Think about the Hydrocar instead of a remote control car next time a birthday rolls around. The Hydrocar, from Horizon, runs on water. Horizon claims this car can turn around obstacles by itself and the best part is it’s fun yet sneaks in some science and learning. The Hydrocar uses a special membrane to turn water into oxygen and hydrogen, which then powers the little beast.
The Hydrocar and its brother, the H-racer, are currently the world’s best selling fuel cell products.
Just in time for the summer, this solar beach bag from Reware, is a must have this summer on the beach. Not only can you bring all your frisbees, beach gear, but you can also plug in that Amazon Kindle for hours of beach reading. The solar beach bag features a flexible solar panel with heavy duty beach use in mind. I won’t recommend going for a swim with it but it should age nicely in the sun.
Just imagine all the attention you’d attract! For more information, visit Reware. Reward yourself indeed!
The Wattson, by DIY Kyoto, is a unique way of monitoring your energy consumption. It looks like it came straight out of Apple’s design studio, it turns energy consumption and conservation into a clever game. It brings to mind the Prius - half the reason drivers get such good gas mileage in a Prius is because of the smart packaging. The Prius’s onboard display showing gas mileage and battery charge in a fun way that makes the driver strive for a better MPG.
The Wattson works in very much the same way. You install a wireless transmitter to your homes fuse box or meter. You then put the Wattson on the coffee table, nightstand, or anywhere else you want its hypnotic light to glow. The underside of the unit glows red and the intensity is directly tied to how much energy you are consuming. The top of the unit displays how much energy you are currently using - it even converts it into what most people care about, $$$. In an attempt to bring that $$$ number down, you’ll find yourself running around the house and turning everything off every chance you get. Saves money, energy, and looks cool to boot.
This just proves how popular green products are becoming. Noon Solar came out with this solar panel bag and their website shows that it’s sold out. I really like Noon Solar’s design philosophy - their products are marketed toward those who are as conscious of style as they are of sustainability.
Well maybe not the new plastic, but cork is getting more and more versatile - check this chaise out. Since cork is the renewable bark of the cork oak tree, this lounge is all about sustainability + design. The cork as we know it is the bark of the cork tree. From what I understand, the cork tree gets stripped of its cork, then allowed to grow back so there’s no dead tree and guilty conscious. Kind of like how a sheep is sheered for wool.
This chaise, designed by Daniel Michalik, looks like it’s gotta be either really comfortable or the exact opposite. I don’t know how stable it is but I wouldn’t mind grabbing a good book and giving it a go. The description says its bouyant so maybe you can plop it in a pool or a lake and drift to sleep although at $4,988 maybe it should remain dry.
The Los Angeles Times recently reported on new tests of 100 “natural” and “organic” soaps only to find 47 of them to contain a known carcinogen, 1,4-dioxane. This substance causes cancer in lab animals and just like cell phones, microwaves, and beer, they are slowly killing us.
It just goes to show you that you can’t be too safe. I remember hearing a commercial for diet pills, it claimed it was all natural and their sales pitch goes something like this: “it’s all natural, so you know it’s safe”. Since when did that logic make any sense? I can list tons of things that are natural but not safe. Let’s see, most mushrooms, poisonous plants, a really hungry lion, lava, great white sharks, petroleum, etc.
And there you have it, the carcinogen ,1,4-dioxane, is a byproduct of certain petrochemicals. Now I’m scratching my head, how does a byproduct of petrochemicals get in an all natural product. Oh I forgot, because petroleum comes from dinosaur remains. How can something older than Jesus not be safe???
After reading, it seems that the “drink pee” slogan is a little misleading, or at least it was to me. My first thought was that they found a way to “recycle” urine so that it was drinkable. I was thinking of something like a UrineBrita™, but it is really a display showcasing how we are part of a closed loop. The urine that gets flushed down the toilet comes back to us eventually.
I think that’s kind of a no brainer. I remember thinking in 8th grade science that the “fresh” water we drink had at some point been the waste of dinosaurs, jesus, george washington, and anyone else who was able to take a leak. I kept that little tidbit to myself but now Eyebeam is displaying this wonderful idea for all to see at the Feedback Exhibit March 13 - April 19, 2008 in New York City.
As for the DIY kit, it’s for turning your urine into a hydroponic environment to grow your “greens”. <insert joke here>.
Who says being green has to be a sacrifice? These Ben and Jerry’s Ice Creams uses USDA certified organic ingredients so you know it’s gotta be quality.
So next time, pick this one instead of the others. Come on, it’s from Ben and Jerry’s in Vermont, the original green state.
I wasn’t able to make the Greener Gadgets 2008 conference which was held in NYC. There were tons of new green gadgets and green issues brought to light. Here’s a Youtube video from one of the conference events of a photographer, Chris Jordon, who took meaningful pictures of our runaway consumption.
Bryant Park, home of the the famous Bryant Park Project on NPR, will see a new green edition this year. Bank of America has been busy building the world’s greenest skyscraper. The project, lead by Cook+Fox Architects, is the first skyscraper to get the coveted LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) designation.
The project uses many new innovations to achieve it’s energy frugalness - from using greywater in the bathrooms, to using recycled materials, to a state of the art heating/cooling system.. For more information:
(Rock the vote!)
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for hours of beach reading. The solar beach bag features a flexible solar panel with heavy duty beach use in mind. I won’t recommend going for a swim with it but it should age nicely in the sun.
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