Goal For The Green

Cars receive most of the attention when speaking about eco-friendly transportation — and rightly so — but there are many other vehicles and devices that aim to reduce emissions with alternative power sources. From two-wheeled transports to landscaping equipment, prepare for the ever-increasing availability of machines fueled by green, sustainable power.

Motorcycles

Motorcycle manufacturers are making significant strides in producing green, alternative-fueled bikes. Zero Motorcycles has been accelerating to the top of the electric motorcycle industry with groundbreaking innovations. Zero’s 2013 S, powered by the new Z-Force motor, offers the longest range of any e-bike, traveling 137 miles in the city with a top of speed of 95 miles per hour, according to EarthTechling.com. By charging at the CHAdeMO charge stations, Zero motorcycles can be charged to 95 percent in 60 minutes or less.

photo by muc10

Lit Motors is peering further down the e-bike pipeline with its innovative C-1 model prototype. The C-1 takes the best parts of a motorcycle and splices them with the safety features of a car. The result is an enclosed two-wheeled vehicle that drives like a car. It can travel 200 miles on a single charge and can hit a top speed of 120 miles per hour, according to The New York Times.

Lawnmowers

Homeowners underestimate the frightening volume of noxious fumes that gas-powered mowers release into the atmosphere. As an alternative, there exist corded and cordless electric lawnmowers, but some mowers take it a step further. Autonomous mowers like the Husqvarna Automower utilize both solar energy and electricity to mow your lawn. The hybrid’s solar panels soak in ultraviolet light on sunny days, but if it needs more juice, the Automower automatically returns to its base station for an electric charge. The installation of a perimeter wire contains the mower from wandering into a neighbor’s yards. Of course, if you want the greenest mower available, your best bet is always the push reel mower that’s powered solely by you.

ATVs

Environmentalists usually decry ATVs as wasteful and a blight to the land, but these utility vehicles do serve important functions. Farmers and park rangers rely on ATVs to pull heavy tools and traverse difficult terrain. Electric ATVs are a godsend to rural riders. Electric ATVs are whisper quiet and free of emissions. Owners don’t have to fret about replacing oil, fuel filters and spark plugs either. Electric Vehicle System’s (EVS) E-Force is one such economical ATV that’s applicable in farming, border patrol, park maintenance and of course for recreation. Impressively, it achieves three times the torque of a gas motor, according to ATV.com. Polaris also released one of the first completely electric side-by-sides, the Ranger EV. Polaris claims that their EV has the longest range of any mid-size, electric side-by-side.

Guest Post by Aimee Claire

Living in an environmentally-friendly manner can extend into all areas of one’s life, including the design and furnishing of the home. Instead of being boring and unattractive, eco-friendly furniture is a very stylish alternative to standard furniture. Wooden furniture, made from materials harvested from certified forests, is one of the most popular options for eco-friendly furniture, and a wide variety of designs, both modern and traditional, are available in stores and online.

Eco-friendly wooden furniture

Unlike standard wooden furniture, eco-friendly wooden furniture is constructed from a variety of different woods that are harvested from approved sites around the world. Certified growers nurture trees from the seedling stage, constantly renewing the crop by planting new trees when old trees are felled.   

Bamboo is also a popular material that is used to make eco-friendly wooden furniture. This kind of furniture is frequently made to look like wood. Bamboo furniture is also popular because of its sustainability, since bamboo is such a fast-growing and hardy grass.

Green furniture design tips and advice

Whether a major remodeling or just freshening up a single room, designing the interior of a home in an eco-friendly way is a great opportunity to be creative. Start by refurbishing or repurposing furniture that is already in the house. Refinishing an oak dining table or adding a fresh coat of paint in a color that complements the room décor can brighten a room and change its mood almost immediately.

If paint is the finish of choice, choose a non-toxic type. Many paints contain volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, that release chemicals into the atmosphere of the home. Low-VOC or no-VOC paints are available and are especially important if there are children in the home, or if the piece of furniture being painted will form part of a child’s room. The same goes for wall paint, and wallpapers should be avoided as the adhesives that are used to attach them to the wall also contain toxins.

Furniture with fabric coverings can be easily re-covered, either by a professional upholsterer or as a do-it-yourself project. A wide variety of naturally-sourced fabrics can be used to cover sofas and chairs; there are also many materials that mimic leather, suede and other animal hides, offering a green alternative to these materials.

Eco-friendly flooring and floor coverings

Having a green home starts from the bottom up, so selecting eco-friendly flooring and floor coverings is an important first step towards creating an environmentally-friendly home. Bamboo flooring is one of the most attractive, long-lasting and greenest choices for flooring that is available. With higher fiber content than most hardwoods, bamboo offers a comfortable alternative to standard flooring. It is also safer, as it doesn’t contain the harmful chemicals that many standard flooring materials emit. Bamboo can also be recycled when it has worn out.

If wood flooring is not the best option for a room, tiling may be a better way to go. Some floor tiles are environmentally-friendly, produced using green technology, and have the added bonus of providing warmth to the home by providing thermal insulation.

This post can also be viewed live at PR Web http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/5/prweb10701153.htm

Imagine being a young girl living in poverty. Then add to that, not being able to afford feminine hygiene products.  Many young girls in poverty stricken countries miss a week of school or even drop out every month.  It happens because they are scared of leakage and embarrassed about these problems associated with their periods happening at school.

At Ruby Cup Press 2013 there is a call to take action.  The goal is to reduce waste and have a product that can be re-used for up to 10 years, all while helping keep young girls in school!

GoalForTheGreen has partnered with  Ruby Cup to share information about their product and raise awareness about their new campaign at Ruby Cup Press 2013 .Wonderful   pictures of their work at Ruby Cup and stories about how Ruby Cup has helped some girls in Kenya are very inspirational.  At Ruby Cup Press 2013, taking action will help keep young girls in school while sharing the opportunity to try Ruby Cup for yourself.

The Ruby Message

Menstruation is surrounded by stigma and taboo. A red Ruby is something valuable; something to treasure. When you invest in a Ruby Cup it’s an investment in your health, your economy, and your environment. The name Ruby re-brands menstruation from taboo to treasure.     

In the global south menstruation is a main cause of school drop out for girls in poverty.  With every purchase of a Ruby Cup, the company gives a Ruby Cup to a schoolgirl living in poverty. Girls living in poverty can’t afford menstrual hygiene products. Often girls living in poverty stricken countries are scared of leaking in public,so they stay home from school during their period. This amounts to 20% of their school-time. With every Ruby Cup sold and given,the goal is to help save the planet from the environmental impact of waste, while changing the health and lives of girls living in poverty. The folks at Ruby Cup believe the solution is not to start dumping billions of pads in the developing world that will then harm the environment and create dependency on monthly product donations.

The freedom Ruby Cup gives is liberating. Now, instead of these girls being scared of leaking in public they are free to swim, dance, walk, sleep, jump – and even look good naked! Welcome to the modern world, where your period comes with no strings or wings attached. What a phenomenal self esteem booster thanks to these menstrual cups.

Ruby Cup is designed in Denmark by three young women, in collaboration with experts from the world leading healthcare company Coloplast. It has an easy to grab stem and a large capacity which means users can go up to 12 hours without emptying it. Ruby Cup is a healthy, high quality and sustainable menstrual hygiene product made of 100% top Medical Grade Silicone and can be re-used for up to 10 years. Think of all the money that is saved, as well as the help to the environment.

The smooth consistency of Ruby Cup enables soft insertion and removal, and its frosted feel provides an easy to clean surface. When using a Ruby Cup menstrual cup, its almost like forgetting about your period! Get ready to spoil your body with a superior menstrual hygiene product. While treating yourself, why not keep that feel good solution going by  supporting a Kenyan schoolgirl with every purchase!

Ruby Cup was the winner of the Global Social Entrepreneurship program in 2012 as well as Venture Cup 2012, a selected Sustainia100 Solution, Finalist in Ben & Jerry’s Join Our Core 2012, and second prize in the Future Impact Award 2012.

Barbara Rae is owner/author of GoalfortheGreen.com.  Stop by any time and learn to set green goals, become Earth conscious, Energy smart, and optimally Healthy.