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	<title>Globaltrekkers Travel Stories, Articles and Travel Photos &#187; Alternative energy eco-travel</title>
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	<description>exploring the globe with gentle footsteps</description>
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		<title>Tallyho &#8211; How It All Added Up</title>
		<link>http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/index.php/35/tallyho-how-it-all-added-up/</link>
		<comments>http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/index.php/35/tallyho-how-it-all-added-up/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Nov 2004 04:12:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Rick Butler</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Toyota Prius gas mileage stories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[toyota prius gas mileage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[toyota pruis gas mileage]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/words/?p=35</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Life on the road is both leisurely and very rewarding. Never making reservations ahead so as to not commit ourselves, we let &#8220;the moment&#8221; guide Emili (our Toyota Prius); always taking time to smell the roses and take advantage of any current opportunities. Emili (with us in tow) visited 74 towns / cities, 4 Canadian Provinces and 15 U.S. States during our 21 weeks on the road, covering 21,865 km. Time flew by on swift, soft wings as so often is the case when you are engaged in something you truly enjoy. Our Emili performed extremely well, never letting us down. She continued to get 4.8 litres per 100 km, on average, throughout our journey. Averaging 150 km per day of travel our daily gas expense was a mere $5.42. Emili imbibed 1,050 litres of her drink of choice at a cost of 75 cents per shot (litre). Total gas bill &#8211; $792.00 We graced the threshold of 68 different lodgings on our peregrinations ranging from small mom and pop motels to large resorts. Prices per night ranged from budget to mid range, with the odd spurge (from $21.00 to $186.00) almost always successful in keeping with one of our [...]]]></description>
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		<title>A Ship out of Water</title>
		<link>http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/index.php/29/a-ship-out-of-water/</link>
		<comments>http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/index.php/29/a-ship-out-of-water/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 Sep 2004 03:18:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Rick Butler</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alternative energy eco-travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[earth ships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[earthships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[energy efficient homes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Mexico- U.S.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[off the grid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[photos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[taos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[used tires]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/words/?p=29</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By Rick Butler Imagine! Never another hydro bill; never another heat bill; never another water bill. This is not a fantasy; it is a reality. Begin with used car tires, add sand, some solar panels, one small wind turbine, lots of live plants; splash in a sprinkling of rain and snow and you have the recipe for an “Earthship”. What’s an Earthship you ask? Just west of Taos, New Mexico on Highway 64 lies a community consisting of 130 of these magnificent architectural marvels. They are snuggled into Mother Earth so strategically that if you didn’t know they were there, you would pass by without seeing them. Earthships village is a collection of uniquely designed homes totally “off the grid”. Earthships are made out of natural and recycled materials. The primary component in the outer walls are used car tires packed with sand, then covered with earth berms (raised banks of earth) on the east, north and west sides insuring superb insulation. After spending 35 years at the “Tire” (Canadian Tire) as an Associate Dealer, I am well aware of the millions of used tires clogging our land fills. Used tires also end up in the ditches and along road [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
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		<title>The Sands of Time</title>
		<link>http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/index.php/27/the-sands-of-time/</link>
		<comments>http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/index.php/27/the-sands-of-time/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Sep 2004 03:28:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Rick Butler</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alternative energy eco-travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[alternative energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[american wind power center lubbock]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[global warming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lake mcbride wind farm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sustainable energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wind mills]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wind power]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wind turbines]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/words/?p=27</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In Canada, it is estimated, 16,000 people die prematurely each year and many more suffer from long term illness and disabilities caused by the fossil fuel burning polluted air we breathe.]]></description>
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		<title>Kudos to Our Gal, Emili</title>
		<link>http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/index.php/26/kudos-to-our-gal-emili/</link>
		<comments>http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/index.php/26/kudos-to-our-gal-emili/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Sep 2004 03:22:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Rick Butler</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Toyota Prius gas mileage stories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[toyota prius gas economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[toyota prius gas mileage]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/words/?p=26</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#8220;G&#8217;day ya&#8217;ll&#8221; met us as Emili (our Toyota Prius) pulled in to a gas/convenience store; no, Emili didn&#8217;t need a drink, we did. A very excited young man blocked our way, &#8220;where&#8217;d ya&#8217;ll buy yer car?&#8221; As our conversation pursued we discovered this young man and his wife had ordered a Prius and would have to wait up to 8 months for delivery. He was very keen on Emili and after answering all his queries we continued into the store to buy some libation for us on this hot afternoon. Upon exiting the store the fellow was back with his wife stating, &#8220;I just couldn&#8217;t let this opotunity g&#8217;by without gett&#8217;n my wife t&#8217; see yer car.&#8221; Ratchel was as enthusiastic as her husband, she even got to sit in Emili. This type of interest in Emili has become very common. In fact, as we were cruising along (only at the stated speed limit) Highway 84, south east of Lubbock, a big bruiser of a truck (International, I think) decided to come onto our side of the road to get a closer look at Emili. Must have been love at first sight, but to tell you the truth, Irene and I [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Gasonomics</title>
		<link>http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/index.php/23/gasonomics/</link>
		<comments>http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/index.php/23/gasonomics/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Aug 2004 16:38:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Rick Butler</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Toyota Prius gas mileage stories]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/words/?p=23</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With 9336 kilometres behind us, Emili (out Toyota Prius) has snacked on 446 litres of gas for an average of 4.8 litres per 100 kilometres ( app. 60 mile per gallon ) at a cost of $384.00 ( average of 84 cents per litre ). Her best performance to date is Winnipeg to Crookston, Minnesota with an average of 4.1 litres per 100 km, a very flat smooth highway on an extremely still day. Her worst mileage was Swift Current to Regina, an average of 5.4 litres per 100 km into a strong head wind. Most surprising was the trip from Winnipeg to Thompson and back, Emili drank at a rate of 4.8 litres per 100 km. I thought the mileage would have been better considering the route is generally level and we did not seem to have much head wind. Emili is not getting near the Toyota stated fuel economy of 4.0 city and 4.2 highway. She is improving however; the last 3 fill-ups her average was 4.3, probably due in no small part to the 55 mile per hour speed limit, and sticking to the back highways, we continually must slow to 30 or 35 miles per hour in [...]]]></description>
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		<title>In the Immortal Words of Bob Dylan &#8220;The Answer, my friend, is Blowing in the Wind&#8221;</title>
		<link>http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/index.php/19/the-snswer-my-friend-is-blowing-in-the-wind/</link>
		<comments>http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/index.php/19/the-snswer-my-friend-is-blowing-in-the-wind/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Jul 2004 04:25:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Rick Butler</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alternative energy eco-travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[alternative energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cowley ridge]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mcbride lake wind farm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nordex turbine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pincher creek]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[renewable energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[summerview]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vawt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wind far]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wind farm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wind turbines]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/words/?p=19</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Our gaze was met by hundreds of tall white behemoths blowing in the wind ]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<title>Ahhh, the Flat Prairies!  Or so we thought</title>
		<link>http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/index.php/17/ahhh-the-flat-prairies-or-so-we-thought/</link>
		<comments>http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/index.php/17/ahhh-the-flat-prairies-or-so-we-thought/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Jul 2004 04:11:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Rick Butler</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Toyota Prius gas mileage stories]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/words/?p=17</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Travelling through southern Alberta and Saskatchewan brought many surprises, in attractions and land marks, (which you can read about in Ireneâ€™s Blogs) as well as in Emili&#8217;s (our Toyota Prius) performance. Many people are under the impression that the prairies are flat and uneventful. In fact, I have heard comments over the years that central Canada is very boring to drive through. A remedy for this is to travel on routes other than the Trans Canada. The secondary motorways reveal many wonderful sites; beautiful landscapes of rolling hills and fields of colourful crops, stretching as far as the eye can see, against a magnificent blue sky with puffy white clouds (when its not storming). Most enlightening to me is the continual climb in elevation in what visually appears to be flatlands. Driving west to east many times in the past, along the Trans Canada, in vehicles that do not measure fuel economy, I did not realize the extent of the climb. Emili brings this to light in vivid detail. Moose Jaw for example is 1880 feet above sea level, so needless to say Emili consumed more gas than I thought she would. Emili drank fuel at the rate of 4.5 litres [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/index.php/17/ahhh-the-flat-prairies-or-so-we-thought/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
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		<title>Alternative Energy Growing in the Kootenays</title>
		<link>http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/index.php/15/alternative-energy-growing-in-the-kootenays/</link>
		<comments>http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/index.php/15/alternative-energy-growing-in-the-kootenays/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 30 Jun 2004 00:57:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Rick Butler</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Alternative energy eco-travel]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/words/?p=15</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Wind Energy has been around for, well, since forever. By Rick Butler New and exciting technology is being developed almost daily to harness wind energy. We met with Rick West, the president of West Tech Energy in Kelowna B. C. who is currently developing a small Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT). Rick maintains this turbine can produce up to 3 kilowatts of power with wind speeds below 18 miles per hour. If successful this unit would be ideal for micro installations, such as on the roof of one&#8217;s home. This could take a house &#8220;off the grid&#8221;, rendering a self sufficiency relative to electricity, especially if combined with a solar panel and battery back-up for days the wind does not blow. The exciting thing about producing your own energy is that any excess power must be sold back to the grid, thereby turning your metre backwards. The latest estimate is a pay back of 3 to 5 years. If the government re-instates the 1.2 cents per kwh credit for wind power, the payback would be much quicker. Mr. West informed us he has a 3 kw VAWT in test mode at the Sea Bird Island First Nations just east of [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Emil&#8217;s Performance Through the Mountains</title>
		<link>http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/index.php/14/emils-performance-through-the-mountains/</link>
		<comments>http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/index.php/14/emils-performance-through-the-mountains/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 30 Jun 2004 00:52:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Rick Butler</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Toyota Prius gas mileage stories]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/words/?p=14</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[One thing is for sure, Emili (out Toyota Prius) attracts a lot of attention no matter where she goes. Countless times people noticed Emili while parked and came over to ask questions and comment on her sleek aerodynamic styling and futuristic appearance. She truly is a beauty. The interior is spacious and efficient with the very good fit and finish that Toyota is known for. The Centre Dash Touch Screen Computer Terminal keeps the driver well informed on current fuel consumption, the preceding usage in 5 minute intervals, as well as a running average, plus the state of the battery. The terminal also regulates the climate control, and audio system. The most frequently asked questions are; how much gas mileage does she get, how big is the engine and how long can you travel before you need to plug her in. As for the gas mileage the Toyota Prius is rated at 4 litres per 100 kilometres city and 4.2 highway. The engine is actually a synergy system consisting of a gas powered engine and an electric motor that combined produce 144 horsepower; sufficient to get through the Rockies with no problem and enough get up and go if you [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>EMILI&#8217;s Log #1 &#8211; Gas Prices &#8220;Up Up and Away&#8221;</title>
		<link>http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/index.php/12/emilis-log-1-gas-prices-up-up-and-away/</link>
		<comments>http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/index.php/12/emilis-log-1-gas-prices-up-up-and-away/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jun 2004 08:36:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Rick Butler</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Toyota Prius gas mileage stories]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.globaltrekkers.ca/words/?p=12</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Ever increasing fuel costs is a fact of life we all need to adjust to. In fact, the higher the price of gas the better off we will be. That&#8217;s right, in my opinion, we have for many decades become addicted to the stuff as a result of lower gas prices in North America compared to the rest of the world. As the price climbs human ingenuity will take over to find new ways of becoming less dependent on fossil fuels. We consume 80 million barrels of the polluting liquid gold every day; just think of what is coming as China and India build their middle classes and depletion sky rockets as millions of automobiles are added to the fray. Toyota has stated its car sales in China have risen 30% this past year; a good thing they are small engine vehicles. OPEC is pumping near capacity and by some estimates we are beyond our carrying capacity for the black sludge. A vehicle emits green house gasses and pollutants into the air in direct proportion to its weight every year. It makes good, healthy sense to reduce the carnage of our environment and the air we all breathe by decreasing [...]]]></description>
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