Editor's note: This week, Ecotality blogger Doug Snodgrass points us to a resource for information on green cars. While the site Doug points to is British, most of the cars listed are widely available. This post was orginally published on May 16, 2007.
VCARS, a website to help Brits find new and used cars, has compiled a listing of "The Greenest Cars on Earth." The list contains real-world info that’s important to not only the green-minded, but also the consumer at large; CO2 emissions, MPG combined, engine type, transmission type, BHP/torque, weight, NCAP rating (European New Car Assessment Programme), top speed, 0-62 MPH, warranty info…
Cars are categorized by hybrid, electric, biofuel, and future green cars. The bonus here is that every auto is accompanied by a photo, tre-cool in the future green cars category.
Winner of the most interesting name? The Venturi Fetish (shown in photo).
Prema of Teddy Exports in India with her Floral TotesThe guarantee of a “fair wage in the local context” is one of the most often publicized of the fair trade criteria. Fair Trade attempts to empower disadvantaged producers in countries that often do not have adequate workers’ rights laws including a minimum wage. Fair trade guarantees at least the minimum wage even in countries that have a minimum wage law but do not enforce it. In countries that do not have a minimum wage the buyer of the product is still bound by the fair trade criteria to pay a fair wage in the local context.
For some products, such as coffee and bananas, a Fair Trade price is set by the Fair Trade Labeling Organizations. These minimum prices are always paid despite fluctuations in the market price and, of course, the market price is paid if it ever rises above the Fair Trade price. These prices also have a social premium included that producer cooperatives use to enhance infrastructure, provide social services and educate and train.
However, there is a large set of Fair Trade products that are not certified at the product level, mostly decorative arts and handcrafts. With these products Fair Trade, for pragmatic reasons, takes the approach of certifying wholesale importers and retail outlets who deal directly with artisan cooperatives. In this scenario the responsibility to pay a fair wage rests with the importer of the goods. So how does an importer know what a fair wage is "in the local context" of the producers? The primary and preferred mode is to simply talk with the producers to find out what they deem is a fair and living wage. There is some additional help in the form of an online fair wage calculator, created by World of Good Development, to help determine what a fair wage might be in any given local context.
I input the required information for Teddy Exports’Floral Tote that we offer over at the shop (which we buy wholesale from direct importer World Finds, a model Fair Trade organization) into the calculator. I found that the women at Teddy making the Floral Totes are making roughly four times the minimum wage of 2.15 USD per day in India. This wage is in addition to the free health care, daily meal, child care and schooling each artisan is entitled to at Teddy. The wage is also two times the Acumen Fund poverty line for urban India. The tool simply aggregates all the freely available economic information necessary to determine a fair price for goods. But it makes the process of determining a fair price price more streamlined and accessible.
Paying a fair wage is the most basic of the Fair Trade criteria but is perhaps the most important. A mutually respectful trading relationship cannot exist without it.
This is the second in a series of posts discussing the Fair Trade criteria. Also check out Fair Trade: Transparency.
Pepco Holdings, Inc., the D.C. area electricity and natural gas utility company, announced this week that its 2,000-vehicle fleet will be converted to hybrids and other types of alternative power. The standard reasons of saving money and the environment apply.
PHI says it currently has about 80 trucks that run on alternative power, along with a few hybrids, so this changeover will affect a lot of vehicles. Thirty hybrids will be added this year and all of the trucks will soon start running on B20. As the rest of the vehicles in the fleet wear out, they will be replaced with vehicles that use less petroleum, like those mentioned above or ones that have E85-capable engines. PHEVs and other technologies will also be considered.
One of the rights of passage for American high school students is getting their driver’s license and getting a car. That’s where the trouble starts. I’m not even going to get into the wisdom or utter lack thereof of letting kids start driving at 14 years and 9 months. When kids get a car they need to put gas into it and at $3.50 a gallon that gets old fast.
Four students from Churchill High School in Livonia, MI created a public service announcement video for a class denouncing big gas-guzzlers like the Cadillac Escalade. The original version only got a C in class but after reworking it, their teacher entered the spot in the 2007 Michigan Student Film & Video Festival where it got one of 32 best in show awards out of the 284 entries. It’s good to see that not every kid wants to run around in a big SUV.
Just kidding! The crew at Tesla Motors includes all kinds of characters including firmware engineer Greg Solberg. In his new post on the Tesla blog Greg emphasizes his fascination with alternative transportation. Over the years he has built a variety of electrically-driven pieces of furniture starting with a sofa that he and a friend tried out at Black Rock Desert. More recently Greg and his SO Lisa collaborated on a pair of slippers. The 7.5 foot long bunny slippers have a top speed of 15 mph and are powered by half a dozen deep cycle lead batteries. Check out Greg’s post to find out more about the world’s fastest slippers.
A seemingly simple alteration a wind turbine blade’s traditional shape could result in huge improvements in efficiency.
WhalePower Corporation out of Toronto, Canada has designed a turbine blade with rounded, teeth-like bumps along the leading edge. The company’s name is a nod to the humpback whale, whose flipper was the inspiration for the design.
The agility of the humpback whale is astonishing, given that they can be over 50 feet long, weigh nearly 80,000 pounds, yet move quickly and tightly in the water. One of the animal's advantages, according to scientists, is the unique row of bumps or “tubercles” along the leading edge of their flippers that dramatically increase the whale’s aerodynamic efficiency. Specifically, researchers found a 32 percent lower drag and 8 percent improvement in lift from a flipper with a serrated edge compared to a smooth one.
Businessman Stephen Dewar heard about the humpback research and contacted one of the scientists involved, Professor Frank Fish of West Chester University in Pennsylvania. After a few meetings, they enlisted the help of some local engineers and formed WhalePower, taking a cue from Mother Nature and modeling their blade design after the whale’s flipper.
WhalePower claims that their turbine design can capture more wind energy at much lower speeds than traditional designs. The channels created by the teeth at the blade's edge cause separate wind streams to accelerate across the surface of the blade in rotating flows. These “energy-packed” vortexes increase the lift force on the blade. For example, Dewar told the Toronto Star that this design produces the same power at 11 miles per hour that one would expect at 18 miles per hour. Furthermore, he claimed these channels prevent airflow from moving along the span of the blade and past the tip, which can create noise, instability and a loss of energy. By keeping the air flow nicely channeled, more wind is captured and noise is reduced.
Dewar sees this “biomimicry” design – the fusion of biology and engineering – reaching beyond wind power.
“’This changes the game,’ says Dewar, adding that any system using a fan or turbine could also benefit from the new design. This includes everything from better turbines for hydroelectric generation to residential ceiling fans that use less electricity. ‘If we've got what we think we've got, then the range of applications is staggering.’”
The Ontario Centres of Excellence and the Ontario Power Authority have contributed over $60,000 USD for early research and to encourage collaboration with a wind engineering group at the University of Western Ontario. The next and arguably most crucial step to commercial production is independent, third party verification of the blade’s performance.
Yet another pro-whale country has joined the IWC – Greece has appeared as fully signed up to the International Whaling Commission, and will be voting FOR the whales! Greece, like Peru, Cyprus, Slovenia, Croatia, Costa Rica and Ecuador and Nicaragua, is coming to the IWC meeting to ensure that Japan and its vote-bought friends to have a tougher time undermining the ban on commercial whaling at the meeting in Anchorage.
Solar Power From Space
An Oven-Fridge-Generator Powered by Sound
Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Software
Researchers Endorse Global Early Warning System to Prevent Pandemics
Urban Parks an aAswer to Global Warming?
The New York City Police Department bought ten Segway Personal Transporters (PTs) today, the first of these two-wheeled electric vehicles purchased by the City of New York. The popular tourist areas Central Park and Coney Island, as well as other city parks and beaches, are the likely targets for the Segways, which are the new i2 models that can go 12.5 mph, carry 260 pounds and have a range of 24 miles. They cost $5,660 a piece and the police version can be equipped with sirens.
Police departments in a lot of other cities – form Chicago and Honolulu to Miami and El Paso – currently use Segway PTs. Segway says the appealing factors for police include added height to see over crowds, faster travel speed (compared to walking), indoor operability, and “officers are also more approachable when on Segway PTs, making them highly effective in community policing applications.” I’ll say.
[Source: Segway] Segway Announces NYPD Purchase of Segway(R) Personal Transporters
Company’s Police/Security Customer Base Reaches 400 Agencies, Up More Than 100 Percent From Year Ago
BEDFORD, N.H., May 16 /PRNewswire/ — Segway Inc. today announced that the New York City Police Department has purchased a fleet of 10 Segway(R) Personal Transporters (PTs) it will deploy on patrols in city parks this summer. The use of the Segway i2 Police units will help the department increase patrol coverage in park environments, improve emergency response times by patrol officers and reduce carbon emissions. The units are expected to be used for security patrols in Central Park, Coney Island, and other city parks and beaches. This is the first Segway PT purchase by the City of New York.
“We are honored to count the NYPD as users of our latest police technology,” said Jim Norrod, chief executive officer for Segway Inc. “The i2 Police units will help the city save on fuel costs and enable patrol officers to provide a higher level of security in many of the city’s busiest areas.”
Worldwide, more than 400 police and security agencies now use Segway PTs to patrol downtown business districts, airports, parks and campuses, up from 150 a year ago. The Chicago Police Department, one of the earliest adopters of this patrol technology, has more than 50 Segway PTs deployed in the Loop, along the city’s lakefront and at O’Hare and Midway Airports. The Italian Railway Police, which is the company’s largest international security customer, has 75 units patrolling the country’s largest rail stations. Other major police departments acquiring Segway PTs in the past year include Honolulu, Seattle, Albuquerque, Miami-Dade, Tampa, El Paso, and Bridgeport, Conn.
Much of the appeal of Segway PTs among patrol officers can be attributed to the unique performance characteristics of the machines:
Officers stand eight inches taller on a Segway PT, enabling them to see and be seen over crowds and automobiles.
The Segway PT allows an officer to move 2-3 times walking speed thus covering much more area than he or she could patrol on foot and decreasing response times.
Officers are also more approachable when on Segway PTs, making them highly effective in community policing applications.
Unlike gas-powered vehicles, the Segway PT can go indoors and out, while tackling a variety of terrain including pavement, grass and hills.
Segway PTs are self-balancing, even when standing still, and take up no more space than a human. This makes them an ideal patrol tool when moving through crowds, on sidewalks, or in and out of tight spaces like elevators.
With the exception of battery recharging there is no regular maintenance required on the Segway PT. The device can also be used in the rain and cold, and its batteries are operable to 14 degrees Fahrenheit.
Segway PTs use no gasoline and give off no emissions during operation, allowing cities to reduce fuel consumption. Because the product is electric, battery recharging costs are extremely low – approximately 25 cents per day.
The Segway i2 Police units purchased by the New York Police Department are the newest generation models. The i2 model has a range of up to 24 miles, a top speed of 12.5 m.p.h. and a payload of 260 lbs. When the i2 is equipped with the Police package it becomes an ideal solution for urban street patrols and community policing initiatives. The i2 Police includes a handlebar bag for gear, an accessory bar for lights and sirens, reflective police/security labels, comfort mats, an LED taillight, and cargo frames that double as lift handles. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) for the i2 Police package is $5,660.
Lotus is taking their flex-fuel Exige 265E sports car outside of Britain for the first time when they show it at JSAE Show in Yokohama Japan. The 265 hp, E85-capable Exige will be prominently displayed at Lotus’ booth. The Toyota-sourced supercharged 1.8L four cylinder has been modified with a new engine management system developed by Lotus to manage the fuel mixture, spark timing and variable valve timing. As a supercharged engine the control can be adapted to take advantage of the higher octane rating ethanol compared to gasoline so that power output is not affected the way it is with a normally aspirated engine.
Along with the Exige, Lotus is also showcasing their Optical Access Active Valvetrain engine which is ideally suited for doing engine research. The engine is equipped with Lotus’ camless electro-hydraulic valvetrain that allows for totally variable valve control. Although it’s nowhere near suitable yet for a production application due to the power requirements, it allows engine designers to experiment with finding the best valve control profile without having to go through grinding endless camshaft samples. The other major aspect of the engine on display is the Optical Access that allows engineers to look inside the combustion chamber with high speed imaging equipment or Doppler anemometry to observe and measure the combustion process. The Lotus press release is after the jump.
[Source: Lotus] LOTUS EXIGE 265E HAS FIRST JAPANESE OUTING AT JSAE
Visitors to the JSAE Show in Yokohama in May will be the first outside the UK to see the unique Lotus Exige 265E flex-fuel technology demonstrator. Also on display will be Lotus Engineering’s advanced optical access research engine. These cutting edge developments are part of Lotus Engineering’s continuing research into new and exciting technologies to reduce the environmental impact of the internal combustion engine.
The world-class Lotus Engineering innovations will feature on the UK’s Pavilion and are set to be star attractions of the show.
Lotus Exige 265E flex-fuel demonstrator
Lotus Engineering’s Exige 265E technology demonstrator, developed to run on any mixture of BioEthanol from 100% gasoline to E85 BioEthanol (15% Gasoline), will be the centrepiece of the UK’s stand at JSAE.
One of the world’s quickest road-legal bio-ethanol fuelled cars, the Exige 265E is powered by a modified version of the supercharged and intercooled 4-cylinder engine from the production Lotus Exige S. With 197 kW (268 PS) the Exige 265E accelerates to 100 kph in 4.1 seconds and to a top speed of 254 kph. It is an example of Lotus Engineering’s commitment to developing eco-friendly powertrain solutions that also provide an exciting and engaging driving experience.
The powertrain of the Exige 265E incorporates a modified fuel system and sophisticated Lotus-developed engine management programme. A sensor in the fuel tank diagnoses the real-time bio-ethanol/gasoline mix and the ECU adapts the engine fuelling, timing, cam-switching and ignition strategies accordingly.
Lotus Engineering Optical Access Active Valvetrain engine
The UK engineering consultancy is also showcasing one of the most sophisticated research engines in the world. The Optical Access AVT[TM] engine combines Lotus Engineering’s pioneering fully variable active valvetrain (AVT[TM]) technology and its optical access combustion chamber technology. Each is used independently for leading edge powertrain research and development, and in combination offer engineers a suite of extremely powerful capabilities. It is being used by Lotus Engineering and its clients to gain in-depth understanding and knowledge of the very latest engine technologies.
Optical access allows engineers to use advanced diagnostic techniques such as high speed imaging and laser Doppler anemometry to examine and record airflow and fuel spray characteristics, soot and particulate formation and the combustion event itself. The fully variable electro-hydraulic valvetrain technology, pioneered by Lotus Engineering, allows engineers to infinitely vary the profile of the valve events in real time. It allows rapid assessment of different valve profile strategies and of the impact of those variations on events in the chamber.
So advanced is the unique technology as a powertrain research tool, many global OEMs have purchased the technology from Lotus Engineering.
Lotus Engineering – world leaders in the development of efficient performance solutions
The Optical Access AVT[TM] engine and the Exige 265E bi-fuel demonstrator are part of a range of world-class efficient performance solutions and technologies developed by Lotus Engineering. At the Geneva Motorshow in March, the UK automotive consultancy showcased a hybrid technology demonstrator and an integrated exhaust manifold design concept, and it is involved in a number of electric vehicle programmes for clients.
Optical Access AVT[TM] research engine specification: Bore: 88 mm Stroke: 82.1 mm Capacity: 0.5 litre Compression ratio: 10:1 Number of valves: 4 Maximum speed: 5000 rpm Direct Injection Port fuel injection Liner -Fused silica Piston window -Sapphire 1st and 2nd order balance shafts AVT camless valve train
Editor's note: This week, Ecotality blogger Doug Snodgrass points us to a resource for information on green cars. While the site Doug points to is British, most of the cars listed are widely available. This post was orginally published on May 16, 2007. 
Prema of Teddy Exports in India with her Floral TotesThe guarantee of a “fair wage in the local context” is one of the most often publicized of the fair trade criteria. Fair Trade attempts to empower disadvantaged producers in countries that often do not have adequate workers’ rights laws including a minimum wage. Fair trade guarantees at least the minimum wage even in countries that have a minimum wage law but do not enforce it. In countries that do not have a minimum wage the buyer of the product is still bound by the fair trade criteria to pay a fair wage in the local context. 
Pepco Holdings, Inc.
One of the rights of passage for American high school students is getting their driver’s license and getting a car. That’s where the trouble starts. I’m not even going to get into the wisdom or utter lack thereof of letting kids start driving at 14 years and 9 months. When kids get a car they need to put gas into it and at $3.50 a gallon that gets old fast. 
