Teens convert pizza boxes into solar-powered ovens
by: Ecofriend, 2011-05-27 09:14:06 UTC
Piyaliswamy:

The most effective way to reduce our carbon footprint and enhance environmental sustainability is to reach out to the newer and younger generations and help them realize the ecological cause. Delivering the eco friendly message in a fun way will definitely yield better results than to be preachy or boring. What better way than to combine a free pizza party with solar cooking and add in great enthusiasm. Well, effectively a group of students in New York city have exactly found out this easier fun way of reaching out the greener mode of cooking to the masses.

With pizzas being the hot favorites of the young as well as older groups, a group of students from Brooklyn’s James Madison and Edward R. Murrow high schools have targeted an easy green method of catching the eye of all and that without being preachy. They have designed a greener mode of making your own pizza not in an electric oven but in solar-powered pizza boxes. Off to flaunt their new found secret in the streets of Manhattan, NYC, these green ovens or pizza boxes, they claimed can heat up to 200-degrees on a hot day which is more than required to cook a pizza.

Better than burning away fossil fuel at home these pizza boxes designed by the students are covered with tin foil and are completely safe for the food to get cooked evenly with no fear of getting burnt. The effort initiated by these students to spread the green awareness is worth mentioning more than the outcome as such warm participation and enthusiasm is not to get easily lost in a crowd of busy minds. It is generally observed that young minds with their purchasing patterns, life-style choices and networks with schools, universities, clubs, and sports can influence a wider world and influence communities, companies and countries to a greater cause that needs immediate attention and significance. And who knows with a steady rise in the prices of conventional fuels we might try out these handy green cooking boxes the next time the sun seems too bright for an outdoor pizza party.

Via: Gothamist

Mecanno to create a sustainable campus for Moscow's national university
by: Ecofriend, 2011-05-27 09:27:59 UTC
Scribblerover:

Mecanoo, a Dutch architectural firm, is all set to show its marvelous landscaping skills in designing the new campus for the National University of Science and Technology (MISiS), a leading technical university of Russia. Known for its designing, the Dutch practice aspires to showcase its scientific excellence in creating a unique and attractive living and working environment for thousands of students and academics. The 100-acre campus will be located in a new district of Moscow and will house seven departments, research institutes, a library, business center, hotel, Sports Park, cinema and a variety of shops and cafes.

The campus is to be built in a naturally beautiful setting with forest and valley lake as its prominent features. The campus plans to adopt the natural setting as the campus core, where the park becomes the central public meeting place for staff, students and scientists. The planning flexibility will also allow future growth. The campus residence typology is based on the principles of courtyard and is hence been divided into townhouses and patios. The campus heart is car-free, which apart from reducing pollution helps in creating a cohesive and pedestrian-friendly campus.

The MISiS reflects the character of the university through smart sustainability strategies that includes a 45 degree orientation to maximize natural light. Moreover, the entire campus will be built mostly from local materials and the use of prefabricated elements will be maximized to save on construction time and energy. In addition, features such as climate walls, thermal heat and cold storage systems and rainwater harvesting systems will also be included.

Via: Bustler

Concept Kitchen by Kilian Schindler for Naber
by: Dezeen, 2011-05-27 09:54:51 UTC

German designer Kilian Schindler has created this adaptable modular kitchen system for German kitchen accessories brand Naber. (more…)

Ancient Puzzle Meets Modern Table
by: Yanko Design, 2011-05-26 07:01:08 UTC

Inspired by Japanese puzzle games, this simple table solution, appropriately named JOIN, can be assembled in a matter of minutes (without any tools!) by linking its 3 oak legs into a combination devil’s knot. The untreated base supports a circular smoked glass top measuring 750mm in diameter and can be quickly disassembled for storage or shipment. A DIY flat-pack design that’s as easy as it is fun to put together.

JOIN table travels as a part of the “Design Deutschland 2011″ exhibition – curated by the German Design Council – from the FuoriSalone in Milan to the ICFF in New York and finally  to the Business of Design Week in Hong Kong.

Tour dates:
- Milan, FuoriSalone, Spazio Carrozzeria, Via Tortona. 12-17 April 2011
- New York, ICFF International Contemporary Furniture Fair, 14-17 May 2011
- Hong Kong, Business of Design Week, 1-3 December 2011

Designer: Ding 3000

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Leone Series 01 by Lanzavecchia + Wai
by: Dezeen, 2011-05-25 10:39:10 UTC

Italian-Singaporean studio Lanzavecchia + Wai created these paper lamps in collaboration with a Singaporean craftsman who makes masks for a traditional lion dance. (more…)

Lumber by Jamie McLellan for Fletcher Systems
by: Dezeen, 2011-05-26 09:00:10 UTC

Jamie McLellan has designed this chair for New Zealand brand Fletcher Systems using traditional log-cabin knuckle joints. (more…)

A Folding Kitchen Inaugurates the Field of Existential Design
by: TreeHugger Design, 2011-05-26 16:30:25 UTC
All Images Courtesy of Goran Bjelajac On TreeHugger, we've featured some pretty crazy ways to space, from showering in the living room to hiding your bed on the ceiling. But what about the kitchen? How to pack the fridge, sink, dishwasher, counter, and oven into a tight space? The answer, it turns out, is to fold them up. But is it still a kitchen?... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Recycled Road Sign Furniture by Boris Bally (Photos)
by: TreeHugger Design, 2011-05-26 20:06:25 UTC
Photos: courtesy of Boris Bally The orphaned road sign is a common trophy in college dorm rooms, pubs and the like, but Rhode Island-based artist Boris Bally takes it a step further design-wise by converting them into graphically striking furniture pieces. Bally calls his furniture "humanufactured" -- meaning that it's all done by hand -- hand-fabricated, pierced, brake-formed and finished. Here's more of his outstanding furniture and home accessories, all visually surprising and all handcrafted from "the dissected remains of street signs".... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Invest In China To Make Money On Renewables: Report
by: fast company, 2011-05-26 15:31:43 UTC

A new survey determines that China is the most attractive country for renewable energy installations based on the size of its national renewable energy markets, renewable energy infrastructures, and suitability for individual technologies.

In a resource-constrained world, any country with the ability to build out a clean energy infrastructure is going to have an advantage. While we'd like to think that American ingenuity and elbow grease would put us in a good position, it increasingly appears that China--land of coal-fired power plants and endless smog--is at the forefront.

According to Ernst & Young's quarterly Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Indices, China is the most attractive country for renewable energy installations based on the size of its national renewable energy markets, renewable energy infrastructures, and suitability for individual technologies (i.e. wind and solar). The country has held the top spot since August 2010 thanks to some ambitious targets (11.3% of energy generated by non-fossil fuels by 2015) and support for shallow water offshore wind--something the U.S. has had plenty of trouble with.

We can see evidence of China's attractiveness in the amount of money invested in the country's clean energy sector--in 2010, private renewable energy investment in the country grew by 39% from the previous year to $54.4 billion in funding.

The U.S. isn't failing too badly, though. The country is in second place due to its support of utility scale solar (like all those giant solar projects in the desert). But the U.S.'s score hasn't budged since last quarter, mainly because the future of its clean energy policy depends on whether Obama's 2012 budget increases for renewable energy pan out. India, Germany, and Italy round out the top five for their support for solar and wind.

Perhaps the unluckiest country in the rankings is Japan, which dropped three spots to number 18 because of its focus on natural gas and oil imports--mostly a result of the Fukushima disaster that took a portion of the country's nuclear capacity offline. Unfortunately, that doesn't make Japan a particularly attractive country for renewable energy dollars (though this may be about to change with reported plans for massive solar installations).

If you've got money to invest in renewable energy, China is the place to be right now. Because when an autocratic government focuses on something, they focus hard.

[Image: Flickr user Peter Fuchs]

Reach Ariel Schwartz via Twitter or email.

Read More: China Wins 2010 Clean Energy Race With $54.4 Billion in Funding

New Fuel-Economy Stickers Provide Info That's Actually Helpful To Car Buyers
by: fast company, 2011-05-25 18:58:15 UTC

Provided with real information, will car buyers start making more informed decisions?

When you're purchasing a car, it's easy to see the gas mileage of your potential new rides. They're plastered right there on the window; a helpful tip from the EPA. But does a car getting 25 miles per gallon really mean anything, except that it's more fuel efficient than a 20 mpg car? That sticker doesn't tell you much about how mileage is going to affect your life. That's why the EPA redesigned the stickers--they were released today--to help people better understand what they're getting when they buy a 12-mpg gas guzzler, and perhaps nudge people in the right direction.

 

As you can see, as compared to the old sticker (left) the new sticker offers a wealth of information. Perhaps most importantly--but sadly still buried--is the inclusion of gallons per mile, a much better and more common-sense way of measuring fuel economy that scientists have been pushing to have included for years. Miles per gallon isn't actually a linear scale: Increasing your fuel economy from 10 to 20 mpg saves much more gas than increasing it from 20 to 30, making it a fairly useless measure of improvement without a calculator handy. But gallons per mile is more sensible and is comparable across the board. You now know how much gas you'll use in a 100 mile trip.

The addition of how much cash you'll save on gas as compared to the average car should also cause some major behavioral changes in the car lot. For some gas guzzlers, that number is going to be negative. Are people really going to purchase cars that they know use more gas than average?

The new labels also include options for all sorts of alternative-fuel vehicles. The electric-car sticker shows kilowatt hours per mile, charging time, and how long you can go on one charge. And these cars rate highest on the greenhouse-gas rating scale. Concern over greenhouse gas seems as though it's not a primary driver of car decisions, but those nearly $10,000 of savings should be.

The EPA, now fully embracing the future, even employs QR codes on all stickers, so you can get the information right on your phone. The stickers will be required on all cars model 2013 or later. Will they change car-buying trends? Remains to be seen, but if people are paying attention and like saving money, they should.

[Top image: Flickr user David Hilowitz. All others: EPA]

Follow Fast Company on Twitter. Morgan Clendaniel can be reached by email or on Twitter.