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December 3, 2008 12:56:17 PM CST

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9 Stories

US Slow to Hop On Global Biking Boom

Countries that encourage self-propelled commuting see benefits instantly

Washington Post Washington Post Aug 31, 08 3:34 PM CDT
(Newser) - The US remains uninspired by nations that have prodded people to save money by biking to work, the Washington Post reports. Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands installed infrastructure years ago to benefit bikers and discourage cars, but America—along with Canada, Australia, and Britain—have not. "It is very clear how to do this," one expert said. "It is not rocket science." More »

More about:  pollution • cars • traffic • bicycling • green transportation • commuting • bikes

PRODUCT REVIEW

 Retro Moped Slow, 
 But Efficient—and Cool 

Velosolex has old-fashioned charm ... and engine

Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal Aug 5, 08 2:32 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Velosolex S4800 motorized bike sports plenty of retro charm—and technology. Its incredible gas mileage (150-200 mpg) makes as much sense today as in postwar Paris, but the two-stroke engine is also a weakness, Jonathan Welsh writes in the Wall Street Journal . The Velosolex generates 0.80 horsepower and tops out at 15-20 mph—not exactly the leader of the pack. More »

More about:  Wall Street Journal • green transportation • tech review • auto technology

 GM, Utilities Join
 to Speed Plug-Ins 

Three-dozen utilities agree to help integrate electric cars with their grids

Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal Jul 22, 08 11:49 AM CDT
(Newser) - General Motors and three dozen electric utilities in nearly 40 states have agreed to work together on the transition to plug-in electric vehicles that are expected to begin rolling out within 2 years, the Wall Street Journal reports. With GM’s Chevy Volt and Saturn Vue  expected to hit the market first, cooperation is needed to make sure recharging cars don't overwhelm the power grid. More »

More about:  General Motors • hybrid car • electric cars • power grid • green transportation • Chevrolet Volt • utility companies

 NYC's Taxi Fleets
 in Race for Hybrids 

Fall mandate means a rush to replace 3,000 taxis a year.

USA Today USA Today Jul 20, 08 6:10 AM CDT
(Newser) - The Big Apple's unprecedented plan to turn its famous yellow cabs green could run into an old-fashioned supply-and-demand problem this fall, USA Today reports. Starting in October, the city is requiring that any new replacement cabs be hybrids. But the transition may be difficult because gas prices have triggered a fever-pitch demand for the fuel-efficient cars. "Consumers have been on waiting lists for months, and even they can't get one," said one analyst. More »

More about:  New York City • environment • gas • hybrid car • green • green transportation • taxi • fuel consumption

 Why Everyone in
 Berkeley Owns a Prius 

Development of green political clusters starts at the beach

Economist Economist Jun 19, 08 8:55 AM CDT
(Newser) - Nowhere in California is the power of green consumerism more apparent than the Prius-packed city of Berkley. The Economist takes a look at a "greenery by zip code" study that, somewhat unsurprisingly, places Palo Alto near the top and Bakersfield near the bottom of locales packed with certified green buildings and hybrids. But why? More »

More about:  California • environmentalism • alternative energy • green technology • Toyota Prius • UCLA • public transportation • green transportation • green products

Railroads Hopping Aboard Green Marketing Trend

Train pushed as eco-friendlier option—and environmentalists are conceding the point

Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal May 29, 08 8:08 PM CDT
(Newser) - Often maligned as noxious-fume-spewing bad citizens, railroad companies are hopping the green train, the Wall Street Journal reports. Campaigns by Norfolk Southern and CSX tout clean-burning diesel engines that "can move a ton of freight 423 miles on a single gallon," and Union Pacific claims diverting 25% of truck freight to trains would prevent 800,000 tons of pollution by 2025. More »

More about:  climate change • global warming • marketing • green technology • green transportation • railroad

Green Cars Race for Funding

Hydrogen and hybrid electrics are competing to replace gas

Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Times Dec 9, 07 3:12 PM CST
(Newser) - Makers of two green technologies—hydrogen fuel cells and plug-in electric hybrids—are racing to become the alternative energy of choice for buyers thinking beyond gasoline. They are competing for public attention, space on manufacturer’s production lines, and federal support, reports the Los Angeles Times . Electric cars,like Toyota’s popular Prius, make use of existing batteries and use a small amount of fossil fuel. More complex hydrogen cells emit only water. More »

More about:  hybrid car • electric cars • fossil fuel • Prius • hydrogen fuel cells • green transportation

Car Sharing Firms to Merge

Zipcar and Flexcar to merge into 50-city, 5,000 car network

Washington Post Washington Post Oct 31, 07 5:26 AM CDT
(Newser) - Car-sharing firms Zipcar and Flexcar will merge this week under the Zipcar brand, which has the largest network of the two. The firms, both 7 years old, rent cars by the hour, rolling gas, insurance, parking, and maintenance costs into a $7-$15 hourly rate and an annual membership fee. Cambridge-based Zipcar has 3,500 cars in 35 cities and most of Seattle-based Flexcar’s 1,500 cars are in 15 West Coast cities. More »

More about:  transportation • green transportation • Zipcar • Flexcar

Sarko: France to Go Green

French leader is optimistic about a cleaner future

BBC BBC Oct 25, 07 7:10 PM CDT
(Newser) - Nicolas Sarkozy called for a greener France today, including higher taxes on polluters, a 50% reduction of pesticide use, and the eradication of genetically modified crops. The French president spoke at the close of a national environment summit that counted Al Gore in attendance. But the conference failed to generate consensus on the role of nuclear power in France, which produces 80% of its electricity. More »

More about:  France • Nicolas Sarkozy • greenhouse gases • Al Gore • green technology • green energy • fossil fuel • pesticide • green transportation

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