Zoocap

In April, traveling around the city streets of Singapore will become more cost effective, more ‘green’ and a bit more quiet as the new electric scooters will go on the market. The leading maker of the scooters, Zeco , estimates that by the end of 2009, more that seven hundred and fifty will be cruising around the city streets, without a sound. Much like the hybrid cars, the scooters have no gears and thus no vibrations, and thus a reduction in the noise pollution. Just one positive aspect of these vehicles. While the scooters, which top speed is just about 60 mph, will be banned from the expressways during their first year, the Department of Transportation will review that ban next year. So for now, the smaller city streets will be the only place legal for driving the scooters. Which is just fine for those consumers looking for options.

The scooters will need to be charged after every 150 miles traveled, and the charge of the battery takes about two hours. This will end up costing the owners of the vehicles, just around sixty dollars a year. In the United States, most people have trouble making sixty dollars spent at the gas pumps last throughout the week. Aside from the cost, most people in Singapore have become environmentally aware, have been for some time actually. The government provides rebates for those business installing solar panels and water conservation devices, and this is no different. Those purchasing the scooters will receive rebates up to five hundred dollars. Three different companies have jumped in to support, by installing ‘green lot’ sections in their parking lots, equipped with battery chargers that are free to the public for the use of recharging the scooters. The largest of the companies and the first to sign on to provide this is the Swedish based company, Ikea. Two stores in Singapore have already completed their lots and the vehicles are not even for sale yet. Soon, some of the best Singapore hotels, the restaurants and many buildings in the downtown business district will be equipped with such accommodations. Making this not only the ‘green’ thing to do, and the inexpensive mode of travel, but quite convenient as well.

Elections in various countries have gained much press in the last few years. Here and now, perhaps come and gone depending on the time differences, people around the world are voting tonight for a common idea and purpose, the global election, to save the planet. The acknowledgment that no matter cultural and societal differences, the earth needs our help. In much the same way as the last presidential election was covered by the press, this has gained momentum from the time the idea was conceived by the World Wildlife Foundation, in Sydney, Australia in 2007. The symbolic act of simply switching off the lights for one hour, just sitting and looking at the sky…well, coming from America, that idea is so foreign, and so necessary on a multitude of levels. In the luxury hotels of Singapore, lights will go dark, and what is offered only serves to re-enforce. To re-enforce that there is much more to do than sit around a hotel room watching American Idol. Music concerts are planned for tonight, the Esplanade is having a party, people will experience a bit of what life was like before technology took over simple human contact.

This is the first time in history, that all the people of the world will vote in one election. All nationalities, all races must agree, regardless of spiritual or religious beliefs, regardless of ideas of wars on terror and wars based on cultural differences, this is one challenge that affects all people equally, the war against global warming. A topic raised that the conference on Global Climate Change in Copenhagen earlier this year. People of this world can and must make their voices heard…and perhaps the best way to be heard is to just be quiet. Just turn out the light. For one hour. In Sydney 2 years ago, businesses and residential homes, did just that. Turned out the lights for one hour. It went from there with the Opera House, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and the Times Square infamous Coca Cola sign, all going dark. Fifty million people took part that year. Today, March 28th, 2009 that goal is one billion. This does not matter where you are from, what your social or economic status is or who you hold to be God…it’s is just simply a vote to cast to say “I care”. I care about my life and those I love, the plants, the oceans, the hillsides, and the small man farming in some faraway location. One hour, for one day…cast your vote. Just simply switch that light. Off.