AAA On Driving Eco Friendly EV’s And Hybrids


BMW Mission Impossible 4 Photos Review 2 300x199 AAA On Driving Eco Friendly EVs And HybridsOk if Paula Patton Co star from the most recent Mission Impossible film was wiling to take a test drive with you in BMW’s new Concept Car even more EV’s would sell. But, are you hoping to decrease your carbon footprint and live a greener life? What and how you drive is a large part of your daily carbon footprint. Electric engines, several hybrid options and even traditional internal combustion engines have become more efficient and emit fewer greenhouse gasses.  Even if you’re not in the market for a new car, AAA has tips to help you get the best efficiency and minimize greenhouse gasses no matter what you drive.   “There has been an influx of ‘green’ technologies by automakers into the market, which is great for consumers seeking a more environmentally-conscious choice for their next vehicle purchase,” said John Nielsen, AAA’s Director of Automotive Engineering and Repair.

2012 has been an exciting year for full-electric vehicles (EV). These vehicles do not use gasoline and rely solely on battery power. With the average cost for a kilowatt hour of electric energy at approximately 12 cents, to fully charge an EV with a 24KWh battery pack would cost around $2.88. That works out to between 3.0 cents and 4.4 cents per mile for fuel.  Making EV’s even more appealing and green; there is no need for oil changes, ignition system maintenance, fuel system service or exhaust pipe and muffler replacements.

In addition to full electric cars there is also the option of Gasoline-Electric Hybrids, Compressed Natural Gas/Diesel Vehicles, and More Efficient Gasoline Vehicles. But fuel economy can be realized in plug-in hybrid powertrains. These vehicles use a rechargeable battery pack that allows the car to travel up to 35 miles before the onboard gasoline engine starts. In some cars, this engine will provide power to the drive wheels. In other models this engine powers a generator that delivers power to the motor driving the vehicle while also recharging the batteries. Unlike fully electric vehicles, a plug-in hybrid is limited only by the range of its gas tank. The Toyota Prius PHEV and 2013 Ford Fusion are great examples of plug-ins in the marketplace today.

Ecotourism Can Save Javan Rhino From Extinction


Rhino 7 Ecotourism Can Save Javan Rhino From ExtinctionA public-private partnership set up to save the Javan Rhino from extinction has reported that its goal of increasing the existing population in Ujung Kulon National Park by 50 per cent over five years is making progress – 12 months after the team was set up. The Javan Rhino Conversation Working Group (CWG) is a multi-disciplinary team made up of experts from Ujung Kulon National Park, local NGOs, private sector companies and academics. This week, the CWG reported on its first year in operation. Important steps have been taken to improve protection of the rhino habitat within Ujung Kulon, and cut down on encroachment by local communities and poaching. And video from new camera feeds set up within the rhino habitat has revealed a flourishing community of an estimated 35 individual rhinos, including – critically – several juveniles.

In the long-term, high value eco-tourism could provide the economic framework to allow the number of Javan Rhinos to grow sustainably again.Dr. Ir. Moh. Haryono, M.Si, Head of Ujung Kulon National Park and Chairman of the Javan Rhino Conservation Working Group said:“The video we are distributing worldwide today shows that the battle to save the Javan Rhino from extinction is not lost. There is a small but thriving community of rhinos within the National Park which can grow if the conditions are right.”

Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP) is one of the main private sector partners within the CWG. Aida Greenbury, Managing Director Sustainability & Stakeholder Engagement of APP, said:“Saving the Javan Rhino from extinction requires a strategic focus on three factors: economic development, social progress and habitat enhancement. In its first year, the CWG is heading in exactly that direction, and we are proud to be part of it.” In the first 12 months, the CWG carried out habitat enhancement and restoration activities for the Javan Rhino, such as vegetation control of an invading plant species Langkap (Arenga obtusifolia) that has overgrown and eliminated plants the herbivore mammal feed on. It has also supported the Javan rhino population monitoring with video traps.The Javan Rhino was once one of the most widespread of the Asian rhinos, with thousands of animals ranging across Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand and Peninsula Malaysia. Hundreds of years of game hunting during the Dutch Colonial era caused a dramatic reduction in the population. The number of remaining Javan Rhinos continued to decline in the latter 1900s due to illegal poaching for the valuable and rare single horn of the unique animal as well as forest encroachment that resulted resulted in habitat degradation.

Climate Change Unbelievers

Jamba’s Got Juice With Youth


Jamba Jambas Got Juice With Youth Jamba Juice Company a leading healthy, active lifestyle company, together with the National Gardening Association (NGA), announced the 2012 recipients of the Jamba “It’s All About the Fruit and Veggies” Grant Award Program. The announcement was made at a press conference and tour today at the Girard Children’s Community Garden in Washington DC.

We’re proud to once again join the NGA to recognize educators, volunteers and James D White Jambas Got Juice With Youth local government leaders dedicated to teaching America’s youth about gardening and caring for the environment,” said James D. White, Chairman, President, and CEO, Jamba Juice Company. “Educating children early in their lives about the origins of fruits and vegetables and the importance of maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle is a good first step in the fight against childhood obesity.” “There is a growing disconnect among our youth between health, nutrition, and the food they eat,” added Mike Metallo, President and CEO, National Gardening Association. “Youth gardening programs, like Jamba’s “It’s All About The Fruits and Veggies” school garden grants, help to bridge that gap by turning book knowledge into hands-on experiential learning. We are delighted to be partnering with Jamba Juice in this important program and appreciate their commitment to encouraging everyone to form a healthy relationship with the foods they eat.”

Administered by the National Gardening Association (NGA), the grant program is designed to provide funding to local school and youth-focused community garden programs as a fun, innovative way to promote nutrition education, sustainability, and healthy lifestyle choices through garden experiences. The program also offers youth valuable, first-hand knowledge of how to seed, maintain and harvest fruit and vegetables. Out of 800 applicants, twenty grants were awarded by Jamba Juice and the NGA this year including three Washington DC youth gardening programs. The winning gardening programs demonstrated excellence in the areas of planning, community engagement, sustainability, and a strong dedication to promoting health and nutrition among youth. Winning applicants will receive packages valued at over $500 which includes gardening tools, a composter, raised bed, seeds, a curriculum and funds to purchase plants and soil amendments.

Water Farms Help Consumers Find Fresh Local Food

See More On A Train


rosario dawson 197x300 See More On A Train Award-winning actress, environmentalist, writer and philanthropist Rosario Dawson will serve as spokesperson for the 5th Annual National Train Day and share her love of train travel and how it allows her to be involved in the community in a more personal way with rail fans. Train passengers experience travel unlike any others; they get to see the vastness of the American landscape more intimately when traveling by rail, from cities big and small, to country vistas and everything in between. In honor of the fifth anniversary of National Train Day, Amtrak is inviting train fans to share what they see and experience on their train journeys and enter the See More On A Train online contest.

A celebration of train travel and the ways that trains touch the lives of people across America, National Train Day will take place at train stations in New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles, as well as numerous other communities throughout the nation, on Saturday, May 12, 2012. From now through May 29, 2012, train fans can upload their original photos, videos and stories chronicling how they have been inspired by their train travel to National Train Day for the chance to win great prizes. A Grand Prize winner in each of the three categories will have their choice of one of four provided Amtrak Vacations Tour Packages for two travelers.

See More On A Train

In addition, train fans can visit facebook.com/NationalTrainDay to participate in the National Train Day sweepstakes for the chance to win an Amtrak Vacations Package to Glacier National Park and a full Samsonite luggage set.

Washington, D.C. Gets Top Environmental City Ranking


dc1 300x200 Washington, D.C. Gets Top Environmental City RankingMaxPoint Interactive, a company that helps retailers and brands drive local in-stores sales with its innovative Digital Zip technology, today issued the results of an indexing study that analyzed billions of data points to determine the U.S. neighborhoods that are the most eco-friendly. Washington, D.C  ranked the highest based on their passion for environmental news and issues. It was followed by Austin, TX, and Honolulu, HI. San Francisco which ranked number one in an Economist study last year followed in at number four.

The results of this Interest Index were particularly surprising because we found that we have clusters of consumers who are ‘talking the talk’ and some that are ‘walking the walk’ when it comes to acting in an environmentally friendly way, yet both groups are important to advertisers” said, Gretchen Joyce, chief operating officer of MaxPoint Interactive. In this particular indexing study, MaxPoint discovered that there are two very distinct neighborhood types when it comes to going “green”— those who demonstrate interest by reading and discussing environmental issues and those who make purchasing decisions to support environmentally friendly products.

Using the data gleaned from this index, MaxPoint implemented highly targeted neighborhood-level digital ad campaigns for a major luxury car dealer was looking to increase overall brand awareness of its new hybrid vehicle high-end eco-friendly vehicle and drive sales. It also provided insight to a major solar solutions company was interested in targeting the neighborhoods across the U.S. most likely to purchase a solar panel to power their homes. As a result of a focused digital advertising campaign, the company was able to target consumers passionate about the environment, who own homes, and have an average household income of $60K or higher.

Green News Wall

Think Like A Man Thinking Green


TLAM DOM REVISED INTHEATER 1SHEET 202x300 Think Like A Man Thinking Green

As an industry leader in environmental innovation, Sony Pictures has long experimented with energy-efficient light sources and technologies for use in its productions. But for the Screen Gems feature Think Like a Man, Sony Pictures took its efforts a step further and reached an industry first by using 100 percent energy-efficient (LED) lighting sources on the production.

Sony Pictures is committed to making great content with a smaller and smaller energy footprint, and Think Like A Man is a great example of Screen Gems’ continuing tradition of actively reducing the impact and waste of a major feature film production,” says Gary Martin, President, Production Administration, Sony Pictures Entertainment. Conventional lighting for a motion picture requires a significant amount of energy to run and generates a lot of heat on set. This, in turn, must be cooled using air conditioning, requiring additional control equipment. Compared to a conventional incandescent bulb, however, LED lighting can generate over four times the amount of light with the same amount of energy and is also able to maneuver into tighter spaces and be transported more efficiently.

Think Like A Man

Although not perfect, energy-efficient lighting is making great strides. We were excited to incorporate this industry-first in lighting into our production, and look forward to continuing to work with manufacturers to test and improve the technology,” says Mason McConnell, Executive Director, Set Lighting, Sony Pictures Entertainment. In addition to many other efforts, Think Like a Man further greened the filming by shooting the production in locations near the Sony Pictures studio lot, cutting both transportation requirements as well as the need to construct sets. It also used many environmentally-friendly products and processes in the daily administration of the production. The movie is based on Steve Harvey’s book “Like A Lady Think Like Man.”