Life With Tesla DVD

I’ve had lots of people request the Life With Tesla documentary movie on DVD so here it is.

Get The Life With Tesla DVD here.

The video is also available via Amazon on Demand too.

From enhancing performance and tuning the suspension to quieting the interior and optimizing efficiency, Tesla engineers are applying knowledge gained from Alpha testing as they begin building Beta vehicles. Get a sneak peek at the first footage of multiple Model S Alpha sedans having fun together on the track.

Tesla Model S Sneak Peek: Alpha Drives from Tesla Motors on Vimeo.

As parents of three young girls, my wife and I often have discussions family related topics. Recently, topics revolve around finances and bills. Keeping an eye on where we are spending money has been something at the forefront of our minds recently with the escalating costs of gasoline and fuel. It has certainly affected our lifestyle and how we work. We can also see the rising costs of other goods and services that are mostly likely due to the rising costs of fuel.

My wife and I have worked in Health Care facilities within about 40-50 miles of our home. We have seen a significant increase in the amount we are spending in fuel to get to and from work. The strain on our wallet and bank accounts has forced us to be much more mindful of becoming more efficient with our traveling by taking into consideration measures to limit idling, being mindful of optimal speeds, and car maintenance.

I’ve started a business outside of my full time job that will hopefully replace our need of having to commute as much as we do to our jobs. Most of that business is digital in nature and requires little or no paper. (That’s a post for another time)

I have to admit, when I was younger and before I met my wife, I was ignorant and quite wasteful when it came to energy conservation. Some of the things I’ve become better at but still need to work on when it comes to saving energy include:

• Turning the lights off, when not in use
• Turning the water off, while brushing my teeth or washing hands
• Limiting the use of air-conditioning when the weather is cool enough to open the windows
• Air drying laundry (especially the beach towels in the summer)
• Recycling of plastic, paper, cardboard and aluminum cans

These areas are things that we can all do in our daily lives that would have a cumulative effect. I’m sure there are more things that I can do to better be more energy resourceful. Perhaps opening my eyes to the benefits of doing a little bit more, a little more consistently can have a positive effect on our finances and on the environment.

One goal that I’d like to implement is something I learned about while visiting my in-laws while we were in Sun City, Florida. I noticed that many of the home in the community had water barrels along the outside their homes. These water barrels collected run off rainwater into the barrels. This water could then be used to water plants and vegetation around the home.

This is a simple investment that could easily be installed on most homes and help collect rain water that can be used efficiently to water plants, gardens and more in times when precipitation has been low. Instead of utilizing public water to do this type of watering, savings could be realized in resources and finances.

Care for Creation

Teaching children the value of the Earth and nature is hard in today’s “tech-crazy” world. It is a challenge to pry kids away from their game systems, televisions and computers long enough to enjoy the great outdoors.

I say, “Get the kids outside and they will find lots of ways to enjoy themselves, and maybe even get some fresh air and exercise too.” My husband and I started taking our kids to State and National Parks and other “natural” locations very early. We love to point out interesting trees, listen for odd sounds, and walk slowly to try to observe wild life in its natural habitat. Our kids know the names of many plants and animals that others don’t, simply because they have been able to observe them in their natural habitat.

We feel it is very important to teach kids about the who, what, when, where and why of nature so that they will appreciate when they are around it. We also feel is it important to teach them various ways to protect the nature and resources. It is crucial that we think about not only leaving the outdoors as we found them but also what we can do to improve how we found the area.

For example, when you see trash, pick it up. But if you see a dirty corner of the street with grass or simple dirt, ask the owner (town or appropriate officials) if you can clean it up and plant a tree or flowers there. I venture to guess you will not be told no. Many people don’t slow down enough to notice nature, much less to care for it.

Examples of things you can do as a family or group include trash pick up days, flower or tree planting days, energy saver days, education days, nature walks, scavenger hunts, or even water conservation days. Recycling programs are also another way to reduce waste, recycle what can be reused and to educate the public on the effects of throwing everything into landfills.

10 Ways Your Family Can Save Energy, Resources & Money

1. Take out screens in windows and seal any open areas
2. Use a heavy blanket or draft cover around the edges of exterior doors
3. Enjoy the nicer days by turning off heater and opening up the house
4. Leave oven door open after baking to allow heat in the room (Caution: keep children away from the stove, out of the room if possible)
5. Collect rain water to use for flushing, washing or watering
6. Insulate your attic with extra blankets or purchase insulation
7. Wrap pipes with foam sleeves or cover with blankets
8. Cover your water heater with a blanket to keep warm
9. Play in the yard rather than going out to the movies
10. Make your own yummy treats from fresh produce rather than buying it in the stores

According to the CCSE, A total of $9.1 million has been appropriated for FY 2009-2011 to promote the production and use of zero-emission vehicles, including electric, plug-in hybrid electric, and fuel cell vehicles. Rebates of up to $5,000 per light-duty vehicle are available for individuals and business owners who purchase or lease new eligible zero-emission or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Click here to read more!

In 1900, cars were a very new thing, and three different power technologies competed: gasoline- or kerosene-fueled internal combustion engines (which power most cars today, including conventional and diesel), steam, and electric.

Why did gasoline win out? Henry Ford’s Model T, as the first affordable car for working people, spurred the creation of infrastructure to support it, at the same time that some major discoveries of oil brought down the price of fuel, and technological advances such as automatic starters made the cars a lot easier to drive.[1]

Because gas-powered Model Ts were affordable, a lot of people started buying them. And entrepreneurs started building gas stations—and the government started paving roads.
But without that infrastructure, the momentum might have stayed with electric. Electric cars outsold gas vehicles in 1899 and 1900.

So How do We Get Back to an Electric-Car Future?
Hybrids like the Prius are already widely accepted. But they still require gasoline, not to mention the complexity and weight of two completely different power mechanisms. So they’re a temporary solution. If fully electric cars are going to be an important part of getting us off fossil fuels and reducing greenhouse gases to stave off catastrophic climate change, electric cars have to be as convenient as gasoline cars.

What does that mean? It means at least one of the following has to be widely available for all types of electric vehicles on the market:

• Rapid-charge stations, where the driver can have a cup of coffee or a quick snack and come back to a charged-up car ready to go a few hundred more miles.
• Swapping stations, where a driver can easily change out a depleted battery and pick up a charged one, while the previous battery gets charged for another customer showing up a few hours later.
• Plug-in charging at home and at work, so the car is at maximum readiness as soon as you get in.
• Short-term plug-in charging at places like supermarkets and movie theaters, where 30 to 90 minutes is enough to make sure you don’t run out of juice.

And it also means that the power for these solutions comes from clean renewable energy—and not from greenhouse-gas emitting coal or oil plants, or from poisonous dangerous nuclear.
With that kind of stimulus, I’m betting the quiet, sexy, environmentally friendly electric car might just be the vehicle of the future.

[1] Very clearly explained at http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aacarselectrica.htm

Marketing consultant, syndicated columnist, and copywriter Shel Horowitz shows you how to “reach Green, socially conscious consumers with marketing that has THEM calling YOU.” He specializes in Green and ethical marketing strategies and materials for businesses and organizations. The primary author of Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green: Winning Strategies to Improve Your Profits and Your (John Wiley & Sons, 2010), Shel writes the monthly columns Green And Profitable (internationally syndicated) and Green And Practical.  Visit his website at: http://greenandprofitable.com.

I’ve deployed to combat zones and natural disaster areas around the world, including North Carolina here in the US for Hurricane Floyd relief efforts. I’ve always wondered what it would take for civilians to endure such tragedies, and my research has led me to support green technology as a means to survive hard times ahead.

The underlying principle I support in green technology is the idea of “passive survivability.” “This is defined as ‘the ability of a building to maintain critical life-support conditions if services such as power, heating fuel or water are lost for extended periods of time.’ This definition is found in the book, ‘Sustainable Construction: Green Building Design and Delivery ‘ by Charles J. Kibert.

Let’s pause a moment and understand the definition as it relates to our everyday lives.

I’m sure in your home, for example, you have flashlights, candles, jugs of water, and maybe even a kerosene heater. This is definitely good for a power outage or any other interruption of services for a few hours or even a day or two, wouldn’t you agree?

What if it were a week?

Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) was able to get power up and running to residential areas 8 to 10 days after the 8.9 magnitude earthquake in March.

Could you go that long, without water, power and heating fuel?

In Afghanistan, where fuel and water convoys are interdicted on a regular basis, creating stress on forward-deployed troops, we are implementing the idea of passive survivability beyond it’s original inception.

Vehicles that were designed to survive attacks were credited with the attribute of passive survivability. Now, a Marine Corps unit is operating with maximum sustainability and maximum passive survivability thru utilizing tents made of solar panels, solar-powered water extraction devices and hybrid vehicles. This unit reduces its impact on the environment, the forward operating supply chain, and possesses a high capacity for mission effectiveness at the front lines.

Passive survivability creates a proactive approach to disaster preparedness, going above and beyond hoarding jugs of water, nonperishable foods and heritage seed packs.

Now is the time for strong support for green technology as it supports passive survivability, as we face rising heating fuel costs, and the possibilities of inconsistent or outright interruption of vital services such as electricity, emergency services and even communications.

When I’m thinking about the typical green technology proponent, I find myself imagining a 21st Century hippie. Now, imagine computer camouflage-wearing Marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen defending our country, and you have an updated vision of who is supporting, and successfully implementing, green technology.

As one who wore the uniform proudly, that gives me peace of mind.

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