The Latest Plugin Hybrids Available On the Market

February 27, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment

As wild as the conspiracy theory of Bush invading Iraq for its oil is, it does however point out the dependence on oil that countries have today, despite exponential leaps in science and technology. While President Obama has promised that the search for fuel alternatives will be given prominence over the next ten years, there’s no doubt that if fuel supplies stop, nations will find themselves grinding to a jarring halt with short and long term implications on their economies.

However, the answer to this question could lie in the design of the hybrid vehicle that relies on two sources for energy, most commonly hybrid electric vehicles that have engines of the internal combustion and electric type. And this is only the beginning as further advances in this technology have resulted in plug-in hybrid electric vehicles as well, which combine the traditional hybrid type along with using the alternative of batteries that can charged by ‘plugging’ it to an electric grid.

Not only are these types of vehicles environmentally-friendly but ‘fuel’ costs are one quarter the cost of gasoline, and are independent of fossil fuels if the user relies on the vehicle’s all-electric range.

Some of the latest models (that will or have been released) in the market by various car companies for the year 2010 are as follows:

BMW X6 ActiveHybrid
Cadillac Escalade Hybrid
Chevy Malibu, Silverado and Tahoe Hybrids
Ford Fusion and Escape Hybrids
GMC Sierra and Yukon Hybrids
Honda Civic, Insight and Accord Hybrids
Toyota Prius, Camry and Highlander Hybrids
Saturn Aura Green Line Mild Hybrid and the Saturn Vue SUV Hybrid
Nissan Altima hybrid
Mazda Tribute Hybrid
Mercury Milan and Mariner Hybrid
Mercedes ML450 and S400 Hybrids
Lexus HS 250h, GS 450h, LS 600h L, RX 400h and 450h Hybrids

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How to Recycle Ink Cartridges

February 27, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment

If one has to elicit the benefits of recycling, there is no doubt that the list would be pretty long to match the desires of those afflicted with the shopping fervor of the holiday season. Recycling ink cartridges, much like other recycling initiatives, help the cause of preserving our planet by maintaining the ecological balance of the environment in not using any more of our planet’s depleted natural resources than is necessary.
Interestingly, ink cartridges also play a role in this upholding the worthy objective of recycling.

Now if you have a printer, what do you do once you run out of ink?

The obvious answer being that you will get rid of it and go out to get a new one apart from those folks who are frugal enough to opt for third party options. If you throw it into your trash, there are two ways by which this harmful product is disposed, using either the incinerator or landfills.

As each cartridge consists of plastic and petroleum-based products that take only 1000 years to decompose, there’s no doubt that disposing of them will not help the aforementioned cause., especially when an ink cartridge can be used for another six times.

So, here are some ways to recycle used ink cartridges:

1) Companies provide instructions to recycle the old cartridge on the packaging or you can contact the manufacturer for instructions, for which you can receive a discount when obtaining a ‘refilled’ cartridge.
2) Find ‘green’ recycle trash cans.
3) You can contact organizations like Laser-Tone International, Eco-Office, Environmental Laser or the International Cartridge Recycling Association especially if you use ink cartridges in large numbers.
4) Look for recycling options over the internet for computer-based products and electronics.

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The SunWize Referral Program

February 25, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment

If you are an existing SunWize customer, then you are already seeing the benefits of having home solar panels replacing your traditional energy source. Chances are that you’ve told your friends and family all about your switch to solar power and how it’s saved you money and help you conserve energy. So why not get paid for helping other people shift to solar?

SunWize offers a referral program for existing customers who help convince other people to switch to solar power. It’s very simple: for every person you refer to SunWize who completes an installation, you’ll receive $200 for every kW of their total system size. You’ll even receive $50 if a person completes a solar installation assessment but doesn’t complete the installation. To learn more about the SunWize referral program, please go to http://www.sunwize.com/referral/index.php.

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Recycling Greeting Cards

February 21, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment

With efforts to conserve our planet’s resources in full drive nowadays, recycling has become a priority that is being discussed at the corporate level down to the average Joe. It is obvious that recycling what we use can play a positive role in stabilizing the imbalance that has been created by self-centered consumerism from not so long ago. Plans to create green jobs and so on and so forth are being discussed by political heads of state, while corporations insist on going ‘paperless’.

If you step into a greeting card store, you would find cards for every occasion which means that in order to meet the supply of cards that are bought by consumers and distributed, more trees will need to be cut down. Not unless we apply the principle of recycling to the cards that we get throughout the year.

So, how can we recycle greeting cards?

Here are some ideas:
1. Use e-cards from here on when wishing family and friends on special occasions.
2. Use the front portion of the greeting card like a postcard, and send them to your loved ones during the holidays.
3. Use pieces of the front portion or the full front portion to create a pleasant looking background for collages.
4. Use the greeting card to make placemats, coasters, package decorations, index card files, gift tags, fridge magnet clips and the list goes on.
5. If you do not have the time to do all of the above, you can still do your bit for the environment by St. Jude’s Ranch that is a non-profit home for youths collecting old holiday cards for reuse. The address that you can send them to is:
St. Jude’s Card Recycling, 100 St. Jude Street, P.O. Box 60100, Boulder City, NV 89006

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