Green Living Q & A

The Expert answers:

Baking soda is like ajax-I am environmentally concerned and use it like scouring powder. Also if you mix vinegar in water in a spray bottle it helps keep your tile clean.

The Expert answers:

Is it wood? If it is, sanding is about the only way to remove the residue.

The Expert answers:

Www.bamboofencer.com says:

We have helped in designing and installing one custom bamboo-lined shower. That installation was made from 1.5″ diameter half-rounds of Tonkin bamboo. It took the owner 13 months to get the building inspectors to approve the installation. Not being in the code, it spooks the inspectors.

There is the risk of losing a seal and having moisture and mold getting behind the bamboo and into the hollow space behind. If you want to do this I would recommend that you have us split the bamboo into half rounds and fill it with closed cell architectural foam and trim the foam flat. You may wish to do the ripping and foam injection yourself. Then the half rounds can be installed against cement board (since showers are a wet space) rather than drywall. The half rounds will have to be installed with a latex rather than petroleum base adhesive. The foam will be dissolved by petroleum based adhesives. Latex industrial adhesives are available in Home Depot and Lowes etc.

The seams between the half rounds should them be caulked with the finest quality and smallest bead that the installer can manage. The bamboo has a natural wax on the skin and will not take paint or varnishes. I recommend that it be rewaxed with a good standard natural clear wax from time to time. This should keep it free from mildew or at least easy to wipe clean.This is a new application and we do not have much experience with it.

Proceed at your own risk.

The Expert answers:

I use an eco washing up liquid, but I’ve found you don’t really need that much, just enough to cut the grease. I prefer vinegar to lemon juice and have used it for the washing up as well.

All interested might check that thier plumbing is right, apparently too many houses have thier grey water plumbed into the drainage for rainwater that goes straight to the nearest stream or river, that’s why some rivers you see have a froth and a smell about them.
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The Expert answers:

Vinegar & baking soda.=)

The Expert answers:

Your questions are brilliant, because they are truth based. ( I might be in love with you)

The Expert answers:

Have you heard of Thomas Malthus? He panicked in the 18th century and said that there would be famines, plagues, etc to curb the ‘unsustainable population’ of the time – under a billion! Technology is rapidly improving and we will be able to feed more and more people (and, with fusion, provide the energy for them).

But this is irrelevant. Yes, the population is expected to hit 9 billion by 2050 (that’s not the conservative estimate though but the middle one). But what the headlines fail to reveal is that the population is expected to start falling from there. The three estimates as to world population by the UN are:

Low: Peak at 7.5 billion in 2040 and decline to 5.5 billion by 2100
Medium: Peak at just over 9 billion in 2070 and decline to 9 billion by 2100
High: Hit 14 billion in 2100 (highly unlikely)

The first two estimates all show a rapid slowing in population growth – a trend already seen in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. In fact, most of Europe east of France is already shrinking in population!

The Expert answers:

We don’t have terrorism in Venezuela.

Read the complete history of ”Posada Carriles” and you will be surprised.

Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Posada_Carriles

The Expert answers:

Using your school library database access….begin looking at articles in the Economist this is my first choice. Covers all topics.

You may not find this all in one place…the best thing is to learn to do research…one way is to check out the sources of the docs/articles/pages you do find…ie. This link below on wikipedia has a lot of info…but it’s not a peer reviewed journal and in really inadequate as a true source… It is however a great place to start and then scroll down to their references on the bottom and seek those out. Any articles you can’t locate are found easily via your school database program: lexis-nexis…jstore. Galeweb..

But after reading the wiki article you’ll probably have some new terminology to use, new organizations and international agreements/policies to check out, which all will help you do more effective research.

Good luck

dume_azz: your response is unintelligible, unfounded, and incites hatred…naturally it is quite reflective of the name you have chosen for yourself…bravo

The Expert answers:

Both India and China has too much to loose from Global Warming not to act on it. They are seeing melting glaciers leading to water shortages and droughts but also changed rain patterns. Right now about 35 million people in India and Bangladesh are on the run or trapped in their homes due to unusual heavy monsoon rains. China and India are trying hard to speed up the implementation of more renewable energy e t c.

However, in both of these countries hundreds of millions of people still lack electricity at home and the CO2 emissions per capita in China is less than 1/4 of that in the USA (India is even lower).

Both countries finds it unfair that they should be bound to mandatory targets when it’s the rich world who is the cause of the problem and we’re still way ahead when it comes to emissions per capita. We also have better economical means to address the problem. It’s a political game.

The Expert answers:

Www agua-luna com

Let me start off by saying we (my family and I) live completely, 100% “off of the grid and are completely self sufficient”

The house is built utilizing natures natural elements, in the shape of an octagon with 8ft wide arch doors on every wall to catch every angle of wind (typical 4 sided homes have half the chance as one with 8 sides. A circle being the most efficient design). Woodburning stoves, solar chimney, solar AC, solar heating, solar water heating (pool and home), solar stove, solar power, wind power, hydrogen powered back up generator, hydrogen back up water heater, hydrogen stove, 2 hydrogen powered trucks, 1 EV (electric vehicle) and satellite internet.

We also built many green small cabins on the ranch that we offer to family, friends and our on-site off-grid workshop guests, including one straw bale, one papercrete, earth bag and adobe, one cob and cordwood, one underground and rammed earth, one log and post and beam and one rock. Each one actually started as a test for what the main house would be and were later finished and turned into guest cabins. I later wrote a guide on how to build with alternative materials using alternative methods for next to nothing.

We raise meat and milk goats, chickens for meat and eggs, ducks for meat and eggs, trap javalina (wild boar pig), rabbit, quail. Brew our own beer from home grown products, preserve our fruits, vegetables, etc. Smoke and jerky the meat, make our own soap, cheese.

There are no utility lines, no water lines, no roads, tv, cell service, etc. On our ranch. EVERYTHING needed is produced here. All electricity comes from 27 solar panels, 2 main wind gens and a back hydrogen generator if needed (typically we can last 9 days with all luxuries of sunless windless weather, hasn’t happened yet). Water is caught and storage from the rain. Hot water is made with solar batch water heaters with an on-demand hydrogen hot water heater as backup. Even our vehicles use alternative energy (2 hydrogen trucks, 1 EV electric vehicle converted). Because of this we have no bills, no debt and no mortgage.

Anyone interested can check it out at..

Www agua-luna com

I believe this is the first step anyone can make “help the environment”. Once you convert your own life style to a greener more eco friendly route, you can start helping others.

My home has all the comforts listed above plus some. We live very comfortable without effecting the environment. Just saying that to let you know it’s possible. You may not want to go as extreme as me and my family but anywhere in between is something.

Without getting to in depth here, Using alternative fuels in your vehicles and harnessing your own electricity from the sun, water, earth and wind are the 2 are key elements in making a green transition and erasing your carbon footprint.

Here’s a calculator to find out how much of a green impact your making (carbon footprint)

http://www.conservation.org/act/live_green/carboncalc

if you’d like to make your next step feel free to contact me personally at www agua-luna com

I’ve been installing home made Solar panels. Solar stoves, Solar batch and inline hot water heaters. Solar radiant heating. Solar home heating and AC, along with home made wind gens and other alternative energy items for the last 3 years.

You can even make the above projects on site with simple parts from the local hardware stores or auto stores or junk yards. For more info check out some guides I wrote / compiled on how to DIY www agua-luna com

Again these projects can be accomplished anywhere by anyone.

If you absolutely can’t do anything in your home at least you can put alternative fuels in your car. Most major automotive manufacturers (Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors, etc) recommend the use of bio fuels, and nearly every car manufacturer in the world approves ethanol blends in their warranty coverage.

In fact your probably even driving an ethanol car and didn’t even know it.

The trick is finding fuel.

I’ve been producing biofuel for about 3 years now, it’s not extremely difficult. Basically you need general household ingredients, a processor (or still for ethanol) and some used oil. Blend it, let separate, screen and use. I complied a guide a while back to help walk you threw the process step by step, just email me or check out..

Www agua-luna com

as for recyling the best way I’ve found without taking money from your won pocket is to join a free freecycle group in your area or visit the habitat for humanity.

If you’d like help in making your self sufficient steps, feel free to contact me directly. I’ve written several how-to DIY guides available at www agua-luna com
on the subject. I also offer online and on-site workshops, seminars and internships to help others “help the environment”.

Hope this helped, feel free to contact me personally if you have any questions if you’d like assistance in making your first self sufficient steps, I’m willing to walk you step by step threw the process. I’ve written several how-to DIY guides available at www agua-luna com on the subject. I also offer online and on-site workshops, seminars and internships to help others help the environment.

Dan Martin
Alterative Energy / Sustainable Consultant, Living 100% on Alternative & Author of How One Simple Yet Incredibly Powerful Resource Is Transforming The Lives of Regular People From All Over The World… Instantly Elevating Their Income & Lowering Their Debt, While Saving The Environment by Using FREE ENERGY… All With Just One Click of A Mouse…For more info Visit:

www AGUA-LUNA com
Stop Global Warming!!!

The Expert answers:

By definition your unsustainable because without Hoover Dam Las Vegas would not exist the way it does today. Anyway, look into solar power. Check Nevada’s state website to see if they rebate part of the cost of solar projects.

The Expert answers:

Get a job with a small sustainable/organic farm or find an university agricultural program that has organic farming as a major.

I would strongly suggest that you work for someone full time for a couple of years before jumping into buying your own farm. Organic farming is very complex and it takes a non farmer about 10 years to get any mastery of it. Not to mention it is extremely hard work pretty much year round for little pay (few farming jobs be they organic or conventional pay well)

A good place to start is at your local farmers market, ask if anyone need volunteers on their farm and start getting some experience and see if you really like it or if this is simply a romantic notion
http://www.localharvest.org is a great resource for finding farms and farmers markets

The Expert answers:

An interesting concept.

Groups:
http://www.sustainableliving.org/
http://www.sustainable.org/
http://www.innerexplorations.com/simpletext/simple.htm

Resources, how to’s:
http://www.hollowtop.com/cls_html/cls.html
http://www.globalstewards.org/think.htm

The Expert answers:

Sure… Throughout history, ancient cultures around the world have traded and bartered goods and services without the use of currency. So it’s possible, but it would be chaotic in this day.

The Expert answers:

Wonderful idea. Maybe this will stop illegals from coming in. And hopefully the govt will let them do their jobs the way they was trained to do the. I love this idea. Thanks for sharing.

The Expert answers:

Start educating yourself on what nonprofit organizations are addressing the issues you care about, the ones that are promoting alternative energy, alternative transportation, alternatives to gas-powered cars, etc. You need to become an expert on who is doing what. Subscribe to the newsletters of these organizations, so that you become educated about their work. Also, bookmark the pages on their web sites that list jobs, and visit them regularly. Make sure your resume uses the same kind of language these organizations use in their job listings.

Also, attend any events and lectures in your area relating to the issues you are concerned with. This is a great way to network with potential employers, as well as to learn about what organizations are doing what.

Once you feel that you are well-versed in this subject about who is doing what, and feel that your resume is in good shape, start applying for jobs at these organizations, based on your skills and experience.

And in the meantime, volunteer in any way you can regarding these issues. This will help you network further, give you solid experience employers will want to see, and give you an idea of the many different jobs at various organizations.

The Expert answers:

I think Al Gore is a hypocrite for talking the talk, but not walking the walk when it comes to the enviroment.

The Expert answers:

Actually they are on the verge of being under criminal investigation. Attorney General Eric Holder is reviewing this and seeing if any criminal charges can be brought against BP. It is possible that charges could be brought against them if it can be proven that they tried to cover up or intimidate witnesses to the accident into not talking.
But then you have to ask yourself, who would or do you file charges against when its a company? The corporate CEO’s, the head manager on duty of the platform itself, some lower level worker who maybe made a mistake or was negligent which led to the explosion? Its kind of tricky bringing charges up against a corporation.

The Expert answers:

We shouldn’t. It’s a hoax that they’re hoping will be used to justify a carbon tax on US citizens which will be used to fund global government.

Awesome question by the way. Excellent references and sources!

The Expert answers:

Roughly three years ago in a televised State of the Union Address, Bush dropped a hint on what a portion of the Republican plan for alternative energy might be.

He mentioned pulling in the big oil companies to explore the development of hydrogen based fuels as a possible alternative to fossil fuels.

So, after the oil companies have spent decades with that giant money-sucking vacuum … Sucking the dollars out of the pockets of the American consumer, you might think the power and influence of big oil is now diminishing … Diminishing due to waning fossil fuels and the growing green movement.

What exactly is it that the Republicans love to say when justifying a rationale for supporting corporate interests while actively fighting American workers who are negatively impacted by those interests?

“Let the Free Market Decide”

In this scenario, the free market would have decided the days of big oil, had come and gone … The strangle hold of big oil on all of us had run it’s course and the corrupt, self-serving oil and gas industry was now dying.

But there’s the problem … The oil and gas industry is a prime Republican contributor. In addition, the ruling elite is heavily invested in oil and gas.

So … Enter the Republicans with their little energy plan, big oil is potentially crowned “Lords of the Hydrogen” … So they can rape us all over again.

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The Expert answers:

Genius.

The Expert answers:

There are different rules. Often, one can cite up to 250 words with citation of the source and not run afoul of copyright regulations. But there are other news sites that specify that posting anything from their site on another site without written permission (or payment) is prohibited.

Perhaps an approach would be to summarize some of the information in the link, and provide the link so they can go to the source.

For instance: Scientists at such and such an institution showed that combining genetically engineered algae and sunlight was capable of making biodiesel. Then you cite the link which will give the person more details if they desire.

The Expert answers:

U.S. Power Grids

It is important to note that there is no “national power grid” in the United States. In fact, the continental United States is divided into three main power grids:

The Eastern Interconnected System, or the Eastern Interconnect
The Western Interconnected System, or the Western Interconnect
The Texas Interconnected System, or the Texas Interconnect.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Distributed Energy Program was established in fiscal year 2001. The program develops a portfolio of advanced, on-site, small-scale, modular energy conversion and delivery systems for industrial, commercial, residential, and utility applications.

Program activities are organized under two main thrusts:

Distributed Generation Technology Development
This effort seeks to develop a portfolio of electricity generation and heat utilization technologies with a focus on efficiency, emissions, RAMD (reliability, availability, maintainability and durability) and meeting cost targets. By improving the efficiency of thermally activated systems and advancing the efficiency and emissions characteristics of these power generation technologies, the program provides the building blocks necessary to develop advanced, integrated systems.

Integrated Energy Systems
The focus of this effort is to develop highly efficient integrated energy systems that can be replicated across end-use sectors and that will help demonstrate an R&D objective or address a technical barrier.

Dept of Energy

By H. JOSEF HEBERT
Associated Press Writer
Published: February 23, 2009

4:28 p.m.

WASHINGTON (AP) – Democratic congressional leaders and the Obama administration indicated Monday that they will push for greater federal authority to locate electric transmission lines, saying the current power grid stands in the way of developing alternative energy sources.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he will soon introduce legislation that gives federal regulators authority to override states on electric grid placement decisions as part of a package of energy proposals the Senate is expected to take up in the coming weeks.
“We cannot let 231 state regulators hold up progress,“ Reid said, referring to the members of state public utility commissions that decide on transmission locations in the states. He said states should be given every opportunity to participate but that “there may come a time when the federal government will have to step in,“ including directing the taking of land for grid corridors.
A clean energy conference that included former Vice President Al Gore and former President Bill Clinton focused extensively on the need for a national “smart” grid to transport electricity, including an expansion of the system to bring wind and solar energy from remote locations to the nation’s cities”…

” Former New York Gov. George Pataki, one of the few Republicans at the conference, said the federal government must get more involved in establishing power transmission lines.
“If you try to run a wire through someone’s community, that becomes about as contentious as you get,“ said Pataki, and if that power is going through a state, he said, “you don’t have to take a poll – no one is going to be for it.“

They are state regulators! Over 200 of them

The Expert answers:

No one is forcing us to buy oil. No one is forcing us to burn it at a profligate rate which we are doing. We dug our own hole, now we have to lie in it. Why blame the sellers of oil for selling it at prices fixed in London and New York, etc. You might as well blame farmers and supermarkets for holding us ransom. I suppose you do.

The sight of Gordy going cap in hand to ask them to help us stop using so much oil is so ridiculous that even the Monty Python team would have been rolling on the floor with mirth. Like the drinks companies are going to invest in the Temperance movement!

You ask why foreign utility company charge us more than they charge in their home country. What do you think their govt and citizens would do if they charged their own people more than they charge their foreign customers? Say, if BG were to charge the Brits more than they were charging the French or Germans. Of course, they have to charge foreigners more.

And of course we should be energy/food/politically/industrially/culturally/etc., independent, but that’s all wishful thinking. Our leaders and our political system will not allow it. Our liberal democracy has led to weak government and indecisiveness. Shareholders do not give a toss for nationalistic causes. They are only interested in making more money. Let’s not blame the Arabs or Russians, or foreigners.

BTW, the reason why oil prices spike is that most of the oil futures are held by people with links to certain leaders. When the time comes for them to dispose of their contracts, a word in the ears of some people, and another hint to bomb Iran is dropped. Prices go up, and voila, more billions in the coffers. But try and get the evidence, and you are history.

The Expert answers:

An Electrical engineering or Mechanical engineering degree would be key, since renewable energy is about electrical generation and about structural integrity.

But I doubt that more specialized engineering is required, other than experience.

The Expert answers:

Well whatever it is they don’t have a clue !? Seeing as the sun has 4000 billion years of energy available before it starts to fade, which could easily be used if every building had some form of solar panels, to provide free electricity globally. And despite the fact that the earth is 70% water and that is two parts Hydrogen they can’t get to grips with electrolysis (lol i can’t spell it) which the ancient egyptians may have discovered due to findings of lead in clay pots similar to car batteries which produce hydrogen from water; as a clean burning fuel !? Sheeez they can’t even find enough land to
plant Bio Fuel nor places to park wind turbines formerly known as windmills or water wheels in the sea . Who on Earth would want Free energy when they can pay for fossil fuels at extortianate prices !?

The Expert answers:

Almost all industry has the power to create jobs. Most of the jobs created by what is called American industry are in other countries. Small Business probably creates more good jobs than big business and we need to support them and help them grow by buying their products instead of foreign made whenever possible.

The Expert answers:

Have you tried to do an on line job search?
That might turn up something for you.

Best of luck

The Expert answers:

Using less coal will mean fewer coal miners.

Using less petroleum will mean fewer guys working on those deep ocean well drilling rigs.

Using more Wind will mean more money for the farmers that have windmills on their land. And Studying the effects of killing birds from the blades.

Using more solar will mean lots more folks trained on how to install solar panels.

All this also means changes in College courses to prepare for degrees in these areas.

Less petroleum imported will mean a better balance of payments for Commerce.

Less petroleum means less reliance on Air transport and a shift to higher speed trains.

Airplanes are one of the least efficient users of petroleum. Soon Air travel will be only for the very important, rich or for a very infrequent trip.

People will live closer to work unless public transit is available.

If we go to food based crops for energy it will mean we starve people and start wars over food. (BAD idea)

conservation will be very IN due to the higher cost per watt from renewable sources.

The Expert answers:

This is a very old literature. However, the “new classic” book is “The Spatial Economy” by Fujita, Krugman, and Venables. There is some mathematics in the book, but the basic principles can be understood, I think, if you ignore the math.

The Expert answers:

What do you think you ll build a new house every quarter???
If yes then there is no need for design of a sustainable, if not to live there for years you have to design properly…

The Expert answers:

I think sustainable development enduring high standard of living and increase productivity easily apply and feasible to rich resources country, like Canada. For instance, they can log the whole mountain of woods and replant it. Many years later, the whole mountain goes green again. Salmon hacting by manual spawning can increase its productivity is common in Canada. They grow wheats and mustard a lot there, too. People can buy cheaper draft beer and more hotdogs go with mustard. In contrary, Hong Kong is not a viable city to provide sustainable development for its six million plus citizens because it’s not a natural resources base city, and government personnel has taken too much money out of the system and spend lavishingly too much for themselves. I think a city or country must have good leaders to provide sustainable development endure high standard of living and increase productivity. Hong Kong is just a city become the people don’t give a damn to each other. The inflation goes up rapidly and the government just by selling the lands at extra high prices and investing the monies into the foreign currency exchanges and stock markets. Hong Kong is notoriously known as top five most expensive and polluted city in this world. Hong Kong has the highest poor and rich gap in this world with gini coefficient of 0.5333 and 0.3 is the norm. How to remove the poverty in Hong Kong, for instance, Hong Kong government should cut the overpaid civil servants salaries, lower the property values, keep the Heng Seng index down to less than 10000 point. Then Hong Kong will become a cheaper city to live. Educational subsidary has provided free education up to grade 9 now. In most countries, free education is up to grade 12 or completion of secondary school .

The Expert answers:

Renewable energy is energy generated from natural resources—such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat—which are renewable (naturally replenished)Renewable energy is derived from natural processes that are replenished constantly. In its various forms, it derives directly from the sun, or from heat generated deep within the earth. Included in the definition is electricity and heat generated from solar, wind, ocean, hydropower, biomass, geothermal resources, and biofuels and hydrogen derived from renewable resources.

Each of these sources has unique characteristics which influence how and where they are used.

Sustainable energy sources are most often regarded as including all renewable sources, such as biofuels, solar power, wind power, wave power, geothermal power and tidal power. It usually also includes technologies that improve energy efficiency

The Expert answers:

A big rise in oil prices and a decentralization and decorporatization of agriculture.

Farming will have to go from feeding the world to feeding regions. We will need a lot of 500 acre diversified farms, instead of CFO and mono cropping over millions of acres.We will also need urban growing and people growing at least 15% of their own food.

It will likely take not just petroleum getting too expensive to use for farming but also massive famines over the world, rioting and millions dying before anything really changes.

The Expert answers:

Get a used TOyota Prius, it is good on gas

The Expert answers:

Toyota Hybrid Prius. It runs half on batteries and half on gas. So it pollutes a lot less. I think it’s great that your trying to help our environment. It’s very hard to find caring people now, and this is partly the cause of global warming.
Hope I helped! =]

The Expert answers:

It depends upon how you measure “success.” Every available electric vehicle is sold and demand exceeds supply by about 2500 to 1 (10 Nissan Leaf available to 25,000 presently on waiting list.) There is no market for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Only about 500 are available for lease in California. Hybrids are popular but old news.

Alternatively you could say that such alternative fuel vehicles represent only a handful of total sales.

The Expert answers:

1 Honda is one of the most responsible companies of the industries and is having some vibrant features of eco friendly attitude to deal with the global climate changes. The company has decided fixed strategy to cop up with the most dangerous issue in front of the world and has added these features in all upcoming models of company.

1 Improving fuel efficiencies

Honda is the highest fleet-averaged fuel efficient cars of US since last Fifteen years. Also they have applied these efficiencies in all the new models as well.

2 Emission Reductions

New Honda cars are equipped with some of the best gasoline powered engines, clear and smoother valve and below the emission standard rates.

3 Energy productions

New Honda care are enriched with the new fuel cell technology in which the refuelling of energy infrastructure is developed and also the Solar and Natural Gas is being produced to make the best ever production unit.

These are the fields where the new Honda cars have improved to the higher side and have made greater improvement.

The Expert answers:

I’m sorry, most of these answers appear to be mostly wrong, I’ll get straight to the point.

The SmartVille Production Plant: No CFCs and the only pollutant is the overspray from the powdercoating, and that’s only 2% of the powdercoating ends up as unsusable. Even then, that 2% is water soluable so really the plant has 0 pollutants or emissions.

The car itself is 98% recyclable. And that remaining 2% is made into more smart cars so that basically makes the car 100% recyclable. The car’s battery is even 100% recyclable.

The vehicle’s emissions are very close to that of a Prius at about 0.22 tons.
The diesel smart’s emissions are even lower than the Prius emissions.
All smarts use synthetic oil which is 100% recyclable.
All smarts are classifyed as an Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV)

The body panels are molded in color and are also 100% recyclable.
The steel parts are rust protected and powdercoated (machine sprays a sort of powder-like paint at the car, powdercoating is much greener than traditional painting).

Now to purchase price and what smarts you could buy (if you live in the US)

There are 4 US trims available, all current model 451 smart fortwo…

The pure – $11,990 – all the essentials, nothing else, not even AC

The passion coupe – $13,990 – the smart in its luxury form, options go on from a premium sound system with tweeters, mid-range, and a subwoofer to the comfort package with leather seating, seat heating, power steering, and fog lamps, panorama roof designed by Bayer Material Sciences is included.

The passion cabriolet – $16,990 – this smart comes with everything that the passion coupe can have but with a cabriolet roof. One touch and the roof will open like a sun roof. Another touch and it’ll move into a full convertible position. This can be done at any speed. To add on, you could remove the upper Tridion Cell bars to full the effect.

The BRABUS coupe and cabriolet – $17,990-$20,990 – BRABUS is just one of Mercedes Benz’s most famous modifiers. The US versions come with an upgraded exhaust system and suspension upgrades along with the BRABUS styling and body kits.

There are more models one could obtain in the USA by the “grey market” These are:

The smart city coupe – this is the original smart fortwo, made for Europe and is imported to the USA by G&K. These come in very limited numbers and are actually shorter than the USA model.

The smart roadster – this is the fastest smart to come off the production line. These had a limited production of only 5,000 models. These were never imported to the USA and got here by other means (military, etc.). These are extremely rare to find in the states and as the numbers aren’t solid, there’s probably less than 50 of these roadsters in the USA, making it a very rare find. They don’t have an electronic limiter so they’re top speed is whatever your red line is in 6th gear. Stock red line is at 125mph.

Now to the reasons you should buy a smart.

– To start off the smart has some of the lowest insurance costs in all of the USA.

As for safety the smart has received the highest ratings of all subcompacts. And the smart has received the IIHS highest rating of “GOOD” overall.

In roof crush tests the smart beat the competition by a mile because roof crush is over 9,000 pounds. It earned “GOOD” in this test as well.

‘The smart brand (spelled in lowercase by the manufacturer) is a combination of Swatch, Mercedes and ART. The Swatch company had the idea for removable body panels, but is no longer involved with the smart’. The smart brand continued this idea of low cost, high quality removable body panels to this day.

And because of this, the smart was the only car to pass the IIHS’ 2.5 mph bumper test. The damage caused to the vehicle would have to cost less than $500.The smart’s body panel totaled around $190. All others had failed because of their poorly designed and expensive bumpers.
The smart has received the overall ratings in these categories:

Roof: “GOOD”
Front: “GOOD”
Side: “GOOD”
Rear: “ACCEPTABLE”
Overall: “GOOD”

Some smart owners have already gotten into a crash with their smart and have shared their amazing stories which add to the smart’s credibility. That site is here: www.safeandsmart.com

There’s a video that had surfaced on the internet recently about how small cars fail at safety. In the video they had tested a Yaris, a Fit, and a smart. The Yaris and the Fit’s passenger compartment had buckled under the force of their heavier counterparts and the Yaris driver’s head even hit the other Toyota’s hood. Indicating serious head injury. The results of both cars indicated serious if not fatal injury to the driver.

In the smart’s test the smart crumpled to the passenger compartment, rebounded, and spun off into the corner. Results indicated high possibiliy of broken legs and a possibility of head injury. The smart still scored higher than the competition and the driver would still most likely live, and the legs would heal.

There’s another video from Fifth Gear and they smash a smart into a wall at 70mph. And then they test a four door compact at the same speed. Both cars did exceedingly well at keeping their shape.

Without even considering that the smart did about the same as a car larger than it is, people stuck to the conclusion that the car is a deathtrap.

Another is that the shear force of an accident would kill you in a smart because such car with little crumple zones would mean a higher deceleration rate. The smart compensates with this by not only dissipating force through the wheels but with seatbelt tensioners that act with just enough force to not dig into your neck.

Fifth Gear described all of the smart’s safety systems that reduce those forces on your body. Crash testing reveals that the seatbelts limit the force on the body and makes it feel as if the car didn’t stop as rapidly. Some other conventional cars don’t do that.

And about injuries? Quote on quote from that video: “The cars may have stood up to the severity of the crash surprisingly well but the humans inside, wouldn’t”.

Here’s the video.

Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju6t-yyoU…

So yes, the smart is just as safe as some larger cars. No it is not a deathtrap and you cannot use a 70mph crash as an excuse because the car’s opponent did just as bad.

The smart plant in Hambach, France opened its doors in 1998 rolling the first city coupe off the line. But smart’s roots go all the way back to around 1996 when ideas were rolling and the first “smarts” were on the road.

Additionally, according to Gizmag, the smart brand is the 5th “most reliable” car brand available in the USA. And this is just after only 11 years after smart opened its doors.
Here’s how the smart compares to other fuel sippers:

Through long term testing, the little smart has proven to cost less in the long run than any other full petrol powered vehicle.

Here are my equations for how much I’m saving with a smart compared to a Yaris and a Prius:

smart fortwo: 41mpg after break in (EPA estimate for highway) equates to a 357mi range on one 8.7 gallon tank. At current local gas prices ($2.70 Premium) the smart gets that 357mi with only $23. Not bad, weekly lunch costs more than that.

Okay now to a Prius, estimating 48mpg (EPA estimate for highway) after break in and with an 11.9 gallon tank this equates to a range of 571mi. And with gas ($2.50 Unleaded) it would cost $30. Not bad either, for ten more bucks you could go 200 more miles.

Now to the Yaris, estimating 36mpg after break in (EPA estimate for highway) and with its 11.1 gallon tank it has a range of 399mi but it requires extra gallons to reach that and with the gas ($2.50 Unleaded) it will take $28 to fill up a Yaris.

Here are the standings:

Prius – $30 – 571mi – 48mpg
Yaris – $28 – 399mi – 36mpg
smart – $23 – 357mi – 41mpg

Now let’s consider buying price and later purchases (batteries):

Base models:

smart fortwo pure – (automated manual transmission) $11,990 – no A/C – no power accessories (excluding locking), no radio. Side airbags included

Yaris – (manual transmission) $12,205 – CD player standard, A/C, side airbags NOT included but are “optional” (receives “POOR” for side impact safety without it (08’ models only))

Prius – (automatic) $22,000 – CD player standard, Eco A/C, side airbags included

Fully Loaded:

smart fortwo cabriolet (convertible) – (automated manual) $20,000 – Navigation with Bluetooth and iPod control, leather seating/heating, fog lamps, security system with immobilizer, power steering. Etc…

Yaris (2 dr coupe) – (automatic) $22,157 – iPod compatible stereo, power upgrades, style upgrades, safety upgrades, security system.

Prius – (automatic) $35,173 – eco friendly materials, navigation, remote start, solar panel cooling.

Prius battery change – every 100,000-200,000 miles/ 8 years at a price of $2,500.

Yearly costs (if driven 1,000mi a month):

Prius – $612 @ 1.7 fill ups a month @ $30 a fill up @ $2.50gal
smart – $773 @ 2.8 fill ups a month @ $23 a fill up @ 2.70gal
Yaris – $843 @ 2.51 fill ups a month @ $28 a fill up @ $2.50gal

With those $194 gas savings it’ll take a Prius 94 years to offset the cost of a smart. And that does not include the 100,000-200,000mi/ 8 year battery change.

Parts cost of the smart: (these high strength body panels awarded the smart “GOOD” for bumper crush resistance tests)(this is if your insurance company does not pay, out of pocket etc.):

$190 for single body part
$1,000 for whole new body replacement (including installation)

Parts cost on “traditional” cars (Prius, Yaris, F-150):

The Expert answers:

Http://dmoz.org/Science/Environment/News_and_Media/

or

http://directory.google.com/Top/Science/Environment/News_and_Media/

The Expert answers:

Check out this website
http://www.floridaoceanographic.org/

Locally here in Martin County, Florida we have to deal with the water discharges from Lake O. That are damaging our St. Lucie River and it’s ecosystems.

The Expert answers:

Http://www.thepaperboy.com/

The Expert answers:

Sometimes ‘environment’ seems like a luxury to developing countries. But stories such as desertification in north-western China (affecting not only farmers but also the dust-storms in Beijing) and city pollution in India shows it ain’t.

Chile has I believe been pretty good at laws to protect miners and the land from excessive pollution from copper mining.

Environment protection can be done and it is usually the poor who benefit most when it is done.

The Expert answers:

I wish i had the internet when i was at school i would be asking people to do this all the time:)

The Expert answers:

I suspect the door-to-door option, it seems like what a “community organizer” would do and everyone always goes back to their roots when it comes to solving complex problems.

The Expert answers:

This probably isn’t a good answer but…I’m going to state my opinion anyway.

If you’re going into that field you will probably have to take a lot of chemistry and math classes..and have a good back ground with chemistry. So, in the long run..if you can’t be a petroleum engineer, I think you’d be able to get a job in chemical engineering. Think about it, if the need isn’t in petroleum, it’ll be in another field of chemicals.

The Expert answers:

Yes. Whatever you think about the Clintons, you can’t deny the fact that they created 25 million new jobs.

The Expert answers:

Sure, all energy companies have varying demand for developers to suport internal systems and develop applications. Not knowing where you are located it is tough to give much help. I would look at websites for energy companies you know about and see if they have a job listing page. A lot of companies post jobs on their websites these days.

The Expert answers:

YES! ABSOLUTELY!!! The application of physics is what inventors practice on a daily basis. As for the type of job, that would mainly be design engineer. One thing that you can do is think out of the box. You should delve into the practice critical thinking. You can do is apply the use of neodyme magnets for turning a generator, ask yourself questions such as “what would this do in a vacuum environment”? Will it increase the energy output? What natural kinetic energies can be used to turn a generator? What size unit would power a home? Is there any electronic pollution and if there is can I convert that pollution into etheric energy?