The Latest Plugin Hybrids Available On the Market

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

How to Recycle Ink Cartridges

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.

 

 

The SunWize Referral Program

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.

Recycling Greeting Cards

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

Items That Cannot Be Recycled

As much as we’d like to take this ‘go green’ initiative to the next level, there are some items that cannot be recycled. Whether these are from the workplace or the home, almost 75% of these items are recyclable, with the exception of the remaining 25% to items that aren’t recyclable.

One has a moral obligation to committing themselves to this cause of recycling, as this is vital to the longevity of our survival on this planet, and if not kept in check will result in future generations paying for all our selfish choices in rapidly depleting the planet’s resources to our advantage. However, we also have to accept the fact that there are some items which cannot be recycled, and that the only approach one can take is by replacing the components of these products with recyclable material.

The most popular items (that you might be familiar with) that cannot be recycled by conventional methods are:
Batteries
Ceramics
Grocery Bags
Toxic product containers
Milk Cartons
Juice boxes
Textiles and shoes
Round Dairy Tubs
Plastic pots, cups and utensils
Styrofoam packaging
Glassware
Computers
Yellow paper that are used for Post-It Notes and Information Directories
Shredded Paper
Fast food wrappers
Aerosol cans
Light Bulbs
Syringes
Needles
Gift wrap
Paper towel
Tissue paper
Stickers
Rubber Bands
Waxed paper
Aluminium foil
Pie Tins
Scrap metal

And this is not an exhaustive list. However, newer ways by one can ‘recycle’ these items by reusing them are being explored (for example the Clothes Swap since the late nineties), until the time when unrecyclable components in the aforementioned items are replaced with ‘greener’ ones.

Green Technology and Trends in Home Construction

Going Green is the buzzword today. We have green technology, green jobs, green products, green environment and so on and so forth. Using green technology in home construction is the process of using non-toxic products, which can be recycled as raw materials to construct a home. The objective here is to create an environment that is healthier to live in.

Both greenhouse construction and green remodeling dominate the construction industry today. Real estate businesses are now concentrating on using green construction products and green building techniques that are environmentally conducive. These methods are incorporated right from the initial building processes. It involves going green from the ground up as well as using green flooring material. Used or recycled flooring wood is a popular choice for green flooring while the wood of rubber, bamboo and cork are other viable options. Recyclable carpets with no toxic materials are also used in green construction.

As part of the planning and design, homes are constructed with lots of natural light and storage space. High ceilings are avoided and space is conserved to the maximum extent possible. Using solar panels and energy saving windows can help in energy conservation.

Implementing a green remodeling technique can be done by replacing the existing material with green building materials. For example, a toilet can be replaced by a new model, which will save water every time you flush while subsequently saving water significantly over time. Replacing an existing geyser with a solar heater can help conserve electricity.

Although the initial cost of building a green house might be more, the maintenance will be less as recyclable products are used. More importantly, a green house uses less or no toxins and is environmentally friendly.

What is a Green Job?

The United Nations describes a green job as any work in agricultural, manufacturing, research and development (R&D), administrative, and service activities that contribute significantly to preserving or restoring environmental quality.

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in association with the International Labor Organization (ILO), and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) launched the Green Jobs Initiative in the year 2007.

Green jobs are popularly referred to as green-collar jobs. Any worker employed in the environmental sectors of the economy is called a green-collar worker.

The core functions in a green job includes, but are not limited to, protecting the ecosystem and biodiversity, developing strategies to reduce energy, materials, and water consumption as well as avoid the creation of waste and pollution.

Some examples of green jobs are waste composting, creating furniture from recycled wood, green landscaping, organic food production, solar power installations, wind energy engineering, green products manufacturing, constructing green houses and buildings, energy retrofitting, hazardous material recycling etc. New ideas, which will create green jobs in every industry, are being identified and discussed, that will heal the earth as well as become beneficial for the economy.

The US Labor department is working on identifying more green jobs. The Blue Green Alliance report of 2007 predicts that an estimated 82,000 new jobs will be created by 2020 because of green jobs.

There has been a significant surge in the movement to incorporate social responsibility within green industries, which will lead to the formation of a green economy. The green economy has the potential to create millions of jobs that could help the global economy sail through the current financial downturn. Creation of more green jobs will also keep the environment in balance as well as conserve energy resources.

How Recycling Paper Helps the Ecosystem

The process of taking waste paper (also known as scrap paper in the recycling process) and running it through an eight-step process to produce new paper products is known as ‘recycling paper’. This easy process is significantly beneficial for our eco-system.

Paper, as is well known, is made using wood as the raw material. About 43% of the world’s wood harvested is used to produce paper. Studies show that recycling newspapers alone saves us about one ton of wood while recycling printed paper saves around two tons.

Though it is still a subject under debate, energy savings is also one of the benefits of recycling paper. The Bureau of International Recycling and the Energy Information Administration both claim varying percentages in the consumption of energy when recycled paper is produced but still the numbers prove to be of significance. United States, which is the number one customer in using paper, has found that recycling paper reduces water and air pollution by 35% and 74% respectively.

There are also other economic benefits in recycling paper. An estimated 1.1 million jobs a year are created in the United States and it is possible for companies to save millions of dollars by voluntarily recycling paper.

Recycling paper will stop the felling of trees and our forest reserves will be preserved for the wild life habitat. So think twice before printing unless it is necessary to do so. This will help keep our planet green and make it a better place for our future generations.

Coke Increases Production of New Plant Bottles

As part of its “Go Green” initiative, Coca-Cola has announced that it has begun distributing Coke and other beverages in plastic bottles that are made of up to 30% plant-based material. Coca-Cola is a well-known consumer brand across the world and its logo is the most widely recognized business symbols. This new initiative highlights how serious Coca-Cola is, in making the earth green.

Coke has already christened the new packaging as PlantBottle, and is proud of the fact that it is the first to introduce and promote such an idea in the corporate world. The bottles were already on shelves, just in time for the Copenhagen summit in Denmark. The company has already introduced the bottles in Canada and plans to do so in January in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle.

Coke has announced that it has plans to increase the PlantBottle production to two billion by the end of this year. This according to the press release is the first step in achieving the vision of marketing plastic bottles that are 100% recyclable. Interestingly, the CEO of Coke is already calling the product, “the bottle of the future.”

The reason for the bottles not being 100% plant material is that they cannot handle hot or carbonated drinks. Hence, the product has to be PET plastic, which can be easily recycled. The company is also planning to set up recycling plants in countries where there is no recycling infrastructure. It is no surprise that the Climate Group has praised Coca-Cola for this “revolutionary solution”.