HI I'M NATALI DEL CONTE COVERING FOR MARK LICEA THIS WEEK. WE ARE GOING TO
TALK ABOUT GOOGLE'S GREENHOUSE GAS MAP, OFFSHORE WIND FARMS, AND THE
INTERGALACTIC BATTLE FOR MORE ECO-FRIENDLY GADGETS. THE GREEN SHOW STARTS NOW.
[*]
GOOGLE IS TEAMING UP WITH THE UNITED NATIONS CLIMATE CHANGE SECRETARIAT TO
CREATE THE GREENHOUSE GAS MAP. IT IS A STARTLING SNAPSHOT OF POLLUTION. THE
MAP IS A MASHUP OF NATIONAL GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY AND KYOTO PROTOCOL DATA,
DISPLAYING TOXIC EMISSIONS IN INDUSTRIALIZAED NATIONS. IT IS EXPECTED TO
LAUNCH AT THE END OF THE YEAR AROUND THE UN'S CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE.
[*]
THE KINESIS HYBRID WIND AND SOLAR CHARGER IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR
PURCHASE. OUR OWN DAVID CARNOY GOT HIS HANDS ON A MODEL. TAKE A LOOK.
[*]
CALIFORNIA IS LOOKING INTO ALTERNATIVE ENERGY FROM WINDMILLS THAT FLOAT IN THE
SEA. AN OFFSHORE WIND FARM IS BEING TESTED IN BERKELEY THROUGH A COMPANY
CALLED PRINCIPLE POWER. THE WINDMILLSISCALLED THE WINDFLOAT. ITS BLADES SPIN
OVER DEEP OCEAN WATERS WHERE WIND POWER IS MUCH STRONGER THAN IT IS ON LAND.
THE GENERATED ELECTRICITY WOULD BE SENT BACK TO LAND VIA UNDERWATER CABLES.
PRINCIPLE POWER HAS BEEN CONTRACTED TO TEST THE WINDFLOAT OFF THE COASTS OF
OREGON AND PORTUGAL. IF THEY WORK, DEPLOYMENT WILL NOT BE EASY. OFFSHORE WIND
FARMS ARE IN USE IN EUROPE BUT THEY SIT IN SHALLOW WATERS WITH A BASE THAT IS
BOLTED TO THE OCEAN FLOOR. THIS IS A FAIRLY NEW CONCEPT WITH HUGE POTENTIAL
REWARDS. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE WIND OFF THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA COULD
GENERATE AS MUCH AS 130 GIGAWATTS OF ELECTRICITY, ALTHOUGH WE COULD NOT TELL
THE TIME FRAME IN WHICH IT DOES THAT. IF THAT IS TRUE, IT WOULD BE TWICE AS
MUCH ENERGY AS THES TATE CONSUMES ON A HOT SUMMER AFTERNOON.
[*]
THE ALL-ELECTRIC ZERO DS MOTORCYCLE WAS RELEASED LAST WEEK. THE BIKE USES
LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES AND HAS A BODY THAT IS COMPSED OF 100 PERCENT RECYCLABLE
MATERIAL. ZERO CLAIMS THAT THE BATTERY PACK IS LAND-FILL APPROVED, ALTHOUGH
YOU COULD JUST RECYCLE IT. THE MOTORCYCLE CAN ONL GO 50 MILES ON ONE CHARGE SO
YOU�LL HAVE TO PLAN ACCORDINGLY. IT HAS A TOP SPEED OF 55 MILES PER HOUR AND
TAKE 4 HOURS TO FULL CHARGE.
[*]
HP IS BEING CHALLENGED ON ITS GREEN-NESS FROM THE FINAL FRONTIER. WILLIAM
SHATNER, FAMOUS FOR PLAYING CAPTAIN KIRK IN THE STAR TRAK SERIES, LAUNCHED AN
ATTACK ON HP BY LEAVING A COMPANY-WIDE VOICEMAIL. HE SAID, "This is William
Shatner. You, HP, promised me a toxic free computer by 2009. Now my friends at
Greenpeace tell me I will have to wait until 2011. What�s up with that?" AND
THEN HE BEAMED HIMSELF INTO THE LABS TO CHECK UP ON THE PROJECT!
OKAY HE DIDN�T DO THAT. WHAT HE DID DO WAS END THE VOICEMAIL BY SAYING,
"Please ask your leader, Mark Hurd, to make computers that are free of toxic
PVC plastic and brominated flame retardants just as Apple has done." SO HOW
MUCH WEIGHT DOES THE CAPTAIN OF THE USS ENTERPRISE HOLD IN PRESSURING A
COMPUTER MAKER TO GO GREEN? I DON�T KNOW. WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT THIS
INTERGALACTIC STUNT FOLLOWS A SEPARATE ATTACK ON HP BY GREENPEACE ACTIVIST
THAT CLIMBED UP ONT EH ROOF OF A BUILDING AT THE COMPANY�S PALO ALTO
HEADQUARTERS AND WROTE �HAZARDOUS PRODUCTS� IN LARGE LETTERS FOR ALL AERIAL
VIEWERS TO SEE. OKAY GREENPEACE, WE GET IT. HP IS NOT COMPLYING WITH
ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS TO YOUR LIKING. BUT IS VANDALISM REALLY THE ANSWER?
[*]
WE ARE HOPING FOR A NEW CAR OUT OF THINK THIS YEAR. THE COMPANY IS EXPECTED TO
COME OUT OF BANKRUPTCY, THANKS TO A FRESH ROUND OF VENTURE CAPITAL MONEY.
IF ALL GOES ACCORDING TO PLAN, WE COULD SEE THE THINK CITY SOMETIME AROUND THE
HOLIDAYS. THIS IS A HIGHWAY CAPABLE ELECTRIC CAR WITH A 100 MILE RANGE THAT
CAN TRAVEL UP TO 65 MILES-PER-HOUR. IT IS ONLY EXPECTED IN EUROPE BUT THE
COMPANY IS LOOKING INTO U.S. EXPANSION.
[*]
HERE IS AN INTERESTING RECYCLING IDEA. IF YOU CAN�T BRING YOURSELF TO THROW
OUT YOUR 2-LITER SODA BOTTLE, USE IT AS A CELL PHONE CASE. ONE IPHONE USER DID
JUST THAT AND GIZMODO FOUND THE PHOTO ON FLICKR. NOW YOU CAN KEEP AN EYE ON
YOUR PHONE, PROTECT IT FROM THE ELEMENTS, AND PROCEED ON YOUR PAPER ROUTE.
[*]
AND THAT'S IT FOR THIS WEEK. MARK LICEA WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK. SEND YOUR
FEEDBACK IN TO GREENSHOW@CNET.COM. WE ARE READING WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. I'M
NATALI DEL CONTE, THANKS FOR WATCHING