tagged w/ Energy Efficiency
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As technology evolves, so do the ideas on how we can harness power and from what. The latest in crazy ideas is a device developed by the brilliant designer mind of Hung-Uei Jou. His idea is to convert noise and sound into electricity to power the lights at an airport runway. I am sure the device can be added to a lot of different situations but the concept is really neat.
Putting these devices at a runway and letting them collect and trap the sounds from the airplanes as they fly and drive by could really lower the costs and the carbon footprint generated by airports around the world. We could even deploy these things around our busiest highways or on the outside of trains and subways. The applications are endless.
http://www.bitrebels.com/technology/green-noise-noise-converted-into-electricity/As technology evolves, so do the ideas on how we can harness power and from what. The... more
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'revolutionair WT 400W' by philippe starck
we are all used to a type of wind turbine for sailing boats, and micro wind turbines are
rapidly becoming popular in urban areas. the blades of philippe starck micro wind turbines
are made of transparent plastic, which is great, as it will be virtually invisible up on the roof.
the turbines were officially debuted after a lengthy 2 years of research in collaboration
with the italian company pramac.
http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/8/view/8923/philippe-starck-micro-wind-turbines.html'revolutionair WT 400W' by philippe starck
we are all used to a type of... more
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Maybe you have a second residence or simply do not have the space for an additional appliance. Whatever the reason, there are a good many homes that could use something like this – a sleek, simple, stylish mobile dishwasher with space for a small load of seriously sullied dishes.
http://dornob.com/eco-friendly-extra-small-portable-dishwasher-design/Maybe you have a second residence or simply do not have the space for an additional... more
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ENERGY
http://www.us.capgemini.com/nationalgrid/
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While the U.S. president may ease off his public drive for climate-protective efforts, the nation’s governors are not.
In state of the state addresses across the country this month, governors from both parties have been taking about the value of clean energy and energy efficiency in the race to create stronger economies and jobs. They are touting their successes and aiming to be the state to lead the world into the future.
Even Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, the former chairman of the Republican National Committee, talked about clean energy, biofuels and carbon capture and storage as he discussed the state's fossil fuel industry. ...
http://solveclimate.com/blog/20100126/governors-see-jobs-path-clean-energy-efficiencyWhile the U.S. president may ease off his public drive for climate-protective efforts,... more
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Ingenious design often anticipates needs we do not even know we have – the telephone was scoffed at initially, and the electric bulb (now a cultural symbol of bright new ideas) was at first an absurd proposition. So try fitting this into your mental socket: someday soon we might not even use the light fixtures we know and love.
http://dornob.com/switch-your-socket-replace-light-bulbs-with-music-players/Ingenious design often anticipates needs we do not even know we have – the... more
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Piezoelectricity Generation X!
Electric polarization in a substance resulting from the application of mechanical stress – that’s what Piezoelectricity is. It’s used in these: Eco-Enegry Flooring System pads that use the pressure applied by people walking, running, rolling over to squeeze piezoelectric blocks. Upon squeezing, energy is generated and stored on a paper battery system. Then, THEN, the energy is used for, what else? LED lights!
http://www.yankodesign.com/2010/01/13/piezoelectricity-generation-x/Piezoelectricity Generation X!
Electric polarization in a substance resulting from... more
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'pylons of the future' by hugh dutton associates
french firm hugh dutton associates (HDA) have won the 'pylons of the future'
international competition for italian energy supplier terna spa.
the design refers to the form of the first tender shoots of a young plant. it combines
this image with the application of the most contemporary construction and design
technologies. the first shoots grow out of the ground and are stabilized by a system of tension
cables at their tips according to the concepts of tensegrity as invented by fuller. the very
idea of tensegrity itself is a symbiosis of tension and compression. like a real tree, which
is stabilized by the prestress of its bark exerting a tensile force on the heart of the trunk itself
that resists this force with a corresponding compressive one. this gives the tree an elastic
strength to resist wind forces and retain an optimal elegance.
http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/8665/hda-pylons-of-the-future.html'pylons of the future' by hugh dutton associates
french firm hugh dutton... more
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In Malmo, Sweden, just over the water from the Copenhagen climate talks, international transportation experts were discussing another aspect of climate change — sustainable transportation. More specifically, the third annual Transport and Climate Change conference focused on personal rapid transit (PRT).
Sometimes called “pod cars,” PRT refers to a transportation network of small shuttles that carry five to six people and run on either an elevated electrical track or are suspended from a wire like a gondola.
The first PRT system in the world is set to be unveiled to the public at London’s Heathrow airport this spring after years of testing. Shortly thereafter, Masdar City in Abu Dhabi will unveil phase one of its PRT system, which will be a primary mode of transportation in the city.
While it sounds pretty high-tech and futuristic, PRT is relatively straightforward: Stations are placed throughout a network area, and at each station, people can catch pod cars to any destination within the network. So, in an airport setting, for example, a traveler could get in at one of the terminals and opt to go straight to long-term parking, the rental car counter, the nearest subway station or a hotel. ...
http://solveclimate.com/blog/20091222/pod-cars-climate-solution-or-pipe-dreamIn Malmo, Sweden, just over the water from the Copenhagen climate talks, international... more
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With holiday lights and high thermostat temperatures, it's easy to hike up those energy bills during the holidays. Here's 10 easy ways you can conserve energy and make your holiday greener.With holiday lights and high thermostat temperatures, it's easy to hike up those... more
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It will be a green Christmas at the Obama White House this year — right down to the energy-saving LED lights on the Blue Room tree.
First Lady Michelle Obama participated Wednesday in an annual rite of White House living: the unveiling of the holiday decorations at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. This is the Obamaa’ first holiday season in the mansion, of course, and they seem determined to put their own environmentally conscious, socially concsious stamp on what is often a tradition-bound event.
For starters, the glass ornaments on the giant, 18-1/2 foot tall Douglas fir that dominates the Blue Room are recycled. The White House plucked 800 of them, from administrations past, out of storage and shipped them off to communities around the country, with instructions for local residents to “refurbish” the orbs by redecorating them with images of local landmarks.
The traditional gingerbread White House — a massive, 400-pound confection of gelatin, gingerbread and white chocolate — has been tweaked this year to include a tiny replica of the new White House garden, another emphasis on the green theme. Bill Yosses, the pastry chef, said the White House culinary staff has been using honey from White House beehives in its holiday confections.
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/02/white-house-tweaks-holiday-traditions/
Some mini-good news for this sober time of the year.It will be a green Christmas at the Obama White House this year — right down to... more
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Winter is coming quickly and if you are looking to save money on bills and help the environment take a look at the new products available to save on heating/cooling, water and energy consumption. They are a great way to help you take control of your expenses. There are a huge array of easy to use products that can take a serious bite out of your energy and water bills.
Some of the cheapest, easiest and fastest improvements:
1. Turn down your water heater temperature.
2. Weatherize doors and windows.
3. Put in water saving features on your bathroom/kitchen fixtures.
4. Check your attic insulation – you should have R-30 in the NW or 5 inches of blown insulation.
5. Use crack sealer for any gaps between pipes and the walls.
6. Buy a digital thermostat for heating/cooling.
7. Change all light bulbs to the new low energy long-lasting fluorescent.
http://bit.ly/2xRECPWinter is coming quickly and if you are looking to save money on bills and help the... more
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As the technology required to create a physical link between Earth and outer space becomes closer to a reality, discussions of next-generation space exploration have been given new life.
Japan announced recently that it was researching plans to build a space elevator – a link to space that could transport cargo and even tourists – for as little as 1 trillion yen ($11 billion).
"Just like travelling abroad, anyone will be able to ride the elevator into space," chairman of the Japan Space Elevator Association, Shuichi Ono, told The Times.
The news is believed to have shaken up scientists at NASA, who have traditionally focused on rockets to reach space but could now be considering following Japan's suit.
Australia too may play a part in the creation of a space elevator, with a region off the west coast identified as ideal for an Earth dock – the structure that would anchor the link.
Unlike some science-fiction depictions of a giant tower or elevator reaching into the stars, modern plans for a space elevator rely on a cable being stretched between a satellite and a platform on Earth along which vehicles could travel.
One location being considered by NASA for such a platform is off the coast of Perth, according to the West Australian co-author of the book Leaving The Earth By Space Elevator, Philip Ragan.
Mr Ragan, who wrote the book with former NASA scientist and space elevator expert Dr Bradley C. Edwards, said there were 12 criteria that had to be met when choosing a possible location for the Earth port including consideration of storms and lightning.
"We identified that the Indian Ocean, about 500km off of Perth, was a prime location to site the Earth end of the cable," Mr Ragan said.
"A second preferred location is about 2000 miles (3218km) south of Hawaii... (which would be) closer for Americans in air time but logistically more remote for servicing by shipping."
An Australian Senate report released last week backed up Mr Ragan's claims and said the West Australian oil industry's expertise in building offshore platforms could prove useful if the plans went ahead.
"The Indian Ocean off Western Australia has been identified as an ideal location for a space elevator – a thin carbon nanotube connecting a barge to a space station, along which supplies could be carried up," said the report.
Professor Lachlan Thompson, from RMIT's School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, said Australia would also be an ideal partner for space agencies because its land mass was not divided into different nations.
"Australia is an ideal place for suborbital and orbital tourism due to it being a large land mass not divided by countries," he said.
[Click on link above to read the rest of the article]As the technology required to create a physical link between Earth and outer space... more
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In the hunt for alternatives to polluting and climate-warming fossil fuels, attention has turned to where rivers meet the sea. Here, freshwater and saltwater naturally settle their salinity difference, a phenomenon that two pioneering projects in Europe will try to harness to generate clean energy.In the hunt for alternatives to polluting and climate-warming fossil fuels, attention... more
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Xeros Ltd’s new washing machine could change the way you clean clothing. Their prototype system uses nylon beads, less detergent and 90% less water than traditional machines to tumble wash clothes. The machine also eliminates the need for tumble drying. Xeros claims that if all U.S. homes switched to their system, the carbon offset would be the equivalent of removing 5 million cars from roads and would save 1.2 billion tons of water each year.Xeros Ltd’s new washing machine could change the way you clean clothing. Their... more
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