Wired's Guide to Green Travel

Wired's Guide to Green Travel: "We've got the cure for your guilty eco-conscience. With a little
preparation and accountability, you don't have to trade your vacation
plans for a cooler global climate. It may not save the planet
overnight, but if enough people like you start traveling green, it
could go a long way.









Wired.com

"

(Via Wired News.)

Invention special: Green technology - tech - 30 September 2008 - New Scientist Tech

Invention special: Green technology - tech - 30 September 2008 - New Scientist Tech: "
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Invention special: Green technology
12:02 30 September 2008
NewScientist.com news service
Justin Mullins
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As the evidence that humans have altered the Earth's climate and environment for the worst continues to grow, the race is on to produce technologies that will reverse or slow those ill-effects.

This week New Scientist looks at some recent patent applications that hope to be part of a new, greener, world.

Osmotic power generation

Osmosis – the way water automatically flows from a weak solution into a stronger one – is a fundamental to biological life. Now the process could also generate our electricity.

Various researchers have tested the idea of using a semi-permeable membrane to separate freshwater and seawater, and using the pressure generated as water flows from one to the other to drive a turbine. The pressure that builds up can be as much as 25 atmospheres.

But various inefficiencies ..."

(Via .)

Fuel thinner turns diesel cars into greener machines

According to a report published by New Scientist, a fuel thinner is able to turn a diesel engine into a more greener machine, as it lets it flow more easily and producing a less polluting burn. It is also mentioned that the range was improved in some models.

Initially, I would be concerned about using diesel. It is still based on oil. I believe that the future is not in using oil, but in cleaner energies like wind or solar power. But the transition to this greener energies is not going to happen as fast as one may think.

Just as living without plastic is complicated for a normal person as our lives are so surrounded by plastic in almost everything we can think of, dependance on oil is certainly a reality. Our oil-based life cannot be abandoned from one day to another without severe economical, political, social and cultural consequences. The dependance is so huge that I guess we really need some options to make the transition more smooth. But I am no expert on this (yet...).

That's why I guess products like this are going to be important in the changes we will need to adopt if we want to still be able to live in this planet.

But of course, an even better approach is driving less; following a reasonable schedule when we use the car, so that we visit several places in the same ride rather than just one; avoiding to travel alone; using public transportation and, if you really can do this last one: riding a bike instead of driving. The No Impact Man blog has plenty of the benefits of replacing a car with a bike.

As a matter of fact, No Impact Man, along with Fake Plastic Fish have inspired me to blog about making life greener and happier.

You can read further on this fuel optimizing device in the New Scientist article: Fuel thinner turns diesel cars into greener machines

(Via New Scientist - Latest Headlines.)

More on Green jobs

Which side would you choose?



Via [No Impact Man]

UN forecasts boom in 'green jobs'

A recent report of UN says that by 2030, 12 million people could be working in 'green jobs'. It will happen if the industry adopts wind, solar and geothermal power instead of the traditional oil approach.

The report 'Green jobs: Towards Decent Work in a Sustainable, Low-Carbon World' was commissioned and funded by the UN's Environment Program. You can download a copy of the report in PDF.

As I like to think, it seems that there are a lot of opportunities, both for non-profit and profit to have a better world.  Innovation is the key to success. There's a lot to research for, a lot of problems to be solved. 

Via: BBC News

What's this all about?

Climate change, animals dying, etc.

Hum! Maybe the rest of us who are not conservationists or something alike should not care about it. But our beloved lifestyle is threatening itself. That's the point when the normal people like you and me should start doing something. All this scary stuff is threatening you and me, not only polar bears.

I want to put here information of various sources to help you ADAPT your lifestyle so that it become sustainable. I am a normal person. But I am aware that small changes can actually make big differences.

By the way. DO NOT confront people that does not think like you. Simply don't do it. Negotiate. We all have the right to be here, so...

Hello, World!

Just for good luck.

Here we go.