SEPTEMBER 15th, 2009
It might be the greatest challenge facing humanity but getting people to engage with climate change has long proved difficult. Two of the main obstacles preventing people from relating to greenhouse gas emissions are the abstract nature of the term ‘carbon footprint’ and the fact that greenhouse gasses are invisible. The Carbon Quilt is an interactive tool, endorsed by top scientists, that aims to create a visual language to help communication.
The tool converts statistics such as: “every day we pump 80 million tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere” into more meaningful amounts such as: “at the rate we emit Carbon Dioxide it would take four seconds to fill the UN building seven times”. The Carbon Quilt also personalises the CO2 emissions by being applicable to any scale, from continental emissions to those of a single light bulb.
Try it out and find out more at carbonquilt.org
Source: Green Thing Blog
AUGUST 18th, 2009
The Bambulance (it’s made from Bamboo), is a human (or animal) propelled gurney designed to transfer sick or injured people across rural terrain. Made from cheap, local resources its unique design provides a lifeline for many people with no direct access to hospitals. It’s one of this year’s finalists for the INDEX:Award, one of the largest design awards in the world. The INDEX:Award splits a prize fund of €500,000 between five designs which substantially improve life.
Check out this video about the design and manufacture of the Bambulance and visit INDEX:Award to find out more about the other designs in this year’s competition.
Source: TreeHugger
AUGUST 10th, 2009
In the absence of a car-free world, electric cars powered by this pretty cool design by Neville Mars is an interesting solution. Called the Solar Forest, the panels actually follow the sun throughout the day for maximum efficiency, while the canopy provides some much needed shade for the cars below. Every single tree has been made from a collection of photovoltaic leaves mounted on a branching poll. At the base of these trees is a power outlet that will be ready to juice up your eco-rides.
JULY 14th, 2009
Striving to demonstrate the importance and beauty of alternative energy, a solar-powered flower garden is being used to light up the night in Jerusalem.
Giant flowers of different shapes and sizes brighten the night with changing colors while opening and closing to the sound of music composed especially for the installation by artists Ravid Hang and Andy Isler. The installation is charged during the day, and comes to life in the dark with energy-saving LED lights, creating a beautiful, tranquil setting.
The Enchanting Night Garden is a co-operation between Israel Electric Corporation and O*GE Architects. Go to this link for more pics and videos.
JULY 9th, 2009
Today, many cities can be self-sustainable during the summer months, but come winter, all of a sudden cities become dependent on getting fresh fruits and vegetables from warmer countries that get transported in by planes, trucks and boats with a very high cost to the environment.
Swedish-American company Plantagon have come up with a solution to that problem. Their idea is to build greenhouses to use within urban environments that will make cities
self-supporting.
JUNE 25th, 2009
The Neo Team are passionate cyclists and look forward to a world where bikes dominate over cars, and every office has a Green Pod. Originating in Australia, this multi-use structure combines bike storage, lockers, a changing room and a shower into an area no bigger than a standard parking space. The compact design has been outfitted with a 12V electrical system that can run off of solar panels embedded on the roof, powering hot water, locks, LED lighting and a self-cleaning mechanism that ensures showers are cleaned after each use. The Pod can be installed both indoors and out, making it one more way for organisations to encourage their employees to pedal to work.
JUNE 22nd, 2009
A new hydrogen-powered car, whose designs will be “open source” and posted for free use on the web, was unveiled this week in London. Called the Riversimple, it produces less than a third of the greenhouse gas emissions of the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight. The open-source decision was made to speed the car’s commercialisation, with the company hoping entrepreneurs globally will adapt it to local conditions. The Riversimple is the brainchild of Hugo Spowers, a motorsport engineer, and developed in partnership with Cranfield and Oxford universities.
AUGUST 7th, 2008
If your looking for the most eco-friendly way of traveling to work, then you need look no further. Lets Evo has created a leaf-shaped skateboard which is almost entirely constructed from sustainable materials using socially responsible labor practices.
The Dry Leaf skateboard is made of multiple layers, using innovative, sustainable materials at every stage. It sure beats waiting for the bus!
