More videos

We've just put up some new videos on our YouTube channel!

Have a look for some informative video nuggets about the school run, cycling, the road safety office and how to find out when the next bus is coming from any stop in Harrow at www.youtube.com/itsuptoallofus. 

"HIGH SPEED TRAINS"

Minority Report

We've previously featured the car of today's subject in previous posts over the past few years and thought this entertainment-themed post relevant:

Steven Spielberg's futuristic thriller Minority Report is finally coming to Bluray in 4 weeks time. The film which featured some cool electric Lexus vehicles (which resemble the later-produced Audi TT) will be available from May 17 2010 for all to revisit and see these electric marvels on screen once again. The ones on screen weren't shown to be electric but the actual production ones used on the set were! We reported on the film a while back and the selling of the vehicles used in the film, so we thought you'd like to know you can relive the future vision from the past soon!

Because you demanded it..

The Green Effect is up for your viewing.

Got an iPhone? Here's a Green App...

Many of you have been browsing our blog on your iPhones and asking if we'll have an iPhone application. Although this is not planned at present, it inspired us to look into the greener iPhone apps available and we're currently trying one called Commute Greener.

It's a carbon footprint-tracking tool by Volvo. Based on journeys you make throughout the week, (whether you walk, cycle, use public transport or car), it tracks your greenhouse gas emissions and encourages you to set reduction targets. It is a bit tricky to get the settings entirely correct and it syncs your data with the Commute Greener's website even allowing you to compare your greenness with other people.

At £2.39 it's more expensive than a single Oyster bus journey but could save you money in the long run, help save the planet and make you more aware of how your journeys add up. We're trying it now here.

10:10

10:10 is the national effort to cut the UK’s emissions by 10% in 2010. By committing to cut your emissions by 10% in 2010, you will join thousands of individuals and organisations all actively helping stop climate change by making simple changes to their lifestyles, homes and businesses. If we in the UK can prove that fast, deep cuts can be made at a national level, then we may just inspire all the other big polluting countries to follow suit. Find out more here.

If you're in London and can be at the Tate Modern between 4pm and 7pm, come along for the launch today where there will be speeches, giveaways and more.

Green Hummer

The electric and hybrid revolution has spared no vehicle with even the Hummer getting a makeover recently. Have a look..

Walking Workout

After a very busy and successful Walk to Work week (which included many non-walk-to-work-trips), it seems the weather is getting warmer providing an ample opportunity to up your walking quotient.

One of the prizes in Harrow's walking challenge was a copy of a book on walking away the pounds. Whereas walking can help reduce and control weight, my recent discovery that it can replace a cardio workout at the gym has left me craving more walks.

The aim of a cardio workout is to raise your heart rate to its optimum level for burning fat and typical ways of doing this include the stationary bike, stairmaster, treadmill etc which imply fast paced running, cycling and so on. On trying to attain the target heart rate for burning fat for a 30 year old (Heart rate of 152 bpm), walking on a treadmill on an incline at a brisk walking speed managed to achieve this in less time than on a stationary bike. Brisk walking does not mean light jogging but simply walking fast.

Walking in Harrow on a hilly terrain at a brisk speed will help not only lose fat but increase muscle tone in the calves, strengthen the thighs and provide a welcome breath of fresh air and the above experiment comparing results from walking and cycling in stationary gym equipment supports this.

So if you've been wanting to lose weight but without the gym membership, invest in yourself, grab a heart rate monitor and join one of the led walks. Once you've found a route you like you can try it yourself as a workout. Walking really can be a great workout!

Pushchair to Pushbike in 20 seconds

Dropping off the toddlers to their local nursery or group has had a green boost via a new buggy which can be converted into a bike for the journey back. Avoid traffic, have a stroll and pedal back!

Read about it here.

St George's Day in Pinner

Sustainable transport is all about walking, cycling, car sharing and using public transport. In St George's time, the wheelbarrow may have been a viable green option too, as we discovered thanks to a resident in Pinner who kindly sent us some images from the celebrations in Pinner. A traditional 'St George' figure appeared on horseback too and much fun was had. It was a true celebration of the street and all it can be. Thanks to James Bond from Pinner for these images.


The Mayor and Mayoress of Harrow, Councillor John and Joyce Nickolay

Green Cities of the Future

Green dreams and an electric future.

Is Harrow ready for an electric revolution or are you passionate about plug-ins? Which green car would be your choice? Seen a green car you like. Tell us now!

Tesla's Unveils it's new EV: A 7 Seater that Goes 300 miles per charge

The world's first mass-produced, highway-capable electric vehicle has been unveiled and is now available for pre-order. Yes, it's made by Tesla and is the S model. Carrying up to seven people and travelling 300 miles per charge, and moderately priced, this landmark vehicle is the first foray for Tesla that will compete directly with non-electric vehicles like never before. More details can be found here.

Travel Green, Travel Lean!

Many new year's resolutions have already been quashed as people's promises to maintain a healthy lifestyle are seen disintegrating. The quickest fix for a health kick is to consider how you travel. Green can make you lean!

The health paradox in the UK is: How can Britons be both obsessed with health, yet be increasingly unhealthy? Gym memberships are constantly on the rise and more popular than ever, but then so is junk food as we crawl towards becoming a fast food nation.

Some 2,000 years ago the Greeks declared "mens sana in corpore sano" translated "a healthy mind in a healthy body." Ever since, health has been the accepted standard, but today life demands more of us.

Want an instant health kick: fit a walk in your day. Brisk walk to raise your heart rate, walk to meetings you usually wouldn't walk to and burn calories every time you move. If you're able to then gear up for cycling in the Summer by taking advantage of Harrow's free cycle training. Otherwise, get outside, get walking and get healthy!

Walk London Winter Wanders Weekend

Free led walks are taking place on Saturday January 31 and Sunday February 1 as part of a Winter Wander initiative.

The walks take place on every section of London’s Strategic Walk Network (SWN) and include Harrow. ‘Winter Wanders’ is Walk London’s fifth and biggest walking weekend so far. There is something for everyone from the urban ambles of central London outwards to the surburban strides and rural roams of the outskirts. The walks all start and finish at public transport, within reach of an Oyster Card.

For more details, click here.

The Flying Car

Not the Skycar that is described in this article, but a US prototype from 2007

The flying car has been the subject of many jokes, futuristic depictions and popular culture (The Jetsons, Back to the Future, Blade Runner). Yet despite seeing it on screen for so long, it is still an engineering Holy Grail that has eluded inventors despite over half a century of work. But the most recent attempt by a small British team is based on simple parachute technology and arguably the most workable and green design yet.

Previous designs of a flying car have been expensive and never gone beyond the prototype stage, but the Skycar designed by Gilo Cardozo will cost the same price as a BMW saloon and has the advantage of using existing technology that is already tried and tested.
In road-going mode, the Skycar is little more than a two-seater kart powered by a motorcycle engine that has been modified to run on bioethanol. In order to fly the car relies on a flexible wing of the sort used by skydivers, and a large fan.

The Skycar’s abilities will be tested to limit later this month when two explorers set off from London in the propeller-powered dune buggy heading for the Sahara.
Would YOU buy a flying car?

Plug-In Hybrid Heading Your Way

A Chinese company has put the world’s first massed-produced, plug-in vehicle on the market.

The BYD F6 can run on a conventional petrol engine or for 62 miles on battery power alone. The batteries can be topped up via a household electrical supply Conventional hybrid cars use a petrol or diesel engine to charge their batteries.
The firm says the F6 model is due to be launched throughout America and Europe in 2011. The car is on sale for 150,000 yuan (£14,000) and has beaten a plug-in version of the Toyota Prius to market.

London's Buses Go Green

In a bid to reduce the environmental impact of London’s 8,000 diesel-powered buses, 300 single and double-deck, eco-friendly hybrid models are to be introduced to the city’s streets by 2011. By the end of January 2009, the number of hybrid buses in the Capital will more than quadruple to 56 buses – the largest fleet of hybrid buses in Britain.

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “Londoners that travel on buses with the green leaf livery can rest comfortably in their seats and enjoy clear environmental consciences, safe in the knowledge that their journey will guzzle far less fuel and expire a whopping forty per cent less carbon dioxide than a regular bus.”

The Mayor has said that the replacement for the Routemaster should run on a hybrid engine. What makes a hybrid bus greener? Conventional diesel-powered buses are responsible for high levels of particulate – or soot – emissions that are damaging to our health. In a hybrid bus a much smaller diesel engine runs constantly, but at peak efficiency, to produce power for clean and quiet electric motors. To date, buses fitted with the “HybriDrive system” are estimated to have dramatically reduced particulate emissions as well as saving five million gallons of diesel fuel and 50,000 tons of carbon emissions.

The Green, Green Glow of Home

As the festive season fast approaches, why not consider how you can inject a green dosage into this busy time? Recycled cards are now available at most retailers and for those who fear missing the last post or haven’t had the time to shop, why not send the 100% environmentally friendly e-card. You can choose from a photo card, an animated one or even make one yourself from scratch or even send a video message.

If you’re out looking for gifts, why not shop local and avoid the congestion in central London (traffic congestion, congestion charge and even the rush of shoppers who may make getting to that item that you want difficult even though you could probably pick it up locally). Want to see the lights? Why not take the train and see as many lights as you can using a travel card/Oyster card and that way you can see how brightly lit Harrow, Hillingdon, Brent, Ealing or any of the other neighbouring boroughs are, and for a great price.

This December, think how you can green your journey and tell us about it!

Special Podcast

REPOST: The last podcast of 2008 has a very special guest: Transport for London's Travel Awareness Manger, Andy Pidduck. He works in the Smarter Travel Unit of TfL and leads the direction of London-wide campaigns. Hear what he had to say about Harrow's work, how important it is we all do what we can and more below.

Go!

A recent focus group revealed attitudes to being green varying from those who were actively doing what they could, enthusiasts and those who wanted to do more but felt changing their lifestyle would require too much time and effort.

No-one responded saying they didn't want to do more in terms of 'greening' their lifestyle and there are those who are doing a lot.

When one gentleman whose input was invaluable stated he couldn't afford to make the changes required for a greener life as making the adjustments would take up too much time (he recycled but admitted not as much as he should as sometimes he wouldn't sort out the paper from the rest of the stuff and just throw it all away in one bin, he took his car for short journeys even though his doctor advised him to get more exercise and lower his blood pressure and he left his phone charger plugged in for whenever his mobile phone needed a boost).

This gentleman liked the campaign banners around Harrow and agreed it was up to all of us but he believed he didn't have the time to make the changes even though most of the above changes he'd need to make would enhance his life, save him money and in the long run save him time too.

A lady who was an enthusiast began discussing with him how times had changed and how in the 80s and 90s it was predicted that technology would bring about a time when everyone would have more time as machines would make life easier and free up time. However the opposite had happened. Personal communication was overtaken by emails and text messages, beepers, mobile phones served to increase the number of conversations people were having and most of us can no longer wait until we get to a computer to check our email so we carry devices with us to check it on the go... and we still have no time!

Her point was that we live in a nanosecond culture where we can often think we have no time, but it takes only a second to decide to change. The moment you decide to make a change in your life - be it a lifestyle change, a change in your health or your business, that is the beginning of it. You've done it by deciding to do it, now you'll find the time to do it.

The gentleman listened with interest and took on the lady's comments and made a decision to firstly look after himself more by starting daily walks that he hoped would get him more used to walking and eventually replace his short trips by car, as well as keep his doctor happy.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and the decision to change takes only a second. Go!