Excerpt from Chapter 1 of Save Gas, Save the Planet: John Addison’s book about hybrid and electric cars, pathways to low carbon driving, and the future of sustainable transportation. © 2009 John Addison. All rights reserved.

Your Next Vehicle

Many Americans are going through decisions similar to the Eubanks. They are interested in ending the ridiculous amounts of money they spend at the pump. They do not know whether to get a new vehicle now, or wait for much better fuel economy with future cars such as plug-in hybrids. They want to save gas, but not at the expense of safety.

The decision is easier for those households with two or more vehicles. The vehicle with the best fuel economy can be used to put on the most miles. If all the vehicles are gas guzzlers, this is a great time to replace one.

If you’re ready to buy now, first consider cars that get at least 30 miles per gallon. If you can afford it, don’t settle for less than 40 miles per gallon. Too many people settle for half that mileage or worse, spending thousands of extra dollars each year. You do not need to wait for future technologies or even invest in a full-featured plug-in hybrid, hydrogen, or electric vehicle. Do not let your decision be clouded with claims about ethanol, biodiesel, and flexfuel. Thanks to new designs and materials, most car buyers can afford a car that offers over 30 miles per gallon (mpg).

When you have a few likely candidates, investigate their safety ratings. Safercar.gov rates most cars with one to five stars in the following safety categories: frontal driver, frontal passenger, side driver, side rear passenger, and rollover. High mileage champions like the Toyota Prius score 4 stars, or better, in all categories. The larger Toyota Camry Hybrid scores higher with 5 stars in all categories except a 4 in rollover. The smaller Smart Fortwo scores 3 in some categories. The Ford Escape Hybrid scores 5 in all categories except a 3 in rollover safety. The massive Chevrolet Suburban also scores 5 in all categories except a 3 in rollover safety.

After investigating your needs, fuel economy, and safety, it is highly beneficial to take test drives and even rent your top candidate for a couple of days.

If you can wait until the end of 2010, your choices will be amazing. You will be able to buy a vehicle that gets 100 miles per gallon or a zero-emission electric vehicle.

By going on an energy diet we can have healthy cities, be energy independent, and stop global warming. If we improve gas mileage by only 4 percent annually for 22 years, we could cut vehicle greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent.

Will improved mileage ever be accomplished? Yes, in fact, in Europe, there are over 100 car models that get 40 miles per gallon. In Asia, over 40 million people drive light electric vehicles – a trend that will be detailed in the next chapter. In the United States, there is tremendous innovation in plug-in hybrid technology, electric drive systems, advanced batteries, and fuel cells.

We are just getting started with fuel economy innovation.

The Loire Valley in France brings images of magnificent castles, breathtaking landscape, superb wine, and driving 10,705 miles per gallon. Yes, you read that right – over 10,000 mpg and the fuel was gasoline. A team of students at La Joliverie won the Shell Eco-Marathon race with this remarkable fuel economy. It was not an electric vehicle. It was not even a hybrid. The vehicle was shaped for minimal wind resistance. The vehicle was also built with new materials that are lighter, stronger, and available in some new models now in car showrooms.

The Loire vehicle would not be practical for many people. It could not go fast. It only held one person. It was so low to the ground that the driver was required to lie flat. However, many vehicles with good mileage are practical.

We have one global trend towards fuel and energy efficiency, and an opposing force towards increased consumption. Our future depends on efficiency being the winner. Amory Lovin’s and his colleagues at the Rocky Mountain Institute have calculated that moving our typical car with its internal combustion engine wastes over 90 percent of the energy content in the gasoline used. If it is a 200-pound driver in a 4,000-pound vehicle, then 98 percent of the energy was not used in moving the person.

Fortunately, there are many solutions. In the chapters that follow we will evaluate fuels that are alternatives to petroleum including ethanol, biodiesel, natural gas, and hydrogen. We will hear from people driving plug-in hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles. The best solution for you depends on your particular needs.

Your Next Vehicle – Save Gas, Save The Planet Excerpt is a post from: Clean Fleet Report

Smiles Per Gallon

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference.”

-Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken

The Eubank family was interested in replacing one of their SUVs with a fuel-efficient car. In their energy-efficient home, they reduced their carbon footprint and were rewarded with big savings in their electricity bill. Now it was time to take on the vehicles.

They considered everything from vehicles running on biofuel, to turbodiesels, to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, to plug-in hybrid conversion, to electric vehicles. Many of these vehicles had good fuel economy and range because they were lighter four- door sedans.

Safety and storage were major concerns in their decision. Like many families, the Eubanks wanted to do their part to help with energy independence from foreign oil. They also wanted to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A typical SUV in the United States produces about 12 tons of CO2 emissions per year; a fuel-efficient hybrid only one-third that amount. The family saw a major opportunity to reduce its carbon footprint.

Bob liked the safety of their two SUVs. His safety concerns were increasing as his daughter, Meili, approached driving age. As a protective father, his first instinct was to get a Hummer, or at least an armored-plated Volvo station wagon. Meili, an “A” student who had written papers about the environment, liked the idea of an electric car. Her brother Tai, who also cared about the environment, said his favorite vehicle was his bicycle.

Weihong, as a busy mother and business owner, weighed practical issues such as having room for several people, school stuff, sports equipment, storage boxes for the business and more. Everything had to fit in a trunk to meet their demanding schedule of school drop-offs, pick-ups, business meetings, golf, and swim lessons. Because the family liked their hybrid Toyota Highlander SUV, they were interested in the Toyota Prius. They had talked to Prius owners who loved the hybrid car and achieved over 50 miles per gallon, but they were concerned about safety and storage.

The Eubanks realized they could use the larger Highlander for longer trips to carry more people and large items like skis, surfboards, or bicycles. The Prius would meet their normal daily needs, including carrying up to five people. Weihong carefully measured the space needed for two backpacks loaded with school books, a storage box, two sets of golf clubs, two sets of sports bags, and a normal load of groceries. Yes, they would all fit in the Prius’ trunk.

Bob and Weihong reviewed safety evaluations from sources such as Consumer Reports. Sedans, such as the Prius, scored high on safety due to dual front and side airbags, and high-scores in crash tests. Yes, you can find adaptive air-bag systems, anti-lock breaks, adjustable seat belts and other safety features in big and heavy SUVs. You can also find them in fuel saving four-door sedans.

But aren’t SUVs safer? “In stop and go commuter traffic, you’re more likely to get in a rear-end collision than any other crash type,” says David Zuby, Senior Vice President, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Vehicle Research Center. The Institute determined that the designs of seats and head restraints in 21 current SUV, pickup, and minivan models are rated good for protecting people in rear impacts, but those in 54 other models are rated marginal or poor. Big vehicles are not necessarily safe, and some of the safest vehicles are cars with better maneuverability.

The Eubanks’ research and test drive of a Prius resolved their safety concerns. The car scored well on air bags and crash tests. They liked optional safety features such as cruise control for driving at a safe speed, GPS for eyes-on-the road navigation, and a backup camera. They decided that the Prius was as safe as their SUV. In fact, when Meili starts driving, she may find it easier to maneuver than a large SUV.

The Eubanks now happily drive the Prius. In fact, they make every effort to put most of their miles on the hybrid car and leave their remaining SUV parked. Some weeks, this approach cuts their gas costs in half compared to their two-SUV approach. In two years, this family may replace their other SUV. As you will learn in the following chapters, their alternatives will be more exciting than ever.

Bob and Weihong are parents who want their children to have a great education, a childhood rich in opportunity, and positive experiences. They also want their children to have a secure future. Without sacrificing safety or vehicle needs, the Eubanks now live in better harmony with their values about energy security and being environmentally friendly.

The Eubanks have doubled their miles per gallon and tripled their smiles per gallon.

Visit Amazon for free look inside or discount on paperback and kindle ebook.

© 2009 John Addison. All rights reserved.

Smiles per Gallon – Save Gas, Save The Planet Excerpt is a post from: Clean Fleet Report

Excerpt from the Prologue of Save Gas, Save the Planet: John Addison’s book about hybrid and electric cars, pathways to low carbon driving, and the future of sustainable transportation. © 2009 John Addison. All rights reserved.

You Can Make a Difference

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

-Margaret Mead

You can make a difference. Save Gas, Save the Planet tells the story of two new types of heroes: the “car-light” and the “car-free.” The car-light are the people who have dramatically reduced their gas usage, thereby helping save the planet and increasing their bank accounts. The car-light includes those that drive less, do not always drive solo, and use vehicles that get over 40 miles per gallon. The car-free are the millions of people who do not own a car. They prefer to use public transit, car sharing, bicycles, and walking.

The first chapters of Save Gas, Save the Planet will help you consider what you want in your next car. You may already have one fuel-efficient vehicle. You are debating whether the other vehicle should be replaced with a hybrid, a diesel, a flexfuel vehicle running on ethanol, or possibly a zero-emission alternative. These chapters describe the clean vehicles being driven today including hybrids, plug-in hybrids, biofuel vehicles, electric vehicles, and hydrogen vehicles. Issues are clarified. Myths are dispelled, including ones that suggest that these technologies are in the distant future.

You will find a number of ideas for improving your lifestyle in the middle chapters of Save Gas, Save the Planet. Millions reduce driving by participating in flexible work programs. People commute together and share rides. Many employers pay for these commute programs. There are many ways to reduce miles and improve fuel economy with your current car.

Each chapter concludes with suggested action that you can take as an individual and steps you can take to help save the planet. Your actions and your words will influence more people than you expect. Supported with the facts and examples in the pages that follow, you may inspire children, sway friends, and improve employer commute programs. You might even persuade your community to improve transportation.

Some of the 94 solutions contained in Save Gas, Save the Planet are free and simple. Other solutions require more thoughtful approaches to work, commuting, sharing vehicles, or making the best choice when buying a new vehicle. You may gain free hours and reduce stress by participating in flexible work programs, using a home office, and replacing some drives with bike rides and walks. None of these are all-or-nothing ideas. Consider realistic improvements for yourself, your family, your friends, and your community.

Be inspired by how people are living better and making a difference. Enjoy the journey.

Visit Amazon for free look inside or discount on paperback and kindle ebook.

© 2009 John Addison. All rights reserved.

You Can Make a Difference – Save Gas, Save The Planet Excerpt is a post from: Clean Fleet Report

Worldwatch Institute Report Summary (1/12/11)

Worldwatch Institute released its report State of the World 2011: Innovations that Nourish the Planet, which spotlights successful agricultural innovations and unearths major successes in preventing food waste, building resilience to climate change, and strengthening farming in cities. The report provides a roadmap for increased agricultural investment and more-efficient ways to alleviate global hunger and poverty. Drawing from the world’s leading agricultural experts and from hundreds of innovations that are already working on the ground, the report outlines 15 proven, environmentally sustainable prescriptions.

“The progress showcased through this report will inform governments, policymakers, NGOs, and donors that seek to curb hunger and poverty, providing a clear roadmap for expanding or replicating these successes elsewhere,” said Worldwatch Institute President Christopher Flavin. “We need the world’s influencers of agricultural development to commit to longstanding support for farmers, who make up 80 percent of the population in Africa.”

State of the World 2011 comes at a time when many global hunger and food security initiatives-such as the U.S. Feed the Future program, the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP), and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) can benefit from new insight into environmentally sustainable projects that are already working to alleviate hunger and poverty.

Nearly a half-century after the Green Revolution, one billion are still chronically hungry. While investment in agricultural development by governments, international lenders and foundations has escalated in recent years, it is still nowhere near what’s needed to help the 925 million people who are undernourished.  Since the mid 1980s when agricultural funding was at its height, the share of global development aid has fallen from over 16 percent to just 4 percent today.

“The international community has been neglecting entire segments of the food system in its efforts to reduce hunger and poverty,” said Danielle Nierenberg, co-director of Worldwatch’s Nourishing the Planet project. “The solutions won’t necessarily come from producing more food, but from changing what children eat in schools, how foods are processed and marketed, and what sorts of food businesses we are investing in.”

Serving locally raised crops to school children, for example, has proven to be an effective hunger- and poverty-reducing strategy in many African nations, and has strong parallels to successful farm-to-cafeteria programs in the United States and Europe. Moreover, “roughly 40 percent of the food currently produced worldwide is wasted before it is consumed, creating large opportunities for farmers and households to save both money and resources by reducing this waste,” according to Brian Halweil, Nourishing the Planet co-director.

State of the World 2011 draws from hundreds of case studies and first-person examples to offer solutions to reducing hunger and poverty. These include:

In Kibera, Nairobi, the largest slum in Kenya, more than 1,000 women farmers are growing “vertical” gardens in sacks full of dirt poked with holes, feeding their families and communities. These sacks have the potential to feed thousands of city dwellers while also providing a sustainable and easy-to-maintain source of income for urban farmers. With more than 60 percent of Africa’s population projected to live in urban areas by 2050, such methods may be crucial to creating future food security. Currently, some 33 percent of Africans live in cities, and 14 million more migrate to urban areas each year. Worldwide, some 800 million people engage in urban agriculture, producing 15-20 percent of all food.

The Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) is using interactive community plays to engage women farmers, community leaders, and policymakers in an open dialogue about gender equity, food security, land tenure, and access to resources.  Women in sub-Saharan Africa make up at least 75 percent of agricultural workers and provide 60-80 percent of the labor to produce food for household consumption and sale, so it is crucial that they have opportunities to express their needs in local governance and decision-making. This entertaining and amicable forum makes it easier for them to speak openly.

Uganda’s Developing Innovations in School Cultivation (DISC) program is integrating indigenous vegetable gardens, nutrition information, and food preparation into school curriculums to teach children how to grow local crop varieties that will help combat food shortages and revitalize the country’s culinary traditions. An estimated 33 percent of African children currently face hunger and malnutrition, which could affect some 42 million children by 2025. School nutrition programs that don’t simply feed children, but also inspire and teach them to become the farmers of the future, are a huge step toward improving food security.

The State of the World 2011 report is accompanied by other informational materials including briefing documents, summaries, an innovations database, videos, and podcasts, all of which are available at www.NourishingthePlanet.org. The project’s findings are being disseminated to a wide range of agricultural stakeholders, including government ministries, agricultural policymakers, farmer and community networks, and the increasingly influential non-governmental environmental and development communities.

The Worldwatch Institute and the Nourishing the Planet project are gratefully supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and additional foundations, governments, and institutions including the Rockefeller and Surdna Foundations, the United Nations Foundation, the Goldman Environmental Prize, the Shared Earth Foundation, the Wallace Global Fund, the Winslow Foundation and many more.

State of the World 2011: Agriculture Innovation Is Critical to Stabilizing Climate is a post from: Clean Fleet Report

Excerpt from the Prologue of Save Gas, Save the Planet: John Addison’s book about hybrid and electric cars, pathways to low carbon driving, and the future of sustainable transportation. © 2009 John Addison. All rights reserved.

Transportation 2.0

During the next 20 years we will witness a major shift from vehicles that are mostly mechanical to vehicles that are primarily electronic. The success of hybrids heralds this new era. Electric motors are replacing internal combustion engines. In the parlance of technology, we could call this Car 2.0.

The transition to Car 2.0 is complicated. Current batteries are not sufficient for all vehicle uses. Hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and hydrogen fuel cells will compete in extending the range and performance of vehicles with electric drive systems. The engines in these vehicles will be next generation biofuels blended with petroleum fuels.

Slowly but surely, electricity will replace most petroleum fuel. The source of the electricity is in transition as renewable energy replaces coal-powered generation of electricity. A smart grid will increasingly deliver solar and wind power from remote locations to the hearts of our cities.

We are also witnessing more than Car 2.0; we see the beginnings of Transportation 2.0. In 2008, use of rail and public transit set records as Americans drove 100 billion less miles than in 2007. Modern cities use electric powered light-rail. In the future much of those cities will be connected with the electric-powered high-speed rail that is common in Europe and parts of Asia.

Five million new jobs can easily be created in building electric vehicles, expanding public transportation, connecting our great nation with high-speed rail, installing solar power, wind power, other renewable energy, and building a network with smart grids. To create these jobs, however, a smaller number of jobs will be lost as fewer low-mileage vehicles are built, as electric components replace mechanical, and as renewables replace fossil fuel.

More will be required than the $17 billion provided at the end of 2008; needed is vision and a will to change. The transition to Transportation 2.0 will not be smooth; it will not be pretty. Some corporations, jobholders, and special interests tied to old paradigms will continue to fight change and continue to sue states that try to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, this will be a squandered opportunity for those corporations to be global leaders and to be job creators.

As this book goes to press, the auto industry is in a great transition. The future will be bright for those that seize the opportunity to lead in Transportation 2.0. Because automakers are financially challenged, some of the new vehicles, which are discussed, will not come to market. Some will not make it into production. Yet many exciting new vehicles will be in your immediate future. The solutions are here. They are described in the chapters that follow.

Visit Amazon for free look inside or discount on paperback and kindle ebook.

© 2009 John Addison. All rights reserved.

Transportation 2.0 – Save Gas, Save The Planet Excerpt is a post from: Clean Fleet Report

Be inspired by the strategies and real-life stories in this new book by John Addison.

Available in paperback and ebook at Amazon and other booksellers.

• Improve the quality of your life
• Save thousands each year in vehicle costs
• Take advantage of flexible work
• Avoid unnecessary stress when you travel
• Help the country end its dependency on oil
• Stop the climate crisis
• Make the right decision when you buy a car

“Electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and next generation fuels are all part of the clean tech revolution. John Addison delivers the fascinating details of today and tomorrow.”
Clint Wilder
Co-Author of The Clean Tech Revolution and Contributing Editor at Clean Edge

Millions are spending less on gasoline, helping our country become energy secure, and reducing emissions. Every day, more people are riding clean, riding less, and riding together.

Explore clean vehicles that are becoming available and affordable including electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, hydrogen vehicles, turbodiesels, and new cars with great mileage. See how the best employers promote flexible work and commute programs. Learn how families and friends are taking new approaches to sharing gas misers, gaining free time in the process.

Develop new insights in the future of transportation, the auto industry, and into the great fuel race. Know your options for today and tomorrow. The solutions to saving money and saving the planet are now available.

“This is the best book that I have seen describing practical solutions for driving less and buying the right vehicle. John Addison offers accurate insights into the latest electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, biofuels, and flexible work strategies. As someone responsible for the air quality for 7.5 million people, I recommend this book.”
Jack Broadbent
Chief Executive Officer Bay Area Air Quality Management District

Contents

Prologue
1     Smiles per Gallon
2     The Promise of Electric Vehicles
3     Plug-in Drivers get Charged
4     Lighter than Air
5     Riding on Sunlight
6     The Temptation of Biofuels
7     Flexible Work and Flying Less
8     Cool Commutes
9     Yours, Mine and Ours
10    The Car-free Option
11    New Diet for Oil Addicts
12    Energy Security
13    Global Action
14    Living in a Sustainable City
15    What Choices Should You Make?

John Addison publishes the Clean Fleet Report. He is a member of the Western Automotive Journalists and of the Society of Environmental Journalists. His articles have appeared in print and electronic magazines with up to 1,000,000 readers including the CNET, Green Options, Cleantech Blog, and EV World. Mr. Addison is a popular speaker, conducting over 1,000 workshops in Europe, Asia and the Americas.

“Read this book if you care about the future of our children. John Addison details the transportation solutions that will bring clear skies and reduce dangerous greenhouse gas emissions. It is fascinating to read about everything from smiles per gallon to electric vehicles, from people oriented development to high speed rail, and from driving less to enjoying life more.”
Assemblywoman Fiona Ma,
California State Assembly Majority Whip

Save Gas, Save the Planet is a post from: Clean Fleet Report