Archive for category Tools & Toys
iTunes, Kindle, NetFlix…Green Distribution
Posted by Jeffrey in General News, Tools & Toys on June 22nd, 2009
Green Car Company teammate Frances Ingraham wrote in our June newsletter about some of the green highlights of Amazon’s Kindle e-reader, most notably that it “requires 67 times less water and 140 times less CO2 to produce than printed newspaper; and books use even more water!” There’s lots of analysis out there about how green the Kindle is, but there is a bigger idea behind the “greenness” of the Kindle: digital distribution is green distribution.
Many of you probably have purchased music off of iTunes (or some other online source). This means that you did not buy a physical CD. You didn’t buy that plastic case with the paper booklet that was shipped from somewhere to arrive at the store where you didn’t buy it. Maybe you didn’t buy the physical CD off the internet, which means you didn’t have it shipped, via truck or plane, to arrive at your home. Your digital purchase cut out the production and transportation of a physical object.
Almost ten years ago I was eager to jump on the NetFlix bandwagon: why wouldn’t you want unlimited DVD rentals delivered to your mailbox? Well, now NetFlix, and a few others, offer digital rentals. You pay for the rental, but instead of driving to the store to pick it up, you simply download it. It saves you time, and it reduces not only the number of trips by car to the rental shop, but also the need for a physical DVD to be produced and shipped to that rental shop.
Sure, it will take a bigger cultural shift to get more people relying on digital distribution. Even though you can get digital CD booklets with your music purchase on iTunes, there is still that happy feeling of having the physical CD case in your hand. Even though the Kindle reads nicely and can hold way more than you can possibly read, holding a book still has a nostalgic feeling. Those sort of intangible perks of physical objects are perhaps the biggest obstacle to digital “green” distribution.
To help you get started on the green distribution path, here are a few sources to check out:
- Books: Amazon Kindle, eBooks.com, Plastic Logic (coming soon!), and Cool-er eReader.
- Music: iTunes, Amazon Music, eMusic.com.
- Movies: iTunes, Netflix (if you stream online), Blockbuster Online, Amazon Video on Demand.
Little Guy: Smart Travel
Posted by admin in Tools & Toys on May 18th, 2009
If ever there was an RV aptly named, it’s the Little Guy Teardrop Camping Trailer.
Teardrop camping trailers are an affordable, versatile, easy-towing answer for those eager to graduate from tent camping to RV living, those just getting started in the RV lifestyle or those looking to downsize from a larger, heavier RV requiring more fuel to tow or drive.
Whether you drive a Smart Car or a mid-sized SUV there exists a Little Guy for you. Weighing in at just under 500 lbs the smallest model, or Rascal, is light enough to be towed by a 1500 cc motorcycle. It also features a fullsize mattress and like all Little Guys, partners with hundreds of accessories. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the largest trailer features a king-size mattress and measures a full 6 feet wide. With portable heating-and-air conditioning systems and paint options ranging all the way to camouflage, customizing your Little Guy doesn’t stop at size.
The series is based on the early, egg-shaped camping trailers made popular after World War II, when returning GIs packed up their growing families and began exploring the U.S. in home-built camping trailers made from military surplus parts.
In addition to personality, little impact on fuel economy and minimal carbon footprints make these low cost, green alternatives, a no-brainer. Additional model and product information can be viewed online at www.golittleguy.com (A PDF brochure is available here.)
The Green Car Co. is your exclusive dealer for Little Guy trailers in the NorthWest. Contact us and we’ll help you pick ou the best trailer for your car.
Bad Appliance! - How to monitor electricty usage.
Posted by admin in Tools & Toys on May 3rd, 2009
It’s no secret that appliances around the house are constantly gobbling down electricity: that TV may be off, but it’s still plugged in, right? Is the refrigerator working overtime? How’s that old freezer in the garage doing? Being an appliance detective is easier than you think thanks to a number of tools readily available.
To really get a hold of your energy usage, your first stop should be your electricity bill. Here’s a sample bill, but depending on your electricity provider, it will look different. The key part is the bar graph. This will give you a good overview of what your power usage trends are. If you have electric heat, you would expect to see your power usage increase in the winter when you need to heat your home more.
However, just looking at your electric bill won’t tell you which appliances are using the most energy. There are several tools out there to help you approximate what is normal for an appliance (such as this one), but these tools are only simplified guesses.
If you want to really reign in misbehaving appliances, then co
nsider something like the Kill A Watt EZ, (which we sell at The Green Car Company).
There are several tools like this, and each varies in features and price. This particular model retails for $49.95 ($29.95 for it’s little brother, the Kill A Watt). They are very simple to use: plug them into an outlet, then plug the appliance into the device. It will keep track of how much electricity the appliance uses and provide cost forecasts. If you’re considering an electric vehicle, then this is definitely something you will want so you can keep track of how much money it is saving you in fuel costs!
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