| A | B | Vauban
We know cars are terrible polluters, but
would you give yours up? Vauban, a community
in southwestern Germany, did just that, and its
5,000 citizens are doing fine. Most streets are
free of vehicles, and there are generous green
spaces and good public-transport links, including
fast buses and bicycle paths. When people must
drive, they can turn to car-sharing clubs. "All the
citizens had the chance to plan their own city,"
says Andreas Delleke, an energy expert, "and it's
just how we wanted it to be." | Denmark
During the period of gas shortage in the early
70s, Denmark decided to become self-sufficient
(自足). So they began a few projects making
smart investments along the way.
On the island of Samsoe, local families, fishermen
and farmers bought wind turbines (涡轮机) to
produce their own energy, Within seven years these
turbines were completely paid for. And can you believe
just one of wind turbines produces enough electricity
for 600 households?
| | C | D | Trey Parker and Matt Stone
Trey Parker and Matt Stone, creators of
South Park, have built a sustainable (可持续的)
castle with outer siding and inner flooring of
recycled wood, recycled carpeting, high-efficiency
boiler systems.
"I think more and more today, people are
willing to make a statement about the Earth and
how they want to protect it," Michael Ruth, home
designer and builder says. "For high-end homes in
this valley, this is entirely consistent with what they
cost." | P-NUT
Who doesn't love the name P-NUT-short
for Personal-Neo Urban Transport? It's Honda's
latest attempt to create a tiny footprint for a new
urban vehicle. This little P-NUT is unique. With
a central driving position, the car is designed to
move in tight settings. The 11-foot micro car will
seat three with two rear-seat passengers behind
the driver. "The P-NUT concept explores the
packaging and design potential for a vehicle designed
for the city lifestyle." Said Dave Marek, a Honda
design spokesman. | | E | F | Israel Company
Is it possible that annoying rush hour traffic
could become a source of renewable energy?
Israel's Technion Institute of Technology
claims that if we placed special generator (发电
机) under roads, railways, and runways-we
could harvest enough energy to mass-produce
electricity. A trial process has been used on a
smaller scale, in dance clubs for instance, where
the pounding feet of dancers light up the floor.
"We can produce electricity anywhere there
is a busy road using energy that normally goes
to waste," said Uri Amit, chairman of Israel's
Technion Institute of Technology. | Coffee
Coffee. Some of us can't start our day without
it, and we don't mind waiting 10 minutes in line for
it.
Here is the most effective tip to make you a
superstar in environment protection.
Get a coffee machine for your home or coffee,
or persuade your company into buying one. (Tell
them it will improve productivity.) Skip the coffee
line on the way to work and make something that
is better-tasting and much better for your wallet.
Plus, you won't need those plastic cups or
carrying cases that just get thrown away. Better yet,
use your favorite travel mug. |
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