tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30497986307006452152024-03-07T16:57:59.579-06:00Eco AdvocateDream of living green. Act to make the dream come true.Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.comBlogger258125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-80033480959673724292011-05-27T15:43:00.002-06:002011-05-27T15:45:31.403-06:00Crazy E-Waste Statistics Explored in Infographic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wellhome.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/e-waste2.png" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="8794" width="600" src="http://www.wellhome.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/e-waste2.png" /></a></div>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-59719104123446676552011-02-12T06:56:00.003-06:002011-02-12T07:01:28.040-06:00Amazing Footage of Uncontacted Amazon Tribe May Save Them from Loggers (Video)<object classid='clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000' width='540' height='333' id='tribalchannel-player' name='tribalchannel-player'> <param name='movie' value='http://assets.survivalinternational.org/flash/syndicated-player.swf'><param name='allowFullScreen' value='true'><param name='wmode' value='opaque'><param name='allowScriptAccess' value='always'><param name='bgcolor' value='FFFFFF'><param name='flashvars' value='config=http://assets.uncontactedtribes.org/films/356/config.xml'><embed type='application/x-shockwave-flash' id='tribalchannel-player' name='tribalchannel-player' src='http://assets.survivalinternational.org/flash/syndicated-player.swf' width='540' height='333' allowFullScreen='true' wmode='opaque' allowScriptAccess='always' bgcolor='FFFFFF' flashvars='config=http://assets.uncontactedtribes.org/films/356/config.xml' /> </object><br />
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<a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/02/amazing-footage-uncontacted-amazon-tribe-save-loggers-video.php?campaign=weekly_nl">Via Treehugger</a>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-89298359349243694462010-08-30T11:01:00.001-06:002010-08-30T11:04:08.617-06:00Recycle Plastic back into OilImagine if this takes off, we can recycle a lot of plastic waste back into usable oil.<br />
<blockquote>a Japanese company called Blest, has invented a way to recycle plastic. The company has created a small, safe and easy to use machine that can convert several types of plastic back into oil... </blockquote><blockquote>The company uses a temperature controlling electric heater rather than flame to burn the plastic, therefore, the conversion technology is very safe. The result is a crude <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_gas" rel="wikipedia nofollow" title="Natural gas">gas</a> that can fuel things like generators or stoves and, when refined, can even be pumped into a car, a boat or motorbike... </blockquote><blockquote>One kilogram of plastic produces almost one liter of oil. To convert that amount takes about 1 kilowatt of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity" rel="wikipedia nofollow" title="Electricity">electricity</a>, which costs approximately 20 cents.</blockquote><a href="http://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/A_machine_that_can_convert_plastic_into_oil-nid-71122.html">Now, oil from plastic to fuel your cars</a><br />
<div class="zemanta-related"><h6 class="zemanta-related-title" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0 0 0;">Related articles by Zemanta</h6><ul class="zemanta-article-ul"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://bigthink.com/ideas/22993" rel="nofollow">Japanese Machine Converts Plastic to Oil</a> (bigthink.com)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/plastic-to-oil-fantastic/" rel="nofollow">You: Plastic to oil fantastic</a> (ourworld.unu.edu)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/16/view/11287/plastic-to-oil-conversion-machine.html" rel="nofollow">plastic to oil conversion machine</a> (designboom.com)</li>
</ul></div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=e183d477-39bc-4b9b-9efc-9d344fb34bb4" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-72040037576248120562010-08-27T15:16:00.001-06:002010-08-27T15:18:20.745-06:00Indian man's invention helps cut down pollution from diesel generatorsThis is a good example of why necessity is the mother of invention.<br />
<blockquote>Virendra's workshop, which started in 1981 by manufacturing iron gates and grills, situated just opposite a school. Since they face frequent power cuts, Virendra had to install a generator that resulted in noise and air pollution, which affected school children and neighbors. "It was difficult to move to a new location for me so I started thinking about ways to control this pollution," says Virendra. </blockquote><blockquote>This was when he thought about something that could control the pollution and finally he come up with a device that can be attached to a generator or other diesel engines to minimize the noise and smoke, reports Manu A B from Rediff Business. It took him six years of experiments to build the first device. Initially, what started as a mission to carry out his work smoothly, turned into a successful innovation with universal appeal and value.</blockquote><blockquote>A patented device, it allows carbon deposits to get collected periodically. This can be reused as raw material for shoe polish and local small-scale industry units. Virendra Kumar is now fine-tuning the device to further reduce noise emanating from engines. His next project is a pollution control device for four-wheelers.</blockquote><a href="http://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/Bihar_mechanic_develops_pollution_control_device-nid-71012.html?utm_campaign=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=Subscriber">Carbon menace? Indian man's device to help the world go green</a>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11792469071873636417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-30021507238724766432010-08-09T10:00:00.002-06:002010-08-09T10:02:02.044-06:00Lunartic » Cool Hubless Rear Wheel BikeNew concept bike, has a neat design. Wonder how stable it will be in real world usage.<br />
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<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cPsY2NfPJtw&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cPsY2NfPJtw&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br />
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Via <a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/08/lunartic-bike-has-cool-hubless-rear-wheel.php?campaign=weekly_nl">Treehugger</a>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-2349216963565934462010-08-05T09:38:00.000-06:002010-08-05T09:38:33.781-06:00Opt out of the Yellow Pages<div class="zemanta-img separator" style="clear: right;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Yellow_Pages_logo.svg" rel="nofollow" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Current Yellow Pages logo." height="200" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7f/Yellow_Pages_logo.svg/300px-Yellow_Pages_logo.svg.png" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; font-size: 0.8em;" width="200" /></a><span class="zemanta-img-attribution" style="clear: both; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Image via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Yellow_Pages_logo.svg">Wikipedia</a></span></div>Save some trees by opting out of receiving the Yellow Pages.<br />
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You can begin the process here » <a href="http://www.yellowpagesoptout.com/">http://www.yellowpagesoptout.com/</a><br />
<div class="zemanta-related"><h6 class="zemanta-related-title" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0 0 0;">Related articles by Zemanta</h6><ul class="zemanta-article-ul"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://robcottingham.ca/2010/06/help-get-100000-people-to-opt-out-of-the-yellow-pages/" rel="nofollow">Help get 100,000 people to opt out of the Yellow Pages</a> (robcottingham.ca)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://gesterling.wordpress.com/2010/06/06/why-print-yp-is-going-to-be-opt-in/" rel="nofollow">Print YP Will Eventually Be 'Opt-In'</a> (gesterling.wordpress.com)</li>
</ul></div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=3635fab3-2beb-4476-a730-76343cd74beb" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11792469071873636417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-6456696863041335072010-07-24T10:10:00.000-06:002010-07-24T10:10:37.619-06:00The Story of CosmeticsWatch "The Story of Cosmetics" your health may depend it.<br />
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<a href="http://storyofstuff.org/cosmetics/">http://storyofstuff.org/cosmetics/</a>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-45822514051391600062010-07-07T13:03:00.003-06:002010-07-07T21:34:55.901-06:00Increasing e-waste presents a huge challenge in India<p>I recently returned from a trip to India, and from my own observation, I can say that Indian consumers are becoming more and more like their western counterparts in using disposable goods. Cell phones, computers and other electronics are being consumed at a very fast pace, with many folks changing gadgets with changing fashion--not because the gadget went bad, but just to keep-up with their peers.</p><p>This accelerated consumerism is leading to an increasing amount of e-waste and I did not come across any programs by the civic authorities to alleviate this problem. Waste management has always been a challenge in the major metros of India, adding to that, the proper disposal of e-waste is going to present an even bigger problem in the coming years.</p><blockquote>India would be confronted with the threat of accumulation of e-waste in the coming years if necessary policy and regulations are not put in place to check its growth now, says a paper presented at the recently held 'Kerala Environment Congress-2010.'</blockquote><a href="http://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/Ewaste_volume_to_increase_in_coming_years-nid-69432.html" target="_blank">E-waste volume to increase in coming years</a>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-36936364999303685162010-04-19T09:16:00.001-06:002010-04-19T09:18:35.901-06:00Bio Stove that generates electricityHere's a neat product that can be used to cook in the outdoors using available fuel (twigs, dry leaves etc.) which also generates enough electricity to charge/power mobile devices.<br />
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<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JmHCIBvI6vE&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JmHCIBvI6vE&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-56370741975456899992010-03-19T09:45:00.000-06:002010-03-19T09:45:02.961-06:00The Story of Cap & Trade<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pA6FSy6EKrM&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pA6FSy6EKrM&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11792469071873636417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-36639362787807309602010-03-18T14:26:00.003-06:002010-03-18T14:31:13.935-06:00The Story of StuffEveryone should watch this documentary.<br />
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<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9GorqroigqM&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9GorqroigqM&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11792469071873636417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-42341386962548045392010-03-03T11:33:00.004-06:002010-03-03T12:15:29.172-06:00Scrap the PhonebookYou can sign a petition and opt-out to remove your home or office from receiving the telephone directories from the following sites:<div><a href="http://www.yellowpagesgoesgreen.org/stop-yellow-pages/">http://www.yellowpagesgoesgreen.org/stop-yellow-pages/</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.paperlesspetition.org/">http://www.paperlesspetition.org/</a></div><br /><a href="http://www.paperlesspetition.org/"><img src="http://www.paperlesspetition.org/images/pp_120x30.gif" width="120" height="30" alt="Click keys, save trees." /></a>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-30796318075495343952010-02-24T19:16:00.002-06:002010-02-24T19:17:59.501-06:00The Bloom Box: a power plant for the homeThis should give the BIG ENERGY execs some pause.<div><div><embed src="http://cnettv.cnet.com/av/video/cbsnews/atlantis2/player-dest.swf" flashvars="linkUrl=http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6228923n&releaseURL=http://cnettv.cnet.com/av/video/cbsnews/atlantis2/player-dest.swf&videoId=50083943&partner=news&vert=News&si=254&autoPlayVid=false&name=cbsPlayer&allowScriptAccess=always&wmode=transparent&embedded=y&scale=noscale&rv=n&salign=tl" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="324" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed><br /><a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/">Watch CBS News Videos Online</a></div></div>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-3576331227985569572009-12-24T20:22:00.003-06:002009-12-24T20:24:14.170-06:00New Solar Shingle Hits the Market<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><blockquote>A company out of Grass Valley, California – Sun Energy Engineering Co. – has developed a low-profile solar shingle, or Sun Energy Shingle, to be used instead of roofing shingles or over existing shingles. It’s available in custom colors, too, depending on what kind of look you’re trying to get on the rooftop.<br /><br /></blockquote><a href="http://www.jetsongreen.com/2009/12/sun-energy-solar-tile-solar-shingle.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+jetson_green+%28Jetson+Green%29&utm_content=My+Yahoo">New Solar Shingle Hits the Market!</a></div>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-8313969391082280512009-10-31T09:39:00.002-06:002010-03-25T21:58:31.661-06:00Indian engineer builds glaciers to stop warming<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><blockquote>His glaciers have been able to each store up to one million cubic feet of ice, which in turn can irrigate 200 hectares of farm land. This can make the difference between crop failure and a bumper crop of more than 1,000 tons of wheat for the farmers.</blockquote><br />
<a href="http://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/Indian_engineer_builds_glaciers_to_stop_warming-nid-62366.html/1/2">Indian engineer builds glaciers to stop warming - SiliconIndia</a></div>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-88671531280065052912009-10-26T11:47:00.002-06:002010-03-25T21:58:54.651-06:00Solar and Agriculture: Double Cropping Energy and Food<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><blockquote>What sets this project apart is that it aims to not just co-exist with productive farm land, but actually enhance the agricultural process. </blockquote><br />
<a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/10/solar_and_agriculture_double_cropping.php?dcitc=weekly_nl">Solar and Agriculture: Double Cropping Energy and Food : TreeHugger</a></div>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-11557946946719030612009-10-26T11:34:00.003-06:002009-10-26T11:35:39.033-06:00Green Building Materials Guide on Green Planet<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><blockquote>When it comes to building or renovating a home, there are few simple choices. From styles and colors to location and design, there's an awful lot to consider, but, thankfully, you don't have to settle for materials whose production or use has a big-time negative impact on the planet. Here to help is our Green Materials Guide, which will help guide you through the process of finding green materials for every green project in your home.<br /><br /></blockquote><a href="http://planetgreen.discovery.com/feature/green-materials-guide/?campaign=th_weekly_nl">Green Materials Guide : Planet Green</a><br /><br /><div class="zemanta-pixie"><img src="http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=861d5ff5-a351-8773-a79a-f1fdb96427f4" alt="" class="zemanta-pixie-img" /></div></div>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-40888206759133685922009-05-12T09:28:00.000-06:002009-05-12T09:29:28.889-06:00The Air Car<object id="obj_7d94cfc969fd4a38af39a6e5c10879dd" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,115,0" width="450" height="392"> <param name="movie" value="http://applications.fliqz.com/7d94cfc969fd4a38af39a6e5c10879dd.swf" /> <param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /> <param name="wmode" value="transparent" /> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /> <param name="flashvars" value="file=23cd113d5dfe40b9b303c165a8f07792&permalink=http://greenenergytv.com/Watch.aspx?v=1213869141&" /> <embed id="emb_7d94cfc969fd4a38af39a6e5c10879dd" src="http://applications.fliqz.com/7d94cfc969fd4a38af39a6e5c10879dd.swf" width="450" height="392" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="file=23cd113d5dfe40b9b303c165a8f07792&permalink=http://greenenergytv.com/Watch.aspx?v=1213869141&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed> </object>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-77898616331348742452008-10-09T15:29:00.001-06:002008-10-09T15:31:01.941-06:00Michelle Kaufmann's Smart HomePretty cool to see it go up like this.<br /><br /><object width="400" height="352"><param name="movie" value="http://www.msichicago.org/fileadmin/templates/swf/video_player.swf"></param><param name="flashvars" value="videoFeedUrl=http://www.msichicago.org/online-science/videos/video-detail/type/112/activities/smart-home-home-in-90-seconds-1/"></param><embed src="http://www.msichicago.org/fileadmin/templates/swf/video_player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" flashvars="videoFeedUrl=http://www.msichicago.org/online-science/videos/video-detail/type/112/activities/smart-home-home-in-90-seconds-1/" width="400" height="352"></embed></object>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-28388879109375447832008-10-06T11:23:00.003-06:002008-10-06T11:25:02.792-06:00National Grid Wants Your Roof!<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">This looks very promising. It would be wonderful if utility providers all over would consider offering such incentives to businesses and individual home-owners. Think about all the roofs and roof-tops that are currently sitting vacant, absorbing the sun's energy but giving nothing in return.<br /><br />With solar panels on those roofs they would actually be generating energy and income for their owners. Sweet!<br /><blockquote>National Grid Wants Your Roof! Utility Looking to Install Solar Panels on Customer’s Homes & Businesses</blockquote><a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/10/national-grid-wants-to-install-solar-panels-on-customers-homes-businesses.php">National Grid Wants Your Roof! Utility Looking to Install Solar Panels on Customer’s Homes & Businesses : TreeHugger</a></div>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-81705135910760256622008-10-03T12:55:00.005-06:002008-10-03T12:59:18.303-06:00Mag-Wind Vertical Axis Turbine for your Home<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">This looks like a good option for urban areas.<br /><blockquote><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7DR_K9IKYH2BkiAGS_hKXLeAIj_7cvn5nbcOCg8jQ7HjOJSUUF5G7_gmb6KTiGxuDY1iiPQi__nsV_ZhzA2eYZF8KOUoFv9ISyx8BTQkx6cUVw7R1BYIul7mDRO8X0IRZH4IGthS4Xs/s1600-h/mw1100.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 120px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7DR_K9IKYH2BkiAGS_hKXLeAIj_7cvn5nbcOCg8jQ7HjOJSUUF5G7_gmb6KTiGxuDY1iiPQi__nsV_ZhzA2eYZF8KOUoFv9ISyx8BTQkx6cUVw7R1BYIul7mDRO8X0IRZH4IGthS4Xs/s200/mw1100.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253003749813266338" border="0" /></a>It's a "Magnetically-Levitated Axial Flux Alternator with Programmable Variable Coil Resistance, Vertical Axis Wind Turbine' , and it has just come on the market. Designed by Thomas Priest-Brown and Jim Rowan in Canada and manufactured in Texas, it"solves 11 different problems that previously limited the development of vertical-axis wind turbines for generation of electricity ."<br /><br />The center hub floats on a magnet, and the coils that generate the power are at the outer ring, with magnets at the tips of the blades flying over them at high speed. It is designed for home installation in urban settings; It is only 4 feet high, so neighbours are unlikely to complain about its appearance. We asked about issues with ice and snow, and were assured that there was no problem. We also asked about noise (often a complaint) and was told that it was inaudible.<br /><br />Unlike normal turbines, it doesn't mind a little turbulence, works well in developed areas, and gets an extra kick from something called "the roof effect" -evidently "A roof with a 10-foot vertical rise and a 30% angle will provide nearly a 200% increase in the amount of wind energy that is available to be turned into electricity. Compared to the same turbine just sitting on a pole, the roof effect increases the power yielded by operation of the wind turbine dramatically."</blockquote><br /><a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/01/magwind_vertica.php">Mag-Wind Vertical Axis Turbine for your Home : TreeHugger</a></div>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-85079100144863858762008-10-03T12:47:00.003-06:002008-10-03T12:49:39.654-06:00Going Solar: Lessons from Experience<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Thinking of going solar for your water heating? Here's an article from one family who did so and wrote about their experience.<br /><blockquote><b>(One) TreeHugger Goes Solar</b><br /><br />We’re not quite at the stage where every roof boasts a solar water heater, as Lloyd has advocated, but there is no doubt that as energy prices rise, solar water heating becomes increasingly attractive. And I’m proud to say that today my wife and I took our first solar showers – yes, we’ve finally taken the plunge and gone solar. Because we weren’t confident enough in our DIY skills, we avoided making our own solar hot water heater, and instead used a recent inheritance (thanks Naini!) to invest in this most practical, and relatively affordable, of micro-generation technologies. Given that there are plenty of readers likely to be interested in renewables for their own homes, I thought it might be helpful to go through our experience. So here’s what we’ve learned…<br /><br />Firstly, we can say that the installation process was pretty painless. The installers were here for three days, four if you include the fact that work was rained off one day. Besides a little noise coming from the roof and the crawl space, the only intrusion into our lives was a 3 hour period when the water was turned off, and workers occasionally needing access to our attic space for the plumbing.<br /><br />Secondly, it looks like it should be a good investment. Between federal and state tax credits, it looks like we will end up laying out somewhere in the region of $3,500 for the system – and while we don’t have figures for our typical water heating costs, the installers reckoned it should pay for itself in 8-9 years. With a 25 – 30 year lifespan we are confident that the system will more than pay for itself in the long run (and we’re much happier putting our money in solar than we are in stocks and bonds right now!). Of course, being solar enthusiasts and environmentalists, we’re not necessarily focused on the payback period – as blogger and Transition Town founder Rob Hopkins once commented, payback periods for solar are not necessarily the whole story...<br /><br /></blockquote><a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/10/goind-solar-lessons.php">Going Solar: Lessons from Experience : TreeHugger</a></div>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-62464473246606607442008-09-09T12:45:00.002-06:002008-10-03T13:00:04.529-06:00Sanyo's New Washer Uses 96% Less Water<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><blockquote>The drum-style machines converts air to ozone to eliminate bacteria and odor, a process previously used only in commercial washing machines like those in hospitals with ozone-generating machines. But Sanyo is now packaging the technology for household use. Water is purified using a recycling process. The ozone washes away bacteria, which can lead to smells, and dirt.<br /><br />“By making a washing machine that can reuse bathwater and recycle it in Japan, customers not only save on their water bills, but they save water than needs to be used for drinking,” says Sanyo spokesman Aaron Fowles in an article published in Digital World Tokyo last month. “[T]hat type of water makes up less than one per cent of the Earth’s water supply.”<br /><br />The machine is only available now in Japan and Taiwan, but the company hopes to eventually enter the U.S. and European market.</blockquote><br /><a href="http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/2064/74/">Sanyo's New Washer Uses 96% Less Water | Via: EcoGeek</a></div>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-72215481601677907302008-09-01T09:07:00.003-06:002008-10-03T13:00:27.944-06:00STAR Community Index : A Framework for Green Communities<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><blockquote>The STAR Community Index is a new tool designed to help local governments plan, track and measure their sustainability programs. Inspired by the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED ® Green Building Rating System ™.<br /><br /></blockquote><a href="http://www.iclei-usa.org/programs/sustainability/star-community-index">STAR Community Index - ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability USA</a></div>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049798630700645215.post-58411374246793364082008-08-30T16:02:00.001-06:002008-08-30T16:02:03.147-06:00You'll become a fan of whole-house fans<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>This is really cool. Fan's can definitely save more energy than an air conditioner and are also more environmentally friendly.<blockquote>...a whole-house fan uses only 10% to 20% as much electricity as a central air conditioner. Also, it uses significantly less electricity than a window air conditioner, yet it keeps the entire house more comfortable, not just one room. Installing one generally provides a good payback on the investment.</blockquote><br/><a target='_blank' href='http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080810/BUSINESS04/808100316/1017/BUSINESS'>You'll become a fan of whole-house fans | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press</a></div>Rajesh Nidwannayahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00163334856163482520noreply@blogger.com0