Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Car Smells

So how are car smells related to health? Cars are made of all sorts of material, some of which are toxic to humans. The hosts of the radio program, Car Talk, had a great interview with Jeff Hearhart who has studied car smells to identify what car chemicals are released into the air.

The folks at HealthCar.org have studied as many cars as they can to identify some of the best rated cars with the least toxic chemicals and those cars with the worst ratings. The Nissan Versa was rated the worst while the Chevy Cobalt was rated the best. You can check to see the rating of your car if it has been tested, here.

Our Nation's Power

NPR created a great graphic on our nation's power grid. It maps out our current power usage and shows our future capacity for solar and wind power.

Green House

Clayton Homes has introduced a home that is stylish, innovative, environmentally friendly, and affordable. The homes cost approximately $100 per square foot and the cost of living is low since the energy savings of having a home with solar panels, energy efficient windows, and a rain water catchment system is usually large. According to the manufacturer, it only costs a $1 a day in energy costs to run utilities. Surprisingly, it also looks comfortable with bamboo floors, a lot natural light from windows, and a modern kitchen. They call it an i-house.

Here are some of the features of the i-house.
And here is a virtual tour of their houses.