By R.J. Huneke | May 9, 2012
New Balance makes strides toward becoming the kings of bare-footwear with an everyday, all around NewSky shoe made from recycled products.
And it is comfy!
The heavily touted Minimus features the same sock-like liner made to endure bare feet as the NewSky, but this lighter shoe is not a runner (unlike most of New Balance’s specialties, folks).
The NewSky shoes are specifically meant for normal everyday walking and living with barefoot goodness and it only weighs upwards of 4 ounces and change, as its crafted using 73 percent less material than the average New Balance running shoe.
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We seem to think that the great thing about robots is that they’ll be around forever and that they’ll just need the occasional tune up, but that’s precisely the problem with robots. They need to be maintained constantly and retrieved should they be used in the field as they are neither non-toxic nor biodegradable. Enter Dr. Jonathan Rossiter with the solution.
Rossiter is no stranger to biological robots, in fact he has created robots (EcoBots) that contain a microbial fuel cell that mimics actual digestion and can process things like fruit instead of running off things like fossil fuels or batteries. On top of that, the cells also mimic respiration where oxygen is provided to an electrochemical half-cell to create useful energy.
Since the bots don’t require any recharge, they are completely autonomous and will stop working once the work is completed (or if/when food supplies run out).
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By Jasmine | Apr 20, 2012
By 2014, standard incandescent lightbulbs will go the way of the dinosaur, thus starting the reign of a new lightbulb, something smarter, more efficient. Introducing the new bright idea from Phillips, the super efficient LED lightbulb.
Most recently, the CFL (the ones that looks like curly pig tails) has been the most accessible replacement but, despite its energy savings, CFL’s require proper disposal because the bulbs contain mercury. Should the bulb be thrown out normally, the bulb could break and the mercury could leak into the ground and eventually make its way to the water supply. This is NOT the future.
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By R.J. Huneke | Mar 16, 2012
Throwing the notebook in the bay might not normally be a good idea, but Rite in the Rain provides a special paper product and pen, like no other; and these green (figuratively) outdoor writing pads survive the worst that water has to offer!
Want to go to the Amazon rain forest and sketch the myriad nuances that such a unique and beautiful environment can provide?
Bring along a book that can withstand the rain, being dropped in puddles, or taken into the pool, accidentally, for a swim.
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By Jasmine | Feb 15, 2012
For all the things the Dutch are known for, being bicycle fanatics is definitely one of them, so it should come as no surprise that there is now an invention that introduces children to the world of bicycles in the form of a… buscycle.
The buscycle works pretty much like a tandem, and allows for 8 children aged 4-12 to pedal, one adult buscycle driver, and room for 3 freeloaders. It’s got some nice guards on the sides for added protection, especially for the younger children and comes in, of course, school bus yellow.
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Kinetic energy is perhaps the most abundant energy on Earth. Almost everything is moving, and in large cities, there is so much wasted energy not being harnessed. PaveGen, a UK based company, has created a way to capture energy from each passing footstep and convert it into usable electricity.
There isn’t a lot of detailed information showing us exactly how these mats work, but the gist is, each time a person steps on a rubber mat, energy is captured, a light glows on, and users get immediate feedback showing they are part of the renewable energy process.
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By R.J. Huneke | Feb 4, 2012
The Changers Starter Kit provides technophiles with every possible connection to charge super gadgets galore via the sun!
The camping trip always looms large as a battery-sucking deterrent. I’ve personally had friends running parked cars for hours just to keep their phones alive and stay on the connected Facebook grid.
A responsible human being will no doubt already have jumped on board with eco-friendly products and companies, like Apple – which went from being notoriously bad to one of the greenest and conscientious producers of electronics in the twenty-first century, and all of their batteries last a heck of a lot longer than anyone’s.
What else can the consumer do to enjoy the perks of reading the next Neil Gaiman page-turner on their Nook tablet, no matter the circumstance and lack of a wall outlet?
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By Jasmine | Jan 26, 2012
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. This statement is the basis of Nemo Gould‘s various kinetic sculptures. He is able to create amazing sculptures and scenery by collecting found materials.
The sculptures bring together tossed items that most of us might not glance at twice and creates something entirely new and entertaining. While much of Gould’s sculptures don’t move, there are some that incorporate the use of motors to create a very cool diorama.
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SolarFocus, makers of flexible solar chargers for mobile devices of all types, will be debuting the first solar powered Kindle cover at CES this week.
The SolarKindle cover takes the already paperless green nature of the Kindle to the next level by providing up to 3 months of unplugged use with just a “normal sunlight environment.”
Charging times do vary depending on the weather but, the guys at SolarFocus say one hour of charge time in direct sunlight can provide almost three days of reading time.
After charging the on-board e-reader, the SolarKindle automatically switches over to charge a built-in 1500 mA battery used to power the swing out LED reading light and provide extra power for the Kindle.
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By Jasmine | Dec 29, 2011
The idea of creating a solar-powered car is nothing new, though much of what is holding back adoption of this technology is practicality. Can these cars cover long distances solely on the sun? How fast can they go? If you don’t plan on driving on highways and would much rather amble along a country road, there may just be a car for you yet.
The company Sunn has created an easy to build and use solar powered car, perfect for small country roads and drives around campgrounds. While the “car” appears more like a cart than anything else, it certainly works and is pretty cheap considering all those solar photovoltaic cells. All in all, the cost of the kit comes to about $6,500 (batteries not included… seriously).
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