Chevy Volt

http://www.youtube.com/user/chevrolet?v=JRj0FD5YIo4&feature=pyv&ad={creative}&kw={keyword}&seo=goo_|_2010_Chevy_Retention_-_YouTube_|_Chevy_YouTube_PV_|_Chevy_Volt_-_Award_Winning_PV_YouTube_|_chevy_volt


http://www.chevrolet.com/volt/

So, this is a nother electric/gas car to hit the automotive market. However, unlike the nissan leaf, this semi electric car would not need a 240-volt hookup to charge it. It would be able to charge on a regular 120-volt outlet. While this car is not 100% electric, it would still use only electric for most of your daily commute. For most consumers, to run this car it would cost around $1.50 worth of electricity each day. Also, using a standard 120-volt household outlet, it would take about 10 hours to fully charge the car. Using a 240-volt outlet would take about 4 hours for a full charge.

TOKYO and MUMBAI

I came across some statistics from 2008 regarding cities around the world with the highest, and most dense populations. Tokyo, coming in at #1, had over 34 million residents in an area of only 7,853 square kilometers. That is about 4,300 people per square kilometer. However this was not nearly as bed as Mumbai, India with 19,500,000 residents in 777 square kilometers. This means there is 25,000 people per square kilometer. This is compared to smithtown which has around 399 people per sqaure Kilometer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXtOdSgf6Ic

Solar Power

After reading an article in the new york times about the building of solar farms, i found this video on youtube. In regards to traditional solar power farms, these new ones being built are much more efficient. Instead of converting rays from the sun, directly into energy, these new farms take the suns rays, reflect them off mirrors, which in turn heats a synthetic oil, which heats water, which creates steam to turn turbines. I know, sounds complicating, but its actually pretty simple after watching the clip. This is the kind of technology our country should be investing its money in. We have so much open space in the southwest deserts of our country which would be the perfect place for farms like these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1HmY_ImHAg

Wind Power.. On the decline?

In this article from The New York Times, it talks about how recently with falling prices for natural gas and other fossil fuels, there has also been a decrease in the need for other renewable energy resources. The company, Invenergy, which deals with wind farming, recently lost a contract with Virginia utility companies after natural gas prices began to fall. The owner of the company, Michael Polsky, stated that his technology is hard pressed to sell, and that since 2009 installation of new wind power has dropped 72%. However I feel that from a consumer standpoint that this is a very bad idea because consumers are not thinking what will be most cost efficient in the long run, just what will work best right now. However, after reading further i came to findout, that by cancelling the contract with the wind farm, consumers are only saving 0.2% a month on their bills by using natural gas and otyher fossil fuels. This is really stupid on their parts.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/08/science/earth/08fossil.html?_r=1&ref=science

Bed Bugs

After reading an article on the recent explosion of bed bugs in new york city, I thought they would be an interesting invasive species to write a blog about. The bugs, known scientifically as Cimex lectularius, are small pests that feed on typically human victims at night. it was reported that during 2009, there were a recorded 33,772 bed bug related incidents, which was a 54% increase from the previous year. Also, it was reported that 6.7% of people in new york city reported having to deal with bed bugs within the last year. I find them to be a very interesting invasive species because there is no sure way to get rid of them. However, there are many ways of trying to prevent them from infesting your household. For example:
-Wash all bedding regularly in hot water. The water should be at least 120 degrees.
-Vacuum floors regularly. Use the brush tool of your vacuum to vacuum your mattress.
-Use the crevice tool to vacuum crevices in the mattress and your baseboards.
-Use a plastic cover over your mattress. Bedbugs can't hide on the plastic cover.
-If you purchase used furniture, examine it for bed bugs. Pay special attention to used mattresses and bed frames.
-Check your own bed for bedbugs from time to time. Catching them early will make bedbug treatment easier if bedbugs do occur.

Many of these prevention products are becoming more easily available on the market. Also, there are new organic sprays to help get rid of them as well, which is better for the environment than a synthetic spray or pesticide.

Texas City Council Member Joel Burns

After the many recent suicides of teenagers apart of the LGBT community, I feel it is necessary that people watch this video. A councilman in Fort Worth Texas, Joel Burns, told his story at a city council meeting. Growing up as a gay male, he says he had always picked on by his classmates and others around him. But he says that looking back on his life now, he wishes he could take himself as a teenager, and show him all the wonderful things that he was going to experience over the course of his life. Because in his eyes, he feels he is lucky. Lucky that he didnt end up another statistic, as another person dead as a result of malicious feelings and hate crimes. These recent events further prove the importantness of putting an end to bullying, and singling out of those who may come off as being different. People really just need to find a little bit more love in their hearts, instead of more hate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax96cghOnY4

Carl Paladino, you deserve a standing ovation.

I have been following this story for the past couple of days regarding some out of line remarks made by Carl Paladino, one of the candidates running to become our new governor. In a nutshell, Mr. Paladino made an attack at Andrew Cuomo (another governor candidate) saying that his decision to bring his two daughters to the Gay Pride parade was disgusting and out of line. Mr. Paladino further goes on to say that while he believes that all people, including members of the LGBT community, should be treated equally, he does not believe in marriage equality, nor does he want children to be brainwashed to believe that homosexuality is acceptable. Im no politician, but i mean.. If your running for something like, oh say, the governor of New York.. You probably should stay away from comments like these. Just sayin. And wanna hear the icing on the cake? One of Carl Paladino's "key advisors", Roger Stone, was also photographed at the Gay Pride parade, Shirtless, and being licked by a fitness model named "Kat Fortra"

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/11/paladino-strongly-defends-remarks-on-homosexuality/

People are Animals, in more sense than one.

So, watching the news tonight i came across this story which is such a shame. A guy named Daniel Fanuele was hit by a car while walking home to his house last night. And you guessed it, the car didnt even stop to see if the person they hit was still breathing. Disgusting. And to make the situation even worse, it wasnt like Mr. Fanuele was walking home from the bar, or a strip joint. The poor guy was walking home from a bible study class. It is really a shame that there are people in this world that have the audasity to do such a thing as this. Stupidity, and inconsideration such as this, is grounds for their immediate removal from our gene pool. Please NY state legislature, re-instate the death penalty so it can be used on whoever this hit-and-runner may be.

http://www.news12.com/index.jsp

Nuqular Power

I think this video helps to simply explain how a nuclear power station creates cost effective energy. Sorry, its kind of childish. Also found this really good website, if your interested check it out.

http://www.nei.org/keyissues/protectingtheenvironment/cleanair/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igf96TS3Els&feature=related

Sun Chip Bags

While the sight of new eco-riendly technologies always brings a tear to my eye, and a smile to my face, some of these new ideas are slightly obnoxious to say the least. The idea of a bio-degradable chip bag is quite pioneering. In today's consumer market, the amount of packaging that is put in the trash is kind of outrageous. Like thing about it, when you go to the store to buy some chocolate cookies think of the package they are in. In reality, you could drop these cookies off a building, and they would probably rebound without too much damage to the cookies. Thank goodness. But, seriously? An outer layer of re-sealable plastic, and an inner clear plastic tray that the actual cookies sit in. Overkill to say the least. This idea of bio-degradable packaging could decrease the amount of trash sitting in landfills drastically. One negative though, they are mad noisy which is kind of a buzz kill. However, i still think that they are a great idea, and i dont think that them being loud is validation enough for stopping the use of them in production.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF5h5rG7yG8

Nissan Leaf

With the development of a new automobile, Nissan plans to take a major step foward in terms of technology. With the upcoming release of the Nissan Leaf, the automotive industry will be changed forever. When going over the ideals of automotive consumers its almost disgusting how people feel justified in driving 4x4 gas guzzlers to cart themselves and their children around town. Don't get me wrong, I totally believe in the use of SUV's by the police department, hosipitals, and other government municipalities. However, by no means do I think you need to drive a GMC Denail, which gets a whopping 12 mpg city, to go and pick up Suzy from soccer practice. However the Nissan Leaf, the first 100% electric car, will now allow you to drive around 100 miles on a single charge. With around 70% of americans driving under 60 miles in one day, a car like this would be extremely economical. However people are very ignorant and stuck in their ways, so many will not agree with this being a good car for them. Probably only because it doesnt go 0-60 in 4.2 seconds, or have an obnoxiously loud muffler (it actually doesnt have any tailpipe at all). However for the rest of us intelligent, level-headed, and non-egotistical consumers out there, this car is surely a great pick. With a sticker price of around $32,000 and up to $7500 in tax incentives, you could own this car for around 25k. And i know personally, when buying my car ('09 nissan sentra) the biggest thing for me was getting a car with good gas mileage. Say you go to a tank of gas a week, thats $40 to $60. So in one month, you'd be spending around 200 bucks on gas. The fact that the Nissan Leaf is 100% electric, means it would pay a lot for itself every month in the amount of money you are saving now that you dont have to pay for gas. Also, Nissan will come directly to your house, and install a compact charging station inside your garage or outside your house. And, you can roll the cost of installation right into the car loan if you'd like, and you can receive up to $2000 in government rebates as well. This car, is just a great idea, and i hope people keep an open mind.


http://www.nissanusa.com/leaf-electric-car/tags/show/price#/leaf-electric-car/

http://www.bluhomes.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mr6DjSd1hDY&feature=fvw

One of the many problems facing our environment today is the construction of homes. With the construction of new homes comes the elimination of open air space, and the creation of considerable amounts of waste. However, many steps are being taken to streamline these actions into being more eco-friendly. One way people are beginning to achieve this is through the use of eco-friendly pre-fabricated housing designs. Essentially, your home is built in a factory, and later delivered to your piece of property for final assembly. These new housing designs are both friendly to the environment and help to create a healthier living environment. For example, advanced computer modeling helps to design each home in order to maximize natural light and maximize passive heating and cooling. When a home is built in a factory, it can decrease the amount of waste created up to 75%. Also, many eco-friendly options are available such as bamboo flooring, recycled paper countertops, and recycled glass tiles. Other options such as energy star appliances, lowE gas-filled windows, and LED lighting also help these homes to be even more energy efficient. Consuming water is also solved by these homes through the use of rain water collectors for irrigation, dual flush toiets, and the use of a gray water system which recycles the water from sinks and showers for use in the toilets. These are just some of the many advantages of green eco-living.