Here are some insights that may just tempt you to buy a hybrid.

1. Made of lightweight materials hybrids are small in size. The engine is designed to be fuel efficient. When the car halts at a signal, the engine will automatically shut down and restart when the car shifts into gear.

2. These cars have the advantage of being powered by a gasoline engine and an electric motor that takes care of acceleration.

3. The batteries of the electric motor recharge automatically by harnessing the kinetic energy produced during braking.

4. Hybrid car engines produce less emission, give better mileage, idle less, and are fuel efficient.

5. The aerodynamic design reduces drag and the tires are made of a special rubber that reduces friction.

6. The battery has high capacity and is made of nickel-metal-hydride. The battery can run the hybrid when called for.

7. The power-train technology enables using two power sources and enhances fuel efficacy.

8. There are many choices. You can have a hybrid from Honda, Ford, Toyota, GMC, and Chevrolet.

9. If your transportation of choice is a hybrid then the US Government will applaud your choice by giving you significant tax breaks.

10. Using a hybrid means you are active in ensuring the air is clean and that you are a concerned citizen who wishes to save fuel which is precious.

Maximize usage by “pulse and glide.” This means finding the ideal point where electric and gas energy are equally utilized. Generally this ideal lies between 30-40 miles per hour. Stabilization of energy is learnt by practice it really cannot be taught. Another important aspect is that you benefit if you don’t rush around and drive at the prescribed speed limit. If you glide, instead of accelerate then you can make a saving of as much as 10 cents a gallon. Lastly check and maintain tire pressures. This will help lengthen the life of the tires and help you save fuel. Reduced tire pressure studies indicate reduces gas mileage by as much as 10%.

Before you say “yes” to buying a hybrid car, you must do in depth research on hybrids, the pros and cons. Talk to manufacturers and owners. Test drive the different makes and check which one would suit your life-style. Some hybrids are ideal for city driving while others are more efficient on open roads.

Even if the buying price is steep the fuel that you save along with incentives like tax breaks make a hybrid a good and sensible choice.

Portola Valley, CA (PRWEB) April 9, 2008 — Ready Solar announces the expanded manufacturing/mass production of its flagship product, Solar in a BoxTM, the industry’s first standardized pre-assembled solar electric appliance. Solar in a Box includes a proprietary frame mounting assembly and world-class partner components – pre-assembled for easy installation – eliminating specialized construction and installation costs.

Ready Solar is actively seeking installation partners. Solar in a Box systems allow residential solar installers and general contractors to complete jobs in half the time, meaning more jobs and better profitability.

“We offer an easy-to-install, aesthetically superior system, providing a clean, renewable energy option at an affordable price,” said Meredith McClintock, CEO of Ready Solar. “We are able to eliminate the costly site visits and custom sizing process, making it easy to select a standardized system based on the available roof space and customer’s budget. Solar in a Box has successfully introduced a prefab, solar appliance that is easy to purchase and install, and is cost-effective for use on every structure with an un-shaded, south/southwest facing roof.”

Ready Solar Training Session at ASES Solar 2008 San Diego: May 5, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Register for Training. Contact Janey Ward 650-646-3411 x804
Complimentary exhibition pass. Lunch provided. Session is free of charge.
Booth 804
Photo credit: Sunset Magazine 2007 Idea House, Truckee, CA

New York, NY (PRWEB) March 27, 2008 — As Presidential hopefuls outline plans for housing relief packages to slow mounting foreclosures, some Americans have taken matters into their own hands.

The off-grid web site is teeming with stories from ordinary Americans living on backlots, using renewable energy, living ecological lives…..but also just surviving….on low incomes and with a good lifestyle: Many have come to the site to share their experiences or to ask for advice.

Off-Grid.net Editor, Nick Rosen has interviewed hundreds of off-gridders about their reasons for living this way, and the site has many case studies to show that many who are being repossessed are turning to the off-grid lifestyle. The site receives 80,000 US visitors per month.

Nick Rosen is a leading expert on how to live the high life on a low budget. His book, “How to Live Off-Grid” published by Doubleday, is not about survivalism, but it is about survival at a time when the repo man is everywhere:

“We lived beyond our income, charging, borrowing, refinancing…..” says off-gridder Ladena Sipes in one article on the off-grid.net web site:
“…we waited too late to sell our house and instead the bank foreclosed. Bankruptcy loomed and frankly, we didn’t know how we would make it.

“When it became obvious we weren’t going to be able to hang onto the house we sold almost everything….furniture, appliances, etc….and moved into two travel trailers on 20 acres we owned. It was really our only choice.”

Now says Sipes, she is happier than she has ever been: “odd as it sounds…it feels good…we are much happier since we accidentally escaped the consumerism and rush of our “other life. I know we’ll never go back to the city. We love it out here and staying and building a mortgage free home is our dream.”

Many visitors to the off-grid.net web site describe the precise details of their off-grid lives: “I live off grid in upstate New York, Southern Adirondacks,” says tattoo artist Denise de la Cerda,32. ” I have a good client base in New York City, and when I go there to work, I generally couch surf.
“Currently at home I don’t even have solar – yet – and find that I really don’t need electricity for much. This year I got a well dug, and now am able to hand pump my water. Previous to that, I was collecting rainwater and filtering it. In winter I heat with a woodstove. I cook with a small propane stove.”

In London, England, Mayor Ken Livingstone has just called for the whole city to go off-grid, citing opposition from central government as the only obstacle. In a meeting last week reported in the London Observer, Livingstone told Thom Yorke from Radiohead: ” We don’t want the normal grid. We want to get everybody off grid.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s nuclear or gas, 65 per cent of energy is wasted in the cooling system.”

Nick Rosen said: “There are practical, achievable ways that any city can reduce and eventually eliminate its dependence on wasteful power and water grids.
“From local micro-grids powered by renewable energy to Combined Heat and Power (CHP) supplies for high density dwellings such as high rises,” it would be quite possible to unplug London from the National Grid.
“Human and household waste could be turned into energy by local treatment plants, rather than be transported miles to sewage plants.
“And rainwater harvesting could supply a very high percentage of our household water needs, especially in winter.”

“It’s a combination of new technology and ancient wisdom.” said Rosen.

NOTES TO EDITORS: More than 1.4 million families lost their homes to foreclosure last year, an increase of 75 percent from 2006. Many of these families, racked with debt, were forced to become creative or face the prospect of living on the streets.

www.Off-Grid.net editorial team is based in London, England, but 75% of the audience is from US or Canada. It has over one million page views per month.

Nick Rosen is an award winning journalist and documentary maker (including PBS Frontline and CBS 60 Minutes). His latest book, “How to Live Off Grid” is published by Bantam Press on March 31st.

If you would like more information or to set up an interview with Nick about plans Americans can make when faced with the prospect of losing a home, please call Lindsay Hobson at +447971543703 or email editor(at)off-grid.net.

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Houston, TX (PRWEB) March 27, 2008 — Georgians shopping for natural gas service can establish a better relationship and understanding with their natural gas company by following key steps before making a choice. GasGeorgia.com, the leading site in the state of Georgia for comparing and ordering natural gas service, is offering tips to ensure that customers can compare natural gas companies head-to-head with a clear idea of what they should expect from their provider.

Here are three things to consider when shopping for natural gas service:

1. Type of Rate Plan–Make sure to carefully read each rate plan’s options and description to determine whether the price plan is fixed or variable. A variable rate will fluctuate according to the natural gas market, and a fixed rate is generally locked in for the length of contract.
2. Understanding All Costs–Carefully consider and research all outlined fees associated with each plan–cancellation, disconnect, re-connect and deposits–paying close attention to any hidden fees that may affect the monthly bill. Also, many companies offer new customers special incentives and discounts, and individuals over a certain age may qualify for a senior discount.
3. Reputation–Use the BBB and the Georgia Public Service Commission to research each company’s customer service record, outstanding disputes or complaints, and any information regarding their general business practices that may affect the overall reputation.

Natural gas customers in Georgia can easily take advantage of a competitive natural gas market by following the steps above. Natural gas companies compete for new customers by offering incentives, a variety of rate plans, convenient billing options and more. GasGeorgia provides customers looking to switch, transfer or establish new natural gas service a fast and free online ordering system, helping expedite the traditional process of researching prices and plans over the phone.

About GasGeorgia
GasGeorgia is a free online service where Georgians can compare natural gas companies and order service for their homes. Customers can compare natural gas rate plans and prices from the top providers in the State of Georgia, as well as switch and move their natural gas service without interruption. GasGeorgia is a member of the WhiteFence network.

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This World Water Day, March 22nd, The Nature Conservancy is offering simple tips for saving water and helping to restore rivers and lakes around the world.

“World Water Day was established by the United Nations to help create awareness about water issues such as lack of clean drinking water, droughts and hydropower,” said Brian Richter, co-director of The Nature Conservancy’s global freshwater program. “Today, studies about damaged and threatened freshwater systems are appearing with increasing frequency but there are small and tangible steps that each of us can take to help reduce our impacts.”

Virtually all living things depend upon properly functioning rivers, lakes and wetlands for survival. Freshwater systems provide a wealth of natural services that support strong economies, such as sustaining fisheries, delivering nutrients to floodplains, wetlands and estuaries, moderating floods and droughts, purifying water supplies by absorbing pollutants, decomposing waste, and providing a source of drinking water to billions around the globe.

Although lakes and rivers occupy only 0.8 percent of Earth’s surface, these systems have lost a greater proportion of their species and habitats than land or oceans, and the growing human population is placing ever-greater demands on available freshwater supplies. While many parts of the world look to expand water usage to grow food, generate electricity and support industrial production, over 1 billion people live without access to clean drinking water. It is estimated that every eight seconds, a young child dies from lack of water or a waterborne disease.

In the United States alone, we use anywhere from 80 to 100 gallons of water per person every day, for drinking, cooking, showering, washing clothes and dishes, watering our lawns and flushing toilets. This is the highest personal water consumption rate in the world. Because this water comes from rivers, lakes, reservoirs or wells, the more water we use the larger the impact on the environment.

With a few small, simple changes, you can help reduce your water use, leaving more water in the rivers, lakes and other freshwater sources. These changes will also result in a lower water bill so should benefit your home finances as well:

1. Consider cutting a little water usage from your morning routine. Does anyone really need to shower for more than 5-10 minutes? Keeping a timer in your bathroom will remind you to wrap up and get out. And please turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth and while applying soap to your dirty dishes. All that perfectly clean tap water is just going down the drain.

2. If a home renovation is in the cards, splurge on low-flow and water-efficient appliances they’ll save you money in the long-run. A front-loading washing machine, for example, uses 40-60% less water than top-loading machines — and 30-50% less energy.

3. Even a new toilet can save you water! New technology can help you limit the gallons used each time you flush. And there are more old-fashioned ways to save water, too: if you can’t install a low-flow toilet, reduce the amount of water used by placing a jar or other closed container full of water into your toilet tank.

4. Install low-flow shower heads and sink spigots, which can both be purchased at your local hardware store, or contact your water utility company to find out if they distribute them for free. Low-flow shower heads reduce water by an average of five gallons per minute- and with today’s advanced models, you won’t be sacrificing water pressure. In a year, a low-flow shower head can save over 5,400 gallons of water.

5. When running the dishwasher, make sure it’s full to get the maximum use per drop. There’s no need to pre-rinse, since most of today’s models can handle any kind of grime. An added environmental bonus: save energy by turning off the auto-dry setting and letting your dishes dry naturally.

6. Check for–and hastily repair– leaky pipes and faucets. The tiniest leak has far greater impact than you’d think. In fact, many cities lose 40 to 60 percent (or more!) of their water supply due to leaky pipes. Use the U.S. Geological Survey’s leak calculator to see how much water is lost through your drips: http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/sc4.html

7. Don’t use your sinks and drains as trash cans, and dispose of oil and other toxic materials properly. Just one gallon of oil reaching the sewer can contaminate one million gallons of fresh water.

As a side note, don’t flush pills down the toilet, either. These chemicals and hormones can end up in our drinking water supply, and it’s difficult to filter them all out. In fact, a recent investigation found trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in the water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas, and the human and environmental consequences are still unknown. A better solution than flushing: return excess medication to your pharmacy.

8. Reduce water use in your own yard:

* Try collecting rainwater by placing containers at the end of each gutter. It’s perfect for watering your garden.
* Water your lawn or garden in the morning or the evening when the water will evaporate less rapidly. Adjust sprinklers to avoid the pointless watering of sidewalks or paved areas.
* Sweep patios and sidewalks rather than hosing them, which wastes water and carries contaminants into freshwater systems.
* Limit pesticide use. Pesticides are the only substances we intentionally introduce into our environment to kill living things, and besides being potentially dangerous to people, pets and wildlife, they’ll eventually be carried into our freshwater supply by runoff.

9. Take the easy way out and hit the car wash. A car wash typically uses about 32 gallons of water per vehicle, but the EPA estimates that washing it yourself can use up to 500 gallons of water…not to mention loads of your time and energy.

10. Take advantage of recreation opportunities on local lakes and rivers, and learn about the wildlife they support. It will help you understand what we could lose if we don’t manage our water wisely.

To learn more about how The Nature Conservancy is working to restore and protect freshwater systems around the globe, visit: www.nature.org/freshwaters.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.

Dunkirk, NY (PRWEB) March 16, 2008 — Sales of the energy efficient, carbon neutral Econoburnâ„¢ wood gasification boilers have grown steadily since Dunkirk, NY-headquartered Alternative Fuel Boilers, LLC shipped the first unit early last year, and new marketing initiatives are expected to rapidly expand the company’s sales volume in 2008.

The gasification technology used in the Econoburnâ„¢ boilers captures then reignites flue gases in the combustion chamber resulting in a heating efficiency nearing 90 percent. With virtually no smoke and extremely low emissions, the high-tech boilers help ease the burden on the environment.

Econoburnâ„¢ models include residential units ranging in size of 100,000-300,000 BTUs up to industrial facility boilers with 1 million BTUs of output for use either as a primary heat source or to supplement an existing system.

The boilers are adaptable to both hot water and forced air heating systems, and the company offers accessory products for swimming pools and hot tubs along with heat exchanger fans for industrial buildings.

Building on a successful first year of marketing the Econoburnâ„¢ direct to consumers via the internet, the company is implementing an aggressive, three-part promotional plan. The plan includes trade show participation, development of a dealership network and new costumer financing program.

Going Green Expos

The completely “Made in the U.S.A.” Econoburnâ„¢ boiler was “very well received” during its trade show debut at the Going Green Expo in Boston last month, said company president William Raines.

“There is a great deal of enthusiasm in the market for the Econoburn,” Raines said. “People like that it is manufactured in the United States, that it is extremely energy efficient and that its gasification technology results in air emissions well below EPA standards.”

More Going Green Expos are on the docket including those scheduled for Burlington, VT in May, Portland, ME in July and Manchester, NH in November.

The Going Green Expos, according to the trade show’s website www.goinggreenexpos.com, allow visitors to “learn more about green building, renewable energy…and conscientious consumerism.”

Alternative Fuel Boilers vice president Mark Odell said Going Green Expo visitors, like the estimated 15,000 who attended the Boston event, represent “a perfect demographic for the Econoburn boiler. These are people who appreciate the ‘carbon neutral’ benefits of burning wood using gasification technology.”

He explained that because trees absorb carbon in order to grow, wood energy produced in a gasification boiler that captures and re-combusts flue gases does not contribute to global warming.

“Wood burned in an Econoburn boiler releases no more carbon dioxide than would be released naturally in the forest were the tree to die and rot,” he noted. “That is not as certain in the case of non-gasification conventional outdoor wood boilers that, due to less efficient combustion, allow significant energy and higher levels of pollutants to simply go up the flue.”

Emerging Dealerships

Odell joined Alternative Fuel Boilers last fall and brought to the company seven years of experience in manufacturer representative management at ECR International, the third largest heating and cooling equipment manufacturer in the United States.

His assignment is to build the company’s network of stocking distributors and installers.

Odell is concentrating his initial efforts on the nineteen states in the Northeast, Middle Atlantic, Great Lakes and Eastern Midwest regions of the country where an estimated 95 percent of some 155,000 conventional outdoor wood boilers (OWBs) have been sold since 1990.

“The demand for fuel cost savings combined with clean-energy, wood burning gasification technology is widespread and growing,” Odell said about targeting those areas of the country where most of the conventional OWBs have been sold. “The people who have OWBs are already committed to burning wood. Whether as a result of the obsolescence of their existing units or the imposition of increasingly strict air emission regulations, many people will be seeking to upgrade to the cleaner burning units.

“We are offering a select number of distributors and dealer-installers to be in the forefront of the wood gasification boiler market.”

Odell said dealer-installers will go through a rigorous evaluation process before they are deemed qualified to represent Econoburnâ„¢. He said they will need to demonstrate the financial capacity necessary to carry an inventory of boilers in order to ensure on-time delivery to customers.

Econoburnâ„¢ dealer-installers will also have to show they can meet the company’s high standards for installation and service.

“Our company’s core philosophy is founded in on-time delivery and quality of product and service,” Odell said. “We’ll do our part for our dealers, and we’ll make sure they do their part for our mutual customers.”

Energy Loans

To help the company’s on-line and dealer customers, Alternative Fuel Boilers has partnered with AFC First Financial Corporation’s EnergyLoan program to offer up to 100 percent financing with fixed rate monthly payment plans when the purchase an Econoburnâ„¢ boiler.

In many cases, Odell explained, the cost to purchase and install a new boiler is more than what many people want to put on a credit card, but not enough to justify a home equity loan.

“The EnergyLoan program provides convenient, unsecured financing for the purchase and installation of a new Econoburn boiler,” Odell said. “It’s an option we can offer to our direct-purchase customers and one that our dealers can offer to their customers as well.”
To promote the program, Alternative Fuel Boilers is, for a limited time, offering to pay the registration fee for its dealers who sign-up to use the program.

Odell noted that dealers must meet certain standards set by the lender in order to participate. They must have been in business at least 3 years and have a net worth of at least $50,000 with a satisfactory credit history. They must also have satisfactory Better Business Bureau and trade and customer ratings as well as a reputation for a high level of service and workmanship.

“I would expect that our high standards in selecting dealers would likely make them well-qualified to participate in the EnergyLoan program,” Odell said.

Dealer and customer support provides pre-purchase consultations on appropriate boiler sizing, systems integration, accessory applications and any other specialized design criteria through Alternative Fuels’ website, www.alternativefuelboilers.com, or its toll-free telephone number: 866-818-5162.

Alternative Fuel Boilers’ corporate parent, Dunkirk Metal Products, Inc., is an ISO 9001-2000 certified metal fabricating company with 60 years of industry experience.

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San Francisco, California (PRWEB) March 15, 2008 — Environmentally conscious Bay Area residents and businesses now have a green choice for their electricity consumption. Village Green Energy, Inc., a new San Francisco-based company, is helping California electricity consumers transition to renewable energy sources within Pacific Gas and Electric’s (PG&E) service territory.

Since launching at the San Francisco Green Festival in November, Village Green’s customers have helped prevent over 1,000,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere through their purchase of locally produced renewable power.

“Selling renewable energy directly from the source to the consumer enables our customers to offset their global environmental impact, and support the California renewable energy industry,” says Village Green CEO, Mike Jackson.

That’s exactly why, when the owner of the local sushi restaurant Mas Sake decided to decrease the restaurant’s carbon footprint, she contacted Village Green.

With dynamic lighting and a high-end sound system entertaining patrons at the Lombard Street eatery, Mas Sake’s monthly electricity bill is higher than the average restaurant. Owner Nicole Cronin explored installing solar panels on the roof, but determined “it wasn’t economically feasible” for their situation.

Instead, Cronin implemented Village Green’s small business solution that enables Mas Sake to purchase renewable energy from local generators — minimizing Mas Sake’s impact on the environment, while maximizing her customers’ experience.

Additional local Village Green customers include Canyon Construction, Powersource Café and The Go Game.

Purchasing renewable energy from Village Green in the form of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) forces additional renewable power onto California’s electricity grid in place of fossil fuels. RECs not only offset carbon dioxide emissions, but they also prevent many other pollutants from entering the air and water. With the help of local businesses like Mas Sake and their growing customer base, Village Green is driving the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy and helping improve the environment in California.

About Village Green Energy, Inc.
Village Green Energy, Inc. works with renewable energy generators located in California to sell Renewable Energy Certificates to residents and businesses interested in purchasing and supporting renewable power. With a rapidly growing customer base, Village Green provides a unique package of local renewable energy to consumers looking to move away from fossil fuels and towards wind, solar, and other renewable energy technologies.

For more information, visit: www.VillageGreenEnergy.com.

Contact: Jesse Krieger
jesse@villagegreenenergy.com
ph: (415) 699-4092

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Claremont, NH (PRWEB) March 15, 2008 — Davis Frame Company, one of the country’s premiere timber frame home companies, is proud to announce that one of their timber frame homes recently qualified for the highest rating Energy Star awards. The client’s home, located in central Vermont, received Energy Star 5+ rating which nearly exceeds perfection. The home is 4407 square feet and is a hybrid combining a unique blend of timber frame home design with conventional building.

The timbers in the timber frame portion of the home are carefully crafted with Douglas fir. This energy custom efficient home is insulated with structural insulated panels (SIPS) 4-1/2 wall panels (R21) and 10-1/4 EPS roof panels (R38), from Foard Panel. In order to qualify as an Energy Star home, the Vermont couple had a blower door test performed, which measures the air tightness of the home. To help create a more energy efficient home, high energy efficient doors, windows and appliances were incorporated into the home.

“The energy efficiency of our timber frame home is an unanticipated benefit which we are now appreciating. We’re very happy with our choice!”- Joan and Brian

Davis Timber Frame Company Can Help Build Your Energy Star Timber Frame Home

Davis Frame Company’s timber frames ensure that your timber frame home contains extremely high-quality craftsmanship combined with energy efficient structural insulated panels (SIPs) in the wall and roof system to create an energy efficient green house by design. With the use of passive solar into the design of your new timber frame home, energy efficient windows, and SIPs, a highly energy efficient home can be built that can be far superior than a typical log or conventional “stick-built” home.

“The timing is serendipitous,” states Reid Greenberg, Director of Marketing and eCommerce for Davis Frame Company. “The consumer is asking for a combination of beautiful aesthetics and unmatched energy efficiency in their new homes. By default, the process we use for our timber frame homes fit this model perfectly. The time for the timber frame industry to reach the broader market has come.”

Davis Frame’s in-house design team has a wealth of knowledge in green building design, home orientation, and passive solar considerations, which fits in perfectly with the company’s goal of providing energy efficient homes. Davis Frame can help your home or commercial buildings meet Energy Star standards as well as qualify for LEED certification.

More on Energy Star
There are many benefits for receiving an Energy Star rating for your new timber frame home which include a federal tax break as well a significant saving in energy costs. Here are some quick and easy solutions to make your current home more energy efficient such as the following:

* Purchase Energy Star appliances
* Install a qualified programmable thermostat
* Use of compact fluorescent light bulbs
* Install or replace highly efficient windows and doors
* Do-it-yourself sealing of air leakage
* The use of ceiling fans
* Adding more insulation to your attic could help reduce energy costs
* Replace your old HVAC heating and cooling system with an Energy Star rated system
* Use Energy Star rated AC window units

About Davis Frame Company

Davis Frame Company’s mission is to provide customers with the finest timber frame homes. Learning, growing and adapting over time has meant incorporating the latest advances in design and production, integrating more efficient building systems into home designs, and embracing new materials and technologies.

For more information or to order their free timber frame CD or information, please visit Davis Frame. You can also visit their Timber Frame Blog to find out more information on building your dream green timber frame home.

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London, UK, (PRWEB) March 14, 2008 — BBC Worldwide, has today announced the launch of a BBCGreen.com, a consumer lifestyle website for people interested in how they can combat climate change. The new UK site gives simple and practical advice on living a greener life that will make a difference to both the environment and your wallet.

As well as offering regular editorial features such as ‘How to use Solar Panels‘ and ‘carbon footprint calculator, which just tells you how much pollution you’re creating, BBCGreen’s Action Plan enables you to see how different actions compare and discover what really does make a difference.

The advice on BBCGreen.com is based on facts and expert opinion and covers areas such as food, travel, home and finance which are central to living a green lifestyle. BBC Worldwide is using its considerable expertise in these areas to create a new, thematic outlet for a clearly defined target audience.

New appointments:

Heading the team is Will Watt who was previously a Publisher at IFG and Dennis. Will has conceived and developed BBC Green in his role as Publisher and brought together a strong and credible team from some of the UK’s leading green experts.

Bringing a wealth of journalistic and writing skills to the team is Paul Allen who takes the role of Editor. Allen is an experienced editor, author and “green” commentator. His book ‘Your Ethical Business’ was endorsed by the likes of Anita Roddick (The Body Shop) and John Bird (The Big Issue), and aims to bring social and environmental responsibility into mainstream thinking.

Acting as contributing editor is Duncan Clark, Editor of the Rough Guides to Climate Change and Ethical Living. He and the rest of the team will draft fresh, compelling content on green issues – focusing less on the why and more on what each of us can do.

Joining Will’s team as an Online Strategist is Andrew Zincke, previously the driving force behind the online marketing for Dennis Publishing’s ground-breaking online magazine, Monkey.

Will Watt, Publisher, BBCGreen.com, said: “A large proportion of the UK population want to be Green but are confused and not sure where to begin. Our aim is to give them the best possible start with day-to-day advice that makes a greener lifestyle manageable, practical and affordable.”

“We don’t campaign on green issues, we simply want to help and inspire people who are looking for easy-to-follow advice.”

The site will be funded by advertising and managed in-house adhering to existing BBC Worldwide advertising guidelines.

About BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide Limited is the commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The company exists to maximise the value of the BBC’s intellectual property and exploits content around the world on behalf of rights holders. The company has six core businesses: Global Channels, Global TV Sales, Magazines, Content & Production, Home Entertainment and Digital Media. In 2006/07, BBC Worldwide generated profits of £111 million on sales of £810 million.

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IBM recently announced “Project Big Green,” a $1 billion initiative to reduce energy consumption by offering new lines of energy-efficient IT products.

Wal-Mart is adding solar power to more than 20 stores.

PepsiCo is buying renewable energy certificates to offset its carbon footprint. Even major banks and energy firms are being asked by shareholders to prove that they, too, are going green.

It’s not just the biggest businesses that are attracting new customers and shareholders and reaping huge profits by “going green.” Small businesses also are growing eco-profits by embracing surprisingly inexpensive strategies to add value to their products, services and brand.

Consider these innovative examples:

- Bob Smith of Mad River Brewing Company in Blue Lake, California, has attracted positive publicity (and new customers) by promoting his efforts to reduce his small firm’s waste output and take other environmentally conscious steps. In turn, he has received welcome positive publicity from the press. “What PR budget? That is our PR budget,” he told the Albuquerque Tribune about “going green” to market his business.

- In Florida, Natalie Kelly formed Home Therapy Cleaning Services, which uses only nontoxic, all-natural cleaning products for her home cleaning business. She used to sell aromatherapy candles from her home, she told the St. Petersburg Times, but today uses an aromatherapy baking soda blend to freshen carpets.

Here’s what you can do:

- Two inexpensive ways any small business or solo entrepreneur can go green are to change light bulbs to energy-efficient bulbs and use biodegradable cleaning products.

- With that done, tell your customers and the media about these simple ways to go green. You will have just earned instant credibility as a green business, and also as a media resource for simple, effective ways to “go green.”

- Many communities online and offline are forming networks to exchange energy-saving ideas for home and business. Form your own energy network, enlisting neighborhood businesses that will welcome another opportunity to show they’re going green, too. The plus for you is that you will have just positioned yourself and your business as a community environmental leader.

- Copy what the New York Times called “Phase 2″ of the corporate response to global warming. Partner with an environmental group. Travelocity invites customers to donate an extra $10 to $40, which goes to the Conservation Fund to plant trees to offset the carbon used by a client to take a trip. Whole Foods invites customers to buy a $5 “wind power card” that goes to Renewable Choice Energy to build wind farms. What local environmental group can you partner with to promote on your Web site (and vice versa), to set aside a day that a percentage of profits will go to that organization or to make their fliers available at your business?

- Make use of readily available, free information to hand out with your business literature or to make available in your office. For example, create a one-page flier on your letterhead inviting clients to calculate their own carbon footprint by visiting http://multimedia.wri.org/safeclimate_calculator.cfm.

- Go deeper green! Attend a “green” conference in your community or region, and promote your attendance. (Go to Google.com and type in “green” and “conference” and your area to find out when and where they are scheduled.) Write a “green” article on simple ways you are going green and submit it to one of the dozens of “green” Web sites and blogs that invite reader contributions. It’s a great way to market your smart ideas and your business!

Ruth Klein, the De-Stress Diva ™ and Branding Guru, is the proverbial Woman About Town. Holding a Master’s in Clinical Psychology, consulting with renowned businesses – small and large. Ruth is a consultant, author, speaker, radio show host, branding strategist and productivity coach. http://www.ruthklein.com .