Glowing polar bear energy sensor, book and app educates kids about global warming
The plight of polar bears is one of the many concerns raised due to the effects of global warming, and we recently saw the MELTDOWN board game innovatively educate young children about the issue. Now Norway-based Caretosave has created the animal-shaped Bobo energy display, storybook and app for kids, which illustrates the connection between home energy consumption and the wellbeing of polar bears. READ MORE…
With an e-ink display, Android phone aims to offer a week of battery life
Technology fans may recall the YotaPhone, a dual-screen device unveiled at Mobile World Congress (MWC) earlier this year, but it’s apparently not the only mobile device in the works that features an e-ink display. E-ink is the basis for one of the YotaPhone’s two screens, but MWC was also the backdrop for a demonstration of an e-ink-only Android phone by Taiwanese E Ink itself. READ MORE…
Steam-heat radiator retrofit controls heat and cuts emissions
Manufacturers of radiators today may well adhere to the strict energy regulations that ensure they don’t waste heat, but there are still many buildings stuck with outdated systems. We’ve seen EcoRad embark on repurposing old cast-iron models for use with electric heat, and now Radiator Labs has created a retrofit for steam-based radiators that helps distribute heat more evenly around buildings, saving energy in the process. READ MORE…
Pop-up pizzeria turns saved energy into pizza
Mexico has already seen a scheme enabling those with recyclable waste to swap it for fresh produce in the form of the government-led Mercado de Trueque. Recently, two Danish-based companies teamed up to create the Vest Pizza campaign, which included a restaurant that powered its ovens with the energy saved by the neighborhood. READ MORE…
Rocking chair serves as a charging device for iPhone and iPad
The past few years have afforded many new ways to charge mobile devices, and we’ve covered innovations in this area extensively. Recently, however, we came across a quirky approach we hadn’t seen before: iRock, a rocking chair capable of converting motion into energy to power an iPhone or iPad. READ MORE…
In the Netherlands, bike paths heated during winter months
If commuters’ surplus body heat can be used to keep an office building warm, then why not store the heat that beats down on bike paths during the summer and use it to keep them ice-free in the winter months? That, indeed, is precisely the premise behind a test project currently being conducted in the Netherlands with help from Dutch engineering firm Tauw. READ MORE…
Wise Words with Brian Davis
Oil is a precious commodity across the globe, but despite this there is still a significant proportion of the valuable substance that goes to waste in industrial processes. This is what could make a business such as StayGreen Oil an essential component in the oil trade as they seek to reuse the oil that would normally end up in the bin. READ MORE…
A wind-powered charging station for electric vehicles
There’s virtually no limit on the potential applications of wind power, and we’ve already seen it used to power a billboard, knit scarves sustainably, and turn airborne moisture into drinking water, to name just a few examples. The latest spotting? The Sanya Skypump, a new wind-powered electric-vehicle charging station from New York-based Urban Green Energy and GE Energy. READ MORE…
Wise Words with Robert Barmore
While there has been a lot of focus on harnessing wind and solar energy in recent years, there is also enormous potential for the capturing and storing of the sun’s heat for sustainable use. Robert Barmore recognized the great potential underground energy storage could have and set to work setting up his company, Therma-HEXX. READ MORE…
Wind turbine turns airborne moisture into drinking water
With wind power companies still trying to convince the sceptics of their benefits, we’ve seen forward-thinking innovators looking even further into the future, with airborne windmills and small scale wind farming. Taking a different approach, France’s Eole Water has now created a turbine that can condense water in the air and make it safe for drinking. READ MORE…
