INGOCAR is a developmental concept for a 5 passenger car with a hydraulic drive system in place of a conventional power-train. With the weight reduction this offers and other efficiencies in the systems, the designers say their vehicle could get 170 mpg.

The INGOCAR is a hydraulic hybrid vehicle. Like some electric hybrids such as the Chevy Volt, it uses the motor indirectly instead of using the mechanical motion of the motor to move the car. But rather than using a motor as a generator to produce electricity, the INGOCAR has a highly-efficient 2-stroke diesel engine which is used to pressurize a hydraulic tank called the accumulator. Pressure from this tank is then used to turn individual wheelmotors in each wheel.

Hydraulic power makes the regenerative braking of the INGOCAR much more efficient than that in electric motor vehicles, as well. Regenerative braking with hydraulics is able to recover 75 to 85% of the energy which is used to repressurize the system. The wheelmotors that serve as both propulsion and braking for the vehicle are smaller than the disc brakes they replace.

The INGOCAR's efficiencies work to benefit it in several ways. For instance, eliminating the conventional power-train provides a 30% weight reduction for the car. Also, the engine only needs to run for a short period of time to recharge the pressure tank. It can also be smaller since it is only being used to develop pressure, rather than needing to be strong enough to run the car directly.

The vehicle is able to be significantly lighter than an electric hybrid because the motors are much lighter. "A comparable electric power-train, able to recapture the entire braking energy, is significantly heavier. The weight of the currently best electric motors is 20 times higher than that of the new hydraulic motor. The weights of the energy storage devices (battery, accumulator) are about the same. As result, the weight of the car would increase by about 50% - from 2200 lb to 3300 lb - consequently increasing the fuel consumption."

The 5 passenger INGOCAR would weigh 2200 lbs (998 kg). The Chevy Volt's curb weight is expected to be around 3500 lbs, and the current Toyota Prius curb weight is also around 3000 lbs.

link: Valentin Technologies

AT&T; has just announced a USB-based telephone charger that does not pull electricity from the wall when it's not charging a phone. I don't know about you, but my charger is plugged in 100% of the time. That charger pulls a tiny amount of energy from the wall 24 hours a day 365 days a year. Multiply that by 100 million chargers in America, and there's probably at least one coal-fired power plant in America dedicated entirely to that wasted power.

AT&T;'s new charger, however, is a standardized USB charger that does not pull any power from the wall when there's nothing plugged into it. You wouldn't think this was a particularly complicated thing to do (especially since chargers routinely cost thirty FREAKING dollars.) But high-markup chargers are a big part of cell phone company's profit models, so they aren't generally interested in pulling R&D; dollars from that big tasty pie.

But it works, and it will charge a variety of devices, even non-AT&T; devices. It's great news for us all, and at the same cost as a regular (dramatically overpriced) cell phone charger.

Let's hope the technology makes its way into other vampire power culprits soon. Read the full press release from AT&T; here.

The green movement has gone from esoteric to popular over the last several years, a good sign for both the environment and those of us who live in it. But most Americans need to streamline, rather than complicate, their lives. And this is one of the greatest threats to making environmentally conscious choices. With her book Do One Green Thing: Saving the Earth through Simple, Everyday Choices, Mindy Pennybacker quashes that problem.

From foreword to index, the succinct book is fewer than 300 pages, but Pennybacker manages to cover a broad range of everyday questions. She divides them neatly into four sections/chapters: Food and Drink, A Green and Healthy Home, Personal Care and Apparel, and Transportation. The guide is ideal for those who are looking for easy and achievable ideas for their daily lives.

"The key to making green a byword in everyone's life is ease of access," Meryl Streep wrote in the foreword. "This focus is what makes Do One Green Thing such a pleasure to read." Incidentally, Streep is much more well versed in green living than the typical Hollywood legend, since she co-founded the seminal (yet ill-fated) publication The Green Guide with Pennybacker some years ago.

In Do One Green Thing, Pennybacker weaves easily between basic fact-sharing and recommending actual products. Her question-and-answer format helps make that possible. Here's an example: "I get confused by all the different 'green' labels on meat, poultry, and eggs. Which labels ensure me the best choice for my money?" Pennybacker organizes her response into easy-to-comprehend (and color-coded) "Choose It" or "Lose It" categories.

The book may not seem like the go-to for those already full of environmental factoids, but there are still surprises. Does it make more sense to buy a washer or dryer if you can only afford one new environmentally friendly appliance? And what are the best options, once you have decided?

"The eco-friendly world is a bitch to navigate," argues Donna Bulesco, the Deputy Editor of In Style magazine. "Do One Green Thing makes it simple, but not simplistic."

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Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc

Cabbage is a very underrated vegetable. It’s been ranked one of the 10 best foods you aren’t eating. It’s packed with vitamins, iron, and calcium and it’s been shown to help fight cancer.

For cabbage novices, a head of this slightly bitter stuff might seem a bit overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Coleslaw is a great way to dress it up.

In case you’re turned off by the idea of a salad dripping in mayonnaise, this is a relatively fat-free alternative to that picnic-time staple.

Here is a recipe for a mayonnaise-free coleslaw that takes just about 10 minutes to make.

Green Cabbage Coleslaw

Ingredients:

• 1/2 head green cabbage
• 1/2 head red cabbage (or you can use simply a head of green, but the red adds nice color)
• 1 juiced lemon or 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil (or sesame for an Asian-style slaw)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch of salt
• A bit of pepper

As an option, you can add more color by using up wilting veggies from your refrigerator.

Optional ingredients:

• 2-3 carrots, shredded or chopped
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced or chopped
• 1 apple, thinly sliced or chopped
• Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• Small yellow or red onion or scallions, thinly sliced
• Red peppers, thinly sliced or chopped

Directions:

1. Mix together the dressing ingredients: the oil, vinegar or lemon juice, salt, pepper, and sugar.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Toss the salad with the dressing.
4. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to a few hours to let the flavors combine.

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Warning that the powerful poisons can endanger some dogs and cats, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will require new instructions and labeling for on-spot flea products.

The products, including the popular Frontline and Advantage brands, are small vials of liquid pesticides that pet owners apply monthly to the backs of dogs or cats to kill fleas and ticks. The EPA began investigating the products after a sharp rise in the number of pets reported to be sick after they were treated.

The yearlong investigation, conducted by a team of veterinarians assembled by the federal agency, concluded that certain pets – small dogs between 10 and 20 pounds – are most susceptible to the problems, which include rashes, vomiting, diarrhea and seizures.

EPA Assistant Administrator Steve Owens said Wednesday that no products are being banned at this point, but "we’re going to be watching the situation very closely."

New instructions and warnings are expected on product labels within the next several months. If these steps don’t reduce the problems, "we will take more significant action. We will remove products from the market if we have to," Owens said.

Fleas and ticks can cause discomfort and diseases for many dogs and cats around the country. As a result, the on-spot treatments are commonly recommended by veterinarians.

Many pet owners who use the treatments think they are applying medication to their pet, but they actually are treating them with potent pesticides, including permethrin, which also is used to kill pests on crops and yards.

"These are poisons that we are applying to our pets," said Owens, who said it is a personal as well as a professional issue for him because he owns two dogs and three cats. "Pet owners should exercise caution."

Incidents reported by consumers who used the products on their pets rose from 28,895 in 2007 to 44,263 in 2008, an increase of 53 percent in one year.

Most of the problems were minor, such as skin rashes, but about 600 dogs and cats died in the incidents reported in 2008, EPA records show.

Chihuahuas, shih tzus, miniature poodles, Pomeranians and dachshunds had the most reported incidents, according to the EPA report released Wednesday. For products containing cyphenothrin, those breeds accounted for 33 percent of the reported problems. For products containing permethrin, shih tzus, bichon frise, chihuahuas, yorkshire terriers and maltese were involved in more than 25 percent of the incidents. K-9 Advantix for Dogs contains permethrin and some Sergeant’s products and Sentry’s Pro XFC contain cyphenothrin. "Small breed dogs were more commonly affected with the number of incidents out of proportion to their popularity," the EPA report says.

The problem might be the dose. The agency is telling manufacturers to narrow the range of weights identified for their products.

"We will make clear that certain products cannot be used on smaller animals," Owens said.

In addition, the investigation found that cats were often sickened when products intended for dogs were used on them. Permethrin is particularly dangerous for cats and is not used in any on-spot treatments for cats.

EPA officials said they will meet with each manufacturer individually to go over the changes that the agency wants, such as more precise instructions regarding the proper dosage for pets’ various weights. Also, markings should distinguish better between cat and dog products, and similar brand names will not be allowed for both. New labels also would advise people to keep cats away from treated dogs for a period of time.

Manufacturers seem willing to work with the EPA, so the changes are expected over the next several months, Owens said. "They realize this is a serious problem that they need to address," he said.

Merial, Ltd., a Georgia-based company that makes Frontline flea and tick treatments, said in a statement that it "will work cooperatively with the EPA to help pet owners to use our products safely."

The company, however, said the incidents were rare and minor. "The number of adverse events reported for Frontline has remained consistently low since the product's introduction in 1996," the statement said. Owens said the EPA’s investigation found incidents "all across the board," with all brands and products.

EPA officials said they cannot explain the sudden jump in reported incidents, except that it may be due to increased use of the on-spot treatments or more awareness among pet owners. The investigators could not verify that all the illnesses among the pets were actually linked to the products.

"The incidents have not been verified and may have causes other than exposure to the pesticide," the report says.

In some cases, pet owners were misusing the products, but EPA officials stressed that most of the blame goes to the industry, not consumers, because of the poor labeling.

"When used appropriately in most cases they are safe," Owens said, but "the labels are unclear right now." Owens said the actions announced Wednesday "are really just the first step." The EPA also plans to require more rigorous testing of products, similar to the Food and Drug Administration’s requirements for animal medications. "We are not getting the kind of data we need" to predict whether pets will have problems with these products, he said.

In addition, new on-spot products will be granted only conditional and time-limited approval so that side-effects can be investigated before the products are fully approved. Manufacturers also will have to disclose more information about the inert ingredients – the non-pesticides – in their products, and some of those ingredients will be restricted.

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Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc

You may think of peanut butter as more of a childhood staple, but it’s also a great source of protein for adults.

Surprisingly, it may also be a great for weight control: one study found that peanut eaters tend not to overeat their daily calories. As a source of antioxidants, peanuts- according to recent studies- may rival some fruits.

By making your own peanut butter you can be sure to avoid the trans-fats of some commercial brands. Plus, it’s a way to avoid all those containers that tend to pile up if you’re a fan of the spread.

Making peanut butter from peanuts is very easy. All it takes is a food processor and peanuts, though a bit of peanut oil (or even olive oil) can help the process. Salt is optional.

Homemade Peanut Butter

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shelled peanuts (roasted or plain, depending on your preference)
• 1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil* (optional with food processor)
• Additional add-ins: Try adding honey or cinnamon if you want to get creative

Directions if using food processor:

1. Put ingredients in food processor and blend for a couple minutes.
2. If the ground peanuts begins to stick to the sides, stop the processor and scrape it down.
3. You will see the chunks of peanuts form a ball and disappear as the mixture forms a paste.
4. If you want crunchy peanut butter, add chopped nuts to the creamy mixture.

Directions using a blender (this method is more difficult):

1. Put ingredients in the blender and blend.
2. If the peanuts begin to stick to side, stop the blender and scape it down.
3. The peanuts will become a paste after a few minutes: This may take an extra minute or two than the food processor version.

*Notes on using added oil: 
With the food processor it is possible to make peanut butter without oil, but it may take more mixing time. With either the food processor or the blender, if either machine seems stuck and the peanuts aren’t getting smaller, simply add a bit more oil.

Store in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to two months. Like all natural peanut butter, oil separation will occur during storage. Simply mix with a knife before using.

Peanut butter, no oil:

Homemade peanut butter with oil:

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(Photo: Johan, Wikipedia)

By now you may have heard the hazards of extreme cleaners that perform anti-bacterial overkill and the toxic potential of synthetic chemicals such as ammonia and chlorine.

You do have a choice when it comes to how you clean your house, and there are a number of green-friendly brands on the market.

I've personally tried and tested quite a few of them, looking for ease of use and affordable price. I really do hate to clean, so anything that makes it easier, faster, cheaper, and better for the planet is a win.

Here are some of my favorite options:

Do the earth-friendly laundry

Everyone wants clean, soft, fresh-smelling clothes and linens, which may be why eco-friendly laundry detergents have felt they can get away with charging more to do the right thing. I found Ecos Laundry Detergent by Earth Friendly Products to be a good detergent at a good price.

I tried several other brands from Seventh Generation to Trader Joe's, and Ethos works just as well without charging more. It smells good (with three scents to choose from), it only takes a couple of ounces to clean a full load, and it includes a coconut-based fabric softener. I was also happy to find it in my local grocery store so I didn't have to make trip to a specialty boutique.

Search for more eco-laundry detergents.

Find an eco-friendly dry cleaner.

Wipe up the greens

There's nothing like a quick wipe-down to make a place feel clean. Save on paper towels with pre-moistened biodegradable wipes. In my personal test, Clorox Green Works Natural Cleaning Wipes beat out Method's Flushable Bathroom Cleaner Wipes, which tended to fall apart while wiping. These are great for toilet sets and bathtub basins.

Countertops that need a little extra help get the natural treatment with Seventh Generation All Purpose Cleaner. I found that this plant-based, nontoxic cleaner is great for removing counter stains. Spray a bit directly on the spot and let set for a few minutes.

For simple dusting and cleaning mirrors, I've become a big fan of microfiber towels. These handy little reusable cloths don't even require a liquid cleaning product to get the job done -- just get one cloth damp with water to wipe away dirt and dust, and then use a dry one to wipe clean.

The micro fibers really pick up, and even mirrors and faucets come clean without streaking. When you're done, toss them in the laundry to wash and use again.

Search for more eco-friendly cleaning wipes.

Scrub the nontoxic floors

While you can use Seventh Generation All Purpose Cleaner to do a quick mop on tiled floors (not wood), I also like Method's Squirt + Mop Floor Cleaner in lemon ginger. This nontoxic, biodegradable cleaner contains a hint of baking soda to mop kitchen tiles. It dries fast and leaves no residue.

Method also makes a similar product for hard wood floors. The company's products for "People Against Dirty" have a huge following for being affordable, having nice-looking and eco-friendly packaging, and being easy to find at big chain stores including Target and Bed Bath and Beyond.

Search for more eco-friendly floor cleaners.

Make your own cleaners (and save money)

Pretty much everything in your house can be cleaned with a few simple natural ingredients picked up at your next trip to the grocery store.

A big $2 jug of white vinegar will go a long way when all you have to do is mix it 50/50 with water in a spray bottle and make an all-purpose cleaner that also helps disinfect.  A few drops of orange natural essence, (available at natural food stores such as Whole Foods) will help temper the vinegar smell.

Scrubbing with a little lemon juice and baking soda will remove stains from countertops and inside kitchen sinks. And try olive oil or flaxseed oil to polish wood furniture.

Get tips for removing stains with natural ingredients.

Search for more homemade cleaning recipes.

Hire green cleaning help

No time or energy to clean?  Delegate! Eco-friendly maid services are starting to boom with demand. Most come armed with a host of eco-friendly products; others have their own brands they use exclusively.

Let them do all the wiping and scrubbing while you sit back and enjoy a clean, fresh-smelling home that doesn't leave any harmful afterthoughts. If you can't find a green maid in your area, hire a regular one and insist they use the eco-friendly products you provide for them.

Search for eco-friendly maid services.

Search for eco-friendly furniture upholstery and carpet cleaners.

A clean home shouldn't be a toxic hazard for you, your children, your pets, or the planet. With a host of products on the market or some easy (and penny-conscious) DIY recipes, there's no reason to pick up a chemical cleaner again.

Check out Yahoo! Green on Twitter and Facebook.

A Department of Energy report on light emitting diode (LED) technology has some pretty startling numbers to digest. First, 7% of America's electricity is used to light our homes and businesses. That number is down significantly in the last few years because of the adoption of efficient lighting. But there is still a great deal of ground to be gained. Indeed, as bright white LEDs begin to make their way to the market, the DOE expects their adoption to result in huge decreases in energy use.

The cumulative savings of widespread adoption of this technology over the next 20 years would be about 1.500 terawatt-hours the price of which, at today's energy prices, is around $120 billion. The savings would eliminate the need for 24 new large power plants, to say nothing of the decrease in carbon emissions.

The DOE has a host of programs to spur growth in the LED market, including a X-Prize style contest, R&D; projects and market-based projects. Of course, we have to do our part too. New technology relies on EcoGeeks to be the early adopters of LED technology. I've already got a few lighting up my house.

(Photo: Peter Schuchert)

The turritopsis nutricula species of jellyfish may be the only animal in the world to have truly discovered the fountain of youth.

Since it is capable of cycling from a mature adult stage to an immature polyp stage and back again, there may be no natural limit to its life span. Scientists say the hydrozoan jellyfish is the only known animal that can repeatedly turn back the hands of time and revert to its polyp state (its first stage of life).

The key lies in a process called transdifferentiation, where one type of cell is transformed into another type of cell. Some animals can undergo limited transdifferentiation and regenerate organs, such as salamanders, which can regrow limbs. Turritopsi nutricula, on the other hand, can regenerate its entire body over and over again. Researchers are studying the jellyfish to discover how it is able to reverse its aging process.

Because they are able to bypass death, the number of individuals is spiking. They're now found in oceans around the globe rather than just in their native Caribbean waters.  "We are looking at a worldwide silent invasion," says Dr. Maria Miglietta of the Smithsonian Tropical Marine Institute.

Bryan Nelson is a regular contributor to Mother Nature Network, where a version of this post originally appeared.

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(Photo: Marcal)

In a recent interview on Blog Talk Radio, Tim Spring, president of Marcal Paper, explained to me that virgin tree pulp is the most common source for paper towels, napkins, bath, and facial tissues found on store shelves.

However, virgin tree fiber is obtained only one way: By killing trees.

As we all know, cutting down trees contributes to the release of greenhouse gases, whereas planting trees sequesters them. This, of course, can have a direct impact on the effects of global warming.

While industry spokespeople like to say that the virgin fiber industry actually supports sustainable forests, which can take up carbon, there's no denying the fact that it takes less energy to make something out of recycled fiber than to harvest and transport pulp from a felled tree.

As I stated in another article I wrote about Marcal Paper's Marcal Small Steps campaign, 98% of all paper towels, napkins, bath, and facial tissue used in American homes is made from virgin fiber, whereas Marcal uses 100% recycled paper.

This information has to get out there. So my friends here's a top 10 list from Marcal Small Steps:

10. Americans uses approximately 800 pounds per capita of paper per year. -- Resource Conservation Alliance

9. Every 17 trees saved helps the earth absorb 250 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually. -- AmeriFlow Recycling Inc.

8. Every American uses approximately one 100-foot-tall Douglas fir tree's worth of paper and wood products per year. -- American Forest and Paper Association

7. A single tree produces approximately 260 pounds of oxygen per year. That means two mature trees can supply enough oxygen annually to support a family of four. -- U.S. Department of Agriculture and Bombay Natural History Society

6. Half of the world's forests have already been cleared or burned, and 80 percent of what is left has been seriously degraded. -- Environmental Paper Network

5. One tree can absorb as much carbon in a year as a car produces while driving 26,000 miles. -- U.S. Department of Agriculture and Bombay Natural History Society

4. The average U.S. office worker produces two pounds of paper waste per day. -- Envirowise

3. Manufacturing one pound of paper requires three and a half pounds of wood and produces three pounds of carbon dioxide. -- Nature Canada

2. Discarded paper is one of the largest contributors to methane emissions from landfills. (Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 20 times more potent in its effects than CO2.) -- Ernest Mayer, "What Evolution Is 2001"

1. An EPA study concluded that "Federal subsidies of virgin paper product undoubtedly cost the taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars." -- Federal Disincentives: A Study of Federal Tax Subsidies and Other Programs Affecting Virgin Industries and Recycling (Washington, DC: EPA, August 1994), pg. 5.

For the sake of our planet, why not try to at least embrace some of the concerns in this campaign for at least one second per day?

Now imagine if everyone in the United States for just ONE DAY bought a recycled paper product, we can save 1 million trees from deforestation. Imagine if we just buy a product that deals with our hands, face and, well ya know, to save the planet today. That's a great step in the right direction.

--This is a guest post by Seth Leitman, editor of the TAB Green Guru Guides. Check out the recent book he edited, Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle.

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Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc

Good news for Herbal Essences shampoo lovers – the hair care company announced it will reformulate 18 shampoos in its line to reduce levels of the chemical 1,4-dioxane, which has been linked to cancer.

Herbal Essences, which is owned by Procter & Gamble, agreed to reduce the levels of 1,4-dioxane in the shampoos after health advocate David Steinman (author of Diet for a Poisoned Planet) filed a notice of intent to sue under California’s Proposition 65. Proposition 65 allows individuals to take action against companies that produce products with 1,4 dioxane levels above 10 parts per million. The Herbal Essences line had 1,4-dioxane levels of 24 parts per million.

Said Lisa Archer, national coordinator for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics from the Breast Cancer Fund, “We’re glad Procter & Gamble is reducing the levels of carcinogenic contaminants in Herbal Essences. It’s a good step, but even more is needed to assure customers that P&G; products are free of toxic chemicals.”

The EPA considers 1,4-dioxane a probable human carcinogen, and it’s on California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer. Still, the FDA doesn’t require 1,4-dioxane to be listed on the labels of personal care products because it’s considered a contaminant, not an ingredient because it’s produced during manufacturing.

Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc

China's high-speed rail plans get more ambitious by the day.  Not satisfied with having the world's most advanced and extensive rail line in the world, China is now planning to connect its rail system to 17 other countries in Asia and Eastern Europe where it will join the European rail network.

China plans to have this massive project completed in 10 years.   The rail system will include three major continent-crossing lines running at 200 mph.  One line will connect London to Beijing in a two-day trip and continue on to Singapore.  Another will link Vietnam, Thailand, Burma and Malaysia.  The third will connect Germany to Russia, go across Siberia and back into China.

With travelers able to take major routes like these at high speeds, air travel may become a lot less necessary across Europe and Asia.

China will be financing the project in exchange for access to natural resources from the 17 countries the rail lines will run through.  As an example, Burma will provide China with lithium for its rail connection.

via Daily Telegraph

(Photo: Getty Images)

A new analysis has an encouraging conclusion about individuals who "go green": If we all took a few simple steps, collectively we could reduce U.S. carbon dioxide emissions 15%. Each of these steps is cheap (or free) and won't cramp anyone's lifestyle.

How simple are the actions? Here are 15 tips from the report:

• Reduce unwanted catalog subscriptions.
• Decrease vehicle idling and maintaining your vehicle.
• Use a programmable thermostat.
• Replace seven light bulbs with CFLs.
• Reduce food waste 25%.
• Set computers to hibernate mode.
• Shut off unused lights.
• Fly once less per year.
• Carpool twice or telecommute once to work every week.
• Caulk, weatherstrip, add attic insulation, and otherwise seal heat leaks.
• Kill the phantom load.
• Wash clothes in cold water and turn down the water heater thermostat.
• Take advantage of "cash for appliances."
• Recycle and buy products made from recycled materials.
• Eat poultry in place of red meat two days per week.

That's right, you don't have to be a vegetarian. And you don't have to raise your own chickens. Just eating lower on the food chain has a huge impact on your individual climate impact (even if the commentators on Fox Business News doubted the assertion when The Daily Green suggested it).

Of course, the challenge, as always, is to inspire mass action on these types of simple actions. That's the heart of the report by the NRDC and the Garrison Institute's Climate Mind Behavior Project. It's probably self-evident, but the purpose of the project is to "integrate emerging research findings about what drives human behavior into new thinking on climate solutions."

"The behavioral approach by no means replaces or competes against other policy, regulatory, market, and technology innovations which we need," Jonathan Rose, co-founder of the Garrison Institute, said in a prepared release. "But it's one key front among others in the quest for climate and energy solutions, and conservation now is key while we move forward on those other fronts. Economists and people who study behavior and decision-making have broken through to new understandings of human behavior and human choices, based on brain physiology and evolution. They can explain for example why we may be slow individually to do simple things well within our capability that would reduce our climate impacts, even though it would be in our interests to do so, or why we are much more likely to make those changes when we know we're not alone, that others will do it too, and our contributions will aggregate. The opportunity now is to start applying these sorts of insights concertedly to get people to adopt them faster."

The effort recognizes that the old economic view of human behavior (that we all act in our own best self interest) is as flawed as markets are in controlling pollution (such "externalities" aren't included in the market price of the goods that cause pollution). Instead, behavioral economics suggests that a complex set of influences guides our decision-making (the market itself, our emotions, our communities and our innate sense of fairness, among them).

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(Photo: Tesla Motors)

EarthTalk is a Q&A; column from E / The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk:
When the plug-in Prius is released, how much electricity will it use? Will my electric bill double if my Prius is plugged in each night? Or will the increase be minimal? Also, will all this recharging put a strain on the existing electricity grid?
— G.C. Marx, Colorado Springs, CO

It is difficult to pinpoint the answer to this question right now since Toyota has not yet released its much anticipated plug-in hybrid, but most analysts believe the increase in your electric bill from overnight charging will be minimal. According to the blog Futurewheels.com, electric cars and plug-in hybrids (those that have been converted by owners) currently average about two cents per mile to recharge (electric rates vary greatly by region), while gasoline-only cars average about 10 cents per mile to refuel.

Plug In America, a California based network of electric vehicle and (self-converted) plug-in hybrid owners, estimates the cost to charge a typical plug-in hybrid overnight to be less than a dollar. So while your electric bill might go up $30/month due to recharging, your gas bill will decrease by somewhere between 80 and 100%, depending on your driving habits and what you were driving beforehand.

Of course, it's important to keep in mind that regular hybrids cost between $2,000 and $10,000 more than their gas-only counterparts, and that plug-in hybrids will likely cost even more due to their larger, better batteries and other more advanced technologies. It would take years and years of gasoline-free driving to make up the sticker-price difference between a plug-in hybrid and an equivalent-sized gasoline-fueled car. So while plug-in hybrids will help the environment, they're not so much about saving money — unless you drive thousands of miles a week, in which case you'll recoup your costs in fuel savings in a few years.

As to strain on the existing electricity grid, most experts agree that plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles, even in the unlikely event that all of us switched over to them eventually, wouldn't compromise the ability of utilities to provide power, given that they are already scaled up to handle peak loads during heat waves when everyone runs energy-hogging air conditioning.

Furthermore, most of us would charge our cars overnight — typically a slow period for utilities otherwise and during which they could generate much more power if customers wanted it. A 2007 study by the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory found that off-peak electricity capacity could fuel the daily commutes of nearly three-quarters of all cars, light trucks, SUVs and vans on American roads today if they were plug-in hybrids. Plug In America adds that many utilities are upgrading local electricity distribution systems to accommodate plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles "just as they do when residents add more air conditioners and TVs."

So if you're interested in taking the plug-in hybrid plunge when the cars become available, don't worry about increased electric bills, as overall you'll be saving gobs of cash at the pump. And given the popularity of the current hybrids on the road, enough of us might go for the plug-in versions so as to reduce the cost disparity with traditional cars — meaning we could "save green" in more ways than one.

GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it here or via email. Read past columns here and check out the recent book Earthtalk: Expert Answers to Everyday Questions about the Environment

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Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc

The Auto X stand at the recent Specialty Equipment Market
(SEMA) show. (Auto X Prize photo)

The field is narrowing, and three lucky ducks are going to walk away with their share of $10 million. The money will be awarded in September by the Progressive Automotive X Prize, whose winners will be the best at building production-ready cars and trucks capable of the equivalent of 100 miles per gallon.

According to Eric Cahill, senior director of the X Prize Foundation, "We're trying to create and stoke awareness about the new technologies, and helping to familiarize people with them, so they'll be comfortable when they're introduced."

Cahill points out that since there are many different types of cars in the competition -- electrics, biodiesels, E85 ethanol, straight diesel and hydrogen, even a steamer -- it's impossible to measure them with the city and highway mpg ratings we're all familiar with. Instead, X Prize and Consumers Union both advocate what they call MPGe, which uses several factors to arrive at a miles-per-gallon equivalent for alternative technologies.

It gets interesting when you add in plug-in hybrid vehicles, which have both electric and gas modes, yielding dramatically different performance characteristics in each. For instance, Porsche just unveiled a 918 Spyder that can travel 15 miles on a charge (experiencing zero emissions) but then lights up a a humongous 500-horsepower V-8 that's not nearly as green.

"You've hit the nail on the head," Cahill said. "Electrification introduces substantial variability in fuel economy. For some of these cars, it makes a big difference if you're traveling 10 miles or 100 miles, and how fast you're going matters, too." For that reason, Cahill said the X Prize is working on a definition of fuel economy for plug-in hybrids that includes two phases, charge-sustaining (when the gas engine is running) and charge-depleting (when it's off).

"People are used to two mpg figures -- city and highway," Cahill said. "But they don't apply to some of the new vehicles, and part of our job in fostering wider adoption is in helping consumers who are not technically savvy get used to new metrics."

The Auto X Prize is partnering with the Morey Corporation, which is charged with creating a level playing field for judging cars' eco-performance. Each car will be outfitted with Morey's wireless telematics equipment that can measure fuel economy and other metrics, then transmit the data via cellular technology to central servers. According to Emad Isaac, Morey's chief technology officer, some data on each car will be publicly available on Auto X's webpage. "We're going to great pains to make sure there is equivalence between vehicles," Isaac said, "even monitoring cabin temperature."

In February of last year, when registration closed, there were 111 teams fielding 136 vehicles (some have more than one). Today, with some entrants disqualified and others dropping out, there are 39 teams and 49 contenders. And they're coming from the four corners of the planet, from Hong Kong to Helsinki, from Bellingham (Washington) to Blue Ash (Ohio). There are 13 international teams, including India's Tata (the only mainstream carmaker entered). Aptera, which builds a futuristic EV right out of The Jetsons, is also an entrant. Aptera's Marques McCammon said the company, which has suffered production delays, will use Auto X as a validation of its technology. Here's a quick look at one of the more exotic cars, on an auto show stand in Vancouver:

From Finland comes the Electric Race About (E-RA), which is a 2+2 lithium-ion battery electric built from the ground up by a team at Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences (pictured below). From China there's APET-X, the only Asian entry, a unique nickel-metal-hydride battery electric. Britain's Delta Motorsports is entering a sleek EV coupe, the E-4. Edison2's pod on wheels, from Charolottesville, Virgina, is internal combustion. And Cornell University, a formidable contender, has an eco-diesel.

Next month, the competition moves to Michigan, for the shakedown stage at the Michigan International Speedway. Cars will go through safety inspections -- electrics will need to have a high-voltage kill switch, for instance. They'll go through braking tests, lane-changing evaluations, recharge time checks and acceleration trials. The public will meet the challengers at a public ceremony in Lansing April 29.

In June, they'll be back to demonstrate that the cars can achieve at least two thirds of the 100 MPGe figure, while also demonstrating real-world performance and low emissions. The finals are in July, followed by a final validation stage in August at the EPA Labs in Ann Arbor and the Argonne National Labs in Chicago.

To win, cars will have to be production-capable (in quantities of 10,000 a year), plus meet safety and emissions criteria. Prize winners will be in two divisions, competition (in the race for the money) and demonstration (no purse), and in both mainstream (standard five-passenger economy cars) and alternative (innovative designs). Half of the $10 million goes to the fastest mainstream class car, and the remaining $5 million will be split between two alternative class winners. It's too late to enter, so you'll just have to follow the results vicariously.

Friend us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Follow Jim Motavalli on Twitter.

More from The Daily Green

• See Some of the Leading Auto X Designs
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Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc

(Photo: Joseph A. Garcia)

Winter squash is actually grown from late summer through December and has a satisfying flavor, luscious texture and extensive shelf life. For locavores, who support sustainable agriculture by eating seasonal foods grown within a 100-mile radius, this versatile vegetable has a lot to offer.

Acorn squash is prized for its sweet golden flesh and unique ribbed shell, which makes attractive scalloped bowls when halved and a handy case for savory stuffing.

Acorn squash is a very good source of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, as well as manganese, thiamin and potassium. One cup of cooked acorn squash has 115 calories 9 grams of fiber and 895 mg of potassium.

Potassium is an essential mineral that is integral to the functioning of all living cells. Important to maintaining electrolyte balance and the proper function of the muscles, brain and nervous system, adequate intake of potassium also helps to reduce the risk of hypertension and stroke. ¹

A medium banana or a cup of cubed melon contains about 500 mg of potassium and with almost 900 mg of this all-important mineral this nut-shaped squash is a veritable ‘rock star.’

Acorn squash is also an excellent source of vitamin A, in the form of beta-carotene, an antioxidant with many health benefits.  Studies have shown that the anti-inflammatory properties associated with beta-carotene may help reduce the severity of conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and asthma, all of which involve inflammation. ^{2 3}

Acorn squash is a good source of folate, a water-soluble B vitamin that occurs naturally in food, (folic acid is the synthetic form found in supplements.) Folate may help prevent certain birth defects⁴ and has been shown to help protect colon cells from the effects of cancer-causing chemicals. Diets high in folate are associated with a significantly reduced risk of colon cancer.^{5 6}

Acorn Squash is nutrient dense and certainly full of health benefits but its also really delicious.

Choose firm, smooth-skinned dark green acorn squash with some yellow-orange coloring that feels heavy for its size. Acorn squash is easy to prepare.  Simply cut in half, scoop out the seeds bake for an hour face down in a shallow baking pan in an inch of water.

Acorn squash with cranberry stuffing is a delightful dish with an elegant presentation. The moist and flavorful cranberry-studded filling comes together quickly while the squash bakes and offers complimentary texture and color to a dish lovely enough for a dinner party.

Marie Oser is a best-selling author, writer/producer and host of VegTV. Follow Marie on Twitter: http://twitter.com/vegtv.

Acorn squash with cranberry stuffing

From More Soy Cooking, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., © Marie Oser 2000

Makes 4 servings

• 2 medium acorn squash
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup sliced scallions
• 1 cup coarsely chopped carrots
• 1 8-ounce package soy ground beef alternative
• 1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup Mirin (Japanese rice wine or you can use sherry)
• Paprika for garnish

Preheat oven to 375°. Cut squash in half crosswise. Scoop out seeds and place cut-side down in 9" by 13" baking pan in one" of water. Bake for one hour. Discard water and place squash in pan, cut-side up, and set aside.

In a 10" frying pan, heat oil and crushed pepper over medium-high heat. Add garlic, scallions, and carrots. Cook for 3 minutes, add soy alternative, and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Drizzle diced apple with lime juice and add to the pan with cranberries and Mirin. Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Divide the filing among the four squash halves. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes or until heated through.

Serve with whole-berry cranberry sauce.

Acorn squash with cranberry stuffing:
Nutrition analysis per serving -- One half squash with stuffing
Calories 302, protein 15g, carbohyrates 57g, fiber 10g, fat 2g, cholesterol 0.0mg, calcium 102mg, sodium 32mg.

Sources:

1. A. Ascherio, E. B. Rimm, M. A. Hernán, E. L. Giovannucci, I. Kawachi, M. J. Stampfer, and W. C. Willett Intake of Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, and Fiber and Risk of Stroke Among US Men Circulation 98: 1198-1204
2. Knekt P, Heliövaara M, Aho K, Alfthan G, Marniemi J, Aromaa A. Serum selenium, serum alpha-tocopherol, and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Epidemiology. 2000 Jul;11(4):402-5.
3. Patel S, Murray CS, Woodcock A, Simpson A, Custovic A
   Dietary antioxidant intake, allergic sensitization and allergic diseases in young children. Journal of Asthma; Allergy 2009 Oct 1.
4. Bower C, Stanley FJ, Nicol DJ. Maternal folate status and the risk for neural tube defects. The role of dietary folate. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1993;678:146-55 1993.
5. Terry P, Jain M, Miller AB et al. Dietary intake of folic acid and colorectal cancer risk in a cohort of women. Int J Cancer 2002 Feb 20;97(6):864-7 2002.
6. Mason JB, Levesque T. Folate: effects on carcinogenesis and the potential for cancer chemoprevention. Oncology (Huntingt) 1996;10(11): 1727-1743 1996.

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A new washing machine design uses 90 percent less water and reduces utility bills by 30 percent by cleaning clothes with tiny plastic beads.

The machine by UK company Xeros Ltd uses 3mm-long nylon beads that can get into all crevices and folds of clothing and absorb stains and dirt.  Stephen Burkinshaw, a polymer chemist at Leeds University, discovered that nylon beads at 100 percent humidity could attract stains away from clothing and into the center of the beads, preventing deposition back onto the clothes.

The machine uses a small amount of water to dampen the clothes and to reach the right humidity level, then the drum is flooded with the beads.  When the cycle is complete the beads drain away with the water to be reused hundreds of times.

I'm sure you've already started questioning what happens to these plastic beads once they're done scrubbing clothes.  The company wants to eventually create a closed loop where the saturated beads can be refreshed and reused in the machines, but for the time being they will be collected and recycled.

Xeros says that if all of the U.S. used these machines instead of regular washing machines, it would save 1.2 billion tonnes of water per year and the CO2 emissions saved would equal taking 5 million cars off the road.  The machine would also eliminate the need to dry clean many delicates, another environmental benefit.  The Xeros machine is expected to be available by the end of next year.

via Guardian

Usually when you read about concentrated solar power, it's referring to some large project destined for the Mojave Desert, but Syracuse's Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE) has set out to prove that this technology can be used in smaller, colder settings.

SyracuseCoE in Syracuse, NY is itself a LEED-platinum-certified, 55,000 square-foot building that serves as a testing ground for renewable energy and efficiency technologies.  The south wall of the building is home to a concentrated solar facade that, at first glance, resembles the frosted cube walls found in doctors' office waiting rooms.

This 8-foot by 8-foot facade houses several clear pyramid lenses that track the sun and concentrate the rays onto high-efficiency PV cells.  Extra energy not converted to electricity is used for heating water and radiant heat in the building.  And because it's made up of clear panels, it also adds natural lighting indoors.  You can watch a video of the system at work here.

Using a concentrated solar power system in an architectural application is a new concept, so the center will be monitoring and reporting on its performance.

The facade was designed by the Center for Architecture Science and Ecology and the company HeliOptix is licensed to market it.

via Jetson Green

Conventional gasoline engines are terribly inefficient things. Only 13% of the energy of the fuel actually moves the car. 62% is lost in the engine as waste heat, and driveline losses, accessories, and idling also reduce the efficiency.

Transonic Combustion is planning to build automobile engines with improved efficiency obtained through heating and pressurizing gasoline before injecting it into the combustion chamber. "This puts it into a super-critical state that allows for very fast and clean combustion, which in turn decreases the amount of fuel needed to propel a vehicle," according to MIT Technology Review. A transonic test vehicle achieved 64 MPG in highway driving, compared to a 48 MPG hybrid Prius, and running at a steady cruising speed of 50 mph, the test vehicle achieved 98 MPG.

Like diesel and HCCI, the Transonic Combustion technology operates without needing a spark plug. Timing software also further enhances the operating efficiency of the system. Transonic injection is being developed for use with gasoline engines at present, but will also be compatible with advanced low carbon footprint bio-fuels in the future. Transonic expects its system will be comparable in cost to other current high-end fuel injection systems.

Because of the higher operating pressure, the longevity and durability of the engine will be important considerations the company will need to address. The company plans to build its production facility in 2013 and expects to be building engines for production vehicles in 2014.

via: Inhabitat