Treehugger's on a Roll!

(photo via flickr user eva8)

Morning All,

Just did the usual lap around the blogosphere. Treehugger is on fire today with a set of incredible posts.

Firstly, they've found that shipping waste 10,000 miles for recycling still better than landfilling.

Why? Well, those huge container ships that bring goods over from China sometimes head back empty, using the same amount of fuel. Fill those ships with recyclables and you reduce carbon emissions by two thirds. Two thirds!
We've always prefered recycling to landfilling. It's nice to know that the numbers are on our side.
(photo via flickr user jimfrazier)

Secondly, a high school student figured out to start genetically identifying sushi and fish sold in restaurants, only to find widespread mis-labeling going on. Tilapia being sold as tuna, endangered Atlantic halibut sold as non-endangered Pacific halibut, etc.
(photo via flickr user ronen08)

Thirdly, they've got a collection of hypermiling videos that will blow your mind and seriously make you think about the way you drive your car. (The new way is to think Grandma Andretti, not so much Mario.)

And fourth, a delicious collection of the 15 solar panel breakthroughs that you absolutely must know about. Thin film Photovoltaics, solar balloons, "hairy" solar panels, they've got it all, and it's all thrilling.

Treehugger is on a serious content-streak.

Nicely done and a huge "Thank you" to Graham Hill and all the good, hardworking folks at Treehugger for their excellent intel.

Isn't he adorable? One treehugger we'd like to hug. This cat speak four languages.

Hypermiling Proves Fuel Can Be Efficient. But We Aren't.

I notice that many people take an all or nothing approach to their fuel usage. Clearly we aren't going to be making any immediate changes in our economy that allow us to be free from oil and burning fossil fuels, but what we can do is at least reduce how much we need them.

Cleanmpg.com is a cool forum where people can talk about how to get the most miles per gallon out of your car... no matter if it is a hybrid or a smart car or a scooter. I wouldn't mind owning any of these things, but like many people I am not in a position to get rid of my white 4 door '91 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme (affectionately named "whitey), seen here:

Wayne Gerdes, the hypermiling term-coiner (I assume that's what you'd call the person who coins a term), has written an article about how to beat the expected miles per gallon of your vehicle. You can find the article here.

Hypermilers follow general driving rules such as:

1. Whenever possible, don't use your gas pedal or brake pedal. Coasting will still get you to the next stopsign.

2. Choose daily routes that minimize the number of stop and go situations.

3. Park on hills to start your car off downhill without using the gas pedal.

4. When driving on the highway stay at 55 mph. When you go over this speed, your fuel economy is not maximized.

These are just a few tips that hypermilers have that can get your car to get 100 miles per gallon. NO LIE!

Check out this video for more info!

HAPPY HYPERMILES!

VW. 2-Seater. 235 mpg. 2010.

This is the L1, a 235mpg concept vehicle VW is hoping to have on the road by 2010.




The gas tank only holds 1.7 gallons of fuel! 400 miles per fill!

Thanks to inhabitat for the intel

Inspiring Site: Ecomodder.com

(image via cnet.com)

Take an average car, customize it so that it is far more aerodynamically efficient, and congratulations, you've just ecomodded!

Ecomodding, (or aeromodding) just got it's own site: Ecomodder.com.

Ecomodder.com is a site dedicated to both the D.I.Y. spirit and high fuel efficiency. Both very patriotic things these days.

Check out the above car, which is a run of the mill Honda Civic. The owner ecomodded it and it went from 35 mpg to over 70 mpg! Whoah! Slaps some panels here and there and double your cars efficiency? Why aren't car makers doing that?

Looks like it's a job for good ol' American know how. Private citizen style.





Fascinating threads and topics, ranging from the ageless "clutch or no clutch?" dillema to the fact that Honda motors spin the opposite direction to others, and how to engineer around that.

And check out some of these early aerodynamic designs, some from as early as the 30's!


1939 Lincoln Zephyr


1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt


1947 Tatra T87

60 percent of the fuel used during driving is just for pushing the car through the air. Reduce the drag and you increase both the speed and fuel efficiency. It's a very old idea. Luckily, the good ideas have a tendency to float back to the surface of the public consciousness, like rich, delicious cream. Hooray for Meritocracy!