By Sherjeel Amir

The term ‘hybrid vehicle’ defines a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to power up the vehicle.  However, the term more commonly points to the electric hybrid vehicles.  These vehicles run with the combined operation of internal combustion engine and one or more electric motor.  Such combination enables hybrid cars to have higher fuel efficiency and lower emissions compared to the traditional gas-powered cars.

Some power sources for the hybrid cars include on-board or out-board rechargeable energy storage systems (RESS), compressed air engines, coal, wood or other solid combustibles, electricity, electromagnetic fields, radio waves, compressed natural gas, hydrogen, liquid nitrogen, solar cells, etc.

Hybrid cars are nowadays becoming more and more popular, especially as gas prices seem to be going up all the time, and as climate change problem is becoming more and more serious. People are opting for more and more hybrid vehicles in order to cut short their expenses and in order to play their part in an effort to save the environment.

So, whether these hybrid vehicles are really a step towards a greener environment or not? In relation to the above discussion there are two main advantages of hybrid cars as compared to traditional cars, one is lower CO2 emissions, this implies that there may be less impact to global warming, termed as the environmental advantage of hybrid cars, and the other, obviously is the higher fuel efficiency that can save you sufficient amount of money over the years, more commonly termed as the economic advantage of hybrid cars. Both these advantages point to a step towards a greener environment. It also shows that people are becoming more and more aware of climatic changes as a result of the gasoline engines so they want to switch to hybrid technology.

After considering the advantages of the hybrid vehicles, we cannot overlook the disadvantages, everything comes with a price to pay. Hybrid vehicles are generally more expensive than the traditional gasoline powered cars. One other disadvantage is the weight of the vehicle, hybrid vehicles are usually heavier than the simple vehicles as they house two or more sources of power to drive the vehicle. Most of the times, the increased weight is because of the batteries as they are very heavy.

While there is no doubt that hybrid vehicles are the future of cheap transport and a greener environment but, the hefty price tag and small scale production are the two major things which are stopping the customers to buy them.

Once the production cost will become equal to the conventional cars, we are most likely to expect a mass production of hybrid cars and a change in trend regarding how customers compare vehicles. We hope that governmental institutions plan and work in accord with the climatic changes and gas prices to make this planet a more greener place to live in.

By Larry Marraggay

People today have different ways on they could come up in an alternative way to save from the energy that they usually used in a day. Sometimes, they are making some of the experiment and inventions on how they could use the things on their environment. Now, as the years and days went by, the active brain neurons of the people also change and develop, and they come up with a wonderful discovery, and this is the Windmill power. This windmill power is obviously came from the wind, the stronger the wind the bigger energy that it could produce, and it’s actually one of the safest way on how you could produce a current. Walking back in the year where current is not that popular to many home all over the world, most of the cow raising farm, like New Zealand, has this small water windmill, which used for fetching water in the underground. And how many years had passed, the country like Africa, has been widely knows this windmill as the source of their water irrigation and could possible the reason why lots of their farm products are still surviving despite of the humid atmosphere. Now, those countries that was mentioned earlier has used their full potential to create something with the windmill, and since countries like Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, China and all the countries that facing the huge pacific ocean, had create a very wonderful and much exciting ideas, and because of that, windmill as a source of light is already been known to everyone.

In the Philippines, most especially in Ilocos region, the community there is using a windmill to provide their daily energy consumption, this windmill has been build for how many years ago and could reach its optimum potential and proven many things, about the advantage of having windmill and using windmill to their home. There is one trivia about electric fan and many other fans that people commonly use in the house are actually inspired by this windmill. Since windmill now is very much useful, many companies like Mitsubishi are creating a special type of fan that is very much close to the original windmill. They make it more powerful and more energy saver and could help the people to avoid some expensive appliances on their home. The turbines and many other types of equipment that runs by this wind are originally come to the idea of windmill, that’s how windmill really affects the world and the people lifestyle. And for how many generations had passed, the idea of power generation using a windmill is extremely become strong, and they make sure that in the years to come, the people who are working and making this windmill project, will show to the world and explain to the people the electrical power that a single windmill can offer and how it will last. But if you are still in doubt of what could this windmill can do to you and to your family, then just consider these following advantages that even the experts say about having a windmill. And first thing on their list is the pollution avoidance. Accordingly, the primary used of a wind turbine or windmill is to generate an unpolluted society and this windmill also does not generate any radioactive waste that other forms of electricity can generate. For sure, you know the world’s first advocacy, and it is the earth hour, where people are pleased to off their lights even in just an hour or two, to help the mother earth. And the primary concern of this is the atmospheric condition of the earth, where our weather became hotter and hotter every day. Aside from that, the construction and installation of a windmill have much lesser expense and impact to the environment than to the other energy sources.  The second most advantage and highlighted about the windmill is the protection and safety. Yes, protection and safety, why? It’s simply because when a typhoon or natural disaster comes, your house will not be affected by the sudden black out because you’re using a windmill, and  if there is a heavy rain or strong wind, it will be more great for you and to those people who used windmill because you will be having a great and high electricity. And remember, that electricity is important to know the latest update in the news, on what will be the best thing to do while waiting for a rescue. The third important factor or contribution of the windmill is the benefit that every consumer can get, without spending money. as you can notice, when you are connected with a community where the source of electricity is the water or sun, you couldn’t do something about it, I mean, you will not owned the whole property, because it will be impossible for you to owned it, but if you will have a windmill, it is so easy to have your own because you will just spending some money to build for it. And last but not the least is the things that were used in producing electricity. As you can noticed, the electricity coming from geothermal and kinetic is very much expensive because you still have to buy for a coal, oil and natural gas, plus it will contribute more in the pollution of the earth, while in the windmill, you will not need to buy for these things just to have your own electricity. Wind can already suffice it and could already give you the best electric service.

Thus, wind power or the windmill has more advantages than the disadvantages, for example, the eco-friendly contribution to our community and to our world. It is not expensive also; self-reliant method of generating and electricity and most of all only have minimum maintenance. But even though you can see some hole to this solid uses of having a windmill, it will not still destructs or breaks the fact that windmill is much better than any other source of energy. If you want it, then you can have it, your own electricity, and your own advantage. So what can you ask for? Windmill is really great and it really gives so much happiness and joy to the people. 

By John Jayme

Mining is crucial not only to the economy but also to our day to day life. The battery that we use, to the things that make up our home; these entire things can be rooted to mining. This is the reason why we need to take a look at the positive and the negative things that it left to our environment.

There are different effects when it comes to the past practice of mining methods in the different parts of the world. These days, since global warming and environmental issues are now on center stage, you have to admit that this changed the landscape of mining methods. More and more people are now aware of the negative effects of mining to our forests and natural resources, thus the mining firms were forced to change their means of production. This is the reason why manufacturers have shifter their jewelry manufacturing methods to something that is environmentally friendly.

If you will look at the different governments today, more and more laws are being passed in order to legislate green mining systems. Even the third world countries are now doing something in order to protect their country from devastation. If you will think of it, there are different negative side effects of mining today. Some mining firms in the past would make use of lead in order to produce gold. This is not really a good thing since aside from the fact that they dispose it on rivers, they are also making it hazardous for the people. It would even take years before a place could recover.

Some mining firms in the past would even exhaust all the minerals that they could get from the ground. This prompted landslide and other disasters in some places. Fortunately, jewelry manufacturing methods today and even mining systems revamped their ways in order for this scenario to be avoided. Another thing that can give us the jewelries that we need is the use of electricity in separating the different minerals. These simple concepts can really be effective in not just reducing waste byproducts but also the cost of producing jewelries.

Another thing that made the green mining systems positive these days is because of the fact that they have managed to revamp their waste management methods. This means that they have minimized the risks involved in disposing acid based wastes. These disposal techniques are useful not only to the environment but also to the company’s reputation.

Since mining can’t be avoided, we really have to make sure that we find alternatives. For one, it has been a practice in the past to have open pit mining. This is actually dangerous not only to the area but also to the health of individuals living in the mining site. This is the reason why explosive mining has long replaced this old method. With these new technologic advances and alternatives, mining’s footprints to the environment could be decreased significantly. Though this is something that is straightforward in approach, this method keeps our environment safe while we still get the minerals that we need.

By Donna Ryan

Rating the Wireless Providers on their Concern for the Environment

So, how green is your cell phone? According to recent research, AT&T Wireless seems to be more conscientious than other major cell phone providers when it comes to caring about the planet. Sprint Nextel came in second in the studies while Verizon trailed far behind, placing third among the major firms. According to the findings, AT&T apparently demonstrated that it has made and is making an effort to address the issue of CO2 emissions.

Cell Phone Usage – Contributing to the Problem of Global Warming

When it comes to greenhouse emissions, telecommunication networks currently emit about three percent of the gases on a yearly basis with cell phone networks contributing to about ten percent of that percentage. However, major cell phone companies have been able to lower CO2 emissions to a certain degree by producing phones that are more energy-efficient. AT&T stated that they have succeeded in reducing CO2 or carbon dioxide emissions to a level that translates to an amount equal to the removal of 40,000 cars off the highway.  However, considering that there are millions of cars traveling the thoroughfares, that figure seems rather insignificant when you look at the picture overall.

Solar and Wind Usage – Organic Sources that Need to Be Fully Utilized

Currently, most cell phone manufacturers are not devoting more attention to upgrading the technology so phones can efficiently work with alternative or organic energy sources such as wind and solar. Typically these options are considered as backup sources of power.

Cell Phone Components – Hazardous Materials

The fact that companies are not more dedicated to creating phones using alternative energy sources is not particularly good news, especially when you consider that some of the components that make up cell phones are considered to be quite toxic. For example, cell phones can be comprised of materials that are made up of PVC, zinc, lead, phthalates, brominated flame retardants, and even arsenic. Many of these materials end up in landfills where they take decades to disintegrate, with a good portion of the toxic byproducts leaking into ground water supplies or contributing to global warming.

Therefore, if you no longer want your cell phone, make sure you don’t trash it but donate it for recycling instead. You really don’t want the device ending up in a landfill, especially since most of the approximately 150 million cell phones that are used are relegated to the trash. In fact, eighty percent of those phones are never recycled but continue to corrupt the environment.

Some Green Cell Phone Models

Samsung Models

So, when it comes to actually marketing environmentally friendly phones or green cell phones, the Samsung brand seems to lead the pack, creating a number of models, such as the Reclaim, BlueEarth, and F268 for consumer use.

The Reclaim by Samsung is made of 80% recyclable content, with the casing for the phone manufactured from a biological plastic composed from corn. The phone is also PVC-free and Energy Star endorsed. Samsung claims that the phone is almost free of brominated flame retardants (BFRs), which have been found to be highly toxic as well as hard to degrade.

Samsung asserts that its BlueEarth model, introduced to the UK market, produces less CO2 and is phthalate and beryllium free. A solar panel is located on the back of the phone to keep the device operational. Samsung’s F268 model phone is free of the carcinogenic chlorinated plastic of PVC as well as BFR too.

A Motorola Innovation

Motorola has also been touting its Renew phone, showcased as the first cell phone on the market that emits no CO2. Designed and manufactured with water bottles that have been recycled, the phone is notably totally recyclable.

Review your Options

Hopefully, people will eventually value the importance of using cell phones that are free of harmful substances and materials. If you are using a cell phone now that would be considered unsafe, take time to review the safer alternatives.

By Daniel Harri

Automakers are now embracing the need of using organic products like switch grass, soybeans and corn for manufacturing car parts. This is because natural products are normally stronger and less costly than plastics, which are made using petroleum. Furthermore, organic car parts offer the great advantage of being environmentally friendly.

Whenever people discuss about green cars, they normally consider hybrid and fuel economy. However, many people forget that all the parts that are used to make a vehicle are largely made using petroleum. In reality, more than 250 pounds of plastic now make up the average vehicle. This kind of plastic is essentially oil-based and is therefore unfriendly to the environment. However, Ford recently showed off plastic trays made using switch grass as well as seat foam made using soybeans. Their vision is to make sure that the 250 pounds of plastic are replaced by organic products.

The other great example of organic car parts is the brake pads. Previously, brake pads were produced through mainly using asbestos like the material for offering friction. Since brake pads are normally exposed to lots of friction, they also generate lots of heat. The use of asbestos is practical as it is a great material that can easily absorb and dissipate heat. However, this material does have a disadvantage. When asbestos is broken down during friction, it creates dust that is hazardous to breathe. This brake dust is normally created when stopping or slowing down the car on the road. Nowadays, most brake parts can be created from organic materials that are far much safer than asbestos.

Organic or non-asbestos brake pads are produced from natural raw materials such as rubber and glass. Resins that have the ability of withstanding high heat are also used to produce this kind of brake pads. Actually, the heat generated when braking helps bind all the organic brake pad components together. An essential component found in several natural brake pads is called Kevlar.

The benefit of using organic car parts is the fact that they are produced using materials that do not contaminate the environment as they gradually wear out. They are also easier to get rid off as well. In the case of organic brake pads, it has been found that they are softer as compared to their asbestos counterparts. This means that they are quieter. However, the fact that organic products are softer means that they wear faster than artificial or petroleum based products. In fact, as organic brake parts wear, they tend to create much more brake dust.

As a result of these limitations, organic brake parts are not the best option for heavy trucks or high performance vehicles that require stopping quickly from high speed. Kevlar and other brake pads produced using natural materials are well suited for smaller vehicles that do not usually undertake lots of fast or aggressive driving. Moreover, the less number of hard stops along with the lightweight nature of the vehicle keeps the organic brake parts in great shape.

All things considered, it is good to see that the vast automotive industry is also going green. Many scientists today continue to look for sustainable ways of building organic car parts that will benefit the environment.

_          For the first time in the history of humanity, we now have a global interconnected communications web, a.k.a., the World Wide Web! Modern telecom satellites in geosynchronous Earth orbit, the ubiquitous nature of microwave cell phone towers, fiber optic laser communication feeds, and the LAN, or local area network grid (better known as Wi-Fi), all facilitate the capacity for each individual to share thoughts, photos, videos, text messages, and files with everyone else. Social media electronic devices, such as cell phones, tablets, MP3 players and radios, personal computers (PC’s) are our “ports-of-entry”, so to speak, into the global communications net (Internet and Intranet). Using this universal and comprehensive social networking media, we can “share the good news” about organic living and sustainability.

            The power of our social networking sites and tools, such as the more popular Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, we can each provide vitally important information links on the positive nature of organic “green” living. The number of users of Facebook globally is officially 500 million, but the latest statistics and research indicate the real updated current user numbers is more like 700 million! If there were such a thing as “Facebook Nation”, it would be twice the size of the United States, and one of the largest nations on Earth! The number of users on Twitter is more difficult to calculate, but some estimates place it at 56 million; other estimates place the number at between 175-200 million. LinkedIn’s numbers are estimated to be at the 100 million mark. Whatever the real numbers are, there is little doubt that these social networking sites are an incalculable resource to connect to the organic and sustainable living concept and philosophy.

            Some have argued that the industrialization of agriculture, otherwise known as the “Green Revolution”, has actually been a detriment to the overall health of humans in terms of our diets. In the past, natural organic methods were used in the growing of food crops. Today, agri-business uses artificial, synthetic inputs, in the form of pesticides, herbicides, organophosphates (a.k.a., fertilizers), irradiation, GMO’s, food additives, and industrial solvents, to boost food production levels. The modern industrialized form of food production today is more about PROFITS, rather than human health. In the Western “civilized” world, there is an EPIDEMIC of degenerative diseases and chronic illnesses. The number of people afflicted with diabetes is expected to double over the coming years. The alarming and dramatic rise in diabetes rates has been directly linked to modern food production methods, especially the introduction of high sugar content to our food (especially High Fructose Corn Syrup), and our chemicalized cooking oils.

            Those involved in the Internet marketing arenas know about search engine optimization (SEO), LSI (latent semantic indexing), and the ubiquitous nature of hyper-links in all our messaging, social media networking, and online article publishing. By including keywords, density parameters, hyperlinks, and LSI protocols, we can instantaneously provide a plethora of information and activism tools on sustainability issues, such as organic living, organic home improvement, and organic foods. We all need to do our part in changing the nature of our modern industrialized farming methods, for our own health and that of future generations. The social media network linking is our Grass Roots methodology for educating an awakening global population.