RiverWired Blogs

Riverwired.com: Top 10 Ideas for Saving Gas, Money and Driving Green

RiverWired.com — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Gas prices getting you down? Carbon emissions weighing heavy on your shoulders? At RiverWired we want to reduce your worries as we help you reduce your footprint. Instead of talking problems, we offer some solutions for saving gas and improving mileage. Now more than ever, you have big reasons for driving green.

1. 15 Tips For Better Mileage -- Want to Get 70 MPG in Your Toyota Prius?

2. The Hype About Hypermiling

3. Two Wheels Are Greener Than Four

4. Honda Civic GX Tops List of Greenest Cars

5. Driving Green = Fewer Greenbacks

6. Five Tips to Find the Cheapest Gas Near You

7. Top 10 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars: Save Gas, Save Money

8. Record Month For Selling Gas -- Saving Cars Getting Better Than 30 MPG

9. GE Backs Electric Cars -- This Time For Keeps!

10. Top 10 Green Things to Do While Stuck in Traffic

Riverwired.com: Green Freebie: How about a Toyota Prius?

RiverWired.com — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Somebody somewhere is getting something green for free – why not you? Jet Blue Airways is making up for all those carbon emissions by giving you a chance to go green every day – with the Grand Prize of a Toyota Prius hybrid. Next prize-- $3000 gift card to Smith & Hawken, some of the most beautiful plants and gardening stuff around. And if you don’t get those biggies, you may still qualify for an Energy Star Sharp LCD TV, or an eco-culinary retreat for four – or a trip for two to an Arizona spa. I’m feeling greener already – how about you?

Riverwired.com: Green Free Stuff: Check out this Freebie of the Week

RiverWired.com — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 01:00:00 -0400

We love to help you save money and energy and resources. And savings don’t get better than free stuff. Who doesn’t love it?

Here’s this week’s green freebie:

A trip for two to Reykjavik, Iceland, (which we are told is actually a greener country than Greenland) courtesy of Amtrak (though last we checked, you cannot get there from the US by train, so go figure). After that Grand Prize, Amtrak is also giving away two roundtrip tickets to anywhere their trains travel.

Riverwired.com: Green Free Stuff: Check Out This Freebie of the Week

RiverWired.com — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 01:00:00 -0400

Saving money is critical these days. We want to help. And nothing says savings better than something that is absolutely free. Especially when it is something that will help you live a little greener.

This week’s green freebie:
A Trek 1.2 bike from Penn Cycle's Trek, so you can really lower your carbon footprint and get in great shape to save the world. You have to act quickly – the deadline for this giveaway is June 23, 2008.

Riverwired.com: On the Go? Charge Your Devices with a Solar-Powered Briefcase

jplatt — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Road warriors, are you always looking for a wall outlet to charge your cell phone, GPS, MP3 player or PDA? Well seek no further, my friends, because the outlet you need could soon be hanging from your shoulder.

The new Juice Bag ProFolio from Reware is the latest in a growing line of solar-powered bags that you can use to charge your portable devices. The ProFolio is about the same size as the briefcase you've got now, but it comes with a nice one-foot-square array of solar panels that add just half a pound of weight to what you're already carrying.

That extra weight can take some pressure off of you and make it easier to charge your devices on the go. Just plug your devices into the bag when you're in the car, on the plane, or in a meeting, and they'll be fully charged in 2-4 hours.

Sadly, the ProFolio doesn't pack enough juice (pun intended) to charge a laptop, although it is big enough to carry one. Maybe the next generation of bags will do better.

But until then, the ProFolio could be a flexible and affordable alternative for charging your devices. It's just $299 right now, although that introductory price will soon jump to $399.99.

Oh, BTW, the ProFolio is made out of recycled materials. Just in case that little bit of green information helps you make your buying decision.

Riverwired.com: Reasons Why Anyone Can Go Solar

jchait — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400

One of my favorite books, The Solar Living Sourcebook, notes that too often people sort of whine about locating the perfect plot of land for a solar powered home, when really solar can work for every location, just to varying degrees.

They make a good point.

Obviously, there's more sun on a mountain in New Mexico then in a valley in Northern Oregon. However, there's still sun everywhere, and if you have sun, you have solar potential. Basically any amount of solar power your home can use is a good deal for the environment. Any amount you can use is just that much less used from non-renewable sources, and that much money saved.

The Solar Living Sourcebook notes the following ideas:

Anyone can utilize solar power to a degree. You have to use what you have, make the most of what's available, and use super smart before building planning.
Work with nature, not against it.
You don't have to accomplish great strides all at once. Simply working hard to reduce your dependency on your heater and AC is a good start. Learning to use less is a key point. Sure your plot may not produce enough solar power to have your electricity running 24/7, but should it? No one needs their lights or TV on all day.

Learn more about solar power:

Riverwired.com: 3rd-Gen Prius Expected to Get 90+ MPG

khallgeisler — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Mark your calendars: the next-generation Toyota Prius is expected to debut next January at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The Internet rumor mill has it that the car could debut in U.S. showrooms as early as April 2009 -- a mere three months after its official unveiling in Detroit. Toyota could even up the Prius's fuel economy to more than 90 mpg.

The engine is slated to grow from 1.5 liters to 1.8 liters, which means an extra 25 horsepower -- a noticeable increase. That might be enough to allow the size of the Prius to grow a bit and accomodate even a long-legged driver.

The increase in power doesn't sap the car's efficiency, though; rather, it should increase the mileage, too. U.S. News said recently the Prius 3G could get 94 mpg, while AutoBlogGreen reported a more reasonable -- and realistic -- 50-55 mpg. The EPA rates the 2008 Prius at 48 city, 45 highway.

If you can wait another year or two, Toyota has confirmed that plug-in Prius hybrids with cutting-edge lithium-ion batteries will be available to consumers in the U.S. in 2011. If you can't wait, hacking your Prius is the only way to go today, thanks to companies like Hymotion and Hybrids Plus.

Riverwired.com: H&M Has More Sustainable Fabrics!

ckane — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The Swedish-import clothing chain H&M hasn't just now jumped on the sustainable bandwagon, they began incorporating organic cotton in 2004 into some children's items and have eased into it ever since. Now, they're continuing with more organic cotton than ever (2,000 tons will be used this year, as opposed to 30 tons two years ago), as well as organic wool, recycled wool, and recycled polyester.

“We are now using organic cotton in all departments. We’re proud that we’re able to meet increased interest from our customers and at the same time contribute to the increased demand for organically grown cotton. Garments made from organic cotton include both fashion items and updated basics,” says H&M Head of Design Ann-Sofie Johansson.

The organic cotton they use is all certified by the Control Union , and the retailer is also a member of The Organic Exchange, which promotes the growth of the organic cotton industry. In addition to stimulating the growth of the organic cotton industry, which can take a few years for each individual farmer who makes the conversion, H&m also hopes to improve the growing methods for conventional cotton.

That does it: shopping it H&M is no longer a guilty pleasure.

Riverwired.com: Save Gas: Auto Buying the Smart Way

khallgeisler — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The U.S. Enivironmental Protection Agency has a certification program, called SmartWay, that it set up to help buyers find cars with better fuel efficiency and lower tailpipe emissions. Though the ratings have been around for a couple of years, the designation has been slow to catch on with consumers. With gas as expensive as it is, though, it's smart to learn about SmartWay.

There are two levels of certification:

SmartWay: cars with a score of at least 6 out of 10 on air pollution and greenhouse gas tests, or a combined score of 13 or above in those two categories. Many of these cars are LEV II (Low-Emissions Vehicles) or ULEV (Ultra-Low-Emissions Vehicles) that get at least 20 mpg combined city and highway.
SmartWay Elite: cars that score 9 or above on the air pollution and greenhouse gas tests. These cars are either PZEV (Partial Zero Emissions Vehicles) or ZEV (you got it -- Zero Emissions Vehicles) that get a minimum of 31 mpg combined.

SmartWay vehicles number in the dozens and range from the Acura TL to the Volvo V50. There are fewer SmartWay Elite vehicles available nationally (California has a few more), and they're almost all hybrids. (The two that aren't hybrids are Honda Civics that run on compressed natural gas.)

What does that mean for you, the well-meaning and broke consumer? It means that if you're in the market for a different car -- new or used -- your first stop should be to the EPA's Green Vehicle Guide site. Any car built in the 21st century is rated and ready for you to browse. You can even check out your current car and compare its scores to that potential purchase.

Photo by undergroundbastard.

Riverwired.com: How to Recycle and Reuse Your Stuff ... and Save Money

jchatraw — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 02:34:19 -0400

I was at the park with my daughter along with my neighbor and her two kids. While the kids were sliding and swinging on the playground, my neighbor was telling me about how she's saving time cooking by making dishes where certain portions of the meal, such as the meat, can be used in another recipe for an additional meal. While I like cooking, the thought of saving time was very appealing to me.

And while the "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" mantra has been pounded into my brain, I realized that the reuse portion oftentimes goes overlooked. Do I really stop and think about what I can reuse ... including meat from a recipe?

Thank goodness for people like Lori Baird and her book Don't Throw It Out: Recycle, Renew and Reuse to Make Things Last. This book has many great ideas about ways to do this with many different areas of your house.

Here are a few of Baird's tips on how to renew and reuse your refrigerator:

Spray the Trays. Sometimes an automatic icemaker just doesn't want to let go. The cubes don't spill out of the tray, so the machine's productivity grinds to a halt. To fix the problem, remove the icemaker's tray, dry it well, and then spray it very lightly with cooking oil. Wipe it with a paper towel so there's only a thin film of oil left, then replace the tray. The new ice cubes will slide out with no hesitation, and no, you won't end up with an oily beverage.

Reuse the Racks. If you're replacing an old fridge, save the racks and give them a new life. They're perfect for draining foods such as fried chicken (set over plenty of paper towels or newspapers, of course) or cooling cookies or biscuits.