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Environmental
Further doubts atmospheric umbrella will save marine environments
By Darren Quick
15:55 June 18, 2009 PDT
We recently looked at problems with a last resort solution to counteract global warming by artificially shading the Earth from sunlight by injecting sulphur or small, reflective particles into the upper atmosphere. Now a new study from the Carnegie Institution has thrown further doubt on the effectiveness of such a proposal. Although it may lower the planet’s temperature by a couple of degrees, it would do little to stop the acidification of the world’s oceans that threatens coral reefs and other marine life. Read More
Mazda now painting cars greener
17:57 June 17, 2009 PDT
The Mazda Motor Corporation continues to find ways to be a better global citizen with a car painting system that it says has the lowest environmental impact in the world. The new “Aqua-Tech Paint System” reduces the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) by 57% and, happily, improves the paint job. Read More
Sony announces eco-friendly mercury-free batteries
By Mick Webb
05:49 June 16, 2009 PDT
It’s no secret that mercury is a dirty word in environmental circles, and more of the big guns of electronics are starting to take note. Apple's MacBook Pro now features a mercury-free backlight display, and Fuji has released its eco-friendly EnviroMax batteries. This week Sony has strengthened its enviro-credibility by announcing a line of mercury-free alkaline button batteries. Read More
Study exposes transport's hidden impact on the environment
By Darren Quick
02:29 June 15, 2009 PDT
By looking at the environmental impact of passenger transport – whether it be trains, planes or automobiles – beyond the exhaust fumes spewing from its collective tail pipe, researchers in the United States have discovered a significant spike in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. By taking into account transport support systems – which includes sourcing raw materials, manufacturing, as well as the construction and maintenance of infrastructure – researchers at the University of California hope to provide a more detailed view for transport planners and policy makers. And produce a better outcome for the environment. Read More
360 Paper water bottle offers renewable alternative to plastic
By Jude Garvey
05:20 June 10, 2009 PDT
Most people realize that plastic water bottles are bad for the environment, not only because research suggests it takes 2000 times more energy to produce bottled water than tap water but also because so many of them are not recycled. You may choose to filter your own water or just go without, but a new environmentally friendly solution may mean you can continue to drink bottled water and keep a clear conscience - the 360 Paper Water bottle. Read More
Hankook's enfren low rolling-resistance tires deliver 5 percent fuel saving
By Karen Sprey
01:52 June 9, 2009 PDT
Hankook says its new range of low rolling-resistance tires could delivering significant fuel savings and environmental benefits without consumers having to upgrade their car. The silica compound enfren tire achieved a 5.1% saving over conventional steel belt radials in a recent Fuel Economy Challenge using two identical Hyundai i30 SLX CRDi hatches. Read More
Ancient building technique may help future designs to be more eco-friendly
By Darren Quick
23:24 June 4, 2009 PDT
Every child learns early on that moist sand is the key to building a sturdy sandcastle. Now researchers at Durham University have studied this principle so it can be better applied to an ancient eco-friendly building technique of using rammed earth. Read More
Glowmark puts the green in glow-in-the-dark safety lighting
By Karen Sprey
15:56 June 1, 2009 PDT
It is a challenge to provide affordable safety lighting in dark and low-light areas. Glowmark is a new product that uses long-lasting, photo-luminescent crystal technology as an alternative to electric lighting. Not only does it not need electricity, it costs nothing to run, is environmentally safe, biodegradable and easy to install. Read More
Plastic and fuel that grows on trees
By Darren Quick
18:19 May 20, 2009 PDT
Biofuels continue to steal the spotlight when it comes to the search for a renewable, environmentally friendly replacement for crude oil. While that’s understandable when considering the transport industry, but crude oil is also used in the production of conventional plastics and chemical products such as fertilizers and solvents. Now chemists have learned how to convert plant biomass directly into a chemical building block that can not only be used to produce fuel, but also plastics, polyester and industrial chemicals cheaply and efficiently. Read More
Audi revs up and down with new stop-start technology
By Darren Quick
01:10 May 11, 2009 PDT
It may sound obvious, but the most effective way to cut a car's fuel consumption is to turn the car off. Of course that isn’t very useful if you're trying to get from A to B. But for many trips, particularly for city driving, a car can be idle for a significant amount of time. Such stop-start driving is far from being fuel-efficient, but Audi has turned that around with a new system that shuts down the engine when the car comes to a stop. The start-stop system joins a new on-board computer, as part of Audi’s modular efficiency platform, which is designed to reduce fuel consumption and cut carbon emissions. Read More
Formula 3 racing car powered by chocolate and steered by carrots - seriously
By Darren Quick
22:41 May 6, 2009 PDT
Environmentally friendly vehicles conjure up thoughts of a Toyota Prius hybrid or maybe a vehicle powered by hydrogen fuel cells, but a Formula 3 racing car generally wouldn’t be the first thing to come to mind. This "WorldFirst Formula 3 car" unveiled by researchers at the University of Warwick might just change that impression - and it's eco-friendliness goes way beyond the bio diesel engine that drives it. The racer is powered by chocolate, steered by carrots, has bodywork made from potatoes and can still do 125mph around corners. Read More
Gruber Assist electrifies just about any bicycle
By Darren Quick
01:41 May 5, 2009 PDT
There’s a few reasons why cycling has remained a popular form of transport for over a century. It’s cheap, keeps you fit, is environmentally friendly and it’s fun - usually. Unfortunately it can get a little less fun when you hit a steep hill or have neglected your fitness for a while. This is where electric assist devices such as the Gruber Assist can come in handy. It still lets you do most of the work, but helps to make the job that little bit easier. Whereas electric bikes such as the E+, the eneloop and the Gocycle require the purchase of a complete bike to get some electric assistance, the Gruber Assist can be retrofitted to practically any bicycle provided it has a seat tube with an inner diameter of 31.6mm. Read More
Berkeley Solar Mapping Portal completed
By Jude Garvey
23:32 April 29, 2009 PDT
A new online solar mapping portal has been completed in Berkeley. By combining aerial mapping data with 3-D modeling software, the system allows residents to determine the potential size and cost for solar electric and hot water systems on their own rooftop, as well as view other solar installations all over the city. Read More
Sony Electronics launches retail e-recycling initiative
By David Greig
19:02 April 27, 2009 PDT
Sony Electronics has launched the GreenFill recycling service, an extension of its Take Back program using in-store drop-boxes for the collection of unwanted portable electronics good - around 80% of which currently end up in landfill. Read More
SFC Portable Fuel Cell lightens the soldier's load
By Mick Webb
17:58 April 21, 2009 PDT
Soldiers operating in remote locations face a considerable heavy equipment burden, a significant proportion of which can be attributed to the need for a portable power supply. Fuel cells are seen as a key solution to this problem and the JENNY system, which has just been commercially released for defense applications by German mobile power application company SFC Smart Fuel Cell, promises to reduce weight by around 80% compared with lithium-ion batteries. Read More
Homeowners getting the energy conservation message
By Darren Quick
04:00 April 17, 2009 PDT
When it comes to buying consumer electronics, we are factoring energy efficiency into our choices in a bid to cut our household energy consumption, a new study from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has found. Read More
New climate model predicts almost ice-free Arctic Ocean in just 30 years
02:15 April 8, 2009 PDT
According to new research the Arctic Ocean may be ice free in the summer months much faster than previously estimated. Research based on earlier climatic models suggested that this would not occur until the end of the century, but new models suggest that the Arctic might lose most of its ice cover in as little as 30 years - three times more rapid than previous studies have indicated. If this was to occur, the amount of the arctic covered by ice at the end of the summer could be down to around 1 million square kilometers (390 000 square miles) compared with the currently coverage of 4.6 million square kilometers (1.8 million square miles). Read More
Abu Dhabi’s five-star hotel to feature GROW wind and solar technology
By Jude Garvey
06:18 April 6, 2009 PDT
The winning design from Leeser Architects for this visually stunning five star hotel in Abu Dhabi maximizes the use of natural resources in a spiraling design that makes use of natural light and coastal air along with an exterior clad with polyethylene GROW panels to harness solar and wind power. Poised on the edge of the Persian Gulf, the (aptly named) Helix Hotel will feature a helical floor space which wraps unevenly around a central void. Guests will be able to look up at, and down on, various public areas, including the rooftop deck with a glass-bottomed swimming pool. Read More
Did salt lakes kill the dinosaurs? And will they kill us?
By Darren Quick
22:54 April 2, 2009 PDT
A new report by an international team of scientists has suggested that the largest mass extinction in the history of the earth may not have been caused by volcanic eruptions, methane hydrate or the impact of an asteroid as previously surmised. It may actually have been triggered by giant salt lakes, whose emissions of halogenated gases changed the atmospheric composition to such an extent that vegetation was irretrievably damaged. While this is a lot less dramatic than a volcanic eruption or an asteroid, the effect would be no less devastating and may have implications for us today with forecasts predicting an increase in the surface areas of deserts and salt lakes due to climate change that researchers expect will also lead to an increase in the effects of these halogenated gases. Read More
Walking House: moving home takes on a whole new meaning
By Darren Quick
03:18 April 2, 2009 PDT
For anyone who has wanted to get away from it all without leaving the comforts of home Dutch design group N55 has just the thing – a walking house. Consisting of a basic module measuring 3.5m high by 3.5m wide and 3.72m long the walking house can cover a decidedly leisurely 60m an hour on its six insect like legs. Read More
Is your sunscreen damaging the environment?
By Darren Quick
21:08 March 31, 2009 PDT
Your sunscreen might be preventing damage to your skin, but it may also be causing untold damage to the environment. A study carried out by scientists in Ohio has reported that nanoparticles now being added to cosmetics, sunscreens, and hundreds of other personal care products may be harmful to the environment by negatively affecting beneficial bacteria. Read More
AIRchitecture: Flying classrooms of the future
By Karen Sprey
05:00 March 31, 2009 PDT
If you’ve ever sat in a classroom, bored silly, and wished you could just fly away, here’s the solution, well, sort of. The new concept from Geotectura and Malka - a flying structure for Delft University’s Architecture Faculty - melds spacecraft with studio space to create AIRchitecture, a dynamic, real-world learning environment with a minimal carbon footprint. Read More
New nanogenerator could charge iPods and cell phones with a wave of the hand
By Darren Quick
21:21 March 30, 2009 PDT
The human body is a veritable powerhouse. Every minute of everyday it generates energy, but unfortunately much of this energy is wasted on mundane tasks like burning calories or keeping internal organs running. What if this energy could be harnessed to do something really useful – like charge your iPod or mobile phone? Technology that does just that - converting mechanical energy from body movements or even the flow of blood in the body into electric energy that can be used to power a broad range of electronic devices without using batteries – has been described by scientists from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Read More
Mazda begins commercial leasing of Premacy RE hybrid rotary hydrogen vehicle
By Darren Quick
21:36 March 29, 2009 PDT
Mazda is providing another green option in Japan by commencing commercial leasing of their Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid, a hydrogen hybrid vehicle that combines Mazda’s hydrogen rotary engine with an electric motor. The Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid improves on the RX-8 Hydrogen RE – the first model to be commercialized - with the hydrogen fuel range of the doubled to 200 kilometers and the maximum output increased by approximately 40 percent to 110 kilowatts. Read More
Hi-Flow integrated filtering system - bottle quality from the tap
By Jude Garvey
00:59 March 20, 2009 PDT
The Hi-Flow integrated filtering system is a unique and clever way to deliver fresh, filtered tap water at home. Unlike some other filtration systems, the Hi-Flow metal cartridge is installed under the sink without the need to drill a separate hole in the sink or bench top. The system is then plumbed inline to an existing standard cold tap or mixer tap, therefore eliminating the need to have a separate filtration unit or tap. Once connected the Hi-Flow delivers mains pressure, freshly filtered water directly from the kitchen tap. Read More
Rex Alfie Lee
- November 9, 2009 @ 12:19 UTC
