Green Daily

Unfortunately, this image wasn't taken at the parking lot behind the Aptera factory. Sorry to get your hopes up. After an announcement yesterday, where Aptera committed to getting 100,000 of their sci fi chic three-wheelers on the road over the next 5 years, one of the company's clever Photoshopists decided that they couldn't want to wait that long to see what the future might look like.

Discovered by our friends at AutoblogGreen, this image came down the pipes this morning through Aptera's Twitter feed. While I hope this is what most parking lots look like in 5 years, I'm not going to hold my breath. Deliveries of the 100 miles per charge 2e roadcraft (I don't think it can really be described as a "car") are set to begin in October of this year. With about 4,000 customers on the waiting list and a 2+ years of hype leading up to its lauch, 100,000 seems halfway reasonable.

[via AutoblogGreen]

Although we don't have any third-party confirmation, it appears that somebody paid $465,000 Canadian ($431,835US) for a used 1998 General Motors EV1 somewhere in British Columbia -- how's that for resale value? Apparently, a tipster spotted this ad in the Victoria classifieds and forwarded it to our friends at AutoBlogGreen. As it stands, the status of the EV1 is listed as "SOLD," and the owner's contact info has been removed. Did somebody meet this asking price?

According to the seller's description, this person's grandfather prepaid for the infamous EV1 back in 1995 -- just as people are lining up to buy the new Chevy Volt today. Hopefully, the Volt's story won't end in a controversial cancellation, like the GM's first electric car. Since the EV1 has become somewhat of an icon in both automotive and now documentary film history, I think the car could bring some pretty ridiculous offers -- I don't know about $431K though. With only 88,000 miles on it, this EV1 could easily be someone's daily driver.

[via AutoBlogGreen]

Considering GM's track record, I definitely had reservations that the most anticipated EV would somehow dissolve and never find its way to consumers -- like the EV1, ahem. And while it's still not at the local dealership, GM pulled back the curtain last week and let the media take a good long gander at the struggling automaker's hope for the next century. By most accounts, things are looking pretty positive for 2010.

This week, not only do we get pictures of what the Volt will look like, but our friends at ABG have uncovered video footage documenting the mysterious creature in its natural habitat. As best I can tell, not only does the Volt actually exist, but it appears to drive just like a normal car. As in, you probably wouldn't even notice you were driving an electric car except for the fact that it's eerily quiet. That, plus the fact that the dash is covered up in LCD battery-monitoring displays.

[via AutoBlogGreen]

When I think of Cadillac, I think of tail fins, leather interiors, V8 engines, and that Led Zeppelin song they've been using in their commercials for the past 5 years. Nowhere in the dark recesses of my mind would I ever equate Cadillac with fuel efficiency or the environment, but even Cadillac is responding to high fuel prices and the desire to go green. For the first time since the early 80's, Cadillac will offer a 4 cylinder sedan.

According to reports from our friends at ABG, the new Cadillac gas-sipper will hit the market in 2010 and might even be offered with four cylinder engines exclusively. That's pretty much a total reversal for Cadillac's lineup of high performance fuel hogs, but it's a smart one. With rampant inflation and high gas prices, elderly people on fixed incomes are probably starting to get really concerned with fuel economy. Not to mention, a 'green' Cadillac might actually have some appeal with young professionals -- but probably not.

One of the major inconveniences about riding your bike is the constant threat of theft. They've yet to make a bike lock that dedicated thieves can't quickly crack, and more modern, anti-theft bike racks (while reassuring) are so complicated that you'll need 15 minutes and an engineering degree to figure out how they work. That's to mention that, if you're traveling long distances, your bulky bicycle can be a pain to get on and off buses and trains.

So what's a cyclist to do?

How about carrying your bike with you...on your back? That's the idea behind the Backpack Bicycle. This clever, fold-able contraption weighs only 5.5kg (about 12lbs) folds into either an easy-to-pull handcart or a backpack that's about 60cm (a little less than 2ft) long, and even comes with cool features like brake lights and turn signals.

While some are worried that such a light-weight bike might not be safe (especially for larger riders), it seems like this would be perfect for cycling on relatively smooth surfaces (like those you'd find in most urban or suburban environments). At any rate, it'll be cheaper than driving.

[via the Design Blog]

It won't be long before college kids and other "indie" types will have a new VW to covet -- only now they'll be lusting after a significantly more eco-friendly ride. The new Golf Twin Drive, a plug-in diesel electric hybrid, aims to be on the streets by 2010 -- and with a little help (read: $23.5 million), it just might happen.

One of the biggest contributors to our current energy crisis is the world's dependence on oil. So it's no surprise that almost any environmental activist you talk to will be nigh-on obsessed with getting fuel-sucking cars and trucks off the roads. The most commonly-discussed alternatives to traditional gas-powered rides are fuel-efficient vehicles (like hybrids), low-emissions vehicles like motorcycles and scooters, or the good-old-fashioned bicycle. But let's not forget about your favorite fad from the 1990s -- Rollerblades!

These in-line roller skates from days of yore are making a resurgence in Jakarta, where 21 of the city's police officers have been skating around town in an effort to ease congestion on the roadways. At present the 12-million inhabitants of Indonesia's capital are forced to drive if they need to travel long distances, as the city is all but devoid of public transportation -- leading to some seriously clogged streets.

While the sight of rollerblading cops probably doesn't strike fear into the hearts of criminals, they certainly look cool directing traffic!

Note: Jakarta isn't the only city where police skate around town. There have been rollerblading cops in Paris and South Beach (Miami).

(Click on the image to see more photos from the London Naked Bike Ride)

Just last week naked activists in Washington DC and Barcelona stripped off their clothes and hopped on their bikes to fight against car culture and consumerism. Unwilling to let everyone else have all the fun, the Brits staged their own Naked Bike Ride this past weekend, with hundreds of scantily-clad and totally naked bicyclists riding brazenly through the streets of London. (Warning: those photos aren't safe for the office.)

The birthday-suit traverse took exhibitionists past most of the city's major landmarks, so tourists at Trafalgar Square, Hyde Park, Covent Garden and other popular destinations certainly got an eye full.

All in all, it's estimated that around 1,200 people took part in the demonstration -- which makes this the largest naked London bike ride in the event's five-year history.

Clearly the moral of the story is: if you want people to listen, take off your clothes.

Turns out that Marlon Brando and the WIld Ones weren't just tearing up small towns on their motorcycles, they were putting a pretty good beatdown on the planet too.

Susan Carpenter in the LA Times has done the math, and it turns out that not only are motorcycles not a smog solution, pound for pound they're far worse for the planet than much larger vehicles. In fact, according to the California Air Resources Board, the average bike is about 10 times more polluting than the average light truck or SUV.

There are a couple of reasons why your bike is so dirty. One is that although they're more efficient at using fuel, that same efficiency causes them to produce much more of a pollutant called oxides of nitrogen, one of the chief ingredients in air pollution.

Other reasons for the poor showing are that that cleansing technologies like catalytic converters are generally not geared towards or used on two-wheelers, and that environmental standards are more lenient because there are fewer motorcycles on the road.

So if you're looking at buying yourself a new hog to save the planet, think again. Better to keep pedalling that moped - and remember, they're not laughing at you, they're laughing with you.

The next time you're frustrated about consumerism, car culture, or our general lack of environmental progress, don't bother writing that vitriolic letter to the AARP, do something positive -- take off your clothes! And then, once you're stark-ass naked, ride around the streets of our nation's capital and share your message with the world.

If you need some inspiration, check out these guys! These old nude dudes are taking part in the World Naked Bike Ride -- an event created to raise awareness about oil dependency and the negative environmental impacts of our car dominated existence. This year's excursion took green-leaning nudists and cycling enthusiasts past the Capitol Building and in front of the White House.

Potentially the most interesting aspect of this ride is that, according to organizers, "there are no leaders" -- so people just show up, strip off, and ride away. Sounds like with a few friends, a little elbow grease, and a lot of nerve, you might be able to start a Naked Bike Ride in your area. (If you do, please send pictures, I promise I'll post them on the Internet!)

Of course, DC wasn't the only swinging city this weekend -- the inhabitants of Madrid staged a nudie bike ride of their own. Be warned, however, these photos are even less appropriate for the office.

Summer is awesome. Nice weather, outdoor cooking, baseball -- there's plenty of reasons to get excited when June finally rolls around. But it can be rough on your wallet -- particularly because, now that temperatures in some parts of the country now hover between 80 and 100 degrees 24 hours a day, the AC is always on, and your electricity bill is feeling the heat.

There is, however, a relatively quick fix for these summertime blues: programmable thermostats. If you don't have one, the first step is picking one up from your local hardware store (some cost as little as $40) or contacting your local energy provider, who may install one for free. Once you have a programmable thermostat, the next step is making sure you're using it properly -- as according to recent research by the EPA's Energy Star program, a correctly programmed thermostat should save you an average of $180 per year on energy bills.

Based on that research, the organization is launching a new initiative to help consumers use their thermostats to save as much money as possible. Check out the video above, or browse these top 10 tips from the experts at Energy Star -- and with any luck, you'll be cool and comfortable this summer (without being strapped for cash!).

German engineering rises to the challenge again - auto manufacturer Volkswagen is almost ready to go into production with an auto that sports just about the best mileage a car can get without plugs or pedals. The Volkswagen 1l can travel 235 miles on a single gallon of gas, which should reduce the cost of the daily commute considerably.

Not surprisingly, the car isn't exactly a family truckster - the two-seater features a two cylinder engine and a maximum speed of about 75 mph (125 km/h). It's designed of ultra-lightweight materials, and has a sleek aerodynamic look, kind of like what we always thought cars of the future were supposed to look like. The gas tank only holds 1.7 gallons, but hey, that's all you need, right?

If you're a cutting edge auto technologist, or just cheap, you'll have to wait until 2010, when the 1l will be available in limited quantities.

via [Inhabitat]

Sure, we all love bombs -- they're destructive, lethal, and relatively easy to carry around. But the real question is: how do these weapons affect the environment?

Turns out the people behind the ever advancing technologies in the bomb-making industry are concerned with how these explosives harm the planet. So when next generation of bombs hit the streets, they'll be eco-friendly.

Specifically, they'll release less of the toxic gases emitted by TNT, RDX, and other explosives that are commonly used by the military, or in industries where it's necessary to blow things up. By using a class of materials called tetrazoles, scientists are able to achieve this eco-efficiency by creating a kind of bomb that relies primarily on nitrogen -- and not carbon, as is the case with traditional TNT.

Obviously I'm all for anything that, in theory, is less harmful to the environment. But I wonder, aren't bombs -- particularly ones used by the military to kill people -- supposed to cause as much as damage as possible? Somehow I find it hard to imagine a press conference at which the press officer tells the media: "Yes, there were some casualties, but fortunately the surrounding ecosystem wasn't harmed."

No one wants to be a jerk about Tom Brady. Not only is he a fantastic quarterback, he spends the off-season using his fame to support charities that help children with intellectual disabilities. But while he'll lend a helping hand to kids in need, he's less interested, it seems, in doing the same for the environment.

At a press conference celebrating the success of his collaboration with Best Buddies International, he thanked three of his teammates who had also donated their time and money to the cause. In return for their generosity (and for "their protection"), Brady gave the offensive linemen really expensive cars to drive around next season -- which sounds nice (because hey, who wouldn't be excited about a $50,000 automobile?), but when you consider that the Audi Q7 gets 12-14 mpg, these hot rides suddenly seem a little less appealing.

Especially considering that Audi has been working on a hybrid version of this model for almost a year, it seems silly to dish out that forward-thinking SUV's gas guzzling cousins instead. Tom, I expected better.