Clean Green - 6 natural recipes

All Purpose Cleaner
1/4 cup vinegar
4 cups warm water
Mix in a spray bottle, then add
1 tablespoon vegetable based liquid soap
(like Sun & Earth, Trader’s Joe’s brands, Seventh Generation)
25 drops of essential oil for scent -this eliminates the strong vinegar scent that can linger after use
(essential oils can be found in many scents in the natural foods section of Fred Meyers and at any natural foods market)
Shake Gently before each use         

Disinfectant
Add 30 drops of tea tree oil  to the All Purpose cleaner above.
Or
Clean surface as usual - then spray with 3% hydrogen peroxide let sit 10 minutes and wipe.

Mirrors and Glass
Distilled White Vinegar  in a spray bottle works better than any product on the market.  Simply spray surface and polish until dry with recycled paper towels. The vinegar will remove any built up residue from waxy chemical cleaners as well as fingerprints and any other grime that may have accumulated.  

Scrubbing and Scouring
Bon Ami   (commercial cleanser) is calcium carbonate with no chemicals added.
Pumice Stones work great, but not for fiberglass     
Wet pumice stone to use on porcelain, metal inside your oven, grill racks and stone surfaces

Wood Cleaning Formula
1/4 cup white distilled vinegar, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon vegetable based liquid soap
Add a teaspoon of olive or Jojoba oil and 3 to 5 drops essential oil for scent
Mix in a bowl.  Saturate sponge; squeeze out excess and wipe wood.
Rinse sponge in warm water between washes.

Furniture Polish
1/2 cup lemon juice and 1 teaspoon olive oil
Apply to a soft cloth and rub into grain.
Remove and polish with a clean cloth.

 

Now, get out there!

Green Bugs (VW Beetles)

Back in 2004-2005, when I was looking to get a new car, I looked really hard at the New Beetles - but I could not get over that they had (at the time) no plans to produce a hybrid version of the Bug. The small car seemed, to me, to be a natural for hybrid technology. Alas, I went with my 2005 Prius and have enjoyed it greatly.

Here's a guy that didn't take "no" for an answer.

Bart Grabman, a senior at Stellar Secondary School in Anchorage, Alaska had a great idea to convert his car to electric. “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?’” Grabman recalls.
Grabman remembered a visiting speaker who had talked about converting his own truck to electric, so he decided to attempt the project himself. Grabman did research on the Internet, figured out what to get, what to do, and found a car — a cheap 1971 VW beetle.
Grabman says, “If you have a lot of money it’ll be easy.”  After a few weeks of looking, he found an electric car part kit on eBay for around $3,500. “People have been pretty supportive of the idea. I’ve gotten a lot people who have offered to help and want to help out in any way they can,” says Grabman, who has gotten some donations from the Stellar parent group and from family and friends. “But mostly I just owe my mom a lot of money right now.” But for all the costs, there are substantial benefits to owning an electric car.
But with a do-it-yourself price tag of at least $4,000, do the benefits outweigh the costs? For Grabman, the answer is an unhesitating yes.
“It’s a school project, it’s a learning project,” he says, unconcerned about whether the car will pay for itself in saved trips to the gas pump. “It’s about the process and the product, not just one or the other.”
“It’s been an interesting experience trying to figure it out, like, Oh, I guess I shouldn’t have taken that out. I didn’t really know what I was doing when I started, which is what kind of made the project so much fun. I’m not done with it, so I’m still learning a lot.”
It is rare to find a project in which the journey is as rewarding as the final result, not to mention one that helps the environment while saving you gas money. As EVs gain popularity, converting to electric may is the way of the future. (from: The Tuscaloosa News)

Finally, someone at VW paid attention, both to people like Grabman and the people clambering for Hybrid vehicles.

Even without a single hybrid vehicle (and due to a number of diesel fueled options), Volkswagen has consistently been near the top of many fuel efficiency lists. So, just imagine what would happen if the company decided to take one of their models, such as the Jetta or Beetle, and put some battery-charged hybrid goodness in. Well, a few months after announcing that they plan to put a hybrid engine in some of their compact models, V-Dub is taking all this hybrid talk a step further. Now, every upcoming VW model is scheduled to have a hybrid option, with some models hybrid-ready as early as next year.

Although only some models will have the power of full hybridization behind them (with the others taking advantage of "partial hybrid" technology), Volkswagen does have plans to eventually even offer full-electric versions of its smaller cars. The company has not yet released which cars will get the full and partial hybrid treatment, nor which cars are being considered for full electric status. One thing is for sure, Volkswagen wants to make sure we still see their name near the top of every fuel efficiency list released.
(from: AutoblogGreen)

Talking the same language: U.N. Climate change debate defines jargon

from Reuters

To understand the climate change debate, it helps to understand the jargon, a mixture of "diplomatese," pundit-speak and techno-talk.

Here are some terms likely to be heard this week at a trio of U.S. meetings on global warming.

Kyoto - Short for Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement adopted in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan, which sets binding targets for emission of greenhouse gases that spur global warming. Under this agreement, developed countries are to cut their emissions by an average of 5.2 percent below what they were in 1990. The United States rejects this agreement, arguing that it unfairly exempts developing countries like China and India. The Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.

Framework - The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, a 1992 agreement that the United States and 191 other countries have signed. Like Kyoto, it seeks to keep greenhouse gases from hitting a level that would interfere with climate, but has no legally binding requirements.

Greenhouse gases - Chemicals that trap the sun's heat near the Earth like a blanket. These substances include carbon dioxide, which is emitted by humans and all other creatures that breathe air. They are also emitted by coal-fired power plants and petroleum-fueled vehicles. They are not the most intense greenhouse gas -- methane is 10 times more powerful in contributing to global warming -- but carbon dioxide from fossil fuel consumption produces 82 percent of the world's human-generated greenhouse gases.

Cap and trade - Policy tool that sets limits on harmful emissions, giving allowances to affected industries and countries within these limits, or caps. Those with emissions above the cap can trade with those with emissions below it. Also known as emissions trading.

Carbon footprint - A measure of the impact of human activities on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases they produce, measured in units of carbon dioxide.

Carbon offsets - Paying to make up for carbon emissions. One example is planting trees or contributing to a wind farm to make up for the carbon dioxide emitted during air or car travel. 

U.N. climate panel - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the U.N. Environment Program, which has produced a series of reports on climate change. Their fourth assessment, released this year, said it is 90 percent probable global warming is occurring and humans contribute to it.

Bali - Indonesian city where scientists and policy makers are scheduled to gather in December to discuss how to cut climate-warming emissions after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. The aim is to come up with a plan by 2009 so all parties have time to ratify it.

Major Economies - The world's biggest emitters of carbon dioxide. They are: the United States, China, the 25 countries of the European Union, Russia, India, Japan, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Australia and South Africa.

 

Maybe if we can not trip over terminology, we can get to the root issues and closer to solutions.

TOYOTA against the new Fuel Economy bill

from EcoGeek.org

OK, we all know the score. Toyota hit a home run with the Prius. An all-hybrid model that was more practical (though also less green) than the Honda Insight. The result has been a big green badge following Toyota wherever they go. It's hard to deny, the Prius is the green car...Toyota is the green car company.
So why are they fighting so hard against the only sensible fuel economy bill to hit congress in a decade. Very simply, the new energy bill would increase average fleet mileages to 35 mpg by 2020. With Toyota's vision of a hybrid model for every car, and plug-ins on the road in the next five years, this shouldn't be a sticking point. In fact, you think it'd be good news for them.
But they're standing by Ford, Chrysler and GM, who we expect to fight any attempt at regulation, basically helping keep America moving backward. Toyota has a Prius model in the works that can get 80 miles per gallon and they're fussing over a 35 mpg average that will be in effect more than TEN YEARS FROM NOW!

You know that I am a Prius driver (2005) and so is my wife (2001), and even though Toyota is the leader in the Gas-Electric Hybrid cars now, I am not nieve enough to expect that all their cars will be so.

The lot at the Tuscaloosa Toyota dealership (leading in Prius sales and service in Alabama), is covered up with non-hybrid automobiles - cars and trucks. Toyota is in the business of selling cars; Cars run, completely or partially, on gasoline. Like the other automakers, the vast majority of their offerings are the non-hybrid variety that would not enable them to meet the fleet average of 35 mpg.

Toyota makes good cars and has done a great job in the Prius line and I am a firm supporter, but I, too, wish they would shift from being the car company with the leading line of green/hybrid cars to being the leading green/hybrid car company with the highest fleet mpg average.

Urge Toyota to support the higher average fleet fuel economy standard by emailing the president of Toyota North America at NRDC.com.

Many Shades of Green

GfK Roper Consulting, a division of GfK Custom Research North America ( www.gfkamerica.com ), today released its
2007 GfK Roper Green Gauge(R) study, finding the vast majority (87%) of consumers agreeing they are seriously concerned about the environment. In fact, most Americans are looking to the federal government to strengthen their enforcement of green regulations and (73%), while they say having a balance between economic growth and environmental protection is the goal, the environment should come first when a conflict arises (52%).

The top five environmental issues weighing heaviest on America's minds are water pollution and rainforest destruction (56%), diminishing fresh water supply (55%), fuel and energy shortages (54%) and man-made outdoor air pollution (53%). Asked who should take the lead in addressing these and other environmental issues, half of consumers (50%) rank the federal government first and 62% believe current legislation does not do enough to positively impact the environment.

Many Shades of Green
Segmenting consumers based on their green attitudes and actions, the study identified five key groups:

True Blue Greens: Environmental leaders and activists most likely to walk the green talk representing almost one third (30%) of the population. Nearly half (48%) turn to environmental groups as their main source of green information.

Green Back Greens: Do not have time to be completely green and not likely to give up comfort and convenience for the environment, but willing to buy green products. They represent 10% of the population. Nearly half (49%) get information on green issues from newspapers.

Sprouts: Environmental "fence sitters" who buy green only if it meets their needs representing just over one quarter (26%) of the population. One third cite newspapers as their main source of green information.

Grousers: Generally uninvolved and disinterested in green issues; believe individual behavior cannot improve environment. 15% of the population. Newspapers again serve as their major information source on green issues.

Apathetics: Not concerned enough about the environment to take action and believe environmental indifference is the mainstream. This group represents just 18% of the population. TV programs are their main source of environmental information.

Solar Decathlon 2007

Solar Decathlon 2007 takes place on the National Mall in Washington D.C., October 12 - 20, 2007.
The team houses in the "solar village" are open for public tours 10 am - 5 pm, weekends, and 11 am - 3 pm weekdays, except Wednesday, October 17, when the houses are closed for competition purposes. See the schedule for more information.

What is the Solar Decathlon?

Twenty teams have been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to compete in the 2007 Solar Decathlon. (The request for proposals for the 2009 Solar Decathlon will be released during the 2007 event.) The teams, from colleges and universities around the globe, participate in an unparalleled solar competition to design, build, and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered home. In fall 2007, the teams transport their solar houses to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., where they form a solar village. The teams compete in 10 contests to determine an overall winner. Using only energy from the sun, the teams generate enough electricity to run a modern household. With an eye on energy efficiency, the students carefully choose the systems, products, and appliances used in their houses.

The Solar Decathlon is a competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in partnership with its National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The American Institute of Architects (AIA), American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), BP, and Sprint are partnering with DOE as title sponsors.

 

2005 Top Finishers

Wins for the environment

I've heard news about two important courtroom battles.

First, a federal court has temporarily blocked the Shell oil company from drilling exploratory wells this summer off the coast of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Just last month people were rushing to court to stop the drilling before it could start -- and prevent any chance of an oil spill blanketing the shore of the Arctic Refuge and turning it into a long-term toxic waste site.

By putting Shell's operation on hold until the full case can be heard, the court has granted an eleventh-hour reprieve to polar bears and other wildlife, and shown its concern about the impacts of drilling. The full hearing next week is in federal court.

Now the second -- and equally dramatic -- victory: with the U.S. Navy about to train with dangerous, mid-frequency sonar during nearly a dozen upcoming exercises off the southern California coast, a federal judge has stepped in and blocked the use of the sonar!

The Navy needs to put common-sense measures in place to protect whales and other marine mammals from a lethal technology that has caused whale strandings and deaths around the world.

The court's injunction is "preliminary," which means that this fight is far from over. Nevertheless, it is a stunning setback for the Navy, and it supports our contention that whales should not have to die for military practice.

These twin victories are very important steps forward in our campaign to thwart the Bush administration's ongoing assault on America's wildlife and wild places.

I want to thank you, on my own behalf and on behalf of all the attorneys and staffers who are working so tirelessly on these cases.

What a great day for the environment!

Supermart for green building products

The Green Building Exchange held its grand opening Saturday in Redwood City, Calif. It is the first shopping and meeting center of its kind serving home buyers, builders and nonprofit groups. Products on display include solar panels, recycled renovation materials and low-toxic furniture.

"Home Depot doesn't have the service that comes with this," said founder Michael Schaeffer, who has worked in construction for more than 30 years.

But are the prices as low? "If you plan right, they're not necessarily higher. Sustainable homes have less frills."

Although many green building materials remain costly, Schaeffer believes prices will drop as consumer interest rises. He considers the polluting construction techniques of the 20th century to be a fad. Schaeffer hopes the location between two major Bay Area airports will help to attract people from far-flung places.

House-greening products and services are becoming big business as more people seek to reduce energy expenses and improve indoor air quality. As many as 10 percent of all new homes will include significant "green" features by 2010, according to projections by McGraw-Hill Construction and the National Association of Home Builders.

Credit: Elsa Wenzel/CNET Networks

Harry Potter is eco-friendly

Are Harry, Hermione and Ron earth-friendly?

The Rainforest Alliance says they are. Most of the 12 million copies of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows are printed on paper that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council as coming from sustainably managed forests. This means that the paper originated in forests that are managed using socially and environmentally responsible methods. Most paper throughout the world is produced using practices that destroy habitat and exploit workers and communities. For example, paper companies often use trees from endangered old-growth forests that are disappearing. Other conventional sources of wood pulp include "tree-farms" that are chemically managed and almost devoid of wildlife.
The first printing of the new book, the seventh and final installment in the Harry Potter story, used 16,700 tons of paper. Sixty-five percent of that was FSC-certified, making it the largest single purchase of FSC-certifed paper ever.
In addition, about 30 percent of the paper was post-consumer waste fiber, another eco-friendly choice.
"This is a major milestone for environmental and social responsibility in the publishing industry," said the executive director of the Rainforest Alliance, Tensie Whelan. "Using wood products from well-managed forests has a great global impact in conserving biodiversity and improving livelihoods in local communities.

Project7ten

One of only a few LEED Platinum Certified homes in the country, project7ten was built as green as possible to serve as an educational model that creates a forum for smart discussion about environmental awareness.

"I just put solar panels on my house in London. You wouldn’t think there was enough sunshine would you? But there is enough sunshine to provide my house with electricity. I sell electricity back to the national grid that I get for free from my roof. Now shouldn’t everybody be doing that?"

- Ian McKellen
Real Time with Bill Maher

It was this acknowledgment by actor and activist Ian McKellen coupled with the viewing of the film An Inconvenient Truth that spearheaded Tom Schey into action. Schey quickly began conceiving different ways in which he could broadly educate society about reaching environmentally conscious choices in their everyday lives, while leaving an indelible mark and message on our planet. As a West Side Los Angeles participant in the real estate business, Schey decided that he would start there, and thus, project7ten was born.
project7ten with the majority of proceeds being donated to Healthy Child Healthy World (HCHW), an organization dedicated to educating the public about environmental toxins that affect children’s health—along with HCHW will lead the effort to making the insides of our homes healthier to all who live there.
According to Schey, "I realized long ago when architecturally significant homes are built they will most certainly outlast [our] time on earth. They become permanent structures attached to the piece of earth they sit on."
Therefore, opting out of creating a green footprint or using sustainable and recycled alternatives can no longer be a choice in the face of global warming. This realization planted the seeds for project7ten’s first venture, the building of a completely environmentally conscious home, designed to achieve a Platinum designation from The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, (LEED) Green Building Rating System, in Venice, California.
Along with Schey and his partner, environmentalist Kelly Meyer, the plans for project7ten have been put into place. project7ten (710 Milwood Avenue) will be the first conventional constructed platinum leed home in CA; designed to achieve a Platinum designation from LEED
The project is also a part of the Architecture and Design Museum’s Enlightened Development, which opened on March 29th, 2007 a show which aims to inform the public of important environmental ventures, and cutting edge efforts in this vain.
The completed home will emit no harmful gases into the atmosphere; solar panels incorporated in the cutting edge design of the house will produce its own energy, rarely—if ever—rely on the public utility system; will be built with numerous recycled materials, including insulation, concrete, counter tops, Forest Stewardship Council certified lumber, reuse rain water to irrigate landscaping, recycle grey water, etc.; will be surrounded by trees to provide shade in the summer and sunlight during the winter. The Ford Escape Hybrid, the official automobile of project7ten, will be sold with the house and the owners will get a free one year lease. As well as be outfitted with GE’s Energy Star qualified appliance and Kohler fixtures.
With the help of Melinda Gray —a highly credentialed and widely published architect in both design and environmental awareness in all of her projects— project7ten will be outfitted with cutting edge architectural design. The finished home will be an example of exquisite, modern design exemplifying that being green can also entail looking great, while not compromising the environment and/or atmosphere.
project7ten will be a great teaching tool to change the current mindset of home builders and home buyers alike. By building an earth friendly integrated sustainable structure, project7ten will provide a fun-friendly, easy to understand cutting edge message: A Home, its inhabitants, and its relationship to the piece of ground it sits on, are one entity, interrelated.
The home will be an example that engaging in environmentally conscious habits does not have to be expensive, difficult, or have a boring look and feel to it. project7ten will present an opportunity for the public to walk through, feel, touch and be educated on the possibilities that can be achieved today, not at some time in the future. Through project7ten, the public will be inspired to make changes in their own lives and communities. Come along for the ride (and innovative commitment) that is project7ten.
.................................................................................................
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

Guerrilla Gardeners

Leave it to the Brits to come up with this one. Vandals armed with shrubs and flowers are waging war on public spaces. I’m sure as gardeners and nature lovers we have all walked by a barren patch of land along a sidewalk or park and thought, “That would look so much better if something was planted there.” Well one man got tired of calling the city and complaining about it, and decided to do something. He enlisted the help of several people, and they started attacking the ugly parts of town. They usually do all the planting at night, since technically what they are doing is illegal. However, no one ever complains! This new crime wave has since spread out from London to other parts of Europe. Be sure to check out the Guerrilla Gardening homepage and this video about how it all gets done!

Uses for old newspapers

I have this pile of old newspapers collecting next to the recycling bins and it is days until the recycling truck runs again. Do you have this problem? Not only is it unsightly (the bins sit outside the kitchen door), but it’s a pain to keep neat. I have a few suggestions for things to do with the growing pile.

Uses for Newspapers

1. Use for mulch.
2. Use as drop cloths for painting, household projects or to protect the table from kids’ latest art creation.
3. Use with vinegar to wash windows.
4. Use to protect fragile items while storing, moving, or shipping.
5. Shred and use to line cat’s pan.
6. Use as shelf paper.
7. Use to help start fires in your fireplace or camp fire.
8. Use to protect your knees when kneeling in the garden.
9. Wrap birthday gifts with the comics section or articles you feel the recipient would enjoy.
10. Shred and add to compost.

Uses for old bed sheets

Face it. You probably have several old bed sheets that are a bit worn, or they don’t match anything else. You don’t want to just throw them out, but all they're really doing is taking up space in the closet. I've got some suggestions for you.

Things to Do With Old Bed Sheets

1. Use them for drop clothes for painting projects
2. Make a laundry bag
3. Use it to make gift wrap
4. Cut them up and use them to make and stuff throw pillows
5. Take them to the beach and use for picnics
6. Cut them up and use them for dusting
7. Donate them to homeless shelters
8. Cover fruit trees to protect from frost
9. Tear into strips and use to tie your tomato plants to stakes
10. Make drawstring gift bags
11. Make kitchen curtains
12. Freecycle them to someone else

Recycling - Where we are

The range of the campaign for recycling in the US may be that huge but not all Americans are doing their share in recycling. This is according to a poll done by Harris Poll where they surveyed and interviewed some respondents. Here are some of the stats:

• 77% elder Americans recycle at home
• 23% do not recycle. At all.
• 30% of those aged 18 years to 30 do not recycle
• 19% of those aged 62 years and older do not recycle
• 67% recycle aluminum cans and metal cans
• 59% recycle paper and paper products
• 57% recycle plastic
• 54% recycle glass

And so we talk about those who recycle and what they recycle. But the survey was quite thorough for they also did ask those who did not join in the campaign why they DO NOT recycle. Here are some of their answers:

• 15% say such an activity is something you cannot find in their area
• 12% find it to be too burdensome and they have to spend much just to do it
• 11% simply do not believe in it

Now as a statistic, where can you include yourself?

This is the way we wash our clothes....

We have been living in Nairobi, Kenya for 2 months. While my wife goes out every day to conduct her research (the reason we're here), I keep the apartment, care and feeding of the kids, cooking, and washing. Though washing dishes is pretty much the same as home - sink, scrounge, suds, etc. - the clothes washing is not. We have two buckets in the bathroom. I place the buckets in the bathtub, half-fill each bucket with water, and some washing soap into one, then it is just time and hand power to get the clothes scrubbed clean (and then hung out on clothes lines on the apartment's rooftop).

I ran across this notion and could really do with a thingy like this. I am really looking forward to a clothes washing machine when we get home, but with a device like this, I might be able to share some of the washing chore with my kids. Hmmmm....

How about pedal washing your clothes? Healthy for the planet and healthy for you, and especially for those (like me) who a prolonged use of this method might help them go down a couple of waist sizes. Sadly, the various offerings all seem to be in prototype.

The Cyclean seems to be the nearest to market. Here is a site, homelessdave.com that has some extensive plans and photos of his efforts is making a pedal-powered washing machine.

Here is another model, invented by Bart Orlando, that also shows promise.

Romantic and Green Lanterns

Renaissance Lantern w/Flickering Light $29.99 from SmartHome.com

This solar powered LED light "flickers" like a real candle all night long, switching off come morning to recharge. LED bulbs can last up to 30,000 hours. Be green and romantic at the same time. 

Venture EV: Electric 2-seater

Venture Vehicles has in development what appears to be a fantastically green and cool new mode of transport. You can now pre-register for the VentureOne’s e50 and Q100 hybrids or the Venture EV (all electric)
The hybrids have a 300+ mile range and can get up to 100 miles per gallon with a top speed of over 100mph. It is a 3 wheeled vehicle that is fully enclosed with state of the art steel safety features and includes airbags and side impact beams, making it much safer than a motorcycle.

This mini-cooper sized vehicle seats two with sleek wrap around windows. The videos on their flytheroad.com website make this trike looks a blast to drive, the front “cab” driving area is able to lean up to 45 degrees on turns while leaving the engine area horizontal. The videos on the VentureOne website shows this very well.

The planned price tag of $23,000 for the EV model and 18K for the hybrid might be a bit steep for such a small “car” but your savings on gas and the good karma you’ll have by not adding to greenhouse gas pollution makes it a serious temptation. They plan to release this in late 2008.

William’s Windmill

William’s Windmill

Inspiring, innovative and representative of what Africa’s future holds.

William Kamkwamba is a 19 year old Malawian who built his first windmill at 14. Here he is, pictured just this last week doing some work on his windmill near his home.

The propellers are made of plastic pipes supported by sticks to that they should not bend when the wind is strong and placed almost vertical to the direction the winds is coming.

Unlike in most windmills where the propellers directly turn the spindle connected to the turbines directly, William added pulleys to his machine to increase speed thereby generating more energy.

There are three pulleys and the last is connected to a bicycle wheel. When this wheel turns it turns a dynamo which in turn generates electricity.

Read his blog for inspiring stories about making things work in rural Africa!

Read more on William’s Windmill blog in Malawi.

Kenya has Wind Powered Cell Phone Stations

 

Photo courtesy of Bergey. Oct 26 2006 Dedication of the cell phone base station site in Laisamis, Kenya Africa.

AfriGadget appears to be on a roll with wind power, so lets continue the wave shall we?

The company WinAfrique designs and builds hybrid wind and diesel turbine systems for powering cell phone base stations. Kenya’s biggest wireless companies Safaricom and Celtel have contracted with WinAfrique.

…Safaricom contracted with Winafrique Technologies in Nairobi to design and supply pilot wind/diesel hybrid systems at three very remote base stations. The systems consisted of a Bergey 7.5 kW turbine on a 24 m (80 ft) SSV tower, sealed batteries, and an inverter. These sites were installed and monitored for one year. The results showed excellent reliability and diesel fuel savings of 70-95%. Based on these positive results, Safaricom has contracted for six more sites, and has many other wind/diesel sites in the planning stage.

Hybrid systems that utilize renewable energy such as wind and solar are making it possible to extend wireless service in remote areas that are not connected to grid power. You can read more about Safaricom’s use of wind powered cell phone base stations, and more here about Celtel’s.

The Bald Eagle is no longer Endangered

National Bird Has Recovered in the Lower 48: On June 28, the Department of the Interior removed the bald eagle from the list of threatened and endangered species. There are now 9,789 breeding pairs of bald eagles in the lower 48 states, a dramatic increase from the low point of 417 breeding pairs in 1963.

A Department of Interior press release notes that "The bald eagle first gained federal protection in 1940, under what later became the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act," but "the eagle population fell into steep decline in later decades, due primarily to widespread use of the pesticide DDT after World War II. DDT accumulated in eagles and caused them to lay eggs with weakened shells, decimating the eagle population across the nation."

The bald eagle received additional protection in 1967 under the predecessor to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). When the ESA was enacted in 1973, the eagle was one of the first animals it protected. That, combined with the Environmental Protection Agency's decision to ban the general use of DDT in 1972, led to the eagles' recovery.

Going forward, the eagles will continue to be protected by two federal laws prohibiting "taking" -- killing, selling or otherwise harming eagles, their nests or eggs.