Archive for the ‘Transportation’ CategoryThe weather is getting nicer and— while it’s important to stay healthy— there are other options for staying fit than using endless amounts of electricity in the gym. Instead of using the treadmill or elliptical for hours, try going for a walk with a friend. This will make it easier to get up and exercise, plus much more fun to keep going. Plus, 30 minutes of brisk walking you’ll burn approximately 150 calories. If you’re going for the real cardio workout, take a run along a nice outdoor trail. It will clear your mind and force you to push yourself. The average amount of calories burned in a moderate paced 30 minute run? 390.
Save the trip to the gym just for riding the stationary bike. Get in the habit of biking to run errands. This is a great way to get fit and eliminate carbon dioxide emissions and the use of natural gas of cars. You can get an inexpensive bike at garage sales, Goodwill or even brand new and on sale. Not only will you be positively impacting the Earth, but for every half hour of moderate biking, you’ll burn about 280 calories.
Not up for those extensive exercises? Try doing yoga outdoors. Nature’s sounds and the sunshine will calm you and really enhance your yoga experience. If none of these sound appealing, play a game. Organized sports are a great way to interact with friends and get some good exercise in. Or cool off from the summer sun and get fit by swimming laps or treading water. Water is a great place for exercise because your body doesn’t feel the heat, and you don’t realize how tired you really are. 30 minutes of breaststroke will burn about 350 calories, while treading water is about 150.
The options for outdoor health are endless when you put your mind in it, and you’ll be greatly reducing your carbon footprint. Gyms are using an immense amount of electricity, and you can get just as good [if not better] of a workout out in nature. It’s an easy step to take to further improve the world. And think about what you could do with the extra $40 a month you’ll save on gym memberships this summer. You could get a really great reusable water bottle for that! In that every day hustle and bustle, we’ve all seen those boring, reusable shopping bags and bland, carry-all totes. Don’t get us wrong—they’re eco-friendly so they’re totally great—but we’ve got something to show you that’s more, well… hip. New to Verde Lifestyles is a line of Organic Cotton Tote Bags that can please everyone from the most traditional likes to the bold and trendy needs.
These vibrant, earth-inspired totes are for you daring, environmentally-friendly folk. Adorable nature prints adorn the entirety of the bag and are sure to catch the eye of those passer-bys. Measuring approximately 12.5″ wide, 14.5″ tall and 17″ deep, the bags function perfectly as reusable shoppers or daily tote bags. They only cost $17.95, so don’t be afraid to make a green [or blue!] statement!
This subtle striped tote is for our less intrepid crowd. Clean, green stripes against an ivory background add just enough oomph to this reusable tote bag. Priced at $34.00, this tote is a bit larger than the bags described above. It’s great for toting your daily essentials and can easily carry an abundance of groceries. Be careful, though—once everyone sees you keeping the world green with this classic tote, you’ll be fighting them off with a stick! In an attempt to make air, land, and sea green, PlanetSolar is taking environmentally friendly travel to a whole new level. The solar-powered boat will attempt to sail around the globe and expand on energy efficiency to benefit all of civilization. Below is the inspiration and thought behind the project, as well as some details on the world’s first solar-powered boat.
PlanetSolar is a boat covered in multiple photovoltaic solar panels. It will “of impressive proportions, and yet… both silent and clean.” The size and shape are still being determined, but are based on a multitude of factors: “propulsion, solar panel design, energy storage, materials, and the external environment.” Make sure to follow this production, as it is sure to change the green world as we know it!
I’ve been spending so much time in my car lately that I started thinking about public transportation options. But then I realized I live in metro Detroit aka “The Motor City” and that there really aren’t many options here for public transportation. I know there has been some talk of more public transportation in the state, especially with all the commotion over the past year within the automobile industry. What really peaked my interest was an article in Inhabitat about a solar and hydrogen powered interstate rail in Michigan. The article was from 2008 and said that construction was set to begin that year and the rail system would connect Ann Arbor and Detroit. I haven’t heard or seen anything since, but that would be great if it became a reality!
The project was designed as a solar powered, hydrogen-fueled, zero emission mass transit system that would carry anything from people to cars. The highway would be made up of systems called the rail conduit cluster and would provide an integrated system for public/private transit and a municipal infrastructure network. Essentially, it would serve as a public transport system AND distribute electricity, potable water, liquid waste, fiber optics, hydrogen, oxygen, and fuels. I won’t go into more detail than that because frankly I’m satisfied just knowing it works lol! (See resource blow for original article.) To give you a little background on public transportation in Michigan, a professor of urban planning at the University of Michigan said that “if Michigan got a grade on its current public transportation system, it wouldn’t be pretty. Michigan’s public transit system would probably be given an F”. The reason being the predominant role of the big three in Michigan, there has been a hesitancy to put a transit system in place. It would be perceived as competition with the state’s largest industry which is why it has been ignored for so long. But hopefully that will change soon. With that being said, where do other states rank as far as public transportation? Top 10 States For Public Transportation
Resources Follow us on Twitter here… -Danielle-
Dec
14
Out of The Ordinary BikesTotal Read Time: 2.5 Minutes I’ve really had the itch to go bike riding lately, the only problem is I don’t have one right now! What started the itch was all the great articles about bike sharing programs, transit systems, folding bikes, and other alternative designs I’ve come across. It seems like biking as a mode of transportation is really starting to catch on….. again! We all know how great bikes are for your health and of course, they are totally ecofriendly. Now lucky Bostonians will soon have the option to make the switch from cars to bikes. The city has announced plans to implement a brand new bike sharing program which will be the largest in America when completed. Riders can pick up bikes at one of the 290 stations with a swipe of a credit card, ride it wherever they need to go, and dock it at the station closest to their destination. Consider all of the benefits such as less congestion on the road, reduced dependence on gas, and keeping us healthy. Plus you don’t have to worry about having to leave your car somewhere in order to have a drink or two. Just bike to your favorite bar and ride, walk or hitch a ride back home! Coincidentally, you can still get pulled over for riding a bike drunk so be careful.
Another ingenious idea is a combination of a bike sharing program and public transit system. Designer Chiyu Chen has developed a transit system that encourages the use of sustainable transportation by crediting people for renting and riding bicycles. His Hybrid2 system consists of a fleet of rent-able bicycles that are capable of generating and storing kinetic energy, which is then used to power the city’s hybrid electric buses. Simply rent a bike, your pedal power charges it up with kinetic energy and once returned to a kiosk, the station feeds energy into the city’s smart grid. You then receive a credit towards your next bus pass! How cool is that? There’s a reason you don’t see too many people carrying around folding bikes; many have small wheels that make for an uncomfortable ride or are too clunky when folded up. But then there’s the Contortionist, a sleek folding bike that uses full-size wheels. Designed by Dominic Hargreaves, a student at the Royal College of Art in London, the bike contains pivots in its frame that let it roll up to fit within the width of its wheels!
Another folding bike of sorts is the Bergmönch, a bike that can be folded up and worn as a backpack! Perfect for camping and hiking, the backpack converts into a bike capable of conquering roads and rough trails alike. Not only is the bike light enough to carry on your back, it also features a storage compartment capable of carrying up to 12 liters of supplies.
One of my favorite’s is the Madsen Bucket bicycles, which are designed to transport groceries, laundry, surfboards or kids. You name it, you can haul it! “After hauling six neighbor kids around in a wheel barrow bucket bolted to the front of our first prototype, we started to realize what a bicycle can really do,” say the folks behind the development of the bike. Their end product is stylish and functional, perfect for green minded parents on the go!
-Danielle- You should follow us on Twitter here! |
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