Most Americans Plan to ‘Go Green’ This Holiday Season

Topping-out to begin at 11 a.m.
Nabholz Construction Co. will use Friday’s topping-out ceremony at King Elementary School to thank subcontractors for a safe project and celebrate the completion of the most arduous phase of construction.

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Green fund approved in Cancun
A UN climate conference on Saturday approved a deal to create a ‘green’ fund for developing countries.

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Climate Change Innovation in the United Kingdom
In this bulletin: • Korea signs up to an ETS, • Cancun –All you ever wanted to know, • UK success with Feed in Tariffs, • Rolls Royce develops miser engine, • UK row over rainforest timber, • Aid for world’s poor farmers affected by …

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Green fund approved in Cancun
A UN climate conference on Saturday approved a deal to create a ‘green’ fund for developing countries.

Read more on Sky News Australia

Most Americans Plan to ‘Go Green’ This Holiday Season
Approximately 25 percent more waste â an extra 5 million tons â is generated during the holidays compared with the rest of the year. However, according to a recent national survey conducted online in October by Harris Interactive on behalf of Plastics Make it Possible, 86 percent of U.S. adults plan to reduce their impact on the environment over the holidays this year.

Read more on PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance

Two Nifty New Scooters-Why Don’t Americans Like These Things?

Automakers Go Green, Sleek at Paris Car Show
Hybrids and Other Lower-Emission Vehicles Take Front Seat as Industry Hopes for Rebound in Struggling Market

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Automakers Go Green, Sleek at Paris Car Show
Hybrids and Other Lower-Emission Vehicles Take Front Seat as Industry Hopes for Rebound in Struggling Market

Read more on CBS News

Summary Box: Green cars rev up for Paris Auto Show
GREEN AUTOS: European car makers are ready to show off new hybrid and electric cars at the Paris Auto Show starting Sunday.

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Green is for go at Paris car show
Designs for a carbon-conscious world took centre stage as car makers revealed their latest high-tech models at the Paris auto show hoping for rebound in a struggling car market.

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Two Nifty New Scooters-Why Don’t Americans Like These Things?
At the Paris Motor Show this week, both BMW?s Mini subsidiary and Daimler?s Smart subsid

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Americans using less energy, more renewables

ProNav Outmanoeuvres all to Bring a New Dimension to HGV Navigation
Hauliers, fleet management, and independent drivers of large vehicles can now experience true cost-saving advantages by using the new ProNav PNN300, incorporating the new ProNav Dimension software.

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UAE Maritime Leads the Way in Green Technology
The UAE’s maritime industry is firmly setting an industry platform for environmental innovation with the official unveiling of the region’s first oil spill detection system -as well as the next generation of a multi award winning bow designed to save fuel – at this year’s Seatrade Middle East Maritime (SMEM) – just some of several new innovations to be showcased.

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Evergreen Energy Agrees to Exchange a Portion of its Outstanding 2007 Convertible Debt
DENVER–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Evergreen Energy Inc. (NYSE Arca:EEE) signed an agreement with certain holders of its 2007 Convertible Notes to exchange and retire approximately $3.1 million in outstanding debt and accrued interest for 981,250 shares of common stock on a post-split basis. This transaction reduces the $27.4 million of notes due in August 2012 to $24.4 million. The company is continuing …

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Evergreen Energy Agrees to Exchange a Portion of its Outstanding 2007 Convertible Debt
DENVER—-Evergreen Energy Inc. signed an agreement with certain holders of its 2007 Convertible Notes to exchange and retire approximately $3.1 million in outstanding debt and accrued interest for 981,250 shares of common stock on a post-split basis.

Read more on Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance

Americans using less energy, more renewables
Americans are using less energy overall and making more use of renewable energy resources. The United States used significantly less coal and petroleum in 2009 than in 2008, and significantly more wind power. There also was a decline in natural gas use and increases in solar, hydro and geothermal power, according to the most recent energy flow charts.

Read more on Science Daily

Americans Want Green Homes!

It seems that the recent inflationary setbacks of the past months have caused many of us to rethink our life-styles. Home buyers are now placing energy efficiency high on their list of wants.

This means that small improvements to your home that can be listed as ‘green’ will be a selling plus in this new environment. Switching to ‘green’ is supported by a recent survey published by Move.com and echoes findings from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

The poll conducted by Move.com was focused on which type of ‘extras’ prospective home buyers would choose in a new home. Not surprisingly in view of the escalating cost of living that we have been experiencing lately, over 49% of them opted for energy saving amenities. Only 31% of potential buyers rated luxury amenities as top of their list.

A poll where prospective home-owners would choose ‘green living’ over luxury goods reveals the struggle that many Americans have faced, in fact 81% of participants admit to financial set-backs in their house buying plans. Most obstacles are quoted as revolving around the economy, the house prices and their own incomes, according to the survey.

A previous survey conducted by the NAHB confirms that Americans want to pay less for their energy; 64% of participants cited “reduced energy costs” to be the most important aspect of choosing to go green, whereas only 55% would choose it “because it is healthier”.

Everything is pointing to the fact that Americans want to save energy – and money. Can this be done without investing a lot of cash in new products? The answer is yes, there are life style choices we can make, that we used to make, but which have dropped by the way side of consumerism. There are also small investments we can make in our homes to give it ‘green’ appeal.

For green lifestyle choices, we can think back to our Grandma’s day. Start now by growing your own organic winter vegetables and invest in two fruit trees which will emanate oxygen into the environment. All vegetable and fruit peelings used to be ploughed back into Grandma’s garden in the form of compost; saves on buying chemicals to nurture your vegetables. Read about how to compost on line.

Here is a simple one that saves gas: keep a shopping list! It will save endless trips to the ‘corner shop’ if you stop forgetting groceries! If you can encourage the family to walk or bike more, your health will benefit as much as the environment.

Solar heating panels would be great, but remember your windows are a variation of this. Keep drapes and blinds open when the sun shines on the window to let the warmth radiate through the glass; at night time close them to keep warmth in, up to one third of home heat can be saved by closing drapes. Turn your heat down by two degrees when you go to bed.

Another small saving will be gained if you turn off the heating and close the doors in the rooms that you do not use. Try to remind the children to turn down their heat dials before they leave for school. It only takes a minute for the rooms to warm up again.

Heating takes a large chunk of our money during the winter months; have you thought of installing a wood stove with an outside chimney (the easiest to install)? The new stoves that leave almost no residual wood and are almost ‘smokeless’ are part of a grant scheme offered by some governments.

A wood stove will offer a choice of heating in your home, and so this will increase the value of it. Stack your cord(s) of wood against an outside wall to help increase the insulation of your home. Double glazing is a sure way to save on energy bills, but it can be expensive. However, weather-stripping around the windows and doors can keep a lot of cold air from coming in.

Meanwhile, as winter and the heavy heating bills creep closer, remember Grandma and stock up on clothes in thermal and woolen fabrics!

Americans Want Better Fuel Efficiency Standards

To know what the market is actually looking for, those organizations or groups who are in the business of offering the market some service or product make sure that they do get into the minds and thoughts of the market. One of the common ways of doing it is to actually study the market and how they go about choosing their wares. On the other hand, they can immediately delve into the thoughts and preferences of the consumers by asking them directly through surveys.

A survey was recently done by the Opinion Research Corporation, or the ORC. They did a national opinion survey which was backed up and supported by the Civil Society Institute or the CSI. Together, they were able to gather information regarding some peculiarities and some trends in the auto industry. Of course, they were simply not just asking consumers whether which auto parts store offered the best and the cheapest 740 Volvo parts. It takes a lot more than that.

The results of the survey from ORC would surely be a great help to the auto manufacturers. Well, that is if they do choose to believe what the data from the survey was telling them. With the consumers still set out on believing that fuel prices are very much likely to soar higher than before, it looks like such has created a new kind of thought in the minds of consumers. For example, one aspect in the survey does show that more than three quarters of the American auto consumers do want the American government to actually impose a higher and better fuel efficiency standard for vehicles that are sold in the US market. They certainly do share that they would want the government to actually enforce that manufacturers should create vehicles that have a 40 mile per gallon fuel efficiency rate as the standard.

“These findings should be a real wake up call to any auto executive in Detroit who is hoping against hope that Americans will fall back in love with gas-hog vehicles. What Americans are saying to American carmakers is that they are ready for change. We know the technology exists for higher fuel efficiency that will save money, reduce this nation’s dependence on foreign oil and diminish the pollution linked to global warming. What Detroit needs to realize is that low gas prices have not and will not lead to the demise of the now very strong and continuing demand for more fuel efficient vehicles. If American carmakers make that wrong-headed gamble for a second time, it may just be the last losing bet they can afford to make,” says Pam Solo, the founder and current president of the CSI.

How can we Americans demand higher fuel economy (36 ~ 44 MPG ) Affordable American made Automobiles?

Tired of being homebound in this Free country because of this $5/gallon rage. And the auto industry are dragging their feet to make affordable, safer, higher fuel economy automobiles. As a poor working professional this is intolerable. How can we stand up against such supply & demand to survive?

New Fuel Economy Standards to Bring More Clean Diesel Cars to Americans, Use Less Petroleum and Have Fewer Greenhouse …

Government Sets Higher Fuel Efficiency Standards
The government is raising fuel mileage standards. The effort is designed to raise fleet averages each year beginning with the 2012 model year, reaching 35-point-five miles per gallon for 2016 models.

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New fuel-efficiency rules require 35.5 mpg average by 2016
The Obama administration unveiled final rules Thursday that set a 35.5 mpg average for the U.S. auto industry by 2016.

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More miles on less fuel: Gov’t setting tough new efficiency standards for future vehicles
WASHINGTON – Drivers will have to pay more for cars and trucks, but they’ll also save at the pump under tough new federal rules aimed at boosting mileage, cutting emissions and hastening the next generation of fuel-stingy hybrids and electric cars.

Read more on Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune

Administration releases new fuel efficiency rules
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration set tougher gas mileage standards for new cars and trucks Thursday, spurring the next generation of fuel-sipping gas-electric hybrids, efficient engines a…

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New Fuel Economy Standards to Bring More Clean Diesel Cars to Americans, Use Less Petroleum and Have Fewer Greenhouse …
WASHINGTON–The Diesel Technology Forum issued the following statement today on the occasion of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement of 2016 new light-duty vehicle fuel economy standards.

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For US Only, Do many Americans use ‘Green living’ to express how rich they are? Or did they in the past?

The UK is going green very fast, but the only display of wealth in terms of greenness here is in hybrid cars. What is it like in the US?

Is there any website that makes ‘green’ look glamorous? Do you think people ‘go green’ to ‘look cool’? I need proof please