FuelMonger

With the New Year upon us, there’s never a more accommodating time to reflect on this past year and plan for the next. But how can YOU make a difference? Here are some ideas of green New Year’s resolutions for 2008.

1. Recycle. If you don’t already recycle, pick up a recycling bin from your waste management service. Or set a paper bag in your garage to collect up those plastic water bottles, plastic grocery bags or soda and beer cans. If you already do recycle, consider adding a new thing to recycle. Maybe you recycle cans, plastic bottles and newspapers. Consider adding soup cans, cardboard boxes (from frozen dinners, cereal boxes and milk cartons) or plastic milk jugs.

2. Change your fuel. If you have a flex-fuel car, identify the fueling stations that sell E85. Make it a point to fuel up there on a regular basis. You can look up your local E85 fueling stations at the Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuel Locater. If your car isn’t designed for E85, look for signs at your local service stations advertising E10. Many popular fueling stations sell E10 in their regular unleaded products. Find those locations and make it point to fuel up there!

3. Invest in green companies. Whether you’re already saving substantial money for retirement or its time to augment, consider environmentally-friendly companies. Not only will you be supporting in a good cause, you’ll be investing in the next big trend: greentech. Check out Kiplinger’s picks at http://www.kiplinger.com/magazine/archives/2007/10/25green.html.

4. Start a compost pile. While this might sound like quite a process, timing can make it easy. Before raking leaves, find a corner of the backyard to fence off with a small wire fence. Rake leaves and pack down in the corner. And take compost-rearing garbage to the pile to mulch. To prevent unpleasant odor, choose only orange peels, banana peels and the like to compost. Dig a hole within the mulch, place leftover fruit and vegetable waste and cover with leaves. The mulch makes excellent base for plants and trees.

5. Don’t bag those leaves. If a compost pile is too much, find a wooded area near you to dump fall leaves. Ensure it’s legal and won’t disrupt the ecosystem. Then rake leaves onto a large sheet, wrap and empty into the wooded area.

6. Buy organic. The chemicals used in practical but inorganic farming techniques prove contaminative. Buy organic when available. Not only will it help the environment, it may also keep your body free of certain toxins.

Looking for a place to fuel up with biodiesel? Check out www.biodiesel.org/buyingbiodiesel/retailfuelingsites.

www.washingtonpost.com
While India’s economy booms, small and medium business owners are unable to get their hands on energy-efficient systems. Some factories and office buildings run on outdated systems that require warming up and use up twice the energy necessary for half the output. While being green may be on the global forefront, currency leverage may prevent participation from some business owners.

www.cnn.com
It seems we can now be environmentally friendly even in death. Some companies have begun to market biodegradable coffins in an attempt to move the green movement into the afterlife. Biodegradable coffins are part of a larger trend toward “natural” burials, which require no formaldehyde embalming, cement vaults, chemical lawn treatments or laminated caskets.

www.latimes.com
Alon USA Energy Inc plans on cutting emissions in two of its refineries in Southern California. But not only will emissions be cut, output of fuel will double. Critics are skeptical, but CEO Jeff Morris plans on doing exactly that. If all goes through, these two refineries will not only be the most efficient in eco-friendly California but also in all the U.S.

After the death of the EV1 and the widespread recognition of the saga behind it, consumers wait for the next electric car. Here are a few on the market now.


1. The Tesla Roadster. Teslamotors.com
While you’ll be on a wait list until at least 2009, Tesla, out of California, offers the sleek vehicle that blends in with everyday traffic and runs $98,000.


2. ZAP. Zapworld.com
Zap already offers a full line of electric vehicles, some highway ready for high speeds on a chassis comparable to a gasoline-eating vehicle. Now Zap teams up with Lotus Engineering to work on another EV to blend the lines of physical characteristics and mechanical capabilities between gas-guzzlers and EVs.

Coming to a Dealership Near You?
There are a few companies out there with prospects on the 2008, 2009 and 2010 markets. Here’s a look at two.


1. Pininfarina EV. www.channel4.com
The Italian automaker linked up with Vincent Bollore (French financier) to manufacture an electric vehicle by the summer of 2009. Expect to see a prototype by the end of next year. Pininfarina is looking to sell about 15,000 units total per year in Europe, Japan and the US.


2. Chevy Volt. Chevrolet.com/electriccar
The all-elusive concept car received more interest from consumers than originally predicted. GM won’t get definite dates of manufacture, but say the chance is good. When asked for a date of production, GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said there’s a 55% chance the Volt will be manufactured in 2010.

www.editorial.autos.msn.com
Several start-ups are racing to build electric cars from scratch, a new company, Hybrid Technologies converts already popular car models to battery power. To Richard Griffiths, the founder and prolific spokesman for Hybrid Technologies, the goal is not to try and sell people on the idea of an electric vehicle, but rather to show them how much fun they can have in electric versions of their favorite cars. Griffiths wants people to start thinking of battery power as a kind of high-end option, like a convertible top or a navigation system.

Not sure where to recycle that old paint or those used batteries? Just go to earth911.org, enter in what you want to recycle and your zip code and you will receive a list of recycling centers in your area.

www.washingtonpost.com
Yesterday the EPA denied California’s attempt to cut green house gas emissions from 2009 to 2013. The EPA’s stance holds to constructing one solid federal plan as opposed to a patchwork of plans based on state.

www.cnn.com
College of the Atlantic, a private college with only 300 students, has become the nation’s first campus to become carbon-neutral. The school is buying carbon offsets from The Climate Trust of Oregon. It is one of 450 universities nationwide to make “net-zero” pledges.