The Guide To Efficient Living
The cellulosic ethanol movement got a much needed boost yesterday with the announcement that Valero, the nation’s largest independent oil refiner, is investing $50 million into the Mascoma Corporation’s plans to build a commercial sized wood-based biofuel refinery in Kinross, Michigan. Together with subsidiary Frontier Renewable Resources, Mascoma, based in Lebanon N.H., intends to break… [Continue Reading]
Portland, Oregon continues to set the standard of being a bike and pedestrian friendly city by building a 700 foot bridge over Interstate 5 that will allow users to travel from the Lair Hill neighborhood to the South Waterfront District. The Gibbs Street bridge is only for walking and bike riding. Portland bike commuters will… [Continue Reading]
2011 is being heralded by auto industry insiders as the “year of the electric car”. Though we here at Metaefficient endorse a life free of dependency upon cars, 100% electric vehicles are certainly more fuel efficient than internal combustion vehicles and may be on their way to becoming user-friendly as well. For 2011 consumers interested… [Continue Reading]
Shai Agassi, founder and CEO of Better Place, has a vision — a vision for a world free of oil dependency. Mr. Agassi, who is well on his way to making this vision a reality, has what he believes is the solution for making electric vehicles efficient and affordable. He theorizes that the only way… [Continue Reading]
Light rail is a type of electric railway that runs on right-of-way railroad tracks or on tracks in city streets. Using their own lanes and able to go anywhere, light rail cars mix well in urban settings by not getting caught up in traffic congestion. Though the United States operates the largest and most efficient… [Continue Reading]
Even if you’re not biking cross-country, you still need a good way to carry items while cycling to work or running errands. You can do away with your makeshift bungees and get the most out of your bike rack with a bag or pannier to help haul your stuff. These are five of the best… [Continue Reading]
Once you’ve found the perfect bike, bag, rack, and helmet, you’re all set for gas-free commuting, right? Not quite – the right tires are an often-overlooked part of the package, and they can make all the difference for biking around town. Here are four of the best tires for commuters, blending traction, durability, and low… [Continue Reading]
Biking around town is a great way to cut pollution while getting a little exercise, especially now that springtime weather is upon us. So tune up your bike, buckle your helmet, and find a bike-friendly route with the new “Bicycling” option from Google Maps.
Hybrid vehicles keep getting bigger: first there were tiny experimental cars, then hybrid SUVs began to appear on the road. And now some of Delta’s next-generation Boeing 737 aircraft (like the one pictured above) will be equipped with Wheeltug hybrid motors for taxiing on the ground. These motors will improve efficiency and safety while planes… [Continue Reading]
I’m an advocate for car-free cities (on this note, see the newly published Carfree Design Manual by J. H. Crawford). But 100% electric cars are certainly preferable to gasoline-powered cars. Therefore I found this recent presentation by Shai Agassi of Better Place to be of inspiring. He argues that hybrids won’t work, and ethnol isn’t… [Continue Reading]
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