Review » Green-Aid Grenade Shopping Bag

Now isn’t this cute – we all know that environmental awareness has risen a whole lot in the past decade, but the work is far from finished – otherwise we ourselves would be finished if we continue with the wanton destruction of the planet and environment through various methods including non-organic farming practices, genetically modified foods and lifestock, fuel guzzling vehicles, heavy use of plastic bags and styrofoam containers – the works! Green-Aid intends to bring the fight to these environmental threats with their $19.99 Grenade Shopping Bag that sends a clear message against plastic.

This re-usable shopping bag is definitely fun to tote around, and it surely sends the right message to the rest of the shoppers who still rely on plastic bags that kill sea turtles to carry their merchandise home. Made out of neoprene, it can hold approximately 4 gallons of items. When you’re done, just tuck the bag back into it’s cover and you’re good to go. It would be better if this was made out of 100% biodegradable material though.

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Review » Opel peers into electric car future with the One Euro

Hybrid Car



The world’s economies are still in major turmoil, and it does not look as though there is going to be a quick and painless solution in sight anytime soon. Well, this is the result of spending for so many decades without closing in the gap on the deficit for the majority of countries out there. Having said that, the cost of living looks set to increase all the time, and transportation costs do not look likely to drop, either. You might be able to own a car now, but can you afford the fuel?

Hybrid cars as well as electric vehicles could very well be the future so that we will be less dependent on the reserves of ‘black gold’ that are sitting underneath most countries in the Middle East. Opel certainly knows this, which is why they intend to shape the future with their version of an electric car, which is the One Euro. This particular model will be able to seat two (it definitely looks sleek enough to impress more than a single date, especially when you take this for a cruise down the hottest stretch in town on a Saturday night), but it won’t be able to go fast mind you.

Debuting at the 64th Frankfurt International Motor Show, the Opel One Euro was not named so because Opel intends to make a massive loss by selling it for just a single Euro – no sir, the reason behind that moniker is because it is capable of traveling a distance of 100 kilometers at the cost of a single Euro. That’s right, no gimmicks behind this claim, just pure fuel savings, zero emissions and sleek styling and design.

This revolutionary concept for zero-emission urban mobility is also special in the sense where it is suitable for those aged 16 and above to drive, and will even boast some sort of parental controls that limit the maximum speed to a mere 45km/h – something 16 year olds would probably despise. Hey, better a car to get around than no car at all, right? The Opel One Euro will weigh 33% that of a modern small car, and maxes out at 120km/h when you put the pedal to the metal.

It will take some time before this prototype is ready for a commercial roll out, and when that happens, I expect to see it be affordable enough for the masses to make this a truly intra-city vehicle.

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Review » World’s Largest Solar-Powered Boat on a World Tour

I really like the look of PlanetSolar’s TURANOR. Not only does it look like a spaceship on water, but it is very eco-friendly as well.

As you might have guessed, the boat is covered with solar panels, about 5,380 square feet worth. In case you are wondering, the solar panels aren’t as fragile as they look. There are pictures from my Source of people walking on it.

These solar panels power two electric motors that can reach a speed of 15 miles an hour. Yes, that is pretty slow, and the TURANOR is on a long world tour.

The purpose of this tour is to advance scientific research in the field of renewable energy, and to show that current technologies aimed at improving energy efficiency are reliable and effective.

The name TURANOR comes from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and it means “victory” and “the power of the sun”. It is a fitting name, as this 101 foot long and 49 foot wide craft can go for three days without the sun thanks to its giant lithium-ion battery.

So why put a huge solar-powered boat out on the waters? Perhaps we looking at a world where big cruise ships or even aircraft carriers are all solar powered. Isn’t this the future that we want?

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Review » External Combustion Kraftwagen

Now here is something you do not see every day – the $999.95 External Combustion Kraftwagen that is actually a vehicle to help you get around for your daily work. Yes sir, this is a fully operational car that is powered by an external combustion Stirling engine. As with many reliable machinery in this world, this is made in Germany from machine-tooled solid brass, stainless steel, and aluminum. How does it get to work though? Does it run on oil? No, it relies on the thermodynamic principle of a regenerative heat engine, using the expansion and compression of air to get the job done.

There is also an alcohol burner that is placed in the rear heats a cylinder, where a quick twist of its brass flywheel will set the engine’s displacement and working pistons into motion up to 2,000 rpm. Four flywheels will spin in unison to drive the couple of 3.5″ diameter rubber-bound wheels, while a third wheel located right in front is able to be manually turned 360º, letting the car to perform autonomous circles while it putters efficiently.

This is a green vehicle since it emits non-toxic exhaust fumes from a full burner of ethyl alcohol, where the engine can operate for up to 20 minutes at a go.

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Review » Nokero solar powered phone charger

Many of us go to bed at night with our smartphones hooked up to a charger, making sure that we would be more than ready for the next day’s gruelling office run, where you have phone calls to make, text messages to send, emails to reply to, and even checking in your Foursquare account to make sure that you have not lost Mayor status at your favorite coffee haunt. That sounds like the norm for plenty of folks, but wait a moment and spare a thought for those who live in less developed countries, where getting an iPhone 4 is practically out of the question.

Those folks will have to settle for feature phones with monochrome screens instead, and forget about 3G or Wi-Fi connectivity. Heck, chances are pretty good they won’t even have access to electricity in their own homes – up to 500 million of them, according to a Hong Kong and Denver-based company who is currently trying to push their solar-power charging panels which targets those who live in off-grid, often impoverished regions of the world.

Nokero International’s offerings come in two versions – the 1-watt P101 and the 2-watt P102. They both do not have any battery within, but will instead rely on the sun’s light to directly juice up a connected device. The 1-watt P101 is capable of charging a typical cell phone in a mere three hours, while if you opt for the more powerful 2-watt P102, that gets the job done in just half the amount of time.

These pocket-sized panels will be USB compatible and ship with relevant phone adapters, although you are out of luck if you want to juice up your smartphone. These are clearly meant for feature phones only, so take note f that. This is where Nokero intends to separate itself from the rest of the pack, catering to entry-level devices instead. Just how much do you think you need to pay for such green convenience? The P101 will retail for $29, while the more powerful P102 is nearly double the price at $49.

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Review » Solar Butterfly flits around endlessly

 

As long as the sun is out, the Solar Butterfly that you see here will definitely flit around your garden joyfully, even though there is nary a single flower for it to feed on, seeing nothing but patches of weeds everywhere. All you need to do is place the stake with solar panels in your garden outdoors, although you can also opt for your favorite potted plant if you want to, and the Solar Butterfly will flutter around, moving its wings just like the real deal.

Of course, during those downcast, rainy days, if you’re so used to having a faux butterfly move around during the mornings, there is always the option to throw in a single AA battery to keep its fluttering action going. The solar stake stands at 16″ tall, where the butterfly is 2.5″ tall and 2″ wide. You will be able to choose from Orange Monarch or Yellow Swallowtail, and this is one butterfly that won’t die after a few days.

How much, you ask? The Solar Butterfly can be part of your garden’s make up for $11.99.

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Review » DIY electric bicycle comes with three power modes

 

 DIY electric bicycle comes with three power modes

Bicycles are supposed to be a healthy mode of transport to help you get around from one point to the other without emitting any more greenhouse gases than you should, while helping you break a sweat so that you can burn off that Whopper from Burger King you had for lunch earlier in the day. Well, sometimes you might feel too tired to cycle all the way back – which is where an electric bicycle comes in handy, as that particular mode of transport will have a small motor to ferry you across those steep uphill slopes as you take a break.

A designer from Ventura, California, recently came up with his very own home-built electric bicycle that will come with not one, but three power modes. This enables the rider to select from pedal-assist, pure electric motor or standard biking whenever he/she is on the road.

Known as the eCortina v2, this electric bicycle that could will run on a 48 volt lithium polymer battery system, where it ought to deliver up to 15 miles of range although Prince, the inventor, hopes to throw in even more batteries so that the range can be further extended to 23 miles.

Prince also did mention that his eCortina v2 that comes with a 3 speed rear-hub for gear optimization, and radio controlled, brushless magneto-electric motors, will tip the scales at around 60 pounds thereabouts. Despite the weight (and if you take into consideration the rider’s weight as well), the eCortina v2 is able to hit a rather impressive top speed of 45 miles per hour.

The eCortina v2 is for sale at the moment. Too bad there is only one of its kind at the moment, and Prince is still mulling over how much the price of his bicycle is going to be. Do you think he is better off selling his idea to someone who has the resources to churn out the eCortina v2 on a large scale?

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Review » Philips AmbientLED receives ENERGY STAR rating

Generally, I usually do not review light bulbs on this blog. After all, it is a light bulb, a device that has been around since the time of Thomas Alva Edison. It’s hardly the coolest thing out today in our technological society.

However, it would appear that Philips has improved upon the device that changed everything. The AmbientLED can replace a 60 watt incandescent A19 bulb with a light output of 800 lumens, a voltage of 120 volts, and an energy use of just 12.5 watts. That all adds up to a life of about 25,000 hours, which the company somehow calculated to 15 years of use. I did the math, and it is about 3 years of use if the light is left on 24/7.

The AmbientLED has achieved an ENERGY STAR label, and, as you can see, the AmbientLED line has a unique A-shape. You may also have noticed that it is orange on the top. Believe me, it glows a Warm White when on, and it is quite bright.

In fact, I have it in the lamp by my desk, and I’m guessing that I won’t have to replace it for quite a while. I wonder if I will even remember to blog about it if it doesn’t last 15 years.

If you want to invest in this light bulb now, the Philips Ambient LED Dimmable 60W Replacement Light Bulb is available for about $45.

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Review » Sprout Biodegradable Watch

Sorry to cover news about timepieces today, but I surely could not let the $34 Sprout Biodegradable Watch pass by on my watch! Why so, you ask? Well, if you are the type who has taken all the efforts to go green, why not do the same with a watch? Most of us would think that watches are made out mostly of metal and plastic, and the more expensive ones are meant to be passed on from one generation to another, so why bother getting something biodegradable?

Let’s face it – kids can’t appreciate a Rolex, and chances are they’ll thrash an expensive watch like that before they know just how valuable it is. The Sprout Biodegradable Watch plays a cool role here – it has an organic cotton band, is made out of biodegradable corn resin case, while a sustainable bamboo dial and mineral crystal lens makes sure the whole thing will return to dust eventually when you bury it after it gives up the ghost.

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Review » NASA has a way of turning urine into a sports drink

Remember the opening shot of Waterworld where Kevin Costner pees into a cup, puts it through a machine, and drinks it? Would it greatly surprise you to know that NASA is working on giving this technology to the astronauts?

The process uses forward osmosis, which is “the natural diffusion of water through a semi-permeable membrane from a solution of a lower concentration to a solution with a higher concentration”. This allows you to urinate into a bag, and then use the syringe attached to the receptacle bag to turn your liquid waste into a sugary electrolyte drink.

That’s right, you can turn your pee into Gatorade! I’m not certain whether I want to be the first to drink this. Some of you are probably finding this entire subject matter to be “gross”, and I think that is a perfectly human response. I would imagine that someone has to go against their natural instincts and actually try to drink the filtered urine.

It is pretty clear why NASA would need something like this aboard the space shuttle. I’ve heard that every pound adds $10,000 to the cost, and stored water is quite heavy. However, there has got to be a limit to how much you can pee and drink. Just like to cannot recycle a product continually, real water has to be drank.

Since I already mentioned Waterworld at the beginning of this piece, let me go on about it. Why did Kevin Costner have to pee in a cup to get fresh drinking water? Couldn’t he just use the miles of sea water around him? And why did he put the cup on the unsteady surface of a boat and urinate into it, instead of holding it closer to his bladder? Stuff like this just bothers me, or maybe it’s just the movie Waterworld.

http://dvice.com/archives/2011/07/magic-sack-turn.php
http://gizmodo.com/5818901/would-you-drink-a-sports-drink-from-urine-because-nasa-wants-astronauts-to

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Review » Green Power Island creates more land and energy

This Green Power Island is designed to combat two things that the Earth might be greatly lacking in the future: land and energy.

The architectural firm of Gottlieb Paludan from Copenhagen created a serious combination of eco-friendly power with the wind turbines near the shore, not to mention all of the solar panels taking up the landmass.

That’s pretty visible from this mock-up image, but what you don’t see is that the green space is for “biofuel crops”. Not only that, seawater is pumped into a lagoon-like reservoir, which is emptied by the turbine-powered pumps when it is low. These turbines also allow water to flow back into the reservoir during times when water is in demand.

I’m sure that you can tell that Green Power Island is nothing more than a concept for now, and it would probably take millions to make it a reality.

Still, if you had the money and the resources to create it, then you probably disprove the saying of “no man is an island”. Instead, you can say, “Dude, I’ve got biofuel crops and a bunch of renewable energy, and I am an island”.

Villainous masterminds, I would definitely try and put a pre-order for one of these. Just make certain that you have enough power for your deathtraps around the perimeter.

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Review » iPad speaker delivers sound the natural way

How many of you own a speaker system at home, be it hooked up to your home theater setup, or being connected to your desktop/notebook? Well, safe to say that for the majority of you out there, these speaker systems will need some sort of cable to connect to a power outlet, as that is where they derive the necessary power from to make louder whatever you’re listening to.

Not so with this unique speaker which is totally natural and passive in nature. To make matters more interesting this speaker will be compatible with Apple’s hot selling iPad tablet device, helping it keep up with the times. Designer YellowGlueBlues is behind these wooden, iPhone and iPad speaker docks, where they are totally natural – meaning you won’t find any electronics or batteries inside.

These passive speaker solutions will function by taking advantage of the laws of physics – through the channeling of sound from an iPhone or iPad’s built-in speaker via resonant wood channels, resulting in a naturally amplified sound, which is totally different from what a megaphone does.

What you see above ought to come in maple, cherry and walnut wood, with a price range of $50, going all the way to $60. The iPhone model will sport a couple of tunnels, whereby the designer claims they were precision drilled to create the best possible sonic result. As for the iPad version, you will find a solitary sound tunnel. No idea on whether the wood use is obtained from sustainable sources, but we don’t think they will sell as madly as other speakers in existence, so their impact on the environment ought to be negligible. Still, it would be nice to go to bed knowing that your latest speaker purchase is green in the large scheme of things.

To alleviate your guilt, at least it doesn’t consume power. Just don’t expect heaven and earth to shake with these speaker docks, since only a moderate amount of amplification is in the works, and sound quality will be more or less on par with with that of an iPhone’s speaker.

http://www.earthtechling.com/2011/06/ipad-speaker-offers-natural-passive-sound/

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Review » Pedal Powered School Bus Ready to Combat Childhood Obesity

I believe that I have said it before, but children have all this energy that adults actually need. I figure that you might as well tap into that energy in this pedal powered school bus!

This bus, powered by Flintstones Kids technology, is made in the Netherlands by De Cafe Racer. It has room for about ten kids, and they will be put to work.

Oh man, this would solve so many problems with unruly kids on the schools bus! Just try and make those spitballs now, junior! Yeah, those kids should have both hands on the handlebars.

Of course, I think we all know that a pedal powered school bus might tire out most school children. Fortunately, there is an auxiliary electric motor for some power if needed. However, if you are the school bus driver, only use it in the case of an emergency!

Yeah, I’m not certain how practical this technology is either, especially if there is no roof on the bus. Still, I like the idea of using the energy of unruly children to power transportation to their school. Or does this seem like a violation of child labor laws? I suppose if the bus driver cracked a whip and yelled “faster”!

http://www.ohgizmo.com/2011/06/29/pedal-powered-school-bus-not-so-magic-now-huh-kids/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Ohgizmo+%28OhGizmo%21%29

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Review » Sanyo introduces XX rechargeable batteries

When it comes to rechargeable batteries, you won’t go wrong with the name Sanyo. After all, they are the ones who rolled out the eneloop series in the past, which are still going strong today. Heck, I have a few eneloops that I use around the home for my remote controls and old school digital camera, and they don’t show off any signs of wearing down despite so many charges over the years.

Well, it isn’t Sanyo’s character to just sit there without doing anything, which is why they have just announced the XX rechargeable batteries. These will naturally take a page out of eneloop’s book by relying on eneloop technology, making the XX powered by eneloop ready to use right out of the box as it can retain up to 75% of its charge after one year of storage. The XX powered by eneloop package of four AA batteries will arrive from next month onwards, retailing for $24.99 a pop. If you can’t wait, then look towards Amazon as they will be featuring the item for pre-sale starting from today onwards.

The XX is a Nickel-Metal Hydride battery that is suited for gadgets with high power consumption, where among them include DSLR photoflash units, radio control toys, walkie-talkies, game controllers and other equally demanding applications. They not only help you live out a green lifestyle, they are also green before you even purchase them – because back at the factory, they are pre-charged by solar power.

“Standard eneloop batteries are perfect for powering common household devices but XX powered by eneloop provides 25% more power for extreme usage requirements. And speaking of extreme, XX powered by eneloop provides rechargeable battery power even when temperatures get down to -4 degrees Fahrenheit,” said Tom Van Voy, Vice President and General Manager of the Digital Solutions Division for Sanyo North America.

Capable of being juice up to 300 times, the 2500 mAh capacity XX powered by eneloop batteries ought to be able to last longer than you think, where it will come in stylish black and silver design to symbolize its appropriateness for professional use.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-sanyo-double-x-xx-powered-by-eneloop-rechargeable-batteries-help-keep-high-power-gadgets-running-124768103.html

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Review » Photosynthesis UV-Sensitive Shirt

When you were back in school, surely one of the more impressionable science topics that you could remember would be the entire process of photosynthesis, where it is a process for plants to consume carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the atmosphere during the day (whenever there is sunlight, that is). If you want to remind the adult populace of this particular process, then what better way to do it than with the Photosynthesis UV-Sensitive Shirt?

Watch leaves and roots grow out of the formula whenever the shirt is exposed to UV light. Your eyes might just catch a whiff of the leaves and roots in a very faint manner whenever you are indoors, but once you’re under the sweltering summer sun, things will change for the better. Printed on eco-friendly 100% certified organic cotton, the Photosynthesis UV-Sensitive Shirt will come in male and female sizes at $13.99 a pop.

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Review » Ubiquitous iRemoTap is a Wi-Fi connected power strip

If you are like me, you have “that desk” in your house that is sort of the hub for digital information. On the desk is a laptop or desktop computer, and all kinds of accessories.

Chances are, all of these devices are plugged in to a power strip, and they are a source of great power consumption on your monthly electric bill. This power strip by Japan-based Ubiquitous is the iRemoTap, and it has a built-in Wi-Fi module.

The purpose of the Wi-Fi is so it can send information to connected devices in the household. The iRemoTap can automatically send out some sort of message like an email or tweet so you know how much energy that you are consuming.

In fact, you can program this thing for a preset level, so you can make energy goals and hopefully keep them. I guess you will have to know what levels your devices have, of course. I don’t really know that off the top of my head.

So is this the wave of the future? All of us knowing how much power we consume and making certain that we live up to it? Well, it is better than the model that most of us have, which is just use up power and then pay the bill.

http://www.crunchgear.com/2011/05/24/iremotap-power-strip-with-built-in-wi-fi-video/

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REVIEW >> New Batmobile design is earth-friendly, designed by a legend

 

We have seen a lot of Batmobiles driven by the caped crusader in the movies, television, and comic books. Most of them have interesting gadgets, and many are not grounded in reality. Think about the Batmobile that drove up the wall in Batman Forever.

Some people don’t like the Humvee look in the latest Batman films, and Gordon Murray, legendary Formula One car designer, created this one. As far as I know, it won’t be used in the new Batman film coming next summer, but designed for a Batman Live World Arena Tour in the United Kingdom. You can see a video of it after the jump.

Murray designed this Batmobile with elements that may actually exist in the next 15 to 20 years. For example, it has a hydrogen-powered engine that produces a by-product of water. Not only is the Batmobile eco-friendly, but it has a “breathable” carbon fiber, another interesting technology.

Then there is the neat features like the “virtual wheels” with the LED lights that create an interesting effect. Hopefully, the Batmobile will not lose one of these wheels. That’s a reference to the “Jingle Bells, Batman smells” song, in case you missed it.

If you want to see this new Batmobile for yourself, follow the tour in the United Kingdom, and it will soon be coming to the United States.

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REVIEW >> The Solar Fountain Birdbath

Since summer is here for us folks living in the northern hemisphere, it goes without saying that birds would like to come out and frolic as well, and if you set up a birdbath, they would definitely love to have a go at it. However, getting that birdbath’s water to act as a fountain all by itself would require electricity, and you can either use magic, plug it in to your power outlet, or rely on solar energy as the Solar Fountain Birdbath does.

The name itself gives the game away, where your birdbath will perpetually deliver a spring of gently cascading water, courtesy of the solar panel that is located in the center of the fountain that ensures the internal pump remains powered continuously. Only moderate sunlight is required to power the fountain for up to six hours after an eight-hour charge. $179.95 to go green in your garden? Not too shabby at all.

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REVIEW >> Fab Lab Solar Powered Wooden House

Okay, so what are we looking at here? It is the Fab Lab, which one of those awesome environmentally friendly houses.

As you can see, it has what you would expect from these concept homes. First of all, it has a weird shape. In fact, it is so odd, that I don’t have name to describe it. It’s definitely asymmetrical, and a blend of a cylinder, and rectangular solid. I suppose that the best description is something like E.T.’s head.

Then there is the solar powered aspect of it. Apparently, the Fab Lab that “generates more than twice the energy it needs to function”. Seriously, a house that actually gives out more energy than it takes away? Man, that is a good role model for all of us homeowners.

Of course, the house is made of wood, which does damage trees. However, trees are a renewable resource, if you do it right. By the way, all of the interior furniture here is made of wood too.

To answer your question, yes, I would live here. However, I got a family, and this Fab Lab doesn’t have a lot of space. I wonder if they could design a family-sized house that can be as energy efficient as this.

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REVIEW: Is it the end of the clamshell packaging? I hope so.

 

If you are not familiar with clamshell packaging, it is what you see on that package of three pilers on the image to your left. I’m sure you can’t stand opening this plastic coated nightmare, as it never opens easily.

On an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry David is excited about his new gadget, until he can’t get it out of its clamshell plastic. He eventually ends up swearing and stabbing the packaging with a knife.

This packaging might deter theft and keep the materials inside safe, but it often does its job too well. Not only that, it requires a lot of plastic to do so, which is bad for the environment.

Both Wal-Mart and the Home Deport have recently pledged to cut down on wasteful packaging, and the clamshell was high on the list of packaging types to eliminate. The cost of plastic packaging has shot up since the rise of oil prices, and lighter and more environmentally-friendly packaging is being developed. The lighter the packaging, the cheaper it will cost to ship it.

In short, eliminating the clamshell is good for just about everybody. So why not join the fight. Go and enter in a comment with your clamshell frustration story. I’m not certain whether we should have a boycott, but as my Source says: “How come I need a knife to get into my knife?”

http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/112852/retailers-greener-packaging-nyt

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