Japan has pretty much been at the forefront of highspeed train technology since highspeed train technology began existing. And thought it’s a bit of a surprise that they don’t hold the current train speed record, I never doubt that they’ve got new train technology around the corner.

So I’m not surprised that Kawasaki Heavy Industries just announced that they’ll be building a new rail line in Japan that will be faster than the previous record holder, the Shikansen.

The new train has a rather lame name “the Environmentally Friendly Super Express Train” but maybe it sounds cooler in Japanese. That is a pretty accurate assessment though. The train’s top speed will be around 217 miles per hour, achieving that speed with less fuel through use of aerodynamics and light-weight materials. Plus, a regenerative braking system will capture kinetic energy in batteries for later use.

Japan has always had a great rail system, but with 10,000 new miles of track planned for the next 20 years, and these new high-speed trains, it seems they’ll just be getting better.

This story from Biodiesel Magazine says the money is from donors from all over the state:

The initial idea of the fundraiser was for donors to pledge five dollar amounts, signifying the approximate cost of a gallon of biodiesel. Iowans across the state, including biodiesel producers, marketers, and railroad companies all contributed to the effort.

Julie Vyskocil, a biofuels specialist with the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, said the support received from the biodiesel industry and Iowans, demonstrating their concern for a fellow Iowa community in need, was overwhelming. “Donating biodiesel was a unique and practical way that we could help Parkersburg,” Vyskocil said. “Iowa is the leader in renewable fuels production and it seemed fitting to donate fuel produced in the state of Iowa that would be necessary in the rebuilding process.”

The money will go toward buying biodiesel that runs the equipment that continues to cleanup and rebuild the town. If you remember the photo on the left from right after the storm happened at the end of May, the town doesn’t look like that anymore. But there’s still plenty of work to do. It’s nice to know that biodiesel will be part of that effort.

The dilemma for those who want to see ethical change in the fashion industry is how to encourage the new generation of designers to get interested. “Make Your Mark” is one solution that is showing some fabulous results. It was a national competition that allowed young designers to be mentored by top sustainable fashion labels. For six months each of the winning designers was taught the tricks of the trade by a label of their choice.