hippie flavor

Turning soda cans into solar heating panels (by anitha goud) If...

Wed, 15 May 2013 10:03:11 -0500

Turning soda cans into solar heating panels (by anitha goud)

If this could scale, it would be awesome.

“The pressurised steel tank is filled with around 20...

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 08:34:22 -0500

“The pressurised steel tank is filled with around 20 litres of nitrogen, plus some hydraulic fluid. Much like a Prius, Hybrid Air vehicles recover energy every time the driver brakes or decelerates. But instead of using this kinetic energy to charge a battery – as electric hybrids do – the Hybrid Air system has a reversible hydraulic pump that compresses the nitrogen in the tank and then unleashes it the next time the driver pumps the accelerator.

“It’s mainly a …” Yarce searches for the word, “a syringe. The nitrogen compresses or decompresses and actually pushes the oil and the hydraulic components to transform this energy into a force that makes the vehicle move forwards. It’s as simple as that.”“

(via Peugeot’s Hybrid Air: the car of the future that runs on air | Environment | The Observer)

nevver: Earth’s Oldest Trees

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:38:00 -0600

nevver:

Earth’s Oldest Trees

“The idea of using urban agriculture as the means for...

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 11:38:48 -0600

“The idea of using urban agriculture as the means for revitalizing a community is pretty innovative in and of itself, but activist and developer Mansfield Frazier has plans for a first-ever addition to the vineyards: a biocellar. We mentioned this in passing in the first post, but as the biocellar concept has received more attention recently, I got intrigued by this plan to turn blighted houses into underground greenhouses.

That, essentially, sums up the idea: abandoned houses that are past any hope of renovation are demolished, but the basements are kept intact. With some additional support and a greenhouse-type structure built over the basement, an urban farmer/gardener now has a space that maintains constant temperature appropriate for growing crops… or even maintaining small ecosystems.”

(via Urban Agriculture Moves Undergroud: the Biocellar | Sustainablog)

wespeakfortheearth: Where Does Our Garbage Go? Researchers at...

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:31:02 -0600

wespeakfortheearth:

Where Does Our Garbage Go?

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have figured out how to track trash. They are doing this to get a better sense of people’s disposal habits, which they hope will improve recycling efforts.

via eatsleepdraw

Sun, 18 Nov 2012 19:46:21 -0600

via eatsleepdraw

Sweden recycles so effectively that it has to import garbage to incinerate

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 16:16:52 -0500

Sweden recycles so effectively that it has to import garbage to incinerate:

citymaus:

Every country should be so lucky as to have Sweden’s problem: It doesn’t produce enough garbage.

As reported by Public Radio International (26.06.12), Sweden has a remarkably effective recycling program. Only 4 percent of the country’s waste ends up in landfills, with the other 96 percent being reused in some way. There is one problem with that, however: The country has incinerators that burn waste to create heat (a must-have in the region) and electricity. And too little waste means not enough fuel for those fires…

grist.org, 12.09.12.

lickystickypickywe: Some stuff takes a long time, folks…Act...

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 11:05:33 -0500

lickystickypickywe:

Some stuff takes a long time, folks…
Act wise. We all share this same planet.
It’ll come back to haunt you.

Fifth-Grader’s Petition Prompts Jamba Juice to Ditch...

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 12:28:03 -0500

Fifth-Grader’s Petition Prompts Jamba Juice to Ditch Styrofoam | TreeHugger

“Short on space but hankering for some fresh vegetables?...

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 11:44:36 -0500

“Short on space but hankering for some fresh vegetables? The $70,000 Agri-Cube might be the answer to your problems. Developed by Japan’s Daiwa House Industry, the parking-space-sized cube can grow leafy greens and root vegetables like turnips and radishes.

The self-contained system comes with a water recycling system and adjustable fluorescent lighting (instead of sunlight) to nourish the plants. Under the right conditions, the cube can grow up to 10,000 heads of lettuce per year—all for approximately 45 cents a vegetable, when electricity costs are taken into account, according DigInfo.

The Agri-Cube’s high price tag gives it limited appeal to the average consumer, but we imagine that restaurants might be big customers, especially since certain restaurants are already experimenting with rooftop hydroponic farming. For restaurants that lack roof access but have a bit of outdoor space, this could be the next best thing.”

(via 1 | A Vegetable-Growing Factory That Fits In A Parking Space | Co.Exist: World changing ideas and innovation)

Scientists Working on Wood Powered Batteries Made From Paper Waste | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 14:20:38 -0500

Scientists Working on Wood Powered Batteries Made From Paper Waste | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building

10 Herbs that Heal via dancequeen1284

Mon, 21 May 2012 13:44:36 -0500

10 Herbs that Heal

via dancequeen1284

myampgoesto11: Garth Britzman: (POP)culture Made from recycled...

Sat, 12 May 2012 21:27:06 -0500

myampgoesto11:

Garth Britzman: (POP)culture

Made from recycled plastic soda bottles

“Designer Garth Britzman of Lincoln, Nebraska used recycled bottles filled with colored water to create stunning topographical shade canopy for a vehicle. I love how the natural shape of the plastic bottles makes the pooled water look like leaves. See more over on Behance. (viamy amp goes to 11)”

[via colossal]

syzlak: The Dirty Dozen: 12 Foods You Should Buy Organic

Thu, 10 May 2012 16:39:53 -0500

syzlak:

The Dirty Dozen: 12 Foods You Should Buy Organic

Monsanto buys leading bee research firm after being implicated in bee colony collapse

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:51:04 -0500

Monsanto buys leading bee research firm after being implicated in bee colony collapse:

“Amid all the controversy over genetically-modified (GM) crops and their pesticides and herbicides decimating bee populations all around the world, biotechnology behemoth Monsanto has decided to buy out one of the major international firms devoted to studying and protecting bees. According to a company announcement, Beeologics handed over the reins to Monsanto back on September 28, 2011, which means the gene-manipulating giant will now be able to control the flow of information and products coming from Beeologics for colony collapse disorder (CCD).”
Read More

The Denver Zoo's Poo-Powered Rickshaw

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 12:01:27 -0500

The Denver Zoo's Poo-Powered Rickshaw:

hilker:

“What is a zoo to do with its excess panda poo? Denver’s answer is to compress it into pucks and feed them to a syngas-powered hybrid-electric Tuk Tuk.

As anyone who’s been to a zoo can attest, those animals truly enjoy a good deuce. They do it constantly, typically producing more waste than the facility can reuse. Zoo’s often have to haul the excrement away for disposal in landfills—an expensive and inefficient option. But the Denver Zoo has spent nearly a decade working on an ingenious and local alternative to landfills—a 20-year-old motorized rickshaw, also known as a Tuk Tuk.”

Ingenuity can always think of a productive use for our waste.

Plantable raincoat made from potatoes and laden with seeds |...

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:24:43 -0600

Plantable raincoat made from potatoes and laden with seeds | Springwise

gardensinunexpectedplaces:

Equilicuá’s ”Spud” raincoats, made in Spain from potato starch, are biodegradable under “specific conditions” (per its maker), so they can be worn several times. Later, the ponchos can be planted.

Not only is its potato starch-based “Fantastic Bioplastic” fully compostable, but — through a collaboration with La Fundación árboles — it’s been impregnated with the seeds of various Mediterranean plants and shrubs. For that reason, in fact, Equilicuá currently distributes the raincoat only in [Europe] where the seeds are native…

Green Holiday Tips

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:13:59 -0600

ecofriendlyhealth:

Make Your Own Wrapping Paper

Most mass-produced wrapping paper you find in stores is not recyclable and ends up in landfills. Instead, here’s a great chance to get creative! Wrap presents with old maps, the comics section ofa newspaper, or children’s artwork. Or use a scarf, attractive dish towel, bandana, or some other useful cloth item. If every family wrapped just three gifts this way, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields.

Buy Energy-Saving Holiday Lights

Now you can decorate your house with LED lights that use 90 percent less energy than conventional holiday lights, and can save your family up to $50 on your energy bills during the holiday season! LED lights are available at many major retailers, including Target, CostCo, and Ace Hardware.

Add Organic and Local Foods to Your Holiday Feast

Support local family farmers who grow sustainable meat and produce. Not only does it taste better, you’ll be doing your part for the planet too. Looking for an organic turkey or ham for Christmas dinner? Find out where to get local green products in your neighborhood.

Get a Pesticide-Free Tree

Demand is on the rise for Christmas trees that are not covered in chemicals; some growers use 40 different pesticides, as well as chemical colorants. The good news is that there are now a number of tree-farms that sell pesticide-free trees, so ask your local Christmas tree seller, or search for an organic tree farm near you.

Recycle Your Christmas Tree

Ninety-eight percent of Christmas trees were grown on farms, not in forests, so at least it’s not as if you’re cutting down an ancient tree. Each year, 10 million Christmas trees end up in the landfill. While your tree won’t fit in the recycling bin with your newspapers and bottles, you can recycle your tree: many cities offer programs to turn your tree to mulch or wood chips. Call (800) CLEANUP or visit www.earth911.org to find the tree-recycling program near you.

Recycle Your Old Cellphone

Getting a new cell phone for Christmas? Not sure what to do with the old one? Now, you can drop off that old phone at any Staples store, as part of the Sierra Club cell phone recycling program. Each year, 130 million cell phones are thrown out, weighing approximately 65,000 tons. Recycling your old phone prevents hazardous elements like mercury, cadmium and lead from ending up in our landfills. Find out more.

jimmyjimmyjimmy: TEDxDirigo - Roger Doiron - A Subversive Plot:...

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:05:33 -0600

jimmyjimmyjimmy:

TEDxDirigo - Roger Doiron - A Subversive Plot: How to Grow a Revolution in Your Own Backyard

Occupy your Backyard.

(via @punkrockgardens)

Virgin Atlantic Squeezing Jet Fuel Out Of Industrial Waste | Fast Company

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:41:56 -0500

Virgin Atlantic Squeezing Jet Fuel Out Of Industrial Waste | Fast Company:

“The airline is using technology from LanzaTech and Swedish Biofuels that captures and chemically treats industrial waste from steel mills and turns it into ethanol that can be converted into biofuel (see the video below). Virgin claims that LanzaTech’s process has major potential—the technique could be retrofitted onto 65% of the world’s steel mills, which could produce around 15 billion gallons of jet fuel, or 19% of the current world aviation fuel demand.”