With the high costs of gas prices these days people will go to some ridiculous lengths so save a few cents a liter. One thing that many of them overlook is the how they use their vehicles. I’ve always though it was a little insane to see an enormous line of cars idling outside a gas station to get a $0.02 savings per liter. The truth is that the way we drive, when we drive what we drive and how we drive can have a huge impact on our fuel consumption.

I’ve compiled a list of driving tips and common mistakes that can save both the environment and your wallet:

Speeding up to slow down…..

Sounds kind of dumb eh, well maybe that’s because it is and it happens a lot more then you may realize. I live in Toronto and I see this all the time I’m making my way home from work and I’m about 800ft from a red light and I throw my car in neutral using my momentum to carry me towards the stop light slowing down as I go. The car in the lane beside me is actually still accelerating towards the light and while I’m about 300 ft away I see the other car pull to a stop and wait. As I near the light I begin to slow down more passing the time until I’m between 150 – 20 ft away the light turns green and as my car is still moving between 20-5 kph. I literally sling shot past the parked cars that have to begin from a dead stop. (more…)

THE fundamentals of public transport, complains Martin Lowson, an academic and entrepreneur, have not changed very much since the era of the stagecoach. Passengers wait at an arranged point for a large vehicle to arrive. It then carries them, along with a crowd of strangers, along a fixed route. The meandering course and frequent stops make the trip far slower than it would be in a private vehicle and the odd-looking person sitting opposite makes it less pleasant. But Dr Lowson’s firm, Advanced Transport Systems, thinks it knows how to overcome all this—and give public transport its biggest overhaul in three centuries—using a concept known as personal rapid transit, or PRT.

PRT still involves stations, but they would be smaller and more closely spaced than in traditional transit systems. Instead of big trains or buses, passengers would board small, driverless pods, for one to four people, which would travel along narrow tracks or elevated rails. The stations would not lie on the main line, but on bypasses, allowing pods to proceed directly to their final destination without any stops. It is the stuff of science-fiction films: carefree passengers whizzing effortlessly around in gleaming, automated capsules, without any fear of traffic jams, pickpockets or breakdowns.

In theory, such a system could carry as many people as a more conventional light-rail network or bus service, at lower cost. Since the pods would be much smaller and lighter than trains, they could run on flimsier rails, which would be cheaper to construct. Since they are automated, they could travel much closer together than manually driven vehicles and so get lots of people moving quickly. And since the pods operate only on demand, no money would be wasted on under-used or redundant services. (more…)

This new technological breakthrough is designed to quickly and efficiently transport single passenger through busy downtown centers. The 4 wheeled self propelled device cause no pollution and emits no greenhouse gasses. The unique design and creative setup allows for use on both roadways and sidewalks and could help eliminate congested traffic. Now what if I were to tell you it’s not so new. It’s actually quite old and you have probably owned one at some point. This common simple yet effetive device is called a skateboard. Yes the kind of thing Bart Simpson rides around on causing trouble.

This past weekend I went to visit some friends in the downtown core of Toronto. From Saturday evening to Sunday afternoon all my travel arrangements were via a newer age Skateboard. Even on a skateboard it only took approximately 5- 10 minutes longer to get where I was going over the bus or the car. Sure I did have to propel myself forward using my own strength but that was kind of the fun part.

Some of the major benefits of skateboarding as a mode of transport include: (more…)

Overall, the uniqueness of the photovoltaic amorphous thin film technology lends itself to a wide variety of applications, and numerous advantages including flexibility, increased energy output under some conditions and a thin, lightweight package. Some other advantages in all UNI-SOLAR® solar panels include: (more…)

Personal decisions and lifestyle changes are the best ways to combat global warming. Go for a walk. – Just going to the mailbox or to a friend close by. Get out of the routine of driving everywhere and go for a walk, It might take an extra 20 minutes but I guarantee you wont regret it. Limiting vehicle use to only when necessary can save tones of GHG emissions and walking has tremendous health benefits.

Start a household compost. – A large percentage of household waste is made up of compost. When organic materials are sent to garbage dumps they rot and release methane gas into the atmosphere. By implementing proper compostin you can limit your household garbage by approximately 40% as well as use the compost as fertilizer.

Read a book. –Believe it or not they do still exist. Theirs even building full of them that will let you borrow them for free. Take a break from the TV/ video games / computer and pick up a good book. Causes no carbon emissions and stimulates the mind in ways that TV can not.

Use your bike. -Almost every household has one, it’s that dusty / rusty thing behind practically everything that has accumulated in the garage. Dig it out wipe it off and simply go for an enjoyable cruise. This age old form of transportation also works very well for errands and commuting. The best part, No carbon emissions and a healthier lifestyle. Biking to work, school or friends can save hundreds on fuel costs as well. (more…)

Ever since I can remember, I have loved computers. For the last ten years I’ve loved the Mac OS, but now I seem to have found something better - the Lisa Office System (LOS).

I know that LOS is old and outdated with no upgrade path whatsoever, but something else has drawn me to it: It’s functionality.

It doesn’t crash, I don’t have to remember to save my work, I can turn it off with all of my documents open, and I can continue working right where I left off when I turn it back on. (more…)