part of your daily routine, skip the paper cup and sleeve and bring your own.

Here's a few tips on features I find useful in a travel mug:

A leak-proof, no-spill top. Look for a lid that fits secure and has a snap-top closure (ie. something that covers the little drinking hole.) This feature will allow you to carry around a full cup without sloshing it about, plus the remnants that remain at the bottom won't spill out in your bag or the backseat of your car when you're finished.

If you're unsure whether the cup you're looking at passes, try the water test (either in the store if they're cool with it, or check the return policy to make sure you can bring it back if it doesn't.) Fill the mug with water, snap the lid securely in place, turn upside down and shake it around a bit. If it doesn't leak or spill you're in business.

Stainless steel. There are a lot of plastic travel mug options out there (first check to make sure it PVC free if going that route). Plastic is lightweight, which makes them easy to carry around, but can crack easily when dropped. Plastic also doesn't keep the beverage warm for very long.

Ceramic is another option (especially if it is lined with stainless steel). It is sturdy and durable, but might be better for around the office since ceramic mugs with lids don't often come in shapes that are cup-holder friendly.

I prefer stainless steel because it it durable, keeps hot beverages warm for the better part of a day, and keeps cold beverages cold. But like aluminum foil – keep it out of the microwave.

Know how many ounces your mug holds. I have a 16oz mug (equivalent to a Starbucks Grande hot cup) but would often be over charged at different places depending on how big the cashier thought my cup was. Most places serve coffee in 8oz, 12oz, or 16oz sizes. If you're unsure, or if your coffee place is unsure, do another water test. Fill up a paper cup with water. Pour into your mug. If it fills it up, that's the size you should ask for.

Also ask your coffee place if they offer a cup discount. By bringing your own, you're actually saving businesses money since you're not using their stock of paper cups. Many places will offer a ten-cent discount (others may not, but it doesn't hurt to ask.) Oh, and bringing your own mug will also make you more memorable to your barista/coffee server.

Amy says: I love my $20 blue, stainless steel, travel mug I bought from Starbucks nearly three years ago. With all the coffee I drink I've saved a lot of paper cups from going to the landfill. However, I'm also known to leave the house without my travel mug more than I should (mainly because I forget to wash it.) After cleaning it out at night I'll throw it in my bag so it is ready to go the next morning. You might want to consider keeping your mug at the office, in the car, or put it next to your keys or cell phone as a helpful reminder.

More Bring Your Own Tips from Rebecca:

Bring your own bags.

Bring your own bottle.

Doyle Doss and the Kandle HeaterEditor's note: Today on "Greening the Golden Years," Max talks to Doyle Doss, a veteren of the renewable energy industry, and developer of popular green products like the Kandle Heater. Doyle discusses his background, his thoughts on climate change, and several of the products offered on his website.

This week's installment of "Greening the Golden Years" is available here.

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Etc.

I’m starting to pay a little more attention to news about vehicle safety telematics. Telematics is the idea that vehicles are in communication with things like streetlights, cell phones and other vehicles. Some of these features seem a bit futuristic, but an article in Automotive News today predicts they will be standard by 2011. We’ve heard a lot about what Nissan has been doing and there are systems like OnStar, but this is something we’ll have to investigate further in due time. We’ll see if more news doesn’t start flowing soon. If AN is right, it certainly should be.

According to AN, Thilo Koslowski, vice president of technology research company Gartner Inc., said yesterday that “virtually” all automakers will have telematics strategies in place by 2008, and some will have telematics in operation. By 2011, then, telematics that have to do with safety will be standard on all vehicles. Things like hands-free cell phone integration and navigation are desired by consumers, but things like shopping while driving aren’t. Whew. Maybe there’s some sense left in the consumer mind after all.

Related:

• Denise Gray leads GM’s Central Hybrid Energy Storage System Group
• Add fuel efficiency by adding brains to your car
• Nissan’s Intelligent Transportation System gets cell phones and cars to play nice

[Source: Jack Herman / Automotive News]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Filed under: Hybrid, Lexus, Toyota

The Advertising Standards Authority in England is an ad industry run group that regulates and monitors advertising and marketing and addresses consumer complaints about ads. When a company runs false or misleading ads and they don’t respond to ASA direction to change the ads, ASA can refer the problem to the Office of Fair Trading and Ofcom, which are government agencies.

Recently the ASA looked into consumer complaints about an ad that Lexus was running for the RX400h that was misleading with the tagline “HIGH PERFORMANCE. LOW EMISSIONS. ZERO GUILT”. Since the hybrid CUV has CO2 emissions of 192g/km compared to a European average of less than 160g/km the ASA didn’t like the ad. Lexus responded that RX400h emissions were lower than any other vehicle in it’s class but the ASA didn’t think this was good enough and the ad implied that the emissions were low compared to all vehicles, which they aren’t.

The ASA ordered Lexus not to imply that the RX caused little or no environmental harm relative to all cars if it wasn’t true. Clearly this is a case of Toyota trading on a carefully cultivated green reputation that isn’t always deserved. They certainly deserve credit for cars like the Prius, but many of the Lexus hybrids are not that impressive compared to many of the highest volume cars in Europe.

[Source: Advertising Standards Authority]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Filed under: Diesel, Flex-Fuel, Legislation and Policy

The Spanish RACC and German ADAC car clubs have just released their yearly ECO-TEST. It is a very complete report that includes aspects such as of the perception of consumers’ attitudes towards ecology, a ranking of the greenest and the least green cars available in European markets (although not all models are available in all countries) and how carmakers are reaching their emissions targets. The ECO-TEST results also reflect the continuing tendency of Europeans driving their cars more, copying the suburban American model.

The consumers’ survey was made in the Comunidad de Madrid (Spain) in 2006. The madrileños are ready to buy greener cars, even if they have less power (so say 87 percent) or they have to refill more often (78 percent). However, only 4 out of 10 would accept buying alternative energy cars when if they were more expensive than standard ones. The report also ranks mileage as the second key factor for deciding the purchase of a new car, behind safety. Third place is for speed and on the fourth and fifth place they mentioned gas emissions and recyclable materials, respectively.

And since we all love lists, there are three top five (one’s a top eight) after the jump.

[Source: RACC (Spanish)]

The top 5 eco-friendly cars available in Europe (None of the 93 cars got a 5-ecostar rating):

1. Toyota Prius Executive
2. Volvo V70 2.4 bi-fuel Momentum, using Compressed Natural Gas
3. Honda Civic 3i-DSi hybrid
4. Skoda Octavia Combi RS TDI (RPF) – The first diesel in the ranking because of an anti-particulate filter.
5. Skoda Octavia 1.6 FSI Ambiente

The worst five were:

1. Hyundai Terracan 2.9 CRDi GLS Automatik
2. VW Fox 1.4 TDI
3. Fiat Panda 1.3 JTD Multijet 16V Cross 4×4
4. KIA Rio 1.5 CRDi EX Top
5. VW Sharan 2.8 V6 Highline Tiptronic

The score was made taking in consideration the following parameters: The Euro emissions tier (currently passenger cars should adapt to Euro IV), the level of particles at the exhaust pipe, mileage and CO2 emissions per km.

Finally, the European carmakers ranked by their success in reducing their average CO2 tailpipe emissions from 1997 to 2005:

1. Fiat: 169 to 139 g/km
2. Citroën: 172 to 144 g/km
3. Renault: 179 to 149 g/km
4. Ford: 180 to 151 g/km
5. Peugeot: 177 to 151 g/km
6. Opel/Vauxhall: 180 to 156 g/km
7. Toyota: 189 to 163 g/km
8. Kia: 202 to 170 g/km

(Read more about a list similar to this last one here)

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Filed under: Diesel, Audi

The main story of the source article here is the Shell Synfuel, “a gas-to-liquid propellant manufactured from natural gas that’s entirely free from sulphur and aromatics. When burned, Synfuel produces 35 per cent less soot, 93 per cent less carbon monoxide, nine per cent less nitrogen oxides and five per cent less carbon dioxide than conventional diesel fuel. Unlike diesel, it produces no sulphur dioxide at all.”

But, a side point worth noting is that the A8 TDi was being shown in New York at the C40 Climate Summit. The last time I checked, this engine was not available in the A8 here in the U.S. of A. Too bad, because it could have an impact exactly like what is being spoken about at that same summit. It’s a tad bit ironic, don’t ‘cha think? A little too ironic, and yeah I really do think… ok, enough.

Thanks for the tip, Christian!

[Source: Autocar via German Car Blog]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

As a resident of Santa Monica, California, I’m proud of my city. Thanks to its comprehensive Sustainable City Plan, Santa Monica continues to take big steps towards its goal of becoming sustainable. And, since businesses have a large part to play in reaching that goal, it makes perfect sense that Santa Monica offers businesses a way to contribute: Green Business Certification.

By partnering with the non-profit organization Sustainable Works, the city encourages businesses to use resources more efficiently – benefiting both the company and the environment. Sustainable Works’ Business Greening program helps participant companies “green their bottom line” by assessing current policies and practices, then recommending new, greener options. To help ensure the adoption of new practices, the organization also assists the business in implementing the options they choose, and then tracks the outcomes.

Free for Santa Monica businesses, the program focuses on:

• Reducing and diverting solid waste,
• Becoming water efficient,
• Eliminating toxic chemicals,
• Minimizing transportation impacts,
• Reducing energy use, and
• Improving purchasing choices

Did I mention that the program is free?

In addition to their certifications, several businesses were awarded Sustainable Quality Awards (SQA) at a luncheon held last week. With SQA Grand Prizes going to businesses including Wilshire Restaurant, ECOLIMO, and marketing firm The Phelps Group, the diversity of the winners shows that any business can benefit from the program.

For individuals, Sustainable Works offers a similar Residential program. Designed to help people reduce their environmental impact, participants are grouped into “crews” of 10-15 for a series of six weekly meetings. Beginning with a self-assessment, the crews learn the concepts of sustainable living, including specific ways to live a greener lifestyle.

If only every city had these programs, what a wonderful (green!) world it would be.