Costa Rica has worked hard to earn its reputation as a premier ecotourism destination.  Counting on the preservation of its huge variety of natural assets – from pristine national parks to lush cloud forests to active volcanoes to beaches with surfer dream waves – Costa Rica is recognised internationally as a ‘green destination’.  Local tourism professionals are invested in keeping Costa Rica’s travel industry sustainable.

Ill Viaggio Travel is a company with a track record of successful ‘green initiatives’ in Costa Rica.  It has been providing environmentally friendly transportation services to every region of the comfort while maintaining high standards of comfort and reliability. Ill Viaggio is proud to announce its partnership with Green Path Transfers, the world’s first global network of environmentally friendly transfer services.

Ill Viaggio has assembled a fleet of several vehicles that receive superior fuel ratings, including an eight-person Hyundai H1, a small Suzuki Grand Vitara for solo travelers, and a 12-passenger Toyota HiAce for larger groups.  The company has also recruited several local and independent drivers that meet their qualifications as bilingual with vehicles that are modern and fuel-efficient.  Whenever possible, they source locally-produced biodiesel that is made from Jatropha curcas trees and African palms in the area.

Operations Manager of Il Viaggio Travel Emilio Zuñiga Cubillo comments on the alliance. “We knew we wanted join the network ever since we first heard about Green Path Transfers.  It is well-designed, ambitious initiative.  They have thought of everything and share our values 100%.  We aim to spread their philosophy to our customer base and include as many local suppliers as possible.  I’m convinced we can make an impression on the way other transport services think.  They will see that a transition to greener business practices does not mean a decrease in profitability.”

Green Path Transfers is also excited about the new member of its growing network. Adrian Cordiner, CEO, says “It’s great working with a team as committed and passionate about environmental sustainability as Il Viaggio, especially in a destination as ecologically diverse and fragile as Costa Rica.”

Ill Viaggio was launched in 2005 with an offering of environmentally responsible services for travelers, from hotel and lodge reservations to guided tours to fuel-efficient transfers.  Now, six years later, the company still providing customized packages and itineraries for tourists in Costa Rica.  They also take pride in their variety of tours, such as sunset sails, canopy tours, nature walks, whitewater rafting, and paragliding, to name just a few.  In fact, Ill Viaggio was recognised for its achievements in 2009 with an excellent grade from the Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) program run by Costa Rica’s Tourism Board.

In addition, Ill Viaggio participates in recycling programs and local tree planting to further demonstrate its commitment to environmental conservation and sustainable business practices.  It purchases handicrafts for client gift packages from local artisans. Ill Viaggio is careful to evaluate its local service providers based on the standards set by internationally-accredited certification systems such as the Rainforest Alliance, the Ecological Blue Flag, and Costa Rica’s own CST.

Emilio Zuñiga loves to point ecotourists and adventurers in the right direction while in Costa Rica.  He recommends a few must-sees to visitors, such as Manuel Antonio National Park, active volcano La Fortuna, and the Afro-Caribbean culture of Puerto Viejo de Limon on the Caribbean coast.

Visit Green Path Transfers at www.greenpathtransfers.com to find out more about Il Viaggio, book environmentally friendly transfers within Costa Rica, and learn more about other local partners around the globe.

How we live affects every aspect of the planet. We use fossil fuels at an unsustainable rate, and we’re polluting the rivers and skies with toxins that are produced by our vehicles, homes, and industries. The price of comfort and convenience is the planet itself. Things are not too late, however. Every change we make, such as recycling, driving fuel efficient vehicles, and reducing our usage of resources has a positive effect on the environment.

Alternative vehicles have been become much more accessible over the last few years. Either fuel efficient or battery operated, these vehicles are becoming part of the mainstream. They are attractive and practical, which makes them a viable alternative to traditional vehicles. Environmentally friendly housing options on the other hand, have been slower to catch on. Alternative housing is generally quite unique looking, and therefore intimidating to the average home buyer.

Thanks to their unique design and adaptability to environmentally responsible technologies, dome homes are the next generation of housing. While they may look strange at first, once you spend time in a dome home and see your energy bills drop, you will fall in love with this unique and revolutionary type of property.

Dome homes are a relatively new option on the housing scene. There are very few of these buildings in the country, but they are starting to get the buzz they deserve. They are among the greenest homes available on the market, making them the ideal housing alternative for the future. Dome homes represent a whole new wave in homebuilding.

Because of their arching shape and lack of barrier walls, energy flows throughout the entire space, thus requiring less energy to heat or cool the space.

There are fewer seams on the exterior of the building than in traditional stick-built homes, thereby reducing the amount of heat loss in the building.

Dome homes are made with concrete and steel rebar. This concrete is thoroughly insulated from the inside out, which allows the heat to be stored inside for use at a later date. Dome homes require only about half of the energy use as conventional homes. The isolating shell on the outside of the concrete keeps the temperature steady, which results in less temperature fluctuations inside the home.

Because these homes are built with energy efficiency in mind, many dome homeowners add solar panels and wind generators to their properties in order to cut down on the use of fossil fuels. In fact, many owners of dome homes live completely off the power grid. They have wells and independent power sources, so they are entirely self-sufficient.

We want our children and grandchildren to inherit a healthy world, not a dying one. While the problem may seem overwhelming, small things do make a difference. Switching to an eco-friendly car is one positive change that people can make fairly easily. Switching to an environmentally friendly home is another step that people can take in order to reduce energy use. If you’re on the market for a new home, why not consider choosing a home that is good for the environment? Why not choose a monolithic dome home?

There was a time when the big advantage of having a green car was that it didn’t show the dirt as much as a white one. Nowadays however, green cars are the thing to drive. They are not only a great way to save money and save the environment, but they also make Jeremy Clarkson so hot and bothered that his forehead alone begins to contribute to global warming.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders says that sales of hybrid cars doubled in Britain last year, and no amount of Chrysler adverts are going to stop this trend continuing. With oil prices reaching 0 a barrel, the government offering all sorts of financial incentives for planet-friendly vehicles, and many insurers offering cheaper quotes, it may soon be an economic necessity to think green. But what are the best options on the market at the moment? We’ve had a quick look to give you the run down on the best motors for your pocket.

The Toyota Prius is a hybrid car, which means it uses an electric motor at lower speeds before engaging the petrol engine when you ask for more speed. The Prius hits the road at £17,777 – more than £6,000 more expensive than a Ford Focus. However, there are big savings to be made by choosing the Toyota as the Prius manages a pretty impressive 65.7 miles to the gallon. According to Friends of the Earth this will save you £630 a year compared to an equivalent Ford Mondeo.

Another advantage is that the Prius’s low CO2 emissions ensure that Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is only £15, and make it exempt from the London Congestion Charge. If you drive into London for work every day then you will save yourself more than £2,000 a year on congestion charges alone. Add that to the fuel saving and you’re comfortably £2,500 a year better off already.

If you are worried about escalating petrol prices, or want to make your drive even more eco-friendly, then a G-Wiz is an even better option. Average models reach the check-out at around £9,500 and come with the inestimable satisfaction of telling people you drive an entirely electric car. Electric vehicles are exempt from VED and the London Congestion Charge, and the G-Wiz is also cheap to insure – all models currently fall in insurance group one.

You charge your G-Wiz from home using a regular 13 amp socket, though Reva does recommend investing in a 16 amp charging point. And what is more, according to the car’s website the cost of the electricity you use is equivalent to an amazing 600 miles per gallon. Take into account the free-parking and company car tax exemptions that come with an electric motor and you are in line for some truly amazing savings.

The G-Wiz is very definitely a city car though. It has a top speed of roughly 50 miles per hour and if you’re planning a long drive then forget it. Although there are charging points located across London, the G-Wiz has a lifespan of just 40 miles per charge.

The other environmental option that may save you money is diesel. The Volkswagen Polo Blue Motion 1 1.4 will set you back just over £12,000 and like the G-Wiz is exempt from VED. It clocks up about 60 miles to the gallon and if new emissions-based congestion charging comes in this February, the Polo will also be exempt.

Green Traveler – It’s easy to become one

A visit to a state park can be an excellent opportunity for practicing green travel. Check with the state park you plan to visit, for some sponsor expeditions that involve bird watching, wildlife identification and other activities that help you better understand the local flora and fauna. Or, look for a volunteer program that allows you to help restore a fragile environment.

Here are some of the ways you can become a savvy green traveler — both while enjoying a state park and while traveling to and from one:

1. Sip energy, don’t guzzle it. If driving your own vehicle to a park, use the one that gets the best gas mileage. If renting a car to drive to a state park (or from an airport to a state park), rent the smallest version comfortable (or a hybrid) and decline upgrades to more gas-guzzling vehicles. Where possible, take mass transit, bike, or walk rather than use a motorized vehicle.

Don’t sit idling in your car or RV – ever. Drive a steady speed — avoid sudden accelerations that eat up gasoline. When you leave a hotel room, turn off all lights, the television and the air conditioning. Do the same before you leave home, and you’ll save even more energy over the course of your trip.

Thought about “carpooling” to the state park? Plan a trip with neighbors you enjoy, or find someone to share the drive with at such drive-sharing sites as  <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link']);” href=” http://www.rideamigos.com /”target=”_blank”>www.rideamigos.com </a>

or  <a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link']);” href=” http://www.goloco.com /”target=”_blank”>www.goloco.com </a>

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2. Respect the local habitat. Don’t tramp through or rearrange the environment – enter it quietly, enjoy it respectfully and leave it as pristine as possible for the next visitor. Don’t tear off pine boughs to create a mattress, and don’t collect wood to use in your campfire or fireplace back home, this is illegal and harms the natural environment.

Do not transport or release any plants or animals (bait or aquatic pets) into lakes or streams they did not come from. Leave a campsite tidy for the next camper.

3. Be a minimal user and a reuser. Conserve water by keeping showers short and turning off the faucet when you brush your teeth and shave. Reuse sheets and towels rather than have them washed every day. Use your own toiletries and drinking cup rather than those supplied by the hotel or inn. Bring a reusable bottle to drink from rather than purchase multiple plastic bottles, which require a lot of energy to manufacture, collect and recycle.

4. Be environmentally friendly. Wash dishes in a cooking pot on land – never in a lake or stream, since food scraps encourage bacterial growth and even biodegradable detergents can kill essential microorganisms. Go one step further and use an environmentally safe cleaning product.

• Here are some ideas for alternative cleaning products

If you are going to be away from home for more than two days, unplug your appliances at home. Appliances continue to draw energy even when they are in the “off” mode, when they are plugged in. You can make this easier by plugging multiple appliances into a power strip, and then turning the power strip off when you leave.

5. Seek out locally owned businesses. When possible, you want to support the local economy and reward directly the people you connect with on your trip. That applies to shops, restaurants, markets and lodging. Especially strive to find restaurants that serve produce and meats from local farms, and shops that sell artworks by local artists.

Also, show respect for locals and expand your culinary horizons by trying regional dishes you’re not familiar with. Ever eaten Masitas de Puerco (pork chunks in lemon sauce)? Hush puppies (deep-fried cornmeal with onions)? Cincinnati-style Chili (cheddar-cheese-topped chili served over spaghetti? They’re almost considered delicacies in parts of Florida, Texas and Ohio, respectively. Try local dishes you’ve never heard of, and you may come back with a favorite new recipe for home. Most important – avoid fast food and the environmentally harmful packaging it comes in.

6. A few other ideas… worst choice is a charcoal grill, better choice is a gas grill, best choice is a solar cooker … rub lemon juice on your hands to neutralize the smell of fish and pour it around areas where ants seem to congregate … fill your gas tank in the early morning or afternoon to significantly reduce evaporation during the filling process … use a solar charger for those gadgets needing a boost of energy while you are in the wilds … consult in advance the USxDA’s state noxious weed list to identify potentially invasive plants in a park you are visiting so you won’t accidentally pick them and transport them into an environment they can harm.

 

Do we really need “Green Criminology”?

 The recent few decades have seen many technological and economical changes and with these changes come attached some problems that affect the dynamics of our society. For example if a country is producing nuclear weapons to protect itself, that country should consider the outcome of the testing which has on the environment and then the society. Any other acts or processes that carry the danger of destroying our environment should be prohibited or have law on its correct usage of it. These acts or activities may be very harmless, like making more factories, increasing fishing, and producing more vehicles but they do have a huge impact on destroying our natural environments. There is a huge need for laws and regulation to protect the environment at local, regional, national and international levels. What we do does have a great impact on our environment, for example driving a car creates pollution which damages the environment. Like wise what ever a country does has a big impact on the environment.

 Unfortunately the environmental damages have not been considered seriously by the criminologist and therefore have not had the due attention. I believe damaging an environment is worse than damaging an individual. If you damage the environment, you are damaging many different species which should be classed as criminal. If we carrying on damaging our environment this would have a huge impact on global warming and collectively we will be responsible for causing the dramatics climate changes that are taking many lives. An example is the recent Tsunami that claimed many innocent lives. Though it is considered as a natural disaster but I believe it’s due to drastic climate changes because of global warming that brings about explosive natural disasters such as earth quakes and tsunami. Therefore it’s vital that our actions and activities are regulated in a way which minimises the environmental damages. For that reason it important to study and apply “green criminology”.

Green Social Movement is based on idea of protecting our environment and by educating our society and making them aware of their actions that are damaging the society. It’s based on models or organisations which create an awareness and understanding of our environment and show us the ways to minimise these damages to our environment and society. The example are such as recycling methods, using lower carbon dioxide emission vehicles, using alternative fuels, creating eco-parks, and also other ways of sharing information and experience with activists who are interested in saving the environment.

 Country like Japan is lacking in replacing its older policies regarding environmental issues, unlike in Europe where the green social movement is on the up rise. In Europe there is huge emphasis being placed on protecting our environment. Therefore the social movement in green issues are on the rise in Europe. Also in Brazil there are some successful social movements and urban youth organisation that have education program to train youth for green issues. The value of green social movement is great since its purpose is to have better communicating networks and cooperation between different sectors to put in place right legislations and laws to protect our environment from acts that are harmful.

 It is learnt from history of crime that as more laws are introduced, more chances of them being broken and therefore more crime being committed. In that view, if more laws and regulations are being enforced to protect our society and environment, this will create potential for these laws to be broken and green crimes being taking place. Because new law states that it would be criminal to fish in certain lakes which before was a just a normal activity. This would cause positional rise in green crime.

we take out devins fastiva for the day, dyno it, test drive it, give our opinions. this is pretty much the epitome of awesome, 200 dollar car, motorswap, turbo kit, what could be more fun than a tiny 1500lb car with 180rwhp! and tq to match! green goblin, aka little bastard. AKA fastiva
Video Rating: 4 / 5

For residents and business owners in California, there are a wealth of green tax incentives that often go untaken simply because most people are unaware of them.  Those living and working in California can receive sizable eco credits by living and conducting business in ways that can earn them green energy tax incentives.  

If you own a business in California, and as part of the cost of doing business you install energy efficient technology such as photovoltaic systems and solar heaters for water tanks, wind generators or geothermal heat pumps, you may be eligible for California energy credits on your taxes.  

If your California business also happens to be located in one of the state’s enterprise zones, you may be qualified to receive further tax benefits.  For example, you could receive green tax incentives on sales and use tax when your company purchases green technologies.  These can include the purchase of equipment used to clean the air or water, equipment used for reducing the use of energy, as well as equipment for research and development or processing and manufacturing.  In these instances, when your company makes Earth-friendly choices, you will be rewarded with green tax incentives.

California energy credits are also available to homeowners.  If you make the smart choice to seal up all of the little leaks and cracks where energy seeps out around doors and windows, you can qualify for green energy tax incentives.  When you add insulation to your home, you reduce the amount of energy needed to heat and cool it, and thus may also gain California energy credits.  If you add air conditioning, heating or ventilation systems to your home, and they are energy efficient, you may also be awarded eco credits.  

Both individuals as well as companies may benefit from green tax incentives when they make a car or truck purchase.  If your new vehicle runs on hydrogen, electricity, nitrogen gas, ethanol or gasoline and it is a hybrid vehicle, you should inquire about the great green tax incentives available to residents of California.

In addition to state tax incentives, there may also be eco credits available from the Federal government.  You can earn a major tax deduction when you install energy efficient systems in your home; tax deductions of up to ,000 on a total cost of ,000 are possible.

Because of the significant savings involved, you should contact a knowledgeable certified public accountant, who can advise you of the best ways to take advantage of these green tax incentives in California.

Go Green, The push of the decade! Save the environment, save generation x. Seems like that is what everyone is talking about now days. Air Quality, the Environment, global warming, climate change, melting of the artic ice. Lets stop this now! Great idea but is there a way to achieve it? Read on. We all have to take the blame for the way our earth is now. The way we design our containers for food products and what ever else we wanted to throw into them. The use of plastic and the way we discard them. How about all of our super fancy electronic, computers, cell phones ect.. You know the ones we buy that are outdated almost as soon as we get them home. The foolish waste of electricity, water and other utilities. We never cared or most likely ever knew just what we were doing to our planet. We do now, and now lets take action. Here is how. Lets start easy and save money too boot. How about turning down the thermostats a couple of degrees in the winter and raise it a couple in the summer. You would not believe how much energy you will save a year and the all mighty dollar in your pockets. Then multiply that globally. Water, Where do you find good water? Most parts of the country the water is so filthy it takes numerous filter to clean it, just so you can drink it. I know as I am a full time RV er and travel all over the country. But that is going on a tangent, we need to talk about water conservation. You need to conserve water by turning the faucet off while you brushing your teeth, take shorter showers and even buy low flow shower heads. Another is faucet aerators on each faucet. These are inexpensive and the return on money spent is great. The one that saves you the most money and also saves the land fill, is bottle water. Just calculate how much that bottle water is costing you. I think you will find that it is more than a gallon of gas. Use purified water instead. Here is another easy one. How about instead of going to Barnes and Noble to buy a new book, you borrow one from a friend or maybe buy a used one instead. Noble idea, yea. Not only a good idea but the trees would thank you. The best is yet to come. Read on. Fuel economy. With the high rise in gas and diesel prices and the shortage they say is coming, here is the best tip yet. The quickest way to beat the price increase and fuel shortage is to either quit driving, reduce driving or ride with a friend. These all work with not driving at all being the best. Well, here is another alternative. Hydrogen, brown gas, oxyhdrogen gas, what ever you want to call it. This kit, also called HHO Kit, hydrogen generator kit, hydro kit or water for fuel is a kit you install in your vehicle. This kits helps clean up our environment by putting more oxygen into the air. The petroleum we use not only throws carbon dioxide out into the atmosphere, but several other chemicals that is not good for the environment. As a bonus, not only hydrogen cleans the air quality but also increases fuel mileage from 30 to 60 per cent. Not bad for a go green product. But look, lets break this down in three ways. Amount of fuel savings. If you take an average person who drives a vehicle, he puts about 15,000 miles on his car every year. Say this person car gets 20 mpg. Every year he would go through 750 gallons of fuel. When he installs an HHO kit on his vehicle, we will again use the average amount of increases of 40 per cent, that would be an increase of 8 mpg. So going again 15000 miles per year, he would now use 535.7 gallons. This is a saving of 214.3 gallons a year. If you multiply that by 1 million drivers, that is an annual fuel savings of 314.7 million gallons. Price of Gas. Using the same scenario as above but just taking for one driver and the price of gas is 3.00 a gallon. When you calculate the 40 per cent increase in mileage with the hho kit you would now pay only 1.80 a gallon to go the same distance. What a savings. Check out make fuel safe web site to find out more. Environmentally safe. The way it saves our environment is that hho gas increases the flame spread in the engine. Since hydrogen burns hotter than gas more of the carbon deposit are burnt. This means more of the fuel is burnt in the engine and less goes out the tail pipes. Hydrogen is made up of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen. With more fuel being burnt the more oxygen goes out the tail pipes. Hence a healthier environment. Then again you can find out more at make fuel safe web site These are just a few tips on helping our environment, I am sure you can think of many more. Save our kids, save us, generation x. Go Green and Live Healthy!

Under the salary sacrifice green car scheme, employees can make huge savings on a new car by reducing their gross salary through a salary sacrifice arrangement. The scheme is a great way to enjoy a new, fully insured and maintained car, save on tax and national insurance and reduce your carbon footprint at the same time. It’s a win win scheme for both employee and employer…read on to find out more.

The Green Car Scheme is a new and innovative employee benefit, born out of the Government’s introduction of a 10% band for benefit in kind taxation on low emission vehicles. Designed to provide employees with a brand new, fully maintained and insured car, but at a significantly reduced cost, the scheme represents a very attractive proposition for both employee and employer. As an employee the scheme can save you thousands of pounds on a new car when compared to high street deals, and as the scheme is cost neutral and fully managed, there is little administration and risk on the part of the employer.

So, how does the Green Car Scheme work?

The Green Car Scheme is underpinned by a salary sacrifice arrangement. Salary sacrifice is a contractual arrangement whereby an employee gives up the right to receive part of their cash remuneration, usually in return for their employer’s agreement to provide some form of non-cash benefit, in this case a car. As the salary sacrifice comes out of gross pay the employee is able to save on income tax and National Insurance Contributions.

The level of CO2 emissions on the car chosen is important as it determines the benefit in kind tax to pay on the car (the non-cash benefit). The more environmentally friendly the car is, the greater the savings will be.

So, what are the benefits to the employer, employee and the environment?

Employer benefits of the Green Car Scheme.

• Fantastic employee benefit.

• Low risk – the green car scheme is cost neutral to the company.

• Environmentally friendly – reduces the company’s carbon footprint.

• Promotes employee loyalty.

• Increases employee morale.

• All administration is handled by the scheme provider.

• All cars are managed by the scheme provider.

 

Employee benefits of the Green Car Scheme.

• A brand new, fully managed and insured car.

• Significant savings when compared to high street deals.

• The more environmentally friendly the car, the better the savings.

• Special manufacturer negotiated discounts.

• Significant fuel savings using a more efficient car.

• VAT discounts.

• Tax efficient benefit.

• No credit checks.

• Gap insurance (prevents a situation of negative equity).

• No capital or deposit required.

• Provider can part-ex the current car or capital can be used to offset monthly payments.

• One convenient monthly payment covers everything:

   o 3 year warranty and maintenance

   o Servicing

   o Roadside Assistance

   o Insurance 

 

Environmental benefits of the Green Car Scheme.

• Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most important greenhouse gas. 

• Emissions of CO2 are directly linked to fuel consumption. 

• Transport CO2 emissions in the EU grew by 32% between 1990 and 2005.

• Emissions from so-called ‘light duty vehicles’ (passenger cars and vans) are responsible for approximately half of this.

These figures could all be reduced considerably if we all drove more fuel efficient cars. Moving to a more fuel efficient and less polluting car also saves you money. An average motorist doing 10,000 miles per year will save approximately £1,000 per year in fuel alone by switching from an (average) 25mpg car to a (average) 50mpg car.

As you can see the benefits of running a Green Car Scheme are significant for all parties concerned.

Because of this effect in Energy efficient, ECO and Reduce energy dependence, many countries and areas are involved this electric vehicles. Electric vehicles are propelled by an electric motor (or motors) powered by rechargeable battery packs. For example, Technical Specification for the Recharging System of Electric Vehicles have been formally implemented in shenzhen, China in 2010. This is the first recharging technology standard for electric vehicles promulgated in China, principally specifying relevant technology of recharging station of electric vehicles.

And even earlier in 2009, BYD, the giant in batteries in China, began selling a plug-in electric hybrid car in China, which is at least a year ahead of similar efforts in the U.S. and Japan.

And Australia’s first public electric vehicle charge station was recently officially opened by Sydney’s Lord Mayor Clover Moore. The charge station is powered by 100% GreenPower supplied by Origin Energy. The station is installed in Glebe, will be used to recharge a converted plug-in hybrid Toyota Prius. It takes 3 hours to recharge the car fully.

But Electric Vehicles (EVs) face significant battery-related challenges. Researchers in the world are working on improved battery technologies to increase driving range and decrease recharging time, weight and cost.

More to say:

The environment is under pressure nowadays. We are threatened. If we don’t change, our future generation will suffer the disaster caused by ourselves. The ecology of every corner of the earth is changing! It’s time we do something to change now!

Polution, anoxic waters, overpopulation, resource depletion, global warming…

Welcome to share your ideas, experiences on green energy, eco-friendly for a better future. Maybe you are going green in your daily life. Maybe you are using eco-friendly electric vehicles. Maybe you use solar energy, wind power to reduce gas emissions…

It’s time for us to change. And it’s our chance to change.