Author: gavril

The green spotlight is now on the new version of the Ford Focus RS that will hit the assembly lines soon and was recently shown off at the Detroit Auto Show. This is yet another car that will fight to save fuel and energy by using a hybrid powertrain. This Focus will be a globally excepted vehicle and will be embraced by those who care for the environment. The car will boast a 2.0-liter Ecoboost four cylinder engine that will power up the hybrid’s front wheel. An electric motor will take up the task of powering this Focus’ rear wheels. This will enable the car to eat up miles rapidly. To give you an idea how fast this will be, get a hold of this; the car will zip up from 0 – 60mph in a mere 5 seconds. It will also reach speeds of up to 155mph.

A similar powertrain was used for the Peugeot SR1 Concept car. This car may not hit the roads for the next three years, but a 240-horsepower Ecoboost Focus ST will in the next 18 months. Good things keep you waiting, don’t they?

[Autobloggreen]

The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company’s Engineering Technology Center (ETC) in Chicago is now actively playing its part in our race to save the environment by cutting down on power consumption and reducing water usage. The place was refurbished due to which these changes have been efficiently put into place. This has resulted in saving energy up to 37% and reducing water usage by 20%. The 91,300-sq.-ft. building was retrofitted and now houses the company’s engineering team, packaging labs and model shop. Some of the changes and modifications undertaken were installing water-efficient plumping systems, a flexible workspace and a white roof that helps reduce energy used by air conditioners and heaters. Besides these, the buildings environment friendly exterior and energy management systems are some of the other bonus points scored.

The building is also recycling its garbage that helps save 75 tons of garbage from landing up in landfills every year. Recycling of e-waste is also being carried on. Looks like the guys at the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company’s Engineering Technology Center (ETC) are taking the environment seriously.

[Environmentalleader]

If you are a music lover with the right amount of respect for the environment and want to play a part in saving our depleting natural resources, here’s an addition to your living room you must lay your hands on! The WaveTower is basically an iPod dock speaker that booms out your favorite tracks while powering itself using a fuel cell that runs on water. Designed by Stefanie Koehler, this speaker shuns the use of electricity, choosing water instead to let the music play. All you need to do is pour in some water into the opening on the top of the WaveTower, dock in your iPod, and swing to your music. The water addition creates a chemical reaction inside the speaker’s belly that enables the fuel cell to provide electricity, enough to power up the speaker. Music has never sounded sweeter and more environment friendly than this before!

[Ecofriend]

People all over the world are brainstorming the use of alternative forms of energy to save our planet’s depleting natural resources. Sustainable street lighting sounds catchy and attractive and is sure to save up a whole load of power. This design conceptualized by Macedonian designer Darko Kostevski is basically a street lamp that will also seat passersby. Christened as ‘Jupiter’ owing to its planet like appearance with a ring, this street lamp can be used on footpaths, in parks and is fitted with seats made of ABS high gloss plastic. The skeleton frame of the lamp is made out of aluminum. Now what makes this innovation green? It uses solar power to juice itself up and provide a lighted seating. The ring actually is integrated with solar panels that will collect solar energy and convert it to electrical energy for use.

The ring also has a mirror at the bottom to help spread the light. It would be great to see some of these on our cities footpaths!

[TheDesignblog]

We all have those lazy moments when we’re too sleepy to get out of our beds and turn the heater up or switch on the air conditioner. Well here’s an innovation that will save you the trouble. Developed by Todd Youngblood, the ChiliBed is a mattress with temperature control. How cool is that? Get a grip of this. The bed’s mattress uses water that is carried across coils to heat or cool the bed as needed. The mattress coils can carry heated or cooled water with temperatures from 48 degrees to a steaming 118 degrees. The technology used in the ChiliBed can also be brought separately as a mattress pad, while the bed will be commercially available soon. The bed uses a technology similar to semiconductors that use water passed by chips that can be cooled or heated. This also helps save on power consumption since the energy used by the bed is comparatively lower than air conditioners and heaters.

The ChiliBed is also an environment friendly concept owing to the fact that it is made of 100% soy. The mattress pads are available for $399 to $649and the ChiliBed is expected to cost more.

[Crunchgear]

Samsung gives birth to yet another clean and green hardware device, the EcoGreen F3EG, an environment friendly HDD that will be used in desktop PC’s. This hard drive has enough memory to store up to 2 terabytes of data. In simpler terms, it means 880 hours of video playback or 500,000 mp3’s. The EcoGreen F3EG is power efficient with the use of four disks and uses Samsung’s EcoTriangleTM technology that helps power consumption and noise pollution. This HDD shuns the use of polluting materials like halogen compound while manufacturing and uses eco-friendly materials instead that meet the strict requirements of RoHS (Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment) and other environmental regulations.

The EcoGreen F3EG also employs yet another Samsung technology, SilentSleek and NoiseGaurd that enables it to work silently and without a fuss. Using a 3.0Gbps SATA interface, Native Command Queuing features and a 16MB/32MB buffer memory, Samsung’s newest memory baby is available in capacities of in 1.5TB and 2TB and is sure to show the desktop PC industry a greener way to memory storage systems.

[Aving]

The super yacht industry is going greener by the day and is now kissing the environment on a frequent basis with clean and energy efficient yachts powered by alternative energy sources. The Danish Yachts company follows this ideology rigidly and has unveiled yet another environment friendly vessel, Build 116. The yacht that is currently being developed is one of the most efficient jet powered yachts and is being built with precision. This meticulous designing and building of the yacht will enable it to achieve speeds up to 50 knots with minimum fuel consumption. It uses a whole load of energy efficient and energy saving features to keep up with its green status.

The discharge that this vessel will produce is designed to cause no harm to the environment and complies with the MARPOL requirements for marine pollution. The generators will run at a higher RPM unlike present-day yachts. The yacht also uses recyclable materials and biodegradable products. The company building this yacht, Danish Yachts has been awarded the International Star Diamond Award from the American Academy recently and well deserves it for developing yachts like these!

[SuperYachtTimes]

Nippon Denko Co Ltd proudly beholds the completion of a plant that will produce positive electrode materials. These will be used in automotive lithium-ion batteries that in turn will be used to power up EV (Electric Vehicles). The plant can produce 2000t annually and will start manufacturing in spring this year. Manganese is used to make positive electrodes and have a strong spinal structure that prevents crystals from breaking due to overcharging of batteries.

Nippon Denko will manufacture these manganese positive electrode materials. Earlier, the company produced these materials specifically for electric power tools and motorized bicycles. However, the new plant will enable the company to produce these for EV’s and HEV’s. Located in Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture, Japan, the plant spans an area of 2,000m2. The company has not yet spilled the beans on which companies will use these materials for their batteries.

[Techon]

Maybe the ancient Egyptians haven’t thought of solar energy capturing pyramids, but the guys at The Center for Architecture Science and Ecology (CASE) sure did! They came up with this awesome pyramid shaped innovation that helps magnify oncoming sunlight and focuses it on photovoltaic cells that generate electricity using this energy from the sun. This cool looking energy efficient and cost effective innovation is made up of rows of pyramid shaped glass receptors that also follow the sunlight right through the day. They can be fitted onto buildings or outside your window too. This innovation uses concentrating solar cells strung on wires and tracking mechanisms that help turn the receptors towards the sunlight.

Besides this, the glass pyramids can also use thermal energy trapped inside them for heating and cooling systems. Looks like the age of pyramids is here again!

[Inhabitat]

The Italians have come up with a smart idea to help cruise ships berthed cut out on fuel consumption and save energy. Ships while berthed need energy to keep the systems up and running, due to which they currently use fuel. This results in the emission of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide when the fuel is burnt, causing damages to the environment around. So, instead of consuming fuel, ships berthed in Italy will simply be connected to the power grid. This will help reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent and above and nitrogen oxides and other particulates that tend to danger the environment by a sweet 95 percent.

A system will be developed to power up ships when berthed eliminating the need for generator use and reducing sound pollution too. Systems like these are already being used in a number of ports around the world like those in Los Angeles in the United States and the Swedish Goteborg port. This brainwave by the Italians will surely help the environment a whole lot while ships rest at on-shore ports.

[NYTimes]

Kick a ball and light a lamp. That’s what the developers of this unique soccer ball had in mind while creating it. The soccer ball, christened as sOcckets, generates electricity every time it is kicked. Now it can’t power up an entire home, though it can produce enough energy to power up an LED lamp or a small electric device. This can come in handy in far flung African regions where power supply is unheard of and kerosene lamps are used instead to lighten up homes, which can prove a danger to human health. Kerosene lamps also bite our environment by producing around 190 million tons of carbon emissions a year. Soccer is a game played all over the globe, no wonder it is referred to as Gods Own Game. Now you can play your favorite sport and generate electricity at the same time! Kick this ball for 15 minutes and you can power up a LED lamp.

The developers of this ball plan to market these balls using a buy one-give one strategy, wherein the ball will go on sale in Western countries and the profits from this will be used to distribute balls in African countries. So let’s kick this soccer ball around and generate energy!

[Planetgreen]

We all learn washroom etiquette at a young age, and can’t help keeping our toilets clean. This also means that we keep flushing our pouring water, resulting in the wastage of liters of water everyday. These hygienically bound habits cannot be left behind, but at the same time we need to save our depleting resources of water too, right? So to overcome this problem that we face today, Villeroy & Boch came up with the Omnia GreenGain. So what makes this flushing system different from the ones we use in our washrooms and toilets today? Well, the Omnia GreenGain is responsible and saves those precious liters of water every time we flush, without compromising on hygiene standards. The system saves up to 40% of the total amount of water used and uses just 3.5 liters instead of the 6 liters used.

This saves up to 2.5 liters of water, which is a good amount considering the fact that we flush our toilets at least 10 times a day. The system is also equipped with an economy button that allows the usage of just 2 liters of water. The Omnia GreenGain is yet another step towards saving water.

Thanks Jerome

The brainstorming of two architects, Austin and Mergold brought about the design for an art installation that speaks about renewable energy resources, the Grand Resource. Made out of waterjet-cut painted steel, laser-cut acrylic, recycled fan motors, grow lamps, glassware, hydroponic plants and seeds, the Grand Resource was first unveiled at the Bronx museum last November. Last month, the duo along with a few students from the Hong Kong University developed this project in Hong Kong which is part of the Hong Kong Shenzhen Bienalle 09. This temporary addition to the Hong Kong skyline reminds us of a large scale wind harvesting turbine.

Built from locally available materials, the 16 foot Grand Resource art installation uses dia-grid structural principals with mechanical connections of steel and wood. The project illuminates the need for cleaner energy resources in our cities that will also prove as community spaces for people. We hope that this project strikes a note in the peoples thinking in realizing the need for using renewable energy.

[Designboom]

Water shortages are now taking over our planet day by day. It isn’t unusual now to turn on the tap and have it go dry. David Sharples from the University of South Australia, City West, has the answer to all our water woes. A novel way to save water and shower, the designer is developing a shower with a timer. When a preset amount of time is elapsed, the water is cut off, thus helping in the reduction of water consumption. The timer operates mechanically with out the need of electricity and batteries. This makes it a cleaner and greener device to use that saves water. Made out of a recyclable material, the shower timer is strong enough to survive the impact of being dropped on a tile floor and the heat and pressure generated by the shower.

Put together using friction fits and fasteners, the cylindrical shower timer has an indicator with large bold numbers and can be easily cleaned using a damp cloth. David’s shower timer will help save those precious few drops of water in the future.

[DesignAwards]

Now here’s a Hummer H2 with some real horsepower. New York based artist, Jeremy Dean came up with this rather weird and novel idea of having a fully functional SUV be drawn by a horse instead of guzzling those liters of gasoline. Looks like the concept of Hoover Carts had a real impact on Jeremy, leading him to come up with something like this. The artist purchased the vehicle for $15,000, his entire life saving that is, and ended up with this project that he hopes to sell and recuperate his bucks. According to him, this is a satirical prediction of the future where the car which is supposedly an icon of fuel wastage, is being powered using an animal, like the horse drawn Hoover Carts used during the great depression. This just goes to show how much we need to save our natural resources instead of burning them all up on our luxuries. Here’s a thumbs up to Jeremy Dean!

[Autobloggreen]

The aviation industry is seeing new heights with the development of air vehicles like the Air Alien Green Helicopter. This unique helicopter like vehicle is environment friendly and uses an electric motor instead of burning up fuel. The motor has a stator with two electromagnetic rings. Two huge fuel tanks help store hydrogen and oxygen that produces the electricity required to power up the Air Alien Green Helicopter. Using two propellers and permanent magnetic wings that run in opposite directions independently, the helicopter produces little noise and is a vehicle you can opt for in panorama flights and safaris.

The Air Alien Green Helicopter is controlled by a computer, using four feet that take a flying position during flight and as landing gear while touching the ground again. To turn, the pilot needs to accelerate one of the two propellers. Most of the Air Alien Green Helicopter’s parts are made out of carbon fiber which helps keep the weight low. This clean, green and electric helicopter is sure to send the aviation industry to higher levels.

[Tuvie]

Wipro, India’s hardware giant is doing its share to save our environment. The company has recently launched the Greenware range of PC’s that are 100% toxin-free. These PC’s make peace and comply with the guidelines set by the European Union standard on Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS). They shun the use of harmful chemicals during production, and use environment friendly materials instead. This is the first time such PC’s have been developed in India. Discarded PC’s are a huge problem to dispose off and bite the environment in every way. Wipro’s Greenware PC’s however are guilt-free and have no trace of carcinogenic materials like PVC and BFRs. They use Intel Core 2 Duo processor’s that help in efficient energy management too. Will Wipro’s efforts pave the way for a greener and environment friendly IT industry in India? We keep our fingers crossed!

[Thinkdigit]

The followers of Islam are devout and prefer cleansing and washing themselves before spending time with God. Well, here’s a way for them to do so, without wasting too much of water! This act is known as ‘wudu’, and involves the washing of the face, arms and legs. The machine, developed by a Malaysian company is equipped with sensors and basins that help stop water wastage. Besides this, the 1.65m tall device also recites verses from the Koran, making the ‘wudu’ rite more spiritual. The device uses just 1.3 liters of water during this act, which may last several minutes, unlike other methods that involve the tap running continuously.

According to AACE Chairman Anthony Gomez, this device took two years and $2.8 million to develop and will help save up on the 50 million liters of water that two million people who attend the Hajj pilgrimage use everyday. These machines will be available in the next six months and will cost around $4500. This machine sure has a spiritual outlook to saving water and the environment.

[Dailytelegraph]

The White Goat munches up all your useless paper and reproduces toilet paper. And no, we aren’t speaking about a four legged grass munching animal. The White Goat is actually a contraption that the Japanese came up with, that transforms normal paper into toilet paper, without using magic. This might sound silly, but then again, it can be useful in office environments where tons of paper go waste, and toilet paper is required too. These paper converting machines have hit the assembly line and you can get yourself one of them soon. To make you a roll of toilet paper, feed the White Goat around 40 sheets of paper and watch it go.

Now here’s the hitch, this piece of machinery comes with a hefty price tag. The White Goat will burn a $100,000 in your pocket, though it promises to pop out 200,000 rolls of toilet paper before it needs servicing.

[Trendhunter]

Ever been out on a picnic and struck with disappointment when you’ve realized your drinks have gone warm? Well, this will no longer be a setback. You can now sip on your chilled drink in hot tropical climates too, with this portable freezer. Not only does it carry your chilled beverages around, it also is clean and green and does no harm whatsoever to the environment. The Eco Freezer, as the name suggests, is eco-friendly and uses a system based on photocells to keep things cool.

Sized as big as a picnic hamper, the Eco Freezer is equipped with two LED lamps on the cover that produce energy to work the freezer and dispense current using magnetic induction. You can also use the one lamp function if your freezer isn’t over packed, and use the other to shed light. Both the lamps can also be used for illumination, which stops the cooling process.

And if you do run out of batteries, the box has thermos capabilities that helps keep your drinks cool for longer. Designed by Ruben Iglesias, the Eco Freezer is indeed cool.

Via – [Designlaunches]