Inhabitat highlights (pun intended) the Power Aware cord by Static!. It’s a power cord that glows based on the amount of energy the device(s) it’s connected to are using - giving you a visual indicator of just how much power you are using.
Every day we shape our planet's future when we make small life decisions - what we buy, what we eat, how we travel. The future of the planet is in our hands; the future is man-made. And we are all "Futuremakers". If we choose to live sustainably, we can assure a future for all living things. And we can have some fun doing it too!
This site, created by WWF-Australia, is a place where you can share ideas with other Futuremakers so that we can live more sustainably. We hope the tips and stories here will be useful for you. (More about this site)
What can I do?
To browse the ideas on this site by category or difficulty, click on the icons below.
Archive for October, 2006
Oct
31
Comments (0)
Oct
27
When I first switched to compact fluro light globes I wasn’t sure if it was better to turn a light on or leave it off when you leave the room for a few minutes.
I’d heard that compact fluros chew up a lot of energy when they’re first turned on and I thought there might be some truth to this given the time taken by the “warming up” process of compact fluros. It turns out that this is a misconception…
The folks over at Environmental Defense answer the question and show that the energy required for a compact fluro equates to a few seconds worth of energy - i.e. very little - meaning you can turn them off and on again regularly without worrying too much. Read the article for more info.
Oct
24
Treehugger: One Man’s Case for Residential Solar.
The upshot? Someone worked out that they’d save USD$40/mth adding solar power to his house and using it to power both the house and an electric car. He didn’t include the cost of a new car in his calculations.
Although this approach probably wouldn’t be applicable to every situation, it does demonstrate that even current-day technologies can be cost competitive. As the price of oil increases, a price is placed on carbon emissions (increasing the cost of burning coal for power), and renewable energy technologies increase in efficiency and drop in cost, the equations will make even more sense.
In response to our last Futuremakers, Karen writes:
Are you aware that we have our own little “Electric Car” saga going on right here in Australia at the moment? You can find out more at http://www.revaaustralia.com.au/ - click on REVA media, then the mp3 link to hear the interview. They are asking people to contact Warren Truss, the Minister for Transport and Regional Services to ask for his help so that the car can be made available here.
According to the site, the REVA electric vehicle can’t even be submitted for testing and approval - for things like safety etc. - in Australia because the government doesn’t have a category for “quadra-bike”. This classification is available in Europe (there are more than 300 REVAs on the road over there).
So how about it Futuremakers? Perhaps you want to send a letter to Minister Truss asking for his help?
Oct
20
Amanda Congdon (ex-Rocketboom video-blogger) is now driving across America in a Ford Hybrid, supported by Environmental Countdown. In a recent episode she visits the University of Wisconsin and gets to drive a “refurbished” EV1.
The EV1 is the “star”, so-to-speak, of Who Killed the Electric Car. It’s great to see at least one of the vehicles avoid the scrap heap and being used to teach the next generation of engineers in the details of electric and hybrid technology.
Oct
20
Treehugger highlights the ‘No Wet’ Waterless Carwash - which is available in Australia (though I haven’t found out where just yet).
No Wet Australia has been establishing the business over the past few years. Given that many Australian metropolitan and rural cities have imposed water restrictions limiting the volume of water used to clean cars, their timing seems very opportune.
Looks like a good way to reduce water use when washing your car.
Update: Seems you can order the product through the No Wet website.
In this YouTube video we get see the sporty all-electric Tesla Roadster in action at it’s launch in the U.S.
The latest edition of Futuremakers is out, with a focus on car efficiency and eco-driving. It features the Tesla Roadster, an interview with Phil Byrne - a Futuremaker and WWF supporter who converted an old Mercedes to biofuels - and more.
If you’re not subscribed, you can check it out on the web.
