Check out some of our favorite concepts for urban bikers.

May is National Bike To Month and there will be Bike to Work celebrations happening all over the country. Here at Crisp Green we are celebrating this two-wheeled holiday with some of the newest technologies for biking!

1. SoBi

Created and Founded by Ryan Rzepecki, SoBi is a unique bike-sharing system that has eliminated the need for dedicated docking stations or complex infrastructure, making these systems ready to implement in any city or any college campus. Using readily available technologies including on-board computers, GPS and smart phones users can easily locate, reserve and pick-up bikes. Each bike includes an electronic locking and locating system that is pedal-powered and when stationary is powered by solar panels.

Learn more about SoBi and how to bring it to your town here.

2. Magnetic Bike Lights

These handy little LED lights make it easy for riders to grab and go when locking up. Using magnets, the lights attach to any steel frame, and have been designed to accommodate a variety of sizes. Not only do the magnets make it easy to lock and go, but these lights also turn on and off simply by touching to or removing from the bike frame.

Compact and easy to use, these lights come packaged in recycled materials, making them a top choice for eco-conscious riders. Lights can be pre-ordered on Copenhagen Parts (expected to drop Autumn 2012).

3. Glo-Bar

Mitchell Silva has designed a prototype LED handlebar that not only lights the path for riders, but aims to prevent accidents by making it easier for nearby pedestrians and drivers to see oncoming cyclists. The lighted handlebars can also be used as turning signals via buttons attached to the stem. Although still in the prototype stage, Silva's design is part of a growing trend in new LED lighting for bikes, making it safer for urban cyclists to ride at night.

Source: Inhabitat

We know you've been waiting with bated breath, but the results are finally in. For the second time in less than 10 years, Mercedes-Benz won the award for producing the greenest car in the world. Surprised? We kinda were too.

When thinking about green cars, characteristics like small, simple, and incredibly-efficient normally spring to mind. Luxury car does not. According to the judges at the World Car Awards, however, retaining performance and aesthetic appeal without polluting the planet is noteworthy as well.

These criteria led a panel of three green car experts to select the Mercedes-Benz S 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY from an initial entry list of 23 new vehicles from all over the world. Other finalists were the Ford Focus Electric, and the Peugeot 3008 Hybrid. This is the second time in World Green Car history that a Mercedes-Benz technology has won this award.  The Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec technology was the 2007 World Green Car winner.

To be eligible for the 2012 World Green Car award, a vehicle had to be all-new, or substantially revised, in production and introduced for sale or lease to the public in quantities of at least 10 in at least one major market during the period beginning January 1, 2011 and ending May 30th, 2012.  Tailpipe emissions, fuel consumption, and use of a major advanced power plant technology (beyond engine componentry), aimed specifically at increasing the vehicle's environmental responsibility, were all taken into consideration.

"This is the first 4-cylinder S-Class in the 60-year history of the legendary model. Powered by a 204hp diesel turbo producing 500Nm, this S-Class develops ample power from the world's cleanest diesel, while the incorporation of a start-stop system means that this car produces an outstanding 149g/km of CO2," said the expert judges regarding the Mercedes-Benz S 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY.

Do you think the Mercedes deserved to win over the much smaller, more affordable Ford EV and Peugeot 3008 Hybrid? Tell us in a comment!

Just as word spread that Chevy would back away from the Volt for a time, Volkswagen announced that it would dip its toe into the U.S. electric vehicle market for the first time.

Beginning this month, Volkswagen will launch a pilot program to test 20 prototype E-Golf Battery Electric Vehicles in select locations in the U.S. The testing program will last for nine months, during which time a dozen of the green cars will be driven by selected Volkswagen employees.

The E-Golf is identical to the conventional four-door Golf model, with seating for five people. It includes a powerful electric motor that's sustained by a 180-cell lithium-ion battery with an energy capacity of 26.5 kilowatt-hours.  The E-Golf has an estimated driving range of 93 miles.

By distributing the E-Golf prototypes to drivers in Detroit Metro, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. markets, Volkswagen says it will be able to better monitor the effect of climate conditions, driving patterns, and energy performance in different geographical regions. It will use the data and insights collected during the study to develop future EV technology applications.

In addition to testing the vehicle itself, users will also sample specific services designed specifically for the E-Golf. A 220-volt charging stations will be installed at each employee's home to charge the vehicles. Each E-Golf comes with an iPhone and a dedicated app that allow the user to check the battery’s charging status, regulate the car’s internal temperature, gauge how much charging time is left, or even remotely start the charging procedure. Finally, Volkswagen has set up a web portal dedicated to the fleet test to support the users 24/7 in case of specific questions and in order to allow users to share their feedback on the E-Golf.

Usually encounters with animal poop are one of the less-than-savory zoo experiences, but the Denver Zoo hopes to make fecal matter the star of its newest exhibit.

Denver Zoo staff incorporated patent-pending gasification technology into the design of a three-wheeled rickshaw called a tuk tuk. As their working protoype demonstrates, this "gasifier" sustainably turns animal poop and human trash into fuel that can be used to transport visitors through the Zoo's new 10-acre exhibit, Toyota Elephant Passage..

According to Zoo officials, the gasification system will convert more than 90 percent of the zoo's waste into usable energy, eliminating 1.5 million pounds of trash currently going to landfills annually.

This unique technology developed by the zoo, designed and built by three full-time staff, is under provisional patent protection and will be the first to utilize a diverse on-site waste stream, a breakthrough that could change how the world manages waste and creates energy.

To share this innovative solution with other zoos, the poo-powered tuk tuk went on a road tour. The crew stopped at zoos in Colorado Springs, Albuquerque and Phoenix before arriving at its final destination at the AZA Mid-year Meeting yesterday in Palm Desert, California.

The Denver Zoo expects to implement the full system in the Toyota Elephant Passage exhibit by the end of the year.

Image via Denver Zoo

Chevy may be scaling back it's production of the Volt, but other companies are forging full steam ahead to meet the goal of 1 million advanced technology cars on the road by 2015.

Just a few days ago, the first fully assembled CODA  to be sold to eagerly waiting consumers drove off the final assembly line. The – a silver all-electric sedan with a 31 kWh battery pack kicked-off the final assembly of CODA Automotive's first all-electric 2012 CODA five passenger sedans that will be sold in California.

If you're wondering what the heck a CODA is, you're probably not alone. The California-based company has stayed out of the major headlines, with the exception of a few auto shows and car geek blogs. But their desire to start local may be the CODA's saving grace. Rather than pushing out electric cars that people aren't ready to buy, the company amassed a significant collection of early reservations, many of whom will enjoy these first models off the assembly line.

The 2012 CODA is the first all-electric five-passenger, mid-size sedan with full rear seating and trunk space. It has an EPA rating of 88 miles per charge (making it competition for both the Focus Electric and the Nissan LEAF) and can go up to 125 miles on a single charge . The CODA also boasts an MSRP of $37,250, and federal and individual state savings and credits may bring the price down to $27,250 for California drivers.

EcoSpeed, a soon-to-be available app for iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, goes way beyond efficient trip planning and fuel economy calculators. When active, it will constantly measure energy consumption and the trade-offs such as fuel cost, time to your destination and environmental impact, and alerting you to adjust your driving behavior, even slightly, to lower costs while still arriving on time.

eco:Speed is based on real-world driving conditions, factoring in fuel consumption, the number of traffic stops, speed limits, local traffic conditions and more.  And our eco:Speed mobile app provides you with real-time feedback on the fuel efficiency of your driving. Whether it’s a slower acceleration when the light turns green or maintaining a more fuel-efficient speed, you’ll know what driving techniques help you save time as well as money.

Interested? EcoSpeed should launch for iPhone and Android devices sometime this month. Until then, visit the EcoSpeed site to try the demo, or sign up for updates about app availability on your device.

Would you ever use an app like EcoSpeed to help lower your fuel costs and emissions? Tell us in a comment!

Image via EcoSpeed

A Cincinnati-based urban farm program has developed a cart for transporting fresh veggies to market.

In the wake of the urban farm movement, Permaganic Eco Garden is seeking funding to support the development and production of a pedal powered tricycle. In addition to lowering the carbon footprint of transporting their produce, Permaganic is hoping to add new charm to the city with these trikes.

Designed locally, the trike will allow farmers to transport Permaganic produce to the Findlay Market and the Northside Farmers Market in Cincinnati. The trike includes an insulated storage box and the display stand for selling the produce. Everything a farmer needs to transport and sell their goods in one system!

To support the project please visit their Kickstarter Campaign here.