The benefits to owning a hybrid car just keep growing.

Not only do you reduce your carbon footprint, help the planet, reduce your gasoline expense and potentially qualify for a tax credit, but you may now get a fat 10% deduction on your car insurance from companies like Travelers and Farmers Insurance Group.

Recent stats show that, though repairs on hybrids may be more expensive, green car buyers tend to drive more carefully and with fewer fender benders and bodily injuries – thus reducing insurance claims.

This Sunday, August 2nd, expect to see the much-hyped, new Nissan electric vehicle unveiled when the Japanese automaker officially opens the doors to new world headquarters in Yokohama.

You can catch a glimpse of the zero emission car’s smooth styling by checking out their new micro site… but don’t expect to see much. The yet-to-be-named, five-seater EV gives us a coy peek at its front end, which looks a not-so-much-like these prototype images, released last weekend.

Expected to garner a 100-mile range, the lithium-ion battery powered car (you’ll find the battery pack tucked under the car floor) will hit dealer lots in the U.S. and Japan in 2010. In it, drivers can feast their eyes on a navigation system that alerts passengers of the current electric charge and then calculates the range necessary to drive to a given destination. (Owners can also check the charge via cell phone. Hello, iPhone app.)

Get the full scoop on the new EV and all of Nissan’s eco efforts by taking a look at their Green Program, touting the philosophy: Seeking a symbiosis of people, vehicles and nature.

Until then, tell us: Which new green ride has got you salivating most? Honda’s CR-Z Concept, the new 2010 Prius, XR3 Personal Transit Vehicle or Enertia Electric Motorcycle?

This prototype combines 2 of my passions — recycling and salads…throw in a side of clean laundry, and we’ve hit the trifecta.

Conceptually, a it’s a fresh spin on cleaning small loads of laundry and delicates. Let’s get this baby to market — the Laundry POD: lightweight, portable, made from recycled materials, easy to store and effective.  As an apartment dweller who traverses the building and travels 5 floors to launder my clothes, the idea of washing little ditties in a salad spinner-inspired device that I can tuck under my sink sounds cool.  You could even take the gray water and give your plants a drink.  In theory, it’s a great way to save energy and water, and quickly clean that little pile of ditties.  Designed by RKS, it placed 4th at this year’s Greener Gadgets Design Competitition.

Master thespian William Shatner reads ex-Governor Palin’s resignation speech as a poem.  Can wolves, polar bears and all manner of Alaskan wildlife finally feel safe?

• Haven’t we been hearing this for years? Offshore Wind Could be Next Wave for U.S. – reuters
• We don’t usually feature technical journals…7 High Tech Products and Their Cheap Ass Ingredients – cracked.com
• Today’s interesting assortment of words… Monkey Mind Controls Robot Arm (video) – natgeo
• Does Cheese Whiz count? Got Milk? Kids Who Eat More Dairy Live Longer – newser.com/bbc
• Another good headline…Huge Fossilized Dung Reveals a Hidden Ancient Ecosystem – livescience
• Consumers Gloomier for 2nd Straight Month – cnnmoney

Here’s a new, eco friendly take on furniture.  Way Basics creates geometric furniture out of ingenious building-blocks made of 99% recycled paper it calls, zBoards.  The company’s patented, environmentally friendly manufacturing process turns post-consumer recycled paper into extremely strong boards that weigh 62% less than particle board – if you’ve ever tried to move something made of particle board you know this is important.  The paper-based furniture is designed to be as solid and structurally sound as any engineered wood furniture.

Building boards are versatile and easy to assemble. No screws, nails or messy adhesives are used in assembly, since strong adhesive tape is used in construction.  To put zBoards together all you do is peel off the tape’s protective covering and stick the blocks together. You can create your own designs; and you can use screws or hardware if you so desire.  The material is water-resistant, easy to clean, and comes in different colors and both light and dark wood-grain finishes. They’re also available in white to allow for color customization.

Pieces are sold both by the cube and by the kit.  Way Basics is currently running a Summer Sale where many of the pieces are up to 50% off.
via: yanko design