Volkswagon New 1.2L TSI Engine

Volkswagen’s new 1.2L TSI engine, introduced earlier this year (earlier post) is now available for the Polo, Golf and Golf Plus.

The four-cylinder, turbocharged 77 kW (103 hp) TSI engine offers its maximum torque of 175 N·m (129 lb-ft) at a low engine speed of 1,500 rpm.

The continued development of the engine technology of the small but powerful engine family consistently uses friction optimization and lightweight construction. The engine is based on an aluminium crankcase. The completely re-tuned direct injection provides smooth power development, low consumption and low emissions.

Applied in the fifth-generation Polo, the 1.2 TSI consumes 5.5 L/100km (43 mpg US), with 129 g/km CO2. Compared to the retired 1.6-liter engine of the previous model, average fuel consumption was lowered by 1.2 liter. This corresponds to a 30 g/km reduction in CO2 emissions.

More @: VW Media Room
Courtesy: Mike Millikin

Tree hugging

"Arrested Development" Trio Join Forces for New Show - ABC News
HitFix"Arrested Development" Trio Join Forces for New ShowABC NewsIt stars Arnett as a rich Beverly Hills jackass who falls in love with a charitable Tree-hugging woman who can't stand his lifestyle or values. ...Will Arnett has a new FOX developmentHitFixall 8 news articles��

Treehugging

Electric Rolls-Royce for tree-hugging plutocrats - New Zealand Herald
New Zealand HeraldElectric Rolls-Royce for tree-hugging plutocratsNew Zealand HeraldBy Sean O'Grady A hybrid is likely on the cards for Rolls-Royce, but electric versions of the iconic guzzler are further off. An electric Rolls-Royce is a ...and more��

Eco News

Samsung and Sprint unveil Eco-friendly cellphone - USA Today
Washington PostSamsung and Sprint unveil Eco-friendly cellphoneUSA TodaySprint CEO Dan Hesse says the green phone isn't just environmentally responsible -- it's good business. Coming August 16, the $50 phone (after rebates and ...Sprint rolls out Eco-friendly phoneKansas City StarSprint, Along With Samsung, Create Eco-Friendly Mobile DeviceGeekSmackSprint goes green with the Samsung ReclaimSan Francisco ChronicleYTN�-CIO Today�-Gearlogall 354 News articles��

Earth

Kepler telescope makes quick discovery - CNN
Times OnlineKepler telescope makes quick discoveryCNNKepler's ability to take measurements that precise at such a great distance "proves we can find Earth-size planets," William Borucki, Kepler's principal ...NASA says Kepler spacecraft proves it can find Earth-sized planetsLos Angeles TimesKepler Telescope Finds Distant Planet During Test RunAHNKepler passes first test - ready to hunt for other EarthsChristian Science MonitorComputerworld�-The Planetary Society�-Wired Newsall 127 news articles��

Earth

Kepler telescope makes quick discovery - CNN
Times OnlineKepler telescope makes quick discoveryCNNKepler's ability to take measurements that precise at such a great distance "proves we can find Earth-size planets," William Borucki, Kepler's principal ...NASA says Kepler spacecraft proves it can find Earth-sized planetsLos Angeles TimesKepler Telescope Finds Distant Planet During Test RunAHNKepler passes first test - ready to hunt for other EarthsChristian Science MonitorComputerworld�-The Planetary Society�-Wired Newsall 127 news articles��

Save Planet

Can Cap-And-Trade Save Planet For Just 'Postage Stamp A Day'? - Investor's Business Daily
Opposing ViewsCan Cap-And-Trade Save Planet For Just 'Postage Stamp A Day'?Investor's Business DailyHow much will an American family pay to avoid catastrophic global warming via the House-passed ...Heritage Foundation Releases Economic Study of Waxman-Markey Cap ...Heritage.orgall 19 news articles��

Green Living

Green Living 101: Should I go to the State Fair? - Examiner.com
Examiner.comGreen Living 101: Should I go to the State Fair?Examiner.comCelebrate local food at your State Fair. Every Greenie has an obligation to go. There's an excuse if you needed one. Meet the farmers that could become your ...and more��

Treehugging

Electric Rolls-Royce for tree-hugging plutocrats - New Zealand Herald
New Zealand HeraldElectric Rolls-Royce for tree-hugging plutocratsNew Zealand HeraldBy Sean O'Grady A hybrid is likely on the cards for Rolls-Royce, but electric versions of the iconic guzzler are further off. An electric Rolls-Royce is a ...and more��

Green Living

Green Living 101: Should I go to the State Fair? - Examiner.com
Examiner.comGreen Living 101: Should I go to the State Fair?Examiner.comCelebrate local food at your State Fair. Every Greenie has an obligation to go. There's an excuse if you needed one. Meet the farmers that could become your ...and more��

Green Tips

Green Tips for renters - Examiner.com
Green Tips for rentersExaminer.com... for homeowners also applies to renters, the National Apartment Association also has a "Green Tips for Apartment Residents" guide on their web site. ...

Save Planet

Samsung's Green Phone %26mdash; Will It Save the Planet? - jkOnTheRun
Samsung's Green Phone %26mdash; Will It Save the Planet?jkOnTheRunBack in February, we saw T-Mobile get in on the %26ldquo;green%26rdquo; scene with the Motorola Renew. The trend to help the environment continues today with Sprint %26mdash; the ...and more��

Tree hugging

When Tree hugging Goes Too Far - Wall STreet Journal
When Tree hugging Goes Too FarWall STreet JournalOn a hot summer day, everyone loves to lounge in the shade of a mature, majestic Tree. But do we love big old Trees too much and too ...

Green Living

Green Living 101: What is BPA and how do I avoid it? - Examiner.com
Examiner.comGreen Living 101: What is BPA and how do I avoid it?Examiner.comBisphenol A, also known as BPA has been under scrutiny as hazardous to humans since the 1930s. Yet it wasn't until 2008, after several governments issued ...and more��

Eco News

Gorbachev's Green Cross Org Backs Competiting Dot Eco Effort - Ecorazzi
TreehuggerGorbachev's Green Cross Org Backs Competiting Dot Eco EffortEcorazziIt looks like battle lines are being drawn over the future of the dot Eco domain. As you may have heard, there are two separate groups fighting to host the ...Al Gore Vs Mikhail Gorbachev? The Latest on the .Eco Domain BattleTreehuggerGreen Cross Supports 'Dot Eco' Domain Name InitiativeNewsBlaze.Eco: The Domain Extension for TreehuggersMashableall 8 News articles��

Earth

Hugh Jackman To Take The Stage As 'The Greatest Showman On Earth' - MTV.com
guardian.co.ukHugh Jackman To Take The Stage As 'The Greatest Showman On Earth'MTV.com... those same words when he steps into the Barnum role for "The Greatest Showman on Earth," a new for-film contemporary musical written by Jenny Bicks. ...Hugh Jackman to be The Greatest Showman on Earthguardian.co.ukJackman to Play Barnum in 'Greatest Showman on Earth'Hollywood.comHugh Jackman is 'The Greatest Showman on Earth'Screen RantJust Jared�-CanMag�-Latino Review.comall 84 news articles��

Green Tips

Green Tips - San Jose Mercury News
Green TipsSan Jose Mercury NewsA billion trees' worth of paper is thrown away every year in the United States. On the average, we each use 50 pounds of tissues, ...and more��

Earth

Could Earth Be Swallowed by the Dying Sun? - FOXNews
Space.comCould Earth Be Swallowed by the Dying Sun?FOXNewsWelcome to the last day on Earth. Humanity's descendants have long since died or fled, oceans have long since vaporized, and the life-giving ...Living in a Dying Solar System, Part 2: Delaying DoomsdayAstrobiology Magazineall 5 news articles��

Eco News

NASA announces $1.5m prize for Eco-plane inventors - Register
NASA announces $1.5m prize for Eco-plane inventorsRegisterUS space agency NASA has announced a competition for green aircraft designers, in which low-carbon flying machines ...and more��

Treehugging

When Tree Hugging Goes Too Far - Wall Street Journal
When Tree Hugging Goes Too FarWall Street JournalDo we love big old trees too much? Many homeowners don't give enough thought to what hazards their biggest and oldest trees may pose to people and property. ...

Green Living

Parking fee hikes in Oakland equal Green Living vs. Green dollars - Examiner.com
Examiner.comParking fee hikes in Oakland equal Green Living vs. Green dollarsExaminer.comIn 2005 Oakland was listed by The Green Guide as one of America's top 10 Greenest cities. A key reason for the honor is that 23 percent of Oakland residents ...and more��

Tree hugging

Don't believe ComEd's Tree claims - Chicago Daily Herald
Don't believe ComEd's Tree claimsChicago Daily Herald... to know that its claims of "Tree hugging" are pure public relations claptrap designed to prevent any positive change in their maintenance policies. ...

Save Planet

Tie your tubes and Save the Planet? - Los Angeles Times
Tie your tubes and Save the Planet?Los Angeles TimesWill Planet-heating carbon dioxide gas become ever more uncontrollable? Now comes a study by statisticians at Oregon State University focusing on the ...and more��

Earth

Shuttle Returns to Earth With a Special Passenger - New York Times
Telegraph.co.ukShuttle Returns to Earth With a Special PassengerNew York TimesThe shuttle Endeavour closed out a grueling 16-day space station assembly mission with a smooth landing here Friday, bringing back to Earth, after four and ...Shuttle Endeavour, 7 astronauts return to EarthThe Associated PressEndeavour Safely Returns to EarthCBS NewsNational BriefingLos Angeles TimesDaily Mail�-RedOrbit�-The Associated Pressall 1,558 news articles��

Green Tips

Green Tips - San Jose Mercury News
Green TipsSan Jose Mercury NewsA billion trees' worth of paper is thrown away every year in the United States. On the average, we each use 50 pounds of tissues, ...and more��

Green Tips

Green Tips - San Jose Mercury News
Green TipsSan Jose Mercury NewsA billion trees' worth of paper is thrown away every year in the United States. On the average, we each use 50 pounds of tissues, ...and more��

Treehugging

When Tree Hugging Goes Too Far - Wall Street Journal
When Tree Hugging Goes Too FarWall Street JournalDo we love big old trees too much? Many homeowners don't give enough thought to what hazards their biggest and oldest trees may pose to people and property. ...

Save Planet

Tie your tubes and Save the Planet? - Los Angeles Times
Tie your tubes and Save the Planet?Los Angeles TimesWill Planet-heating carbon dioxide gas become ever more uncontrollable? Now comes a study by statisticians at Oregon State University focusing on the ...and more��

Eco News

AAA to rEcognize Eco-savvy hotels - San Jose Mercury News
AAA to rEcognize Eco-savvy hotelsSan Jose Mercury NewsThe new Eco-designation will highlight Eco-friendly or sustainable features at hotels, motels and inns. According to Green Lodging News, ...and more��

Tree hugging

When Tree hugging Goes Too Far - Wall STreet Journal
When Tree hugging Goes Too FarWall STreet JournalOn a hot summer day, everyone loves to lounge in the shade of a mature, majestic Tree. But do we love big old Trees too much and too ...

Green Living

Boise Green Living: EcoHome Solutions - KIVI-TV
Boise Green Living: EcoHome SolutionsKIVI-TVA fan starts up inside a north Boise home. Todd McGiverin then goes to work. "That's a spot where there's obviously a lot of air leakage," says McGiverin. ...

Green Living

Green Living 101: What is Green furniture, and where can I find it ... - Examiner.com
Examiner.comGreen Living 101: What is Green furniture, and where can I find it ...Examiner.comGreen furniture is not only sustainable, but it is better for your health and the environment, too. What makes furniture Green? Green furniture has one or ...

Eco News

Perfect ride for Eco trip: The Hyundai Altima hybrid - New York Daily News
New York Daily NewsPerfect ride for Eco trip: The Hyundai Altima hybridNew York Daily NewsThe Altima Hybrid is offered as one standard model priced at $26650 �%26rdquo; pretty much in the normal range of typical transaction prices on ...and more��

Tree hugging

Vermont schools crack Princeton Review rankings - BurlingtonFreePress.com
CBS NewsVermont schools crack Princeton Review rankingsBurlingtonFreePress.comAs for the %26ldquo;Birkenstock-wearing, clove-smoking, Tree-hugging vegetarians%26rdquo; list, Bennington (No. 8) and Marlboro (No. 10) each cracked the top 10. ...Vt. Colleges Score "High" in Princeton Review RankingsWCAXVt. colleges rank high in irreligion, reefer madnessRutland HeraldCan't Get Into Stanford? Here's Gay-Friendliest College You've ...Queertyall 660 news articles��

Earth

Spacewalkers complete Japan's laboratory complex - Reuters
CBS NewsSpacewalkers complete Japan's laboratory complexReutersFloating 225 miles above Earth, Endeavour astronauts Chris Cassidy and Tom Marshburn outfitted Japan's new outdoor experiments platform with television ...Endeavour Prepares to Undock from StationCBS NewsEarth bears scars of human destruction according to ThirskCanada.comAstronauts Complete Final ISS SpacewalkeWeekChristian Science Monitor�-MyStateline.com�-Reutersall 1,359 news articles��

Save Planet

Gujarat students compete to Save Planet earth - Daily News %26 Analysis
Gujarat students compete to Save Planet earthDaily News %26 AnalysisMahajan who was in the city along with four other kids is preparing a model to Save Planet earth from climate change. She along with her group will showcase ...

Treehugging

Legalizing ATVs to Pit Beer %26 Kalashnikovs Against White Wine ... - Minyanville.com
Legalizing ATVs to Pit Beer %26 Kalashnikovs Against White Wine ...Minyanville.comYahoos of the non-search-engine variety are heading for the wilderness in their All-Terrain Vehicles. The influx of flashy, 4-wheel drive vehicles with ...and more��

Green Living

Adrian Grenier and the Honey Brothers Talk Green Living at the ... - Treehugger
Adrian Grenier and the Honey Brothers Talk Green Living at the ...TreehuggerGrenier talked about the importance of community in the Green movement, as well as standing up and getting involved. Check out the interview as well as the ...and more��

Green Tips

Free Cincinnati publication offers Tips on how to 'go Green' - Examiner.com
Examiner.comFree Cincinnati publication offers Tips on how to 'go Green'Examiner.comIn their June/July 2009 issue, there is an article entitled Green Made Easy Fact Sheet that gives some easy Tips to help you and your family 'go Green'. ...

Green Living

Green Living 101: How can I become more environmentally conscious? - Examiner.com
Examiner.comGreen Living 101: How can I become more environmentally conscious?Examiner.comIn El Paso, moms have a number of different local resources that can be used to incorporate Green Living standards into the home life. ...

Treehugging

Legalizing ATVs to Pit Beer %26 Kalashnikovs Against White Wine ... - Minyanville.com
Legalizing ATVs to Pit Beer %26 Kalashnikovs Against White Wine ...Minyanville.comYahoos of the non-search-engine variety are heading for the wilderness in their All-Terrain Vehicles. The influx of flashy, 4-wheel drive vehicles with ...and more��

Save Planet

'Doctor Who's' David Tennant will Save the day (again) before exiting - Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times'Doctor Who's' David Tennant will Save the day (again) before exitingLos Angeles TimesIn 'Planet of the Dead' this Sunday, he'll battle flying rays with a new sidekick, Michelle Ryan. By MARY McNAMARA, Television Critic The curse of being ...Doctor Who's time running outWindsor Starall 24 news articles��

Earth

Jupiter: Our Cosmic Protector? - New York Times
msnbc.comJupiter: Our Cosmic Protector?New York TimesThe whole world was watching when Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 fell apart and its pieces crashed into Jupiter in 1994, leaving Earth-size marks that persisted up ...Like Earth, Jupiter's a duck in celestial shooting galleryChicago Sun-TimesJupiter Blocked Comet From Crashing Into EarthChattahBoxSharpest Photo of Jupiter's Earth-Sized Scar Taken by HubbleGizmodo.commsnbc.com�-New York Timesall 277 news articles��

Eco News

Tourists check out Eco-friendly Greensburg - Newsday
Tourists check out Eco-friendly GreensburgNewsdayLook inside the town's new Eco-home, which features ideas like energy-efficient heating and air conditioning, water-efficient toilets and a garden on the ...and more��

Treehugging

Legalizing ATVs to Pit Beer %26 Kalashnikovs Against White Wine ... - Minyanville.com
Legalizing ATVs to Pit Beer %26 Kalashnikovs Against White Wine ...Minyanville.comYahoos of the non-search-engine variety are heading for the wilderness in their All-Terrain Vehicles. The influx of flashy, 4-wheel drive vehicles with ...and more��

Treehugging

Legalizing ATVs to Pit Beer %26 Kalashnikovs Against White Wine ... - Minyanville.com
Legalizing ATVs to Pit Beer %26 Kalashnikovs Against White Wine ...Minyanville.comYahoos of the non-search-engine variety are heading for the wilderness in their All-Terrain Vehicles. The influx of flashy, 4-wheel drive vehicles with ...and more��

Tree hugging

When Tree hugging Goes Too Far - Wall STreet Journal
When Tree hugging Goes Too FarWall STreet JournalOn a hot summer day, everyone loves to lounge in the shade of a mature, majestic Tree. But do we love big old Trees too much and too ...and more��

Tree hugging

When Tree hugging Goes Too Far - Wall STreet Journal
When Tree hugging Goes Too FarWall STreet JournalOn a hot summer day, everyone loves to lounge in the shade of a mature, majestic Tree. But do we love big old Trees too much and too ...and more��

Green Tips

Green Tips - San Jose Mercury News
Green TipsSan Jose Mercury NewsTo go really Green, check out the list at www.humeseeds.com/purify.htm. Don't forget to recycle those aerosol cans and your aluminum foil; most curbside ...

Save Planet

Save Planet one cone at a time - Toronto Star
Save Planet one cone at a timeToronto StarDutch Dreams on Vaughan Rd. offers delectable ice cream cones dipped in chocolate, nuts and candies. Beach or pool, cottage or camp, cup or cone %26ndash; the ...and more��

Green Living

PNC to build Green 'Living wall' at Pittsburgh HQ - Bizjournals.com
AZoCleantechPNC to build Green 'Living wall' at Pittsburgh HQBizjournals.comThe wall is a product of Green Living Technologies, Rochester, NY, designed by Mingo Design of New York. Engineering and additional design were provided by ...PNC Bank Building Largest Green Living Wall in USFast CompanyPNC Plans Largest Green Living%26trade; Wall In North AmericaPR Web (press release)Wall Street analysts have varied expectations for pnc's 2Q earningsBizjournals.comall 15 news articles��

Eco News

Hyundai to invest $3.3 bln in Eco projects by 2013 - Reuters
ReutersHyundai to invest $3.3 bln in Eco projects by 2013Reuters5 automaker, said on Wednesday it plans to invest 4.1 trillion won ($3.3 billion) in developing Eco-friendly cars and reducing carbon dioxide by 2013. ...Hyundai To Spend $3.28b In Green ProjectsAutomotive Business ReviewHyundai to invest $3 bln in green projects by 2013Reuters UKall 19 News articles��

Green Living

PNC to build Green 'Living wall' at Pittsburgh HQ - Bizjournals.com
AZoCleantechPNC to build Green 'Living wall' at Pittsburgh HQBizjournals.comThe wall is a product of Green Living Technologies, Rochester, NY, designed by Mingo Design of New York. Engineering and additional design were provided by ...PNC Bank Building Largest Green Living Wall in USFast CompanyPNC Plans Largest Green Living%26trade; Wall In North AmericaPR Web (press release)Wall Street analysts have varied expectations for pnc's 2Q earningsBizjournals.comall 12 news articles��

Asha - Work an hour Program

Eco News

Thailand offers "Eco car" producers tax breaks - Reuters
Thailand offers "Eco car" producers tax breaksReutersThe state-run Board of Investment (BOI) said car manufacturers investing in its "Eco car" projects would enjoy cuts of up to 90 percent in import tariffs ...and more��

Earth

Google Earth Puts You on the Moon - PC World
ABC NewsGoogle Earth Puts You on the MoonPC WorldTo mark the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, Google Earth users can now search the moon by using high resolution planning charts. ...Google Earth Adds Moon To Celebrate Apollo 11 LandingInformationWeekGoogle Earth adds images of moon landscape and Apollo landing sitesLos Angeles TimesBlast off to the moon with Google EarthComputerworldMLB.com�-eWeek�-PC Worldall 4,771 news articles��

Job Voes ?

Could not resist posting this one.
Go ahead, Laugh Out Loud... that is the least we could do :)



Courtesy: Dilbert 07/05/09

Treehugging

A Different Type of Strip-Mining Protest - WSAZ-TV
A Different Type of Strip-Mining ProtestWSAZ-TVQuestion is hey you tree hugging hippies, where were you in helping the cleanup. Comment is, quit the inhaling of the reefer and remember we had 6 weeks of ...and more��

Flexitarians, Eco-Atkins, et al - Diet and Carbon footprint

I have been contemplating on total vegetarianism for quite some time now. Although I have been a big poultry and seafood eater for many years, some introspection has been hinting me to lean towards a all-veggie diet. People who know me, know that I don't cook meat at home, not even BBQ. But whenever I go out, the first chance I get, I dig my fingers and teeth deep into a chicken dish or fish for that matter. My excuse, which by the way is a strong one, is "I need my Protein". That is the only reason why I am still a weekend carnivore.

Aptly, thus, I consider myself a flexitarian - trying to be a 100% vegetarian, but not quite there yet.



For those of us, who realized that unwatchful food habits are the worst thing that we could do to ourselves, in this fast paced 'live perfectly' generation, here are a couple of very interesting links that will tell you how "living green" and "what you eat" could be - quite common-sensically, and obviously - linked together.

Eco-Atkins : Diet, Lower Chol and Carbon footprint
Moving towards Vegetarianism

Do check out this interesting blog too: Vicarious Foodie

Green Living

Claremont company building business out of 'Green' Living - Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Claremont company building business out of 'Green' LivingInland Valley Daily BulletinCLAREMONT - After their home burned down in the 2003 Grand Prix wildfire, the Jahnke family had it rebuilt with eco-friendly materials and solar panels on ...and more��

Tree hugging

About This Blog - Washington Post
About This BlogWashington PostRead more Community Orchestra Turns to Tree-hugging, by Mark J. Estren. Can creative programming plus creative financing save community orchestras? ...and more��

Save Planet

Roogoo Twisted Towers (Wii) - WorthPlaying.com
Roogoo Twisted Towers (Wii)WorthPlaying.comRoogoo Twisted Towers for Wii and Roogoo Attack! for NDS provide fun for the entire family as only quick reflexes and thinking can Save Planet Roo from the ...SouthPeak Delivers Roogoo(TM) for Wii(TM) and Nintendo DS(TM) onto ...Trading Markets (press release)all 9 news articles��

Quantum Extremephiles - another Natural wonder

One can never fathom the magnitude of wonder mother nature can bestow. We could always gauge the positive and the detrimental effects of nuclear energy, and the evolutionary or devastating forms that it can take, depending on how it is used. But, this article that I stumbled upon takes it to a different dimension.

The recent study conducted by a couple of major universities, show that extremeophile bacteria thats basically buried in rock about 2 miles beneath the earth's surface have a unique mechanism of living. They have a metabolism by which they utilize Uranium to break down water molecules and use it with pyrite to live.

Here is the complete article by Luke McKinney that would tickle our imagination.

http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2009/05/atomic-extremeo.html#more

Few "Earthy" Posters ...

Larry Ellisson on Cloud Computing

Auto - Green Incentives - Really ??

When is a bail out not a bail out? When it is a green incentive scheme, apparently.

To the surprise of no one, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) confirmed this week that sales of new cars during March were through the floor again as cash strapped motorists resolutely refuse to head to the showrooms.

Right on cue, the sorry state of the industry prompted fresh calls for a "scrappage scheme" similar to those already in place in Germany and France which offer motorists a cash handout if they trade in old vehicles for new models.

In an attempt to strengthen its case, the motor industry has argued (apparently with a straight face) that such a scheme would be "green" as it would incentivise motorists to scrap older, more polluting models and purchase cleaner, more fuel efficient cars.

You would be forgiven for thinking then, that the car industry is proposing that you would only qualify for the hand out of around £2,000 if you traded in your old car for a relatively low emission model. Sadly, you would be wrong.

Under the SMMT's proposals, which are apparently being given serious consideration by the government, trading in any car registered prior to 2000 when buying any new or nearly new car would qualify you for the incentive. This is a "green" incentive scheme where you could trade in a two door runabout for a gas guzzling 4x4 and receive £2,000 off the purchase price.

The environmental campaigner George Monbiot has already delivered a comprehensive evisceration of the flawed logic behind the scheme, but it is really worth highlighting again quite how ridiculous it is from an environmental perspective. These proposals are the worst type of "greenwash": misleading, opportunistic and capable of blocking genuinely green proposals.

A spokesman for the SMMT insisted that the reality is that the incentives would "be more attractive to potential buyers of smaller cars" and that they would help deliver a net cut in emissions as "a modern new car is more than likely to be a lower emitter (and safer) than the one it would replace because of advances in engine technology".



This is probably the case, but an effective incentive scheme should look to maximise emission reductions, not deliver improvements that would happen over time anyway as old cars are naturally replaced with newer models.

Monbiot is right in his assertion that incentives for green cars are never going to be particularly cost effective, but if we must deliver some kind of boost for the auto industry then the government should call car companies' bluff and provide a real green incentive scheme that only rewards the manufacturers that recognised the long term sales trends and delivered more fuel efficient vehicles.

Why not follow Japan's lead and offer subsidies on hybrids and electric cars? Or alternatively introduce a scrappage fee, but only if the car being purchased has emissions that are significantly below the average of 160g/km.

The car industry would argue that a "restrictive" incentive scheme such as this would not prove as effective at bolstering sales. But what is restrictive about making the greenest third of the market, say, more attractive to consumers?

After all, it was the car industry that asked for a "green incentive" scheme, what could it possibly have to complain about if it got one?

Of course, manufacturers of less fuel efficient models would bleat about the market being tilted against them. But it is already tilted against them as a result of their failure to realise that people increasingly want green and fuel efficient cars - incentives for more fuel efficient cars would simply move it a few more degrees in favour of those companies producing the low emission vehicles that all but the most myopic climate change deniers now accept are required.

If, what the car industry wants is a bailout, then it should ask for one (though it is hardly the most deserving cause out there), not attempt to conceal its true intentions behind a green veneer that only serves to reduce the chances of us getting a real green car incentive scheme.

Related Links:
http://www.whatcar.com/news-special-report.aspx?NA=239182
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/mar/10/car-scrappage-payments
http://www.smmt.co.uk/home.cfm
http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2240025/struggling-car-firms-green

Source: Businessgreen

Earth

NASA continues its hunt for Earth-like planets - DailyTech
CNET NewsNASA continues its hunt for Earth-like planetsDailyTech,�ILThe NASA Kepler planet-hunting telescope has successfully transmitted its first images back to program directors on Earth, as the US space agency continues to hunt for Earth-like planets. "Kepler's first glimpse of the sky is awe-inspiring," Kepler ...NASA: Kepler begins search for other Earths ComputerworldHel-lo gorgeous: Kepler takes first images in hunt for Earth-like ... Examiner.comBid to find Earth-like planets The Press AssociationWired News�- Space.comall 284 news articles

Blog Marketing

Lawns of the Middle East

I remember the hours I spent in Doha, Quatar on one of my trips to India, and was taken aback by the greenery I found there.  Despite the weather conditions, people in the middle east, have been spending abundent resources to stay on par with their western or eastern competition, in maintaining the ambience and landscape around their well endowed hotels.  Water being the most difficult resource to accomodate in the dessert ridden lands of the middle east, maintaining a green patch - could be quite a daunting task.

Here is an article that I stumbled upon, identifying some recent changes in this trend.

Read on....

Source: Treehugger

In England, where the manicured lawn came into fashion in the 17th century, natural rainfall is generally enough to keep the grass growing all year long. In contemporary America, where lawns cover an area roughly the size of New York State, lawns are hardly ecological: unproductive monocultures, lawns account for more than half of domestic water consumption and require polluting fertilizers, pesticides and lawnmowers.

In recent years, lawns have become fashionable in other parts of the world as well, including the Middle East. However, in this parched region, where water is perennially in short supply, lawns may now be on their way out of style.

I can't account for every country in the region, but I can report that in the UAE and in Israel, lawns have become a standard part of the local landscape. In Egypt and Jordan, less so.

In the UAE, the grass is watered with desalinated water, produced in an energy-intensive and polluting process. In Israel, where natural water sources are slightly more plentiful, there are plans to significantly expand the country's reliance on desalinated water. In the meantime, however, the country is suffering from a prolonged drought, and the push for conservation in the water economy is on.

This makes for some strange headlines. Last week, Haaretz reported on the troubles of the sod sector in Israel, in which at least half of the companies involved in growing and selling artificial grass are in serious trouble. The reason is an official ban on watering public and private lawns by the country's Water Authority, which has been drying up business. "Other than a brief spate of municipal orders before the elections, no city or contractor would order turf that can't be watered," complained one merchant.

Still, there is plenty of evidence that the order is not being followed in many places. Along Tel Aviv's coastline, for example, miles of new lawns were planted recently when the city's coastal promenade was renovated. It will be interesting to see if the city continues to water its new lawns as the arid summer begins this month.

Further proof that lawns have become the default option in landscaping, even when the customer should know better: the Kinneret Administration (in charge of managing the Sea of Galilee, Israel's major water source) continues to cultivate a patch of lawnin front of its offices.

Grass is not the only plant that can be used as a groundcover (and neither are fake lawns, even if they are getting more eco-friendly). There are plenty of native plants and trees that could do the job just as well, and consume far less water.

Perhaps a happy medium could be found: setting aside parts of public parks for grass, and covering the rest with native plants? In any case, the future of the Middle Eastern lawn doesn't look bright.

Treehugging

Tree Hugging to Help Rebuild New Orleans Isn't So Bad After All - FOXNews
Tree Hugging to Help Rebuild New Orleans Isn't So Bad After AllFOXNewsLooking at a muddy field of cypress saplings that should soon grow to rival the 15-footers that one hugged the banks of the lake, it occurred to me that maybe sometimes being a earth-loving, tree-hugging hippie isn't always bad %26mdash; and maybe sometimes it ...

Blog Content Wizard

Eco News

How to succeed at a job fair; small biz Eco-update - The Associated Press
How to succeed at a job fair; small biz Eco-updateThe Associated PressWhile most businesses said they were going on with Eco-friendly plans, two-thirds of the companies surveyed also said their customers were not willing to pay more for environmentally friendly goods %26mdash; up from 49 percent in spring 2007, the last time the ...

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Green Tips

Five Green Tips for Stylish Home Decorating - Imperial Valley News
Five Green Tips for Stylish Home DecoratingImperial Valley News,�CAPort St. Lucie, Florida - You don't have to sacrifice great style to get a great, Green look in your home. You can use these five simple design Tips from the 2009 HGTV Green Home in Port St. Lucie, Florida. to make your living environment more ...

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Green Living

Arianna Huffington: Slow and steady toward Green Living - Dallas Morning News
Arianna Huffington: Slow and steady toward Green LivingDallas Morning News,�TXBecause, these days, "Green" means a lot more than making your house energy-efficient. It means making sure your house is a healthy place for you and your family. So I arranged to have Deep Green Living, a terrific company founded by Susan Short, ...Arianna Huffington Turns Green Anorak.co.uk (satire)all 4 news articles

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Posters

A Couple of Fantastic posters that I saw at a local Restaurant, totally Apt and amazing!

Xyclose coversion to Ethanol successful

A German scientist says he has discovered an enzyme that “teaches” yeast cells to ferment xylose into ethanol in just one step.

Goethe University Professor Eckhard Boles, co-founder of the Swiss biofuel company Butalco GmbH, said xylose is an unused waste sugar in the cellulosic ethanol production process during which the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is commonly used for ethanol production. But Boles said current bioethanol production technologies can use only parts of the plants, namely the storage sugars such as glucose, sucrose or starch, and that technology competes with food and feed production.

Boles and his team discovered a new enzyme that, in contrast to current cellulosic ethanol technologies, can convert xylose in a single step and isn’t inhibited by other chemical compounds normally present within the yeast cells. The researchers have filed a patent application for their process.

German Engineering is at it again! Innovation coupled with commitment and consciousness propel such innovative methods, and German scientists are regarded as the pioneers with such methodology !

Exxon Valdez Remembrance Day

By Michael Graham Richard

20 Years After the Massive Oil Spill, What Have We Learned?
As we wrote about last week, today is the 20th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, a sad day indeed. There's a lot of Exxon Valdez coverage on the net today, about the lessons learned and those that we still have yet to internalize. Read on for a quick overview of Exxon Valdez coverage.

New York Times: More Oil Moved, Less Lost
The Dot Earth blog on the NYT has a piece about how, since the Exxon Valdez oil spill, more oil is moved around the world, but less is being lost. They don't mention it, but double-hull oil tankers have obviously helped a lot.

They conclude with:

Still, there are lots of important questions related to humanity’s 150-year love affair with petroleum. Can expanded oil extraction take place responsibly in Arctic waters? Should the United States drill more in its own waters to rely less on oil from, say, Nigeria?

Bloomberg: Valdez Ghost Haunts Exxon With Spill-Prone Ships
Speaking of double-hull ships, Bloomberg has a very scary statistic:

Even after 79 percent of the world supertanker fleet has been replaced by craft with two hulls, Exxon Mobil Corp. remains the biggest Western user of the older designs. It hired more of the tankers last year than the rest of the 10 biggest companies by market value combined, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Exxon, the world’s largest oil company, has kept using tankers with one hull even as 151 countries have decided two are better than one for preventing oil spills and pledged to ban single-hull vessels by 2015.

Don't you already have enough problems, Exxon? Don't you have enough money to upgrade your ships? The good news is that this should change soon. In 1990, the U.S. Congress passed the Oil Pollution Act, requiring a phase-out of single-hulled oil tankers in U.S. waters by 2010. Let's hope this is enforced.

Reuters: Interview with an Eyewitness of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
Reuters interviewed Dennis Kelso, who was Alaska's environment conservation chief 20 years ago (the whole thing is worth reading). Here's a highlight:

Beyond the ecological devastation, Kelso said, the damage from the Valdez disaster calls into question whether Arctic offshore drilling should be part of U.S. energy strategy. Clean-up and recovery of oil has never been successfully accomplished in rough, ice-laden Arctic water, he said.

Yale Environment 360: Impacts Of The Exxon Valdez Linger
Soon after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, Exxon officials said that "within a few years" there would be no evidence of the disaster left. Well, they were wrong:

Sea otters once again play in the waters of Alaska’s Prince William Sound, and salmon and some other species have rebounded. But killer whale populations have not recovered, and the huge schools of whirling herring that fed both fishermen and animals have not returned, reminding scientists that nature’s responses are complex and unpredictable.

Cleaning up Exxon's mess. Photo: Public domain.

Time Magazine: "some parts of the world are too precious to be risked for a few million barrels of oil."
Time magazine also has an article about the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The most powerful passage is in the conclusion:

[As] soon as the world economy recovers, so will demand for oil and the pressure to drill offshore in Alaska. And that pressure will surely only grow as climate change causes the Arctic ice to recede. But that is precisely the lesson that must be remembered from the Exxon Valdez: that some parts of the world are too precious to be risked for a few million barrels of oil. "This place was a Shangri-la of the Arctic, a very special place," says Williams. "And today it's lost."

The Associated Press: "It's like a death in the family"
The Associated Press talked to a fisherman about the Exxon Valdez oil spill:

"It's like a death in the family," the 70-year-old fisherman said of the Exxon Valdez disaster. "With time it gets a little better, but the pain never really goes away. Until this generation passes on, I don't think it will ever really be over." Smith is among the scores of residents of Cordova and other communities whose lives were forever changed on March 24, 1989.

Indeed, the Exxon Valdez oil spill was a disaster for plants and animals, but also for the people who lived in the area.

Huffington Post: Three Lessons We Still Haven't Learned 20 Years After the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
The Huffington Post has a piece by J.S. McDougall about lessons we haven't learned yet, according to him.

It can be summarized by his subtitles: 1. Big Energy Means Big Energy Corporations. 2. Corporations Will Not Clean Up After Themselves. 3. We Must Build Our Own Future

You can read the whole thing here (it includes footage from 1986).

Source: TreeHugger

Tree hugging

Tree hugging to Help Rebuild New Orleans Isn't So Bad After All - FOXNews
Tree hugging to Help Rebuild New Orleans Isn't So Bad After AllFOXNewsLooking at a muddy field of cypress saplings that should soon grow to rival the 15-footers that one hugged the banks of the lake, it occurred to me that maybe sometimes being a earth-loving, Tree-hugging hippie isn't always bad %26mdash; and maybe sometimes it ...

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Ethanol from forages

Cellulosic ethanol is being hailed as the biofuel that will cut greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent, reduce U.S. dependence of foreign oil and won’t take prime ag land away from food production.

Yet the biofuel, made from grass, wood or other non-edible plant material, is probably five years from commercial production despite U.S. Department of Energy funding and university and private company research.

At the same time, growers are wondering where they may fit in this new market and how they can prepare for it. Pilot cellulosic ethanol facilities are being built in a number of states, including Tennessee, South Dakota, Louisiana, Kentucky and Florida.

Pilot plants are scheduled to begin production this year, starting with readily available crop residues like corn cobs and stover. But there are challenges, including finding an efficient way to convert plant materials to produce cellulosic ethanol and creating government policies that encourage biorefinery investments and growth as well as allow biomass crop production on Conservation Reserve Program land.

One piece of the cellulosic ethanol puzzle that is in place is switchgrass. Varieties bred as dedicated energy crops are now being marketed commercially. Growers in Tennessee and Kentucky are learning to raise switchgrass, deemed by the Department of Energy as a prime crop that can provide good yields with low inputs on marginal land.

“Switchgrass has a lot of things going for it; it’s got a seed that’s easy to plant,” says Ken Vogel, USDA-ARS forage breeder at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. “It’s easy for farmers to handle and, for the first generation of energy crops, we’re furthest along on this and we’ve got the most information on it.”

Source: http://deltafarmpress.com/biofuels/forage-fuel-0313/

Save Planet

Prince Charles: world must act now to Save Planet - The Associated Press
WorldChangingPrince Charles: world must act now to Save PlanetThe Associated PressRIO DE JANEIRO (AP) %26mdash; Britain's Prince Charles warned on Thursday that mankind has 100 months or less to Save the Planet from a climate-caused disaster. Charles told some 150 business leaders in Rio de Janeiro that "the best projections tell us that we ...Prince Charles says time running out to Save Planet Reuters UKCharles: 'Race to Save the Planet' ITV.comCharles: 'Only 100 Months To Save The Planet' Sky NewsTelegraph.co.uk�- The Sunall 489 news articles

UK - CO2 Emissions down in 2008

Average CO2 emissions from new cars sold in the UK in 2008 fell to 158.0 g/km in 2008—4.2% less than the 2007 figure and 16.8% down on the 189.8 g/km base level in 1997, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ (SMMT) annual New Car CO2 Report. The drop marks the sharpest annual decline yet. (Using US EPA conversion factors (earlier post), 158 g/km is roughly equivalent to 34.8 mpg US for gasoline and 39.9 mpg US for diesel.)

Although the UK new car fleet has made above-EU15 gains in six of past seven years to 2007, the UK average new car CO2 emissions remains 3.7% above the EU15 average, which reached 158 g/km in 2007, according to the report.



The report calculates that the average CO2 figure for all cars in use in the UK since 1997—i.e., the car parc—is 173.7 g/km. This is 0.9% down from the 175.3 g/km figure average estimated for the 1997-2007 parc. This improvement reflects the arrival into the fleet of lower CO2 emitting cars and the removal of older, less efficient ones.


The parc average CO2 figure is some 10% above the new car average. New cars emit around 15% less emissions than cars from a decade earlier. The SMMT report notes that the slowdown in the overall new car market in 2008/09 is likely to mean a reduction in the pace of fleet renewal, resulting in a slower pace for dropping emissions in the parc. Existing cars will be kept going for longer as consumers try to stretch their resources in a time of economic hardship.

While the number of cars on the road and the distance travelled has increased, their share of total UK emissions continues to fall. Cars now account for 11.5% of the country’s total CO2 emissions, largely as a result of new technology, improved fuel consumption rates and better consumer awareness.


CO2 emissions have fallen across all automotive market segments with the larger end of the market making some of the biggest improvements. In addition, increased consumer awareness and changes to vehicle taxation have resulted in a move towards ‘best in class’ choices with most consumers opting to buy a model with CO2 emissions within the bottom quarter of their preferred segment’s range.

The adoption of the new car CO2 regulation in December 2008 set a phase-in target for vehicle manufacturers to ensure their average fleet emissions do not exceed 130 g/km by 2015. In the UK, there are already 236 models emitting less than 130 g/km on the UK market but for the target to be met, an annual improvement of 2.5% per year must be maintained.




The UK market in general continues to shift towards lower-emitting cars, the SMMT report finds. In 1997, no cars were sold with emissions below 120 g/km. By 2000 that sector still only accounted for 0.1% of the market. It rose to 5.4% by 2007 and doubled in 2008 to 11.0%. In the distribution chart (at right), the peaks have shifted from 171-175 g/km in 1997 down to 136-140 g/km in 2008.

In 2008, 48.7% of the market was 150 g/km or below. This compares with 38.0% in 2007 and 7.8% in 1997. There remains a long tail on the chart, but the proportion of cars over 200 g/km in 2008 was just 7.8% compared with 28.1% in 1997.

Resource:
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders New car CO2 report 2009