Thingiverse - Digital Designs for Physical Objects Five Surprising Facts About Energy Poverty The world needs to double or triple its current spending—estimated at about $400 billion a year—to meet the United Nations' goal of bringing clean and modern electricity to all people by 2030, says a new report by a wide group of international agencies led by the World Bank. Although nations are succeeding in bringing power to more people, those efforts have barely kept pace with population growth over the past two decades, said the report, released Tuesday in Vienna. As a result, about 1.2 billion people—nearly as many as the entire population of India—still live without access to electricity, while 2.8 billion people rely on wood, crop waste, dung, and other biomass to cook and heat their homes. Unless the world addresses the widespread problem of energy poverty, the World Bank said, other efforts at economic development are likely to fall short. (See related story: "The Solvable Problem of Energy Poverty.") Here are a few of the significant findings of the report:
Backpacker's Bottle Cooler : 10 Steps This bottle cooler uses an absorbent sleeve, insulation layer, and waterproof breathable fabric jacket to enable evaporative cooling of a beverage container without the mess of having an exposed wet media. The evaporative cooling water is contained within the waterproof jacket, so the exterior surface is always dry. The water in the absorbent sleeve will slowly evaporate offsetting the heat gain from the surrounding environment. The cooling effect will last as long as the inner absorbent sleeve is kept damp. Each dampening should last 10-12 hours in hot, dry conditions. Dimensions shown work well for a 1 liter Aquafina water bottle or similar of about 3" diameter by 10" tall. Materials: Waterproof Breathable fabric. (1) Absorbent fabric. (2) Non-absorbent polyester insulation. (3) Nylon cord. (4) Cord lock. Tools: Scissors. Notes: (1) The performance of different waterproof breathable fabrics varies widely in this application. (3) An insulation that does not absorb water is required.
Solar energy How to Tie the 4 Basic Friendship Bracelet Knots - Sarah Maker Ready to start making your own friendship bracelets? First, you’ll need to learn the 4 basic knots. In this article, I’ll walk you through each of the knot techniques step-by-step. Friendship Bracelet Knots In the world of friendship bracelets, there are 4 basic types of knots. Each of the 4 knots is composed of two halves – called hitches. The Hitch The hitch is the building-block of friendship bracelet knots. The hitch can be tied in the forward or backward direction. To make a forward hitch: Cross the left-hand (yellow) string over the right-hand string (pink). The forward hitch is sometimes referred to a “4” knot. This can be a useful way to remember how to tie the forward hitch. To make a backward hitch: Cross the right-hand (pink) string over the left-hand string (yellow). The backward hitch is sometimes referred to a “P” knot. The Forward Knot Forward knots create a knot the same color as the left-hand string. After making a forward knot, the strings should have switched place.
Buy This Amazing Looking Solar-Powered Lamp, Light Up The Developing World Could the same lamp that’s designed to bring light to the billions worldwide who lack quality electricity become a lighting option for wedding planners (and others) in the U.S.? That’s the ambition of design-firm and tech incubator MPOWERD, whose new solar lamp Luci features a buy-one-give-one model to let sales in the West fuel distribution around the developing world. The design--“compact, durable, user-friendly, and, critically, affordable”--makes Luci a natural fit for two markets: one is the 1.6 billion people who experience energy poverty, combined with the 1.5 billion others who are either off-the-grid or can’t afford the grid, says Luci’s director of communications and social impact Jill Van den Brule. The other is people in industrialized nations who find themselves temporarily without perfect access to electricity: whether they’re camping, throwing an outdoor party, or dealing with a blackout.
Luci Launched on Indiegogo this month, Luci is a proposed sustainable light source for the three billion people around the world living without electricity. Designed by the group MPOWERD, Luci is the first in a series of solar-powered products the company hopes will address the crippling effects of energy poverty around the globe. First and foremost, Luci hopes to provide families with a safe, green and affordable alternative to the widely-used kerosene lamp, whose open flame and toxic fumes pose a looming threat to the household. On the other hand Luci will provide families with access to a clean light source that's also safe—Luci never heats up so that it is hot to the touch, making it suitable for both children and adults. After up to five hours of charging in direct or indirect sunlight, Luci's powerful solar panels are able to provide approximately 8-12 hours of enough vivid light to brighten an entire room. Images courtesy of MPOWERD