Miracle Rice Uses Less Water to Grow, Emits Less Methane
by: Eco Geek Latest, 2011-11-16 20:13:56 UTC

A new type of rice being cultivated by the University of Agricultural Sciences in Bangalore, India has many advantages over typical rice varieties -- it requires less water to grow, it's higher in protein and it emits less methane over its life cycle.

This rice, which is not genetically modified but a hybrid crop, uses 60 percent less water than conventional rice crops.  It only needs to be watered once a week even in arid climates and can go as long as 15 days without water.

From a nutritional standpoint, the rice has 14 to 15 percent protein compared to seven to eight percent in conventional rice.  It also can be harvested more quickly with a similar yield to conventional rice, making it ideal for feeding the world's growing population.

So far, only about five percent of rice fields are using this new type of cultivation, but researchers are hopeful that as word spreads about this approach to rice, it will spread to more areas.

via DNA India

tilter city compact EV
by: Designboom - Weblog, 2011-11-15 12:45:00 UTC

available in europe in 2012, the emissions-free urban vehicle offers the form factor of a scooter or motorcycle with the safety and storage capacity of an automobile.

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LED nostalgic clear bulb by panasonic LDAHV4L27CG
by: Designboom - Weblog, 2011-11-15 12:35:00 UTC

this energy saving-long life LED bulb is the first in the world to use clear glass to show the light source.
with same dimensions as the traditional light source, it can be used as a perfect replacement for incandescent light bulbs.

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LED retrofit lightbulbs: bulled by ledo
by: Designboom - Weblog, 2011-11-16 12:37:00 UTC


multiple LED units are combined into a single bulb, mimicking the size and color quality of incandescents while offering increased energy efficiency.
read more

Confused about LCA Standards? You should be.
by: Environmental Leader, 2011-11-17 05:59:30 UTC
How fmcg manufacturers can untangle and benefit from Standards. Last month four key international bodies released updates to their lifecycle analysis standards and guidelines. For those of us who think about these things on a daily basis, they provided some clarity as well as some additional complexity. But, for the vast majority of companies and [...]

Will Purists Drink Wine from a Cardboard Bottle?
by: TreeHugger Design, 2011-11-15 11:30:00 UTC
A new paper wine bottle has 10 percent the carbon footprint of a glass, is the same price, and doesn't break.

Seven portable furniture units for compact urban apartments
by: The Design blog, 2011-11-15 21:30:08 UTC
Grace Kikon:

As space becomes more and more confined in modern times, it becomes necessary to make do with less crowding in for creating the required space. Portable storage units are ideal for home, office or business establishments without the added burden of bulky transportation. These portable units are becoming the rage as people are trying to cut down the clutter in their homes and office for greater space mobility. These portable units come in varying sizes ranging from a small table to semi trailers size. Depending on the space and need of an individual these have become essential commodities at varying price range. They are more so perfect for small cramped offices and small apartments in the city where every inch of space is precious. To be able to content a lot of utility furniture in a compact manner is how the modern designers are now creating their unique pieces. Below is a list of seven portable units for urban needs.

1. Mobile compact office by Tim Vinke

The Kruikantoor mobile office was created by Tim Vinke, with wheels for easy mobility from place to place. With a size of 1500×400x1200 mm, this mobile office contents a table, storage electricity connection with light and two chairs. It can easily be packed into a compact unit on built in wheels for an office on the move constantly. It can easily be stored in one corner of a room without causing any inconvenience.

2. PETL sofa set

This multifunctional sofa named PETL resembles a big cacti flower with nine petals opening out for effect. This can be placed in a garden or used as public seating in a park and is water resistant. The flexibility of this sofa is seen in the way that it can transform into an indoor sofa with 2 or 3 seat, single bed or a day bed without any hesitation. This sofa can easily be packed up into a compact and portable unit without much hassle.

3. Moving kitchen

This is small and portable in size as well as light and can be used in a small kitchen anywhere with all its unique features. Hidden inside its compact body, this kitchen has many features like fold-able tables on both sides and induction stove. You can use this fold-able tray for cooking ingredients or for the dishes. There are pull out drawers for storing utility and it can close up to become compact after the cooking is done. It can be easily wheeled around as it comes with wheels at the bottom base. This is quite a handy kitchen for camping, backyard or outdoor cooking activities. It is ideal for a cramped up city apartment kitchen.

4. Steel stool

This versatile portable steel stool has been created by French design Noon Studio. It is mobile for residential or office space and has a stylish frame. This has been blended with a painted black steel and wood as a conceptual contrast design. It is a two mixed triangle design opening out at the wooden part. It is a lightweight stool and easy to carry around. These stools can become versatile space partitions by piling them together as required. Its simple design belies its versatility.

5. Pavone portable furniture

This is a unique utility switch between a table and a chair designed by Redo Studio. This unit is ideally suited for a small apartment as it is not cumbersome or bulky. It has been fashioned in a metal frame on a minimalist look. It folds back flat for easy storage and transportation apart from its twin utility.

6. The brain cube

This brain cube unfolds into an amazing table with five chairs. It was created by Bulgarian designer Svilen Gamolov and is a compact functional unit. It instantly creates space for small gatherings at home or office meetings. This portable unit comprising five chairs and a table has been developed in collaboration with Irena Pamukova and Volen Valentinov. The portable units when not in use are wrapped up in a small cube for easy storage. This is truly a brainstorming furniture which is very easy to transport as well.

7. Portable furniture box from Isis design

This is a one in all furniture idea by Isis Design which solves the problem of moving your kitchen, beds and tables in bulky transportation. This portable unit includes bed, kitchen, table and chair all in a compact box to travel anywhere with you. This is a moving home that involves very little fuss as well as being neat in appearance.

DC-10 Cowling Bed to make your spirits fly sky high
by: The Design blog, 2011-11-16 12:36:57 UTC
Jaspreet Kaur Walia:

Traveling in a plane always comes tagged with excitement and has become the best mode of transport. An airplane takes us from one place to the other without consuming much time as compared to traveling by road or sea. Bringing the charm of an airplane in your bedroom is MotoArt, who have designed the DC-10 Cowling Bed. The bed will quench your thirst of owning aircraft furniture and will manage to fetch a lot of attention as well as compliments.

A bed is one of the most important pieces of furniture that forms a bedroom and brings it to life. It is that comfort coated zone in a room that can instantly soothe frazzled nerves and helps us relax after a long day. Normally beds are crafted using wood or metal but in this modern world even airplanes are being used to make this important piece of furniture. The silver-colored creation is round in shape and looks very appealing. It has been made from a real McDonnell Douglas DC-10 that had the capacity to carry a good 380 passengers at a time. This was swapped into an attention grabbing round bed that measures 84 inches.

The bed has been dipped in modernism and will perfectly blend in a contemporary setup. The cowling bed will be custom fabricated as per a buyer’s whims and fancies. It can be given a touch of your personality and hence will ornament the bedroom with its mystic aura. The facade of DC-10 Cowling Bed can be given various finishes that may vary from satin, mirror polish and a painted look. This will give a buyer a freedom of choice and make sure they get enough options to choose from while picking a perfect bed for their room.

DC-10 Cowling Bed is a quite large and has a diameter if 105 inches. Since the bed is quite wide, it has been crafted into two parts so that it can get through a standard doorway without any added effort or the fear of damaging it. The base of this cowling bed has been fitted with LEDs that will make it glow further. Lights have been wedged at the base and port holes that lends warmth and gives birth to a mesmerizing atmosphere. The LEDs create a romantic and truly sexy ambiance when dusk sets in or the lights are switched off.

DC-10 Cowling Bed will be a great addition at homes and will lift up the overall mood of the decor. It will bring the charm of airplanes in your life and will leave make sure you don’t miss the flying experience ever.

Via: Motoart

Ultrasonic nozzle promises better cleaning with less water
by: Gizmag Emerging Technology Magazine, 2011-11-14 18:50:09 UTC

In many industries, such as health care, food preparation and electronics manufacturing, cleanliness is of the utmost importance. It’s important enough that huge quantities of water are used – and left tainted – in order to remove contaminants. While some groups have concentrated on creating better cleansers, a team of scientists from the University of Southampton have taken a different approach. They’ve created an ultrasonic tap nozzle, that allows the water itself do a better job at cleaning. The better that a given amount of water is able to clean, the less of it that needs to be used... Continue Reading Ultrasonic nozzle promises better cleaning with less water

Section: Good Thinking

Tags: Cleaning, Ultrasonic, University of Southampton, Water Conservation

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Puma's New Tack on Sustainable Consumption: Compostable Clothes
by: Greener Design, 2011-11-14 15:33:49 UTC

In looking for a cradle-to-cradle solution to waste, the head of the sportswear line says that Puma is exploring how to make shoes, t-shirts and bags that are either compostable or recyclable.