Recycled

17:31 November 23, 2009 PST

Ford is using wheat straw - a waste byproduct of wheat - to reinforce plastic in the inter...

Ford is the first automaker to develop and implement environmentally-friendly wheat straw-reinforced plastic in a vehicle. Before you get carried away, the car itself, a Ford Flex, isn’t made of plastic, instead, it’s just the third-row interior storage bins made from the natural fiber-based plastic that contains 20 percent wheat straw bio-filler. Surprisingly though, Ford says this application alone reduces petroleum usage by some 20,000lbs per year, cuts CO2 emissions by 30,000lbs per year, and represents a smart, sustainable usage for wheat straw, the waste byproduct of wheat. Read More

ECOGIZMO

High-tech origami: Je Sung Park's recyclable paper laptop concept

By Jenna Meade

01:00 November 19, 2009 PST

Je Sung Park's clever concept design makes the upgrade process both inexpensive and guilt-...

In a world where concern for the environment is high on the agenda, it was only a matter of time before the laptop got a green makeover. Outstripping even the Bamboo notebook in eco-friendly credentials, designer Je Sung Park has pushed the concept to its limit and opened our eyes to the laptop of the future: a recyclable paper design. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

Axon Automotive shows off lightweight plug-in hybrid

By Jeff Salton

19:42 October 29, 2009 PDT

The Axon Automotive hybrid vehicle makes good use of lightweight, recyclable materials

UK car manufacturer Axon Automotive has used the Milton Keynes Science Festival to preview its plug-in hybrid lightweight passenger car. The car combines carbon fiber composite construction with a full electric mode for short-run local travel and a petrol or bioethanol-powered engine for longer distances or highway travel. Read More

OUTDOORS

Zegna Sport’s Ecotech Solar Jacket is made from recycled plastic

By Jude Garvey

04:41 October 20, 2009 PDT

Zegna Sport's new eco-friendly jacket powers your handheld devices

With winter fast approaching, it’s time to think about appropriate protective clothing. The Ecotech Solar Jacket, a new clothing piece from Zegna Sport, ticks all the right boxes for winter gear. Made almost entirely from recycled plastic, it is not only environmentally friendly but also solar-powers your MP3, keeps you protected from the elements and has Italian good-looks to boot. Read More

AUTOMOTIVE

Phoenix: Concept vehicle for a brave new world

By Jeff Salton

19:33 July 22, 2009 PDT

The Phoenix concept car was a stunning entrant in the 2009 Michelin Challenge Design

First appearing in the Michelin Challenge Design earlier this year, the Phoenix concept features an orbital omni-directional four-wheel-drive system which allows for several types of motion - apart from moving forwards and backwards, it can rotate around its own axis and move sideways. Read More

AERO GIZMO

Old aircraft never die, they just land on desks

By Michael Mulcahy

23:24 July 8, 2009 PDT

The MotoArt DC-6 cowling airplane desk preserves aviation history in a distinctively moder...

Using recycled materials is nothing new when it comes to making furniture. But rarely are the results – literally – this polished. Using pieces of vintage aircraft ranging from B-25 bombers to DC-9’s and B-747’s, the Los Angeles-based MotoArt liberates the sleek, metal beauty of planes and re-purposes the pieces as distinctively modern tables, beds, couches, chairs and desks. Read More