Thursday, October 14, 2010

Hybrid Tanks?

A lot of money goes into war and ends up costing the government millions. I think that it is a good idea to try and save money in our armed forces. It isn't all about saving money. It is also about protecting the environment with gadgets such as solar powered tents used in the desert to provide shade and generate energy for LED light bulbs and other energy-saving things like that. By the next ten years, the military hopes that 50% of their operations will be done using renewable energy. Another major reason for the military to think about going even more green is because of the number of gas-related deaths in the military. If there was no need for gas in the military, hundreds of lives would be spared. All from eliminating fossil fuels and using hybrids.

Green Wall

Apparently, Portland, Oregon, is so into going green, that they are going to cover an entire 200 foot wall of their federal building with living vegetation and plants. The government predicts that they will save around $280,000 in energy costs per year. This 133 million dollar project also includes solar panels and is on schedule to be completed in 2013. Many people think that this is a waste of money, as this may take quite a bit of time to even out the expenses ... around 475 years. Even so, it is a good idea, and will use 60% to 65% less energy than a normal office building. Designers are also trying to find a way to irrigate the building efficiently, but to no avail so far.

Be responsible

We can all do our part in derceasing Co2 Polution in the air ... here are some ways:

1.) Don't leave cars, scooters, or other Co2 powered machines on when not driving.



2.) If the lights could be off they should.Its just a flick of the switch do it.



3.)Use more fuel efficent cars like Hybrids, electric, or even well designed gas cars.



4.) Shut things off when you can. No reason to have your phone on if its in your locker.



5.) Be responsible and find ways to help your community grow.

Do your laundry FAST!!!

Many people think they know how to do laundry. And they do. But here are some extra tips to save time and energy. When you do your laundry you should really think about it. If you do a large load instead of a small one then you will be saving water. When you do your laundry, if you are doing more than one load don't start the dryer with the first load until the second load is ready to be dried. that way you will be drying one after the other and you will reduce hot air left in the drier. Don't overly Dry clothes. This makes them wrinkly and wastes energy. And last but not least, if you have the chance AIR DRY!!! It saves energy, it's good for your clothes, and it makes them smell good.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

A Very Green Trip Around the World

by Tori Riggs



Want to travel the world and be green about it too? That's Andy Pag's dream, but also his current job. Mr. Pag is traveling the world in an old, recycled bus powered by french fry fat. The bus is not only green in fuel, but in everything else as well. The bus was salvaged from a scrapyard and redone using old tables and other waste materials. Inside, it has a wood burning stove, low power LED lighting, and a waterless, chemical free composting toilet. When asked what it's like to drive this remarkable bus, Mr. Pag said, "It smells like a bus driver's armpit, but when you are using rubbish you can't expect too much." The bus left London on September 19th, 2009 and is still making its way along Asia.

Robotic Satellite Can Clean Up Outer Space.



Alright, this is going to sound really crazy.

But this robot in space. can actually use robotic vision to pick out satellites in space. It goes out into space and repairs/cleans broken ones. Think of how else we would get them clean and fixed. The only real way we would be able to do this, would to be to send someone out there themselves risking their own lives. I think that this thing could really help the way we can clean up space. The first people to make this miracle happen. Were spanish engineers at the Universidad Carlos III de Mandrid (UC3M). Anyway, wouldn't this be an awesome way to fix a bunch of satellites?

Weird Shower Curtains






By Kaila Thieman


There are ways to save water but here is one way that most people probably haven't seen before. It is a shower curtain that limits your time in the shower. How? When you take a shower that is longer than the set time, the curtain inflates and pushes you out of the shower with spikes, or wraps you in the curtain. This is one way to take really quick showers!

Nuclear Power

By: Rachel Skillicorn

Nuclear Power is a great solution for the demand of energy. By the year 2030 energy is expected to grow 50%. It is said to be a clean, safe, affordable kind of energy and the support has been increasing from both sides of the political party and most people who care about the environment and if not that, saving money are starting to grow supportive of this new idea. In the simple way nuclear power works when the heat created by a nuclear chain is used to boil water. The steam produced from it goes to electrical genorators that convert into mechanical energy. 430 nuclear power plants have been set up in 30 countries around the world and in some countries in Europe, they use nuclear power for 40% of their electricity. Although there is one negative thing about them and that is they produce a little amount of waste, but can be disposed safely. This is where are country is headed to.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Solar Powered Lawnmower



by Ivy Long




The basic idea is an electric lawnmower that takes up solar power as an energy source. An electric lawnmower with an solar powered charge would be way easier to use. There would be no messy dangous gasoline to deal with! The battery would be charged by a solar panel. All you would have to do is plug it into the charging station and next time you mowed you would be ready to go! Thats how it works!
Recently, the very well known company, Google, announced a five billion dollar project to power the US East Coast with wind from the Atlantic Ocean. This project is an ambitious attempt to spur alternative energy. They would set up offshore wind turbines from New Jersey to New York. They are the most densley populated places in the United States and suffered blackouts in 2003. Google said it would provide 37.5% of the funding for this project. The director of green operations and stradegies at Google, Rick Needham, described the project as a "super highway" for alternative energy. It would create jobs for US citizens and eventually provide enough energy to power 1.9 million houses. Good Energies and Marubeni companies are also contrubuting funds to the project. In 20 years, wind power could eventually supply 1/5 of the worlds electricity. The project is just the beginning of what energy could possibly be like in the future.

by Rhyan Montgomery

alternative fuel vehicles

Alternative feul vehicles are becoming increasingly popular because of the predicted possibility of running out of fossile fuels.


A list of alternative power sources:


-ethanol


-biodiesel


-natural gas


-propane


-hydrogen


-battery electric


-solar


-and many other hybrid cominations


lower operating prices in the long run, environment friendliness, and innovative thinking are a few good reasons to switch. Another option would be to convert your current vehicle to electric power. Driving with fuel efficiency in mind will lower gas prices too. With all these options and problems facing us, why wouldn't you want to switch?