AltCar Expo

This weekend I rode my bike over to the Alternative Energy and Transportation Expo in Santa Monica. It was one of the events in which Green Jobs Now was participating. I have gone to a couple of the big car conventions that they hold at the LA Convention Center. So, it was very interesting to see the "alternatives."

A couple of the things that jumped out at me were the electric trucks and the waterless car wash.
Electrorides are releasing a line of vehicles recharged by solar or wind by using the latest technology and exclusive partnerships with industry leaders. The company has developed a "Patent Pending" carbon neutral charging system for electric vehicles. I am hoping that it is only a matter of time before these trucks are available for the renting community, trickling down to the camera and grip truck variety. Their trucks have an 80 -100 mile range. So, obviously it takes some pre-planning if you decide to use these trucks for production. But it's definitely a step in the right direction.
Lucky Earth is company with a line of cleaners for the "waterless" car wash. The stuff boasts of being eco-friendly, hypo-allergenic, AND also protects your car from the elements. One bottle is $16.99 and contains between 7 to 10 washes. Considering how much the local car wash costs, and how much water is wasted, it sounds like a pretty good deal. Keep an eye out on ecopix for a review of the product.

I also spoke with the Union of Concerned Scientists. They were asking people to sign their petition to pass a California regulation that would require truck drivers to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. To do so, they would either have to purchase an entirely new efficient truck or install aerodynamic devices and more efficient tires to their existing truck. I imagine that this is a pretty hard sale amongst truck drivers. Even though trucks contribute to 20% of California's Global Warming Emissions, and that less exposure to these emissions not only saves the earth but saves everyone's lungs, specifcally the truck drivers'. Believe me I understand the importance of the regulation, but convincing the drivers who pay for their own gas and are struggling as it is.... It's the whole dilemma again of having to spend money in order to save money in the long run. Except in this case we're talking about thousands of dollars. I told them that my solution would be to get a few female volunteers to help out with the campaign. (But that's just my humble opinion.)

Your thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated. You can read more about their campaign in California on their site. In the meantime, I'm going to keep researching.