Self-Cleaning Dishware May Mean No More Mealtime Chores. Passive aggressive notes left by angry roommates may soon be a relic of the past — at least in the kitchen — thanks to self-cleaning dishware. Swedish design studio Tomorrow Machine has come one step closer to helping us realize our dream of mold-free sinks by releasing a self-cleaning plate-and-bowl prototype. A super-hydrophobic coating on the dishware repels dirt and water. The coating causes muck from past meals to slide right off, much like water droplets rolling off a lotus leaf.
The plate-and-bowl combo is lightweight, malleable and strong — it won't break even if it's dropped. This is largely because the dishware is made out of nanocellulose, a super material derived from wood fibers. Some critics claim that hydrophobic coatings are dangerous to use around anything edible, according to Smithsonian magazine. The project is part of an ongoing effort through 2035 to find new ways to use harvest cellulose, material used to manufacture paper, from Swedish forests. Wireless Data Centers Could Save Energy, Cost Less to Operate. Clayirving/CC BY-ND 2.0 Computer scientists at Cornell University have come up with a wireless design for cloud data centers that they say performs better while greatly reducing energy consumption and costs. As cloud computing becomes more and more common and the data centers that support "the cloud" expand and multiply, finding ways to make these data centers more energy efficient is incredibly important.
The energy-saving Cornell design relies on two major differences from conventional data centers. One is a 60 gigahertz wireless transceiver that was developed by Georgia Tech and based on an inexpensive chip technology. It can transmit 10 meters from the source and without interfering with nearby activity. The second major difference is the shape and layout of the servers themselves. Instead of square stacks, the servers are round and stacked like a layer cake. . © Cornell University Cornell University explains: Universities save money with green technology. In a time when university budgets are tight, administrators are doing everything they can to save money. While some schools are raising tuition rates or cutting programs, others are trying to develop innovative strategies to deal with lower university funding.
One of the latest ways administrators are slashing costs is by implementing green energy sources. Saving money and resources With energy prices rising and concerns about the environment increasing, more people are turning to green energy solutions to cut expenses and pollution. Using renewable energy can be especially cost-efficient for universities, which often have multiple large buildings and dormitories to power.
One of the latest projects will take place in Kalamazoo, on Western Michigan University's campus. The school has new plans to install a solar system on the roof of the recently constructed Sangren Hall. WMU isn't the only school that wants to save money by powering its buildings with green technology. Cancer Research Leads to New Green Technique for Nylon Production. By Nick Gilbert The discovery lends credibility to the interesting idea of employing the chemical and genetic changes brought on by cancer tumors in beneficial applications.
The intended purpose of the study by Duke University researchers was to gain insight into the mechanism of tumor development that would facilitate the design of effective treatments. Nylon is a material with wide applications in apparel, carpeting, auto parts and upholstery. The chemical adipic acid is the key building block for nylon production. Adipic acid is currently derived from fossil fuels. Cutting to the present, researcher Zachary J. Source: Sustainability 101: Five Of The Country's Greenest Schools. Planet Inspired: London won the gold medal its sustainability efforts. The London Olympic Games were the first to monitor greenhouse gas emissions and to boast eco-sustainable buildings London won the gold medal its sustainability efforts, during the recent Summer Olympic Games. The facilities facilities- from the Olympic Park to the Velodrome to the main Stadium – make wide use of recycled materials and follow waste management guidelines.
All purchases inside the Olympic Park and all packaging are 100% recyclable while the disposable products are green and made in Italy. The London Paralympic Games (parallel to the Olympics), now in progress, are taking place, for the most part, in the same facilities as the Olympics, with a diverse group of athletes competing. They provide science the possibility of evaluating rehabilitation and preparation systems and testing health as well as testing mechanical devices that help to overcome handicaps and increase performance. Source: Planet Inspired. Green R&D: Companies Betting Big On Green Innovation » Carbon49 - Sustainability for Canadian businesses. The Green Transition Scoreboard reports that $241 billion was recently invested in green R&D by large multinationals like Samsung, General Electric, and Nissan and smaller companies like Owens Corning, Cree, and First Solar.
Companies around the world are recognizing a tremendous opportunity as we shift from a dirty fossil fuel-based economy into a cleaner, greener future. The Green Transition Scoreboard documents this shift, and its August 2012 Supplement focuses on R&D’s contribution to the more than $3.6 trillion of private investments in renewable energy, green construction, smart grid, energy efficiency, cleantech and R&D since 2007. The August 2012 supplement to the February 2012 Green Transition Scoreboard annual Global Green R&D Report (PDF) tracks more than $241 billion of investments companies are making in green R&D. Major investment in green R&D by large companies is evidence of a management bet on increasing revenues from consumers who are demanding green products. Inhabitat's Week in Green: GPS shoes, shape-shifting bicycle and a wheelchair helicopter.
AfDB approves $825,000 for green technology projects in Africa. A Guide To Building A Successful Green Tech Company.
Inhabitat's week in green: solar powered toilet, pollution-fighting mural and the world's largest rooftop wind farm. New Kickstarter Project Offers Game Changing Green Technology. SunVolt Portable Solar Power Station charges all your gadgets with outlet speeds. Herndon, VA (PRWEB) August 17, 2012 SunVolt, a just-released project on the popular crowd-funding site Kickstarter, promises to make solar energy portable, powerful, flexible and affordable.
Created by Don Cayelli, one of the founding partners of gadget accessory maker Gomadic Corp, SunVolt is a notebook sized solar panel power system packaged in a unique, custom designed carrying case. With SunVolt and a clear day, users can take the system anywhere, set it up easily, point the solar panel towards the sun and plug in their device(s) to charge. “What’s unique about SunVolt is that, unlike most solar chargers, it charges directly from the sun without using a battery in-between”, explains Don Cayelli. To view the Kickstarter project page as well as see a video of SunVolt in action, please visit. Did the 2012 Olympics Win the Gold in Sustainability? Today, the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012 provides immediate reaction on whether London 2012 has lived up to the bid's promise to host 'the greenest games ever'. Highlights include: excellent transport infrastructure connecting East London to the world, a public transport Games that kept London moving, and six out of eight venues with confirmed legacy use.
The Commission is particularly optimistic about the development of East London as a destination for businesses, new communities, investors and tourists. The long-term prospects for job creation could regenerate the area for generations to come. Nonetheless, despite the Commission's recommendations to the organisers, the Olympic merchandise failed to show its sustainability credentials to shoppers. The failure to connect the waste and energy infrastructure together was a missed opportunity for East London. Olympics' Sponsors Launch Greenwashing Campaign London's 2012 Olympic Village, is it Green Enough?
Goes Green: NASA Selects Green Propellant Technology Demonstration Mission. RELEASE : 12-281 NASA Goes Green: NASA Selects Green Propellant Technology Demonstration Mission WASHINGTON -- NASA has selected a team led by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation of Boulder, Colo., for a technology demonstration of a high performance "green" propellant alternative to the highly toxic fuel hydrazine. With this award, NASA opens a new era of innovative and non-toxic green fuels that are less harmful to our environment, have fewer operational hazards, and decrease the complexity and cost of launch processing. Today's use of hydrazine fuel for rockets, satellites and spacecraft is pervasive. Hydrazine is an efficient propellant and can be stored for long periods of time, but it also is highly corrosive and toxic.
NASA is seeking new, non-toxic high performance green propellants that could be safely and widely used by rocketeers, ranging from government to industry and academia. . - end - text-only version of this release. Olafur Eliasson Combines Art and Solar Technology to Shed Light On the 1.6 Billion People Who Live Without Electricity. The ability to switch on a light is something that many of us take for granted, but more than 20% of the world is left in the dark when night falls.
With 1.6 billion people lacking access to electricity, few solutions exist for these often impoverished individuals to gain access to lighting that is affordable, reliable, and above all, safe. Recently, Artist Olafur Eliasson and innovator Frederick Ottesen released Little Sun, a portable solar-powered lamp capable of providing five hours of continuous light.
While the little lamp is being distributed for use worldwide, Eliasson decided to join forces with the Tate Modern Museum in London to promote the new lighting innovation to the public. In an interactive exhibit where art meets technology to improve living, the aptly dubbed ‘Tate Blackouts‘ invite vistors to experience art in the Tate‘s suite of surrealist galleries using only the Little Sun lamps to light the way. So how does the Tate play into all of this? + Little Sun. Inhabitat's Week in Green: Eindhoven's Evoluon Center, folding compact cars and the best of 3D printing. Seeking Sustainability: Adopting Sustainable and Renewable Energy Sources to Create a Maintable World. Nelson Mandela once said, "You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself. " This quote is particularly applicable to the field of energy, and the transition from an unsustainable fossil fuel consuming world, to one based on sustainable living and renewable primary energy sources.
Although many believe that embracing sustainability is not worth the time, money or effort, the truth is that the longer we wait to move to a sustainable based society, the worse off we are as a nation and a world. The need for renewable primary energy sources is possible to comprehend through discussion of both economic and social issues.
Before exploring this subject in depth, it is important that to understand various definitions and concepts. When the topic of sustainability arises, it is often discussed arbitrarily without much thought into what it actually is. The Environmental Protection Agency defines sustainability in the following way: AFP, ed. Dudgeon, Roy. Jacobson, Mark. 4 Green Technologies to Make Your Busy Business More Eco-Friendly. By Contributing Authors | 4 Green Technologies to Make Your Busy Business More Eco-Friendly Operating your business in an eco-friendly manner is good for all aspects of trade. Implementing a greener ethos not only helps the environment but it also helps your bottom line.
Streamlining your practices using an ecologist approach means you are cutting down on your waste; there for your company spend. There has been a lot of research put into the best, most ecologically friendly business practices and the research really has yielded some important break-throughs. Wind As with many green technologies you will have to pay an initial cost for the installation of turbines for wind power but you have to speculate to accumulate! Solar Biomass Biomass may be one of the more obscure methods of renewable energy but can produce both heat and electricity for big buildings. Hydro Hydro energy technology is one of the oldest renewable energy sources and has been in use for many years.
Infographic: The Growth of Green Technology. The world’s population is likely to reach nine billion by the year 2050. If we continue with the same levels of energy use that we currently employ, the resources on our planet will simply not be enough to sustain the population. Filling this void and addressing this need will be the expansion of clean energy. Up to this point, the development of green technologies has been held back mostly because it is cost prohibitive. Additionally, a lack of incentive for individual companies to “go green” while others do not has prevented a large-scale movement from taking place. Here’s an infographic by the World Bank that details the consequences of continuing on the current trajectory and suggests the benefits that can accrue from making a shift to green technologies.
No related posts. What is green energy? In the past three decades, research and development in green energy has exploded, yielding hundreds of promising new technologies that can reduce our dependence on coal, oil, and natural gas. But what is green energy, and what makes it a better option than fossil fuels? Green energy defined Green energy comes from natural sources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, plants, algae and geothermal heat. These energy resources are renewable, meaning they're naturally replenished. Renewable energy sources also have a much smaller impact on the environment than fossil fuels, which produce pollutants such as greenhouse gases as a by-product, contributing to climate change. Green energy, however, utilizes energy sources that are readily available all over the world, including in rural and remote areas that don't otherwise have access to electricity. Green energy can replace fossil fuels in all major areas of use including electricity, water and space heating and fuel for motor vehicles.
New biofuel process creates 20 times more energy than existing methods - National Green Living. A new biofuel production process created by Michigan State University researchers produces 20 times more energy than existing methods. The results, published in the current issue of Environmental Science and Technology, showcase a novel way to use microbes to produce biofuel and hydrogen, all while consuming agricultural wastes. Dr Gemma Reguera, an Assistant Professor at MSU with PhDs in both biology and microbiology and a post-doctoral Fellowship at Harvard, runs a laboratory which studies the adaptive responses of microbes to their natural environment and exploits this knowledge to find novel biotechnological applications for microbial processes.
Her team has developed bioelectrochemical systems known as microbial electrolysis cells, or MECs, using bacteria to breakdown and ferment agricultural waste into ethanol. Similar microbial fuel cells have been investigated before. However, maximum energy recoveries from corn stover, a common feedstock for biofuels, hover around 3.5 percent. Implementing Sustainable Data Center Practices.
Tech Giants Commit to Renewable Energy in Response to Greenpeace's Clean Our Cloud Campaign. The Great Divide: Apportioning the Green Climate Fund. Apple working to "refresh" the green PC standards it dropped. A Gorgeous, Interactive Map of NYC's Green Data. Sustainable Energy Goes Green; Algae-based Technologies Identified as New Energy Source for Addressing Global Demand.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: energy-harvesting toilet, LED lightbulb overhaul and a floating, solar-powered resort home. Study: Computing advances vital to sustainability efforts. Iceland sees green as the bridge to the future. Low cost technology fueling expansion of green energy. Tech road map to help developing markets achieve green growth. UPS: Packaging Sustainability for Pearl Jam and You, Too.
Recession and Green Technology Trend to Drive New Wave of Smart Grid Consumer Investment. SAIT receives nearly $800,000 to fund green technology.