Cow poop is a leading contributor of nitrous oxide and ammonia into the atmosphere, adding heartily to global warming. Cars, as we all know, provide their own fair share of noxious fumes to the environment. But a British team of engineers and racers is working on a way to kill two birds with one stone (metaphorically of course) by developing a race car that can run on cow poop.
Realizing that most technology found in our daily drivers was often first developed for the race track, Oaktec has announced plans to develop a manure-powered rally car, giving all new meaning to the phrase “This car runs like crap!” [ed. note: cow farts and burps contribute far more GHGs than poop, but hey, you gotta start somewhere]
Unless you spent last week celebrating Apollo 11’s fortieth anniversary cut off from the world in your backyard model of the lunar module, you are no doubt familiar with the story of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s arrest two weeks ago, the “race in America” sturm and drang that surrounded the story last week, and the headline-grabbing role President Obama stumbled into at the end of his prime time presser.
After the 60 kids arrived, however, it seemed they weren’t so welcome. Horace Gibson, a parent of a camper, told MSNBC:
The pool attendants came and told the black children that they did not allow minorities in the club and needed the children to leave immediately.
Would you like it in Valley Swim Club’s own words? John Duesler (feel free to pronounce that in any “similar” way you might need), the president of the club, said in a statement, which I assume he had the time to read before he issued:
There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion … and the atmosphere of the club.
I bring this to you not because it’s green parenting news, but because you, too, are probably trying to teach tolerance to your sweet little ones. And in my house, my children get the lesson by the differences in their own skin tones.
Sometimes though, EV face-offs on the drag track are just well…daft. Check out this hilarious footage of the recent Alternative Fuel Race 2009 in the UK featuring electric skateboards and battery-powered dune buggies.
This is a guest post by Dave Harcourt of Pretoria, who is active in information transfer for agricultural processing in Africa, mainly via the DIGIVU Blog.
South Africa, recently dogged by electricity shortages at the state-run generator (Eskom), is innovating strongly in the energy sector. I will be discussing examples of this innovation in future posts, but now for the first of several reports on newsworthy energy related events in South Africa.
South African Solar Challenge 2008
South Africa’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) was one of the supporters of the South African Solar Challenge 2008 solar car race, which ended at the Innovation Hub in Pretoria this week. Solar car races are by no means new, but this is the first time one has been run in South Africa. The race, which was noted in a recent post on solar cars, was organized by the Advanced Energy Foundation.
This 100% biodiesel-powered, 78 ft wave-piercing trimaran aims to set an around-the-world speed record while maintaining a net zero carbon footprint. The Earthraceleft Sagunto, Spain, on April 27, and has already made excellent time across the Atlantic, landing in Panama just 8 days later.
Inspired by the desire to “connect with people about the need to get renewable fuels into our energy mix and to inspire them to do something,” the Earthrace has already generated a whirlwind of publicity. Much of this is due to the boat’s eco-technological appeal. It’s been described as “a rally car but for oceans”, with the ability to submerge up to 23 feet underwater while powering through the ocean. The “eco-” part doesn’t just include circling the globe on 100% biodiesel. Parts of the boat are made from a hemp-based composite, bedding foams are made from canola oil, and the operation’s total carbon footprint has been balanced by purchasing carbon credits.
The grand-prize winners of the 2008 Shell Eco-Marathon race (pictured above) got an astonishing 2,843 MPG. Then again, is anyone surprised that a plastic canopy hooked to an engine got pretty good gas mileage?
Teams from around the world are gearing up for the Automotive X Prize, a competition that will award part of $10 million to the team that builds the cleanest production-ready 100 MPGe (mile per gallon equivalent) vehicle.
This isn’t a race centered on space-age concept cars that will never see a US highway, but aims to jump-start the auto industry with revolutionary, super-efficient vehicles that consumers will actually want to buy. Entries must be ready for production and have a business plan outlining how they’ll be brought to market. They’ll also be judged on safety, cost, and features.
On March 6, Earthrace - a powerboat run on biodiesel - will set off from Barbados on a trip to attempt to break the world record on circumnavigating the globe in a powerboat. However, the true Earthrace journey started over three years ago. Run by Pete Bethune of New Zealand, this Captain has a background in the oil industry. Truly on a mission to promote the use of alternative fuels, he and his crew (all
On March 6, Earthrace - a powerboat run on 
