Grist | Topics | 676 Results

RESULTS		Results 426 – 450 of 676
Page:1 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 28
Headline	Author	Published	Section
Top ten breakthroughs that could help cool the greenhouse Read and be dazzled by the techno-futurism	Gar Lipow	12 Dec 2006	Gristmill
David asked contributors for end-of-year lists. Since I normally focus on conservative assumptions, I thought I'd use it as an excuse to look at future breakthroughs and cost improvements. I was going to weasel by calling these "possibilities," but instead I decided to use the time-tested technique of public psychics: I'll call them predictions, crow over any that come true, and pretend the rest never happened. 1. Power storage that will make electric cars ...
Topics: cars, climate change adaptation, electric vehicles, energy, energy efficiency, hybrids, solar voltaic power, wind power (all these topics)

Plug-in hybrids: Lots of room Hybrids connected to the electrical grid could change the energy game	John McGrath	12 Dec 2006	Gristmill
The U.S. Department of Energy has concluded that the existing U.S. electrical grid -- without additional construction for generation or transmission -- could accommodate 180 million cars that draw their power from night-time (off-peak) electricity. That's about 85% of the cars in the country. The full report is not yet available, but based on the press release, there's lots of good news -- with some bad news mixed in. First, the good news: aside from dramaticall ...
Topics: electric vehicles, cars, hybrids (all these topics)

Grease Be With You An interview with Greasecar founder Justin Carven	Yolanda Crous	11 Dec 2006	Main Dish
Justin Carven. In the span of just two years, Justin Carven invented the first waste-oil conversion kit for diesel engines, graduated from Hampshire College, drove a vegetable-oil-fueled van across the country, and started his very own company. Six years later, Greasecar Vegetable Fuel Systems is selling so many conversion kits that Carven is talking about setting up franchises in India and Brazil. ...
Topics: biofuels, business, cars, energy, interview (all these topics)

Consumer Reports: E85 is jive Flex-fuel vehicles greenwash Detroit's SUV addiction.	Tom Philpott	08 Dec 2006	Gristmill
David mentioned something about it when it came out a couple of months ago, but as Grist wraps up its first week of biofuel coverage, it's worth pointing to again: after much testing and comparing, Consumer Reports finds the whole live-green-go-yellow, E85 thing pretty much a sham. As Grist readers will know, the government gives automakers a credit against their mileage requirements for every flex-fuel vehicle (able to run on ethanol, gas, or a mix). CR's conclusio ...
Topics: biofuels, cars, energy, ethanol (all these topics)

The Doctor Is in ... Your Tank An interview with Seattle biodiesel distributor Dan Freeman	Yolanda Crous	07 Dec 2006	Main Dish
Dan Freeman. As a kid, Dan Freeman experimented with using alcohol to run lawnmowers and minibikes. (Oh, to have been a fly on the wall for that parent-son conversation.) These days, he runs Dr. Dan's Alternative Fuel Werks, a Seattle-based biodiesel retail and distribution company with customers ranging from school districts to organic farmers to concerned individuals who want ...
Topics: biofuels, business, cars, energy, interview, placemaking, Seattle, Washington (all these topics)

Small Potatoes Using grease and other goodies, small biodiesel producers are making a big difference	Emily Gertz	07 Dec 2006	Main Dish
If you live in a city of any size, you've likely seen them out there: boxy little '80s-era foreign cars, bumpers adorned with pro-ecology and anti-war slogans, and references to "grease." Even the fumes they emit may smell different: literally like French fries, in some cases; like generic used vegetable oil in others. Foh sizzle my fuel-izzle. Photo: iStockph ...
Topics: biofuels, cars, energy, placemaking (all these topics)

Trouble at Muscle Beach? Grassroots biodiesel operations contend with industrial sand-kickers	Emily Gertz	07 Dec 2006	Main Dish
Can grassroots biodiesel projects deliver a steady supply of safely produced, high-quality fuel? Stickin' it to the man. Photo: Current TV Greg Hopkins, president of U.S. Biofuels, Inc., a mid-sized producer of biodiesel refined almost entirely from local Georgia waste poultry fat, isn't sure. U.S. Biofuels recently relocated its sole production plant in Rome, Ga., to a new 2 ...
Topics: biofuels, cars, energy, placemaking (all these topics)

Can My Car Do That? Find out which cars can run on ethanol and biodiesel	Kate Sheppard	05 Dec 2006	Main Dish
Going bio with your auto doesn't mean you have to invest in some strange contraption your neighbors will stare at. In fact, upward of 4 million cars currently on the road in the United States are already compatible with E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. More automakers are making new E85-ready models -- known as flex-fuel vehicles -- every year. To top that off, so to s ...
Topics: biofuels, cars, energy, ethanol (all these topics)

Top Goes the Diesel L.A. auto show sees Germans, GM committing to clean-tech cars		30 Nov 2006	Daily Grist
Top Goes the Diesel L.A. auto show sees Germans, GM committing to clean-tech cars This week's Los Angeles Auto Show has set the car world abuzz. General Motors, plagued by its gas-guzzling reputation and notorious electric-car bungle, announced its commitment to creating a rechargeable plug-in hybrid, becoming the first automaker to do so. "The technological hurdles are real, bu ...
Topics: cars, electric vehicles, hybrids, news, placemaking, renewable energy (all these topics)

Some Prius-mature celebration Car-maker planning to expand the family	Kate Sheppard	03 Nov 2006	Gristmill
The Prius may soon be more than just one oh-so-stereotyped hybrid motor vehicle. Toyota's talking about starting a family of the cars, and in this case I'd have to support wanton reproduction. The automaker announced this week that they are considering creating a line of the gasoline-electric cars. It could include a wagon and a smaller, Smart-Car-esque inner-city model. U.S. sales of the Prius fell in the first quarter of 2006 simply because Toyota couldn't keep up ...
Topics: business, cars, consumerism, electric vehicles, hybrids, Prius (all these topics)

Prius: the new drug dealer bling From the show Weeds	David Roberts	27 Oct 2006	Gristmill
Showtime's semi-hit show Weeds is about Nancy Botwin, a suburban stay-at-home mother of two boys who, after the death of her husband, turns to selling marijuana to make ends meet. Soon she starts growing too. I'm in the midst of watching the second season. With some partners, Nancy's just developed a new strain (dubbed "MILF weed" by Snoop Dogg himself) and started selling it. Cash is pouring in, so Nancy goes on a shopping spree. Here's a short clip of wha ...
Topics: cars, consumerism, electric vehicles, green living, messaging, Prius, TV (all these topics)

Commuting in America Turns out its done by single-driver car	David Roberts	16 Oct 2006	Gristmill
The Transportation Research Board has released its third annual report on Commuting in America. The news is pretty much all bad. Kevin Drum summarizes: ... the number of workers has increased by 31 million since 1980 while the number of workers who drive alone to work has increased by 34 million. Despite the population increase, carpooling is down (except in the West), transit use is down (except in the West), walking is down, and motorcycle use is down. The onl ...
Topics: cars, placemaking (all these topics)

Hybrid/Diesel pissing match -- it's all good We can all just get along	biodiversivist	30 Sep 2006	Gristmill
I was poking around on the net the other day and stumbled across a hybrid-vs.-diesel debate. It was beautiful. Guys were trying to convince other guys that their choice of car was better. They were doing what most guys do, compete with each other. What I loved about it was that they were competing over gas mileage and emissions instead of horsepower and load capacity. Here's an example:Here is the comparative data between the VW Jetta TDI- Automatic at 15,000 miles ...
Topics: biofuels, cars, electric vehicles, hybrids (all these topics)

White and nerdy Weird Al rocks my socks off	Sarah K. Burkhalter	28 Sep 2006	Gristmill
This video has nothing to do with the environment but my white and nerdy husband is insisting that I blog it perpetuates the stereotype that Priuses are white and nerdy. Sigh. The same implication is made for the Segway, but I can't say I disagree. Like him or not, there's no denying that Weird Al is a genius.
Topics: cars, celebrity, education, electric vehicles, hybrids, Prius (all these topics)

Engine Block On owning multiple cars	Umbra Fisk	27 Sep 2006	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, Your recent column suggested that the questioners sell one of their two cars, but I can't help wondering how much good that does for the environment, especially weighed against the annoyance cost of not having a second car when two people have to be going in opposite directions at the same time. I have a personal interest in this, as we have three cars: mine (a Prius, used for all errands and most weekend driving), his (f ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, cars, electric vehicles, green living, hybrids, placemaking, Prius (all these topics)

Nissan to build plug-in hybrids by 2010 Cool	Adam Browning	25 Sep 2006	Gristmill
According to the Bucharest Daily News (on the cutting edge of automotive news stories -- who knew?), Nissan plans to bring plug-in hybrids to market by 2010. Also, the California Air Resources Board ZEV Symposium, aka Electric-car-a-palooza, starts tomorrow. If Sacramento is not in your travel plans, try the webcast.
Topics: cars, electric vehicles, hybrids (all these topics)

A waste of print space If Friedman had a blog, he'd be learning right now	biodiversivist	17 Sep 2006	Gristmill
Sometimes Dave's remarks border on mustacheism. I suspect it is more envy than malice, and I am not saying that just because I have a mustache. I finally got around to reading the article Dave posted about and have decided to use the Gristmill bully pulpit rather than bury my thoughts (that grew into a diatribe) in the comments, thus boring to tears a wider audience. Sorry you can't read said article without a paying for it. I don't care much for newspapers. This piec ...
Topics: biofuels, Brazil, cars, food, politics (all these topics)

Hybrid placement Prius makes an appearance in Last Kiss	Sarah van Schagen	16 Sep 2006	Gristmill
So I've just returned home from a showing of Last Kiss, the new Zach Braff flick -- which, PS, pales next to Garden State -- and I'm excited to report that not only does Braff's character drive a Prius throughout the movie, but the car actually gets mentioned in the first two lines. As the film begins, the lens is focused knee-height at a number of women (with very nice legs) walking at a crosswalk. The camera then pans up very slowly to focus on the front of a bl ...
Topics: cars, celebrity, electric vehicles, hybrids, movies, Prius (all these topics)

Google Foundation to make plug-in hybrids And possibly sell them	Adam Browning	14 Sep 2006	Gristmill
My, my. Google searches, finds cause: According to people briefed on the program, the organization, called Google.org, plans to develop an ultra-fuel-efficient plug-in hybrid car engine that runs on ethanol, electricity and gasoline. They have about $1 billion in seed money.This is an extraordinary development.
Topics: business, cars, electric vehicles, hybrids (all these topics)

Plug-in vs. Plug-in hybrid CEO of nation's largest auto dealer gets behind the latter	Adam Browning	12 Sep 2006	Gristmill
'Who Killed the Electric Car?' conspiracies aside, why do I think plug-in hybrids will make it where strict plug-ins didn't? Because, at a gut level, I think more people would buy them. Americans are congenital dreamers. No matter that most trips are under 25 miles. If the car purchase in question does not let you indulge in the fantasy that one day you might just take that road-trip to Jazzfest, wheels hissing on the wet moon-lit roads through the bayou, air heavy wi ...
Topics: cars, electric vehicles, hybrids (all these topics)

Jump on the plug-in hybrid bandwagon	Adam Browning	25 Aug 2006	Gristmill
Consider this an open invitation to get on the plug-in hybrid bandwagon. Plug-in hybrids, for those not in the know, are hybrids whose batteries can be recharged by the grid. By running in electric-only mode as much as possible, emissions are reduced and efficiencies gained. The other week, I visited Prof. Andrew Frank at UC Davis, the popularly acclaimed father of the plug-in hybrid. Impressive stuff. Among the many vehicles his students have built, he's got ...
Topics: cars, electric vehicles, hybrids (all these topics)

Sticker Shock Absorber Some hybrids can pay back their price premium over time		24 Aug 2006	Daily Grist
Sticker Shock Absorber Some hybrids can pay back their price premium over time High price of hybrids got you down? According to the gurus at Edmunds.com, the cash some hybrid owners save on gas can make up for the sticker price. Hybrid cars and trucks cost between $1,200 and $7,000 more than their gas-chugging counterparts, but as analyst Alex Rosten s ...
Topics: cars, consumerism, electric vehicles, fuel efficiency, hybrids, news, placemaking, politics, Prius (all these topics)

Put a Plug in It On electric cars	Umbra Fisk	23 Aug 2006	Ask Umbra
Dearest Umbra, Why are electric cars considered so great? They don't pollute the air where they are driven. But certainly when they are plugged in they use energy from a power plant, which does pollute and also contributes to global warming. Doesn't this just move the pollution from one area to another? Then you have to consider that there are power losses when electric energy travels over transmission lines. Are electric cars more effi ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, cars, electric vehicles, energy efficiency, placemaking (all these topics)

Wash and Learn On washing your car	Umbra Fisk	21 Aug 2006	Ask Umbra
Dear Umbra, What can I do about washing my car in a more eco-friendly way? Is phosphate-free soap enough, or should I just suck it up and go to the drive-through car wash every time? Katie North Carolina Dearest Katie, You are one of those fastidious people I see busily washing their cars on Saturdays. I always wonder why some people are driven to go to such lengths, while others consider washing their cars somewhere below replacing t ...
Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, cars, green living, placemaking, renewable energy (all these topics)

Is a brand-new hybrid SUV a "grand" prize?	Sarah van Schagen	16 Aug 2006	Gristmill
As I've mentioned before, I'm definitely not a closet reality TV fan. But if I were, I might note that tonight is the finale of So You Think You Can Dance, a Fox gem by the creators of American Idol, except, you know, with dancing. (I mean, I assume.) Why am I mentioning this here? Well, the winner of tonight's show will go away with a grand-prize package that includes, in addition to a year's contract as a dancer with Celine Dion's Vegas show, a brand-new hybrid S ...
Topics: cars, electric vehicles, hybrids, TV (all these topics)

Page:1 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 28		Results 426 – 450 of 676

Stories About: cars