The Aptera is the car of the future that I have been watching with interest for quite some time. At under $30,000 it seemed too good to be true, and many thought that to be the case. Thankfully, as you'll see in this video from Popular Mechanics, it seems like the future may be coming sooner than we think.
Ok, so this may not be every one's idea of the perfect car. It's a side by side 2 seater, it only has three wheels, and it has limited trunk space (although in classic California style, it'll fit a surfboard just fine). That said, it's a huge step in the right direction and, as would be expected in the climate we are in, comes from an entrepreneur rather than a Detroit bigwig.
Aptera plans to release two models as early as the end of this year, a gas electric hybrid that can achieve 300 mpg and an all electric version with a 120 mile range and a 4-6 hour recharge time. One of the ways they achieve this is by basically eliminating anything that can cause drag which translates to lower gas mileage/range. Instead of side mirrors, there are streamlined video cameras. When not in use, the windshield wipers are hidden in a specially designed enclosed compartment. Solar panels on the roof help expel hot air while the car is parked, increasing efficiency and comfort while driving. These are just a few of the improvements they've made and if they sound insignificant, consider this - the drag created by the windshield wipers on a normal car is greater than the drag created by the entire Aptera vehicle.
The car is highway safe, has a top speed of 90 mph and will meet all federal safety regulations. Presently there are only plans to sell them in California (where the company is) as this is the best way that they can assure adequate maintenance, but eventually they'll be branching out. They already have over 400 deposits in hand and expect that number to rise.
Pretty cool. And if this isn't the car for you, fear not, we're only seeing the tip of the iceberg.
Live Sustainably
Dave
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
The 300 MPG Aptera (and it's EV cousin) May Finally Be On The Way
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Excuse the absence
Due to traveling, visits from the inlaws, and now the flu (which i am just barely recovering from) I apologize for being so absent as of late. Hopefully in a few days I'll be back up to speed.
Thanks
Live Sustainably
Dave
California Clean Car Discount Bill
For those of you who live in California, check this posting out from the Union of Concerned Scientists about AB 493. It's a fairly simple concept that i think really may have some legs. The bill would create rebates up to $2500 for cars that emit less global warming gasses and the money would come from a surcharge on new vehicles that emit excess global warming gasses. Studies show that such a bill could reduce global warming pollution from new cars and trucks by up to a third due to customer choices.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Think your power is clean? Think again.
Holy connect the dots batman. I just came across this great site where you can type in your zip code and it will give you detailed info about where your local power is coming from and if it is involved in mountaintop stripping, a massively destructive coal extracting method that turns mountains into mole hills. We pay extra for green power so I need to run this by my power company to see what's what.
That said, apparently DWP buys power from Intermountian Power in Utah, who get their coal from Cumberland River Coal in Virginia and Black Thunder in Wyoming. So every time a regular DWP customer turns on the TV, it starts a chain where these companies destroy mountains in other states, ship coal across the country, turn it into electricity in Utah, and shoot it over the grid to their house so they can enjoy Sweatin' With The Oldies.
Makes sense huh?
If only there were some magical roof covering that could us a local power source, ya know, like the sun for instance, and turn it into electricity that would only have to be passed on down to the living room. If only......
Check it out, sign their petition, contact your local electric company, and pass it on.
Live Sustainably
Dave
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
NYC Misses The Mark On Plastic Bags
NYC just passed a plastic bag recycling law that will require stores to have highly visible plastic bag recycling bins in their stores and print a recycling message on the bags themselves.
While I applaud the city for recognizing the problems, I gotta say this is a pretty disappointing response to the problem. By simply asking companies to encourage recycling, they are really accomplishing next to nothing because the people who don't will continue not to and the people who already do will continue to do so. In addition, those few who do start to recycle, will feel as if they have "done their part" when the real way to help is to fore go the bag to begin with. A few years ago, Ireland, finding themselves drowning in bags, imposed a plastic bag tax that eradicated 95% of the bags that were used, and China just outlawed thin bags altogether. Why is it that we in this country find it so hard to ask folks to step up to the plate in a way that will mean something?
Sorry to sound negative about this as I do applaud them for attempting to fix the problem, but if this is the best they can come up with, I fear that it is too little too late. The city of Los Angeles is attempting to deal with the same issue (LA'ers use 5 billion bags a year). Hopefully they'll come up with something a bit more productive.
Dave
My Laptop Monitor
While I was away last week, I dropped my trusty Ibook off to the mac store as the monitor had been having some problems. I put a letter in with it explaining what i was up to re;garbage, and asked if they would send me that parts they were going to have to discard. The good news is my mac is back and I have a new monitor (gotta love Applecare) but unfortunately I cam up snake eyes on the parts part.
As anyone who read last months National Geographic article on e-waste knows, we've got a huge problem with all these high tech gizmos that we use that as we speak are already obsolescent simply by the fat that we have already bought them and they are working on the next version that we will all "need". "According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, an estimated 30 to 40 million PCs will be ready for "end-of-life management" in each of the next few years." It's shocking and the article is worth the read.
So i was talking this over with my Dad the other day and he brought up the point that supposedly by 2009, all tv signals will go digital requiring everyone who has a "normal" television to either learn to read (heaven forbid) or pony up some bucks and buy a new digital set. Seeing as there will be no use for the old sets int his country, I can only assume that most will end up in third world countries where kids will melt them down in order to get money for the metals they contain. And what is this all going to be for? So that we can see the acne on teeny bopper actors faces more clearly? I don't mean to rant, but doesn't this strike everyone as a bit nuts? I mean I can see having digital and those who want it getting it, but requiring everyone? Don't we own the airwaves? And wasn't the big thing about cable that we were paying for it so there would be no commercials?
....wait a minute, I was on waste...oh yeah, sorry about that.
Anyway, I was thinking about this and it seems to me that if these companies are going to make these things with planned obsolescence in mind, shouldn't they have to deal with them down the road as well? I mean I was always told "you make your bed you lay in it" right? So here's my thought. Why not add on a $50 charge to each set sold and it can be redeemed at any store that sells that brand when you turn it in. Then it would be up to the companies to deal with these things in a responsible manner. I know I'm naive and there are huge holes in the theory, but if they are going to make them, shouldn't they have to see them through to a proper end?
On a lighter note, my friend Matt who has never owned a TV is all incensed because now he's going to be forced to NOT buy a digital TV which seems like a lot more work than not buying a normal one.
My two cents.
Live Sustainably
Dave
Back and Back
Hey gang,
Sorry for the prolonged silence. I'm actually back and fear that i must fess up a bit. I was actually out of town with my wife on a first ever, planned 6 months back, vacation without our kids. After the unexpected success of this and the 365 days of trash blog (not like they are anything more than a blip on the web scale, but for me, the fact that Duane and 2 others check in occasionally still shocks me) I have gotten a ton of contacts from all sorts of people. 99.9% of it rocks, but the other .1% has me convinced that you could blog about dryer lint and someone would get steamed. That said, i didn't just want to drop off the face of the earth, but I also didn't want to just up and announce that we would be gone for 5 days. Sorry about that. Hope no one hates me for that (more so).
Anyhoo, the good news is that we went to an AWESOME eco-resort in Mexico that was solar, pig composted, open air, and just fantastic. I'm wading through the usual post vacation pile of mail and stuff and will be back up to speed soon.
By the way, for anyone who has thought of bringing back a suitcase of garbage from Mexico, they seem to be OK with it, but TSA does ask some interesting questions.
Live Sustainably
Dave
