Honda is enjoying record sales around the world and is planning large investments in next generation vehicles, including hybrids. A new $425 million research facility is being built in Japan and will serve as an R&D facility dedicated to developing more efficient vehicles to compete with Toyota and the other major auto manufacturers.

Honda has a new hybrid model slated for 2009 and expects sales of approximately 200,000 units. Projections call for hybrids to make up 10% of Honda’s overall sales by 2010.

Story from The Miami Herald.

Hotel Terra in Jackson Hole is the first in what is to be a series of green hotels developed by the Terra Resort Group. With LEED certification pending, the resort is set to be just one of five certified resorts in the U.S. As guests of boutique hotels are accustomed, you can expect to be pampered in world-class spa, enjoy organic food in the café, and spend your afternoons on the slopes.

The list of green features is too long to list here, but a few highlights include:

• Loc VOC carpets, paint, etc. throughout the interior.
• Energy efficient heating and cooling system.
• Extensive water conservation systems.
• Radiant floor heating in the parking garage. Yes, parking garage.
• Wind power accounts for 35% of power purchased.

Hotel Terra website.

If your idea of a vacation is going to a foreign country and spending your time hanging out at the resort pool, then Stuff Your Rucksack probably isn’t for you. However, if you prefer to immerse yourself in the local culture, spend time helping local charities, and getting a real feel for the local flavor, take a few minutes to check out the site.

The SYR site makes finding local organizations a snap. Simply select your destination and local organizations that have a need are profiled. For example, if your next trip takes you to Liberia (you don’t go to Liberia on vacation?) the SOS Children’s Villages is in need of school and sports equipment. Don’t worry, there are many other countries listed on the site.

Stuff Your Rucksack.

1. Honda Civic Hybrid
2. Toyota Prius

Looks like there is some work to be done.

Story from Winding Road.

If you watch much football, you’ve certainly heard of Jamal Lewis, a former first round draft choice and current star running back of the Cleveland Browns. He is built much like a tank and has biceps that resemble bowling balls.

So…what does it take to maintain a body routinely punished by angry men trying to knock your head off? Why, organic food of course. Jamal maintains a strict diet and eats only chicken, fish, and turkey that naturally grown.

“I don’t want all that stuff they put in the chickens, like the steroids to beef them up, or the preservatives,” Lewis explained. “It’s everything I can do to make sure I’m as healthy as possible.”

Story from Yahoo Sports.

If you’ve been following Tesla from the sidelines and aren’t on the waiting list then you probably weren’t on the recent conference call with Tesla executives. The call was a status update for prospective owners and one of the major issues was the discussion of transmission problems that are plaguing the production launch.

Evidently designing a transmission for an electric sports car isn’t all that easy and the first two companies weren’t able to deliver a reliable solution. Two more companies are giving it the old college try and Tesla plans to have production vehicles rolling our late next summer.

Notes from the call.

P.S. If you are looking for a job, Tesla has a ton of them.

If building your own LEED certified house sounds like a lot of work, you can eliminate the hassle and bid on project7ten in Venice, CA. The bidding on this beauty will begin at $2.85 million and, with the auction lasting until mid-January, is sure to go up considerably.

As you would assume of a platinum certification, the green credentials are extensive. From rainwater reclamation to recycled building materials this home boasts the latest in sustainable building technology.

Project7ten website and press release.

It’s often said that the car a person drives says a lot about a person and I couldn’t agree more. In a survey conducted by TheLadders for USA Today, 90 CEOs were surveyed about their rides of choice and as you would imagine, the results varied widely. From the old Ford truck to the $455,000 McLaren, there is no stereotyping the choices of this crowd.

According the article 13% of CEOs drive a hybrid, the name number that own a BMW.

Unrelated: The line of the article belongs to Dean Cubley, the CEO of ERF Wireless, a company that has never turned a profit. “A nice car reflects on the success of a public company. I am proud of my car and like to show it off”. I’m sure his investors appreciate this mindset.

Article from USA Today.

Flying down the side of a snow covered mountain isn’t my idea of a good time but I can appreciate the “green” efforts many resorts are putting forth. We covered sustainable slopes last season and this year it seems that every resort is jumping on the bandwagon.

From the northeast to the west, skiers can luxuriate in green splendor while enjoying trips up the mountain on more efficient lifts, snow made from oil-less guns, and sipping fair-trade coffee.

Story from The New York Times.

Direct mail is a multi-billion dollar business and can be quite effective as a mechanism to deliver sales materials to new prospects. However, for those people with which a company already has a relationship, email and the web are a much more efficient (time & cost) mechanism by which to distribute information.

At a recent conference, a VP from Fidelity shared a few details that would make any business owner take notice.

• The company is saving millions of dollars each year in paper and mailing costs by switching from postal mail to email.
• Email conversion rates are 100% greater than postal conversion rates.
• Both revenue and profitability are up substantially.

Story from MediaPost.