Design Competition on the Future of Urban Mobility
by: Core77, 2012-03-13 16:00:00 UTC

Remember the big deal over the statistic that half of the world's population now lives in cities? That's nothing compared to projections for the year 2050, which say two-thirds of Earthlings will live in urban areas. Our planet is practically going to start looking like the entirely urban Star Wars planet of Coruscant.

That being the case, traffic is going to be bad, making the current Los Angeles rush hour look like frickin' Nurburgring. Cars are not going to cut it. To address this, forward-thinking, global transportation company Bombardier is sponsoring the YouCity Innovation Competition, seeking design concepts for "the future of urban mobility."

The competition will be divided into two tasks:

Task 1: The candidates will start by drawing an overview of the current and upcoming issues and bottlenecks of their target city's urban mobility, and provide a more detailed analysis of the most important one(s). They will then have to come up with a solution to the challenge(s) analyzed earlier. The candidates will present a concept that will solve or significantly improve the current situation, or that will prevent a future issue. The most important is to be concrete and specific!

Task 2: The second task is about a fully comprehensive and holistic approach. How does the proposal fit in the global picture for that city? This final proposal should combine all of the 3 aspects: Engineering, Business and Urban planning. Therefore, the candidates are strongly invited to collaborate and enrich their concept with ideas from other work streams than their own!

Registration's open now, and the competition officially beings on April 16th. Click here for more info.

(more...)

Hydroformed Car Parts are Lighter, Cheaper, Study Says
by: Environmental Leader, 2012-03-14 14:00:21 UTC
Hydroforming metals produces lighter vehicle parts in a less expensive way than state-of-the-art stamping and welding processes, according to research by pressure sequence hydroforming company Vari-Form. The engineering study shows that hydroforming front end, body side, and rear floor structures achieves, on average, an 11 percent piece cost reduction, a 14 percent tooling cost reduction and [...]

3 Ways Retailers Can Help Suppliers Tackle Sustainability
by: Environmental Leader, 2012-03-14 14:22:44 UTC
I recently wrote an article Seven Sustainability Trends to Watch in 2012, where I opined that retailers (not government, consumers, or even “business in general”) are the driving force behind sustainability this year. I was therefore pleased to read the recently-released Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) 2012 Retail Sustainability Report. Based on interviews with representatives from [...]

Chopping Board Experience Gets Better
by: Yanko Design, 2012-03-13 10:31:21 UTC

So how about this, a chopping board that features strategic slits. Why? So that you can use the same board as an impromptu colander and rinse out the veggies without any fuss! Very helpful and a easy to store, this simplistic board is made with polypropylene, which is flexible and skid-proof.

Filter Plate is a 2011 red dot design concept winner.

Designers: Weng Hao-Gin & Ke Shiang-Yin

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Yanko Design
Timeless Designs - Explore wonderful concepts from around the world!
Yanko Design Store - We are about more than just concepts. See what's hot at the YD Store!
(Chopping Board Experience Gets Better was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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Keep Moving
by: Yanko Design, 2012-03-14 07:00:32 UTC

The Osca Task Chair is the result of a study into how a seat could be designed to encourage active movement during a static task, such as desk work, versus current market designs that do little for the dynamic nature of the human body. A rocking base encourages movement and balance while contoured cushions embrace the form of the body for enhanced ergonomics. The final product is not only functionally healthy, but aesthetically distinct from the classic, banal office chair.

Designer: Jessica Cassar

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Yanko Design
Timeless Designs - Explore wonderful concepts from around the world!
Yanko Design Store - We are about more than just concepts. See what's hot at the YD Store!
(Keep Moving was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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1. Keep Moving With A Little Help
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Dystar Launches Textile Industry Supply Chain Tools
by: Environmental Leader, 2012-03-13 14:13:26 UTC
DyStar Textile Services has launched a range of programs designed to help audit and recommend sustainable options for the textile industry supply chain. DyStar’s Sustainable Textile Service offers four supply chain development programs to brands, retailers and their industry partners: 1.    Restricted Substance List Development 2.    Textile Mill Efficiency Improvement 3.    Chemical Management Improvement 4.    Environmental Improvement The four programs are [...]

Standards & Compliance Briefing: GHG Protocol for Products, Cradle to Cradle, B Lab, Climate Registered
by: Environmental Leader, 2012-03-13 13:52:45 UTC
BT has become the first company in the world to have product carbon footprints independently verified by the Carbon Trust to the new GHG Protocol Product Standard 1. The standard covers three of BT’s consumer products: the BT Home Hub router, the BT Vision+ digital set-top box and the BT Graphite 2500 DECT phone, the [...]

How Interface Led the Way in Sustainability
by: Environmental Leader, 2012-03-13 10:51:02 UTC
For Interface and others like them, learning sustainable manufacturing was a process of trial and error. In this short video, Dr. Mona Amodeo of idgroup shares three things Interface did at the start that set them on the right path to sustainability.

FSC-Certified Clamp Lamp on Your Desk
by: Jetson Green, 2012-03-13 06:37:58 UTC

Check out this Clamp Lamp by Dana Cannam for manufacturer Pablo.  The woodsy light is made with FSC-certified maple, walnut, or white oak and latches on to your desk with two wooden fingers.  Light is provided with 108 LEDs that output between 700-1200 lumens at 3000 K for a 50,000 hour lifespan.  The light can be adjusted with a hi-low switch and is listed as using a mere 8 watts.  Clamp Lamp is pending Energy Star certification and sells for about $350-400.

[+] More about Clamp Lamp available via Pablo.

Credits: Pablo. 

Related Articles on JetsonGreen.com:

1. Egle LED Table Lamp from Artemide
2. Natural FSC Certified Flooring from Mafi
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LaCucinaAlessi by Wiel Arets
by: mocoloco, 2012-03-12 16:44:00 UTC