Archive for the ‘Global Warming’ Category
May 19th, 2009
Goooobama! President Sets Strong Emissions Rules
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It is a great deal for the environment– and a terrible day for global warming. President Obama announced today tough new national rules for auto emissions and mileage standards. His administration has embraced standards that California sought to enact for years over the objections of the auto industry and the Bush administration.
The new rules, which will go into effect in 2012, will create a single new national standard that will yield a car and light truck fleet in the United States that is 40 percent more fuel-efficient by 2016 than it is today. The mandated national average for automobiles and light trucks will be 35.5 miles per gallon. The current national standard is slightly more than 25 miles per gallon.
Read more on the story from the New York Times here.
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May 14th, 2009
Obama’s 2010 Budget to Increase EPA Funding by 34 Percent
Written by Amanda Wills, courtesy of Earth911
The Obama administration announced its proposed budget for the fiscal year 2010 which includes a significant boost in funding for the EPA. The $10.5 billion funding will be a 34 percent increase from 2009’s $7.8 billion in funding.
“It takes significant strides to ensure that our air, land, and water are safe and clean,” EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said in her May 7 speech. “And it significantly improves accountability and transparency, ensuring fiscal responsibility at a time when every dollar counts.”
So what’s the EPA’s plan for the extra money? According to Jackson, $3.9 billion will go toward improving the nation’s water and wastewater infrastructure. Jackson says the funding represents a Obama’s dedication to improving the environment.
“EPA’s new budget reflects the President’s commitment to growing a clean energy economy while protecting human health and the environment,” Jackson said.
EPA’s other plans include $475 million for the Great Lakes Initiative, $17 million for creating a greenhouse gas registry and $1.3 billion to clean up eligible hazardous waste sites, which is part of the Superfund site initiative.
Beginning in 2011, the government will reinstate the Superfund tax on businesses, generating $1 billion a year in revenue.
The new budget will also create jobs. The EPA plans to have enough money to hire 30 additional enforcement staff members in its Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program.
“We see remarkable opportunities to create green jobs,” Jackson said. “We see new growth in communities that are cleaner, healthier places to live, work and invest. And we see new innovations that will protect our planet for the generations to come. EPA has been given extraordinary support, and a revitalized mission. We’re ready to get to work.”
This article was reproduced with the kind permission of Earth 911. For more news and information visit http://earth911.com/.
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May 10th, 2009
How to Keep Your Home Safe from Fire This Summer
As the recent fires in Santa Barbara show, we have a long, hot summer of fire danger ahead of us. Many of us who live in areas where wildfires are common are also now facing record drought conditions. We all need to do what we can to protect our homes and communities from the danger of uncontrolled fires. And don’t forget that reducing fire risk is a great way to save water as well. Every little bit helps!
Fortunately there is plenty we can do as homeowners. Here is a great checklist, courtesy of Colorado State University:
- Thin trees and brush properly within the defensible space.
- Remove trash and debris from the defensible space.
- Remove any trees growing through the porch.
- Clear roof and gutters of leaves and debris.
- Remove branches overhanging chimney and roof.
- Stack firewood uphill or on a contour away from the home.
- Use noncombustible roof materials.
- Place shutters, fire curtains or heavy drapes on windows.
- Place screens on foundation and eave vents.
- Enclose sides of stilt foundations and decks.
- Use a chimney screen or spark arrester.
- Clear vegetation around fire hydrants, cisterns, propane tanks, etc.
- Make sure an outdoor water supply is available, with hose, nozzle and pump.
- Make sure fire tools, ladder and fire extinguishers are available.
- Post address signs that are clearly visible from the street or road.
- Make sure the driveway is wide enough for fire trucks and equipment.
- Install and test smoke detectors.
- Practice a family fire drill and evacuation plan.
Be sure to read the rest of this helpful site’s information, which gives excellent pointers on how to clear trees and brush to create a safe zone around your home, what kind of fire-resistant plants to plant, evacuation tips, and how to protect your home should it be struck by fire. Another good resource for fire-safety education is Firewise.org. Their guide on How to Prepare a House for Wildfire Season is particularly good.
Popularity: 4% [?]
May 8th, 2009
The Volvo ReCharge: A Different Kind of Hybrid
Written by Christopher DeMorro, courtesy of Gas2.O
Sometimes when looking forward, you have to look back to really get inspired.
110 years ago electric cars were at their peak, representing over a quarter of all cars on the road in America, but Henry Ford and the mass-production gas motor changed all that. And while most of us have gotten used to the idea of an engine under the hood, a transmission, and sometimes a driveshaft as integral to our cars, Volvo is taking a nod from the first electric carriages and putting their motors where they are most needed: the wheels. The Volvo ReCharge is a plug-in hybrid concept that relys on four indepedant electric motors, one in each wheel, to move and power the C30-based concept.
The ReCharge concept is said to get 60 miles on electric power, and a small petrol engine sooths range anxiety. Volvo is also known for some of the world’s safest cars, and true to form the ReCharge boasts numerous safety advantages over its petrol-powered cousin. There is no driveshaft or transmission, which means a solid firewall and flat floors and increased energy efficiency. Should one motor fail, the other three can compensate for their fallen comrade and keep you moving. Also, there are no brakepads, but rather the motors do the stopping, which also serves to restore some lost energy via regenerative braking.
Volvo was in talks with the Swedish government for small-scale fleet testing of the ReCharge, which is said to be the basis for an upcoming 2012 production car from Volvo, though not much has been heard of the ReCharge since it debuted at the 2007 Frankfurt auto show.
Click here to see a video of the ReCharge concept car.
Popularity: 4% [?]
April 26th, 2009
The Podcar: A Cross between a Taxi and a Personal Bus
Written byAmiel Blajchman, courtesy of Gas2.0
Masdar City, located within Abu Dhabi, is introducing personal rapid transit “podcars”. Basically, a cross between the convenience of grabbing a cab and a public bus; the podcars will be a component of Masdar City’s public transportation system.
As part of Masdar City’s car-free design; these podcars will be part of a network of electric taxis without drivers (!). The first of these podcars (also known as personal rapid transit - PRT) are set to debut this year.
According to Luca Guala, a planner at the consulting firm Systematica that designed the PRT network, it will:
Initially, the system will be very simple, with only a couple of stations. During this period, the system will function kind of like an elevator – you press a button and go to the third floor. Think of it as a horizontal lift. Later on it will be more sophisticated, and passengers will be able to get within 100 meters of any destination.
Since it is a prototype system, PRT is currently expensive to build. But, doesn’t it just scream “vision of the future”?
Image: Flyway Gotgatan via Flickr’s Media Commons
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