Author: gavril

Need to check your vehicle’s tire pressure? The Pelican solar digital tire gauge comes to the rescue. So what if it’s red in color. It still is an efficient and great device to use to check your cars tires. Developed by Powerplus, this pressure gauge helps you save on emissions and fuel. The tire pressure can be displayed in bar, psi, kPa or kg/cm². The device uses orange LED light and orange LCD display using solar energy to juice the internal battery. The device also boasts of an in-built extendable depth gauge that lets you check the thread depth of your tires.

You can buy one of these cool and innovative new devices for just £11.99 ($19).

[Redferret]

Remember how you’re grandmother rocked you to sleep on her old creaking rocking chair? Well, grand-moms in the future will now generate electricity while rocking their grandchildren to sleep. This rocking chair designed by Ryan Klinge known as Empower uses kinetic energy generated from its swinging motion produce electricity which can then be accessed via USB and standard outlets. The entire package is flat-packed for shipping and the chair itself is made out of recycled materials. LED lights are fitted on to indicate the amount of power generated. The chair is among this years top 18 Greener Gadgets Design Competition’s finalists.

Chairs like these will be feasible for use at places like airports and trains stations too, and not just grandma’s bedroom.

[Inhabitat]

This bike may look weird and out of the box for its design and shape, but then again, it can do a whole lot more except looking like an envelope. Designed and developed specifically to help decrease CO2 emissions, the EBIQ Electric Bike is a battery powered bicycle. Ideal for short distance use, this bike not only helps us commute, but also charges up devices like laptops and cell phones on the go. The bike also boasts of a screen at the steering console that enables the rider to access his laptop’s data while riding. This unique design also enables the EBIQ Electric Bike to fold down all its extended parts like the handles and pedals allowing it to fit into narrow places for easy parking.

This unique bicycle will help spread the use of clean and green transport.

[Tuvie]

We all love a nice warm shower, but end up wasting a whole load of energy in the bargain to heat it up. Here’s an environment friendly way to enjoy a nice warm bath without the guilt. The brainchild of Arkema, this shower uses an eco-friendly solar technology to heat up water without wasting energy. Available in a wide range of colors, this stylish solar device flaunts its curvy body and delivers its expectations flawlessly. The shower will be ideal for outdoor use and you can show it off at your pool side, beach areas, camping sites etc. The thermostat of the shower is placed at 30/38° C for safety. The shower also boasts of a foot wash that uses cold water to wash your feet.

Step out of your pool and wash up in style with one of this cool new environment friendly innovation.

Via – [Luxurylaunches]

The future of solar technology is here, in an egg. Developed by XPAL and lovingly known as the Solar Egg, this charging device takes away the need for bright sunshine to charge up other devices hooked on to it, by functioning efficiently even in indirect sunlight. Using the SunBoost solar conversion technology developed by a company called Intivation from Netherlands, the Solar Egg uses an internal 500mAh battery that performs the incredible feat of charging up to 90% in four hours of “medium sunlight” and can be used to power up devices like cell phones and MP3 players.

This egg laid by XPAL will help boost the use of solar energy in future.

[Dvice and Engadget]

Energy efficient windows that work like sun-glasses for our buildings could be the next step to saving energy consumption in the future. These energy efficient windows are currently under the chisel and hammer and are being developed at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). They will work like self-adjusting sunglasses and will help reduce energy consumption by around 1/8th of that currently being used by buildings. Currently, buildings use around 40% of the energy in U.S. and this reduction of consumption will prove to be a great boon.

This project is being developed since the 1980’s under the Electrochromic Initiative and Windows Technology program and will also draw inspiration from photovoltaic and thin film technology. After overcoming a few hurdles, this technology will be ready to use dropping the cost of windows and increasing performance.

[Cleantechnica]

The shutting down of Melbourne’s Southern Star Observation Wheel last year due to cracks and buckling due to heat washed the smiles of many. However, this isn’t the end of the wheel’s life. The decommissioned $100 million wheel will find its use in generating electricity from wind energy and solar energy if all goes as planned by designers. A few thinkers, Buro North, together with photographer Peter Bennetts and Fooch from Squint Opera brainstormed and came up with this innovative idea wherein the observation deck is converted into a windmill powered by solar-sail energy and complete landscaped hubs for a new fleet of steam-powered trams. The base of the windmill will also boast of a garden that will play host to flamingos and street performers.

We hope this futuristic image turns into a reality in future and give Melbourne something to be proud about.

[Inhabitat]

We know of plastic bottles being recycled to make a whole lot of amazing stuff. This time, they will be used to make uniforms for the Coca-Cola staff at this year’s Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Made out of 120 plastic bottles, these uniforms will help Coca-Cola go carbon neutral. The company has been a loyal sponsor for the games since 1928 and plans to go green for the upcoming games this year. This isn’t the first time Coke has made a green statement with recycling bottles. PET bottles have been used before to make the world’s biggest recycled artwork during the Recycle Week in Great Britain. The company also opened the world’s largest bottle-to-bottle recycling plant in South Carolina that will produce approximately 100 million pounds of food-grade recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic for reuse each year.

Looks like Coca-Cola seriously plans to go green in everyway.

[Packagingnews]

Ever been lost in a dessert or while out camping and having your cell phone batteries run dry at the same time? Well, this barrier to communication and saving your self will no longer be a nightmare to campers and travelers alike with this newest development in solar power use. Known as the PowerFilm Rollable Solar Charger, this device originally created for military use, is basically a solar panel that you can roll up and carry around. Spread it wide and expose it to enough sunlight and the film can charge up your cell phone, GPS device and other little devices that you carry around outdoors. The PowerFilm uses paper thin solar panels that are integrated and are manufactured with a proprietary process making them rollable and not just flexible.

With a power output of 5 Watts, 15.4 Volts, 0.3 Amps and measuring 11.5″ x 21″ when unrolled and 11.5″ x 4″ diameter when rolled, the $100 PowerFilm is sure to capture the hearts of people worldwide and enough energy to keep their devices juiced up.

[BetterLivingThroughDesign]

Mercury is a known culprit for environment pollution and every time we buy a fluorescent light, we are indirectly polluting our environment. So to overcome this and at the same time shed enough light, RTI International came up with a type of lighting technology that shuns the use of mercury and uses advanced nano-fiber structures making it much safer to the environment than present CFL lights. These lighting devices can shed more than 55 lumens of light output per electrical watt consumed and are cost effective, safe and efficient.

They also shed a better light more pleasing to the eye than existing CFLs. These lights will help reduce power consumption and make a huge difference to the way we light up our homes and office spaces when available in the market.

Let’s hope that RTI’s newest development shines like it is supposed to.

[Sciencedaily]

Siemens have come up with an environment friendly and green zeolitic drying system that has won the Award for Climate Protection and the Environment. Together with the Siemens speedMatic dishwasher, the system is around 20% more efficient than others in the highest energy-efficient category. It uses just 10 liters of mineral water instead of 14 liters per cycle and this technology will now be mass produced. The technology will also find its place in mid-range models and not just high-end ones. Minerals that generate supplementary heat that help shorten the program to less than two hours at 50 degrees Celsius makes it more efficient than other dishwashers around.

This heat is supplied by zeolites that are aluminosilicate minerals with a very large surface area and microporous structure. They absorb 40% of their dry weight in water and give of heat and also the absorbed water. The speedMatic is the fastest dishwasher amongst its peers.

[Appliancist]

You wish you could grow those lovely green vegetables in your garden but your knowledge of gardening equals that of a troll? You can now fulfill that wish of yours, thanks to this new innovation designed and developed by Hanna Sandström with Green Fortune & Whirlpool. Known as the Kitchen Garden, this system is not just a refrigerator, it also lets you grow a plant in your kitchen. It nurtures a seed to a plant though it is limited only to green leafy vegetables and herbs, so don’t try growing an apple tree in there. The system helps prolong the plants life and gives them a chance to grow and flourish by automatically providing it with light and water.

Play around with the settings and trays and grow yourself a plant fit for consumption. This will be an ideal kitchen appliance for those concerned about their health and prefer green food or those who simply love growing plants.

Via – [Designlaunches]

Electric vehicles and hybrids that kiss the environment are being embraced all over the world today for their clean and green policies. It’s time now for electric engines to power vehicles like snow mobiles that are also known to drink up fuel. Built by McGill University, this electric snow mobile has its owner Jeff Turner smiling. The snow mobile has a 23 horsepower AC induction motor alongside a 3.2 kWh lithium ion battery pack which will in future be substituted for a lower cost nickel-zinc unit. The machine also boasts regenerative breaking and has a 10 mile range with a top speed of 35mph. this machine has already spent two summers in Greenland and now British Columbia where it proudly carried the Olympic torch.

Whistler-based Canadian Snowmobile Adventures has been funding the McGill program to help come up with a zero emission snow mobile. Snow mobiles have never gone greener before.

[Autobloggreen]

This is not some futuristic robot right out of a game; the LS3 is in fact a walking robot that is being developed by Boston Dynamics, the company that won the $32 million contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for it. Known as the Legged Squad Support System or LS3, this robotic “mule” will help carry supplies in combat situations over rough terrains and places accessible only on foot. It resembles the Big Dog and Little Dog robots developed by the company. It’s also possible that LS3-like combat robots may eventually draw more on renewable energy like wind and sun than on fossil fuels.

So how will a combat robot help the environment? Well this could be a start for robots designed to serve the environment like water main repair robots and solar powered gardening robots. Walking robots can also help in humanitarian aid in far flung regions and in disaster relief operations.

Let’s hope that these robots that aid wars will indirectly help pave the way for a greener future.

[Cleantechnica]

To generate enough wind energy, a powerful wind is required, and there’s no better place for this than at sea. So put increase the efficiency of wind power generation, an offshore turbine has been planned to be strategically placed in the North Sea off the coast of Norway. This will be the world’s most powerful wind turbine that will float. This 10 megawatt prototype will have a rotor diameter of 145 meters and will be three times more powerful than the ones that reap the energy of wind today. The turbine will stand 162.5 meters (533 feet) tall and will cost around 400 kroner. The turbine will be efficient enough to power up 2000 homes and will be built by Sway, a Norwegian company.

The Norwegians have come up with what will be one of the most efficient energy harvesting technology developed and deserve a pat on the back for this proficient use of alternative energy resources.

[Physorg]

Major flares and similar phenomena that disrupt power grids, communication and satellite navigations will no longer take us by surprise, thanks to NASA’s latest $850 million project. This project involved sending NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory into orbit using and Atlas 5 rocket on Thursday. The 8,800-pound solar-powered satellite is fitted with sophisticated instruments that will together gather information over a short time which in turn will help study the suns physics, titanic magnetic storms, flares, and explosions. The SDO will observe the sun around the clock for five years and send 1.5 terabytes of data everyday.

This will help scientists understand solar activity and its affect on space weather. Solar variability affects the earth big time and can disrupt satellite operations, smart power grids, GPS navigation, emergency radio communications, air travel, and financial services. The system will help predict such phenomena.

This new baby by NASA will sure help in the study of the mysterious sun in future and help us understand its moods and physics.

[Cnet]

The 2010 North American Truck of the Year, the Ford Transit Connect Electric will go completely electric and will be introduced on the assembly line later this year. This EV will be based on the Ford Transit Connect that we see today, with the difference of being completely powered by electricity. With help from Azure Dynamics, the new electric drivetrain that this EV will use will make it the most environment friendly truck. The new Transit Connect will boast an 80 mile range with a top speed of 75mph. The truck will take around six to eight hours to juice up depending on the power outlet (either 120V or 240V).

The recharge point is located above the passenger side rear wheel and accesses the liquid-cooled 28-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. The drive and feel of this EV will be exactly like its gas powered counterpart with 135 cubic feet of cargo volume, 59.1 inches of internal height, 47.8 inches of width between wheel wells and 72.6 inches of length in the storage section.

Ford’s efforts put on this vehicle will see the light when the new Transit Connect hits city streets without polluting it.

[LeftLanenews]

The lovable Apple iBook has found a new life after death with a whole load of innovative designs that use recycled iBooks. The last time we heard of an Apple iBook being recycled was the Apple iBook G4 Clock. This time someone came up with the idea of using a recycled iBook for a table lamp. The lamp was made out of recycled parts and the base of a recycled iBook. Apple fans have yet another conceptualized artifact for their bedrooms and office desks. Recycled iMac G4 Lamp will give used iBooks a new life and is limited in stock. So be quick if you want one of these awesome lamps that will cost you around $125 from Etsy.

Who said life after death doesn’t exist?

[SlipperyBrick]

Ever fancied sitting on your computer keyboard, just to see how comfortable it feels? Well now you don’t need to crush your workstation’s peripheral devices for curious comfort. Designed by Nolan Herbut, the interactive Wolfgang Keyboard Bench has its surface made entirely of recycled computer keys. And no, the bench cannot be connected to a computer and used to type with your backside (if that’s what you’re thinking). The Wolfgang Keyboard Bench was made using around two thousand recycled computer keys embedded on the surface of a Baltic birch wooden bench.

That’s not all; you can actually push down every one of these two thousand keys since they have been attached exactly the way the keys are fitted on to a normal keyboard.

Innovation in design and a new and twisted way to comfort is what Nolan Herbut thought of while making this awesome bench.

Via – [Gizmodiva]

Irish rockers, U2 have done their part for humanitarian causes earlier and are now looking to save our environment too. The band will go green by raising funds for the Turkish Dora-1 geothermal plant. This will be done by selling Offset Options’ carbon offset credits for $1.89 that will top the concert ticket prices. Purchase these credits and you offset CO2 from travelling to the U2 concert of choice by sending money directly to the Dora-1 project or any other project like this by Offset Options. The band hopes they will rock up $450,000.

However, U2 concerts blow up a whole load of carbon themselves. Their most recent show involved the use of three 390-ton stages with 200 crew members and a satellite link-up to the International Space Station. Their 18 month tour produced 65,000 tons of CO2.

U2 needs to clean up their act too while helping with carbon offsets.

[Fastcompany]