Anyone else notice that about 30%+ of the cars on the streets of Montreal are still wearing their winter tires?  Lovely.

Dear Lazy people,

While you were forced into shodding your car with winter tires last fall, please take heed that while no one is forcing the reverse on you, it would seriously be in your best interest to put the summers (or all seasons) back on pronto.  Those winters were designed to stay nice and pliable at -20C… whereas driving them on hot pavement nearing +40C will DESTROY them quite quickly.

Other non-perks of leaving them on:

Terrible handling, poor fuel economy, shortened life span…

Tags:   Montreal · Summer · Winter Tires5 Comments

Another simple solution from Google engineers making it’s way into the power generation/distribution/consumption chain.  Google PowerMeter allows users access to energy consumption data using a secure Google gadget.

Knowing what you are utilizing daily will empower you to make changes to your consumption habits. Partnering with energy companies in North America and India they will be running trials and hopefully rolling out the program rapidly to all users. Is Hydro Quebec on the short list?  Nope.  Surprised? The closest trial will begin with Toronto Hydro.

Its nearly impossible to make informed choices about electricity. This is a problem but also a huge opportunity for us all to save money and help the environment by reducing our power usage. Studies show that access to your household’s personal energy information is likely to save you 5–15% on your monthly bill. Even greater savings are possible if you use this information to see the value of retiring your old refrigerator, installing a new air conditioner or insulating your home.

Tags:   Google Power Meter · Toronto HydroNo Comments.

a cool concept from Shai Agassi’s battery powered future.  Of course in this province they would find a way to place at least 3 on each corner of large intersections.  Be sure to watch the quick video…

Better Place

Tags:   Battery · Grid · Hot Swap1 Comment

—Thought I’d pass this email along to anyone interested.  A truly noble cause with only a toehold in Quebec due to our many layers of corrupt construction unions.—

Nouveau projet à St-Henri !

Chers bénévoles,

Habitat pour l’humanité Montréal lance une nouvelle saison de construction et cherche des bénévoles pour travailler au chantier et sur les divers comités qui préparent le travail de construction. Habitat construira deux maisons à St-Henri au cours des prochains mois pour deux familles à revenu modeste. La séance d’information s’adresse à ceux qui veulent participer en tant que bénévoles. On vous attend!

We’re building in St-Henri !

Dear Volunteers,

Habitat for Humanity Montréal is gearing up for another building season and is looking for volunteers to work on site and on the different committees that do the work leading up to a build. We will be building two more houses over the next few months in St-Henri for two well-deserving low-income families. We will be holding an information session for those interested in volunteering. Now is the time to get involved!

Tags:   Habitat for Humanity · Montreal · St-Henri2 Comments

check check check it out.

www.greenbuildingadvisor.com

Plenty of examples/references and green porn to keep you busy.

Tags:   Green Building · greenbuildingadvisor · reference3 Comments

Sorry for the posting hiatus.  Raising the former little-guy-now-turned-pretty-big-guy while trying to finish a mega reno up north has left me with little free time.   But I surely am not twittering it away.  :P

Tags:   Facebook · Future · Twitter4 Comments

Tags:   Clean Coal · Climate Crisis · This Is Reality1 Comment

Take one slightly over priced, OLED enabled, industrial designed keyboard by Art Lebedev.  (aka Optimus Maximus)

And juice it.   Voila, traffic light perfection.  Round be gone.  All the extra real estate available to meet any traffic planners wish list.

 Art Lebedev’s home.

Tags:   Art Lebedev · OLED · Traffic LightsNo Comments.

Have youngins, will travel…for free.  Free is good.  Although someone will have to pay for the program and it’ll most likely be you the pass holder, but hey, it’s free.

In an effort to promote the use of public transportation, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) is today launching a new programme for families, called Family Outings, an initiative that will take effect next December 6. The initiative will allow an adult presenting a transit fare accepted by the STM to travel with a maximum of five children under the age of 12 at no extra cost on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

Press Release here.

Tags:   Free Ride · Montreal · Public Transport · STMNo Comments.

Now on to changing the world.   All of you, get off your asses and do something.

Tags:   Awesome · Election 2008 · Obama · USANo Comments.

Plastic packaging has been a consumer headache for years, and in worst cases it’s landed people in the hospital. In 2004, about 6,500 Americans were rushed to emergency rooms when they sustained injuries from trying to free their gadgets from stubborn plastic enclosures.

Never been hospitalized, but I’ve been real close to hurting myself and those around me.

- Click for Amazon’s latest battle vs frustrating packaging.

Tags:   Amazon · PackagingNo Comments.

Tags:   Election · MC Yogi · Obama3 Comments