…on a mission from God The best movie car chase for my money is not Bullitt, not Vanishing Point, not even The French Connection.  For a virtuoso display of evasive driving,  there is no equal to the fabulous Blues Brothers classic mall chase - and it has the best music as well.  The Brothers’ ex-cop car with “cop shocks and cop springs” was made for the job.

There’s a serious point to this - living off-grid, never rely on the cops to bail you out if there’s trouble - whether from local rednecks who just don’t like you all the way up to marauding gangs.  In the event of a major social collapse, they will come flooding out of the cities looking for your food and water, so better get ready with this eight point plan:
>>Keep reading “How to evade pursuit vehicles”

How they used to look Universal Digital radio (DAB) hasn’t reached the US yet, because of Sirius and other satellite services.  

In the UK,  the switchover has begun, and as well as getting all the BBC channels, listeners can receive obscure stations nationally such as Passion for the Planet or the Parliament channel. The benefit is perfect clarity, but the new generation of digital radios can be energy hogs.
>>Keep reading “Low energy radio”

Air-powered car - Its for real What would you think if someone tried to sell you a car that runs on fresh air?

With road transport accounting for a fifth of global carbon emissions, you could leap at the chance to acquire potentially planet-saving technology. But you know what car salesmen are like?  Surely, if such a car existed, you would have heard of it. Likely you would guess he is a conman or a fantasist.
Yet this month at Schipol airport, Amsterdam, Holland, the world’s first cars powered only by compressed air, go on active duty. They are being tested as replacements for the huge fleet of electric service vehicles operated by the airline Air France KLM.
>>Keep reading “We are air-heads”

Siwash - generator backup The Siwash Lake Ranch is truly off-grid.  Its  a luxury dude ranch outside Kamloops, B.C where Allyson Rogers, the ranch’s co-owner, walks guests through basics such as dealing with trash, recycling and composting. And with the guests onboard (the ranch can host two or three families at a time), Siwash Lake puts out one bag of garbage – every month.

Siwash Lake is one of the most eco-friendly destinations in Canada,
>>Keep reading “Eco-hotels in Canada”

Toasty Once you’ve tackled the insulation in your dwelling and achieved a decent level of heat retention, its worthwhile looking at ways to conduct heat from within.  Firstly we need to dispel all traditional notions of gas and electric heaters.  Vehicles, and other small dwellings need to be dealt with in a different manner to your grandmas front room, or the freezing conservatory you were forced into every Christmas to make room for the big family dinner.

>>Keep reading “Heat your space”

Let there be skylight Skylights offer ventilation and light to your vehicle, helping also reduce damp by circulating air. They are easy to install with a few simple tools. There is a variety of places on the internet, or local camping stores where they can be bought. Depending on your requirements they can cost anything from $50 to $000’s. The basic models offer a simple lift up method to allow air in.
>>Keep reading “How to fit a skylight on an RV”

Rosenberg: re-in-car-nation An open letter to GM, Ford and Chrysler (Mostly GM!) by Betsy Rosenberg, Creator, Host - EcoTalk Radio www.ecotalk.netCo-Founder - Don’t Be Fueled! Mothers For Clean and Safe Vehicles

Dear Big Three Automakers,
So there you are in Washington DC with your hands outstretched and your hats out,
>>Keep reading “We won’t be fueled again!”

keep on goingLaptops have never been faster, cell phones never fancier, and plug-in electric cars are just around the corner. But batteries are not keeping up.

Computer chips double in speed every two years but the batteries powering those devices are improving by only about 8 percent a year. Across the country, an industry is working to reinvent the humble battery.

“Everybody is screaming for more power,” says Michael Thackeray, a battery expert with Argonne National Laboratory. It’s not just about gadgets. Many of today’s big issues—like reducing dependence on foreign oil, or greening the electricity supply with solar and wind power—depend on a device invented two centuries ago.
>>Keep reading “The weakest link: batteries”

Sponsored ecolife NEARLY FOUR YEARS AGO, Off-Grid founder Nick Rosen began traveling around Britain in a veggie-powered RV to meet off-gridders and highlight the simple life.

Now he has a host of flattering imitators. The New York Times featured a clutch of them last weekend, including Sara and Matt Janssen who moved from a 1,600-square-foot home to a tour the country without harming the planet — i.e. they took up residence in a 36-foot recreational vehicle fueled by used vegetable oil.
>>Keep reading “NY Times features Eco-RVers”