Think electric powered vehicles are a recent invention? Think again. Planes, trains and automobiles, boats, trams, motorcycles and even rockets have all had versions powered by electricity. The interest now is due to concerns over use of fossil fuels and climate change, although there was a time when electric motor cars were more popular and reliable than petrol-driven cars.

Electricity was first known to be written about around 600BC when static electricity was described after amber became charged when rubbed. An English scientist, William Gilbert came up with the word electricity in 1600 from the Greek for amber. People like Ben Franklin, Galvani and Faraday experimented further and eventually William Sturgeon invented an electric motor in the 1830s.

Once we had the motor, the possibilities were endless, even space was not safe from adventuring men in their electric machines.

The first electric vehicles were trains. Clearly not a passenger vehicle, this design by Hungarian inventor Anyos Jedlik in 1828 helped move the world forward by inspiring others.

Jedlik’s electric car in 1828, Hungary.

Britain and America led the way with miniature railways and life size passenger lines opening up in the 1830s and 40s. Claiming to be the worlds oldest operating electric railway is Volkâ??s Electric Railway in sunny Brighton.

Many trains remain electric powered now and may use overhead power lines, batteries or a third rail. Coal mines used electric powered railways as they were non- polluting, a fact particularly noticed in tunnels and underground. So subways began to spread their electric tentacles under cities across the world.

Back on the surface, trams and trolley cars took off with electric overhead lines and other means. Just as underground rail systems were being laid out, on the street roads were being ripped up to lay down tram and trolley car cables and tracks. St Petersberg was once the holder of the title the worlds largest tram system. Today Melbourne, Australia maintains the claim that it is the biggest tram network on earth.

A Melbourne Tram

Electric cars were fairly reliable in the early days. They were easier to use and less noxious than petrol powered cars, they were quieter and cheaper too. In recent years, towns have trialled electric buses and hybrid cars are again making a silent splash on streets.

Thomas Edison and an electric car in 1913

As humans started to travel faster on land in these new fangled machines, the need for speed on the water led to the inevitable production of electric powered boats. Boating on the Thames in the late 1890s was no longer a sedate pastime. From launches to giant passenger ships, the river was clogged with more and more boats following the American invention of the outboard motor. Elsewhere, canal boats took some on leisurely jaunts along the nations waterways, while their daredevil counterparts began defying speed records with increasingly souped-up, pared-down speed boats. The worlds biggest cruise ship, Queen Mary 2 is a hybrid powered vessel.

Queen Mary 2

Not to be outdone, the electric motor went under water as well, powering submarines. Many still have their electric silent running capacity as part of a hybrid system that may include nuclear the other so-called green power, until it breaks…

Motorcycles are really all about speed whether running on electricity or not. Running on batteries in the past, new technology is bringing a hybrid motorbike to a busy road near you. Electric bicycles are just plain silly and noisy. Pedal you lazy things!

The only way left was up and the early flying machines with electricity were the airships. Large, graceful and unfortunately combustible, they eventually gave way to propellers and better engine technology. Most aircraft powered by electricity these days are model planes and unmanned craft.

Satellites and space craft have used battery powered propulsion systems to go further into space or stay in orbit. Scientists around the world are currently researching electric propulsion systems and are joined in their discussions by arm chair geeks and science fiction enthusiasts through forums and societies.

For me, though, the ultimate electric vehicle still to be invented would be the shopping trolley, complete with dodgy wheel for authenticity. Ah wait a minute, its been invented already. Its called online shopping.

Guest Post: Midge is an active blogger and has been guest blogging for a number of years now, her interest in this topic came from a post she was writing about electric vehicles and if electric cars can really change the future for the planet.

You have probably heard that dark chocolate (not milk chocolate or white chocolate) is actually a healthy food for you. This is a great excuse to munch a bit, but not a valid reason to include chocolate as a primary food in your weight loss diet plan.

Dark chocolate has been proven to lower high blood pressure, but generally only if you have reached the certain age group in the study, and you have mild high blood pressure already.

Dark chocolate also has antioxidant properties, which will help to get rid of free radicals, which are destructive molecules that may lead to heart disease and other illnesses. But dont follow that dark chocolate with an ice cold milk, because that might interfere with the antioxidant absorption, according to the same study. And only eat dark chocolate in moderation.

Milk chocolate has a creamier flavor than dark chocolate does, and it is more often used in chocolate confections than dark chocolate is. Milk chocolate is also used more often in recipes, but it should not be included in your healthy food regimen, like dark chocolate.

When pure chocolate liqueur is made into bakers chocolate, you will find that it has a bitter taste, since it is really only intended to be used for baking. The recipes that call for bakers chocolate usually have sugar in them, as well.

Milk chocolate only contains about ten percent chocolate liqueur, with some added pure cocoa solids. Vanilla and sugar are added when milk chocolate is made, so that the flavor is enhanced and the taste is sweeter.

Milk chocolate quality does vary from one confectioner to the next. If its made from high quality chocolate liqueur and milk, it will be delicious, but poor ingredients will only yield a more grainy and bitter-tasting milk chocolate.

White chocolate has more nutmeg, sugar and fat in it in proportion to the amount of cocoa solids. In fact, some people donâ??t even consider white chocolate to actually be chocolate at all.

Cocoa powder can be utilized for baking, and also for drinking, when itâ??s mixed with sugar and milk. Both types of cocoa powder are made by pulverizing chocolate liqueur that is partially defatted, and then removing almost all the cocoa butter. Natural cocoa is often used in recipes, as it helps the batter rise when it is baking.

Cocoa also can contain flavonoids, depending on how it was made. Flavonoids have what may be medicinal properties, acting as a part of cancer and cardiovascular disease prevention. This would tend to indicate that cocoa could be included on a list of healthy food items. But other research has suggested that after the cocoa flavonoids are ingested, they donâ??t have much antioxidant value at all.

Compound chocolate is a confection that combines cocoa and vegetable fat, and is used as a cocoa butter replacement. It is used quite a bit to coat candy bars. Many types of white chocolate would be more accurately described as compound chocolate.

Raw chocolate is what chocolate is called before it has been processed, or mixed with ingredients. This is sold in countries that grow chocolate, and has been presented as being more of a healthy food than is processed chocolate. Either way, outside of very moderate dark chocolate intake, the medicinal values are not valuable enough that chocolate should be considered a valid part of a weight loss diet program.

Born from the complex minds of ambitious often difficult men the new dawn of aviation heralds an age of austerity; dominated by the new breed of robber barons, or conceptual geniuses, all depends on the observers, social, political, and environmental focus.

There is no doubt that since, though not directly correlated to; Lockerbie and the demise of Pan Am the business model has moved and those who have pushed the model and risked their shirts have changed the way we travel and the choices available forever! Risking all…..those who have traded silverware for plastic forks have created businesses which have forever ended the comfortable cartels.

Too late for Skytrain, but from one pioneering Knight to another the advise of Sir Freddie Laker to Sir Richard Branson, has meant that with Virgin there has grown a new big boy in the airline sector; and he does not need or want to join the club, nor is he afraid to challenge them in the courts when he knows they are wrong. It’s not just in the glamorous international codes that we see new livery, indeed if your well heeled and patient, round trips to the stars can be purchased, and what’s more you don’t have to bribe the Russian government.

What does all this consolidation, liquidation , and reinvigoration mean for the frequent flyer. There is no doubt that this has resulted in differentiation, but more than that it has brought the airline industry into mainstream. Industrial battles, competition, and strategies are played out in the evening news….., and unlike many industries this means their business becomes our entertainment.

From comedy stylings playing the well trod boards of British snobbery we compare the scent of exotic spices and precious silks of Virgin Upper premium long haul, to the plastic forks and microwave pizza of Steerage….”apologies value optimising carriers”. Come fly with me………gurr reality T.V. Let’s not go there; I read it as a cautionary tail, but never before have we been soo well informed about such a wide if fast changing fleet of options, in an industry which has infiltrated our psyche.

Guest Post: Sky Traveller is a blogger interested in tech and travel and currently working on a few posts for Sir Richard Branson on behalf of Virgin Atalantic.

When you stay in a hotel, a concierge may be available to assist you with tasks such as setting up spa services, making reservations at restaurants, and booking transportation. Whether you need a limo, a boat tour or an airplane flight, a concierge can help. He or she may also recommend clubs, help you get tickets to popular events, and advise you of tours of the local attractions in the area. In the most expensive hotels, your concierge may be expected to fulfill virtually any request you might have, using contacts with local service providers and merchants.

Concierges are local people who have connections, and they can help you find spots of interest locally, and off-the-beaten-trail places to visit. Your Virgin holidays will have more leisure time available if you use the services of a concierge. They can help you plan parties, and hook you up with tickets, trips and tours. You can basically ask them for whatever you want, and if it can be done, they’ll do it. You can usually contact the hotel concierge when you arrive, if not before. They will almost certainly have at least one mobile phone, and they should also be available by IM or email.

As a general rule, the best hotels will have the most efficient concierges, because the people who stay at these hotels are more accustomed to having people take care of time-consuming things for them. They are used to paying someone who will take care of arrangements for them.

Concierges are not new, but if you are a business traveler, one might very well be helpful for you, especially if you are hosting a convention at the hotel where you are staying. If you book your hotel stay with your Virgin credit card, you may be able to make a connection with a concierge through the hotel.

More hotels than ever before are offering concierges to their guests. The demand is clearly growing across many areas, and you may be more likely to find a concierge at a smaller or lesser-known hotel than you used to be able to. People who help to organize events and meetings for you can also help to keep track of things you need for the event.

Taking care of everything you need for travel requires organization and time. Some travelers may simply need more help than others, as long as they stay at a hotel that offers concierge services. If you are saddled with more work than you can handle, it’s handy to be able to have a person who can handle some of the details for you. It’s helpful to have a professional who can keep you organized, run errands for you, and make sure that all obligations for your event or conference are met.

As more and more business people are traveling for business, concierges may well become more available to everyone. As things stand now, though, you probably won’t find a concierge at your hotel unless it’s an upscale hotel.

We all want to live in an equitable world where everyone has the same opportunities to achieve happiness and freedom. But unfortunately, many governments fail to protect their citizens, allowing big corporations to set up shop without proper guidelines to ensure fair wages, benefits, and basic human rights.

The practice of fair trade works to help communities being taken advantage of by corporate greed. It aims to fight for fair wages, humane labour conditions, and environmental sustainability. Some of the industries most affected by unfair labour practices are coffee, tea, chocolate, cut flowers, fruit, jewelry, and apparel.

Garstang fairtrade town

There are many organizations fighting for fair trade practices around the world, but mostly in Latin America, Asia, and Africa:
â?¢ Equal Exchange: Certifies chocolate, tea, almonds, pecans, cranberries, and sugar
â?¢ Fair Trade Federation: Covers almost any imaginable product, including food, flowers, jewelry, clothing, and more
â?¢ TransFairUSA: Certifies coffee, tea, cocoa, sugar, fruit, rice, flowers, and wine
â?¢ VeriFlora: Certifies cut flowers that are also sustainably grown
â?¢ World Fair Trade Organization: Certifies a very wide range of products, including clothing, food, beverages, jewelry, and so on

Unfortunately, not all is crystal clear in the world of fair trade. Fair Trade Certified coffee in particular has been attacked by some who suggest that coffeeâ??s low price is a result of overproduction and not unfair labour practices. They claim that by focusing on fair trade rather than finding other crops for farmers to grow, fair trade organizations are perpetuating a broken system. Itâ??s hard to say whether these problems are true. Most still believe that purchasing fair trade at least means their personal dollars are going to support ethical companies. Weâ??ll leave it to you to decide for yourself.

Want one source for all of your Fair Trade goods? Check out the Fair Trade Online Store that sells coffee, chocolate, tea, food, clothing and accessories, jewelry, and more, all from various fair trade organizations. And for more information on fair trade labels, go to the Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International site.

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Ever looked at where your T-shirt was made? Considered what misery may have gone into the production of that new jumper or pair of jeans? And what of the environmental or health consequences of unethical fashion?

We all want to look our best, but at what cost? With more and more allegations of sweat labor being levied at high street fashion companies, itâ??s hard to know who the good guys (and gals) are.

child labor sweatshop

Choosing ethical fashion should first include sweatshop-free clothing. Those who suffer most in the production of most clothing are developing countries. According to Behind the Label, as little as 0.04 percent of the total cost of a garment will go to labour. The accusations made against sweatshops include:

• Extremely low wages that many suspect are insufficient for individual survival.
• Physical and sexual abuse, and forcing young women to abort babies to keep them working.
• Forcing children and adults alike to work very long hours in unhealthy working conditions.
• Failure to offer health care, child care, and other benefits to employees.
• Squashing strikes and the formation of unions by firing anyone inciting such activities.

Then you also want to look for something thatâ??s healthy for you. Chemical dyes used in many traditional textiles can contain heavy metals like copper, zinc, and chrome, all of which are suspected carcinogens. And then, of course, these dyes are often tested on animals to ensure their â??safetyâ?� for humans. Looking for eco-friendly dyed clothing ensures youâ??re safe from unhealthy, cruel clothing. Low-impact dyes (such as fibre-reactive dyes and plant-based dyes) and â??colour-grownâ?� fibres are both good alternatives.

Opting for organic, natural textiles is also a good choice. Conventionally-grown cotton is the worldâ??s most pesticide-intensive crop and requires a lot of water, too. Wool, on the other hand, can be sheared from cruelly-treated sheep. And synthetics like polyester, lycra, spandex, and the like are all made from petroleum byproducts, making them inherently unsustainable. Better options include organic cotton, bamboo, soy, hemp, and other natural fibres, which are now used to produce all types of garments.

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I hear this a lot from people, but honestly – Not All Soya Products Damage the Environment

There has been a lot of controversy in the news about the effect soya bean production has on the accelerated deforestation of the Amazon. When soya bean farmers buy up land for cultivation, they force out the cattle ranchers into the rainforest. The ranchers slash and burn, consequently releasing countless tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

soya beans

For those of us who love soya products and care about the state of our planet, this destructive byproduct of soya farming is highly distressing. We need our vegetable soya protein, but we donâ??t want to contribute to the devastation of the planet. What do we do?

Check out Alpro® soya products!

Alpro® goes out of the way to make sure their soya beans do not come from farms that have been reclaimed or deforested. Their beans come from China, Brazil (outside the Amazon), and Canada.

But thatâ??s not all Alpro® is doing to help the planet. Alpro® is involved in a lot of planet-friendly projects from packaging their products in recyclable Tetra Pak®, to financing zero emission research in Antarctica.

Other environmentally-respectful projects include Vitagoat, a soya production facility in Africa that is powered completely by bicycle pedals. Villagers make soya products to eat and sell by pedaling. Wow! Think about that the next time you see a bicycle!

Alpro® is also involved in helping educate people in Parana, Brazil to help them increase their employment potential.

Last, but not least, Alpro® is a key contributor to UFB, the United Fund for Belgium. This organization supports humanitarian projects throughout the country.

At the risk of sounding like a commercial, the next time you shop for soya products, buy Alpro® . At least you know your money is going somewhere where it is making a difference towards sustainability.

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Personally, I think that we are all better off health-wise if we significantly cut back on eating animal products. But thatâ??s just me. I donâ??t claim to know better than anyone else about how to live their lives when I can barely figure out how to live my own.

So if your children eat meat, what kind of meat is better for his or her health? Organic, Factory Farmed, or does it even matter? Letâ??s look at the differencesâ?¦

Organic meat vs none organic farmed meat

Chances are, unless the meat you buy specifically has â??organicâ?� all over it, itâ??s not. So what exactly is â??factory-farmedâ?� meat?

1. Corn-fed. If left to their own devices, cows eat grass, not corn. Corn makes the cows fatter â?? thatâ??s why the meat is softer.
2. Live in unsanitary and inhumane cells. These pens are designed so the animals can barely move. Pens are filthy with animal waste matter.
3. Antibiotic-injected. Factory farmed animals are injected with antibiotics to prevent or treat diseases that are a direct result of their horribly dirty living conditions.
4. Injected with growth hormones. Factory-farmed animals are injected with growth hormones to â??encourageâ?� faster growth, faster turnover, and larger profits.

Organic meat comes from farms that have very strict rules that are constantly regulated, monitored and enforced. Organic meat is:

1. Free range. Organic meat comes from animals that are allowed to roam about and eat chemical-free food.
2. Clean and sanitary. Living conditions of organic meat animals is closely regulated by the government (US and UK).
3. Antibiotics are used ONLY if the animal is sick, which is not often because of the clean and highly monitored living conditions.
4. Not injected with growth hormones. Organic meat animals are encouraged to grow naturally â?? not chemically induced.

So after looking at the basic differences, what would you feed your child if you had to feed him meat?
Iâ??m betting on the organic farmed.

Is Dog Food Really Filled With Euthanized Companion Animals Like Cats and Dogs?

What really is in that can of dog food? You know itâ??s some kind of meat. It looks like meat. Smells kind of almost meaty. But what kind of meat is it?

How about the kibble? What is in a cup of those cute little shaped dry food? Itâ??s mystery meat, otherwise known as â??meat meal.â?�

The next time you buy your dog some food â?? be it dry or canned â?? read the ingredients. Youâ??ll find â??meat mealâ?� in there. What is it?

whats in your dogs food

If you have a weak stomach and tend to get nauseated easily from reading about really gross things, stop reading now. If youâ??re masochistically curious like me, read on. Donâ??t say I didnâ??t warn you though.

Meat meal is a major ingredient in dry dog (and cat) food. It contains (among other things): urine, feces, body parts normally not eaten like hair, intestines, and bones. Should I keep going? Meat meal also has spoiled meat from the supermarket (packaging included), road kill, diseased animalsâ?¦the list goes on and on and on. I canâ??t anymore â?? Iâ??m going to get sick.

Now you and I know that the companies who make pet food are not going to admit that they put dog and cat meat in dog and cat food â?? essentially turning our pets into cannibals. They would never own up to it because that would be bad for business. But the evidence is just too hard for them to hide all the time.

John Eckhouse quoted an employee of the Sacramento Rendering plant (where pet food comes from) â??Thousands and thousands of pounds of dogs and cats are picked up and brought here every day.â?�

When your pet dies at the vet, the vet sends the body to the rendering plant. And yes, they are legally allowed to do this. Disgusting, but true.

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How could that comfy, fluffy wool sweater thatâ??s keeping you nice and cozy warm be possibly bad for you or the environment?

Let me give you a few reasons:

1. The amount (thousands of pounds) of pesticides applied to sheep and lambs to control mange, mites, lice, and fleas alone is enough to make you choke.
2. These poisons leech into the soil to pollute ground water, or flow into storm drains and irrigation water supplies.
3. Some of the sheep dip pesticides last for more than a year in the environment.
4. UK sheep workers that have been exposed to these poisons only for a short time show signs of nervous system damage like anxiety and depression.
5. Long term contact has been found to reduce bone formation.

6. Antibiotic feed additives for sheep are used to make up for the overcrowded, unhealthy and inhumane conditions in the pens.
7. These antibiotics also end up in the drinking water supply â?? and in you. The next time you get a bacterial infection, the little buggers are more resistant to the medicine, so you stay sick until your doctor finds an antibiotic dose strong enough to kill them.

Something to chew over when your buying that new sweater this winter.

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