Human Powered

Electric bikes and tricycles have become environmentally responsible hybrid commuter vehicles with excellent mileage and very low operating costs - 3 miles per penny!

Both ebikes and tricycles might transform urban mobility, as more and more people take to them. As a replacement for short car rides, they emit minimal carbon dioxide, compared to a car ride, and help residents reduce their total carbon footprint.

In addition to environmental benefits, ebike lovers indicate 5 more reasons to prefer electric bike or trike:

(Click here to read about electric bicycles environmental benefits)

1) Health benefits – Electric bikes enable people with temporary or long-term physical limitations to enjoy biking. Many ebike models offer simultaneous motor and pedal use for some degree of physical activity.2) Convenience – It’s always there for you and enables easy riding around town, running errands, and even shopping (it can fit a small load of grocery bags). Parking is never an issue. Some models fit child-seats or a trailer. For longer trips, most models are light and easily fit into an average car trunk.3) Money consideration - Cheaper than a car and you don’t need to pay for car insurance, taxes, and maintenance costs, even parking tickets. There are also considerations of rising gasoline prices.... read more

Welcome back to another great week of content and community at KeenforGreen.com. Let's start the week in the usual fashion and find the most exciting, interesting stories affecting the 'green' movement being covered by traditional media outlets. Today is quite the mix, from South Korean CEOs interest in sustainability to the greening of the path to the governor's mansion in New Jersey, which only emphasizes the expanding influence of the environment in society. Enjoy the stories and comment to let us know if you like this feature.

"Green" Asia resorts take the guilt out of luxury stays: Miral Fahmy of Reuters Life! is reporting that celebutants and one hit wonders no longer need wallow in eco-guilt because of excessive pampering. Well, not if Alila Hotels and Resorts has anything to say about it. This hotel chain with properties in the Maldives, Thailand, Laos and Indonesia is seeking to make luxury resorts sustainable. In all seriousness, this is a change that must occur in a across the globe in nations which rely heavily on tourism as an engine of growth and prosperity.

Trail to governor's office turns green: The Philadelphia Inquirer is describing a development in the New Jersey governor's race concerning the politicizing of sustainability. The battle between Democratic Gov. Corzine, Republican nominee Christopher J. Christie and independent Chris Daggett is centering in part on the green credentials of the three men. Though this might be a great issue for an article, it may not move that many votes.  According to a recent poll, only about 2 percent to 4 percent of his respondents named the environment or energy.

White House: Health, green jobs growing quickly: The Associated Press is reporting that the White House's economic advisers are touting job creation in health care and the environment sectors as rays of sunshine in this gloomy economy. According to the White House, these two sectors are growing more quickly than any other type of job. This seems to be part of a new campaign to put the stimulus package and President Obama's handling of the economy in the best light, but really who thought the economy would have turned around in only six months?

South Korea CEOs interested in green investment: The Seoul office of Reuters is reporting that over 80 percent of 105 South Korean CEOs of major corporations plan to invest in environmental technologies and see them as a major business in the long-term. This could be the first evidence that corporate profits and responsibility may not be as mutually exclusively as long thought. But not everything is rosy in the eyes of these powerful men and women; 73 percent worry about bubbles in green industries due to inconsistent policies and unclear objectives. Sometimes I do wonder if this is becoming another dot-com era.

Demand on the rise for green buildings: Oscar Corral of the Miami Herald shows that even if the need for architects is dwindling in Florida, the amount of work in energy efficient, environmentally friendly building is growing. The article points out how LEED certification has exploded in South Florida where in 2005 there were eight commercial projects registered, but a mere three years later over 123 projects were. Great quick read about how LEED is affecting a specific area of the company.... read more