Daimler Partners with Tesla!
By Hope Doty | May 20, 2009
Yes, yes, yes, I know. Any of you who attempt to follow my irregular blog posts must have been giddy with anticipation if you heard this news yesterday. You, of course, knew that I could not possibly pass up a mention.
So, here goes the best news yet that we’ve heard on my future electric car. Yes, I’m still patiently waiting…since September 12, 2001 (but who is counting but me!). However, now that 1) America has a new leader, 2) even the conservatives agree that we can’t continue to pollute without ruining the planet; and 3) half of West Texas is covered in BEAUTIFUL wind turbines, the winds (Oh, Pun the Door and Let Me Out) have clearly shifted.
Daimler, the folks who brought us the fuel-efficient Smart Fortwo (at 39 MPG it’s second only to Toyota’s Prius), have recently bought a 10 percent stake in Tesla. Daimler, owner of Mercedes-Benz recently sloughed off the dead-skin cell that was Chrysler (and apparently not a moment too soon). Tesla, some of you may remember from previous posts, is America’s ONLY viable car company that is actually producing a commuter-electric vehicle with a lithium-ion battery.
The incredibly insightful folks at Daimler have been testing several fleets of electric Smart Fortwo in London since 2007. They will now produce a new batch (1000 units) this year for testing in Berlin and Italy that will have the lithium-ion batteries in them. Production of 2010 vehicles should be right around the corner now that they have partnered with the electric-vehicle leader.
After waiting for so many, many years for my new electric car, I am certainly glad that I have a Volvo (last year made in Sweden, thank you very much). It’s lasted 10 years so far and runs like a top. I’m sure it will continue to run for at least another 10 years, or until a commuter electric vehicle becomes available at a reasonable price, whichever comes first. And yes, I’m frigging waiting!
Yes, this news is long overdue in a lame auto industry, but I AM ever the optimist and continue to hold out hope for a viable zero emissions vehicle. After all the fits and starts and false promises of the last 8 years, isn’t it about time that we see a success story, not to mention a viable option for an electric car?
Topics: Future Tech, News, Rants and Raves, Reduce | No Comments »
Cleaning Copper
By Hope Doty | May 7, 2009
For years companies have been selling copper cleaners made with goodness knows what. I recently discovered the simplest and greenest way to clean real copper (that is, not copperplate). Start with tarnished pots or whatever.
Tarnished Copper-bottomed Pots
It takes just two simple ingredients and almost no time involved, really. I saw this on an episode of “How Clean is Your House?” and tried it. It worked unbelievably well. First, sprinkle salt on the tarnished copper.
Next, cut a lemon in half and squeeze a little of the juice over the salt.
See, it’s already started cleaning before you do anything else.
Use the lemon as your “scrubber”. Just keep rubbing in a circular motion all over until the copper is tarnish-free. A really tarnished pan will take a few minutes, but with periodic maintenance, it takes just seconds to rub the copper clean. Here is a before and after.
Just salt and lemon
Rinse away the salt and lemon juice when you are done. I hand wash and dry the pots immediately afterward for best results. That’s it. Your finished. I think these two pots took me all of five minutes, including washing and drying time.
All Done and Shiny
Nice, huh?
Topics: Home and Garden, Reduce | No Comments »
Solar Etc at the Grand Canyon
By Hope Doty | May 6, 2009
On a recent trip to the Grand Canyon to check off item number one on our new Bucket List, I made some pleasant discoveries. Okay, I’d been to the Grand Canyon ages ago in my youth, but my husband had never been. Things have really changed for the better over the years. For one thing, the pathways leading around the Canyon’s perimeter sport periodic trash cans next to recycling bins with labels for glass, plastic, etc.
Grand Canyon-Visitors Center Solar panels
As you can see in the image above, the Grand Canyon visitor’s center complex uses a number of large solar panels to power their buildings. The restrooms in that area all use reclaimed water in the toilets.Visitors are educated on this system with pictures that display how the fresh water flows from the reservoir to the sinks and drinking fountains then is reclaimed for the toilets. The system is as brilliant as it is efficient and educational for the huge numbers of people who visit the canyon every year.
Throughout the visitor’s area, a wide variety of native plants have been landscaped beautifully. As this is the high desert, very little water is available or used here. The plans were well thought out and executed. Grounds here are spectacular to view; some of the best examples of native plantings we saw in the whole state.
Grand Canyon Native Landscape
I have to say that I am very encouraged at what I saw here at the Grand Canyon. It shows a tremendous attempt by our government to preserve one of the most beautiful sites in our country. I can honestly say that the Grand Canyon looks better today than it did when I was a kid. That is impressive.
Topics: Recycle, Reduce, Reuse | No Comments »
MetroRail Delayed Again
By Hope Doty | March 23, 2009
In a recent statement from the CEO of Capital Metro, it looks like all bets are off for a while on the start of MetroRail in Austin. Since the SECOND set of violations from their rail operations vendor were discovered on Friday, Cap Metro are bringing in some rail experts from Massachusetts to help move things along. Another status report is expected on May 15th.
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Mounding Compost on Potato Plants
By Hope Doty | March 21, 2009
When I decided to experiment with planting potatoes, I looked for information on the web. Vague, to say the least. So, I’ve done a short video for those of us who need to see what it looks like when you “mound” your potato plants. This is my first video, so let me know what you think. There will be more to come soon and as need (and ability) warrants and improves. :o) I hope you find this useful.
Topics: Home and Garden | 1 Comment »
MetroRail Open House
By Hope Doty | February 28, 2009
Yesterday, I was able to view the new commuter rail train at Austin’s Downtown Station. Sleek, modern, and very European-looking on the outside, these trains will be Austin’s first step to becoming a modern “grown up” city, as Tom calls it.
Inside is reminiscent of the train I once took from Manhattan to New Jersey, with occasional spots at either end of the car that have tables where commuters can set up laptops to work via the WiFi network (included on every train). The inside does have a bit of a bus feel with it’s bucket seating and luggage racks above (hardly necessary until they someday open the route down to the airport).
Each car has a bike rack area that will hold (officially) three bikes vertically. However, we only saw two hooks per car for the bikes, so we are not certain where that mysterious third bike would go. As bicycle use will be virtually mandatory for those stations without park and ride, we asked about the minimal storage options. We were assured by Cap Metro staff that should all bike racks be full (or that designated space be otherwise occupied by a wheelchair, which would have priority), bike owners could stand with their bikes for the trip as long as the bicycle did not interfere with the entry or exit doors of the train.
Here is a helpful pdf about the Capital MetroRail. This document includes the schedule, fares, safety information and other very useful guidelines about the train. The most important thing I’ve learned over the last several months about the MetroRail is that use will determine future expansion. In other words, if many people use the train to commute to work, Cap Metro will be more inclined to open it up to lunch runs and possibly even a weekend schedule, which would be handy for downtown events, theater, or just a night out on the town.
For now, however, we simple have to be patient for Monday, March 30th to roll around. That is the first day of commuter rail service in Austin.
Topics: News | No Comments »
The Future of Green Jobs
By Hope Doty | February 12, 2009
Here is an interesting article from the LA Times on how green jobs may be not just possible but very profitable in the future. After all, renewable energy is one of the few areas that are growing today, in spite of the recession.
Topics: Future Tech | No Comments »
Approving Lower Emissions Standards
By Hope Doty | February 9, 2009
As you will see in this post on The Gavel, the Speaker of the House’s official blog, the President has made one big step for the environment. The new administration will allow states (who were on target to sue the Federal government because of the previous administrations denial of the request) to improve and lower their own greenhouse gas emissions standards further than the Federal government’s current levels.
This is a huge leap forward in a short time to get the environmental changes we need. I am sad to say that (as usual) my own state of Texas is not among those desiring to lower their emissions.
Topics: Future Tech, Reduce | No Comments »
New Year 2009 Gift of Hope?
By Hope Doty | January 3, 2009
No, it has nothing to do with me. That would be a gift FROM Hope. Sorry to disappoint. But I do see a possible gift in the article here. If this turns out to be true, what great news it would be. Honestly, if anyone could succeed at a predominantly solar powered vehicle, it would be Toyota. It’s the next logical step for them.
Also, enjoy some of the comments below the article as well.
Topics: Future Tech, Reduce | No Comments »
Large Team Working on Lithium Battery Technology
By Hope Doty | December 18, 2008
Hey, we’ve only been waiting for something like this to happen since at least 9/11. Now we finally have a US government lab teaming up with 14 companies to figure out how to mass produce lithium-ion batteries for cars.
The question is, however, can we do it in time to hope to compete with the already leading-edge Asian research? If we manage the technology to mass produce these batteries quickly, will we be able to convince the buggy whip makers (i.e., the American auto industry) that it is time to look to the future for once rather than living in the past? Finally, will this enable us to make that giant leap away from fossil fuels altogether and into the electric CEV arena once and for all?
Good questions. Let’s hope this team will look to answering them sooner rather than later.
Topics: Future Tech, Reduce, Reuse | No Comments »