These beastly green machines are Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC engines.

So for the facts:

• When the BlueTEC engine was used first in 2007 in a Canadian Mercedes, and the vehicle was voted “World Green Car of the Year” due to it’s clean, efficient characteristics
• The engine is 20-40% more fuel efficient than its comparable gas counterparts
• It reduces the polluting nitrogen oxide normally released in emissions by an astounding 80%

Currently, the engine is utilized in Canadian Mercedes models, and is supposedly one of the only vehicles to meet the future, stricter emissions standards.

So a quiet running, fuel efficient, green, low emissions [renewable] diesel powered vehicle.  You’re thinking, great, but I cannot afford it. Which is the same thing I’m thinking, but….

Mercedes is not keeping their innovative engine technology proprietary, but they’re instead opening up the technology to other car manufacturers. Presumably, they’ll license this great technology as a socially responsible company so it could potentially be available to the masses very soon.

While diesel technology inherintly has its drawbacks like every current, plausible energy source, it does have its environmentally sound niche as shown by BlueTec.  So if/once US automakers get on the right foot and begin making green cars people want, lets hope that BluTEC esque technology finds its ways into our automobiles.

As a statistics freak, I love the article due to the in depth look at the possibilities available to our nation for implementing such a Green Recovery Plan which would greatly help 2 of the few things I’m passionate about: The environment and economy.

I’m not going to go into a deep examination of the plan or its potential benefits, but here are some key statistics:

• For every $1 million invested in Green energy jobs, 17 jobs are created
• For every $1 million diverted away from oil jobs to green jobs, there will be a net increase in jobs of 12
• Green Recovery is “domestic content” meaning that a majortiy (~90% I’d presume) of the money spent on recovery would stay in the US for construction, jobs, and manufacturing
• On the opposite side, government support of oil only keeps 20% of spending domestically

This report may give you the idea that we need to totally turn away from oil in favor of Green.   That’s the right spirit, but we still need oil very badly (unfortunately), so it’s not practical. However, I think limiting all new incentives to green energy can make a substantial impact on our economy since it creates new jobs, and also on the environment.

In such tricky economic times with falling oil and a deficit increasing exponentially, the $100 billion price tag may seem like a lot to swallow for a new administration set on balancing the budget.  Nonetheless, Green Recovery seems like it will surely play a part in Obama’s plans in the future, and I’m excited.

So when giving in to paper (only because it’s totally necessary of course), choose the lesser of two evils by choosing and supporting green printing. PS Print is one such green printing company that is committed to minimizing the waste and environmental problems associated with the industry.

First, the environmental problems with printing:

• Paper waste
• Petroleum based inks
• Volatile organic compounds

In response to these problems, PS Print does a variety of simple yet effective things: To rid of paper waste, they recycle all of their excess paper, while offering 100% recycled paper printing stocks for all of their products. PS Print then rids of their dependency on petroleum by using [renewable] soy based inks which rid of the volatile organic compounds that are derived from petroleum inks. Also, they company reduced energy waste during shipping by having printing locations on both US coasts.

PS Print, along with some other printing companies out there, is a great example of how an environmentally unfriendly practice can have it’s drawbacks minimized through a little effort and commitment, while still offering great, competitive products. This printing company offers everything under the sun, including business cards, custom stickers, postcards, greeting cards, and posters.

So if you do happen to need some brochure printing, do it as green as possible with an environmentally friendly printing company that reduced environmental impacts like PsPrint.

From the recent removal of the $2,000 tax credit for solar installations, to the new 30% tax break now offered to everyone instead of just corporations, now is actually a great time to take advantage of financing and low rates for your solar installations if you’re in financial position to do so.

First again offers affordable loans for environmental projects through an unsecured, personal loan that now starts at a 6.99% fixed interest rate.

Furthermore, FirstAgain is also a green, environmentally friendly company themselves. By going paperless, planting trees, and offering loan customers $250 to replace incandescent light bulbs with efficient CFLs, they are committed themselves to the cause they are promoting with their specialty loans: going green affordably.

With the great tax benefits and ease of mind from going green, now may be an opportune time to look into a solar installation program yourself which can be financed by First Again’s loans.

For more information, visit the First Again website and check out a recent press release.

An example of this is Alpha Ecological, a green Pest Control service that is available to residents in a select six states (Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Texas, Colorado, & Arizona). These pest control locations offer customers a friendly way to handle various pest problems. Their Eco-guard process revolves around specifying the right pest that is of interest, and by using green products to treat the problems.

Identifying the right pest is key to their process because it prevents the termination of non-harmful, surrounding organisms that do not require any pest control services. Using a scalpel rather than an axe is key, and morally the right way to go about pest control. Regarding the products used to treat pest problems, Alpha Ecological is always environmentally conscious by using products with no harmful odors / fumes and by using healthy products.

This type of ‘greening’ of a service industry is not difficult, yet would make a huge impact on Earth if all businesses made a similar, small effort to do things the right way. I hope that consumers continue to recognize green service businesses and reward them with their business so the ecopreneur trend continues - kudos to Alpha Ecological and check them out if you need pest control help in one of the for mentioned states.