Continuance - Rechargeable Battery with USB Interface by Haimo Bao, Hailong Piao, Yuancheng Liu & Xiameng Hu. The Power Play Continues This is so simple. Continuance is a set of batteries with a USB interface on the side. The batteries are rechargeable plus dole out some juice to stranded gadgets that are starved of power. Handy, compact and a totally do-able concept! Designers: Haimo Bao, Hailong Piao, Yuancheng Liu & Xiameng Hu. DIY lampara solar. The principle is simple and seductively clever: solar lights that store energy during the day and release light at night. These can be purchased ready-made in a variety of colors (yellow, blue and red) but they can also be built at home.
A simple, less-technical approach involves buying a conventional solar-powered yard lamp and then essentially harvesting it for key pieces to put in a jar. This is simply a way of taking an existing solar lamp design and appropriating its parts to make something more attractive for display around a house or home. A more electronically-savvy individual can take the more complex route and built a solar lamp from the ground up using small solar panels – though the aesthetic result may not be as impressive. Whatever route you choose to go, these are fun and sustainable gadgets that make it easy to go green, automate the process of turning on lights at night and can add some color to your porch, patio, garden or windowsill. Green Holiday Gift Guide » LIGHT BULB TERRARIUM. A Table That Turns Your Kitchen Into Mini Ecosystem [UPDATED]
Convenience and efficiency are king when it comes to product design. What could be more efficient than a natural ecosystem? That's the insight behind a "living kitchen" designed by the brilliant young design studio Studio Gorm. They looked at what we have in our kitchens--fruits, vegetables, organic waste--and figured: That's actually enough to create a miniature system for watering fresh herbs, composting the waste, and generating new soil. None of the elements is brand new to this product, but their integration wins points for ergonomics and ease. Above the sink, there's a rack for drip-drying your dishes.
That water in turn rails down upon the planter boxes below, where you can grow fresh herbs. In turn, the table top has a waste bowl that can be tipped over, dumping the contents into a bin composter below. Maybe what's most surprising is that Studio Gorm isn't based in the Netherlands or Scandinavia--but rather in Eugene, Oregon. Mini Stove.