Eco Factor: Truck powered by electricity generated from trash.
Trucks with their massive engines are the main culprits of air pollution in urban cities. Greening these beasts is an utmost necessity for cities battling bad air quality. The latest green truck development in British town Huddersfield can be taken as a stunning example of electrifying trucks. The town boasts of a new trash collecting truck that is powered by nothing other than trash itself.
Eco Factor: 100% self-dependent resort and residential development by BIG Architects.
Danish architecture firm BIG Architects along with Ramboll Engineers has developed the master plan for a completely self-sufficient and self-dependent resort and residential complex on Zira Island in the Caspian Sea. The 1,000,000 square-meter master plan will include seven residential developments, which would resemble the shapes of the famous mountains in Azerbaijan.
Eco Factor: Evaporation-based water purifier.
Yesterday we wrote about an osmosis-based water purifier, which would be able to convert seawater into potable water. The approach seemed fantastic, but the infrastructure it would require will cost much more than what developing and underdeveloped nations, which are more prone to waterborne diseases, could afford. Now we have a low-tech approach to cater to the same problem. Dubbed the Watercone, the device is essentially an evaporator.
Eco Factor: Crank-powered emergency radio.
Emergencies don’t warn and come. They often strike at the wrong place and the wrong time. Keeping one prepared to tackle emergencies at all times is much better than running into one with empty hands. Technology has provided us with gadgets such as GPS systems and weather radio tuners, which can foretell the climatic conditions when you are out camping. But like every other gadget, radios too require electricity to function, and if your camp goes longer than planned, then you are always at risk. Designer Samuel Jones is the designer of the Weathermate – an emergency radio that provides the user with instant access to NOAA weather radio frequencies.
Eco Factor: Sculpture made from recycled watches and clocks.
Artist Michael Roberts does something with old watches and clocks none of us would have ever thought of before. No, he doesn’t make them workable again and he doesn’t even throw them in the landfill. He collects them and creates a sculpture out of it. The cow sculpture shown above is known as Pasture Bedtime and is created from 2000 watches and clocks. The sculpture has been sold in an auction for $11,500, and a part of the earnings have been donated to American Family Children’s Hospital.
Eco Factor: Supercar capable of speed in excess of 200 mph launched.
Changing the misconception that electric cars can never perform like their gasoline counterparts, Shelby Supercars has launched the Ultimate Aero EV, a car that can reach a top speed of 208 mph on nothing other than electricity. The silent car won’t produce any noise, but its electric drive train will silently churn out a staggering 1000 horsepower and 800lb-ft of torque.
Eco Factor: Recycled raft brings old plastic bottles to great use.
Plastic bottles have always been a fantastic source of waste for creative designers to test their skills. Check out this amazing raft that uses 450 empty, label-less bottles to keep two young souls on the surface of the water. The bottles were collected from roadsides and from junkyards, their labels have been removed to reduce water pollution and unintended advertising. These bottles are then packed in garden mesh and attached with a plywood board. Check out the complete DIY at Instructables.
Eco Factor: An attempt to cross the Atlantic ocean in a pedal-powered submarine.
A machinist by training and an inventor by trade, Ted Ciamillo, has designed a human-powered mini-submarine, which he will use to try and cross the Atlantic. The plan, dubbed the “Subhuman Project,” will not just show how to take human power to the limits but will also enable scientists to study the upper layers of the ocean and reveal marine life as it has never been seen before.
Eco Factor: Osmosis-based systems to provide drinking water from seas.
About 71% of our planet is covered with water, but still the water crisis looms large. The reason being that out of the total amount of water present in the world, about 97.2% is in the oceans and hence it’s not fit for drinking. Researchers are now looking forward to develop alternatives that can increase the potable water supply beyond that which is available through the hydrological cycle.
Eco Factor: One of the largest solar facilities in the world proposed for Austin.
Austin Energy is working on its target to provide 30% of the total energy demands of Austin, Texas, in the form of renewable energy. To achieve this green status by 2020, Austin could have one of the largest solar power facilities in the world. The plant is proposed to be set up on 300 acres of land outside Webberville in eastern Travis country.
Eco Factor: Induction cooktop saves up to 85% electricity.
The heat induction method is far better than using common gas stoves and ovens to cook. Due to the induction phenomenon, heat is transmitted directly to the vessel, while the surface of the cooktop remains cool. In its new induction cooktop, Smeg utilizes this phenomenon efficiently. The cooktop has four cooking zones, marked by a small etched diamond mark, laying side by side in a row. Black ceramic glass gives it a fine look with efficient working. Not only can it save up to 85% of your energy, but can also cook food 2.5 times faster than your conventional gas stove.
Eco Factor: Lightweight supercar for green supercar lovers.
BMW has announced that the company will be developing a green supercar based on the company’s Z10 platform. This new car, dubbed the Z10 ED (Efficient Dynamics), will host BMW’s fuel saving technologies and an efficient engine under its hood. The car will be made from lightweight carbon fiber to ensure that the beast doesn’t weigh more than 1400kg. The lightweight car will better the fuel economy without sacrificing about 400bhp the car would get from a new turbocharged engine. This new engine is expected to boost efficiency by nearly 15%. The car would also carry a brake energy regeneration system that would power an additional lithium-ion battery, in effect making the car a hybrid.
Eco Factor: Energy-efficient and sustainable living exhibited by a family.
A New Zealand based family has given up all luxuries and technology in an effort to educate the world the ways to go green and sustainable. Murry Grimwood and Jennie Upton are putting up in a $50,000 home that is 100% self-sufficient and off grid. Gadgets in this part of the world are no longer required, but once the energy crisis starts to loom large, this home would definitely be one of the few places where you can take shelter.
Eco Factor: Human-powered water pumps can solve the water crisis in developing and underdeveloped countries.
If scientists are to be believed, then water was the first and the most important resource that finally led to life on our planet. What started in the form of microscopic life evolved for billions of years, giving birth to the humans. Now the same water is a cause of death of about 14,000 people daily. Statistics point out that about one billion people lack access to safe drinking water, which leads to several diseases. A system has now been developed that can use the endless energy of children to pump underground water to the surface, which can then prevent waterborne diseases from spreading.
Eco Factor: Cheaper, more efficient alternative of CFLs developed at Cambridge University.
Researchers at Cambridge University have developed a new way to produce highly efficient LEDs, which can reduce the cost of LED bulbs from £20 to just £2. These mercury-free LEDs are 12 times more efficient than conventional tungsten bulbs and three times more efficient than CFLs. Apart from being cheap and efficient, researchers claim that these bulbs have a lifespan of a whopping 60 years or 100,000 hours of operation, which is ten times more than the conventional eco-bulbs available on the shelves today.
Eco Factor: Concept vehicle to be powered by an electric engine.
Long drives become exhausting if the driver is not comfortably seated behind the wheel. The cars of today have no more than an adjustable seat which has no great or relaxing effect on the driver’s position. Car designer Matias Conti knows that a comfortable drive is a safe drive, and to show the world how comfort and style can be coupled, Matias has designed the Spin Vehicle concept, which does much more than saving the planet.
Eco Factor: Rear light for bikes to be charged by kinetic energy.
Biking is cool, but risky at the same time, especially if your bike doesn’t have a rear light or if the batteries that power the light are out of juice. Designed by Seong il Lee, the Assister can put an end to all those dark and risky nights with a kinetically charged light that recharges itself with the movement of the bike. The light keeps on glowing whenever the rider pedals and stops when the bike stops.
Eco Factor: Solar-heated water to be provided in Abu Dhabi’s Modern Residential City.
Now there is another reason to live in Abu Dhabi’s upcoming Modern Residential City, as Jordan’s Millennium Energy Industries has announced a project that will provide 1.3 million liters of solar-heated water for the new development. Designed to provide housing for 25,000 people in its 48 structures, the complex will account for power savings to promote a greener lifestyle.
Eco Factor: Carbon neutral USB flash drives made from natural hardwood shell.
To green your storage devices, FlashBay has debuted a new, green range of USB flash drives made from natural hardwood shell from a PEFC-certified source. The drive is machined from European maple and comes in different capacities that range from 32MB to 8GB. The most eye-striking feature is the ability of the user to brand the drive according to his/her specifications using laser engraving or screen printing. The company also claims that all the CO2 generated during the production of the drives has been offset by the carbon neutral company and the product also conforms to the RoHS Directive.
Eco Factor: Lenovo’s new LCD monitors are highly energy-efficient.
Lenovo has launched a new range of LCD monitors that have received the highest Greenpeace rating in the category. The Thinkvision L2440p, a 24-inch widescreen LCD monitor, consumes less than 30 watts of power, which can further be reduced by reducing the brightness of the monitor.
Eco Factor: Food waste disposal system uses compost to nourish organic vegetables.
By the year 2020 there will be far less land available for irrigation than what will actually be required to provide food for the billions of humans and trillions of other life forms residing on the planet. Industrial designers are already aware of this fact and have already pulled up their socks to develop ideas that would be a necessity in the future.
Eco Factor: Sustainable office space for London.
Designed by Allies and Morrison Associates, London’s King’s Cross will get its first of the new generation buildings incorporating both functionality and sustainability. Earmarked for Sainsbury’s to host its new sustainable Store Support Center, the 570,000-square-foot complex will be used as a mix for retail, small businesses, health center, restaurants and demonstration suites.
Eco Factor: Cabin made from repurposed timber.
Peace is what people living in overcrowded metros are always looking for, a couple of days of peace away from the persistent noises of city traffic. Travel three and a half hours toward the north of Toronto and you’ll reach a 2.8-acre private island that’s a seasonal retreat for a multigenerational family. Apart from rocks and solitude, the place is known for a stunning cabin designed by Canadian architecture firm AGATHOM.
Eco Factor: Scientists discover new catalyst that can enhance ethanol’s oxidation.
Hydrogen fuel cells are taken as the most feasible fuel cells that can fuel the world long after fossil fuels are no longer to be seen. However, the production and transportation of hydrogen is not as efficient as it needs to be. Without waiting for technology to improve and make hydrogen a safe and readily available fuel source, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a new electrocatalyst that could make ethanol-powered fuel cells more feasible than their hydrogen counterparts.
Eco Factor: Five-point tidal energy scheme to provide green electricity.
The British government has shortlisted five ingenious solutions to provide green electricity to about 5% of urban homes in the UK. The £8billion project comprises five sub-projects to harness the 12 yard tides, twice a day in the Severn Estuary. The energy till now was going to waste, but if the project comes to life, it will be able to prevent millions of tons of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere.
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