The argument can now be made that Tesla Motors has come up with a sleeker alternative to the Amtrak lines that run along the Eastern Seaboard. The California-based electric vehicle company has installed the first East Coast fast-charging stations, allowing Model S owners to make the 450-mile trek between Boston and Washington DC without worrying about having sufficient juice.
Researchers at Stanford University have developed a thin-film solar cell that can be applied to surfaces like a sticker or decal, opening up a wide variety of surfaces that could generate electricity.
Los Angeles is hoping to rid its reputation of grid-locked traffic by launching the country’s second largest bike share next spring. Come April, Bike Nation will transform the car-laden city into a green transportation hub with a bike share program that will bring 4,000 bikes, complete with solar-powered bike stations, to downtown LA. The $16 million project will provide bikes to the public for $6 a day, or $75 for a full year.
A few years ago, Rebecca Thistlethwaite and her husband were working 80 hours a week running a large pastured meat and egg operation called TLC Ranch on rented land. The couple had spent six years barely making ends meet….So, the couple decided to sell the farm and throw in the towel. Kind of.
ChargePoint, a leading supplier of US charging station networks, has introduced its New Electric Vehicle Charging Station Mobile Application for iPhone and Android smart phones. It’s the company’s newest ChargePoint EV charging station app with a redesigned look, offering users information on “all EV charging stations installed in the United States,” not just those placed by ChargePoint.
Do solar electric vehicles have a future…in the sky? Some innovative aero-engineers seem to think so, and they aim to prove the viability of their concept by flying across the U.S. using nothing but the sun for power. The Switzerland-based Solar Impulse team is aiming for make a sun-powered flight across the continental U.S. sometime in the next year.
Just as we predicted back 2011, 2012 saw even more people rolling up their sleeves and embracing DIY culture, and we’re honored that so many of you came to Inhabitat as a resource for some of these projects….From make-it-yourself storage beds to cool upcycled pallet furniture to grow-your-own avocados, read on to see our top how-to posts of the year and vote for your favorite!
- (Ally)GreenJoyment: I LOVE DIY! My favorite category in this article is “6 Awesome Upcycled Shipping Pallet Creations.” We made a spice rack out of shipping pallets earlier this year. The hardest part may be finding pallets of a similar quality and then taking them apart. We were able to find some really nice ones for free on Craigslist. As for taking them apart, my fiance used everything from a cinderblock to a crowbar to pry the boards off… while I offered moral support.