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Justin

New On Optimal Ride: GoCycle: An Innovative Folding Electric Bike

April 11, 2009

Optimal Ride has been on a bit of a hiatus during the winter, but now it’s spring and our first feature is the GoCycle — an innovative folding electric bike from the U.K. See also this post on the Zero S electric motorcycle.

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GM And Segway Unveil Their Electric 2-Seater

April 8, 2009

Yesterday, GM and Segway unveiled an electric-powered urban vehicle called the Puma. The Puma seats two people, and is said to reach a top speed of 35 miles per hour. The vehicle can go 35 miles before needing a recharge.
Larry Burns, vice president of research and development for GM, said it would cost about 35 [...]

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Renewable: Sunglasses Made With Castor Bean Oil

April 7, 2009

The frames of these sunglasses (Dragon Experience Eco) are not made with petroleum.
Instead they are made with Nylon 11, the only commercially successful high volume biopolymer, which is made by polymerizing a split segment of castor bean oil.

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From The Meta-Efficient Labs: Most Optimal Comforter Material: Organic Merino Wool

April 4, 2009

As many of you may have heard — I believe merino wool is an optimal clothing material. But it is also useful in the bedroom: as an optimal comforter fill. The advantage of wool is that it doesn’t retain moisture.

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Lenovo’s Latest Green PC: The M58p Eco Ultra Small

April 2, 2009

I’ve been testing a new, very efficient PC called the ThinkCentre M58p Eco Ultra Small by Lenovo. This compact PC is the successor to the ThinkCentre M57p Eco. My kilo-o-watt meter is telling me that the M58p consumes only about 35 watts while idle, and 58 watts of power at peak usage. It has a [...]

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Announcing: LED Light Reviews

March 25, 2009

We’re launching a new site called LED Light Reviews! This site will focus exclusively on LED lights. We’ll review the best LED products,  and track innovations in the world of LEDs.
Benjamin has already posted some great reviews like: a solar powered ferris wheel lit up with LEDs, the world’s largest LED chandelier,  safety clothing with [...]

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AC Propulsion Converts Cars To Electric Power

March 16, 2009

Here’s a video from a company called AC Propulsion, showing how straightforward it is to convert your car to electric power.

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The Bardessono Inn: 93% Of Construction Waste Reused

March 16, 2009

In Napa Valley, the newly opened Bardessono Inn and Spa is perhaps the greenest luxury hotel in the country. There are several innovative features that make Bardessono a model for green builders. Perhaps most impressive is the fact that 93 percent of the Bardessono’s construction waste was recycled — an unusally high amount. Materials [...]

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Efficient: Inexpensive, Folding, Full-Size Bikes

March 9, 2009

The Dahon Jack folding bike. It weighs 28.4 pounds (or 12.9 kg). I’ve treated this bike harshly for a year now, and I haven’t had any problems with it. It costs $459.

The Dahon Espresso. It has 21 gears instead of 8. It weighs 13.3 kg (or 29.3 lb). I’m currently testing this bike — [...]

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New Longtail Utility Bike: The Madsen kg271

March 1, 2009

Here’s a rare find — a new longtail bike. This bike is called the kg271, and it’s made by Madsen Cycles. They describe the bike as an “urban utility bike”. It comes in two versions: one with a rack built with oversized steel tubing, and another version with a bucket that incorporates a removable seat [...]

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The Best Commuter Bikes Of 2009

February 27, 2009

The sales of commuters bikes in the U.S. have grown quickly in the last couple years. Commuter bikes are those that include features useful for commuting to work or around town — like fenders, chain guards, storage racks, comfortable seats, lights and puncture-resistant tires.
Let’s take a look at some the best commuter bikes of 2009:

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Three Of The Most Efficient Things I’ve Tested

February 20, 2009

I’ve tested many products over the past year. Here are three that have particularly impressed me with their efficiency:

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Sony Introduces Smart Green LCD TVs

February 19, 2009

Sony is introducing a new LCD TV called the Bravia WE5 that it claims to be the greenest ever. The WE5 uses a new backlight called a micro-tubular HCFL backlight, which cuts the active power consumption by 50%. The television also incorporates a “Smart Presence Sensor”.

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The Best Shower Filter

February 8, 2009

This post has been updated for November 2009.
I wanted to post an update on my quest for the best shower filter. I received a lot of useful comments on my last shower filter post, and I’ve also tested a couple of new shower filters.

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Irish Firm Claims World’s Most Efficient Solar Heater

February 6, 2009

An Irish company, Surface Power, has launched what could be the most efficient solar hot water panel ever produced. The company says it plans to distribute its product internationally. The new solar panel was independently certified by TUV Rhineland. Their tests verified that when compared to other solar panels, Surface Power’s solar panel was in [...]

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Finding Inexpensive Non-Toxic Bedding

February 6, 2009

We spend about one third of our lives in bed. It’s a time when our body regenerates itself. We release about 3 liters of water while we sleep, and our bodies go through cycles of cooling down and heating up. We also absorb substances through our skin and through our lungs. So keeping one’s bed [...]

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The Best LED Desk Lamps For 2009

January 31, 2009

Well, LEDs are now dominating the flashlight market, but there’s only a handful of LED desk lamps available in 2009. Many LED desk lamps are designer lamps costing $300 and up. That’s unfortunate, because a desk lamp LED-based desk lamps have a lot going for them. Besides being energy efficient, LED lamps run much cooler [...]

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Lenovo’s New Monitors Are Greenest Available

January 27, 2009

Lenovo has released a range of new LCD monitors that are probably the greenest monitors available. The new Thinkvision L2440x monitor received Greenpeace’s highest rating in their Green Electronics Survey 2008 (PDF File).
Recently, I had a chance to review the Thinkvision L2440p 24″ widescreen LCD monitor. The L2440p uses only 30 watts to power its [...]

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The Best Water Filters Of 2009

January 15, 2009

Note: To jump straight to the water filter reviews click here.
If your are looking to find the best water filter, you’ll probably encounter a lot of misleading claims. Much of the misinformation comes from manufacturers eager to sell expensive water filters. Government sources also tend to gloss over issues of water pollution — it’s not [...]

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Tankless Water Heaters: A 2009 Review

January 11, 2009

Tankless water heater have been used in Europe and Asia for 50 years, and they are gaining popularity in the US. Right now they represent about 8% of new sales in the US. Tankless heaters, also called on-demand, flash or instant water heaters, qualify for a $300 federal tax credit.
How efficient are tankless water heaters?

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