The gizmo Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) is a safe, affordable, environmentally effective mode of transportation. It is a single passenger vehicle designed for commuters traveling under 45 miles per trip, or 75% of all drive time.

Oh God - I want one! I usto seen these Gizmo zipping around Portland when I lived there. I was reminded how much I desire one of these lean-clean-machines when I read this article at Treehugger. It’s about ‘Luke Pie Rocker’ and the Gizmo-driven Galatic Pizza and how he is a real super-hero, saving old ladies purses in Minneapolis. There’s a video about Luke on WCCO.

The Gizmos are made by a outfit called the Neighborhood Electric Vehicle ( NEVCO ) in Eugene, Oregon. These lil machines are designed for urban drivers that travel 25 miles a day. It’s not intended for freeway travel at 45 miles an hour, but there are so many miles driven that don’t require the freeway speed or distances. Driving gas machines on short trips is no good for the atmosphere or the cars - it takes time for those internal combustion engines to burn at an efficient rate.
With the Gizmo there is…Ahhhmmm…. NO GAS, NO POLLUTION and super low cost transport. Combine these small vehicals with renewable / clean energy sources and we could make real progress in the transportation revolution. I am a fan of the idea of driving small pods like these around locally and then driving onto a large commuter train for distance travel. Electric pods could be charged while on the train.

If you hear of a used Gizmo for sale, please let me know.

The 17th annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Fair is coming up! It will be held at the ReNew the Earth Institute, MREA’s educational facility, in Custer, Wisconsin, June 23-25, 2006.

Fair Hours:
Friday, June 23rd- 9am to 7pm
Saturday, June 24th- 9am to 7pm
Sunday, June 25th- 9am to 5pm
Even though the Fair is ‘closed’, evening entertainment takes place until 11:30pm.

Apple Computer announced a free take-back program for their personal computers and iPods! Recycling of electronics is very important - they are full of toxic metals and plastics and must be disposed of properly. Apple is considered to be one of the top-ten environmentally progressive companies according to Sierra Club and its investment advisor, Forward Management. They received the “Forward Green Leader” award for their recycling program and commitment to the environment.

Expanding the Know-How - Expanding the Market

Windustry will host the Community Wind Energy 2006 Conference, March 7-8th at the Iowa Events Center, Des Moines, Iowa.

Maryland’s House. Photo credit: Stefano Paltera / Solar Decathlon

The 2005 Solar Decathlon took place on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., October 7-16th 2005. The event featured 18 collegiate teams from across the U.S, Canada, Puerto Rico and Spain.
The teams designed, built, operated and monitored small super-efficient solar homes. The Sun’s energy powered day-to-day activities- including driving around in electric cars.

The Univeristy of Colorado created a
‘Petroleum Alternative’ Building System called The BioS(h)IP. This building is a Net Zero Energy Home (NZEH) that makes use of what I would call high-tech natural building materials. The Colorado team unveiled the innovative new product called called BIO-SIPs, a biobased structural insulated panels. Net Zero Energy buildings create as much energy as they use on an annual basis. All of these buildings were off the grid, so they would have to create all the power needed for consumption. The BioS(h)IP will find a permanent home in the Solar Village, part of the Prospect New Town housing development, in Longmont, Colorado.

I’m glad to see students have created housing that can be powered by clean renewable energy. After all, the large constant nuclear explosion 887,000,000 miles away happens to power our solar system… why not our house hold appliances? I can’t wait to see what they come up with in 2007.