May 13, 2014 Participate in Bike to Work Day! It's official, Friday May 16th is Bike to Work Day! Join the celebration and hop on your two-wheeler for an economic, healthy, and emission-free commute. Whether you bike to train, bike the kids to school, or bike all the way to the office, your participation makes a difference.

Keeping Your Car In Shape

Keep Your Engine Properly Tuned

Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4%, though results vary based on the kind of repair and how well it is done.

Fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve your mileage by as much as 40%.

Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4%, though results vary based on the kind of repair and how well it is done.

Fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve your mileage by as much as 40%.

Fuel Economy Benefit:	4%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings:	$0.14/gallon

Keep Tires Properly Inflated

You can improve your gas mileage by up to 3.3% by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.3% for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires. Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer.

The proper tire pressure for your vehicle is usually found on a sticker in the driver's side door jamb or the glove box and in your owner's manual. Do not use the maximum pressure printed on the tire's sidewall.

Fuel Economy Benefit:	Up to 3%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings:	Up to $0.11/gallon

Use the Recommended Grade of Motor Oil

You can improve your gas mileage by 1%–2% by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower your gas mileage by 1%–2%. Using 5W-30 in an engine designed for 5W-20 can lower your gas mileage by 1%–1.5%. Also, look for motor oil that says "Energy Conserving" on the API performance symbol to be sure it contains friction-reducing additives.

Fuel Economy Benefit:	1%–2%
Equivalent Gasoline Savings:	$0.04–$0.07/gallon

Replacing a Clogged Air Filter on Modern Cars Improves Performance but Not MPG

Replacing a clogged air filter on vehicles with fuel-injected, computer-controlled gasoline engines—such as those manufactured from the early 1980s to the present—or diesel engines does not improve fuel economy, but it can improve acceleration.

Replacing a clogged air filter on an older vehicle with a carbureted engine can improve both fuel economy and acceleration by a few percent under normal replacement conditions.

Note: Cost savings are based on an assumed fuel price of $3.60/gallon.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/maintain.jsp

 

 

 

This May Look Like A Quaint Cabin But The Truth Will Surprise You

The ESCAPE cabin was designed by architect/artist Kelly Davis. Don't let the outside fool you.

 

February 22, 2014

 

The design is inspired by the latest tiny house movement where people are living with a smaller financial, environmental, and physical footprint. The motto? Less house, more life.

 

 

The cabin is around 400 square feet, larger than most 1 bedroom apartments.

Kelly Davis from SALA Architects, who has many years of experience designing modern cabins and cottages, was the chief architect on this project.

The cabin was originally designed with the intent of being a high end cottage (not a RV).

Inspiration was drawn from the famous Frank Lloyd Wright as Davis put the highest attention to detail to every aspect of the project from best-in-class quality standards to LED lighting to cedar lap siding.

 

 

Furthermore, everything was constructed entirely of recyclable or sustainable materials. The unit consumes very little power too.

Additional creativity was needed to maximize the usage of the small space. While there's no full bathroom or kitchen, functionally, one has everything he/she needs to sustain themselves in the ESCAPE cabin.

There's nothing that is underutilized. The fireplace is said to be 90% more efficient than the standard but still strong enough to survive the cold winters.

According to Escape's website, you can get the ESCAPE cabin delivered to you, and the cabin is designed to travel anywhere on the road. The current cost is around $79,000.
While the price is quite high for an RV, there is nothing out there in the market that exists that comes to match this cabin's charm and environmental friendliness.
What do you think? Would you get an ESCAPE cabin?

 

For more information and photos go to: https://sftimes.co/?id=93&src=share_fb_new_93

 

 

 

 

Fort Lauderdale's Hilton Beach Hotel to power up wind energy soon

Jermaine Goldson of Farrell Electric works on one of six wind turbines atop Hilton Fort Lauderdale

Beach Resort (Susan Stocker, Sun Sentinel) August 22, 2013

Hilton Beach Hotel to power up wind energy soon

Six wind turbines were recently installed on hotel's roof

By Arlene Satchell, Sun Sentinel

A new rooftop attraction is turning heads at one South Florida hotel.

The Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort has installed six wind turbines to plug into the natural breeze blowing from the Atlantic Ocean and help power its facilities.

It's the first Hilton of more than 500 properties to have installed wind turbines, executives said. They also believe it's the first hotel in South Florida to get them.

The turbines are now undergoing inspections to be operational by mid-September, a hotel official said Tuesday during a tour.

The Fort Lauderdale resort invested more than $500,000 on the energy savings project, which is expected to help it reduce the amount of power it uses primarily in common areas such as the lobby.

"We are proud of this renewable energy initiative as well as other eco-friendly programs that implement sustainable practices that will help future generations," General Manager Andreas Ioannou said.

The use of wind turbines as a source of renewable energy is still rare in the lodging industry, but is increasingly becoming a viable option for lodging establishments, according to Green Lodging News.

"The technology has improved with innovation in design, and costs are coming down," said Glenn Hasek, editor and publisher of the Ohio-based industry publication.

In July 2011, 15 U.S. properties were listed on Hasek's website greenlodgingnews.com as having incorporated wind turbines in their energy mix.

The Hilton's wind turbines are new arsenal in its energy conservation efforts.

Standing 52-feet tall when erect, the turbines are strategically placed on the corners and center of the rooftop to capture maximum wind velocity, and are expected to produce 24,000 kilowatt hours of energy.

With their addition, the hotel is anticipating to cut its more than $500,000 annual electric bill by 5 percent to 10 percent, Ioannou noted.

The custom-design wind turbines, which Ioannou called "whimsical, beautiful structures," were originally slated for installation in September 2012, but this was delayed to ensure their supporting mechanism was strong, he said.

The project received support from the city and surrounding community, and reaction from hotel guests has been positive, Ioannou said.

The move demonstrates the hotel's commitment to protecting the local environment and preserving its resources, a city official said.

"The wind turbines will showcase the hotel's sustainability programs and serve as a model for other businesses, and the city appreciates this innovative approach," said Mayor John P. "Jack" Seiler.

Nicki E. Grossman, president and CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau said the resort's wind turbines join the Gold LEED-certified Broward County Convention Center are "as models of community sustainability furthering the greening of tourism."

Since opening in 2007, energy conservation has been a key mandate of the 374-suite resort. In 2008 it became the first resort on Fort Lauderdale Beach to be designated a Florida Green Lodging property.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection program recognizes and designates lodging facilities that make a commitment to conserve and protect the state's natural resources.

"We love to see hotels who are participating in the Florida Green Lodging Program go above and beyond the minimum requirements and implement innovative technology and initiatives in their facilities," said JoAnn Shearer, program coordinator.

As a member of Hilton Worldwide's flagship Hilton Hotels & Resorts portfolio, the Fort Lauderdale beach property uses a proprietary system called "LightStay," to track and analyze its sustainability performance.

"We can see the savings," Ioannou noted.

The resort's "Green Team" spearheads and monitors its environmental efforts and implements waste reduction, resource conservation and energy efficiency programs. Previously implemented initiatives include the recycling of all paper, florescent bulbs and batteries, and the installation of automatic water flush meters in all public restrooms.

While the hotel's initial goal is to "evaluate the effectiveness" of the wind turbines, plans also call for adding rooftop solar panels within the next two years, Ioannou said. By year-end, it will install a food composting machine to turn food waste into a nutrient-rich water product, which will help save on waste, and trash disposal costs.

"We are committed to implementing innovative programs and making continual improvements to our overall sustainability results each year," Ioannou said.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/fl-hilton-lauderdale-wind-turbines-update-20130821,0,4365630.story

Ever wonder what happens to used hotel soap?

By Roger Yu, USA TODAY

Updated 5/2/2011

Ever wonder what happens to leftover soap and shampoo at hotels? Most are thrown away. About 1 million partly used bars of soap are tossed out daily by U.S. hotels, according to Clean the World Foundation, a non-profit organization that recycles used soap for distribution to developing nations and homeless shelters.

But recycling organizations such as Clean the World, based in Orlando, and Global Soap Project, based in Atlanta, are starting to get more attention from large hotel companies.

Clean the World said last week that it reached an agreement with Starwood Hotels to recycle soap, shampoo and lotion. They estimate about 1.6 million pounds of soap may be recycled each year because Starwood has about 176,000 rooms in North America. Starwood runs Westin, Sheraton and other hotel chains.

Clean the World has had collection deals with about 1,000 individual hotels, including about 100 Marriotts and 80 Hiltons. Some properties run by Carlson, Wyndham, Hyatt and Joie de Vivre Hotels also donate to the organization. But the Starwood partnership is its first corporate wide agreement with a large hotel company.

Clean the World charges hotels 65 cents a room to clean and redistribute soap and shampoo bottles. Its business has been growing so fast that it's creating a for-profit operation to raise money. The foundation will retain its non-profit status and continue to distribute reprocessed soap. But its for-profit Clean the World Global arm will sell its services to hotels. "It will allow us to get the capital we need to open local (recycling) centers. We really need that capital to grow," says Shawn Seipler, founder of Clean the World.

Since its founding two years ago, Clean the World says it has distributed more than 8 million bars of soap in the U.S. and more than 40 countries, including Haiti, Japan, Zimbabwe, Uganda, India and Mexico. It estimates its efforts have diverted about 550 tons of waste from polluting landfills in the U.S. and Canada. Each day, 9,000 children die from diseases that can be prevented by washing with soap, the organization says.

Seipler and co-founder Paul Till were corporate salesmen before quitting their jobs to embrace the cause. "I was staying at hotels four nights a week," Seipler says. "I started asking, 'What's going on with soap and bottles?' "

They started collecting soap from 80 Orlando hotels and have since built recycling centers in Orlando, Las Vegas, Vancouver and Toronto.

Clean the World provides bins for housekeeping staff to deposit soap, shampoo and lotion bottles. The bottles are taken to a recycling plant, where soap is sterilized and reformed into 2-ounce bars.

http://travel.usatoday.com/hotels/post/2011/04/ever-wonder-what-happens-to-unused-hotel-soap-and-shampoo/167172/1

Gene Dempsey, City Forester

Office of Sustainability

Office - (954) 828-5785  Fax - (954) 828-4745

GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

Green Hotels

Green Initiatives In Hotels Create Superior Stays

By Sam Marquit, Independent ‘green’ contractor and co-author of Fair Marquit Value 

Summer time is vacation time for many of us.  As you are making your reservations, it would be worth your while to see if there are any green hotels in the area at your destination.  Green hotels are usually the same price as non-green hotels but you can feel better about staying there!   Green America Program is one organization working towards an environmentally sustainable society by collectively demanding an end to corporate thoughtlessness and irresponsibility. Hotels, with their economic buying power and community-like atmosphere, are increasingly adopting the initiatives of green programs. Green America Program clients are open to new ideas and eager to gain the advantages offered by using green technology.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in North Carolina routinely operates with eco-friendly practices. The hotel conserves precious water resources by using low flowing toilets and showerheads. A linen reuse policy further reduces water consumption. Additionally, those same linens come from recycled materials. The hotel also extends an opportunity to be green to their guests by offering bikes for local transportation and free valet parking for hybrid and electric vehicles. The seamless integration of eco-friendly advances within the hotel has earned them the LEED Gold certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for the healthy living environment within the hotel. As well as it’s reduced environmental impact. The cherry on top of this hotel is actually a roof garden with more than 60,000 honeybees. Not only are these bees necessary for pollination, but they also produce the honey used to make tasty treats in the facility's kitchens.

Another green hotel resides in the western part of the U.S. The Palazzo Hotel & Resort in Las Vegas is the largest structure in the United States with LEED certification. Named the "Most Eco-Friendly Hotel in America," it uses the best practices counseled by organizations such as Eco-Innovation-Europe and the Green America Program. Solar panels provide heat and efficient water and waste-recycling process dramatically reduces consumption. Each year, more than 41.6 million gallons of water are conserved. The use of environmentally sound paints, sealants, and adhesives creates a healthier interior.

In addition to these green facilities, green programs and initiatives exist throughout the world. Eco-Innovation-Europe enables exciting green research ideas to enter the market. Rapid commercialization of products, processes, and services engineered to protect the environment is the goal of this group. This initiative boosts environmentally sound business practices while spurring economic growth. A product or service that reduces CO2 emissions, promotes recycling efforts, or uses resources efficiently is eligible for assistance. The focus is on helping business adopt green practices, distributing and treating water resources more efficiently, increasing the amount of recycling by upgrades to the recycling process, supporting sustainable building products, and working with producers of food and drink.

Building with sustainable practices makes sense for the world and the bottom-line. Green Las Vegas hotels are especially thriving due to lowered operating costs and the welcoming environment a sustainable hotel creates. It is important for other businesses to continue to follow suit.

For more articles like these, check out http://fmarquitv.tumblr.com/