Picture from Gordon Murray Design

Professor Gordon Murray, who is a famous Formula 1 race car designer, is spearheading a project to produce some dinky cars that weigh only about 1,250 pounds, seat three, and have a top speed of close to 100 miles per hour — all for $9,000 per car.

Now I don’t think the T25 is as small as THIS atom-sized automobile (P-50), but it’s pretty dang close.

Not only is the car itself tiny, but it’s built in a very small factory, from recycled plastic bottles, glass fiber, and steel tubes — using only 20% the material needed for a “normal” car. As for its miles per gallon, let’s just say that it bucks this sad MPG-improvement trend and clocks in at a whopping 74 miles per gallon. Say whaaaaattt??!!!

All in all, it looks like a great, efficient car. Of course, it’s a bit “greener” to ride a bike instead, but if you’ve got to drive a car, then the T25 may just be for you.

Bonus T25 Benefit

Question: How could you be mad if you were pulled over by a cop car that looked like this? READ MORE »

The green movement is making inroads even in the lil’ town of Garner. I was in the library last week, lamenting my near-illiteracy while I looked for the picture book section, when I saw READ MORE »

During a recent trip to my friendly, local, down-home neighborhood Walmart, whilst perusing the sports section, what should catch my eye but a fahwnky green basketball. I snapped a precautionary picture before taking my chances and slowly approaching the strange, green orb.

I figured it’d be one of those gimmicky “Go Green!” products whose only claim to “greenness” is its actual color. Imagine, if you will, my surprise when I saw that 40% of its surface is made from recycled rubber. Now sure, that’s not 100%, but that’s almost half of the surface that’s made of recycled rubber! Crazy.

While it’s not quite as eco-friendly (or cheap) as buying a used basketball (or just finding one in a creek), it’s a good start. I hope to try one out soon; if it passes my reverse jam test, then it’s good enough for me.

Note: Since it was a phone interview and I didn’t have a recorder, his answers (and my questions) are not exact quotes, but are pretty close to what was actually said.

A little while ago, I had the good fortune to talk with Aaron Vronko, the CEO of RapidRepair, and ask him a few questions. For your 411, RapidRepair buys your broken small electronics and uses their parts to repair other people’s gadgets. A prime example of a business that helps the environment while also making money. But let’s get on with this here entrevista…

Joe (Me): So, what does your company repair?
READ MORE »

In celebration o’ Earth Day (Fun Fact: Earth Day was started by someone named Gaylord), Swaptree is planting a tree for each trade completed today. “‘Old on a tic”, you might exclaim, “Just wot is this ‘Swaptree’ thing, anyway?”
READ MORE »

Disclaimer: I don’t kill bugs, unless they’re in my house and they’re too small to free outside.

Many moons ago, a company called EcoSmart sent me a sample of their organic ant and roach killer to test out. I finally got some ants inside my humble abode today, so I put the organic pesticide to the test.

Let me tell you, las hormigas didn’t stand a chance. They were dead within seconds, as a licorice scent filled the room. All I had to do then was wipe up the residue, which was easy to do.

So if you’re looking for an organic insecticide that’s non-toxic and safe around kids and pets (so they say), then check out EcoSmart. But you don’t have to take my word for it.

To make a long story short, I won’t have internet at my house ’til Friday, so yesterday I went to Swift Creek Coffee House to leech off their wireless internet.

So as not to be a complete scrub READ MORE »