It’s sort of an environmentalist’s dream. Forty-five gorgeous villas built on a wasteland that are so impossibly eco-friendly that they produce more energy than they consume in a given year. Ideal as it sounds, Vincent Callebaut has designed just that.
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Nothing will ever be able to replace the simple beauty of a real, live Christmas tree—and don’t even get us started on the smell. But no matter how much we may cherish this piney holiday tradition, the reality remains: They’re bulky, messy, and a pain in the ass to toss out once they’re dead. But fake Christmas trees are tacky, right? That’s where you’re wrong—welcome to the wide and exciting world of Christmas trees alternatives, where the best are anything but.
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Wood is the go-to material when you design speaker enclosures, and these new ones from Neue Werkstatt (German for “new factory”) really let the natural look of wood shine through.
The NW3 speakers are each made by a small carpenters workshop in Germany. The wood used is sustainably-harvested pine, and the interior insulation is made out of a natural wool batting. Surfaces are finished with a solvent-free stain and natural wax, letting the natural woodgrain really stand out. The audio components inside the enclosure come from Danish audio company Peerless.
I haven’t had a chance to listen to the NW3s yet, but I definitely like their style. They look very natural, and offer a nice accent for modern interiors.
[via designboom]
You don’t have to know Shel Silverstein to know that trees are exceptionally giving. They’re responsible for our homes, paper, air, furniture and, now, energy — the “clean” kind, that is. Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Purdue University have jointly devised a patent-pending method to build organic solar cells using plant-derived substrates. Known as cellulose nanocrystal substrates (or CNC), these solar cells benefit from being truly disposable, eliminating the waste that results from the use of alternative materials like petroleum or glass. The CNC-made cells are not only transparent enough to allow light to pass into an embedded semiconductor, but they also dissolve when submerged into water, thus earning the esteemed recyclable distinction.
Although this is undoubtedly a breakthrough for clean energy tech, it’s by no means a near-future reality. Apparently, current cells can only yield a 2.7-percent conversion efficiency rate, which falls far below the 10-percent threshold met by rival fabrication methods (i.e., petroleum and glass). So, there’s still significant work to be done before the team can improve production and achieve parity with those less “recyclable” options. Until that time, consider this a comforting reassurance that a clean fuel era is well within reach.
Via: Forbes
Source: Georgia Tech, Nature
I guess that balloons and airships are in, because they are popping up everywhere. I remember one year, there was even a personal balloon with a rotor available for $10,000 in the American Express rewards catalog. This project takes personal ballooning a step further because it’s solar-powered and you can make it yourself.
This balloon is the brainchild of Argentinian artist Tomàs Saraceno. It’s called 59 Steps to Be on Air by Sun Power and is an exploration of architecture, art, and physics. The project is presented as a set of instructions that are supposed to be used as a sequence for creating a hot-air balloon-style flying device, which uses solar power.
The materials used to build your own are garbage bags, transparent tape, rope, bicycle wheels, and various bits of “flotsam and jetsam” to make the structure. You can download the steps here [PDF]. It takes about 24 hours to complete the project, if two people are working on it. You’ll probably want to have a friend around anyhow to make sure that you don’t float away.
[via designboom]
There is a lot of garbage in the world, which is probably why Coca-Cola and will.i.am partnered up to create EKOCYCLE, an initiative that helps market gadgets, clothing and other products which use up to 100% plastic and aluminum waste as source material.
Among the products in the line are the EKOCYCLE Beats by Dre headphones – which contain 31% recycled materials, and have three different recycled PET plastics, while still delivering optimal sound.
Levi’s has created the 29% post-consumer recycled 501 Waste<Less Jeans thanks to the fact that its polyester is a byproduct of waste thermoplastics. They use an average of eight different recycled plastic bottles per pair of jeans, and Levi’s expects to repurpose over 3.5 million recycled PET plastic bottles in the Spring of this year alone.
The Barely There smartphone case from Casemate uses 100% recycled materials, and extends the life of discarded waste while protecting your shiny new tech.
These products are pretty cool, and I hope that more of our gear is made out of garbage, because there is certainly plenty left over in landfills everywhere.
[via designboom]
When you’re out in the woods, there’s no assurance when you’ll be able to juice up your gadgets, unless you go back to your car. That being said, it’s always good to have some power alternatives. This solar generator is reasonably portable, and could be ideal in case of emergencies, i.e. getting lost in the woods, camping, or surviving the zombie apocalypse.
The Goal Zero Yeti 150 Solar Generator Kit weighs about 12 pounds, and is small enough that you can lug it around in your car. It will provide you with a stable source of electricity to charge up your phone, laptop, tablet, and other electronic devices via its USB, 12V and AC connectors. The Yeti 150 has a 150 watt battery and it uses solar energy or AC power to recharge. It can be charged up in the sun in 15 hours thanks to its companion Boulder 15 Solar Panel.
Pricing and availability have yet to be announced, but this might be an essential piece of kit if you spend a lot of time in the great outdoors – or fending off zombies.
[via Ubergizmo]
I think it’s definitely a good idea to try to replace some of the world’s nuclear power plants with clean and sustainable sources of energy. After the disaster at the Fukishima power plant, Japan has unveiled a plan to decrease its reliance on nuclear energy and move towards greater use of wind power.
To help with this transition, the Japanese Agency for Natural Resources and Energy plans to build the world’s largest offshore wind farm by 2020. It will be located near the current site of the now-defunct Fukushima nuclear power plant. The wind farm will have 143 wind turbines on floating platforms anchored to the sea floor. Once fully operational, the wind farm could generate up to a gigawatt of power.
This latest project is part of Japan’s initiative to become completely energy self-sufficient by 2040.
[via New Scientist]
If you love everything about your iPhone 5, then this dock just might be the right one for you. This minimal dock is eco-friendly and you’ll be able to frame your precious phone for everyone to see.
The Chisel 5 iPhone dock was designed by iSkelter and it is handcrafted out of rapidly renewable bamboo. Its most distinctive detail is the dedicated cable cutout for your charging cable, which keeps it tidy and also looks cool.
The dock is lightweight and can be used in either portrait or landscape mode.
In addition to working with the iPhone 5, It’s also compatible with the 5th generation iPod Touch, and there’s an earlier version for the iPhone 4/4S as well. The Chisel 5 dock costs $39(USD) and is made in the USA. It’s definitely an interesting dock, and a cool gift for any iPhone-lover.
[via Damn Geeky]
Passive smartphone amplifiers have continued to gain popularity over the years, and I have to say that I’m somewhat intrigued by this amp that’s completely made out of paper.
The eco-amp was created by Eco Made and is die-cut from a piece of 100% post consumer chipboard, which folds together into a fully functional passive amplifier for your iPhone.
Keep in mind that when it arrives, it comes completely flat, and you’ll have to assemble it as shown in the video below. It’s clear that once you assemble it, you won’t be able to flatten it again.
You can get the eco-amp for for $7.99(USD) directly from Eco Made.
[via Make:]
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