TED: Jonathan Drori: The beautiful tricks of flowers - Jonathan Drori (2011)
by: TEDTalks (video), 2011-07-06 00:00:00 UTC
In this visually dazzling talk, Jonathan Drori shows the extraordinary ways flowering plants -- over a quarter million species -- have evolved to attract insects to spread their pollen: growing 'landing-strips' to guide the insects in, shining in ultraviolet, building elaborate traps, and even mimicking other insects in heat.

Applying the FSPUD Thinking: Council Workshop
by: VEIL - Victorian Eco Innovation Lab, 2011-07-12 07:55:57 UTC

“Linking different areas relevant to food security and sustainability to facilitate urban life.”

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Mini Battery Wizard
by: EnviroGadget, 2011-07-29 09:00:46 UTC

The Mini Battery Wizard allows you to recharge disposable batteries, the charger can take alkaline batteries and extend their useful life by up to 10 times.

The Mini Battery Wizard is a great way to help make use of batteries that would otherwise just be disposed of. No matter how committed we all are to using rechargeable batteries we all still end up with many disposable AA and AAA batteries. They turn up in remote controls, or are bought in an emergency, somehow they end up in homes everywhere, out of power, waiting to be disposed of. This mini battery charger can change all of that, the charger is able to recharge these  alkaline batteries quickly and effectively.

The Mini Battery Wizard actually reconditions the alkaline cells rather than recharging them, helping to make full use of the batteries chemical contents using a pulse wave charge system. The charger can take up to 4 batteries at any one time, and can be used to charge standard rechargeable batteries at the flick of a switch.

The Mini Battery Wizard is a great way to make use of batteries that would otherwise be disposed of. With disposable batteries being substantially cheaper than rechargeable ones it also can allow those without the means to buy many rechargeable batteries to increase the useful life of the disposable ones they have.

The Mini Battery Wizard is just £19.95.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Mini Battery Wizard article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

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Related posts:

1. Deluxe Battery Wizard – Standard Battery Recharger
2. Battery Wizard recharges Rechargeable and Non-Rechargeable Batteries
3. ReZAP Battery Engineer – Recycle Standard Batteries

Material ConneXion: Thai Materials Exhibition Photos, New York
by: Core77, 2011-07-30 01:54:37 UTC

We stopped by the 'Thai Materials' exhibition which recently opened at Material ConneXion's New York City headquarters. The show features a collection of products, prototypes and case studies that demonstrate practical uses for new and emerging eco-friendly materials from Thailand.

There's a broad range of indigenous materials to checkout including; papers made with banana plant fibers, edible packaging derived from casava starch, bio-active fabrics made with bacteria cultured in pineapple juice, and particle board made from recycled post-consumer denim.

The exhibition runs through till August 31, 2011, and you never know who you might see there—we just missed a McQueen-clad Daphne Guinness visiting the materials library.

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BMW i: A New Understanding of Mobility
by: Sustainable Design News, 2011-07-29 22:26:15 UTC
BMW i is about the development of visionary vehicles and mobility services, inspiring design and a new understanding of premium that is strongly defined by sustainability.

With BMW i the BMW Group is adopting an all-embracing approach, redefining the understanding of personal mobility with purpose-built vehicle concepts, a focus on sustainability throughout the value chain and a range of complementary mobility services.

The BMW i brand is now poised to enter the consciousness of the automotive public with two new vehicles.

3,000 Brick Castle Made Entirely From Human Hair!
by: Inhabitat , 2011-07-30 22:00:22 UTC

Lately we’ve seen designers utilize human hair in an incredible range of applications – from sunglasses for the masses to dresses for Lady Gaga, product packaging, and woven mats that keep weeds from growing rampant on lawns. Artists have also taken note – Agustina Woodgate has transformed strands from countless heads into a hair bricks that she uses to construct gigantic castles.

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Post tags: "I Wanted To Be A Princess", Agustina Woodgate, eco design, green design, hair bricks, hair castle, recycled hair, Spinello Gallery, sustainable design

Colorful Frii Concept Bike is Built from Injection-Molded Recycled Plastic
by: Inhabitat , 2011-07-31 04:00:35 UTC

Israeli industrial design student Dror Peleg has designed a colorful concept that combines two of our favorite things: cycling and recycling. Peleg’s Frii bike strays far from the norm – not only in material use, but in production – it’s made from recycled plastic that has been melted and injection molded into a lightweight, durable and colorful bike born anew.

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Post tags: bicycle concepts, bike concepts, cruiser bike, diy bike, Dror Peleg, green bicycles, green bikes, injection-molded bikes, injection-molding, plastic bike, plastic bottle bike, recycled bicycles, recycled bike, Recycled Materials, Recycled Plastic

Nuon Solar Team Reveals Super Aerodynamic Nuna6 Solar Powered Vehicle
by: Inhabitat , 2011-07-31 04:40:14 UTC

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Post tags: alternative transportation, green autotmotive design, green transportation, Nuna6 Solar Car, Nuon Solar Team, renewable energy, solar car, Solar Power, world solar challenge

Women In Green Forum 2011
by: Sustainable Design News, 2011-07-25 06:45:35 UTC
The Women In Green Forum (WIGF) will bring together renowned female professionals from the sustainability field to highlight women's impact on the environmental arena, promote sustainable products and emerging green companies, and provide opportunities for women to learn about careers in sustainability.

The event will attract an international audience focused on environmental issues, including academic researchers, business experts, energy analysts, and technology developers.

Nationwide Sustainable Housing Competition 2011
by: Sustainable Design News, 2011-07-26 18:47:25 UTC
Nationwide Building Society has launched the 2011 Nationwide Sustainable Housing Competition, in partnership with RIBA Competitions.

This year's theme is Regeneration and judges will be looking for affordable housing designs that demonstrate the reuse of buildings and materials.

The competition is open to registered architects as well as architectural students, and for the first time competitors can choose to base their submissions on a "real" site at Hillington Square in Kings Lynn, Norfolk, which is set to undergo extensive regeneration.