Environment, Organics, Fair Trade & Recycling at Big Green Purse

Energy-efficient Fusion debuts at North American Auto Show

If you're in the market for a new family car that gets good gas mileage, easily carries 5 passengers, and has room in the trunk for your junk, several of the new models that debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week could be exactly what you're looking for. For now, let's take a look at the Ford Fusion Hybrid.

The Ford Fusion Hybrid created some of the biggest buzz at the show, and for good reason. It's a roomy, family-size car but with snazzy style and a regenerative braking system and electric battery that help it get 36 mpg in the city, 41 mpg on the highway. (Full disclosure: I was a guest of the Ford Motor Company at the auto show, though under no obligation to favorably review any of its vehicles.) In case you're wondering, here's how Ford explains what "regenerative braking system" means:

When you apply the brakes in a conventional vehicle, kinetic energy is lost to heat due to friction. During braking in the Fusion Hybrid, however, the regenerative braking system recovers over 90 percent of this energy that is normally lost and sends it back to the battery pack to be stored for later use. Not only is regenerative braking efficient, but it also helps minimize wear on the brake pads, lowering the cost of maintenance.

It doesn't matter if a car CAN get good fuel efficiency if the driver drives so it doesn't. One of the features I like the most on the Fusion is its "Dual LCD SmartGauge Cluster with Eco Guide." The SmartGauge uses liquid crystal displays on either side of the center-mounted speedometer. A tutorial built into the display lets you choose one of four data screens for the level of information you want — Inform, Enlighten, Engage or Empower — and explains your options within each. Steering wheel-mounted controls make it all easy. All levels can indicate instant fuel economy and trip data including time-elapsed fuel economy and miles to empty. The display grows leaves when you drive efficiently. The leaves fade when you don’t. More leaves = more mpg.

Another plus? The Fusion Hybrid's eco-friendly cloth seating is made from 85 percent post-industrial materials - polyester fibers that would otherwise have ended up in landfills.

The car also includes "adaptive cruise control" to automatically slow the Fusion when it detects slower traffic ahead, and an "active park assist" system to make it easier for the driver to parallel park. Sensors in the Fusion's rear quarter-panels detect traffic in a driver’s blindspot, providing both audible and visual warnings if traffic – unseen by the driver – is approaching.

While the Fusion Hybrid is available in show rooms now, stay tuned for the Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid, which Ford claims will be the most fuel-efficient midsize car in the world. Arriving this fall, Fusion Energi could deliver more than 100 MPGe, a mile per gallon equivalency metric for electrified vehicles. Ford says this is 8 MPGe more than the Chevrolet Volt and 13 MPGe more than the projected efficiency of the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid model.

Related Posts:

Here's what I thought when I test-drove the original Fusion Hybrid in 2010

How Green Are the Cars at the 2010 Auto Show?

My test drive of the all-electric Nissan Leaf: On a scale of one to 10, I give it a...

Top Ten Ways to Use Less Gas

Test drive the new Chevy Volt with me

Want to increase your fuel efficiency overnight? Pump up your tires! Use this tire pressure gauge to check your tire pressure at least every three months.

My test-drive of the all-electric Nissan Leaf - On a scale of One to Ten, I give it a ...

Solid Nine. And that's saying a lot, considering that most cars would probably average only a 3 or a 4.

What's so great about the Leaf?

   I had a chance to find out earlier this week when I stopped by the Nissan Leaf road show as it passed through my county. The Leaf is Nissan's snazzy eco-friendly, all-electric car which means...it runs ONLY on electricity. It is NOT a gasoline-electric hybrid like the Ford Fusion or Chevy Volt, both of which I have also tested. The Leaf does not run on flex fuel or biodiesel or hydrogen or natural gas or anything other than electricity. It is truly gas-free.

Nissan had set up a big pavilion in the parking lot of the local mall to explain how the car works and then let people take it for a test drive. I was ready to be skeptical, since I drive a Prius (the original model, which I purchased in 2002), and love it. Instead, I fell in love with the Leaf. Here's why.

Top Ten Ways to Use Less Gas

Here we go again: gasoline prices are soaring close to $4.00 a gallon, and several of the countries that export oil to the U.S. are in such political turmoil, we can't be sure our supplies will continue. When, oh when, will we say, "Enough, Already!" and get serious about reducing our dependence on petroleum? 

The problem isn't just "foreign" oil. Using any kind of fossil fuel to meet our transportation needs is a losing proposition. Drilling for oil wrecks the planet, or have we already forgotten the Gulf Oil disaster? And burning oil generates climate-changing carbon dioxide and nasty particles that create asthma-inducing smog.

If you're in the market for a new car, take a look at electric options like the Chevy Volt or Nissan Leaf. Gas-electric hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius or Ford Fusion merit consideration, too. Aim to buy the most fuel-efficient vehicle in your price range; this site maintained by the U.S. Department of Energy, will help you compare your choices.

But most of us can't just go out and buy a new set of wheels (unless they're on a bicycle). These ten tips offer the fastest, easiest ways you can save gas and money, no matter what kind of car you drive.

1. Drive smart - Avoid quick starts and stops, use cruise control on the highway, and don't idle.

2. Drive the speed limit - Remember - every 5 mph you drive above 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.10 per gallon for gas.

3. Drive less - This should be a no-brainer. Walk, bicycle, use a scooter or moped, combine trips, and telecommute to work.

Salmonella-poisoned eggs make a strong argument for local, organic, family farms.

I love eggs, but I hate food poisoning more.

I'm betting so do the more than 2,000 people who have been sickened by eating tainted eggs produced by factory chicken farms in Iowa. After all, no one I know enjoys the impact salmonella has on their digestive tract, since it induces vomiting, dizziness, diahrrea, fever, abdominal cramps, blood infections and even death. 

 Investigators are still trying to understand how this potentially lethal bacterium was able to infect so many eggs in such a short period of time. One possible cause is getting a lot of attention: the way the laying hens were raised. Conventional poultry operations raise millions of chickens at a time, often in confined spaces and under filthy and inhumane conditions that reduce the ability of the animals to fight off germs. When disease hits, it spreads like wildfire. But with a fire you can see the flames coming. With salmonella, you don't know it's got you until you're doubled over in pain or on your way to the emergency room.

For now, eggs in 14 states in the midwest have been recalled. The good news is that this amounts to less than 1 percent of all eggs produced in the U.S. Still, disease outbreaks like these remind all of us to be vigilant about the food we eat. The following precautions will help you stay healthy:

Test Drive the New Chevy Volt With Me

The Chevy Volt is electrifying the car market - especially in the wake of the oil disasters in the Gulf of Mexico and now, Lake Michigan. Every one of us needs to stop using oil so the Volt, which can drive 40 miles on a battery powered by electricity rather than an engine fueled by oil, has a lot of appeal. General Motors, which is taking orders on the car for delivery this fall, claims the vehicle is "designed to move 75% of America's daily commuters without a single drop of gas. That means for someone who drives less than 40 miles per day (which is most Americans), Chevy Volt will use zero gasoline and produce zero emissions." After 40 miles, a smaller, 4-cylinder internal combusion engine uses premium-grade gasoline to produce more electricity, extending the car's range an additional 300 miles.  

 I'd already been on Fox News talking about the Volt; now I jumped at the chance to do a test drive. I regularly get 45 mpg on my 2002 Prius, which I love. And last summer I test drove the Ford Fusion Hybrid for a week and loved it (even though its mileage, while better than a regular sedan, is still lower than the Prius.) But a car I can drive that gets 0 mpg - and still covers 40 miles? That sounded pretty good.

I drove over to nearby University of Maryland, where test drives were being conducted. I waited around for a few minutes until it was my turn to get behind the wheel. I slid into the driver's seat, and turned the car on. Like the Prius, the car is very quiet - if you don't know it's coming, you won't hear it, that's for sure.

Tax Credits Can Help You Save Money and Shift Green

Buying energy-efficient home energy systems, appliances, and cars can save you loads of money by reducing your energy consumption.  But the upfront cost of investing in efficient technologies can make ditching your old energy guzzlers for new energy sippers seem prohibitive. Federal and state tax credits help defray your purchase costs (image source). Here's how: 

Federal Energy Efficiency Tax Credits

Home Renovations: You can earn up to 30% in federal tax credits on the first $1,500 you spend on improving the energy efficiency of your home.  These credits apply only to existing home renovations and not to new construction. Remember: a tax credit is better than a deduction because it actually reduces the amount of money you pay tax on at the end of the year.

Qualifying products include energy-efficient:

• windows and doors
• insulation
• roofs
• central air conditioners, furnaces, and boilers
• water heaters
• biomass stoves (like those that burn wood, wood pellets, dried corn, etc.)

This credit expires at the end of 2010, so act sometime in the next eleven months to take advantage of this benefit.

Alternative Energy Substitutions: If you've been thinking of transitioning to a renewable home energy system, you have until the end of 2016 to use tax credits to help defray the expense.  These credits are also being offered at 30% of cost, but with no upper limit (in other words, if you spend $20,000 putting solar panels on your roof, the credits could generate as much as a $6,000 tax credit). Qualifying systems include:

• geothermal heat pumps
• solar panels
• solar water heaters
• small wind energy systems

The EnergyStar website offers more details on what systems qualify and which ones don't.

Federal Hybrid Vehicle Tax Credits

When I bought my hybrid Prius in 2002 for around $20,000, I received $4,000 in tax credits: $2,000 from the IRS, and $2,000 from my state government. Today, the rules for hybrid vechicle credits are a little more complicated.  Hybrids purchased after December 31, 2005 are eligible for a credit up to $3,400, but that number declines once the car manufacturer sells over 60,000 units of a particular hybrid model.  GM and Chrysler are still offering full credits; Ford is offering reduced credits until the end of March 2010.  The credits are subject to change, so check back frequently.

State Credits

Many states have created their own financial incentives for going green.  Check out DSIRE.org for a comprehensive list of what your state can offer you, including tax credits, rebate programs, and much more.

Eco-Friendly Tips Will Reduce Your Car’s Environmental Impact

High-tech electric and hybrid vehicles are all the rage right now. But you don't need to shell out big bucks for a new "eco" car if you give your own driving habits an environmental tune-up: 

Learn how to drive as efficiently as possible.  Take note of these gas-saving tips and driving techniques and you'll visit the pump less often. Plus, you'll save $20-$50 a month on gasoline (photo credit).

• Recycle your car once it has reached the end of its life. Don't send your vehicle to the junkyard before you've looked at this list.

• Carpool and use mass transit as much as possible. When you share the ride, you reduce your costs - and your impact on the air your breathe and the water you drink.

• Use a car-sharing service such as Zipcar, which may eliminate the need to own a vehicle altogether. It has certainly helped me!

• Walk, bicycle. Well, these are more "non" driving tips, aren't they? But they do help you guzzle less gas; and manufacturing a bike or a pair of walking shoes uses far less resources than producing a car!

• And remember: if you are in the market for a new car, choose the most fuel-efficient vehicle in the size that will meet your needs. Visit FuelEconomy.gov to find the best available option for you.

Green Vehicles Net Top Honors at Auto Show

Two gas-saving vehicles were recently awarded the top honors at the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The Ford Fusion Hybrid was named Car of the Year while Truck of the Year went to the Ford Transit Connect. 

The Fusion Hybrid, pictured above, is notable both for its fuel efficiency and for details like its environmentally-friendly interior fabric.  An efficiency rating of 41 miles per gallon places it among America's most fuel-efficient mid-size sedans: the average US passenger car mpg rating hovers in the low 20s.  Read about my impressions when I test-drove the Fusion.   

The Transit Connect, a commercial cargo van, achieves a fuel-efficiency rating of 22 city/25 highway miles per gallon, placing it on par with most large cars.  While this may not seem like a lot, it's significant when compared to similarly-sized vehicles on the market: the least-efficient cargo vans top out around 13 city/25 highway miles per gallon.

 

Here's the low-down on more green vehicles being featured at the show.

How Green are the Cars At the 2010 Auto Show?

The 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) has been bragging about how green its vehicles are this year, so we decided to review the lot for ourselves (and you, of course!). Here’s what we found (you'll have to read the whole story to get why George Clooney snagged our best photo slot).

NAIAS is showcasing what it calls the most recent advances in automotive technology at Detroit’s Cobo Center through January 24th.  Although NAIAS is featuring plenty of gas guzzlers, it is also highlighting dozens of electric, hybrid, and fuel-efficient vehicles.  On the ground floor, a 37,000 sq. foot exhibit called the “Electric Avenue” has been devoted solely to electrics.

Here are the highlights:

Chevy Volt

Price: TBA estimated $30,000-$40,000

Production Begins: 2010

Although the Volt appeared as a concept car previously, Chevrolet’s much-hyped hybrid electric is on display in anticipation of its launch later this year.  Drivers can travel up to 40 miles per charge on the Volt’s electric battery before the car switches to gasoline, at which point the car can go up to an additional 600 miles without a refill.  Personally, I believe the Volt is a game-changer.  Why? Click here to see what I told Fox News. 

Can You Recycle Your Car?

The North American International Auto Show is shining the spotlight on new cars. But what should you do with an old car you can't really re-sell? Before you contact the junk yard, consider this:

Manufacturing a car creates pollution you probably never thought about. Extracting and transporting the raw materials that go into components like seats and the steering wheel generates twenty-nine tons of solid waste and 1,207 million cubic yards of air emissions. In fact, while the majority of pollution is generated by driving, a third is incurred in car manufacture. Disposing of tires, lead-acid batteries, air conditioners, upholstery, and other materials adds to the trash pile, reports Katie Alvord in Divorce Your Car: Ending the Love Affair with the Automobile. (Photo credit)

Manufacturers are taking notice by increasing the amount of recycled materials they weave into new-car production:

* Ford Motor Company integrated recycled material into the cloth seating of the 2008 Escape. If it expanded the program, InterfaceFABRIC, the materials supplier, estimates that Ford could save at least sixty thousand gallons of water, 1.8 million pounds of carbon dioxide equivalents, and the equivalent of more than 7 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually.

* Mazda and Toyota recycled used bumpers to make components for new ones.

* Cadillac's SRX uses 50 percent recycled tire rubber for its radiator side baffles, a process that in 2004 kept two thousand scrap tires out of landfills.

* Both Honda and Toyota recycle the battery packs in their hybrids to capture everything from the precious metals to the plastics and the wiring. Edmunds.com reports that Toyota even puts a phone number (for recycling information) on each battery and pays dealers two hundred dollars for each battery pack.

* Ten percent of the plastic in a new Mini Cooper consists of recycled material.

According to Ward's Motor Vehicle Facts and Figures, at least 84 percent of an average car's material content gets recycled; automotive recycling ranks as the sixteenth-largest industry in the United States. Recycling those vehicles provides enough steel to make nearly thirteen million cars, while also providing jobs for 46,000 people.

You can keep the cycle going:

Make sure to recycle your own motor oil. If you change the oil yourself, take it and the oil filter to a recycling center. If you have it changed, double-check that the service center recycles all used oil.

Have your tires changed at a shop that recycles them. Recycled rubber may become asphalt, playground material, athletic track, furniture, or apparel (like purses and jewelry).

Donate your car to a local non-profit. In my suburban Washington, D.C. community, organizations like  Good Will and the local public radio affiliate will pick up your car for free and repair it or recycle the parts, giving you a tax benefit when you do. Habitat for Humanity does the same.

Close the loop. Remember that the best way to ensure that recycling works is to buy goods made from recycled materials. The soles of my Simple Shoes are made from recycled rubber tires. You can also find a variety of tools and garden gear made from recycled rubber, plastic and steel.