Dreaming of a zero emissions lifestyle

I am 19 years old I live in the west texas region also known as the permian basin. Americas largest import/export of oil and gas. I worked in a machine shop for a little over a year machining for the oil field. I was in a serious accident that almost took my life. I was on a boring mill a pretty huge machine when my shirt got caught in the spindle I was running the machine at 126 RPM which is actually a slow speed I made a split second decision once I realized I was in trouble and I hit the lever that turns the machine foward netural and reverse I barely hit it hard enough to go into neutral thus saving me from getting mangled to death by this machine. I broke my left humerous and had to have a rod a two screws drilled all the way though it. Since then I've recovered very well and have also grown a liking to eco-friendley inventions and ideas. Living in the worst place to set up a liking for these things its been hard for me to get any information. I finially got my break when I heard of a wind technology class opened up at a local college. I'm already signed up and I start in May. I've known of the subject of global warming for a while and have been for revolitionizing the way we use energy. I'm in the process of converting a 2006 firebird into a EV as well as hopefully setting up my own systems of wind technology and solar. My passion for this type of work has overflown me and I can't get enough of it. The thing I guess I'm really reaching out for is any information about building my own EV, building my own wind and solar energy and maybe possibly learning a little bit before hand about the industiral wind turbines I'm setting myself up for. I've had a life changing experience and its sad to say it took that to make me want to live and prevail in this direcetion but I'm going to pioneer as much as I can. I'm also in the process of buying land right now to set up these types of things but being that I'm out of work right now its not really reasonable so I'm trying to get in as much information as possible to keep me motivated. I guess really when I say dreaming of a zero emmisions lifestyle my goal is to be able to have my own business building residential wind turbines/solar energy and converting cars to electric or bio-diesel because I realize that if I have my own zero emmisions lifestyle thats really cool but to say I'm the reason for other people turning in that direcetion as well its really something. Any information would be an absoulte blessing. 

Welcome to the Huddle Pointblankya! We look forward to your participation!

Sounds like you really had quite an experience. Best of luck with your studies and future!

1.  American Wind Energy Association http://www.awea.org/resources/resource_library/index.html
2. Paul Gipe's site    http://www.windworks.org         this guy is one of the biggest in wind - very much two feet on the ground
3. The Danish wind association web site - you can find it with search - the Danes are among the leaders in wind energy 
4. www.homepower.com   great site though much of it is for pay there are free articles and information as well

Tell us more about your Firebird if you would please.
 Russ

Well the firebird is actually my cusions but we've both agreed to build the car and sell it when were through then to hopefully move to the next project (my 78 buick skylark) . He has the motor picked out I've seen it before I know it was around 3 grand and now he's been talking about instead of buying a controller hes thinking of building one. Lithium ion batteries are what he said he plans on using. Now you have to put in persepective he works at the machine shop I use to work at so he has a wide selection of tooling on hand but being that we have no ownership in the company were interested in buying land to get our own operations fully ours. When it comes to the electric car he knows much more about it than me to be honest We really havent moved anywhere as far as spending the cash but we've built the firebird from 3 different pontiac models. We've stripped the cars engine but other than that I dont know whats left on the car no upgrades have been made as far as engineering wise or electical wise go but we pretty much are trying to set out the blue print. A big thing thats really bothered me for quite some time is it seems as if every electric car out there isnt very attractable. Seeing something like a firebird as an EV could really hopefully change some peoples perspective on the electical car. Whenever I talk to him I'll find out more information but we've seen a firebird EV before so its not an impossible task and he is just as dedicated to all this as I am except for the fact hes still working for the oil industry but hey what better way to spend their money??

Welcome to EcoHuddle. Your story, thus far, is pretty awesome.I like that you've picked some reasonable goals for green living; it's a good start. I think an EV Firebird could change people's perspectives as well. I'm not a car person - but you caught my attention so... good deal.