R2Ei visits Chaparral High School for Sustainability Education

Part of our R2Ei Educational Tour is to actually take our trailer to high schools campuses and talk to students about sustainability.  The R2Ei trailer is broken down into Q&A on sustainability, video of R2Ei trackside with IndyCar, a hands on discussion with solar and other sustainability technology, and finally a small group breakout to answer some Q&A’s about what they would would or could do.  Here are their un-edited answers from the R2Ei computer lab. All in all, they were a great bunch of kids!

If you were the president of IndyCar, what other types of technology would you like to see introduced, and how would IndyCar help this technology to become mainstream?

1. using solar technology to power the cars.

2. Make the cars electric.

3. Putting this on the internet is not a good idea. Also putting this in class rooms could be very helpful in making this very popular.

4. Touch screen radios.

5. mini fridge,for refreshment purposes

6. I would like to see more environment safe technology and energy efficiant. IndyCar could advertise the new technology.

7. We would incorperate rockets

7. Self-driving cars.

9. Indy car is popular and people like to watch so its good advertising

10. solar

11. less greenhouse gases

12. makes the cars have solar panles on them

13. life long all weather tires

14. promotion and ads

15. i would like 4 v-8 motors per car

16. No, I did not know that. I would like to see paper being reduced at school. More advertisement would help Indycar become more mainstream.

17. Different lightbulbs and less gas air into the atmosphere.

Down-cycling of used materials can take many forms. As a sustainability adviser to IndyCar, can you think of any other materials that can be down-cycled? For example, used race car bodies can be transformed into functional artwork, like public benches or chairs and tables. What old materials would you use, and what would you make with them?

1. ground up the old tires and put them in turf fields.

2. trailors and stuff because trailors r big

3. recycling old engines

4. Metal parts can help build buildings.

5. old car parts

6. metal, wood, glass, rubber

7. The bodies of the cars can be recycled and the engines can be melted down for scrap steel.

8. light bulbs

9. energy is important.

10. snowboards into benches

11. I would make the old materials into a bench maybe.

12. Recycle metal from junkyards to make school buses

13. I really like the idea of turning used race car bodies into artwork because i really enjoy art.

14. i would use old bottles to make new ones

15. Astro turf fields

16. plastic, paper!!

17. Old shoe boxs for school projects

18. Paper make more paper

19. tires,scrap metal

20. recycled paper to make school news letters

If you were in charge of the R2Ei program, what other ideas would you suggest to reduce the carbon footprint of IndyCar transportation? (Remember, since you’re the boss you can be as creative as you like, but the solutions have to be realistic in order to make a real difference)

1. Make all the cars hybrids.

2. stop all transportation and make everyone walk :) in reality.... change all gas to flexfuel

3. Photosynthetic cars

4. ride a bike

5. Use solar.

6. Make your 18- wheeler BIOP DIESEL

7. So what i was thinking was we could take some c02 and then carbon dioxide and thn mix it so we can have a green enviornment.

8. Have it run on soda

9. To refuel the engine

10. give out pamphlets informing people on the R2Ei program

11.Reduce gas usage.

12. order the recall of cars and give them a electric car.............

13. I would implement electric vehicles instead of diesel trucks.

14. recall cars and give them a electric car....................

15. I would make sure that everything that could be recycled would be recycled.

16. Make everything be at one location

17. TAKE OUT THE CARBON

18. a bigger truck that uses less gas:)

19. Recycle, Reuse, Carpool, SOLAR PANELS!!!!!

20. I would suggest that they begin using efficient fuel sources for their vehicles.

21. recycle more

22. For every mile driven they will plant a tree

23. to not use as much energy

24. buy new light bulb More walking less driving

25. I would using ethinal and using led lights.

26. we would create a car that uses less fuel

It's a GREEN sign of the times... http://ping.fm/9D190

A "GREEN" sign of the times

When natural products like Method and Seventh Generation appear on the shelves of your local supermarket, and magazines like Sports Illustrated devote entire feature articles to sustainability, it’s a sign that the times are changing. Companies like Clorox, with their Green Works® cleaning products, and GE, with Ecomagination™, are shattering the old stereotypes of greener products being ineffective and expensive. And they are showing that large multinationals can win in the marketplace with natural, organic, and “eco” products—even during tough economic times.

“Today, developing greener products is no longer the right thing to do, but something you have to do,” says Al Iannuzzi in his new book, Greener Products: The Making and Marketing of Sustainable Brands. Customers—both individual consumers and businesses—are demanding it. “One of the reasons for this new focus is the greater awareness of environmental issues related to things such as hazardous chemicals in our food and bloodstreams, glaciers melting, and scarcity of resources and clean water,” he notes.

 In the book, Iannuzzi, senior director of product stewardship at Johnson & Johnson, offers practical advice on how to design and market greener products and services. He also shares best practices and lessons learned from companies such as Clorox, GE, Timberland, Philips, Apple Inc., Procter & Gamble, and BASF, as well as insights from guest authors Jim Fava and the Shelton Group.

Outlining the market and regulatory drivers, Iannuzzi makes the case for greener products. “Now more than ever, companies are interested in becoming more sustainable, and I believe that it is possible to strike a balance in meeting the world’s product needs while appropriately reducing the resources to meet this demand,” he says.

As Dan Esty, Hillhouse Professor at Yale University and co-author of the book Green to Gold, explains, “Green is the new black. To say this differently, sustainable products increasingly stand out in the marketplace, translating into faster sales, greater profitability, and deeper brand loyalty. Iannuzzi and his co-authors show the way to this future.”

CRC Press/Taylor & Francis Group

Marc Gutierrez

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Takes on "Green" Challenge. http://ping.fm/MTmgH

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Takes on "Green" Challenge

LOUDON, N.H. (Nov. 9, 2011) - New Hampshire Motor Speedway turned over a new "green" leaf during the 2011 season, with the help of Waste Management, the speedway worked to manage and reduce waste while recovering valuable resources and creating renewable energy.

"The Magic Mile" and Waste Management reached several milestones this year on their way to a "greener" environment. Exactly what is the speedway saving?

So far, the track has saved 180,211 kW of power which is enough to provide energy to 15 homes for a year. The speedway recycled 1,266 gallons of oil, which can heat and cool 15 houses for an entire year. 84,000 gallons of fresh water was saved, that's enough to meet the daily needs of 93 people for a year. The speedway has also planted 144 mature trees on property, which is enough to produce 1,784,100 sheets of newspaper. 

"NHMS is going above and beyond the standard recycling efforts traditionally seen in the area," said Jaren Naef of Waste Management. "They have started many new programs to help with their sustainability goals, including Single Stream Recycling, metal recycling, tire recycling, wood recycling, plastics, glass, paper and much more. There is a lot of time and effort put into running a race at the speedway, thousands of race fans are on site for days at a time, all generating massive amounts of waste. NHMS and WM have developed a comprehensive recycling plan that strengthens our business partnership and helps everyone reach their sustainability goals."

"Green" is definitely a way of life not just for the speedway, but for NASCAR as well. "Going 'green' is not a fad or trend; it is an important component for any business on a day to day basis. It is not only the right thing to do for the environment, but also helps reduce costs in many different areas everywhere," Naef added.

Bills Introduce Wind Power Partner WindStream Technologies

Micro-Wind Turbines to Produce Renewable Energy for Ralph Wilson Stadium

ORCHARD PARK, NY, Nov 03, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- The Buffalo Bills today announced an agreement with WindStream Technologies to install their innovative, micro-wind turbines to generate supplemental energy for Ralph Wilson Stadium.

The agreement represents an effort by the Bills to evaluate alternative sources for power, including Western New York's natural abundance of wind. The WindStream TurboMill(R) units, installed on the west end of the stadium beneath the video scoreboard, are expected to begin producing power in time for the Bills' home game against the Jets on November 6. This represents the first deployment of micro-wind technology in an NFL stadium.

"Our partnership with the Buffalo Bills allows us to demonstrate how a small investment in a clean energy solution like the TurboMill(R) saves money over time, and demonstrates to fans the team's commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability," said Dan Bates, CEO of WindStream Technologies. "As a nation, we need to innovate and lead the world in affordable and abundant clean energy, and with that comes quality American manufacturing jobs to help get our economy growing again."

WindStream's TurboMill(R) delivers clean, silent, renewable electric energy alternatives for urban or suburban settings, and for applications not connected to power lines. The TurboMill(R) device is expected to benefit municipalities, states, businesses, schools and residential customers in the U.S. who are seeking affordable ways to reduce energy costs and lower their consumption of energy generated through fossil fuels.

"The Bills are working with WindStream Technologies to target energy costs and promote the positive environmental impact that wind energy resources can provide," said Bruce Popko, Bills senior vice president of business development. "We're excited to implement this clean, silent alternative energy at Ralph Wilson Stadium."

WindStream has invested more than three years in design, engineering, testing, and optimization of its TurboMill(R) wind energy device, working with a global network of innovation and technology providers. As an Indiana-based company, the product is "Made in America." Manufactured in North Vernon, Indiana, the TurboMill(R) is being sold and distributed to a worldwide marketplace.

WindStream Technologies Inc., designs, manufactures and markets TurboMill(R) micro-wind turbines, a low-cost, highly efficient solution for urban, suburban and off-grid environments. Founded in July 2008, the company aims to become a leading distributed energy generation solution for the U.S. and developing nations worldwide. Manufactured in North Vernon, Indiana, the TurboMill(R) is "Made in America" and is sold and distributed to a worldwide marketplace. For more information please visit http://www.windstream-inc.com .

Founded in 1959, the Buffalo Bills are one of the most storied franchises in the National Football League (NFL). The Bills have won two American Football League (AFL) Championships (1964 - 1965) and won an NFL record four straight AFC Championships (1990 - 1993) that included four trips to the Super Bowl. The Bills are a progressive organization and pride themselves on the regionalization of their team. They hold their training camp in Rochester, NY and were the first NFL team ever to play a home game in Canada with the Bills Toronto Series that began in 2008. As Western New York's top-rated sports and entertainment choice, the Bills annually entertain three quarter of a million fans at Ralph Wilson Stadium, produce the region's number-one rated sports television programming, have one of the NFL's largest fan clubs with the Bills Backers, and host the most visited team website in Western New York. Under the guidance of Hall of Fame member and original team founder, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr., the Bills will play one regular season game in Toronto in 2011. For more Bills information, visit buffalobills.com, call (716) 648-1800, become a fan on Facebook at facebook.com/buffalobills, follow the Bills on Twitter at twitter.com/buffalobills or get the Bills mobile app via buffalobills.com/fans/mobile-app.html.

American Ethanol Takes Center Stage for Green Flag Restart Award

Oct. 31: American Ethanol raced into the spotlight again this weekend at the Martinsville Speedway as last week’s winner, American Ethanol spokesman Clint Bowyer, was presented with the Green Flag Restart Award, which he won last week in addition to the first-place trophy. This prize, also sponsored by American Ethanol, goes to the driver recording the fastest average speed on restarts and finishing the race in the lead lap. The awards ceremony took place just before the Sprint Cup race in front of more than 100,000 fans.                    

Bowyer’s No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet race car also featured a special-edition American Ethanol paint scheme. Millions of TV viewers saw the American Ethanol brand, as the sporty black, silver and green paint design was on-track all weekend. Sunday, an in-car broadcast camera accompanied Bowyer during the race. This valuable coverage yet again amplified the strong point that NASCAR drivers trust American ethanol to protect their valuable cars while fueling them on to victory.

“With so many eyes on Bowyer following his victory at Talladega, many fans noticed how his car prominently featured American Ethanol last Sunday,” said NCGA NASCAR Advisory Committee Chair Martin Barbre. “It has already been an amazing year for both ethanol and NASCAR. We hope that by seizing opportunities to highlight American ethanol even further we can help even more people to understand the incredible performance and reliability of this sustainable, domestic fuel.”

During this first year of the multi-year partnership, American Ethanol aims to highlight ethanol to NASCAR’s immense fan base, many of whom may not of previously been familiar with ethanol or may have carried negative assumptions based upon misleading information. Putting NASCAR’s trust of E15 in the spotlight, the alliance shows consumers that the best drivers operating some of the most expensive cars in the world rely on E15 when the race is on the line.

Through its partnership with NASCAR, which is using Sunoco Green E15 racing fuel this season, American Ethanol is promoting the nation’s homegrown, clean-burning alternative fuel to millions of brand-loyal NASCAR racing fans. NASCAR has made a seamless transition to the new fuel by developing and implementing flawless distribution at the track, where many racing teams report an increase in horsepower.

In fact, in a detailed ‘white paper’ issued in September, NASCAR announced it has accumulated more than 1.3 million miles of driving in 2011 on America’s toughest proving grounds: the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series™, NASCAR Nationwide Series™ and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™. With these miles accumulated in practice, qualifying and racing laps in NASCAR racing vehicles – all without incident since the racing season began in February with the Daytona 500 – the report demonstrates the solid performance of mid-level ethanol blends. Click here to access the report.