what is your favourite green gadget?

mjr600

There is currently no such thing as a 'green car', in truth there never will be.

It is the job of all manufacturers to make money and do this by getting us to buy the next big thing.

The process to construct consumer items is the real polluter even if the final product is cleaner than the dew on the wings of a butterfly.

Until your 'green car' is built in your garden out of birch bark and reeds stop deluding yourself.

Very real alternatives are the Venture One two seater hybrid to go into production in 2008 in California and the current French MDI Compressed Air Car.

The French car is the 'greenest' since they will only supply turn-key manufacturing plants to local communities thereby reducing shipping and transport costs.

I am on mailing list for both vehicles, for different reasons and would own either, not because they are 'green' but because one is great fun and the second, the MDI, costs only a few thousand and is then almost free to run and ideal for local trips.

For those of you who like to fight for the cause, have a look at how 'green' Toyota have been at the plant responsible for producing batteries for the Prius. A quick look on Google might change your view on that trendy enviro-car.

It is worth adding that in the event that an individual ran an MDI and used electricity which had been produced at a Nuclear plant then CO2 emissions would be zero.

cazrobinson

i love this board, so many contradictions:

"There is currently no such thing as a 'green car', in truth there never will be."

"Very real alternatives are the Venture One two seater hybrid to go into production in 2008 in California and the current French MDI Compressed Air Car."

Truely delightful, and said with such authority too.

Yes, but where does all the nuclear waste go? Would you like it buried near your home? CO2 emissions I think we can cope with, but barrels of nuclear waste threatening for 1000's of years to leach into the water supply, well, I that's not much of an alternative, if we can't find anywhere to store the nuclear waste we are excreting at the moment.

mimimal CO2 emissions, but death by radioactive contaminated water!

the nuclear option can't be seriously considered.

tr3mor

cazrobinson wrote: »

CO2 emissions I think we can cope with, but barrels of nuclear waste threatening for 1000's of years to leach into the water supply, well, I that's not much of an alternative, if we can't find anywhere to store the nuclear waste we are excreting at the moment.

mimimal CO2 emissions, but death by radioactive contaminated water!

the nuclear option can't be seriously considered.

The nuclear fission option is the only serious option for generating power at the moment.

I assume you're envisioning barrels of neon green slime and three eyed fish. :rolleyes:

mjr600

Pouring nuclear waste down the drains results in superhero turtles who eat pizza.
Its not all bad.

cazrobinson

: )

mmm, pizza!

GeordieBird

bigpaws23 wrote: »

my dehydrator - ok, so it runs off electricity, but it means I can make the most of a bumper crop of virtually anything from the garden and I don't have to buy in excessively overpriced dried fruit or veg from the other side of the world.
This summer I am going to make a solar oven

Bigpaws x

OOh - what's that? I think I need one!

GB

pollys

The childrens wind-up torches, we needed torches for camping so bought these, they are brilliant, give a great light and of course don't need batteries.

bigpaws23

GeordieBird wrote: »

OOh - what's that? I think I need one!

GB

It's like sun drying, but with a machine!
Or, like a very cool oven (which I have done in the past, but with a dehydrator you get lots of small trays to dry things on)

There is a really good site here with pictures and more importantly, ideas for recipes.
http://www.dehydrators.co.uk/

They are around £100 + but if you can wait, then Tchibo usually do one about once a year for £25, which is the one I have and I'm delighted with it

Bigpaws x

bj-sailaway

Does this mean I'm an eco warrior?! I bought my 998 mini brand new when I was 17, I've kept it 24 years, and it's only done 39,000 miles! However, I'm now thinking of buying a new car. I like the idea of this MDI, but can you buy them yet? I don't really need a hybrid car, but can't find any details on electric cars, although our local car park does have charging facilities.

If anyone knows anything about electric cars, let me know, also, I promise to try to keep the new one for at least 24 years!

DUKE

My solar panels save me a fortune