We’ve see plenty of great green concept cars at this week’s Tokyo Motor Show, but Yamaha might take the prize for the best-looking two-wheeler with its new EC-f electric motorcycle. Designed to make motorcycling attractive to riders of all ages and experience levels, the vehicle features a lightweight aluminum frame, a long-lasting lithium ion battery, and a 0.6 kWh electric motor.
Perfect for commuting and short urban jaunts, the EC-f features a built-in charger that can be plugged in to any standard outlet. In order to make the EC-f even more enticing for potential riders, Yamaha has partnered with major Japanese motorcycle manufacturers to lobby for more free motorcycle parking spaces and easier access to licenses. Admirable goals for car congestion-plagued Japan, but just because a motorcycle looks like fun doesn’t mean it’s easy to ride!
By now we've all seen our fair share of green energy cars and devices, but there remains a dearth of public works-centric green tech innovations. Helping to fill the void of cool green-tech-meets-public-works design ideas, Taiwanese designers Cheng-Tsung Feng, Yao-Chieh Lin and Bo-Jin Wang created this solar-powered traffic light that easily could have emerged from the labs at Cupertino.
The traffic light uses a discolor LED that allows the red, yellow and green signals to all occupy one space rather than the traditional three-tiered design we have on today's streets. The trio won this year's international Lite-On Award (Silver Level) for their striking design which hopefully will inspire cities around the world to adopt this kind of green-centric infrastructure in the near future.
Recyclable-Paper-Laptop-by-Je-Sung-ParkLaptops these days never seem to last that long. I tend to go through a new laptop every couple of years and when I get new laptop I always have the issue of doing something with the old one. Over the year this adds up to a lost of waste for me and im sure millions of people around the world have exactly same issue.
This big issue is something computer companies are always trying to rectify. Designer Je Sung Park has now taken the idea of a recyclable computer to new heights. His Recyclable Paper Laptop is made from pulp and reprocessed materials, and would be broken down into the same when all is said and done.
The Hydroponic Plant System is an innovative concept that offers the user a comprehensive gardening facility by implementing efficient and functional technology. It is actually two twisting metal tubes starting from the floor to the roof of the room, where plants can be placed in different arrangements, allowing maximum convenience for taking care of them by reaching them all at once easily. Moreover, this innovative plant arrangement will provide better options to accumulate lights for the plant, which is very much important for their existence.
Text from Rafael :
Problem
To develop a plant system, for a circular house, based on the silver generation theme, that would bring a comfortable time for the couple together during cooking, with a healthy life concept behind.
Concept
A product that can help them at the kitchen, integrate the environment (kitchen at the middle of the circular house), providing a healthy life style with organic foods, making the cooking moment easy, simple and fun. A hydroponic indoor system witch the aim is to rescue the pleasure of growing and prepare our own food without working hard or spend so much time, exploring the shape of the DNA molecule, the grow of a new life. The product is made simple, two vertical metal tubes where the germinated seeds of the plants are placed into some small holes around the tubes. A net hold it till it starts to grow.There also a light system, with a mobile light focus that can be programed along the path where it moves, providing the right time of light for certain plant. The hydroponic process is based on the NFT hydroponic system, a active process where a solution with nutrients its bombed from a deposit to the culture channel. Part of the root of the plant its getting a constant water flux, while the other part is in direct contact with the humid air.
Justification
Sören and his wife have not so much time together, so when they are able to have a meal at home, his wife likes to prepare it herself, with calm and love. This rare moments that the couple have together are the main point that this project explores.
Materials and Fabrication Process
3 Metal tubes; 2 running from top to bottom of the kitchen, 1 that works like a path for the light. The tubes have a shape conformation, till it reaches the shape of the DNA. They have small connexions outside the house that makes the water flux works in a cycle, with a bomb to provide this. A small programed engine makes the movement of the light along the third tube, right on the middle of the structure.
This project was based on a briefing of the International Design Award (IDA2009).
“Advanced Technology That’s Simple to Use
Fusing human energy with the power of an electric motor is the essence of Giant’s Hybrid bicycles. What makes their function so unique is that Giant’s Hybrid bicycles engage the rider through a host of hidden technological features that work in unison with the body’s power output. The more human pedal power put in, the more supplemental electric power in response from the bicycle, all while being as simple to use as turning on a switch and pedaling.
There are several key technical elements to Giant’s Hybrid Cycling Technology, yet the advanced EnergyPak lithium ion battery technology and intelligence in Giant’s proprietary PedalPlus power sensor and I² driver technology are two crucial technological highlights that enable the unique Hybrid ride and offer a drastically increased range of use. At the heart of Giant’s Hybrid bicycles, rider input is read in real time through a highly receptive PedalPlus power sensor in the bicycle drivetrain that senses rider pedaling input and then interacts with the I² driver that intelligently and instantly reads pedaling motion, creating a smooth power transmission message to the SyncDrive motor in the front wheel.
Giant’s EnergyPak lithium ion batteries are lighter, smaller and provide more power and convenience than traditional batteries found in powered bicycles, ultimately creating a lighter, better performing, more agile feeling and drastically more stylish bicycle. EnergyPak lithium ion batteries also offer far greater range, allowing Hybrid bicycles to travel approximately 70 miles versus less than 20 miles utilizing previous battery power sources. The included SmartCharger charges the EnergyPak batteries in approximately four hours – half the time of older generation batteries. Riders utilize the RideControl command center, a handlebar interface that offers three power settings that enable a rider to travel farther or faster at their own command.
Quality, Dependability and Availability
Hybrid bicycle quality is second to none as every bicycle is made by Giant, the top producer of quality bicycles, in a dedicated Hybrid-only manufacturing facility. Consumers can depend on unparalleled service and support as every Giant Bicycle dealer will be a local resource for Hybrid consumers. For 2009, Hybrid Cycling Technology bicycle models include the Twist Freedom DX and Twist Freedom DX W for women, each available for $2,000 at authorized Giant Bicycle retail locations.”
In addition, our contact at Dispatch indicates that “[This] bike is a HUGE deal for Giant and will be for years to come as the company has a stand-alone factory ONLY making these bicycles…consumers can rest assured that it’s gone through arguably the most strict quality control process in the world and it’s backed by a global support team.”
It is a book rather extensive than descriptive. It is intended as a practical guide but turns out to be just an introduction to technical and planning necessary to build a house using straw bales.
Samsung Blue Earth cell phone is made from recycled plastic.
Blue Earth is the first solar powered full touch screen cell phone which beautifully designed by Samsung. By charging with the solar panel located on the back of the phone, users can generate enough electronic power to call anytime anywhere. This cell phone is made from recycled plastic called PCM, which is extracted from water bottles, helping to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions in the manufacturing process. Samsung Blue Earth mobile phone and the charger are free from harmful substances such as Brominated Flame Retardants, Beryllium and Phthalate.
JK Shin (Executive Vice President and Head of Mobile Communication Division of Samsung Electronics) says: “Samsung’s ‘The Blue Earth Dream’ demonstrates our small but meaningful commitments for the future and our environment. We are committed to achieving the highest eco-status with our customers and by providing the best eco-products and promoting eco-activities.”
New Super Efficient Pharox 60 LED Bulbs Last for 25 Years
One of the most exciting new products we found at West Coast Green this past weekend is the latest innovation by Lemnis Lighting, the Pharox 60 LED Dimmable Lightbulb, that uses just 6 Watts and has the equivalent luminescence of the traditional 60 Watt incandescent bulb. The Pharox 60 fits a standard sized household light fixture, is made of recyclable material, and is the most energy efficient bulb of comparable light quality on the market today with a light output of 300 lumens and a warm white light of 3000K. A patented heat sink keeps the bulb temperature low (we think it’s the aluminum housing surround) and it is the most environmentally safe option on the market as well, containing NO lead, mercury, or wolfram, unlike it’s compact fluorescent competitors.
Compared to the incandescent bulb, which lasts an average 1,000 hours, the Pharox 60 is expected to last a 35,000 hour lifespan. According to Lemnis, if every American household switched just one 60W light bulb to a Pharox light, $1.4 Billion in electricity costs and 9 billion kilowatt hours would be saved annually. This would equate to a carbon emissions reduction of 5.2 billion kg annually. Though it may not be practical or economical to switch out all of a home’s light bulbs to the relatively expensive Pharox bulb, switching out a few (especially those in light-sensitive areas) is a more accessible energy savings strategy than investing in solar power, and it makes more sense to cut down on the energy load before finding alternative energy sources.
Lemnis claims the Pharox 60 will last 6 times longer than a CFL and 35 times longer than an incandescent bulb, with an estimated 25-year lifespan. In a line up with three other competitors currently on the market, the Zetalux EarthLED (retail $38.95); the Crane GeoBULB (retail $99.95); and the Philips EnduraLED (retail $40.00), the Pharox 60 beats them out in cost, weight, power factor, wattage, and most notably, its ability to be dimmed.
At West Coast Green, we were presented with the Pharox 60 by none other than Lemnis’ founder Warner Philips, the great grandson of Anton Philips, who founded Philips Electronics and brought the incandescent bulb to homes world wide in the last century. So it’s no surprise that the latest generation of Philips family should bring us the warm hue we are used to with the substantial energy savings that households need. The kicker, you might say, is the price tag, at $39.95 a bulb… but compared to the hefty price of lesser quality lighting debuting this time last year, we can only expect the price to go down as these bulbs reach mass market. Pharox 60 bulbs are currently available at mypharox.com and will be coming soon to Amazon.
The Nissan Leaf is an electric car going into production in 2010.
Nissan released photos and details of the electric car it intends to put into production in 2010. The Nissan Leaf is a purpose-built, pure battery electric vehicle. The Nissan Leaf has its own distinct look; it’s a more conventional car than the Cube, with four doors and a hatchback. Although it hasn’t announced pricing, Nissan says the Leaf will be affordable, priced as a C-segment car. The company also notes that the Leaf will cost less to operate than a gasoline-powered car, both in energy and maintenance, as there are fewer moving parts. Also, many governments offer incentives in the form of tax credits or rebates to purchase an electric car.
The Leaf will originally be built in Japan, and sold in Japan, the United States, and Europe. As demand dictates, Nissan will build additional units in its Smyrna, Tennessee plant.
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