Green Spot

Vancouver 2010 Olympics Sustainability Video

Watch the video

Please watch this really quick and cool video that the 2010 Vancouver Olympic committee has put together for us. This short video has great illustrations that show you all the ways that they are creating the most eco friendly Olympic venue to date.

After viewing this video please follow this link : Sustainability Facts

That link will take you to a PDf that explains all the illustrations and imagery that you have just seen in the video above.

Scaled Model of Olympic Village

The 2010 Vancouver Olympics are right around the corner! And in celebration of the 2010 Olympics I would like to highlight some really great ways that the 2010 Olympics are going “Green”.

There will be two Olympic Villages: one in Vancouver’s Southeast False Creek area (Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Village), and the other one within the scenic Cheakamus Valley (Whistler Olympic and Paralympic Village).

The Vancouver Olympic Village in the South East False Creek area will have 16 buildings constructed on an area of 1.4 million square feet, and a community center. All the buildings will be built to LEED Gold standard and the community center will be built to LEED Platinum.

All of the buildings will be fitted with solar panels and feature green roofs. Rain water will be harvested and be used for the irrigation of the green roofs and landscaping. In-slab hydronic system will be used for heating and cooling of the buildings, and the latent heat of sewer pipes will be harnessed by an innovative heat exchange system. All parking will be underground, and plans are afoot to achieve water neutrality as it will collect as much rain water as it uses.

For more highlights of how the 2010 Vancouver Olympics are going green please follow this link : http://www.vancouver2010.com/sustainability/

Tesla Model S

Tesla has finally unveiled my dream come true! A fully electric Sedan that not only is highly functional (300 mile range) but also has the looks of a high end luxury sedan! A huge problem with previously mass produced electric cars has been the fact that the range has always been sub-par. Although the Tesla Model S goes for $49,990.00 the fact that you can take 5 adults and 2 children while still staying stylish and eco-friendly definitely beats the Lexus LS Hybrid’s sticker price of $106.035.00.

Here are some great Facts from the TESLA website about the Tesla Model S:

Three battery pack options offer a range of 160, 230 or 300 miles per charge. With the 45 minute QuickCharge or a 5 minute battery swap, you can drive from LA to San Francisco, Washington to New York or take even longer road trips in about the same time as in a conventional car.

With seating for five adults and two children, plus an additional trunk under the hood, Model S has passenger carrying capacity and versatility rivaling SUVs and minivans. Rear seats fold flat, and the hatch gives way to a roomy opening, so you can stow a mountain bike, 50-inch flat-screen TV, full drum set or futon frame – more than ample for the entire family and their gear.

Model S offers 100 percent torque, 100 percent of the time without jerky shifting and a fraction of the noise and harshness of internal combustion engines. This smooth and constant power delivery, combined with the sporty handling of the chassis and suspension, leads to a superior driving experience.

The Model S powertrain features a liquid-cooled, floor-mounted battery pack and a single-speed gearbox, delivering effortless acceleration, responsive handling and quiet simplicity — no fancy clutchwork or gear-shifting required. Model S costs about $4 to fully charge – a bargain even when gasoline is $1 per gallon. You can listen to Pandora Radio or consult Google Maps on the 17 inch touchscreen with in-car 3G connectivity.

Here are some great images of the Tesla Model S:

Tesla Model S

Tesla Model S

Tesla Model S

Coming up… I will be posting a article on the Economical & Ecological Alternative to this Tesla Model S. The 2011 Nissan Leaf.

We were very fortunate to be invited by Disney to their Green Products Fair at their Glendale Consumer Products Headquarters in Glenadale CA.

Many thanks to Karenna Mazur & Mark Spears for organizing this great event that gave us a great reason to get out of the office and make the small trek out to Glendale!

This event was filled with great Green Vendors and Services. Some of the other vendors there were; The Home Depot, The Disney Store, Mitsubishi Electric, Helio Power, Tree People & ABC. This was not only a great opportunity to get our message out there but it was also a great way to make some great connections with our fellow Eco-Friendly Crusaders!

Disney has recently taken upon themselves to re-vamp their outlook on eco-friendly options and for that we applaud them! This small event was just one of many events that Disney will be throwing to raise awareness and provide green solutions to their employees and families.

Here are some quick snapshots of some of the other vendors and cool things that were there with us!

America Recycles Day (ARD), November 15, is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products. Celebrating its 12th year, it has grown to include millions of Americans pledging to increase their recycling habits at home and work and to buy products made with recycled materials. Through America Recycles Day, Keep America Beautiful, Inc. (KAB) and the National Recycling Coalition (NRC) support local communities and raises awareness by educating citizens about the benefits of recycling. Volunteer America Recycles Day coordinators are positioned throughout the country and work to organize recycling awareness events in their schools and communities, and in conjunction with their local municipalities.

On November 15 each year, millions of people become better informed about the importance of daily recycling and buying recycled products. The purpose of America Recycles Day is to continue to promote the social, environmental and economic benefits of recycling and encourage more people to join the movement toward creating a better natural environment.

Please follow this link to find out where events are happening in your area.