Author: shvveta

The land of Sheikhs has thought of an incredible idea to cut costs of electricity and water production by as much as 40 percent. They have thought about achieving this by setting up a number of desalination plants across the country. With these plants they intend to use solar powered nanotechnology developed by the King Abdulaziz City of Science and Technology (KACST). Apart from being the largest exporter of oil and natural gas, they now intend to become the world leader and exporter of renewable energy.
[arabianbusiness]

Italian designer Linda Schailon has designed something no one would have ever thought of before, I’m quite sure. A dress that has integrated planters, real plants! Called the ‘Sprinkle dress’, she thought of the idea courtesy her childhood fantasies of wearing a pretty gown involving “hedges of hawthorn adorned with jewels” and “caressing the grass under the hot sun.” Who would have thought then, this would actually turn into a reality, at least hover closely around being real. The skirt of the dress is drapped by garden-wires that support a host of neat planters that grow real plants in discarded yogurt containers. Now isn’t that an interesting use of waste products! How more blatantly could you show off your green side to the world I wonder?

[ecouterre]

We all keep talking about going green, conserving natural resources, always being environmentally conscious and all that. For most youngsters ‘all this’ isn’t cool enough for their image. They don’t want to be seen riding a cycle to college instead of their 21st birthday present-the ford mustang. So how would they contribute and declare that they care about the environment. Here’s how- The MercuryHouseOne, a portable lounge, that is decked all the way with all the latest sound and light equipments. Designed by Architecture and Vision, this mobile concept can be used as a pavilion outside office, home or anywhere for that matter. So in it for the cool environmentally conscious college goer?

The top of the pavilion is outfitted with solar panels, making it totally self-sufficient and off-grid capable. Built out of Carrara marble (a local material in Italy) and backlit to showcase the form at night, the body is sleek and round, like a drop of mercury. This is the perfect eco-lounge that must hit every club, every office or anyother public place to promote environment sensitivity.

[Inhabitat]

Dang Jingwei has thought of an interesting concept of integrating the toilet essentialities as a one single product. The Home Core concept combine the toilet bowl, sink, mirror and a vanity table to suit every need a user may fell in the bathroom. This table actually reminds me of a dentist’s chair to some extent. Thought not really fit for a normal bathroom, this is perfect for a compact smaller bathroom. There is a water storage tank at the bottom and with a press of a button you can choose whether to store the currently used water (which is used for flushing) or drain it away.

This way, the product becomes a total green product as it uses the grey water for flushing. So water conservation happens and liters and liters of water is conserved.

[Yankodesign]

This awesome and completely futuristic looking automobile had been designed by a Russian designer, Kristina Magnitskaya. To start with, VESNA, as it is named is a single seater electric car. Not only does it works on electricity and not burn fuels, this beauty is also made up 100% environment friendly products. It is made designed and developed entirely from one-piece natural resin composite with the wiring of the car all held inside the vehicle. Composed of a non-synchronous electric motor that enables the front tires of the concept car to have an offset center of rotation, the rear wheels are made from reinforced rubber. The power that is provided to the car VESNA is stored underneath the storage compartment and is easily accessible.

[Trendsupdates]

AERT, Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies has pioneered the use of recycled polyethylene plastic in the manufacture of composite building materials. This massive plastic recycler and manufacturer have now come up with this innovative Lifecycle line of EcoDeck tiles. These tiles are manufactured using recycled plastics and recycled wood fibers from the scrap waste wood products. This green product has over 90% of its contents made from recycled stuff. And yet, the durability and strength is so superior and ideal for verandas, rooftops, walkways or anything else. The makers claim the EcoDek Tiles require no special tools to install and require no staining, painting, or sealing.

[CNN Money]

Truly a collectors collectable, BRENDA, a robot made of vintage recycled metal can adorn your home beautifully. If you are an ardent lover of all things antique, this little girl is perfect for you. BRENDA measures 15″ tall and 9.5″ wide and is made of full recycled parts and also has new parts. She has a very vintage look and has clockwork and an antique key on her back.


[Etsy]

Miniature models always have my applause for them. This time it’s almost the entire city of San Francisco in a small-miniature version. The 2nd Annual Golden Gate Express Garden Railway is open at San Francisco’s Conservatory of Flowers. It features the landmark places of the city in it’s miniature version like the important buildings, train and other things. The best part is that the model is made of recycled materials. Isn’t that just too cool? The exhibition is open until April 18th.
[Neatorama]

An Ivrine recreational dealer is giving us the ‘Ever Green- Ever Lite’ travel trailer claiming that it is highly environmentally conscious. The vehicle, RV, is made of composite materials which are recyclable. The mattresses are made from recyclable plastic bottles. The use of composites also cuts the use of formaldehyde and other materials that lead to “out gassing” of volatile organic compounds — a problem in other kinds of trailers. The trailers are a little expensive and sell for $20,000 to $40,000. But as long as you get quality at a high price, no compromises should be made, that’s what I think.
[Greenoc]

I love the Do-It-Yourself kits that add to the curiosity of the product in question. Trexa is planning on making a D-I-Y kit for its electric vehicle thus making it the very first fully electric-electric vehicle development platform. This chic all-wheel drive platform includes all the requirements that you can think of while making a car. Everything ranging from a battery to a driveline to power electronics, it’s all there. Its modular nature allows it to be tailored to virtually any application – from futuristic connected tram systems for commercial fleets, to high-performance hot rods, to neighborhood-friendly EV’s.

[Inhabitat]

Wendell Wyatt Federal Building will soon be getting a green makeover all sponsored by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The $100 million worth renovation project is likely to commence in the months to come, and after about 30-40 months, SERA Architects claim to change the face of the building for better. The main aspect that will be added is a huge 250 feet living green wall that will cover the westerly façade of the building. The trellis and vine fins will allow light in the winter and provide shade in the summer. Apart from this drastic visible change in the look, the building will also have some functional changes like a solar rooftop, smart lighting, efficient elevators and rainwater in the toilets.
[Jetsongreen]

Walmarts next project is a massive seven-acre field of solar panels in Apple Valley that will provide power to the food distribution center there. This is just a part of their long term goal to power the Walmart stores with such renewable sources of energy. These panels in the Apple Valley are set to provide about 20-percent of energy demands made by the store which is around 1.3 million square foot distribution center.
[vvdailypress]

The Tafoni Floating Home is a conceptual project from designer Joanna Borek-Clement. As we all know general boathouses often make a person feel homesick since they aren’t really comfortable as far as their design is concerned. In Tafoni Floating Home, the ceiling is of a good height and it looks very spacious. This is definitely a good change from the maddening crowds and city streets. In urban sites the construction debris associated with demolition and remodel of an existing building typically adds to the global refuse problem. Houseboats, as opposed to traditional homes, have no foundations that permanently impact the land. The environmental goal of this project is to give Tafoni owners the flexibility and options that are invaluable in an environmentally conscious lifestyle.



[Archdaily]

Just when I thought the ‘walk when you talk’ mantra was overused, I came across this another slightly different version of the same mantra. This mobile phone charger charges your phone while you’re walking. Application of solar energy is kind of overdone, it’s now the time of kinetic energy I say! Covered in a transparent box, the device can be clipped on to the belt while it easily converts the motion into electricity that is useable. The system generates an induction current that before being transferred to the mobile phone is stored in a built-in battery.

A team of students led by Harus Laksana Guntur, an engineering lecturer at the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) in East Java capital Surabaya have developed this and they hope this prototype, without any glitches can work best for the army men to recharge their equipments while being constantly on the move.

[Greenoptimistic]

Safe rescue operations to help the cleanup operations in Haiti that has been recently hit with a disastrous earthquake will now be made easier with the help of the solar lights manufactured by a US company Solar Inc. It is a known fact that earthquake or any other devastating natural calamity turns the area to ruins so much that the infrastructure gets totally wrecked. To make the rescue operations faster and easier in the night, they are donating these lights. The Tropical Solar Light uses an ultra bright LEDs rated to 70,000 hours and include weather, corrosion and tamper proof security features for theft prevention, a critical feature now that looting is reported to be widespread in the area.

It has got solar panles ranging from 80 to 260 watts and a backup set of batteries to take over during cloudy days. An important feature for areas such as Haiti, which has also been ravaged by cyclones in the past, the Tropical Solar Light can withstand hurricane force winds.
[EnegyMatters]