The idea of smart cities was not on anyone's radar back in 2005, but then New Orleans got a head start on data-driven decision making thanks to Hurricane Katrina. After Katrina hit and the city's levees failed, the city started using data to improve and speed-up decision making to support the city's recovery. Amsterdam was another early adopter with the Amsterdam Smart Cities Initiative in 2009. The team used data to address depression and increase treatment for people who were not getting help. By combining statistics from insurance companies and information about the cost of treatment for … [Read more...]
20 Ways to Reduce Carbon Footprint at Home
If you care about CO2 emissions and want to comply with the Carbon Tax as much as possible, it’s not enough to just drive an electric car or a hybrid vehicle, you ought to implement a whole lifestyle change. You can buy local produce and carry a reusable (cloth) bag, wear clothes for a few seasons and buy new appliances, insulate your home and shift to environment-friendly heating sources, etc. read our new blog post to find all the ways you can make your habits and actions matter. Food 1) Try to eat low on the food chain - mostly fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, and the like. … [Read more...]
Do Electric Vehicles Work Well During Winter? (Infographic)
Electric vehicles are an unknown to a lot of people even today - you wonder how far it can travel, how everything works, what maintenance is like, and of course, how much it costs. With winter closing in, one of the questions most frequently asked about cars powered by electricity is also How well can they stand harsh winter conditions (especially in Canada). Take a look at our new infographic for the answer to this question. If you have any issues with your car, or just want to do a checkup, come to our repair shops in Hamilton and Cambridge, … [Read more...]
How Prone Are Electric Cars to Catching Fire?
"A battery-powered vehicle having a fire incident is newsworthy. A gasoline-powered vehicle having a fire is newsworthy only if it stops traffic," said Steven Risser, senior research leader at Battelle, a nonprofit research and development firm, and one of the leading experts on the risk of fires in electric vehicles. So, how prone are electric cars to catching fire exactly? Stick with us to find out! With electric cars catching fire being more featured in the headlines than ever, it’s only reasonable to be concerned about safety in this sense. But, the truth is that electric cars … [Read more...]
10+ Quick Ways to Reduce Carbon Footprint at Home (Infographic)
In the face of global warming changing the climate and the environmental policies, such as the Carbon tax, being rolled out worldwide, it’s upon every single one of us to change our habits and be more efficient with energy consumption and depleting the Earth’s resources. You can do that in many different ways - by changing your eating and food procurement habits, choosing and maintaining clothes differently, paying attention to the type of appliances in your house and how you use them, and of course, taking cleaner manners of transportation. Take a look at this infographic to see over 10 ways … [Read more...]
Is Carbon Tax Bad for Canadian Auto-Production?
The implementation of the Carbon tax throughout Canada has the Canucks paying more attention to CO2 emissions by turning to a cleaner way of life - using alternative sources of energy, cleaner fuels, tech that uses less energy or simply biking to work instead of driving (as if Canadians weren’t physical enough). So, by all accounts, it’s having a beneficial effect on people, but does that also go for the automotive industry? Is Carbon tax having a negative impact on the Canadian auto-production? Let’s examine. According to some industry officials, the federal government’s Carbon tax, … [Read more...]
10 Questions to Ask Yourself When Buying a New Car (Infographic)
Buying a car is going to cost you a pretty penny - you can’t escape that no matter how cheap a vehicle you end up purchasing. In fact, the rule is - the cheaper the car, the more it’s going to cost you to maintain it. Never mind if it doesn’t really fulfill your needs and requirements in the way you intend to use it. Therefore, before you buy a car, here are 10 basic questions to answer. We are in Hamilton - visit us … [Read more...]
How Often Do You Change Your Car Air Filter?
The air filter in your car is a key component of the supply system. As the vehicle’s lungs, it prevents impurities from entering the engine and provides a steady flow of clean air. But when should you change the air filter? And why? When the air filter in your car gets clogged or worn out, this affects the quality and quantity of the air going into your engine. The dirty air obstructs the combustion chambers and prevents proper fuel combustion. The engine has to work harder, which leads to a decrease in gas mileage and engine performance. Just as your lungs can get clogged up from … [Read more...]
Reduce Carbon Footprint While Driving
With the Carbon tax officially being implemented in Ontario and the rest of Canada, it’s important for all of us to do what we can do reduce our carbon footprint in all areas of life, starting with driving. There are factors that affect fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. For one, when buying a car, you can choose a vehicle with the most fuel-efficient technologies. And then, once on the road, you can make a conscious choice to use fuel-efficient driving techniques. Stick with us to find out more. Before we go on, let’s recap on the Carbon tax. What is it? It’s a … [Read more...]
10 Most Cost-Effective Hybrid Cars
With the Carbon tax now in full effect throughout Canada, people are looking for new ways to minimize their carbon emissions - which was the Government’s intent in the first place. Among other things, this also means that they are changing their requirements and desires when buying cars. Criteria like car dependability and lifespan still play a big role in choosing the vehicle, but overall, we can see a big shift towards electric and hybrid vehicles being purchased more often. If you are looking to buy a car, and your main criterium is how dependable it is, the latest J.D. Power … [Read more...]
