This year’s semifinalists range from familiar topics like Earth Hour and the Living Building Challenge, to a project that produces fuel and fertilizer from agricultural waste in Africa. A couple of teams have developed portable, off-grid lights, and several others are working to develop tools for health care providers working in the developing world. Previous winners have included Eco Machines inventor John Todd, marine conservation group Blue Ventures, and Operation Hope.
So far, the distinguished panel of judges has narrowed down the field of contestants from 162 to 18 semifinalists, but their work isn’t done yet. On June 6, the winner will be announced in New York City and presented with the OmniOculi sculpture and $100,000 in prize money. As Bucky Fuller said, “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” Congratulations to all of the semi-finalists, and good luck!
+ Buckminster Fuller Institute
+ 2012 Buckminster Fuller Challenge
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Every year, the Buckminster Fuller Institute hosts a competition inviting designers and innovators to tackle some of the planet’s most pressing problems in the spirit of the late, great architect and inventor for which the organization is named. Because
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Using timberless vaulted earth brick houses, Earth Roofs of the Sahel plans to develop sustainable housing in the Sahel ecoregion of Africa.
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Polydome seeks to develop economically viable greenhouses that contain a symbiotic ecosystem of plants, animals, and fungi.
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SHE28 seeks to help women start their own businesses by manufacturing and distributing locally produced, low-cost, eco-friendly menstrual products.
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Eco-Fuel Africa Limited produces clean cooking fuel and organic fertilizers from agricultural waste.
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The Living Building Challenge is a certification program that promotes buildings that are fully integrated into the surrounding ecosystem.
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MinVayu is seeking to bring small-scale, affordable wind power to small villages in rural India.
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Using a pedal-powered generator, Nuru Energy aims to replace kerosene lamps in rural households with affordable off-grid light. The lights cost just $6, and Nuru is also developing a network of entrepreneurs who will sell lights and recharge them for a fee.
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Through small grant-giving, Spark Microgrants provides international aid that encourages communities take control of their own future.
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With 870 initiatives in 34 countries, Transition to a Low-Carbon Future is developing community-scale resilience to climate challenges.
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The Tamera Peace Research Center in Southern Portugal is establishing a Water Retention Landscape as a model for natural water management that could be used in most of the world’s climate zones
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CommCare seeks to overcome the challenges of of training, supervising, and monitoring India’s health workforce using an innovative mobile platform.
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Future of Fish is a business incubator for business that seek to promote sustainable seafood and marine conservation.
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The Portable Light Project produces affordable, solar textile kits that can provide work and light to the world’s poorest people
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BioLite is a biomass cookstove that converts waste heat into electricity, reduces smoke emissions by 95% for improved health. It also provides mobile phone and LED light charging capability.
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