Although my hopes were high, someone else’s video won the Raleigh Nissan LEAF event. As full of sorrow as I am, I’ll blink back the tears just enough to put up a link to the winning video.

Winner’s Video
“And did I mention it’s fun? Ohmahgod.”

Dang. My hat is reluctantly off to him for winning. He must’ve done a good job getting out the vote for that video.

For old times’ sake, here’s my video entry, one last time:

Joe’s Video

Such poise. Such je nais sais quois. As for how that video didn’t win, I shall never know.

Although the final vote may say otherwise, I think we can all count this as an emotional win for my video. Better luck next time.

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“Dang”, I hear you say, “But I want to test drive that electric car, why not me?” . Why not you indeed.

This Friday (March 4) through Sunday (March 6) will be your chance to test drive the all electric Nissan Leaf when it comes to the State Farmers’ Market in Raleigh.

You can either sign up for a spot to drive the Leaf, or take your chances and just show up and wait. You can sign up for a test drive at this link here.

Tell them EcoJoes dot com sent you, and wink when you say it. They’ll know what you mean.

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Professor Gordon Murray, who is a famous Formula 1 race car designer, is spearheading a project to produce some dinky cars that weigh only about 1,250 pounds, seat three, and have a top speed of close to 100 miles per hour — all for $9,000 per car.

Now I don’t think the T25 is as small as THIS atom-sized automobile (P-50), but it’s pretty dang close.

Not only is the car itself tiny, but it’s built in a very small factory, from recycled plastic bottles, glass fiber, and steel tubes — using only 20% the material needed for a “normal” car. As for its miles per gallon, let’s just say that it bucks this sad MPG-improvement trend and clocks in at a whopping 74 miles per gallon. Say whaaaaattt??!!!

All in all, it looks like a great, efficient car. Of course, it’s a bit “greener” to ride a bike instead, but if you’ve got to drive a car, then the T25 may just be for you.

Bonus T25 Benefit

Question: How could you be mad if you were pulled over by a cop car that looked like this?

Answer: You couldn’t.

Further Reading on the T25

• BBC
• HowStuffWorks

Also, Don’t Forget!

You can win a free copy of “Off the Grid” by entering this contest! Hurry!!

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Also, it’s not too late to try to win your very own Smart fortwo. Act now while supplies last.

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Fret not, for Purex has THIS CRAZY CONTEST where you can win these very things. All you have to do is come up with a jawsome, eco-friendly tote bag design and submit it to their contest before May, 2009.

You can win cash-money, a free tote bag, or a Smart Fortwo. I’m ’bout to enter the contest myself; I strongly suggest you do the same.

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how many miles to the gallon do you get? This bad boy got 100 miles per gallon!

The P50 has a single-cylinder 49cc engine and only three wheels… technically, it’s not even a car (they classified it as a motorcycle). Only about 100 were made, so if you get a chance to see one, you go and you take that chance.

To learn more about this awesome automotive oddity, please place your mouse cursor over THIS and mash the button.

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You Don’t Need to Speculate in Futures Contracts for Members of Congress, Since They Are So Easy to Buy: As the price of a barrel of oil nearly doubled in the first half of 2008, members of Congress ominously blamed petroleum speculators who, it was said, were ominously buying up futures contracts. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada called a news conference to introduce his grandly titled Stop Excessive Energy Speculation Act of 2008. If “excessive” speculation, whatever that means, really is influencing oil markets, then those ominous speculators are now being punished by the same markets, as barrel prices fall. But how convenient for the United States Congress to blame unnamed, shadowy speculators instead of blaming … the United States Congress.

It is Congress, after all, that from 1988 to 2007 repeatedly refused to raise fuel economy standards for cars, trucks and SUVs, thus guaranteeing U.S. oil imports would rise, and helping push up global oil demand, increase the price of oil and channel more dollars, euros and yen to the Persian Gulf dictatorships that support anti-Western and anti-Israel terrorism. Under Republican and Democratic leadership alike, for 20 years Congress was warned and warned and warned again regarding trends in U.S. petroleum use, and for 20 years did nothing. With an election coming, how about we throw these unctuous rascals out, and to play on a suggestion by the late William F. Buckley, replace them with 535 names chosen at random from the nation’s telephone books?
 

If you want to read the whole column (which is 90% about football, and which I recommend), you can read TMQ rooootttcccch… HERE.

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1.  Avoid left turns – UPS plans its routes to minimize left turns.  This reduces gas usage because left turns generally mean you car has to sit and idle while waiting to turn.  This helped UPS save $12 million last year!
2. Reduce idling – I did not know this, but UPS has a “no idling” policy, so no matter how short of a stop a UPS driver makes, they turn off their engine.  This reduces idling time by 24 minutes per driver a day, which saves them $188 per driver per year!
3. Plan your route – UPS plans out its routes to be as efficient and direct as possible.  Remember, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail!

If you can’t read that good, here are some gas saving tips from UPS… IN VIDEO FORM. 

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Around where I live, there’s lots of roadkill that can be seen each and every day, including deer, squirrels, opossums, and even the occasional caterpillar. My vision stays blurry while I drive because of the constant flow of tears caused by the pointless deaths of these noble animals.

Hopefully this free bumper sticker will remind other drivers to slow down and be on the lookout for animals crossing the road instead of, in a morbid ironic twist, distracting drivers and thereby causing them to run over even more hapless creatures.

Anyhoo, if you click the picture above, you will be well on your way to being a proud owner of a gen-u-ine bumper sticker. So godspeed to you, and help spread the message that people needs to be careful and not run over any animals (or small children).

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