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The Emission Footprint of Electric Vehicles Depends On How You Get Your Power

April 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment

State of Charge: Electric Vehicles’ Global Warming Emissions and Fuel-Cost Savings Across the United States

Click on the image for larger view.

We’ve been hearing about this for a while but the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCC) have put it to paper (kind of) with their “State of Charge: Electric Vehicles’ Global Warming Emissions and Fuel-Cost Savings Across the United States.” Their research suggests that depending on how electricity is generated (coal, hydro, solar etc.) where you live in the United States, electric vehicles (EV) are responsible for producing more or less emissions relative to gas powered vehicles. In parts of the country that derive most of their electricity from non-renewable resources (ie coal, natural gas), the areas in dark blue on the map above, EVs have an equivalent fuel economy above 30 mpgs when compared to a gas powered auto. In areas in light blue, EV’s have a fuel efficiency equivalent greater than 50 mpgs.

Here are the main points from the UCC report:

  1. Nearly half of Americans (45%) live in the “best” regions where EVs produce lower global warming emissions than even the most fuel-efficient gasoline hybrids on the market today (greater than 50 mpg).
  2. Another third (37%) live in “better” areas where EVs produce emissions comparable to the best gasoline hybrid vehicles (41 – 50 mpg).
  3. A minority (18%) reside in “good” regions where emissions from EVs are comparable to the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid gasoline vehicles (31 – 40 mpg).

The UCC study has been well received and initial cost aside, going with an Electric Vehicle sounds like a good, cost-saving decision just about any place you live. [UCC]

Related information: Lifetime gasoline and fuel cost comparison for EV, Hybrids and Gas-Powered Vehicles

Filed Under: Electric Vehicles, Energy, Featured Jubbling, Reduce, Renewable Energy, Solar Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Bainbridge Island Bans Plastic Shopping Bags. Time To Ramp Up Production Of Grocery Shirt 2.0.

April 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Hooray for Bainbridge Island! Joining several other communities in the state of Washington, Bainbridge Island’s city council just unanimously passed an ordinance to ban the use of plastic grocery bags. It takes effect in November 2012 which is more than enough time to ramp up production of Grocery Shirt 2.0. Over-sized and comfortable, the GS 2.0 has ample space for the gallon milk jug, bag of chips and slab of bacon – basically, a meal in our house.

If you get a chance, read the some of the 150+ comments to the Kitsap Sun article. I did and my suggestion is that if you don’t like the idea that one small island community is banning plastic bags, don’t shop there. Seems pretty simple.

Filed Under: Food and Drink, Reduce, Shopping Tagged With: , , , ,

I’m Having Second Thoughts About The Greywater Sink & Toilet Combination

April 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Eco Bath by Jang wooseokWouldn’t it be great if we could use the normally wasted greywater, the water that goes down the drain, to fill and flush our toilet? Seems like a no-brainer Jubbling idea and Jang wooseok has designed a toilet that melds a sink and a toilet to do just that. It’s not the first of its kind and his Eco Bath model works like the others by capturing the normally drained water from the sink into a holding tank that can be used to fill the toilet for flushing. Placing the sink on top of the toilet is great for people that live in small spaces and in a pinch, the attached sink could be used as a urinal. But I’m not as sold on the idea of filling the crapper with sink runoff anymore.
Eco Bath greywater toilet
What caused the change? For me, it was the idea of the greywater tank holding a couple of days of tooth-brushing and flossing water as well as the water from washing grubby hands. Accessing and cleaning the greywater tank from time to time would be a definite dirty job that might end up more challenging than scrubbing the toilet.

But I have to remind myself that Jubbling is about being inconvenienced and my whining about cleaning the greywater tank is just that. Maybe if I hadn’t heard about runoff toilet, I wouldn’t be so averse now to ideas like the Eco Bath. [Treehugger]

Filed Under: Featured Jubbling, Gadgets, Home, Hygiene, Jubbling At Home, Recycle, Reduce, Reuse Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Goal Of ‘One Third’ Rotting Food Photos By Klaus Pichler Is To Get Us To Waste Less Food

April 11, 2012 By 2 Comments

Klaus Pichler - One Third Exhibition

“I don’t get it… I don’t get it.”
Paul (John Heard), Movie “Big”

I really don’t get it. Klaus Pichler’s photo exhibition, One Third, about the amount of food wasted each year just seems like a waste in itself. Call me crazy but seeing pictures of rotting food doesn’t motivate me to hold onto dated items longer – it makes me want to check the dates on what I have in the fridge and start chucking stuff out.
Klaus Pichler - One Third Exhibition Rotting Cookies
Inhabitat has a back story on the One Third exhibition and that it took its name from a UN study on how 1/3 of all food is wasted. Mr. Pichler also includes information on how the rotting food in the photographs was harvested and their respective carbon footprints.

Still can’t help feeling more than a little confused whenever I read about or see something considered art that partakes in what it purports to be against. Pictures: amazing. Message: lost. [Inhabitat ]

Filed Under: Art, Eco Suavé, Featured Jubbling, Food and Drink, Jubfurky, Reduce Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Caine’s Arcade Video Has A Little Jubbling And A Lot Of Heart (Video)

April 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

YouTube Preview ImageYou have to watch this video on Caine’s Arcade. It’s the story of 9-year old Caine Monroy who built an arcade in his father’s auto parts shop out of used cardboard boxes, tape and tons of ingenuity. The video was made by Nirvan Mullick. I have a weird feeling this video is going to inspire quite a few kids to build their own arcade. [Treehugger]

Filed Under: Entertainment, Featured Jubbling, Kids, Recycle, Reduce, Reuse, Toys Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Family Of 4 Lives In 168 Sq. Ft. House And Seems Pretty Happy

April 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

YouTube Preview ImageAnderson Cooper profiled a family that lives in a home with a 168 sq. ft. footprint. After closing their restaurant in 2008, Carl and Hari needed to downsize their lives. They moved from a 1500 sq. ft. home into their current “tiny” house that only cost them $12,000 to build. Thanks to their home’s small size, their expenses have also dropped (average power bill is around $40/month) and this allows Hari to bank her paycheck each month. Their goal is to save enough to make their next home mortgage free.

I’d be all in to go this “tiny” house route and I’m sure my wife would encourage me to build it. When it was completed, she wouldn’t move in but she would strongly encourage me to. [MNN]

Filed Under: Construction, Energy, Featured Jubbling, Home, Reduce Tagged With: , , , ,