Is the 2014 Mitsubishi i-MiEV leading the electric car evolution?

The 2014 Mitsubishi i-MiEV is the electric version of a micro car. Electric cars have become a topic of discussion with a long list of pros and cons for and against. Without a doubt, an electric car can be cheaper to operate, cleaner to run with little to no emissions, and overall much quieter to drive. On the other hand, as of the technology presented today electric cars are normally much more expensive than their gas powered counterparts, offer a limited range, and generally take a long time to charge.

The i-MiEV is a decent micro car for zipping around town and if the owner’s commute is only in town, or if the car is purchased to run errands throughout the week, it might be a great fit. As far as driving, the steering is responsive and quick, but the suspension is hard and all road imperfections are felt throughout the drive. In order to figure out how to save the charge in the battery for the drive each owner will have to figure out what combination of features should be running at any given time to allow for an extensive power savings.

The power for the i-MiEV comes from the electric motor situated behind the rear seat. This motor gives the driver 66 horsepower and 145 lb.-ft. of torque with a 62 mile range on a single charge. The transmission is a fixed reduction gear transmission and the car can reach a maximum speed of 80 mph in order to make short stints on the highway when called upon to do so. The battery takes as much as 22.5 hours to charge on a regular 120-volt outlet but can be reduced to seven hours by using a 240-volt outlet instead. Knowing this, the cost of installing a 240-volt outlet needs to be considered as part of the price of the vehicle, otherwise this car cannot be driven daily.

Inside the car looks much the same as any gas powered car. Instead of having a bunch of electronic displays and indicators the gauges are much the same as found in gas cars and the entire interior is fairly plain. Much of the lack of upgraded features is in place to help to keep the overall price of the car as low as possible but still offer the electric power technology.

On the outside the i-MiEV is a unique look, much like any micro car according to Mitsubishi Indianapolis. Offering a short front end, because the engine is in the back, large windows, and a sloping shape with a high roof line, the car resembles an oversized jelly bean. The size of the windows offer a massive amount of visibility all around to help the driver, which is always a welcome element.

A few nice features comes standard on this car for owners to enjoy including front seat heaters, a 50/50 split folding rear seat, a reclining rear seat, a four-speaker audio system with an auxiliary port, a battery warmer, fog lights, a leather wrapped steering wheel and shifting knob, power windows, power mirrors, and power locks. A quick charging port for use at public charging stations (called “Level 3” chargers) is also standard and can be useful for areas where these stations are found because this can offer an 80% charge in about half an hour.

Offering only a few options, there isn’t really room for a long list of options; the optional features include rear backup sensors, a USB adapter for iPod, interior lighting, body side moldings, and the 240-volt charging station which will greatly reduce the charging time for home charging.

With a starting price of $24,000 the i-MiEV is the most affordable electric car in this class. After the $7,500 tax credit the price comes in closer to $16,500 making this car the most affordable electric car around. As a comparison the Nissan Leaf starts at $29,650, and the Ford Focus Electric starts around $36,000; much more expensive in both cases than the i-MiEV.

The 2014 Mitsubishi i-MiEV may not attract all car shoppers, but those looking for a nice small car for zipping around town should consider the i-MiEV to perform those tasks. The fuel savings is 100% by only being powered by electricity, and adding a full reduction of exhaust emissions not only will the owner be helping their wallet, but also the environment.

5 easy ways to live a sustainable lifestyle

In light of concerns about the increasing demands on scarce resources, many people are looking for ways to reduce their impact on the Earth. From giving up certain products and habits to recycling more, there are a number of ways you can lead a more sustainable lifestyle.

Here are five practical tips for making your way of life more sustainable.

Conserve Water

Think about all the ways you waste water. Running a partially full dishwasher or washing machine doesn’t use water efficiently. Instead, operate these water-consuming appliances only when you have full loads to maximize their capacity. Many people leave the tap water running while they brush their teeth rather than turning it off until the very end. Install a shower head that helps you use less water during bathing. These are small, meaningful steps you can take toward leading a more sustainable lifestyle

In addition to these basic steps, you can position barrels to catch rain that runs off your home’s roof. Then, use the water you collect to irrigate your lawn and garden or wash your car and your home’s windows. Put in place eco-friendly systems from LifeSource to soften tap water without potassium or sodium. By improving the taste of your home’s water, you can say goodbye to the waste associated with disposable water bottles. This system also uses backwash to irrigate areas around your home rather than merely wasting it.

Eat Local

The simple act of buying food that’s produced in the geographic region near you reduces the carbon footprint of your diet. Instead of relying on food that’s shipped by train or truck for hundreds of miles, you’re supporting local producers who travel, at most, 50 miles (give or take) to get their food to the market. Encourage local farmers to use organic methods that don’t introduce harmful chemicals into the environment. You can also request farmers who raise livestock to implement sustainable practices that reduce run-off from animal waste that could pollute area waterways.

The same idea of buying local applies to programs that let you buy a share in a Community Support Agriculture (CSA) project. After purchasing your share, you receive a basket of fresh food each month from the local CSA farmer. Most CSA programs also bring consumers closer to the source of their food by asking them to work a certain number of hours on the farm each year.

Use Less Paper

Sign up for paperless e-statements from all companies that you conduct business with. Pay bills online to avoid having to print out statements and mail in payments. When you do have to send paper through the mail, use products made from recycled paper. Rather than purchasing hard copies of books, read on your e-reader. Avoid printing materials at home and at the office unless it’s absolutely necessary. Let your smartphone hold coupons, rather than handing over printed ones.

Travel Green

Lots of people like to dust off their bicycle during “Bike to Work Week.” However, think about the opportunities you have throughout the year to use your bike or alternative modes of transportation to get around. Many cities, even mid to small-size towns, offer bus service. Some buses even have bicycle racks, making it easy to bike from your home to the bus stop.

If riding in a car is a must, consider organizing a car pool with colleagues at your office or neighbors who work near you. Take staycations during which you enjoy the parks and recreational activities close to home to avoid burning fossil fuels by driving or flying someplace far away.

Take Advantage of Green Entertainment

Rather than buying new books or movies, consider checking them out from your library. Some public libraries even let you borrow children’s toys. Shop for adult and children’s books at yard sales instead of buying brand new products.

Create new toys for children from empty, clean food packaging such as plastic tubs and bottles. Use items such as brown paper bags for coloring and drawing, and empty egg cartons to hold paint or small parts for crafts.

What are some easy ways you’ve chosen to make your lifestyle more sustainable?

Getting creative with energy production

Energy is all around us. Even the smallest particles that we cannot see without a microscope have the potential to unleash enough energy to destroy large portions of the world. There’s a huge gas ball that rises over our east horizon every morning, unseen wind currents that can turn power-capturing turbines, and good ol’ fossil fuels that are still in abundance beneath our feet despite decades of massive collection processes.

With all of these standard energy sources, it’s still refreshing to see that some people are being creative with the ways that we collect the energy around us. It is a collection process – energy cannot be created or destroyed. Turning it into something that we can use to power the devices, vehicles, and instruments of progress that drive our world is a challenge that many have faced. Thankfully, some of the creations that have come from this challenge are worthy of note.

Below are five creative ways of collecting energy that could harvest energy in the not too distant future courtesy of our friends at SaveOnEnergy.

Do you believe in global warming?

If you want to start an argument at a cocktail party, bring up religion, politics, or global warming. The opinions on both sides are strong, though recent trends are leaning towards believing that climate change is real. Those who deny it, though, are adamant about their beliefs.

Even if you believe in global warming, it’s not guaranteed that you believe that it’s caused by the actions of man. Even more contentious of a debate is how to solve the problem if it does indeed exist. Many who believe that it is man made also believe that if we would all adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle, that we can reverse the trend.

Whether you believe in global warming or not, the facts are facts, and those are currently situated around perceptions. Here is how those perceptions are broken down according to Americans in this infographic by Service One AC.

How to slow global warming: “work less” says liberal think tank study

Tell your boss that you’re not trying to be lazy. You’re helping the environment. That’s the report from the Center of Economic Policy Research, a liberal think tank. In the 13-page PDF they released, fighting climate change may be as easy as taking on a more “European” style of work schedule.

“For all practical purposes, some amount of climate change is inevitable. However, the amount of warming is very much under our control. In addition to reducing emissions by other means, a significant reduction in climate change is possible by choosing a more European response to productivity gains rather than following a model more like that of the United States. By itself, a combination of shorter workweeks and additional vacation which reduces average annual hours by just 0.5 percent per year would very likely mitigate one-quarter to one-half, if not more, of any warming which is not yet locked-in.”

You heard right. You’re not just hurting your health, your relationships, and your emotional well-being by working the hours that you work. You are contributing to the ever-growing menace of global warming. You owe it to the environment and the world to take more vacations, work shorter hours, and work fewer days.

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“Lazy Guy” image courtesy of Shutterstock.

Mercedes-Benz invisible to the environment LED car

In 2014, you could have the opportunity to rev up the engines of a Mercedes-Benz car that will have a 386-kilometre range and zero emissions, making it an invisible car to the environment. Using the idea they decided to market their vehicle by adding LED light’s onto the car and putting a camera inside the car to pick up the environment around it to display what a zero emission car would do to the environment, it would act like the LED car looks, invisible, as if it blends in with the environment instead of hurting it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIGzpi9lCck

Why Apple did the right thing to dump green certification

On the surface, it may sound like a miscalculation by Apple to pull its products from the EPEAT green electronics certification program. With many large companies such as Ford, hundreds of schools, and the US government pushing EPEAT-certified electronics to be purchased in their various departments, it can be argued that Apple is cutting itself out of a large piece of the pie.

They aren’t. Design over environmental certification will win out in the end and the company will continue to thrive.

The release of their latest version of the Macbook Pro marked the end of the certification. They knew it. They made design decisions that included gluing in the battery and other components that would make it lose its certification. Rather than get into the complicated discussion of why this Macbook Pro was less green-worthy than previous ones, they simply had all of their 39 EPEAT-certified products removed from the list. In the future, they will likely add their own variation of certification or green standards program to replace the government-funded service that they helped to create; they established many of the standards for certification.

Smaller is better in today’s electronic world and to continue building green-certified products meant limits to how small they could go. The simple change to glue instead of screws is enough to shave precious millimeters from their design. It was worth it. The general population, which accounts for a large part of their sales, will not know the difference. Apple sales will talk to larger companies about why their lack of certification isn’t really that bad and that their products are actually greener than many certified products. They can’t be certified because they have to be easily disassembled and that’s not possible with glue.

The Apple spin machine will make this work.

5 awesome bamboo products for your office

Going green is getting easier, and the products and ideas reach every corner of life. You can get a greener car, a greener kitchen, and now, and a greener office space. Whether working from home, or organizing your own cubicle, these five great bamboo office products will help you work with a greatly reduced carbon footprint.

1) Bamboo Flooring

Linoleum, tile, concrete, and carpet are often used in office settings, but if you really want a greener and warmer office, consider making the switch to bamboo flooring. It is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also strong, functional, and eco-friendly. You can find lots of information about which type of bamboo flooring is best for your business and office environment, but this is one surefire way to bamboo-up your office.

2) Bamboo Speakers

Believe it or not, you can have the greenest speakers around, made from 100% bamboo, and using zero electricity. Anatoliy Omelchenko designed the electricity-free iBamboo Speaker in 2011, and has been successfully pumping them out ever since. This simple speaker intensifies the stereo effect of the iPhone, and amplifies the sound in two directions, creating beautiful acoustic music. It holds the iPhone 4 and 4S perfectly, but with a little adjusting, can also be used with other iPods.

3) Bamboo Keyboard and Mouse

Whether you work from home, or you’re shoulder to shoulder with dozens of cubicles, a great way to green up your own office is to get a beautiful and fun bamboo keyboard and mouse. Impecca USA, iZen Bamboo, and Brando are known for their beautiful bamboo computer peripherals, so check them out if you want to spice up your desktop.

4) Bamboo Chair Mat

If the big boss isn’t ready to redo the entire office, or you can’t shell out the cash for new floors, consider getting a bamboo chair mat instead of the standard plastic one. Bamboo chair mats come in a variety of shapes, styles, and colors, and are a beautiful and eco-friendly way to protect your floors.

5) Bamboo Space Savers and Desk Organizers

Finally, everyone’s favorite office accessory: space savers. Swap out those old metal and plastic organizers and replace them with the eco-friendly, and aesthetically pleasing bamboo varieties instead—it’s a great way to bring the warmth of bamboo to your desk, while being organized and eco-friendly. That’s three birds with one stone.

Germany captures 43% of the world’s solar power

Few developments, notions, or facts relating to green technology surprise us anymore. Alternative energy continues to expand while oil consumption slowly drops (perhaps too slowly for most). The alternative energy industry seems to be heading in the right direction (other than some notable failures recently). It’s for this reason that the huge acceptance of solar power in Germany blindsided us a bit.

It’s common knowledge that they lead the world in solar, but the extent of their domination is mind boggling. The infographic below by 1bog looks at the top 10 countries from a solar perspective. Combined, they account for 91% of the overall solar installations in the world. Notably absent from the list: Russia, Brazil, and Australia, all of which have the land mass and resources to be bigger solar countries.

Click to enlarge.