Squeal Wheels Tour: The Top 10 Cutest Electric Cars
September 20, 2011 by admin · View Comments
[ By Steve in Art & Design & Energy & Fuel & Geography & Travel. ]
Electric cars are good for the environment, inexpensive to operate and are an ideal choice for busy city commuters. They’re often small due to the need for light rolling weight but do they have to be so cute? These 10 electric cars and electric car concepts add a fluffy dollop of squeal appeal to your sustainable, pollution-free driving experience.
The Electric One Person Car
(images via: Miikka Skaffari, Brilliant Michael and My Desultory Blog)
That’s it, “The Electric One Person Car”? Considering the $36,000 price luxury retailer Hammacher-Schlemmer has stickered this single-seat three-wheeler with, you’d think they would at least pay a marketing consultant a few bucks to come up with an attractive name to match its undeniably cute styling.
(image via: Yeeeeee)
The Electric One Person Car is made by Myers Motors of northern Ohio and is also known as the the NmG (No More Gas, duh). You may have seen a gaggle of them in Austin Powers in Goldmember. They’re available in your choice of White, Coral, Magenta, Red, Orange, Yellow, Lime Green, Green, Aqua, Dark Aqua, Teal, Blue, Lilac, and Purple… just like Skittles! Why just taste the rainbow when you can drive it?
Peugeot’s 1001 Nimble
(images via: AutoMotto)
Looking like an extra-large motorcycle helmet and not a whole lot larger, the Peugeot 1001 Nimble rolls along city streets on a quartet of rubberized spheres… not tires, spheres. That ought to give you a hint the pyramidal people-mover won’t be rolling anytime soon, or at least until Goodyear Spheres are sold at your local Wal-Mart or Pep Boys.
(images via: Gajitz)
On the bright side, the Nimble is able to spin a full 360-degrees, even while in motion. This attribute should provide endless snorts & giggles at the fast food drivethru or after being pulled over by the police. Oh, the hilarity!
Nissan’s “Smiling Vehicle”
(images via: E-News, InventorSpot and Trendhunter)
Cute cars are supposed to make you smile. When the car smiles back, on the other hand, either you need to see a shrink or you’ve just encountered the Nissan Smiling Vehicle. Yes, “Nissan Smiling Vehicle” is yet another unimaginative, dishwater-dull name for an eminently interesting car but it DOES really smile so all is forgiven.
(images via: Just Labradors)
The deformable polymer plastic in the Nissan Smiling Vehicle’s front end wasn’t designed to form a frown (that’s what Photoshop is for) but hey – you want drivers to express their real emotions or not?
Cestar’s Sunset & Felstar
(images via: Cestar)
The three-wheeled Sunset and Felstar made by Shandong Celstar Electric Vehicle Co Ltd may not smile when called upon like Nissan’s unique concept, but China’s just getting into the car biz and the tech know-how isn’t quite up to Japanese levels. Besides, these cars are made to be sold and as such, their “smiles” are forged in metal and screwed to their “faces”. Such is life in a Communist paradise, my friends.
(image via: Cestar)
All politics aside, there’s something both alluring and endearing about the grinning grills Cestar’s sedans so frequently flaunt. Complemented by a pair of round, eye-like headlights and a blue sky-painted dash background, these cars positively scream “CUTE!”
“BamGoo” Bamboo-bodied Car
(images via: Gizmodo and Colors Of Swallowtail)
Didn’t Cheech & Chong once build a van out of marijuana? The “BamGoo” follows the same sort of concept though instead of customs agents, drivers need only fear hungry panda bears. Hopefully their extreme case of the munchies isn’t the result of running into Cheech & Chong.
(image via: Japan Probe)
The BamGoo can travel 50 kilometers (30 miles) on a full charge and was developed by a team from Japan’s Kyoto University with sponsorship from the city of Kyoto. The project’s aim was to raise awareness of environmental transportation issues while promoting traditional Kyoto bamboo craftsmanship. Personally I’d prefer a nice, immobile wicker chair.
THINK City
(images via: AutoBlog Green, Treehugger and GreenCar)
Having recently learned of one Saab story, is the world ready to give Scandinavian cars another shot? Perhaps, if the THINK City is any indication. Made in Norway, the zero-emissions, all-electric THINK City can run up to 180 km (108 miles) with a fully-charged battery and boasts a top speed of 100 km/hr (60mph).
(image via: MotorCarWin)
You can buy a THINK City if you live in Europe and they’re priced reasonably enough so that you don’t suffer a debt crisis… sorry, Greece. Driving a THINK City confers a few benefits as well, such as London drivers not being subject to the congestion charge. Get one charge, avoid another – works for me!
Electric Trabant
(images via: AllWorldCars)
Some people say the Ugly Duckling from Mother Goose was cute. Those people never saw (or smelled) the Trabant, the un-loved national symbol of the former GDR along with some very burly “female” Olympic swimmers. Is the Trabant ready for a comeback? At least with electric propulsion it won’t stink up the neighborhood. Is it cute? Definitely… if we compare it with the duckling ugly original Trabant.
Mega MultiTruck
(images via: Steck Automobile AG and StockphotoPro)
The Mega MultiTruck is one of a number of small vehicles made by French microcar manufacturer Aixam-Mega. While the company’s electric cars are certainly stylish enough, it’s the MultiTruck that epitomizes cuteness by reminding us of our childhood. The Mega MultiTruck not only looks like a scaled-up Tonka toy, it can be modified in a number of ways depending on the user’s preference… though probably not by snapping the parts together.
(image via: Araba Ruyasi)
You might think the term “electric truck” is a misnomer as trucks typically require both power and torque – not typical features of electric vehicles. Mega MultiTrucks are quite popular in the EU, however, appealing to buyers with economy, utility and their compact size perfectly suited for oft-narrow European city streets.
Chinese Chika
(images via: Gizmag, Automopedia and Electric For Car News)
Out to pick up some cute chicks? Better your odds by cruising in a cute Chika from China Automobile. Officially known as the Tang Hua XY08 Chika, the car displays generally pleasing curves with the only straight lines appearing on the horizontally striped grill. What’s up with that logo badge, though? Is that the company founder? Cheeky move, Chika dudes!
(images via: Automopedia)
The 4-wheeled, 2-doored Chika is China Automobile’s bold step towards creating an original styling theme and they may have just done it. Unless, that is, blueberries have something to say about it.
Japan’s Wrapping Electric Ad Cars
(images via: Tokyo Times)
You can’t buy one of these electric “ad cars” but would anyone really want to? If there’s such a thing as Cute Overload, this is it. Besides, by all appearances they come in threes. Operated by the Wrappin company and often seen rolling merrily through the streets of Tokyo, these cars are wrapped in vinyl anew for every ad campaign. By this point it would seem their original flimsy bodies have been significantly augmented by untold layers of ad vinyl.
(image via: Natebeaty)
There are plenty of reasons to buy electric cars. GM and the folks who work at the Chevy Volt manufacturing plant think so, but they may be a tad biased. Does the cute quotient of an electric vehicle factor into your decision to buy it – or pass it by? Considering the alternative to cute styling on a small car is something like a slab-sided golf cart, maybe going cute is the way to go!
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11 Ways Technology is Helping to Save Endangered Species
September 19, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Steph in Animals & Habitats & Science & Research & Technology & Gadgets. ]
Unchecked human activity has destroyed animal habitats and disturbed the delicate balance of many ecosystems, reducing the populations of many species near the point of extinction. Our roads, farms, factories, pollution and poaching have caused undeniable harm to animals – now it’s time we use the fruits of our progress to help them. Here are 11 fascinating and uplifting ways in which modern technology is aiding the conservation efforts of species that are disappearing all too quickly.
Collecting Gorilla Conservation Data with GPS
(images via: wikimedia commons)
Bushmeat hunting and other threats have pushed the Cross River gorilla, which inhabits the tropical forest of the Nigeria-Cameroon border, to the brink of extinction. Fear of humans has led the remaining gorillas to steep, difficult mountain terrain, which makes it difficult for park rangers and conservationists to track them. Luckily, technology has intervened: the North Carolina Zoo and the Wildlife Conservation Society have begun using global positioning system (GPS) in order to better understand the distribution of the gorillas in relation to existing habitat and human activity in their area. FIeld trackers can now collect wildlife monitoring data with computers that collect data systematically and automatically map the terrain.
GPS Tracks Tagged Tigers
(images via: physorg.com)
GPS is also being used in a slightly different way, to directly track the movements of tagged animals. Scientists in southern Nepal have fitted an injured wild tiger, which wandered into a tourist resort and was nursed back to health, with a GPS collar. Vets and conservationists released the tiger in the remote jungles of western Nepal and will use the data from its collar to learn more about these tigers’ movements, in the hopes of protecting them from increasing threats from poachers.
Hubble Telescope Identifies Whale Sharks
(image via: wikimedia commons)
Another exciting and surprising application of space technology to animal conservation is the use of Hubble Space Telescope computer software, which is used by astrophysicists to locate stars and galaxies in outer space, to identify the unique markings on the hide of the endangered whale shark. The pattern-matching algorithm of the software can identify individuals’ markings in much the way of a fingerprint, ‘virtually tagging’ each animal without ever disturbing them.
Text Messages Protect Elephants in Kenya
(image via: wikimedia commons)
Those little chips used in some cell phones to store phone numbers and other user information are being used in Kenya to keep endangered elephants from leaving their habitats and entering human civilization, where they tend to cause damage to homes and other structures. In 2008, Save the Elephants fitted a SIM card into the collar of an elephant named Kimani, who frequently ventures into nearby farms, and set up a virtual ‘geofence’ using GPS. Any time Kimani approaches the invisible boundary, locals and conservationists are automatically warned via text message. Similar SIM collars fitted onto other elephants text the position of tagged animals to researchers, allowing them to map entire migration routes.
Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) Tags for Fish
(image via: california hatchery reform)
Four species of endangered fish are getting some high-tech help in the Upper Colorado River with the use of ‘Rifle’, a “passive integrated transponder” (PIT) system that monitors their movements. PIT tags, which are inserted into the fish in much the same way as microchips in cats and dogs, are sensed when tagged fish pass through the Price-Stubb Diversion Dam, allowing researchers to gather priceless information on the migration patterns of species like the Colorado pikeminnow.
Unmanned Planes Spot Arctic Seals
(image via: wikimedia commons)
Cameras mounted on unmanned planes that fly over the Arctic are not only capturing images of declining sea ice – they’re also marking the location of endangered seals. “Because ice is diminishing more rapidly in some areas than others, we are trying to focus on what areas and types of ice the seals need for their survival,” said Peter Boveng, leader of the Polar Ecosystems Program at NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center.
Species like bearded, ringed, spotted and ribbon seals rely on sea ice for breeding, resting and a safe haven from predators. The unmanned “Scan Eagle” aircraft is used in conjunction with image recognition software to automate the identification of seals in thousands of images gathered during flights. Such a system can drastically reduce the amount of time researchers must spend tracking the seals.
Desalination Plants Providing Water to Arabian Oryx
(images via: wikimedia commons)
Electronics firm Hitachi is helping to save the endangered Arabian Oryx with fresh water from its solar-powered desalination plants in Abu Dhabi. This beautiful animal was extinct in the wild in the late 1960s due to excessive hunting and has only recently been re-introduced to its natural habitat after successful captive breeding programs. However, it is still in danger, and finding access to fresh water is always a challenge. Hitachi’s desalination unit removes the high salt content found in desert groundwater, feeding the filtered water to waterholes in remote desert areas.
Gene Sequencing Machines Save Tasmanian Devils from Cancer
(images via: wikimedia commons)
Tasmanian devils are in danger because of a disfiguring and almost always fatal cancer called devil facial tumor disease that is spreading through the population of this species like wildfire. Scientists say the disease works like a virus, but actually spread by a whole cancerous cell that developed in a single individual several decades ago. In order to better understand this disease and what they can do to help the notoriously ferocious (yet still incredibly cute) Tasmanian devil, scientists are using gene sequencing machines to determine the genetic diversity of the animals. This technology allows researchers to look at the DNA code of the animals. Using the genetic code found from the initial two animals in the study, the research team has developed a test that costs $150 per animal, down from the $10,000 it originally cost to analyze the complete genome.
Sonogram Spots Grouper in Mangrove Roots
(images via: wikimedia commons)
The Goliath grouper, which can exceed six feet in length, is critically endangered, and scientists need to be able to identify their numbers. This is hard to do when juveniles spend almost the first decade of their lives among the tangled roots of red mangrove trees in the Atlantic Ocean. Today, thanks to sonogram technology, the Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA) is able to conduct visual underwater surveys that help evaluate the effectiveness of protective measures that have been put into place. The acoustic dual-frequency sonar camera “sees” individual fish with the use of sound waves, regardless of the limited visibility in dark, murky waters.
Websites That Raise Awareness
(images via: wildlife near you)
If everyday people were more aware of threatened species that live practically in their own backyards, would they be more aware of their interactions with those animals and how their own activity affects them? It seems likely, and websites that give animal lovers information about species in their area can definitely help. WildlifeNearYou was developed not with the intention of saving animals, but helping people find out where they can see certain types of animals in any given area. They invite users to upload photos of animals they’ve seen and document their locations. While WildlifeNearYou doesn’t focus specifically on endangered species, it – and other websites like it – has the potential to increase our awareness of the diverse natural world.
Controversial Cloning: A Last Resort?
(images via: sciencemag)
If a species is on the brink of extinction because of human activity, don’t we have an obligation to do whatever is in our power to save them? Many scientists and conservationists say yes – even if that means cloning the last remaining members of a severely endangered species like Africa’s northern white rhinos. In San Diego, a ‘Frozen Zoo’ holds the DNA of over 8,400 species stored at -280F.
Using stem cells to recreate animals without a healthy mating pair is a hotly debated topic; so far, the process has not produced optimal results and many fear that such measures will become a fall-back response to loss of habitat and other problems that cause species to become endangered in the first place.
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Cycle Crazy: 14 Smart & Stylish Bike Storage Solutions
August 19, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Steph in Art & Design & Home & Garden & Transit & Auto. ]
Once an afterthought, bicycle storage racks, hooks and devices are now seen as part of a home’s decor and as public sculpture on city sidewalks. More than simply getting bicycles out of the way, they turn them from potential eyesores into sculptural objects in and of themselves, especially when starkly displayed against an interior wall. Get inspired for bike storage at home and check out the creative, innovative bike racks that are popping up in urban areas.
Pit In Bicycle Table by Store Muu
(images via: 5magazine)
Japan’s Store Muu Design Studio dreamed up this uber-practical bike storage solution that lets your bike double as a seat at a table. You can ride your bike right into the table’s built-in slot and put your feet up – imagine if these were available at cafes and other public places! Now they just need to create an option that allows the user to cycle in place for fitness while working and – even better – harvest the energy created to power a light or a gadget charger.
Minimalist Wood Bike Rack by Chris Brigham
(image via: knife and saw)
Simple and elegant, this bike storage solution was created by woodworker Chris Brigham of Knife & Saw. The Bike Shelf is a wooden shelf with an angled niche that allows you to slide your bike up onto the wall without disturbing the books or other objects you place atop the shelf. (Too bad it only works with men’s bikes!)
Bike Rack Shaped Like a Comb
(image via: knowhow shop la)
This one-of-a-kind, 400-pound comb-shaped bike rack was made by Knowhow Shop in Los Angeles; it’s now a public art piece in Roanoke, Virginia.
Rotating Vertical Bike Rack for Korea
(image via: archdaily)
Could The Bike Hanger be a smart solution to bike storage in the city? Designed for Seoul, South Korea, this rotating hanger can store 20-36 bicycles and attaches to the sides of buildings to avoid interfering with traffic below. It’s made from recycled plastic bottles and stainless steel, and would only need a little lubrication now and then to keep it running.
Racor Bicycle Hoist
(image via: racor)
Storing your bike up high is a great way to free up room in your home, but sometimes – especially if you have high ceilings – getting it down can be a pain. The Racor Bicycle Hoist ceiling mount bike lift uses a pulley and steel hardware to lift and lower your bicycle when you need it.
Gladiator Claw Bike Hook
(image via: gladiator garageworks)
Prettier and more secure than a simple hook, the Gladiator Claw makes hanging a bike incredibly easy. This bike storage hook, featured on ABC’s American Inventor, automatically grabs and releases your bike’s tire by putting pressure on a button.
Futuristic Marguerite Bike Rack
(image via: coroflot)
A fanned design of white ‘daisy petals’ secures bicycles in the ‘Margeurite’ design by Yoann Henry Yvon, who wanted to bring “a touch of color and design inside the boring background of the city.” Yvon created a five-petaled prototype which was photographed in Valencia, Spain.
Cycloc Colorful Bike Storage
(image via: cycloc.com)
This wall-mounted bike storage solution, designed by Andrew Lang, won the Consumer Product Design of the Year Award for its simple yet ingenious method of hanging a bicycle. Available in white, orange, green or black, the Cycloc can hang a bicycle either vertically or horizontally, can be locked into place and provides storage for accessories like gloves.
Petal Vertical Bike Rack
(image via: mlive.com)
While it’s not super space-efficient, this tree-like bicycle rack is certainly a beautiful way to store bikes in public places. Designed and built in West Michigan by Vern Ohlman, the Bike Petal functions as both a practical bicycle rack and as an outdoor sculpture.
Bike Shed for Outdoor Storage
(image via: bikemania.biz)
What if you’ve got outdoor space, but no garage? Bike storage sheds allow you to keep your bike secure and out of the elements. You can build one if you’re handy, or buy one of the many prefabricated options available like the ‘Bike Cave’ by Tidy Tent.
Piano Park Bench/Bike Rack by ADD Innovation
(image via: add innovation)
Space comes at a premium in urban environments, especially on sidewalks. This brilliant design combines a bench and a bike rack in one; altering the design just a little bit to include a bench back would enable bicyclists to safely lock up their property.
Sleek Wooden Wall Rack
(image via: new york markt)
Another handy modern interior or exterior wall hanger for bikes is this sleek wooden design by 718 Made in Brooklyn. The curved design fits between the bars on men’s bicycles to keep them high on a wall, and looks beautiful even when not in use.
New York’s Stylish CityRacks
(image via: inhabitat)
A competition to design a stylish modern bicycle rack for New York City produced 10 beautiful, colorful finalists and a winning design that has been used as the new standard bicycle rack installed on the city’s sidewalks. The winner is the simple silver wheel shape, created by Maarten De Greeve and Ian Mahaffy.
Solar-Powered Bike Parking Pods
(images via: ecofriend)
Worried about biking to work only to arrive looking sweaty and unprofessional? If only these solar-powered bike parking pods would catch on, nobody would have such an excuse anymore. Designed by Penny Farthings Pushbikes, these pods not only provide a storage spot but also contain showers and changing rooms.
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Cycle Crazy: 14 Smart & Stylish Bike Storage Solutions
August 19, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Steph in Art & Design & Home & Garden & Transit & Auto. ]
Once an afterthought, bicycle storage racks, hooks and devices are now seen as part of a home’s decor and as public sculpture on city sidewalks. More than simply getting bicycles out of the way, they turn them from potential eyesores into sculptural objects in and of themselves, especially when starkly displayed against an interior wall. Get inspired for bike storage at home and check out the creative, innovative bike racks that are popping up in urban areas.
Pit In Bicycle Table by Store Muu
(images via: 5magazine)
Japan’s Store Muu Design Studio dreamed up this uber-practical bike storage solution that lets your bike double as a seat at a table. You can ride your bike right into the table’s built-in slot and put your feet up – imagine if these were available at cafes and other public places! Now they just need to create an option that allows the user to cycle in place for fitness while working and – even better – harvest the energy created to power a light or a gadget charger.
Minimalist Wood Bike Rack by Chris Brigham
(image via: knife and saw)
Simple and elegant, this bike storage solution was created by woodworker Chris Brigham of Knife & Saw. The Bike Shelf is a wooden shelf with an angled niche that allows you to slide your bike up onto the wall without disturbing the books or other objects you place atop the shelf. (Too bad it only works with men’s bikes!)
Bike Rack Shaped Like a Comb
(image via: knowhow shop la)
This one-of-a-kind, 400-pound comb-shaped bike rack was made by Knowhow Shop in Los Angeles; it’s now a public art piece in Roanoke, Virginia.
Rotating Vertical Bike Rack for Korea
(image via: archdaily)
Could The Bike Hanger be a smart solution to bike storage in the city? Designed for Seoul, South Korea, this rotating hanger can store 20-36 bicycles and attaches to the sides of buildings to avoid interfering with traffic below. It’s made from recycled plastic bottles and stainless steel, and would only need a little lubrication now and then to keep it running.
Racor Bicycle Hoist
(image via: racor)
Storing your bike up high is a great way to free up room in your home, but sometimes – especially if you have high ceilings – getting it down can be a pain. The Racor Bicycle Hoist ceiling mount bike lift uses a pulley and steel hardware to lift and lower your bicycle when you need it.
Gladiator Claw Bike Hook
(image via: gladiator garageworks)
Prettier and more secure than a simple hook, the Gladiator Claw makes hanging a bike incredibly easy. This bike storage hook, featured on ABC’s American Inventor, automatically grabs and releases your bike’s tire by putting pressure on a button.
Futuristic Marguerite Bike Rack
(image via: coroflot)
A fanned design of white ‘daisy petals’ secures bicycles in the ‘Margeurite’ design by Yoann Henry Yvon, who wanted to bring “a touch of color and design inside the boring background of the city.” Yvon created a five-petaled prototype which was photographed in Valencia, Spain.
Cycloc Colorful Bike Storage
(image via: cycloc.com)
This wall-mounted bike storage solution, designed by Andrew Lang, won the Consumer Product Design of the Year Award for its simple yet ingenious method of hanging a bicycle. Available in white, orange, green or black, the Cycloc can hang a bicycle either vertically or horizontally, can be locked into place and provides storage for accessories like gloves.
Petal Vertical Bike Rack
(image via: mlive.com)
While it’s not super space-efficient, this tree-like bicycle rack is certainly a beautiful way to store bikes in public places. Designed and built in West Michigan by Vern Ohlman, the Bike Petal functions as both a practical bicycle rack and as an outdoor sculpture.
Bike Shed for Outdoor Storage
(image via: bikemania.biz)
What if you’ve got outdoor space, but no garage? Bike storage sheds allow you to keep your bike secure and out of the elements. You can build one if you’re handy, or buy one of the many prefabricated options available like the ‘Bike Cave’ by Tidy Tent.
Piano Park Bench/Bike Rack by ADD Innovation
(image via: add innovation)
Space comes at a premium in urban environments, especially on sidewalks. This brilliant design combines a bench and a bike rack in one; altering the design just a little bit to include a bench back would enable bicyclists to safely lock up their property.
Sleek Wooden Wall Rack
(image via: new york markt)
Another handy modern interior or exterior wall hanger for bikes is this sleek wooden design by 718 Made in Brooklyn. The curved design fits between the bars on men’s bicycles to keep them high on a wall, and looks beautiful even when not in use.
New York’s Stylish CityRacks
(image via: inhabitat)
A competition to design a stylish modern bicycle rack for New York City produced 10 beautiful, colorful finalists and a winning design that has been used as the new standard bicycle rack installed on the city’s sidewalks. The winner is the simple silver wheel shape, created by Maarten De Greeve and Ian Mahaffy.
Solar-Powered Bike Parking Pods
(images via: ecofriend)
Worried about biking to work only to arrive looking sweaty and unprofessional? If only these solar-powered bike parking pods would catch on, nobody would have such an excuse anymore. Designed by Penny Farthings Pushbikes, these pods not only provide a storage spot but also contain showers and changing rooms.
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Vertical Parking Lots: Brilliant Urban Bike Hanger System
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1 Comment - Click Here to Read More
Wave Hello to the Next Generation of Public Bike Storage
July 27, 2011 by admin · View Comments
[ By Delana in Art & Design & Technology & Gadgets & Transit & Auto. ]
You put a lot of time, energy and money into your bike, so it is understandable that you would want to protect it when parking in public. Designer Joe Mattley came up with a concept he calls WAVE: Secure Modular Bicycle Parking. It is kind of like fancy public lockers for bikes, and it is far superior to the bike parking methods most of us use today.
(all images via: Joe Mattley)
The WAVE setup includes an L-shaped door that lifts up to access the inside. Once closed and locked, the individual chambers are nearly impossible to open without a suite of specialist tools. The super-sturdy material can withstand all of the physical abuse that rowdy villagers can throw at it.
Because the entire bike fits inside a lockable chamber, thieves can’t take off with just a tire. Vandals can’t slash tires or cause any other harm to the rides. The bikes are safely kept locked away until their owners come back to retrieve them.
According to Mattley, there are a number of locking options: the owner’s own combo lock, a key or even a coin-operated lock. The concept is such a great one that we would love to see them pop up in cities. It seems like it might be difficult to manage the stalls – users could simply park their bikes there and leave them for years – so there is definitely some more work to be done on the practical side of the idea. But as far as a rough concept, the WAVE bike locker is outstanding.
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Mutt Mobility Device Keeps Fido Independent and Running
July 6, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Delana in Animals & Habitats & Food & Health & Technology & Gadgets. ]
Is there anything sadder than a disabled puppy dog? When dogs have problems with their spines or hind legs, they are sometimes stuck in large, cumbersome wheelchairs that don’t allow for much mobility for any terrain other than flat and even. This design would let disabled dogs move around almost as easily as they did before their mobility problems.
(images via: DesignBoom)
The Amigo is a canine wheelchair designed by Nir Shalom for “Thinking Hands,” an exhibit at Milan Design Week 2011. Its unique positioning holds the dog’s legs out behind it, allowing the dog to go up and down stairs and lie down on its own. Unlike other models of doggy wheelchairs, the Amigo strives to allow the dog a greater measure of independence.
The design is still a prototype in development, but if it is ever produced each unit will be made individually to fit the dog it is meant for. With its customized supports and comfortable padding, the Amigo would keep doggies happy while letting them get around easily. The durable rubber wheels would keep the Amigo running strong while your pup runs his heart out.
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This design may break down the ultimate energy barrier by accessing what may be the most cheap, easy and abundant source of fuel the world has ever seen.
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Mud Men: Scientists Find an Ocean of Rare Earths
July 5, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Steve in News & Politics & Science & Research & Technology & Gadgets. ]
I just want to celebrate, yeah, yeah! A Japanese expedition has discovered a wealth – literally – of rare earth minerals in mud samples taken from the floor of the Pacific Ocean. Should the discovery pan out, the rewards could be richer than gold. Even better, refining the bounty involves much more environmentally friendly processes compared to those used in highly toxic traditional mining.
Trash to Treasure
(images via: Mining.com, Nature News and The Australian)
A stunning discovery by a Japanese research team could ripple the waters of science, technology and geopolitics for years to come… “ripple” being the key word as the report concerns samples of seafloor mud dredged from thousands of feet beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean.
(images via: Investors Insight and iOffer)
Mud, you say? Indeed, the gooey gloop that’s been accumulating for millions of years harbors an unseen but much desired treasure: rare earth minerals, said by some to be “21st-century gold” based on their rarity and value. These attributes are a function of demand, which has been on the rise due to the explosion of new, high-tech products and applications requiring these formerly uncommon elements.
(images via: DachaMetals, New Scientist and NewsWhip)
Now just to clarify, “uncommon” refers to concentrated deposits of rare earth minerals suitable for commercial mining. The elements themselves (the metals Scandium and Yttrium, plus 17 minerals in the Lanthanide series of the Periodic Table) are relatively common components of the earth’s crust – Cerium, for example, is about as common as Copper.
(images via: Qwiki and UCL Graduate School)
The three rare earth elements mentioned above are joined by Lanthanum, Praseodymium, Neodymium, Promethium, Samarium, Europium, Gadolinium, Terbium, Dysprosium, Holmium, Erbium, Thulium, Ytterbium and Lutetium. Their atomic numbers range from 57 through 71 inclusive, plus 21 for Scandium and 39 for Yttrium. Besides sharing similar properties, many of the rare earths have similar names derived from the Swedish village of Ytterby, where rare earths were first identified in the early 19th century.
Rare Earths, Abundant Uses
(image via: Allvoices)
Before we delve into the particulars of the Japanese ocean discovery, let’s take a look at the many uses of rare earths and why they’re so important today, as opposed to 100, 50 or even 10 years ago. Can you imagine living without your cellphone, MP3 player or other portable electronic devices? What would the modern world be like without hybrid vehicles, flat-screen TVs, night vision goggles, superconducting magnets or anything made by Apple?
(images via: Bloomberg, China Rare Earths and Hurriyet)
Pretty grim, huh? What’s even grimmer is knowing that 97 percent of the current supply of rare earth minerals is controlled by a single nation, China, and boy oh boy do they know it! Annoy China and you just might see your rare earth imports cut to the bone… and by “you”, we mean Japan.
(images via: Asiabizz, Euronews and East Asia Forum)
In November of 2010, an incident occurred in the East China Sea near the disputed Senkaku Islands (Japanese) or Diaoyu Islands (Chinese). While attempting to stop and arrest the captain of a Chinese fishing boat deemed to be trespassing, a Japanese Coast Guard vessel was rammed by the Chinese ship. Check out this video captured by a Japanese crewman and leaked without authorization:
Leaked China-Japan boat crash video sparks row, via RT
(images via: ChattahBox and Blogs/WSJ)
Amid the diplomatic fallout caused by Japan’s taking the Chinese trawler captain into custody, rare earth exports from China to Japan dropped precipitously and remained at lower than normal levels for months. As Japan is a major manufacturer of leading edge electronics and hybrid vehicles, shortages of rare earth elements would be expected to seriously affect these industries while those in China enjoyed unrestricted access to these crucial raw materials. Japanese companies have accelerated rare earth recycling programs but these worthwhile efforts are stopgaps at best. How did we arrive at such a situation?
China Crisis
(images via: Telegraph UK and Reuters)
When one considers mining for rare earths, the NIMBY factor comes into play in a big way. Put plainly, a rare earth mineral mine is about the last thing you’d want in your backyard. Separating the minerals from the waste products involves the use of toxic chemicals and produces particulate pollution on a massive scale. The waste itself is toxic – rare earths are often found in conjunction with radioactive elements such as Uranium and Thorium.
(images via: Latest China and Business Insider)
Voters in the United States and Australia – two nations with large reserves of rare earth minerals – simply won’t tolerate rare earth mining. China, on the other hand, has a totalitarian form of government that puts the needs of China as a whole before those of the “voters”. Even so, there have been rumblings from farmers and agricultural cooperatives in China’s rare earth mining and smelting regions whose crop yields have plummeted as a result of extensive pollution.
(images via: Straits Times and China Daily)
One of the stated reasons China has reduced its exports of rare earth minerals is due to these environmental concerns, though many China-watchers dismiss this as green-washing to hide the real issues: Chinese strategic control over rare earth minerals and the prices charged for them.
(images via: Treehugger and New York Times)
Some might say that rare earth importers have only themselves to blame for the current supply imbalance, and that may indeed be true. There’s the moral issue to consider as well: while we enjoy our iPhones and Prius’s (Prii?), millions of poor Chinese farmers suffer from ill health and reduced quality of life. Wouldn’t it be nice if somebody could find an abundant source of these essential minerals and a cheap, easy and non-polluting method of refining them?
Bounty From the Sea
(image via: CBC)
A recent announcement published in Nature Geoscience would seem too good to be true, which is perhaps why the researchers behind the story ensured that their testing was both vigorous and voluminous in scope before revealing their discovery. According to the researchers, led by Yasuhiro Kato of the University of Tokyo’s department of systems innovation, “Just one square kilometer (0.4 square mile) of (oceanic rare earth) deposits will be able to provide one-fifth of the current global annual consumption.”
(images via: Geeky Gadgets, SBS and Asahi News)
Professor Kato and his team tested over 2,000 sediment samples retrieved from the seafloor at 78 different sites in the central Pacific Ocean – in international waters, one might add. It gets even better: the oceanic rare earth deposits are nearly twice as concentrated as underground deposits in China and they boast a higher ratio of heavier to lighter rare earth elements. Serendipitously, heavier rare earths are more important than lighter minerals in manufacturing technology products.
(images via: Dawn, TCE Today and Geology.com)
Since the oceanic rare earths are suspended in viscous mud and not locked into solid rock, refining them would be a simpler process. No need for blast furnaces or the strong acids that have wreaked so much environmental havoc around land-based mines. Radioactivity from associated trace elements is not a concern as the Japanese researchers measured their occurrence at just 1/5 that of typical underground ores. What’s more, these rare earths are anything BUT rare. According to professor Kato, rare earths contained in the seafloor deposits could amount to 80 to 100 billion metric tons. Estimated global reserves confirmed by the USGS for all land-based sources including China only total 110 million tonnes. Investors may not be happy to hear this news but just about everyone else should be!
(images via: Nature Geoscience, 2Space and Canadian Mining Review)
The only fly in the ointment is bringing the rare earth-infused sea mud to the surface in quantity. The researchers’ samples were extracted from cores ranging from 11,500-20,000 ft (3,500 to 6,000 meters) below the ocean surface. Where there’s a will there’s a way, however, and necessity is the mother of invention after all. “Sea mud can be brought up to ships and we can extract rare earths right there using simple acid leaching,” stated professor Kato. “Within a few hours we can extract 80–90 percent of rare earths from the mud.” Sounds like a plan!
The possibility of cheap, abundant, pollution-free rare earth minerals is as exciting as the prospects of low-cost, sustainable and renewable solar power… though the latter still lurks somewhere in the future. At least there’s hope, both for consumers and for China’s long-suffering farmers and rural villagers. The day may come when, like the 1970s funk-rock band Rare Earth, we all can celebrate another day of living, another day of…LIFE!
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Sun + Shade = Stunningly Stylish Public Solar Arrays
June 8, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Delana in Art & Design & Energy & Fuel & Technology & Gadgets. ]
Brooklyn-based design company SMIT (Sustainable Minded Interactive Technology) is doing its part to take advantage of the summer sun to make the world a greener place. Their Tensile Solar product is much like a solar power fabric that provides both shade and planet-friendly electricity to those beneath it.
The Tensile Solar system is a modular membrane that allows each solar panel to be traded out without any effect on the overall system. If one panel is damaged or occluded, the rest of the system continues to work as usual.
The panels are CIGS (Copper, Indium, Gallium and Selenide) photovoltaic cells which perform well in low-light and cloudy conditions. They are also produced in a very eco-friendly way, requiring less power and heat than the traditional silicon photovoltaic cells.
Holding the photovoltaic cells is a lightweight, breathable, super-strong fabric that is strong enough to withstand harsh weather and high winds. When it finally outlives its usefulness and has to be discarded, the fabric is fully recyclable, rounding out Tensile Solar’s ultra-green profile.
Besides providing shaded areas for relaxing or doing business under, the various configurations of Tensile Solar arrays would provide clean renewable energy. According to the designers, the systems will be available in a number of pre-determined configurations and can also be customized for larger areas.
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Verdant Vending: Exceptionally Eco-Friendly Outdoor Kiosk
May 25, 2011 by thegreenchildrenfoundation · View Comments
[ By Delana in Art & Design & Energy & Fuel & Technology & Gadgets. ]
The EcoKiosk is a self-contained stall for street vendors that relies on clean, renewable energy and Earth-friendly components to make street vending greener than ever. From its solar panels to its rainwater collection system, the EcoKiosk is an ecological marvel from the top down.
Created by Bizarreka Design and a shortlisted entry in the IIDA 2010 World Green Design Competition, the EcoKiosk is a carefully-structured building meant to be used outdoors. Thanks to solar panels that adorn the roof, the small structure doesn’t even need an outside source of electricity. The solar panels can provide power for up to ten hours, allowing the kiosk to be fully operational even after the sun goes down.
The kiosk’s open design makes good use of natural lighting and ventilation, taking advantage of the crosswinds and sunlight that are in bountiful supply outdoors. Even on rainy days, the EcoKiosk works overtime to earn its green cred: it collects rainwater and stores it in a storage tank beneath the main structure. The water will later be filtered and used as tap water or pumped up to the plants that line the sides of the kiosk.
These plants help to soften the appearance of the otherwise-stark and modern EcoKiosk, giving it a look that would be equally suited for food vendors, clothing peddlers and even cell phone providers. The plants are not only there for aesthetics, however; they also help absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide.
The interior design of the EcoKiosk keeps the comfort of both operators and customers in mind. The kiosk is designed in a way that every inch of space is arranged intelligently. The rear part of the kiosk can be extended during working hours so that two workers can move about inside, then retracted during closing hours so that the kiosk takes up less space. A low front counter is meant to provide a comfortable experience for disabled customers who might not be able to see over the counter at a traditional outdoor vendor stall.
Vertical Parking Lots: Brilliant Urban Bike Hanger System
May 11, 2011 by admin · View Comments
[ By Delana in Art & Design & Energy & Fuel & Technology & Gadgets. ]
Urban centers may benefit greatly if more commuters started using bikes instead of cars, but the problem of where to put those bikes is a somewhat difficult one. Public bike racks take up space that is often in high demand – but this concept would solve that problem by using the spaces that normally go unused.
(all images via: ArchDaily)
The Bike Hanger concept was developed by MANIFESTO Architecture P.C. for the Seoul Cycle Design Competition 2010, a yearly design contest that seeks to make Seoul a more bike-friendly city. The architects reasoned that since urban space is so limited, revolving bike racks could utilize the vertical spaces between buildings.
The concept is ingenious in its simplicity: it is a human-powered revolving rack that can hold up to 36 bikes at a time. Riders attach their bikes to an empty space on the rack, then when they are ready to leave they hop on the human power generator (a small stationary bike) to move their own bike around to the bottom position. Then they just grab it and go – simple, clean, and even healthy.
The rack itself would be constructed of recycled plastics and metals, and because no new structure would need to be built to house the assembly the construction would be relatively clean and eco-friendly. The operating costs would be extremely low, as well: the city would spend around $15 per year on lubrication for the moving parts and for calibration of the human power generating system.
Overall, the concept would encourage more urban travelers to bike rather than walk – after all, parking a bike on the Bike Hanger is bound to be cheaper and easier than parking a car in a garage. The positive environmental impact from the reduction in auto traffic along with a reduced need for new car parking structures could even contribute to a cleaner, more beautiful city for everyone to enjoy.
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