This thread is solely dedicated to Any and Every Energy Saving Tip you come across: Anytime,anywhere : You post it here . I start with the tips given on Blackle - Energy Saving Search : *Getting started - free and low cost ways to save energy…
This thread is solely dedicated to Any and Every Energy Saving Tip you come across: Anytime,anywhere : You post it here . I start with the tips given on Blackle - Energy Saving Search :
Getting started - free and low cost ways to save energy
Turn off everything not in use: lights, TVs, computers, etc.
Check your furnace or air conditioner filter each month.
Dirty filters block air flow through your heating and cooling systems, increasing energy use.
During hot months, keep window coverings closed on the south, east, and west windows. In winter, let the sun in.
Activate "sleep" features on computers and office equipment that power down when not in use for a while. Turn off equipment during longer periods of non-use.
Dress appropriately for the weather, and set your thermostat to the lowest possible comfortable setting. On winter nights, put an extra blanket on the bed and turn down your thermostat.
In summer, use fans whenever possible instead of air conditioning .
Using fans to supplement air conditioning allows you to raise the thermostat temperature, using less energy.
Fans use less energy than air conditioning.
About 15% of an average home energy bill goes to heating water. To save hot water, take five-minute showers instead of baths. Do only full loads when using the clothes washer or dishwasher. Lower the temperature on your water heater so that you are not having to add cold water to shower.
Switch to cold water washing of laundry.
Use detergent formulated for cold water to get clothes just as clean.
Only heat or cool the rooms you need. Close vents and doors of unused rooms.
Install low flow showerheads and sink aerators to reduce hot water use.
Seal and weatherstrip your windows and doors to ensure that you're not wasting energy on heat or air conditioning that escapes through leaks to the outdoors.
Insulation your hot water tank to keep the heat from escaping.
Look for energy efficiency labels when buying new products such as TVs, furnaces, cell phones, refrigerators and air conditioners.
Replace your five most used light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. These light bulbs use two-thirds less energy and last up to 10 times longer.
Energy saving tips for your car
Drive sensibly. Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gasoline, it can lower your highway gas mileage 33% and city mileage 5%.
Consider buying a highly fuel-efficient vehicle. A fuel-efficient vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or an alternative fuel vehicle could save you a lot at the gas pump and help the environment.
Combine errands into one trip. Several short trips, each one taken from a cold start, can use twice as much fuel as one trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm.
Get regular engine tune-ups. Replacing clogged air filters can improve gas mileage by as much as 10% and protect your engine.
Keep tires properly inflated and aligned to improve your gasoline mileage by around 3%.
Use the grade of motor oil recommended by your car's manufacturer. Using a different motor oil can lower your gasoline mileage by 2%.
Consider telecommuting, carpooling and public transit to cut mileage and car maintenance costs.
Reduce drag by placing items inside the car or trunk rather than on roof racks. A loaded roof rack can decrease your fuel economy by 5%.
Clear out your car; extra weight decreases gas mileage.
Use air conditioning only when necessary, consider opening a window instead.
Make your house energy efficient with insulation
Save up to 20% of the energy you use to heat and cool your house. Seal up holes to the outside by weatherstripping doors and sealing windows.
Adding insulation to attics, basements, and crawl spaces provides tremendous energy savings.
Efficient windows can lower the energy used for heating and cooling by up to 30%. If your home has only single pane windows, consider replacing them with energy efficient windows.
Energy efficient home appliances and electronics
Appliancesaccount for about 20% of household energy use.
Appliances and electronics really add up on your energy bill. When shopping for new appliances and electronics look for energy efficiency labels.
Air dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher's drying cycle.
Clean the lint filter in the dryer after every load.
Consider air-drying clothes on clothes lines or drying racks.
Consider buying a laptop for your next computer upgrade; they use much less energy than desktop computers.
Don't over-dry your clothes. If your machine has a moisture sensor, use it.
Dry towels and heavier cottons in a separate load from lighter-weight clothes.
Make sure power management is activated on your computer.
In the average home, 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off. Plug home electronics into power strips and turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use.
Wash your clothes in cold water using cold-water detergents whenever possible.
Unplug battery chargers when the batteries are fully charged or the chargers are not in use. Many chargers draw power continuously, even when the device is not plugged into the charger.
Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use.
Use the cool-down cycle to allow the clothes to finish drying with the residual heat in the dryer.
Wash and dry full loads. If you are washing a small load, use the appropriate water-level setting.
When shopping for a new clothes dryer, look for one with a moisture sensor that automatically shuts off the machine when your clothes are dry.
Energy efficient lighting
Take advantage of daylight by using light-colored, loose-weave curtains on your windows to allow daylight to penetrate the room while preserving privacy. Also, decorate with lighter colors that reflect daylight.
Use task lighting; instead of brightly lighting an entire room, focus the light where you need it. For example, use fluorescent under-cabinet lighting for kitchen sinks and counter-tops under cabinets.
Use dimmers, motion sensors, or occupancy sensors to automatically turn on or off lighting as needed and prevent energy waste.
Use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) in place of comparable incandescent bulbs to save about 50% on your lighting costs. CFLs use only one-fourth the energy and last up to 10 times longer.
Turn your lights off when you leave a room. Standard, incandescent light bulbs should be turned off whenever they are not needed. Fluorescent lights should be turned off whenever you'll be away for 15 minutes or more.
During winter, open curtains on your south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home and close them at night to help keep the heat in.
NOTE : Please post in this thread only if you have some tips , do not post otherwise.
@MODS : If it looks suitable, please make this thread Sticky, so that it stays at the top and for everyone to notice.
The Next Tip : Using a complete post for a single tip because this is Unique :
Keeping less mails in ur inbox and deleting unwanted ones saves energy .... so have a go at ur inbox and clean it up ...
HAPPY CLEANING !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just a word of caution here:
With the recent "pro-environment lets save energy mindset" its easy to miss out that energy saving devices might not necessarily mean eco-friendly. There have been cases where energy saving devices (like power saving bulbs,etc) have known to contain heavy metals like mercury. So how do you decide what gets preference? Power or the environment?
My take - dont waste. Before going for any energy saving device ensure that it is eco-friendly.
Cheers!
P.S: I do hope I have not detracted...
Just a word of caution here:
With the recent "pro-environment lets save energy mindset" its easy to miss out that energy saving devices might not necessarily mean eco-friendly. There have been cases where energy saving devices (like power saving bulbs,etc) have known to contain heavy metals like mercury. So how do you decide what gets preference? Power or the environment?
My take - dont waste. Before going for any energy saving device ensure that it is eco-friendly.
Cheers!
P.S: I do hope I have not detracted...
@egonomist
This is to clear ur or anyone's else's doubt regarding the mercury levels in CFLs. I know there can be other devices also, i am working on them ......
After Reading this :
I just love the CFLs !!!
Adding two more docs on Lighting :
Some more Tips :
Room Air Conditioners
- Use ceiling or table fan as first line of defense against summer heat. Ceiling fans, for instance, cost about 30 paisa an hour to operate- much less than air conditioners (Rs. 10 per hour)
- You can reduce air-conditioning energy use by as much as 40% by shading your home's windows and walls. Plant trees and shrubs to keep the day's hottest sun off your house.
- One will use 3 to 5% less energy for each degree air conditioner is set above 22C (71.5 o F), so set the thermostat of room air conditioner at 25 o C (77 o F) to provide the most comfort at the least cost.
- Using ceiling or room fans allows you to set the thermostat higher because the sir movement will cool the room.
- A good conditioner will cool and dehumidify a room in about 30 min, so use a timer and leave the unit off for sometimes.
- Keep doors to air-conditioned rooms closed as often as possible.
- Clean the air-conditioner filter every month. A dirty air filter reduces airflow and may damage the unit. Clean filters enable the unit to cool down quickly and use less energy.
- If room air conditioner is older and needs repair, it's likely to be very inefficient. It may work out cheaper on lifecycle costing to buy a new energy-efficient air conditioner.
Refrigerators
- Make sure that refrigerator is kept away from all sources of heat, including direct sunlight, radiators and appliances such as the oven, and cooking range.
- When it's dark, place a lit flashlight inside the refrigerator and close the door. If light around the door is seen, the seals need to be replaced.
- Refrigerator motors and compressors generate heat, so allow enough space for continuous airflow around refrigerator. If the heat can't escape, the refrigerators cooling system will work harder and use more energy.
- A full refrigerator is a fine thing, but be sure to allow adequate air circulation inside
Cheer$
Back with some more .......
- I won't use Plastics : Determination of a Girl
- Learn to Recycle Almost Anything
I REQUEST Every Working Puy to give this site a try : - Make Your Workplace Greener
In the End : The Top 20 Green Blogs :
"Top 20 Green Blogs"
Eco Travel
Eco travel, newly derived form of travel, is an ecology based travel which includes sightseeing of places rich in their natural, cultural and historical heritage. Fetching a deeper insight of stunning beauty of cultural and natural resources of a place, eco travel is meant specially for tourists willing to venture a vacation far from commotion of rest of the world and learn about the different cultural and geographical beauty of a place. Letting eco travellers enjoy the best possible joy of being in complete serenity and in stark harmony with the nature, eco travel is one of the best model originated by nature based modern tourism.
Eco-Travel
Tips for a safe and eco-friendly Holi
This is really GOOD ...
"DON'T THROW YOUR WASTE , DONATE IT TO THEM , THEY WILL RECYCLE IT"
Cheer$
Eco travel, newly derived form of travel, is an ecology based travel which includes sightseeing of places rich in their natural, cultural and historical heritage. Fetching a deeper insight of stunning beauty of cultural and natural resources of a place, eco travel is meant specially for tourists willing to venture a vacation far from commotion of rest of the world and learn about the different cultural and geographical beauty of a place. Letting eco travellers enjoy the best possible joy of being in complete serenity and in stark harmony with the nature, eco travel is one of the best model originated by nature based modern tourism.
Eco-Travel
Tips for a safe and eco-friendly Holi
This is really GOOD ...
"DON'T THROW YOUR WASTE , DONATE IT TO THEM , THEY WILL RECYCLE IT"
Cheer$
shut the idiot box rather than watching minute by minute "breaking news".
Read the news online rather than a newspaper. you might save a few trees ever year.
Use public transport like a train or bus now and then. give your car/ bike a break too
Dell to sell eco bamboo computer later this year
Michael Dell, the chairman and CEO of Dell, announced at the Fortune Green conference that the computer company will start selling a "never before seen" eco-inspired computer with a bamboo casing later this year.
The computer will be, according to Dell, 80% smaller than an average desktop computer. It will also contain recycled materials from plastic bottles and use 71% less energy than the average desktop computer.
The price tag is expected to land somewhere between $500 and $700. A name for the computer has not yet been decided on.
The PICS :
Michael Dell, the chairman and CEO of Dell, announced at the Fortune Green conference that the computer company will start selling a "never before seen" eco-inspired computer with a bamboo casing later this year.
The computer will be, according to Dell, 80% smaller than an average desktop computer. It will also contain recycled materials from plastic bottles and use 71% less energy than the average desktop computer.
The price tag is expected to land somewhere between $500 and $700. A name for the computer has not yet been decided on.
The PICS :
Some good Links :
Top 5 Plants that Inspire New Technology
Frugal beginners guide to going green
Archive on Energy Topics Worldwide
Top 5 Plants that Inspire New Technology
Frugal beginners guide to going green
Archive on Energy Topics Worldwide
LEARNING TO SPEAK CLIMATE
Ilulissat, Greenland
Sometimes you just wish you were a photographer. I simply do not have the words to describe the awesome majesty of Greenlands Kangia Glacier, shedding massive icebergs the size of skyscrapers and slowly pushing them down the Ilulissat Fjord until they crash into the ocean off the west coast of Greenland. There, these natural ice sculptures float and bob around the glassy waters near here. You can sail between them in a fishing boat, listening to these white ice monsters crackle and break, heave and sigh, as if they were noisily protesting their fate.
You are entirely alone here amid the giant icebergs, save for the solitary halibut fisherman who floats by. Our Greenlandic boat skipper sidles up to the tiny fishing craft, where my hosts buy a few halibut right out of his nets, slice open the tender cheeks and cut me the freshest halibut sushi Ive ever tasted. Greenland fast food, quips Kim Kielsen, Greenlands minister of the environment.
We wash it down with Scotch whiskey cooled by a 5,000-year-old ice cube chipped off one of the floating glacier bits. Some countries have vintage whiskey. Some have vintage wine. Greenland has vintage ice.
Alas, though, I do not work for National Geographic. This is the opinion page. And my trip with Denmarks minister of climate and energy, Connie Hedegaard, to see the effects of climate change on Greenlands ice sheet leaves me with a very strong opinion: Our kids are going to be so angry with us one day.
Weve charged their future on our Visa cards. Weve added so many greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, for our generations growth, that our kids are likely going to spend a good part of their adulthood, maybe all of it, just dealing with the climate implications of our profligacy. And now our leaders are telling them the way out is offshore drilling for more climate-changing fossil fuels.
Madness. Sheer madness.
Most people assume that the effects of climate change are going to be felt through another big disaster, like Katrina. Not necessarily, says Minik Thorleif Rosing, a top geologist at Denmarks National History Museum and one of my traveling companions. Most people will actually feel climate change delivered to them by the postman, he explains. It will come in the form of higher water bills, because of increased droughts in some areas; higher energy bills, because the use of fossil fuels becomes prohibitive; and higher insurance and mortgage rates, because of much more violently unpredictable weather.
Remember: climate change means global weirding, not just global warming.
Greenland is one of the best places to observe the effects of climate change. Because the worlds biggest island has just 55,000 people and no industry, the condition of its huge ice sheet as well as its temperature, precipitation and winds is influenced by the global atmospheric and ocean currents that converge here. Whatever happens in China or Brazil gets felt here. And because Greenlanders live close to nature, they are walking barometers of climate change.
Thats how I learned a new language here: Climate-Speak.
Its easy to learn. There are only three phrases. The first is: Just a few years ago ... Just a few years ago you could dogsled in winter from Greenland, across a 40-mile ice bank, to Disko Island. But for the past few years, the rising winter temperatures in Greenland have melted that link. Now Disko is cut off. Put away the dogsled.
There has been a 30 percent increase in the melting of the Greenland ice sheet between 1979 and 2007, and in 2007, the melt was 10 percent bigger than in any previous year, said Konrad Steffen, director of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado, which monitors the ice. Greenland is now losing 200 cubic kilometers of ice per year from melt and ice sliding into the ocean from outlet glaciers along its edges which far exceeds the volume of all the ice in the European Alps, he added. Everything is happening faster than anticipated.
The second phrase is: Ive never seen that before... It rained in December and January in Ilulissat. This is well above the Arctic Circle! Its not supposed to rain here in winter. Said Steffen: Twenty years ago, if I had told the people of Ilulissat that it would rain at Christmas 2007, they would have just laughed at me. Today it is a reality.
The third phrase is: Well usually ...but now I dont know anymore. Traditional climate patterns that Greenland elders have known their whole lives have changed so quickly in some places that the accumulated experience of older people is not as valuable as before, said Rosing. The river that was always there is now dry. The glacier that always covered that hill has disappeared. The reindeer that were always there when the hunting season opened on Aug. 1 didnt show up.
No wonder everyone here speaks climate now your kids will, too, and sooner than they think.
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
August 6, 2008, on page A23 of The New York Times edition.
Ilulissat, Greenland
Sometimes you just wish you were a photographer. I simply do not have the words to describe the awesome majesty of Greenlands Kangia Glacier, shedding massive icebergs the size of skyscrapers and slowly pushing them down the Ilulissat Fjord until they crash into the ocean off the west coast of Greenland. There, these natural ice sculptures float and bob around the glassy waters near here. You can sail between them in a fishing boat, listening to these white ice monsters crackle and break, heave and sigh, as if they were noisily protesting their fate.
You are entirely alone here amid the giant icebergs, save for the solitary halibut fisherman who floats by. Our Greenlandic boat skipper sidles up to the tiny fishing craft, where my hosts buy a few halibut right out of his nets, slice open the tender cheeks and cut me the freshest halibut sushi Ive ever tasted. Greenland fast food, quips Kim Kielsen, Greenlands minister of the environment.
We wash it down with Scotch whiskey cooled by a 5,000-year-old ice cube chipped off one of the floating glacier bits. Some countries have vintage whiskey. Some have vintage wine. Greenland has vintage ice.
Alas, though, I do not work for National Geographic. This is the opinion page. And my trip with Denmarks minister of climate and energy, Connie Hedegaard, to see the effects of climate change on Greenlands ice sheet leaves me with a very strong opinion: Our kids are going to be so angry with us one day.
Weve charged their future on our Visa cards. Weve added so many greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, for our generations growth, that our kids are likely going to spend a good part of their adulthood, maybe all of it, just dealing with the climate implications of our profligacy. And now our leaders are telling them the way out is offshore drilling for more climate-changing fossil fuels.
Madness. Sheer madness.
Most people assume that the effects of climate change are going to be felt through another big disaster, like Katrina. Not necessarily, says Minik Thorleif Rosing, a top geologist at Denmarks National History Museum and one of my traveling companions. Most people will actually feel climate change delivered to them by the postman, he explains. It will come in the form of higher water bills, because of increased droughts in some areas; higher energy bills, because the use of fossil fuels becomes prohibitive; and higher insurance and mortgage rates, because of much more violently unpredictable weather.
Remember: climate change means global weirding, not just global warming.
Greenland is one of the best places to observe the effects of climate change. Because the worlds biggest island has just 55,000 people and no industry, the condition of its huge ice sheet as well as its temperature, precipitation and winds is influenced by the global atmospheric and ocean currents that converge here. Whatever happens in China or Brazil gets felt here. And because Greenlanders live close to nature, they are walking barometers of climate change.
Thats how I learned a new language here: Climate-Speak.
Its easy to learn. There are only three phrases. The first is: Just a few years ago ... Just a few years ago you could dogsled in winter from Greenland, across a 40-mile ice bank, to Disko Island. But for the past few years, the rising winter temperatures in Greenland have melted that link. Now Disko is cut off. Put away the dogsled.
There has been a 30 percent increase in the melting of the Greenland ice sheet between 1979 and 2007, and in 2007, the melt was 10 percent bigger than in any previous year, said Konrad Steffen, director of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado, which monitors the ice. Greenland is now losing 200 cubic kilometers of ice per year from melt and ice sliding into the ocean from outlet glaciers along its edges which far exceeds the volume of all the ice in the European Alps, he added. Everything is happening faster than anticipated.
The second phrase is: Ive never seen that before... It rained in December and January in Ilulissat. This is well above the Arctic Circle! Its not supposed to rain here in winter. Said Steffen: Twenty years ago, if I had told the people of Ilulissat that it would rain at Christmas 2007, they would have just laughed at me. Today it is a reality.
The third phrase is: Well usually ...but now I dont know anymore. Traditional climate patterns that Greenland elders have known their whole lives have changed so quickly in some places that the accumulated experience of older people is not as valuable as before, said Rosing. The river that was always there is now dry. The glacier that always covered that hill has disappeared. The reindeer that were always there when the hunting season opened on Aug. 1 didnt show up.
No wonder everyone here speaks climate now your kids will, too, and sooner than they think.
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
August 6, 2008, on page A23 of The New York Times edition.
Cars idling at crossings in Delhi burn 1,000 cr a yr..
At a time when oil is the most precious commodity in our planet, fuel worth Rs 1,000crore is wasted every year in Delhi by vehicles idling at its 600 traffic signals. If all drivers were to switch off their engines wherever the stoppage time exceeds 14 seconds - which would hold for, perhaps, all signals - the country would be richer by that amount, not to speak of cleaner air in the city.
This startling fact was revealed by a Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) study. The study says 98% of the drivers in the city don't switch off their vehicles at the signals, irrespective of the stoppage time. With fuel prices soaring and more than 950 vehicles getting added to Delhi's roads daily, this wastage is only going up. Back of the envelope calculations show that each vehicle owner in the city can save over Rs 3,100 annually just by ensuring that his or her car is switched off at every red light that lasts for more than 14 seconds.
"The survey results clearly indicate that at the 600 intersections in Delhi, 0.37 million kg of CNG, 0.13 million litres of diesel and 0.41 million litres of petrol are burned up everyday due to idling of engines. Converting these figures into monetary terms, based on fuel prices in October 2005, the losses work out to about Rs 2.72 crore daily. As fuel prices and congestion levels have increased in the last three years, the losses would have only gone up," said Purnima Parida, scientist at CRRI's traffic and transportation division.
To estimate the fuel loss caused by idling, the surveyors selected 12 intersections in Delhi - Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Feroze Shah Road, Shakti Nagar, Rao Tula Ram Marg-Outer Ring Road crossing, Dabri Mor, Ashram, Moolchand, Panchsheel, Paschim Vihar, Azadpur, Khanpur, Shyam Lal College and Ghazipur. Of these, eight crossings see heavy traffic volumes, two witness medium volume and three low volume.
Source TOI: Cars idling at crossings burn Rs 1,000cr a year in Delhi-Pollution-Earth-The Times of India
This is only bout Delhi...Wat if we accumulate this figure for India...We puys have a strength of 200K... So if each one of us try n switch off his/her vehicle even that can make a big change...
At a time when oil is the most precious commodity in our planet, fuel worth Rs 1,000crore is wasted every year in Delhi by vehicles idling at its 600 traffic signals. If all drivers were to switch off their engines wherever the stoppage time exceeds 14 seconds - which would hold for, perhaps, all signals - the country would be richer by that amount, not to speak of cleaner air in the city.
This startling fact was revealed by a Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) study. The study says 98% of the drivers in the city don't switch off their vehicles at the signals, irrespective of the stoppage time. With fuel prices soaring and more than 950 vehicles getting added to Delhi's roads daily, this wastage is only going up. Back of the envelope calculations show that each vehicle owner in the city can save over Rs 3,100 annually just by ensuring that his or her car is switched off at every red light that lasts for more than 14 seconds.
"The survey results clearly indicate that at the 600 intersections in Delhi, 0.37 million kg of CNG, 0.13 million litres of diesel and 0.41 million litres of petrol are burned up everyday due to idling of engines. Converting these figures into monetary terms, based on fuel prices in October 2005, the losses work out to about Rs 2.72 crore daily. As fuel prices and congestion levels have increased in the last three years, the losses would have only gone up," said Purnima Parida, scientist at CRRI's traffic and transportation division.
To estimate the fuel loss caused by idling, the surveyors selected 12 intersections in Delhi - Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Feroze Shah Road, Shakti Nagar, Rao Tula Ram Marg-Outer Ring Road crossing, Dabri Mor, Ashram, Moolchand, Panchsheel, Paschim Vihar, Azadpur, Khanpur, Shyam Lal College and Ghazipur. Of these, eight crossings see heavy traffic volumes, two witness medium volume and three low volume.
Source TOI: Cars idling at crossings burn Rs 1,000cr a year in Delhi-Pollution-Earth-The Times of India
This is only bout Delhi...Wat if we accumulate this figure for India...We puys have a strength of 200K... So if each one of us try n switch off his/her vehicle even that can make a big change...
Tata Nano loses nano price tag
It seems the Tata Nano may have to say goodbye to its nano price tag. Indian company Tata Motors announced the 2008 arrival of the world's smallest car last year. It said the car would sell for 100,000 rupee ($2300). But now, news reports suggest Tata has been hit by the rising price of raw materials.
According to The Times, this means raw materials now make up 23% of the cost of producing the car, instead of the 13% share when manufacturing beg in 2003.
The rising price of raw materials affects the Nano disproportionately compared to other cars whose manufacturers have to spend more on the "frills" which Tata has dispensed with in the Nano. According to some, Tata has also suffered from the devaluation of the rupee: raw materials are priced in dollars.
I would expect the price of raw materials to hit others in the same way. Tata is not the only company seeking to bring cars to the growing middle class of emerging economies. In China, for instance, the Chery QQ is an equally cute, and nearly as cheap "light" car.
The question is: will the growing middle-class income in these countries overcome rising prices? If all goes according to plan, they will.
That's the point of development after all: more wealth, spread out over a larger portion of the population. According to Boston Consulting Group, 100 million households in countries such as India and China will be able to afford cars priced under $6,000 within eight years. So the Nano could more than double in price before it became unafordable to its target buyers.
It seems the Tata Nano may have to say goodbye to its nano price tag. Indian company Tata Motors announced the 2008 arrival of the world's smallest car last year. It said the car would sell for 100,000 rupee ($2300). But now, news reports suggest Tata has been hit by the rising price of raw materials.
According to The Times, this means raw materials now make up 23% of the cost of producing the car, instead of the 13% share when manufacturing beg in 2003.
The rising price of raw materials affects the Nano disproportionately compared to other cars whose manufacturers have to spend more on the "frills" which Tata has dispensed with in the Nano. According to some, Tata has also suffered from the devaluation of the rupee: raw materials are priced in dollars.
I would expect the price of raw materials to hit others in the same way. Tata is not the only company seeking to bring cars to the growing middle class of emerging economies. In China, for instance, the Chery QQ is an equally cute, and nearly as cheap "light" car.
The question is: will the growing middle-class income in these countries overcome rising prices? If all goes according to plan, they will.
That's the point of development after all: more wealth, spread out over a larger portion of the population. According to Boston Consulting Group, 100 million households in countries such as India and China will be able to afford cars priced under $6,000 within eight years. So the Nano could more than double in price before it became unafordable to its target buyers.
GLOBAL WARMING Newspaper ARCHIVE - Click to visit
Newspaper articles about global warming tell the story of the Earth's climate and the diverse opinions and scientific discoveries surrounding the theory of global warming. From the Industrial Revolution to the Kyoto treaty and the advent of hybrid technology, the topic of global climate change has enthralled readers and sparked debate for centuries. Though many people argue over the theory's validity, global warming is a subject that affects us all and newspapers chronicle its discovery and the debate surrounding the issue.
Since ancient times, people have believed that human activity could affect the environment. The discovery of past ice ages shows that Earth's climate is in constant flux and that throughout history, scientists have searched for the cause of these changes. Though scientists discovered the greenhouse effect in the late 19th century, the theory of global warming wasn't accepted as a scientifically proven fact until 1992 when the United Nations held a Conference on Environment and Development. Today, global warming is a widely accepted reality and speculation about its effects range from the hysteria to the acceptance. Newspapers chronicle the slowly changing climate and the actions that have affected that change. The Global Warming Archive provides access to thousands of articles on the environment and the scientists who documented its change.
From developing nations to industrial countries, global climate affects everyone and newspaper articles tell the story of nature's dramatic impact on history. NewspaperARCHIVE.com, the largest newspaper database available online, has provided a free archive on the history of global warming granting access to thousands of original newspaper articles. The archive includes articles on the early discoveries of scientists, the development of technology, pollution, the greenhouse effect and global summits and treaties dedicated to the topic of global warming.
Newspaper articles about global warming tell the story of the Earth's climate and the diverse opinions and scientific discoveries surrounding the theory of global warming. From the Industrial Revolution to the Kyoto treaty and the advent of hybrid technology, the topic of global climate change has enthralled readers and sparked debate for centuries. Though many people argue over the theory's validity, global warming is a subject that affects us all and newspapers chronicle its discovery and the debate surrounding the issue.
Since ancient times, people have believed that human activity could affect the environment. The discovery of past ice ages shows that Earth's climate is in constant flux and that throughout history, scientists have searched for the cause of these changes. Though scientists discovered the greenhouse effect in the late 19th century, the theory of global warming wasn't accepted as a scientifically proven fact until 1992 when the United Nations held a Conference on Environment and Development. Today, global warming is a widely accepted reality and speculation about its effects range from the hysteria to the acceptance. Newspapers chronicle the slowly changing climate and the actions that have affected that change. The Global Warming Archive provides access to thousands of articles on the environment and the scientists who documented its change.
From developing nations to industrial countries, global climate affects everyone and newspaper articles tell the story of nature's dramatic impact on history. NewspaperARCHIVE.com, the largest newspaper database available online, has provided a free archive on the history of global warming granting access to thousands of original newspaper articles. The archive includes articles on the early discoveries of scientists, the development of technology, pollution, the greenhouse effect and global summits and treaties dedicated to the topic of global warming.
This is only bout Delhi...Wat if we accumulate this figure for India...We puys have a strength of 200K... So if each one of us try n switch off his/her vehicle even that can make a big change...
Hey,
Interesting numbers. But there is a catch to this at well. There is such a thing as people taking this to an extreme.
If you do switch of your engines whenever the signal is 14 seconds or more, you might end up losing more fuel in starting the engine again. Its a none fact that vehicles end up using quite a lot of fuel to start. In idling they might not use as much.
My take is switch off engines when there is a minute on the signal.
Cheers.
P.S: I argued this long and hard with an automobile engineer
Hey,
Interesting numbers. But there is a catch to this at well. There is such a thing as people taking this to an extreme.
If you do switch of your engines whenever the signal is 14 seconds or more, you might end up losing more fuel in starting the engine again. Its a none fact that vehicles end up using quite a lot of fuel to start. In idling they might not use as much.
My take is switch off engines when there is a minute on the signal.
Cheers.
P.S: I argued this long and heard with an automobile engineer
Hmmm...Even i heard that in most of the green sessions...But i still switch off engine on my bike for any stoppage of more than 25 secs..n for car i too wait for a min...The prob here is most of the signals dun have time display...So at times the engine keeps runnin for couple of minutes... 😞
Would like to join the discussion
The Damage to Cars plus No saving of Fuel :
This would not help to save fuel at all. Every time you start your car the fuel pump, pumps an excess amount of fuel into your motor to give it kinda of a jump start.
If you have a gas motor then you are actually doing damage to it. Over time restarting your car could actually wear your rings and bearings down. When a engine is not running it is not pumping oil thus you are not getting lubrication in your motor. So when you start your motor at the red light you are actually doing whats called a dry start. This is not good at all to do.
Once your motor starts to wear down you will actually get worse gas mileage and it will start to pollute the air around us. Not to mention it will not pass your state's emissions test.
While idling the engine for a long period of time can lead to overheating, it is actually better to leave your car running (while occupied, of course) when you have to stop for just a few minutes. It maintains the operating temperature of your vehicle, causing it to run more efficiently. Frequent starting and turning off of your vehicle does cause more wear, uses actually more fuel, and can be a safety hazard at red lights. Having your engine running and your car ready to move improves traffic flow, and enables you to move rapidly in an emergency. One example would be if someone was sliding to a stop behind you and you can see you will be hit, you can dodge to the side.
DISCLAIMER :None of the views are mine , tried to search and came up with these comments by those who obviously know smthng abt Cars.........
Go Green say the new Samsung W510 and F268 Phones
Go Green is the message by Samsung as it introduces two new eco-friendly phones. The new Samsung W510 and F268 are made of renewable materials.
Giving conservation of energy and resources prime importance, this thoughtful deed of Samsung will be truly appreciated. The new phones are made up of renewable and eco-friendly materials.
Samsung is striving to continue to be a strong corporate citizen that contributes to environmental sustainability, said Geesung Choi, President of Samsungs Telecommunication Business. Now we are trying not only to launch more environmentally-conscious products with more renewable material and less energy consuming, but also to expand proactively set up a phone recycling system.
The Samsung W510 phone does not use heavy metals like Cadmium, Lead or Mercury. Furthermore, it has used a water soluble coating too. Extraordinary! Though F268 comes with all the accessories like charger and headset it does not contain Brominated Flame Retardant or PVC. Wow!
Apart from this, the Samsung F268 comes with an alarm that indicates when the battery is fully charged. The Samsung W510 and F268 are to be launched for the Korean and Chinese markets respectively in June.
Go Green is the message by Samsung as it introduces two new eco-friendly phones. The new Samsung W510 and F268 are made of renewable materials.
Giving conservation of energy and resources prime importance, this thoughtful deed of Samsung will be truly appreciated. The new phones are made up of renewable and eco-friendly materials.
Samsung is striving to continue to be a strong corporate citizen that contributes to environmental sustainability, said Geesung Choi, President of Samsungs Telecommunication Business. Now we are trying not only to launch more environmentally-conscious products with more renewable material and less energy consuming, but also to expand proactively set up a phone recycling system.
The Samsung W510 phone does not use heavy metals like Cadmium, Lead or Mercury. Furthermore, it has used a water soluble coating too. Extraordinary! Though F268 comes with all the accessories like charger and headset it does not contain Brominated Flame Retardant or PVC. Wow!
Apart from this, the Samsung F268 comes with an alarm that indicates when the battery is fully charged. The Samsung W510 and F268 are to be launched for the Korean and Chinese markets respectively in June.
Interesting thread!
Strange, how being at a b-school should make one more aware of what's going on in the world, but one actually misses out on day-to-day happenings. 
(like this thread, for instance)
Anyway, I came across a rather interesting experiment, where a BBC journo tries to live without any sort of plastic product for a month.
Read more about it at BBC NEWS UK | Magazine It's a wrap