Did the Congestion Charge Drive us to Cycling?

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 17:57:05 GMT

In 2003, London implemented a congestion charge - if you wanted to drive in Central London, you had to pay. New York, or more specifically, Mayor Bloomberg, now wants to do the same. He came to London this week in order to get a feel for how it's going in the UK, and London Mayor, Ken Livingstone apparently explained how it's driven us all to cycling to work instead. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Clever Advert on Bridge in Amsterdam

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 14:44:49 GMT

This clever advert gives drivers something to think about when waiting for the bridge to lower. The car is a lot rarer in Amsterdam than most cities, and it's great to see that, despite that, they still run campaigns like this. ::Wooster Collective... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Greenwash Watch: Carbon-Neutral Olympic Torch

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 14:17:46 GMT

Apparently, the 2012 Olympic flame is going to carbon neutral. Does that strike anyone else as bonkers? The 2012 Olympics is going to be a huge, polluting event, with thousands of people flying all over the world to attend and compete. Making a carbon neutral flame seems, to me, like a drop in the ocean. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

M&S Packaging not as Green as Competition

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 12:55:10 GMT

Marks & Spencer has made a large effort to reduce their carbon footprint. Their Plan A project has seen many incremental steps move the chain towards a more sustainable model. Unfortunately though, their packaging seems to be rather hard to recycle. A new report has shown that less of their packaging can be recycled than any other large supermarket chain. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Environmental Campaigner Jailed

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:21:48 GMT

A campaigner who highlighted heavy pollution in Lake Tai, China, has been arrested and detained by the Chinese government. The New York Times has a fascinating feature on how politics comes into play in environmental issues in China, occasionally ending in a sad situation like this. The article claims that, while the central government of China is talking of green action, local governments are under heavy pressure to sustain fast economic growth, and have a wide range of powers to do so. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Virgin Atlantic testing Bio-fuel on Jumbo Jet

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 13:30:44 GMT

Virgin boss, Richard Branson, has announced that not only will his company begin producing bio-fuels, but that he is going to test them out on one of his own 747s. Would you want to be on this maiden flight? Speaking to the Mortgage Bankers Association, of all things, he said that by the start of next decade his company will be producing their own bio-fuels for use in buses, trains and cars. "Early next year we will fly one of our 747s without passengers with one of the fuels that we have developed," said Branson. Branson has previously mentioned cellulosic ethanol as one potential source, but said that there are problems with it freezing above 15,000 feet, and that butanol may be more suitable. Virgin will be working with Boeing and GE Aviation to create the fuel.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Tesla founder says previous electric cars "Pieces of Crap"

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 15:45:27 GMT

Martin Eberhard, the Tesla co-founder who recently stepped down as the CEO, has apparently made some very frank statements about the reasons why some previous electric car companies have failed. In a video interview he is apparently quoted as having said that going against mature car companies to create affordable cars won't work, and that not getting the economies of scale that they do has caused previous affordable electric cars to be "a piece of crap". ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Protesters Take Over Power Plant

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 13:25:03 GMT

Protesters have claimed to have taken over a power plant in Kent, UK. The radical move is claimed to be a protest against the approval of new coal plants in the UK. None have been built for 30 years, but coal mining has recently resumed in some areas and plans for new plants are being submitted for approval. Just after 5am yesterday 50 Greenpeace volunteers entered the Kingsnorth coal power station and chained themselves to machinery, effectively shutting down the plant because new coal cannot be brought in. The plant will continue generating power until the remaining stocks are used.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

England to Get Slightly Smaller

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 14:11:11 GMT

Part of the UK is going to be flooded in order to make a wildlife reserve, making my little island that little bit smaller. The area was drained 500 years ago by Dutch settlers though, so is simply returning to its natural state. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

World's Largest Windfarm Gets Approval

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 14:05:54 GMT

A new wind farm, 90 square miles large, has been approved for construction off the coast of the UK. If built, it will become the largest offshore wind farm in the world, which should make all UK Tree Huggers proud. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

David Byrne Talks Cycling

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 12:59:17 GMT

The New Yorker festival is being held this weekend, and Matt Seaton, the Guardian's resident cyclist, had the good fortune to run into David Byrne and ask him about cycling in New York. Byrne was there to host an evening that claimed to be "dedicated to the advancement of bicycling". ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Electric vehicles dangerous for the blind?

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 13:24:22 GMT

It's a topic that's been recycled so many times; that hybrid and electric vehicles are silent, which may mean that people step out in front of them without seeing them. Some say that it's a danger; others say that people will simply learn to be more vigilant. However, if you can't see, then you can't check to see if something's coming. Some people have to rely on noise to hear traffic approaching. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Cutting Out 'Mystery Machines' Could Save Power

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 13:24:31 GMT

Recently there has been a raft of green IT solutions, including home PCs, but particularly for larger, power-hungry data centres. While home PCs can be as inefficient as to waste 50% of power in making noise and heat, the sheer size of data centres makes them an obvious target for a bit of increased efficiency. It seems though, that the best way to save power may be to turn off 'mystery machines'. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Bike Charity Awarded a $100,000 Grant

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 11:15:26 GMT

Outdoor equipment retailer, Recreational Equipment, has pledged a $100,000 grant to the Bikes Belong Foundation. The money will go towards supporting a series of grant awards to projects that aim to make US cities more friendly for cyclists. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Tesla Announce Latest Production Schedule

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 13:12:42 GMT

If you're waiting for a Tesla Roadster, then read on. Last month Martin Eberhard, the one-time Tesla CEO, stepped down from the head of the company, worrying some that delays could be on the way. At the time he said, "We are still planning to start production of the Roadster by the end of next month and deliver the first cars to customers this fall. We have a good chance of meeting this goal, but to be fully transparent, I want you to know that while it is within our reach, it is not yet fully within our grasp." ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

New Solar Panels Produced at Less Than $1 Per Watt

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 13:22:19 GMT

Solar panels that cost less than $1 per watt to produce are on their way, as Colorado State University's new method for low-cost, high-efficiency solar panels looks set to begin mass production. The panels will be made by AVA Solar, and production should start towards the end of next year at a huge factory employing 500 people.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Teen Creates Electric 1971 VW Beetle

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 13:03:04 GMT

Bart Grabman, a senior at an Alaskan high school, has converted his 1971 VW Beetle to electric power, in order to save gas money and investigate ways to cut down on emissions. "We have a class called Passages, and in that course everyone's supposed to pick a project or idea that they want to expand and do something big with, and so I thought, -What's something awesome that I can do?'", he said. Grabman remembered hearing a speech by a man who had converted his own truck from gas to electric power, so he decided that this was a project he could undertake himself, and started to research the idea online, "There was a lot of research on cars, figuring out what I need to get, what I need to do, a lot of going on forums and talking to people."... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Diesel Motorbike Speed Record Smashed

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:19:19 GMT

The DIE Moto, the diesel-engined motorbike which we have covered before, has broken the land speed record for a diesel motorbike, with a speed of 130mph. The bike is a Frankenstein vehicle made from a motorbike and a BMW car engine which was salvaged from a scrap yard. It was designed to run on standard diesel, biodiesel, or straight vegetable oil (SVO), but it is unclear which fuel was being used when the record was broken.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Investment in Cycling Could Save 521 Million

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 12:55:08 GMT

Spending money on encouraging cyclists could actually save the government money, as well as combating climate change, according to a new report. Getting more cyclists on the road could save the UK taxpayers 520 million, according to government-backed cycling group, Cycling England. They say that a 20% increase in the number of bicycle journeys in the UK would lower healthcare costs by improving the health of the nation, and reduce congestion. A relatively small 70m annual investment in cycling initiatives could apparently reduce the number of car journeys per year by 54m by 2012. This would have a huge impact on the environment, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by a massive 35,000 tonnes. This, of course, assumes that the cycling initiatives were successful, rather than expensive and ineffectual marketing campaigns.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Should All Cars be Banned from London?

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 19:14:51 GMT

The Greater London Authority (GLA) has pledged to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in London 60% by 2025. It's a massive goal, and one which many believe is unreachable using current methods. A new study shows that some radical moves might be needed in order to achieve it, such as banning all cars from London. The report was written by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the Transport Studies Unit of the Oxford University Centre for the Environment, and explains that London will only make a 10-23% reduction at its current rate, but that their plan could achieve a 72% drop by 2030. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Is 'Green Limousines' an Oxymoron?

Sat, 15 Sep 2007 16:45:58 GMT

Luxury car maker, Bentley, want to create a greener range of cars in order to get closer to tighter proposed EU limits on emissions. The head of the company, Franz-Josef Paefgen, said, "We are currently forming a view on the matter, for instance by talking to politicians in England. And when the view is complete, we will decide in spring 2008 what to do." However, whatever measures the manufacturer takes, don't get your hopes up - they won't be drastic. Paefgen went on to say that no one should expect the car maker to release a small, three-litre car - which would still be an enormous car by other manufacturer's standards.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Giant 40 Million Battery for the UK

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 07:01:21 GMT

UK electricity company, Eon, are planning to build a huge battery to store power from sustainable electricity sources. Because sources like wind and solar aren't constantly reliable, some kind of storage is necessary if a 100% sustainable grid is to be created in the future. This is especially true of solar power in the UK, where sunshine is as elusive as an honest politician.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Chicago Company Offers Hybrid Conversions

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 06:45:41 GMT

Chicago based company, NetGain, create and fit plug-in hybrid conversion kits for trucks. They are also working on kits for smaller cars, which will be available in 2-3 years. NetGain employee, David Cloud, shows us how it all works in this not so in-depth piece from Fox News. Apparently the kit can improve the efficiency of a standard panel truck by 20-30%. This is a large percentage rise, but when you consider that these things only tend to get 6-7mpg in the first place, then it doesn't seem like such a large improvement. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Epoq NEV - Electric Driving on a Budget

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 07:50:18 GMT

We can't all afford a Tesla, and even some of the fairly plain electric cars are still very pricey. You can get affordable electric driving, but you do have to make some compromises. The Epoq NEV is an electric vehicle designed for short journeys and use in hotel/industrial/academic complexes. Its low speed and short range rule it out as a viable gas vehicle replacement on highways and larger roads, but it does have one advantage - price. At only $9,500 it's certainly one of the cheaper electric vehicles on the market at the moment. You could certainly consider this for city driving, but bear in mind that it is essentially a golf cart with a full body.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Devantini ES, Tesla Roadster Watch Out

Sun, 09 Sep 2007 13:09:52 GMT

The official website for this impressive car is in Swedish, so we don't have a lot of information. What we do know is that it's an electric sports car, modelled on the Shelby Cobra. It's called the Devantini ES, and it started life as a college project. One of the many YouTube videos which have been cropping up, showing test drives, has this description, "The project started as a graduation project at the Innovation Engineering programme, Halmstad University, made by Emil Birgersson and Henrik Leonhardt." ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

23% of Brits Would Rather Drive

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 12:51:00 GMT

What Car recently conducted a survey on the travel habits of Brits, and I have to say that I'm disappointed at how lazy they seem to be. I can only assume that the survey was conducted only amongst their own readers, who will obviously be more biased towards taking car journeys rather than walking. Anyway, the results show that 23% would choose to drive a distance of 1,000 meters, rather than walk it.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Grass-Covered Train Station

Fri, 07 Sep 2007 13:35:49 GMT

Here in Amsterdam, most train stations are full of grass, but this is different. This is Newcastle Central Station, where a PR stunt by train operator GNER saw a platform covered in artificial grass. It was conceived to encourage people to take the train rather than the plane, because of the smaller carbon footprint of train travel. According to GNER, a flight from Newcastle to London creates five times as much carbon emissions as a similar train journey.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Bottle Purifies Water with Solar Power

Fri, 07 Sep 2007 12:15:14 GMT

The solar bottle is designed to get the maximum effect from a natural phenomenon that can purify disease-ridden water. Water in transparent PET bottles, left in direct sunlight, will be purified to a certain extent, due to heat and irradiation from UV-A rays. This bottle maximises that effect, and aims to create a cheap and simple way of providing clean water to developing countries.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Bus Uses Real Life Horse-Power

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 12:01:44 GMT

A Dubai-based company called Fleethorse has designed several horse-powered vehicles, including the NaturBus above. The range is powered by horses running on a treadmill, supplemented with electric motors, and they claim that it's the greenest transportation possible. I really hope that this is a hoax. The conveyor belt apparently starts to move, which encourages the horses to start walking. That walking movement is then harnessed to power the vehicle. The electric motors would be used when going up hill in order to avoid any undue strain on the animals. The waste product is of course, excrement, which is collected at the back of the belt as it drops off. Have a look after the link for the weirdest marketing video you are ever likely to see.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Citroen C-Cactus Concept Car

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 05:20:10 GMT

A new concept from Citroen uses some interesting new design ideas to minimize its environmental impact. There is as much duplication of parts as possible, in order to reduce production costs and waste - for example the front bumper and rear bumper are the same item. Another innovative feature is windows that don't open - air conditioning makes in unnecessary, so the design can save further weight and cost by including simpler, lighter windows. Citroen will be unveiling the car at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Recent Posts by TreeHugger's Matthew Sparkes, London, UK