Voltaic Celebrates Bike to Work Day with Portable Solar-Charging Trailer You Can Rent!

by , 05/17/13

Voltaic Systems, solar panels, solar charger, bike to work day, bike commuting, bike trailer, solar power

Today is National Bike to Work Day, and all across America, people are ditching their cars and trucks for a cleaner, healthier journey via bicycle. Our friends at Voltaic Systems joined in the fun to support NYC’s Bike to Work Day, and it’s no surprise that they added their own solar-powered flair to the day’s festivities. Company staffers decked out a commuter bicycle and with a custom-built bike trailer carrying 60+ Watts of portable solar panels, 180 Watt hours of charging capacity, and lots of connectors to charge up smartphones, tablets and even a MacBook, in an effort to show New Yorkers how much fun can be had when human and solar power are combined.

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Tour Some of Marin County's Best Homes at AIA SF's Marin Living: Home Tours

by , 05/17/13

Multi-cellular House, Marin home tours, Marin Living, Koji Tsutsui & Associates, Jon Brody, Mill Valley

Heads up San Francisco Bay Area architecture fans – AIA SF’s 2013 Marin Living:Home Tours is back again! For the past three years, the owners of some of Marin County’s most impressive homes have opened their doors, allowing the public to look at their private spaces. And once again, AIA San Francisco and the Center for Architecture + Design are gearing up to host the Marin Living: Home Tours event, which will take place on TOMORROW (May 18th) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This year’s program includes a houseboat in Sausalito, a LEED Gold-certified communal living facility in San Rafael, and Koji Tsutsui & Associates’ gorgeous Multicellular House in Mill Valley (pictured at top). Head over to the Home Tours website to preview all the homes and purchase tickets.

BUY MARIN LIVING:HOME TOUR TICKETS >

 

Visiondivision's Stunning Concept for Miami's Bayfront Park Looks a Lot Like the Rising Sun!

by , 05/17/13

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WE CARE Solar Suitcase Saves Mothers' and Babies' Lives by Providing a Vital Light Source During Childbirth

by , 05/17/13

solar suitcase, wecare solar, dr. laura stachel, hal aronson, birth, developing nations, light, sustainable design, green design, solar power, renewable energy, health technology, design for health, clean tech, photovoltaic light, solar-powered light

In the developing world, mortality rates for expectant mothers total over 300,000 deaths each year. The WE CARE Solar Suitcase is a brilliant new device that aims to reduce this figure by providing hospitals in off-grid areas with access to a steady source of energy and light. Designed by Dr. Laura Stachel and her husband Hal Aronson, the system includes high-efficiency LED lights, a universal cellphone charger, 12V DC outlets, a set of 40 or 80 watt solar panels, and a 12 amp-hour sealed lead-acid battery.

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ART

Protea Debuts a Fetching New Wine Bottle that's Designed to Be Upcycled

by , 05/17/13

Protea, wine, wine bottles, South Africa, Mark Eisen, fashion designer, fashion, upcycling, recycling, creative reuse, alcohol, happy hour

It’s Friday, which means many of us are just counting the minutes until happy hour. After enjoying a bottle of wine, it’s always a bit sad to dump the bottle in the recycling bin. Although there are plenty of upcycling options for wine bottles, many require a fairly large dose of creativity. Protea (PROH-tee-uh) is a new brand of wine that aims to unleash your inner upcycling genius while complementing your favorite dinner. Each Protea bottle is specifically made to be reused – for floral displays, to hold olive oil, or as a beverage container. The possibilities are practically endless!

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6 Perfect Picnic Spots to Visit in NYC

by , 05/17/13
filed under: Inhabitat NYC

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Klaus Lackner's Artificial Trees Soak Up CO2 Emissions Faster Than Plants

by , 05/17/13

green design, eco design, sustainable design, carbon emissions, Columbia University Mudd Building, Klaus Lackner, carbon dioxide sucking plastic resin, artificial trees, greenhouse gas

As news breaks that global carbon dioxide levels are at an all-time high, one scientist is developing “artificial trees“ to help cleanse the air and reduce greenhouse gas pollution. Columbia University’s Klaus Lackner has developed a carbon dioxide capturing material that acts as a powerful sponge – and it’s able to soak up CO2 faster than plants!

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Adam Frank's Reveal Light Projects a 'Daylit' Window on Any Wall

by , 05/17/13

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Noble Goods Unveils New Line of Sustainable Wood Furniture with Unique Resin Inlays

by , 05/17/13

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ART

Didier Muller's Livre Exchange is a Free Urban Library that Promotes Access to Books

by , 05/17/13
filed under: Art, Urban design

Didier Muller Livre Echange, free library, free city library, Didier Muller, Nathalie Faessel, House Work, French designers, book reading, suspended library, urban design, art installation, outdoor installation

The Livre Exchange is a free library designed by Didier Muller of the French design collective House Work that lets passers-by exchange books for free. The project was unveiled at the International Design Biennial 2013 in Saint-Étienne as a collection of transparent boxes suspended from trees. Visitors were able to take a book from one of the boxes and replace it with one of their own.

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Emerging Objects Creates Eco-Friendly 3D Printing Materials

by , 05/17/13

Emerging Objects, Emerging Objects 3d printing, Emerging Objects printing material, renewable 3d printing, environmentally friendly 3d printing, recyclable 3d printing, recycled 3d printing, renewable printing materials, environmentally friendly printing materials, 3d printing technology, 3d printing advances

These days, 3D printers can create just about anything – from human organs to deadly weapons. But one innovation we haven’t previously seen in 3D printing? Printer filament made from of planet-friendly materials rather than Earth-damaging plastics. That’s changing however, with design firm Emerging Objects‘ recycled and recyclable 3D printing materials. Using materials like salt, concrete, wood and paper, they are putting the green in 3D printing.

 

Contemporary Energy's Solar Kettle Boils and Purifies Water Off the Grid

by , 05/17/13
filed under: Green Kitchen, Solar Power

green design, eco design, sustainable design, solar kitchen, Contemporary Energy, Solar Kettle, Solar powered water purifier

Contemporary Energy’s Solar Kettle uses the sun’s rays to boil water on the go. The lightweight thermos-like device is perfect for camping or picnics, allowing users to make hot beverages or sterilize water without electricity. Using fold out reflectors, it channels solar power to the container, boiling the water inside.

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ART

Mineo Mizuno Creates Living Sculptures From Ceramics and Moss

by , 05/17/13

Mineo Mizuno, Mineo Mizuno Coexistence, moss sculptures, green art, green sculptures, ceramic sculptures, Japanese designers, Japanese landscape art, pebble art, art horticulture

Japanese artist and landscape designer Mineo Mizuno grows moss on large ceramic pebble-like spheres, creating beautiful sculptures that forge a symbiotic relationship between materials. Inspired by his native Japan, the Brooklyn-based artist designs miniature landscapes, complete with highlands and valleys, grass and forests. The pieces are part of a series called “Coexistence.”

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Elio Motors Unveils Three-Wheeled 84 MPG Car That Costs Only $6,800

by , 05/17/13

Elio Motors, Elio, Elio green car, Elio car, green transportation, personal transportation, green car, three-wheeled car

A brand new car that gets 84 MPG and costs less than $7,000 sounds too good to be true, but Elio Motors just unveiled a new three-wheeled vehicle that hits all those marks. The affordable two-seater Elio gets amazing mileage, and it’s small enough for a congested urban environment.

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Expanded Free Ferry Service to Red Hook Kicks Off Memorial Day Weekend!

by , 05/17/13
filed under: Inhabitat NYC

Mayor Bloomberg, red hook, ikea, ikea Brooklyn, ferry service nyc, east river, east river ferry, memorial day, labor day, hurricane sandy, van brunt street, nyc ferry, pier 11

Looking for something fun to do this summer in NYC? How about a free ferry ride that also supports a neighborhood that was knocked off its feet after Hurricane Sandy? Mayor Bloomberg joined other city officials this week to announce the launch of a free Red Hook Summer Ferry that will operate on weekends throughout the summer season. The newly expanded service spells good news for Red Hook businesses hoping to see an increase in foot traffic, and it provides a way for them to continue recovering after last October’s superstorm. The ferry will kick off Memorial Day weekend at Pier 11 in Manhattan and will give people another reason (besides just going to IKEA) to visit Red Hook.

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Today is Bike to Work Day in New York!

Today is Bike to Work Day in New York!

Photo from Shutterstock Throw your suit in a messenger bag and strap on your helmet because today is Bike to Work Day! Thousands of New Yorkers will be trading in their car, bus or…

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Spain's Earthy Espai Ridaura Cultural Center is Topped With a Luscious Green Roof

Spain's Earthy Espai Ridaura Cultural Center is Topped With a Luscious…

Espai Ridaura consists of two well-defined volumes that "slide" against one another. The center is made from a mix of local earth, cement and gravel, and its earthy color is due to…

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Taiwanese Wind Tower is Covered with Thousands of Wind Turbines and LED Lights

Taiwanese Wind Tower is Covered with Thousands of Wind Turbines and…

Beijing-based Decode Urbanism Office has designed a conceptual skyscraper with a façade composed of thousands of small wind turbines that would be able to produce enough energy to…

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Australia's Largest Solar Cell Printer Can Spit Out a Photovoltaic Panel Every Two Seconds

Australia's Largest Solar Cell Printer Can Spit Out a Photovoltaic…

An incredible new printer at the University of Melbourne has allowed researchers to print solar cells up to the size of an A3 sheet of paper. Developed in collaboration between the…

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Dubai's Chillout Cafe Brings a Subzero Ice Lounge to the Middle of the Desert

Dubai's Chillout Cafe Brings a Subzero Ice Lounge to the Middle of the…

As if having the tallest and most expensive skyscraper in the world wasn’t enough, Dubai has shown its decadence once again by building an ice lounge right in the middle of the…

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