For the first time in my driving age life I don’t own or have easy access to a car. Yesterday, I sold my 2003 Hyundai Elantra with 80,000 miles on it. Elantras are apparently in demand, perhaps because word has gotten out they are inexpensive but reliable. Mine served me well. If you have one [...]
Archive for December, 2009
I Sold My Car. Let the Great Experiment Begin.
December 31st, 2009 
Justin Manger 
Posted in Conservation, Energy Efficiency, Justin Manger, Local Energy/Food, Sustainability, Transportation 
Tags: Behavior, Cars, Energy Conservation, Trains 
8 Comments »Raising Money & Changing Behavior Targeted as D.C. Rings in New Year with 5¢ Bag Tax
December 30th, 2009 Justin Manger If you live in Washington D.C., you may want to do some light shopping on New Year’s Day. This Friday, all seven Giant Food stores in D.C. will be bag your groceries in reusable totes. This is Giant’s way of using the introduction of a 5 cent bag tax in Washington D.C. as a clever [...]
Posted in Business, Conservation, Green Economy, Justin Manger, Policy, Recylcing, Sustainability Tags: Water Conservation No Comments »Product Review: Kill A Watt EZ Energy Monitor
December 29th, 2009 Justin Manger The other day I picked up the Kill A Watt EZ from Costco (mentioned in an earlier post for their recycling program with Gazelle) for $20. Being the type of person that doesn’t read instructions I ripped open the package and plugged the device into a three-pronged outlet. Unsure what to do next, I plugged [...]
Posted in Energy Efficiency, Eric Wilson, Green Products Tags: Green Gadget, Product Review No Comments »China Unveils World’s Fastest Long-distance Train Service
December 28th, 2009 Justin Manger In yet another symbol of China’s rapid development and increasing technological prowess, a high-speed train called the Harmony express shortened a previously 11 hour trip across China to a mere 3 hours. The Harmony express raced along the 1,100km (684 mile) route from Guangzhou to the central city of Wuhan at an average speed of [...]
Posted in China, Green Economy, Green Products, Justin Manger, Transportation Tags: Green Technology, High Speed Rail, Trains No Comments »The Coming Trouble With Clean Energy: Rare Earth Elements
December 27th, 2009 Eric Wilson Yesterday’s post about fake and real Christmas trees and menorahs developed out of several conversations during the holidays, but was precipitated by an article in The New York Times about the use of so-called rare earth elements in the manufacture of clean energy components. Cradle to cradle design would suggest that all materials used in [...]
Which Way to Go: Fake vs. Real Holiday Symbols
December 26th, 2009 Eric Wilson Having just posted our Five Friday Facts about Christmas, and the ensuing discussion about buying a live tree or a fake one that can be re-used, the notion that live trees are a renewable resource was brought about in order to suggest that this made them the better choice. Cost aside ($50 a tree for [...]
Five Friday Facts- Christmas Edition
December 25th, 2009 Justin Manger Today is Christmas in the United States, so we’ve gathered a few facts related to the holiday. Merry Christmas! This year, Americans will use more than 38,000 miles of ribbon. Americans will also leave millions of Christmas trees on the curb. A fake tree is petroleum based and not biodegradable. Some other possibilities are to [...]
Posted in 2nd Green, Conservation, Eric Wilson, Five Friday Facts, Justin Manger Tags: Energy Conservation No Comments »Earthships a Revolution in “Biotecture”
December 24th, 2009 Eric Wilson The United States Green Building Council is a relatively new organization, founded at the start of the last decade. However, communities have embraced energy efficient structures and natural materials throughout the history of mankind. Using the materials locally available to construct homes represents the fundamental approach to green building. Born out of the 1970s, Earthships [...]
Kansas University Defeats Michigan in ESPN’s Green Game
December 23rd, 2009 Eric Wilson Last weekend the number one ranked Kansas University (KU) Jayhawks played the Wolverines from the University of Michigan (U of M) in Ann Arbor. Aside from being an intriguing match-up of two Division I basketball teams, ESPN, who aired the game, teamed up with Kansas University to present what they termed a “Green Game.” Tidbits [...]
59 New Clean Diesel Buses Headed to Maryland
December 22nd, 2009 Justin Manger There is some interesting news today from Montgomery County, Maryland. The county in which I spent two years of high school (Go, Cougars!) has decided to buy 59 new buses that use clean diesel technology. Thomas Built Buses, the school bus manufacturing unit of Daimler Trucks North America, has just received its first order for [...]
