French group launches green rating service for shoppers (News)
by: Euractive, 2012-12-03 06:49:14 UTC
A French organisation has launched a system which allows consumers to evaluate the health and environmental impact of the products they buy, by giving each item a ‘green’ rating.
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A New Platform For Real Charity Online
by: fast company, 2012-12-10 19:30:10 UTC
It’s not crowdfunding a project. Sometimes people just need help paying for health care or food. HopeMob can connect needy users to people on the Internet who are willing to help them.
Giving to charitable organizations is awesome, but donors are often left wondering how much of their hard-earned cash is actually going to the cause. Donations to the Red Cross after Hurricane Sandy, for example, are much more likely to go toward blood services than to rebuilding storm-torn cities.
HopeMob, a kind of Kickstarter for charitable giving, hopes to change all that. Today they announced a new free-to-use online platform for charitable giving. In the past, donation platforms have skimmed 2 to 15 cents off the top of each transaction. HopeMob will cover the processing costs of any donations, making sure that every dollar donated to a cause actually goes to that cause.
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2013 Rube Goldberg Machine Design Competition Now Seeking Entries
by: Core77, 2012-12-10 23:00:00 UTC
Over the years we've covered our share of impressive Rube Goldberg machines, from human-powered to suitcase-sized, and created from the likes of "Brooklyn's Rube Goldberg" to alternative band OK Go.
The next one we cover might be yours—Rube Goldberg, Inc., is now accepting applications for the 2013 Rube Goldberg Machine Contest.
Open to college and secondary school students only, the theme of this year's competition is "Hammer a Nail." Entrants have to design a machine no large than six cubic feet that accomplishes this with a minimum of 20 steps from start to finish, in two minutes or less. Beyond those regulations, limitations are few: You can't use open flame, explosives, hazardous materials, or live animals.
Igus, the plastic machine parts company we looked at in an earlier post, is one of the sponsors for this year's competition. That being the case, they're willing to supply free parts—flanges, bearings, linear slides, aluminum shafting—for entrants to use in their designs. You can request Igus samples and information on available parts here.
(more...)
Naturoscopie II by Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance
by: Dezeen, 2012-12-10 14:54:26 UTC
Design Miami: French designer Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance has launched a white variation of his leaf-like LED lighting, which fades and flickers like dappled light coming through trees. (more…)
LuminAR Bulb transforms any surface into a touch screen
by: Gizmag Emerging Technology Magazine, 2012-12-07 14:41:45 UTC
We've all seen gigantic touch screens on the news or in movies, but what if you could achieve the same type of interface by simply replacing the bulb in your desk lamp? That's the idea behind the LuminAR, developed by a team led by Natan Linder at the MIT Media Lab's Fluid Interfaces Group. It combines a Pico-projector, camera, and wireless computer to project interactive images onto any surface - and is small enough to screw into a standard light fixture...
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LuminAR Bulb transforms any surface into a touch screen
Section: Research Watch
Tags: Augmented Reality,
Gestures,
Interface,
MIT,
Touch Screen
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3D printing of electronic products could “revolutionise the world around us”
by: Dezeen, 2012-12-09 22:28:10 UTC
News: engineers at a UK university have printed working electronic devices for the first time using a standard 3D printer fitted with a new type of plastic that conducts electricity. (more…)
An Experiment in Sustainability: The Treehouse by baumraum
by: design milk, 2012-12-06 18:00:38 UTC
German firm baumraum, led by architect Andreas Wenning, recently built The Treehouse as a spot for businesses to work on ways to improve the planet’s future. The idea began when Sappi, an international paper maker, and their communication’s agency, Proximity BBDO, banded together with The Flemish Forest and Nature Agency and the city of Hechtel-Eksel to form a partnership that would encourage companies and organizations to become more sustainable during their daily practice. The result is The Treehouse, which is outfitted as a “state-of-the-art eco facilities located in the forests of Hechtel-Eksel, Belgium.”
The design is based on five elements: the two cabins on different levels, the connecting terraces, the staircase, and the joint roof.
The entire structure sits on 19-angled steel stilts that anchor to the ground with foundation screws.
The lower cabin features a coffee lounge, pantry, restroom, and technology room.
They were able to incorporate a C02 neutral system to heat and cool the spaces.
All lights are LED to minimize consumption and in the bathroom, daylight and motion sensors were installed to prevent waste.
Photos by Markus Bollen.
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© 2012 Design Milk | Posted by Caroline in Architecture | Permalink | 5 comments
Scientists copy structure of cork to produce 3D blocks of graphene
by: Gizmag Emerging Technology Magazine, 2012-12-06 22:09:59 UTC
Imagine how limiting it would be if steel, wood or plastic only existed in the form of thin sheets. Well, that’s been the case so far when it comes to graphene. While its incredible strength and high conductivity make it very useful in things like
semiconductors,
batteries and
solar cells, there’s no doubt that it would be even more useful if it could be produced in three-dimensional blocks. Scientists at Australia’s Monash University have now managed to do just that – by copying the structure of cork.
..
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Scientists copy structure of cork to produce 3D blocks of graphene
Section: Science and Education
Tags: Biomimicry,
Graphene,
Monash University
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Nano-sandwich material claimed to boost solar cell efficiency by 175 percent
by: Gizmag Emerging Technology Magazine, 2012-12-07 23:24:25 UTC
One of the main reasons that solar cells aren’t more efficient at converting sunlight into electricity is because much of that sunlight is reflected off the cell, or can’t be fully absorbed by it. A new sandwich-like material created by researchers at Princeton University, however, is claimed to dramatically address that problem – by minimizing reflection and increasing absorption, it reportedly boosts the efficiency of organic solar cells by 175 percent.
..
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Nano-sandwich material claimed to boost solar cell efficiency by 175 percent
Section: Science and Education
Tags: Efficiency,
Nanotechnology,
Princeton,
Solar Cell
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Eco Runway- Where recycling is all the fashion
by: Ecofriend, 2012-12-05 05:27:46 UTC
Eco friendly fashion ruling the runways
Today’s generation of fashion designers along with wonder organizations are beginning a brand new revolution-the revolution. From warming to saving Mother Nature and considerations on spendthrift fashion, the twenty first century vogue is wide “going green”. To these eco-friendly vesture distributors and cosmetics makers, everything from dresses right down to shoes and makeup must be earth friendly. Life cycle within the fashion business to them is not merely concerning keeping in contact with what is cool and hip, however a lot of concerning the priority on what happens to their wholesale dresses and makeup bottles when they are out of season and empty.
In Paris, Pedro Lourenco, a budding Brazilian designer displayed his assortment with a subject matter, “Diana the Huntress”. His dresses clearly depicts of a human girl living in shut reference to nature. Sophia Kokosalaki’s assortment was a mirrored image of her childhood days in Greece. The fabric pants with rippled materials and dresses embellished with gold coated matchsticks ar a transparent depiction of a burning forest, a on the quiet respect to last summer’s fires in Greece. In last week’s L. A. Fashion Week displayed the inexperienced Initiative Humanitarian Fashion Show, which gave designers a brand new look in eco-fashion. The show featured eco-friendly designers Emily issue, Lizzie Parker, and Puridee.
Emily started out the “green” catwalk together with her horny silhouettes that used organic fibers, non-hazardous dye, and saved materials. Lizzie found out her work/night out ensemble victimization organic materials. Her eco-fashion vogue combined with exquisite accessories artfully exuded skillfulness and aptitude. Meanwhile, Puridee stomped the runway with ferociously female and seductive organic wedding dresses manufactured from silk that was organically raised and woven by hand. Following the style designers’ revolution is that the beauty business. in an exceedingly study conducted by Mintel in 2008, forty % of the ladies surveyed aforementioned that the eco-friendly packaging of cosmetics matters lots in their buying call.
The green revolution in fashion
The study led to a major modification in packing strategies and materials employed in beauty product, even within the sort of energy employed in the assembly like energy-efficient bulbs. corporations are unceasingly finding ways in which to create their product as Earth-friendly as doable by victimization organic and renewable substances, e.g., Mineral FX’s perishable corn rosin jar and also the recycled jar of Aveda’s inexperienced Science Firming ointment.
The goal of revolution is to use natural resources a lot of reasonably. However, is it enough to alter the world, not entirely? However, a stiletto-sized step frontwards can take U.S. farther than expected. The style and wonder business could be a extremely cogent world. Organic fashion made for the runway, “green” beauty product, and eco-friendly factory-made wholesale apparels is definitely a smart move towards saving our sick planet.
About the eco runway project
Eco Runway may be a take-off of project Runway, the popular style reality competition hosted by Heidi Klum. Within the BHS version, thirty-six students in 9 groups transpire within the six-week competition to style, execute and send 2 outfits down the runway; one avant garde and one off-the-shelf. The eco catch was that a minimum of fifty % of the materials utilized in every style were to be made up of recycled or found objects.
Team ReNew, consisting of Sophia Schwertl and Charlotte Griffiths with models Aoife Rynne and Kenyu Hoshina, won the competition overall with their technologically-inspired styles. The CaTeMs, Connie mythologist and Megan Bower, with models Juliana full general and Alecia Hollis, were awarded best avant garde style for his or her dress, the lowest half that was created out of opened umbrellas for a awfully dramatic silhouette.
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