Cars ecological 2012

 On this occasion, we have to analyze those five finalists who will be elected when is home to the Los Angeles Auto Show, which will open its doors to the press on 16 November and will have big news with regards to mobility, which we will briefly describe below

In recent years the Volkswagen Group has signed a commitment for the moment is implementing, adapting its floorpan to new features and lower consumption, which affects fewer emissions of Pollutant Gases.
In regards to this model in particular, has worked to achieve a major reduction in consumption, placing it then in a few 4.28 litres every 100 kilometres, an excellent mark for a engine TDI diesel.


While usually not widely used, the truth is that you for those who use the car to work, especially if they have a very intensive use, the alternative of the Natural Gas is present, with some charging stations that use this fuel in cars which have been adapted.

But on this occasion the alternative occurs in Honda Civic Natural Gas, which is proposed as an alternative for those who use this energy source for their cars, without the need for adjustments and also with a low level of emissions.


From the outset this car caused a real revolution in the world of automobiles, and as such the new version (more precisely, its Fifth generation) is prepared to take a leap of quality with a much more modern and stylish model that seeks to give greater load capacity, despite losing drag coefficient.
Still not have been afforded the benefits of this model, because that will be revealed during the American event, where we will even see more details of its hybrid engine.


It is one of the most popular electric cars of Japan since its launch in the year 2009, which has a strong rivalry with another similar car the Nissan Leaf, only it is noted for being much more economical in their regular use.

Various analyses made by EPA, estimates that who uses this car only will have as I spend about $ 500 each 25 kilometres, considering that their autonomy is above the 100 miles on a full charge.

As is the case with many companies in the world of the engine, to the signing of the blue oval has the turn it to transform one of their most popular in its electric version cars, so that the soul of this Ford Focus is then a Lithium Ion battery.

But the most striking aspect of this new model is that it cares for the environment also manufacturing: vegetable fibers are used to replace plastic polymers derived from petroleum, while its loading station has been done entirely with recycled materials.

Energia Hdroelectric: in search of less ecological impact

We analyze the main ecological impacts derivations of hydroelectric dams and solutions that promise to overcome these problems in the future.

One of the oldest forms of energy is hydroelectric. Its use has been documented for centuries and is one of the most common forms of renewable energy. So common is its implementation in this regard, for example in EE.UU., the renewable energy sector gets hydropower 49% of its total production.

To qualify for hydroelectric power, require large amounts of water that fall, so the pressure exerted by water triggers the operation of turbines which - in turn - produce electricity..

Hydroelectric energy It is especially suitable for those areas that have very large amounts of water availability. Today, it constitutes 21 per cent of renewable energy sources.

Conventional hydropower generation methods require the use of dams which act as reservoirs of water to move the turbines and generators.

While the force of the water gives us an alternative more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels, the dams are expensive to build and generate a significant impact on the environment.

Change the course of the rivers may involve diverting the water from which many people depend on for drinking, irrigation of crops, livestock, etc.

This also implies flood large tracts of land (with their fields, natural habitats and even villages). And of course they also pose a risk to the ecosystem and the survival of fish and other aquatic animals.

To show all these points only enough with some examples. In our blogs we have on previous occasions brought news about the issues surrounding the construction of you dams or reservoirs. One of them, who took a certain international significance is the from the Belo Monte damin Brazil, where local Aboriginal groups were in a legal battle trying to preserve its ecosystem and natural resources on which they depend for their livelihood.

And without going so far in search of our example, not too long ago I contábamos the controversy raised here same in Spain before the adoption of the construction of the Reservoir Biscarrués and complaints from environmentalists groups regarding its impact on vast areas of great ecological value, many of them belonging to the Natura 2000 network.

Having said all that, it is now time to know what are the alternatives proposed to these problems.

In view of the many dangers that large reservoirs of water intended for the hydropower can pose, there is one growing urgency to get the same energy, but without the construction of dams. Fortunately, this urgency has given rise to attractive concepts that could well point to the abandonment of the construction of dams in the future.

Of these new alternatives of Hydroelectric energy without dams I discussed in detail in our next article where we will see what are the most promising projects in search of a sustainable hydropower.

The ecological footprint

The ecological footprint is an indicator of the environmental impact generated by humans. Crudely, it is the effect we are producing on land based on inadequate, disrespectful and extreme exploitation of its resources.

The ecological footprint is expressed as the surface needed to produce the resources consumed by an average of a certain human community citizen, as well as the necessary to absorb the waste generated, regardless of the location of these areas.

We exploit the fields, forests, the sea... without leaving a space of time so you can regenerate itself, we do not give an only rest to land above the respect it is own economic good.

The calculation of the ecological footprint is based on the impact that makes each mode or way of life, i.e. communities of human on the planet by comparing it with its capacity.

This calculation is based on:

Certain materials and energy, as all existing products, have their origin in ecological systemsare needed to produce any product.In turn, become need ecological systems to reabsorbed waste that we have created to obtain our product or to use it.Later, fill all infrastructures that occupy the space needed for productive ecosystems.The calculation of the ecological footprint is complex and its data are often underestimated the real impact of human activity by the lack of available information.

Here, we show you the data from the calculation of the ecological footprint that took place in a study of 2003 at the global level (Semarnat, 2007)

In it you can see which activities are those more ecological footprint have generated in the population. To understand the result, keep in mind that have spoken earlier, the bases of calculation:

47.5% Burning fossil fuels22.0% agriculture7.6% wood, pulp and paper.6.7% Fishing6.3% livestock3.6% Nuclear energy3.6% urban settlements2.7% LeñaLa obtaining ecological footprint has made it possible to compare two completely different worlds under one common denominator, its impact to the environment. It allows us to see two closely related realities:

The first observation allows us to see the way of life of the rich countries of the planet can not to expand to the rest of its inhabitants.

While the second, if we talk in terms of sustainable global economy, the wealthy minority would have to reduce their consumption and their standard of living because there would be no sufficient planet that everyone lived as a well-off European citizen because of the exploitation of the resources based on the availability of fossil fuels.

That leaves us in conclusion, that the much of the developed countries ecological footprint exceeds exorbitant way its own surface, given the resources and discharges of waste extraction in places far removed from its territory.

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Biosolar: Solar panels with ecological materials

The solar energy is one of the most important renewable energy sources in the world. And solar panels are one of the most effective applications of solar energy. A new development makes it possible that these solar panels can be built with ecological materials, and so obtain a doubly positive for the environment..

Solar panels are essentially devices that trap solar energy and turn it into direct current of electricity. The work of solar panels is based entirely on the photovoltaic effect, hence the called photovoltaic panels.

This brief introduction is to explain the photovoltaic effect required to occur in elements semiconductors. Semiconductor materials mainly used are single-crystal silicon and polycrystalline silicon, which is found in each of the solar cells and are covered by glass or other materials to waterproof.

All these layers comprising solar panels are placed on a substrate or bottom layer usually contains materials such as polyester or Tedlar (a type of thermoplastic).

Solar panels can become a "greener" device, when they are made with organic materials. This is the proposal of the new BioSolar Backsheet Solar Panels.

These solar panels have a substrate (backsheet) are not built with chemical based products?in materials such as polyester and Tedlar, the most common currently. Instead this lower layer of the panel is made with a material completely ecological, obtained from castor seeds.

In addition to its ecological advantage, new panels of BioSolar substrate material shows a better thermal performance than conventional materials. The operating temperature is lower, which is also one of the highlights of this type of solar panels.

In general, this type of solar panels provides a better performance in terms of mechanical strength, electromagnetic properties, durability of long-term and adaptability to the climatic conditions. Apart from that, recycling of solar panels proposed by the manufacturer also makes this solar panel advanced and according to the demand of the contemporary world.

The almost any dependency BioSolar Backsheet solar panels towards the products of petroleum makes it - not only more suitable for environmental security – but also more economical. Given that oil prices are increasing day by day, the greater stability of the value of its raw material and a lower cost of production also are points in favour.

One of the criticisms which this type ofecological solar panelsis that it requires a specific and precise monitoring in order to provide an optimum temperature of work during the process of generation of energy solar.

More articles featured on solar energy:

Solar energy could have its future in the colder regions of the planet

High efficiency solar cells

Solar cells with efficiency of 45 %

A Virus improves the efficiency of solar cells

Solar cells cheaper and more efficient with low-quality Silicon

Solar Cell film fine record of 28.2% efficiency

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The 7 Wonders of the Ecological World

But on this occasion we bring some examples of those sites that have been postulated to become the Natural 7 Wonders (i.e. the seven wonders of the ecological world), in which there is no architecture or construction, but who has designed has been only nature.

The surprise which has been found among the nominees to be one of the 7 Wonders is precisely the Amazon basin, a source of great richness in regard to biodiversity, with a thousand species of animal and plant Kingdom, and many have not yet been discovered.

What is surprising is not this feature, but is one of the zones more danger has, by different activities inherent to its deforestation, and even the extinction of a large number of species. Perhaps protectionist measures being chosen as one of the 7 Wonders of the world to advance and efectivicen even more.

Probably one of the landscapes more famous for his appearances in a few blockbuster Hollywood movies, their training is due to a rain digging caused by the Colorado River, located north of Arizona (United States) product of a constant of millions of years wear.

Account with ranges reaching 29 km of width and depths greater than 1,680 meters, and its greatest asset is the analysis of different sediments and formations from at least 2 billion years of Earth.

This paradisiacal island in the Islands minors of Sonda, a small island formation of Indonesia, stands worldwide for hosting the single species (and unfortunately endangered) Komodo dragons, but the visit to the National Park which houses is not the only attraction.

This volcanic island is frequented by all parts of the world diving fans, those who seek to explore the underwater platform, with a great wealth of shoals of very striking species.