Go Greener Tips

Archive for the ‘Green RSS News’ Category

pimg height=183 src=http://l.yimg.com/a/feeds/us/grn/green_ecogeek/solar-bus-shelter.jpg width=468 //ppThe first of 1,100 planned solar-powered bus shelters has been unveiled in San Francisco. The other 1,099 will be installed across the city over the next four years./ppThe roof of the bus shelter is made up of thin-film solar panels embedded in a 40 percent post-industrial recycled polycarbonate material in a rolling wave shape. The structure of the shelter is made of recycled steel and other materials./ppThe solar roof powers an intercom, LED lighting and wireless routers, so that the bus shelters will become wireless hot spots around the city. The shelters will feed any excess energy generated by the solar panels to the city grid./ppWhile solar-powered bus shelters are not a new concept, it’s cool to see an American city deploying them, especially using them to spread wi-fi throughout the city. San Francisco is once again setting a great example./ppvia a href=http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/06/01/solar-powered-bus-shelter-unveiled-in-san-francisco/Inhabitat/a/p

Original post

div class=image style=float:right;padding-left:8px;img alt=Tropical Depression height=230 src=http://l.yimg.com/a/feeds/us/grn/green_daily_news/tropical-depression-one-md.jpg width=300/br /emTropical Depression One formed in the br /Atlantic several days before the official br /start of the 2009 hurricane season. br /(Photo: NOAA)/embr /br //divpThe Atlantic Ocean’s first tropical depression is moving far off the U.S. East Coast, and the June 1 official start of the hurricane season is upon us. The tropical depression, which formed May 28, isn’t likely to form into a tropical storm, so it won’t be given a name./ppLast year, the Atlantic saw 16 named tropical storms — from Tropical Storm Arthur on May 30, which killed five and caused $78 million in damages on Belize, to Hurricane Paloma, which formed Nov. 5 and struck Cuba as a Category 4 monster that was the second-most intense hurricane ever recorded in November. /ppAll in all, there were eight Atlantic hurricanes and storms caused an estimated $41 billion in damages and left hundreds dead — more than 800 in Haiti alone./ppThe eastern Pacific saw 16 named storms, seven of them hurricanes, starting with Tropical Storm Alma on May 29 and ending Nov. 5 when Tropical Storm Polo petered out./ppThe a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/2008-hurricane-season-470703082008 hurricane season/a produced several a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/extreme-weather-20081217record-breaking storms/a, including Tropical Storm Alma (the easternmost named storm ever to form in the Pacific) and Hurricane Bertha (the longest-lived Atlantic tropical storm on record). Four storms were notable — or deadly — enough that the names were retired: a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/hurricane-names-retired-47050502Alma, Gustav, Ike, and Paloma/a. /ppHurricane Gustav caused $4 billion damage in Louisiana and killed 112 people, including 77 in Haiti. Hurricane Ike was the season’s strongest hurricane and the third-costliest storm (more than $19 billion) to hit the U.S., devastating Galveston, Texas, and causing about 100 deaths in the Caribbean and along the U.S. Gulf Coast./ppWhat’s in store for 2009?/ppstrong2009 hurricane forecast/strong/ppIf and how global warming influences hurricane frequency or intensity is still a matter of genuine scientific debate. In recent years, scientists have at least identified several factors — from the extent of rainfall in Africa to the presence or absence of El Nino conditions in the Pacific — that help them predict the intensity of a hurricane season ahead of time. Here’s what the two most prominent forecasters have to say:/ppThe federal government has predicted a near normal hurricane season for the Atlantic, with a 25% chance of above-normal outbreaks and 25% chance of below-normal outbreaks — though overall, forecasters expressed a greater degree of uncertainty this year than they have in past years. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s a href=http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/20090521_atlantichurricane.html target=_blankpredicts/a a 70% chance of:/pullistrongNamed storms:/strong 9-14/lilistrongHurricanes:/strong 4-7/lilistrongMajor hurricanes:/strong 1-3/li/ulpThe other major forecaster in the U.S., Colorado State University, recently a href=http://hurricane.atmos.colostate.edu/Forecasts/ target=_blankrevised down/a its expectations for the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season: /pullistrongNamed storms:/strong 12/lilistrongHurricanes:/strong 6/lilistrongMajor hurricanes:/strong 2/li/ulpFurther, the Colorado forecasters predicted the following probabilities that a major hurricane could strike the U.S., all of which are about average for the past century:/pullistrongEntire U.S. coastline:/strong 54%/lilistrongU.S. East Coast (including /strongstrongFlorida /strongstrongpeninsula):/strong 32%/lilistrongGulf Coast (from the Florida Panhandle westward to Brownsville, Texas):/strong 31%/lilistrongCaribbean:/strong Average/li/ulpForecasters warn that the number of storms and their intensity is only one key determinant of risk of property damage and loss of life: The biggest factor is who lives in harm’s way and how well they prepare. Some 35 million U.S. residents live in hurricane-prone regions, and experts urge them to a href=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/disaster_prevention.shtml target=_blankprepare/a./ppWhen those storms do come, they will be given names. Tropical cyclones are given names when they achieve tropical storm strength, with sustained winds of at least 39 mph. Hurricanes are tropical storms that have sustained winds that exceed 74 mph, and major hurricanes have sustained winds that exceed 111 mph. /ppHere are the tropical storm and hurricane names for 2009:/ppstrong2009 hurricane and tropical storm names – Atlantic/strongbr //polliAna/liliBill/liliClaudette/liliDanny/liliErika/liliFred/liliGrace/liliHenri/liliIda/liliJoaquin/liliKate/liliLarry/liliMindy/liliNicholas/liliOdette/liliPeter/liliRose/liliSam/liliTeresa/liliVictor/liliWanda/li/olp /ppstrong2009 hurricane and tropical storm names – Eastern North Pacific/strongbr //polliAndres/liliBlanca/liliCarlos/liliDolores/liliEnrique/liliFelicia/liliGuillermo/liliHilda/liliIgnacio/liliJimena/liliKevin/liliLinda/liliMarty/liliNora/liliOlaf/liliPatricia/liliRick/liliSandra/liliTerry/liliVivian/liliWaldo/liliXina/liliYork/liliZelda /li/olp /ppemNote: this story originally misstated the name of Colorado State University. The error was corrected June 2./em/pp /ppstrongMore from The Daily Green/strong/pullia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/extreme-weather-20081217?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgThe Most Extreme Weather of 2008/a/lilia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/2008-hurricane-season-47070308?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdg2008 Hurricane Yearbook/a/lilia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/citizen-science-47121401?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgWeather Watching Other Citizen Science Programs/a/lilia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/archive/weird-weather/weather_categories/pictures/0/24/?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgWeird Weather Watch: Add Your Observations/a/lilia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/hurricane-names-retired-47050502?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgFour Hurricane Names Retired After 2008 Season/a/li/ulpemReprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc /em/p

Original post

pFathers are notoriously hard to shop for, and what if your dad
is an eco-friendly guy who prefers to live light on the planet instead of pile
up more plastic clutter around the house? /ppLook for gifts that use recycled
materials or gadgets that help the big guy further his favorite green
activities. Here are some of our faves…/pp /pp /pdiv class=image style=float: right; padding-left: 8pximg alt=Black Decker power monitor height=300 src=http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/greenpicks__1/greenpicks-194733078-1243982929.jpg?ymRB0WBDuTk1c0A_ width=169 //divp /pp /ppstronga href=http://www.blackanddecker.com/Energy/products.aspxBlack Decker power monitor/a/strong/ppFor the father who loves to tinker around the house, this little device is the perfect companion. One part attaches to the home electric
meter, and the handheld monitor wirelessly gives real-time data about home
energy consumption. If your dad’s the type who always reminded you to turn off
the light, he’ll appreciate knowing exactly where power is being used and what
he can save thanks to this gadget./pp /pp /pp /pp /pp /ppstronga href=http://shopping.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=AhCmcXC16TnraVv3_OOwhpAbFt0A?p=bamboo+cutting+boarddid=Bamboo cutting board/a/strong/ppIs Dad a kitchen whiz? He’ll appreciate a brand new, bamboo
cutting board (or even better, a whole set!). This sustainable wood is 16%
harder than solid maple, but cooks swear that it’s gentler on high quality
knives. Bamboo is far more renewable than plastic, and it’s low maintenance –
just clean up with a quick rinse./pp /pp /pp /pp  /pdiv class=image style=float: left; padding-right: 8pximg alt=snowboard bench height=223 src=http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/greenpicks__1/greenpicks-610172713-1243982928.jpg?ymQB0WBD6Q_iW_.K width=300 //divp /ppstronga href=http://www.sportsfurniture.net/Furniture made
from sports equipment/a/strong/ppWant to spoil a sports nut? Get him a bench made from
snowboards or a coat rack constructed of hockey sticks. How about an
Adirondack-style chair made of water skis? These one-of-a-kind pieces are built
from recycled hockey sticks, snow and water skis, wakeboards, and snowboards./pp /pp /pp /pp /pp /ppstronga href=http://www.lci-distribution.com/ankle.htmlAnkle solar bike light/a/strong/ppFor the active dad, this solar-powered light is a great
addition to his workout or commuting gear. Bike in the morning with the
lightweight light (it doubles as a pant-leg clip), and if it’s dark on the
return trip, he’ll have a fully-charged safety light. It’s also great for
jogging and walking the dog. No batteries needed./pp /pp /pp /pp /pdiv class=image style=float: right; padding-left: 8pximg alt=transit token cufflinks height=141 src=http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/greenpicks__1/greenpicks-816150959-1243982928.jpg?ymRB0WBDcDcocv9e width=300 //divp /ppstronga href=http://www.elsewares.com/commerce/TOKENS-AND-ICONS_MCA2_448.htmlVintage
transit token cuff links/a/strong/ppThank Dad for using public transit and remind him of a
favorite city at the same time. These cuff links are made of vintage transit
tokens from Chicago, Honolulu,
Los Angeles, New York
City, San Francisco, and Washington D.C./pp /pp /pp /pp /ppstronga href=http://www.greenfeet.com/itemdesc.asp?kw=GreenSmart-Commuter-Laptop-Bagic=5001-00374-0000eq=GreenSmart commuter laptop bag/a/strong/ppThis isn’t an ordinary laptop bag. It’s not just rugged and
stylish; the material is made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. Your father
is ready for business with a computer bag that protects his gear and the
planet./pp /pp /pp /pdiv class=image style=float: left; padding-right: 8pximg alt=lunch carrier set height=300 src=http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/greenpicks__1/greenpicks-438759156-1243982929.jpg?ymRB0WBDwXjoQs0Y width=300 //divp /pp /pp /ppstronga href=http://www.to-goware.com/store/cart.php?m=product_listc=4Stainless-steel
lunch carrier set/a/strong/ppGive take-out lunch a new meaning with this handy reusable
lunch system. Perfect for fathers to take to the office or on the road, these
lightweight yet durable sets can store hot or cold food. Add in a cloth bag and
bamboo utensils and Dad can easily brown-bag it every day./pp /pp /pp /pp /pp /ppstronga href=http://shopping.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=AoMANln4BDRQ8svifBgrFj8bFt0A?p=Rain+Watering+Wanddid=Rain
watering wand/a/strong/ppIf your father loves to garden, he’ll want to treat his
plants right with an accurate watering wand. With adjustable settings and a
telescoping reach, the wand waters exactly where it’s needed and doesn’t waste
water. /pp /pp /pp /pdiv class=image style=float: right; padding-left: 8pximg alt=Bottle lamp height=300 src=http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/greenpicks__1/greenpicks-508183951-1243982928.jpg?ymQB0WBD8e5TDssF width=187 //divp /pp /ppstronga href=http://www.greenfeet.com/itemdesc.asp?kw=Bottle-Lamp-DIY-Kitic=3506-11003-0000eq=Bottle lamp DIY kit/a/strong/ppDid pops sing 100 Bottles of Beer on the Wall
during long car trips? Recycle those memories and six empty glass bottles to
create this unusual lamp. The kit contains a frame and base to hold both a
light bulb (CFL, of course) and the bottles. Dad’s choice of beverage is not included./pp /pp /pp /pp /pp /pp /ppstronga href=http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=handmadesearch_query=men%27s+tieHandmade
necktie/a/strong/ppPut a twist on the traditional Father’s Day gift by
searching for tie by one of the many artisans on Etsy.com. Search for Dad’s
favorite color or search according to his hobbies. Maybe he’d find a a href=http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25486627Ms. Pac-Man tie/a
funny. Sailing buffs might like this a href=http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25613647navigation
print/a. And there’s always a classy a href=http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25087189red silk tie/a./pp /pp /pp /pp /ppNot enough ideas? Check out our all-season a href=http://green.yahoo.com/gift-guidegift guide/a, plus past tips from
our pals at a href=http://greenhome.huddler.com/wiki/fathers-day-green-gift-guideHuddler Green Home/a
and a href=http://green.yahoo.com/blog/ecogeek/566/ecogeek-s-guide-to-saying-thanks-to-dad.htmlEcoGeek/a./p

Original post

div class=image style=float:right;padding-left:8px;img alt=Insulation Installer / iStockPhoto height=300 src=http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/the_conscious_consumer/the_conscious_consumer-997475944-1243971249.jpg?ymxKxWBDBRnsVHvU width=200//divpWe’ve all been hearing a lot about green jobs lately. Creating a substantial number of new green jobs has the potential to help revive the economy and solve environmental problems. The government stimulus package alone is expected to create millions of green jobs. Climate change legislation, if passed, will likely add even more./ppThe jury is still out on whether the reality of green jobs will live up to all the hype. But for now, here are answers to some very basic questions about what kinds of green jobs are being created and how to land them./ppstrongWhat exactly is a green job?/strong/ppThere’s no official definition, but the a href=http://www.whitehouse.gov/StrongMiddleClass/Middle Class Task Force/a, which recently announced more funding for training and the a href=http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/White-House-Enviro-Council-Accepts-Biden-Challenge-Help-Retrofit-America/creation of green jobs/a, loosely defines it as jobs that help to improve the environment in some way./ppThe a href=http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Blogging-to-the-Middle/task force says/a the term includes:/pulliBlue-collar workers building out the smart grid to efficiently move the wind power (green, renewable energy) across the land. /libr /li’Weatherizers’ who can diagnose and repair the energy inefficiencies in your house or business. /libr /liThe green manufacturers who made those wind turbines or the scientists and lab technicians who developed those renewable energy sources and weatherization materials./li/ulpYou’ve also probably heard the term a href=http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles-what_are_green_collar_jobs-874;_ylt=Ap0me.uxjEmupMrS96D5UPiPSKIXgreen-collar jobs/a.The clean energy jobs organization a href=http://www.greenforall.org/Green for All/a describes this work as blue-collar jobs that contribute to preserving or enhancing environmental quality. /ppstrongWhat kinds of jobs are being created? /strong/ppHere is Green for All’s short list:/pulliEnergy auditors/liliGreen carpenters/liliInsulation installers/liliCivil engineers/liliRail-track layers/liliBus and train systems operators/liliWind turbine machinists/liliSolar panel installers/liliIron and steel workers/liliRecycling center operators/liliWater quality consultants/li/ulpIt’s not all about the face of the green economy, says a href=http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=24698Timothy O’Connor/a, at the Environmental Defense Fund. New companies are starting up because of the stimulus package, and those companies are going to need accountants, managers, human resources folks, and other professionals./ppstrongHow do you go about finding green training opportunities and jobs? /strong/ppIt depends on where you live. Where to get green job training and which economic sectors are growing will vary from community to community. Here are some general tips to get you get started, but keep in mind that there are sure to be more resources as the government money trickles down. /pulliThe Department of Labor recently committed a href=http://www.doleta.gov/$500 million to train green workers/a. Check with your local a href=http://www.careeronestop.org/One-Stop Career Center/a to see if they have any green training programs. a href=http://www.americangreenjobs.net/wikiAmerican Green Jobs/a, supported by the EPA and the DOL, has extensive information on training, education, and other aspects of green employment. Or look for service-learning opportunities through the a href=http://www.nascc.org/Corps Network/a, which can put you on the path to a green career, says Bari Samad at Green for All. /libr /liYour local community college can be a great resource. Community colleges often have links to green vocational agencies, according to Samad. It’s also a good way to find local union apprenticeship programs. It’s competitive to land a place in one of these programs, says O’Connor, but once you’re in, you have access to well-developed support and job placement networks. /libr /liCheck for a href=http://green.yahoo.com/living-green/finding-a-green-job.htmlgreen career opportunities/a at a href=http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/jobs-k-GreenYahoo! Hot Jobs/a. Here’s a a href=http://green.yahoo.com/blog/greenpicks/123/finding-the-green-job-of-your-dreams.htmllist of some good websites for green job listings/a. Additional job boards include: a href=http://www.greenjobs.net/Green Jobs Network/a, a href=http://www.greenjobs.com/public/index.aspxGreenjobs/a, and a href=http://www.ecojobs.com/index.phpEnvironmental Career Opportunities/a. /libr /liKeeping track of where a href=http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles-stimulus_job_watch-794stimulus money is going/a is a great way to help find opportunities in your city or town./libr /liEnvironmental Defense Fund mapped out a href=http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=33427potential job opportunities/a in 14 states (if Congress passes a cap on carbon). See if your state is listed and, if so, which companies in your area are in the best position to start hiring./libr /liThe Natural Resources Defense council has a href=http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/jobs/index.aspfact sheets/a outlining a href=http://www.nrdc.org/enterprise/greenjobs.aspgreen job opportunities/a in about a dozen states./libr /liThe a href=http://blogs.edf.org/climate411/2008/09/26/green_jobs_guide/Green Jobs Guidebook /afocuses on where to get training and find good-paying green jobs in California, but O’Connor, a co-author, says the info is applicable anywhere in the country./li/ulbr /pemEnvironmental journalist Lori Bongiorno shares green-living tips and product reviews with Yahoo! Green’s users. Send Lori a a href=http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/green/forms/consciousconsumerblog.htmlquestion or suggestion/a for potential use in a future column. Her book,/em Green Greener Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-smart Choices a Part of Your Life emis available on a href=http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Green%2C%20Greener%2C%20Greenest%3A%20A%20Practical%20Guide%20to%20Making%20Eco-Smart%20Choices%20a%20Part%20of%20Your%20Life:3005209514;_ylt=AsLkIJyzfMD4G3Gl2OYYt_gbFt0A?clink=dmps/lori_bongiorno/ctx=mid:1,pid:3005209514,pdid:1,pos:1,spc:14489115,date:20081009,srch:kw,x:Yahoo! Shopping/a and a href=http://www.amazon.com/Green-Greener-Greenest-Practical-Eco-Smart/dp/0399534032/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8s=booksqid=1228865081sr=8-1Amazon.com/a./em/p

Original post

div class=image style=float:right;padding-left:8px;img alt=miles ev electric car height=225 src=http://l.yimg.com/a/feeds/us/grn/green_driving_directions/miles-electric-car-bl.jpg width=400/br /emThe Miles EV: Chinese origins. (Miles photo)/embr /br //divpThe electric car announcements are coming thick and fast. Every time I pick up the phone, it’s another EV CEO wanting an interview. Oh, the burdens I bear. /ppThe scene is starting to look like 1910, when every garage held a new horseless carriage. There were hundreds of start-ups that year — electric, gasoline, and steam — and we’re back there again (minus the steam)./ppSo here’s the skinny on the latest one. a href=http://www.milesev.com/The Miles EV/a is an interesting-looking, highway speed, all-electric sedan that is supposed to cost $45,000. A few will trickle out in 2010, apparently. Now this part is ridiculously optimistic: Miles wants to sell 20,000 by 2011. Maybe if it was $20,000, and Miles was a company with some kind of automotive track record (the company makes small low-speed electric trucks and vans)./ppBut don’t count Miles out. It’s co-chairman, Steven Heller, a href=http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/03/31/miles-ev-names-ex-goldman-sachs-exec-as-co-chairman?icid=sphere_blogsmith_inpage_autobloggreenheaded mergers and acquisitions/a at Goldman Sachs. He could probably sell igloos to Eskimos./ppThere’s a strange evolution here. a href=http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/05/27/new-highway-speed-miles-electric-sedan-to-be-unveiled-next-weekAccording to Autobloggreen/a, in 2007, the company announced something called the Javlon XS500 — sounds like a rocket ship, doesn’t it? That was supposed to sell for $30,000, but some price inflation seems to have come along with the name change./ppJohn O’Dell at Edmunds a href=http://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradvisor/2009/05/miles-ev-sedan-wont-be-a-miles-company-says-as-it-prepares-for-2010-launch.htmlhad some useful details/a. The Miles EV, he says, is based on the Chinese Hafei Auto Group’s Saibao EV and will be built in China, using 30% non-Chinese components (including parts of the electric drive). Since Chinese auto quality is sometimes questionable, Miles says it has been extensively re-engineered to meet U.S. expectations. It’s supposed to have a range of 100 miles and a top speed of 80 mph with lithium-iron-phosphate batteries./ppThe new car will be unveiled June 3, at which time a new strategic partner is supposed to be announced and test drives offered at the company’s Santa Monica, California, base. Would this be the first Chinese EV on the U.S. market? Not exactly. The Wheego Whip — a neighborhood electric vehicle from the Atlanta-based company — is based on a Chinese car, the Noble./pp /ppstrongMore from The Daily Green/strong/pullia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/fuel-efficient-cars-47102201?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=blogmag=tdgThe 10 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars of 2009/a/lilia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/micro-cars-mpg-460409?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=blogmag=tdgThe Hottest New Cars Prove Small Is Beautiful/a/lilia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/electric-bikes-460209?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=blogmag=tdgElectric Bikes: The Fun, Green Way to Get Around/a/lilia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/save-money-megaflip?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=blogmag=tdg30+ Ways to Save Money by Going Green/a/lilia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/recycling-symbols-plastics-460321?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=blogmag=tdgWhat Do Recycling Codes Mean?/a/li/ulpemReprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc/em/p

Original post

div class=image style=float:right;padding-left:8px;img alt=image name height=230 src=http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/daily_green_news/daily_green_news-4606983-1243618878.jpg?ym.IbVBDQDbF3M.O width=300/br /emTropical Depression One formed in the br /Atlantic several days before the official br /start of the 2009 hurricane season. br /(Photo: NOAA)/embr /br //divpWith the Atlantic Ocean’s first tropical depression having come and gone, today marks the official start of the hurricane season. The tropical depression, which formed May 28, didn’t form into a tropical storm, so it wasn’t given a name./ppLast year, the Atlantic saw 16 named tropical storms — from Tropical Storm Arthur on May 30, which killed five and caused $78 million in damages in Belize, to Hurricane Paloma, which formed Nov. 5 and struck Cuba as a Category 4 monster that was the second-most intense hurricane ever recorded in November. /ppAll in all, there were eight Atlantic hurricanes and storms caused an estimated $41 billion in damages and left hundreds dead — more than 800 in Haiti alone./ppThe eastern Pacific saw 16 named storms, seven of them hurricanes, starting with Tropical Storm Alma on May 29 and ending Nov. 5 when Tropical Storm Polo petered out./ppThe a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/2008-hurricane-season-470703082008 hurricane season/a produced several a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/extreme-weather-20081217record-breaking storms/a, including Tropical Storm Alma, the easternmost named storm ever to form in the Pacific, and Hurricane Bertha, the longest-lived Atlantic tropical storm on record. /ppFour storms were notable — or deadly — enough that the names were retired — a href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/hurricane-names-retired-47050502Alma, Gustav, Ike, and Paloma/a. Hurricane Gustav caused $4 billion damage in Louisiana and killed 112 people, including 77 in Haiti. Hurricane Ike was the season’s strongest hurricane and the third-costliest storm (more than $19 billion) to hit the U.S., devastating Galveston, Texas, and causing about 100 deaths in the Caribbean and along the U.S. Gulf Coast./ppWhat’s in store for 2009?/ph22009 hurricane forecast/h2pHow and if global warming influences hurricane formation is still a matter of genuine scientific debate. In recent years, scientists have at least identified several factors — from the extent of rainfall in Africa to the presence or absence of El Nino conditions in the Pacific — that help them predict the intensity of a hurricane season ahead of time. Here’s what the two most prominent forecasters have to say:/ppThe federal government has predicted a near normal hurricane season for the Atlantic with a 25% chance of above-normal outbreaks and 25% chance of below-normal outbreaks — though overall, forecasters expressed a greater degree of uncertainty this year than they have in past years. /ppThe National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s a href=http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/20090521_atlantichurricane.html target=_blankpredicts/a a 70% chance of:/pullistrongNamed storms:/strong 9-14/lilistrongHurricanes:/strong 4-7/lilistrongMajor hurricanes:/strong 1-3/li/ulpThe other major forecaster in the U.S., the University of Colorado, recently a href=http://hurricane.atmos.colostate.edu/Forecasts/ target=_blankrevised down/a its expectations for the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season:/pullistrongNamed storms:/strong 12/lilistrongHurricanes:/strong 6/lilistrongMajor hurricanes:/strong 2/li/ulpFurther, the Colorado forecasters predicted the following probabilities that a major hurricane could strike the U.S., all of which are about average for the past century:/pullistrongEntire U.S. coastline:/strong 54%/lilistrongU.S. East Coast (including peninsula Florida):/strong 32%/lilistrongGulf Coast (from the Florida Panhandle westward to Brownsville, Texas):/strong 31%/lilistrongCaribbean:/strong Average/li/ulpForecasters warn that the number of storms and their intensity is only one key determinant of risk of property damage and loss of life: The biggest factor is who lives in harm’s way and how well they prepare. Some 35 million U.S. residents live in hurricane-prone regions, and experts urge them to a href=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/disaster_prevention.shtml target=_blankprepare/a./ppWhen those storms do come, they will be given names. Tropical cyclones are given names when they achieve tropical storm strength, with sustained winds of at least 39 mph. Hurricanes are tropical storms that have sustained winds that exceed 74 mph, and major hurricanes have sustained winds that exceed 111 mph. /ppHere are the tropical storm and hurricane names for 2009:/pbr /h22009 hurricane and tropical storm names – Atlantic/h2olliAna/liliBill/liliClaudette/liliDanny/liliErika/liliFred/liliGrace/liliHenri/liliIda/liliJoaquin/liliKate/liliLarry/liliMindy/liliNicholas/liliOdette/liliPeter/liliRose/liliSam/liliTeresa/liliVictor/liliWanda/li/olbr /h22009 hurricane and tropical storm names – Eastern North Pacific/h2olliAndres/liliBlanca/liliCarlos/liliDolores/liliEnrique/liliFelicia/liliGuillermo/liliHilda/liliIgnacio/liliJimena/liliKevin/liliLinda/liliMarty/liliNora/liliOlaf/liliPatricia/liliRick/liliSandra/liliTerry/liliVivian/liliWaldo/liliXina/liliYork/liliZelda /li/olp /ppstrongMore from The Daily Green/strong/pullia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/extreme-weather-20081217?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgThe Most Extreme Weather of 2008/a/lilia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/2008-hurricane-season-47070308?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdg2008 Hurricane Yearbook/a/lilia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/citizen-science-47121401?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgWeather Watching and Other Citizen Science Programs/a/lilia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/archive/weird-weather/weather_categories/pictures/0/24/?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgWeird Weather Watch: Add Your Observations/a/lilia href=http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/hurricane-names-retired-47050502?link=reldom=yah_greensrc=syncon=artmag=tdgFour Hurricane Names Retired After 2008 Season/a/li/ulpemReprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc/em/p

Original post

pimg height=183 src=http://l.yimg.com/a/feeds/us/grn/green_ecogeek/roadster-recall.jpg width=468 //ppAfter the exciting news last week that a href=http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/2761/69/Daimler is purchasing a 10 percent stake/a in the auto company, Tesla has been hit with a bit of a href=http://www.teslamotors.com/media/press_room.php?id=1376a setback/a. The Office of Defects Investigation has discovered that many of the already-delivered Roadsters contain under-torqued bolts that could lead to major safety issues for the drivers. The company has had to recall 345 of the 400 cars they’ve delivered so far to fix the error.br /br /
Tesla is passing the blame for the cars manufactured between March 2008 and April 2009 onto Lotus, saying they built the chassis on those cars and are having to recall some of their own Elises and Exiges for the same problem./ppObviously trying to stay in the good graces of their customers, Tesla is offering to make house calls to repair the potentially-loose hub bolts, plus they’re performing full vehicle inspections and software upgrades at no cost while they’re at it./ppThe company pointed out that this recall has nothing to do with the electric power-train and no accidents have been caused the issue./ppvia a href=http://earth2tech.com/2009/05/28/more-bad-news-tesla-recalling-hundreds-of-roadsters-for-safety-issue/Earth2Tech/a/pp /p

Original post

pimg height=183 src=http://l.yimg.com/a/feeds/us/grn/green_ecogeek/epeat-for-tv.jpg width=468 //ppA large a href=http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/1680/1680.3/Study_Group_Participants/IEEE%2016803%20Working%20Group%20Participants%20090520.pdfconsortium/a that includes electronics retailers and manufacturers, the EPA and the Natural Resources Defense Council has agreed to start labeling TVs with environmental impact ratings that are based on criteria beyond energy efficiency such as mercury, lead and other toxic content./ppThe labeling system is being called E-PEAT-for-TV after the E-PEAT labeling system for computers that is used for all government computer purchases. The rating system will be developed by the a href=http://www.ieee.org/portal/siteInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers/a and administered by the Green Electronics Council and should start appearing on TVs in the next 18 to 24 months./ppThe labeling system met a lot of resistance from manufacturers, but the long time-line to get the labels in place will most likely be to their benefit. Many consumers will be buying new digital TVs as the switch from analog to digital broadcast signals takes place on June 12, which means lots of sales long before the labels show up./ppNo word yet on the exact criteria and ranking system, but it will likely be similar to the standards used for the original a href=http://www.epeat.net/E-PEAT/a./ppvia a href=http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/coming-soon-a-new-eco-label-for-tvs/Green Inc./a/pp /p

Original post

pimg height=183 src=http://l.yimg.com/a/feeds/us/grn/green_ecogeek/navy-fuel.jpg width=468 //ppThe Department of Defense a href=http://www.defenselink.mil/speeches/speech.aspx?speechid=1285has described/a the U.S. military as the world’s largest user of petroleum products, spending roughly $13 billion a year.  Luckily, it seems the military’s branches are starting to get serious about cutting back./ppThe a href=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=45283Navy has announced/a that their Energy Conservation Program (i-ENCON) that encourages ships to save fuel wherever possible has resulted in a $79 million savings in the first and second quarters of fiscal 2009./ppThe Navy burned 14.83 percent less fuel than the average burn rate, which translates in 682,000 fewer barrels of fuel. The voluntary incentive program that gave cash rewards up to $67,000 to ships for improving their fuel efficiency is the likely cause of the significant improvement./ppAt the end of December, the Navy also announced a 12 percent decline in total energy consumption for 2008 through renewable energy measures at several of its bases. Solar PV, wind, geothermal and ocean thermal energy projects were installed at many bases, mainly in California./ppThe entire military is looking to reduce fuel costs through buying thousands of electric vehicles for on-base transport. The new fleets are expected to save 11.5 million gallons of gas per year./ppvia a href=http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/05/21/military-seeks-fuel-efficiency-with-ships-and-electric-vehicles/Environmental Leader/a/p

Original post

pimg height=183 src=http://l.yimg.com/a/feeds/us/grn/green_ecogeek/windelux.jpg width=468 //ppFrench company Windela has created a street lighting system that works without any connection to the grid. The a href=http://www.windela.fr/Windelux/a is powered by both a small vertical wind turbine and a solar PV panel./ppThe lamp is comprised of 84 LEDs and automatically switches on when a photosensitive cell detects that it’s dark. A built-in control system stops the wind generator if the wind speed is too high and also allows the pole to act as a Wi-Fi relay./ppInside the pole is the battery that makes all this possible. A rechargeable LiFePo battery stores the energy generated by the solar PV panel and wind generator and supplies four nights worth of light before needing to be recharged./ppStreet lighting accounts for a huge percentage of most cities energy use and costs. The Windelux seems to be an ideal solution for providing both street lighting and distributing Wi-Fi, without ever touching the grid. Currently, units have only been installed in France and Algeria, but it’d be great to see the technology make it’s way across the Atlantic./ppvia a href=http://cleantechnica.com/2009/05/13/exploiting-the-downsides-of-wind-and-solar/Cleantechnica/a/p

Original post