the pan allows you to mould miniature cakes in the form of a chair, lamp, side table, cabinet and vase.

french biochemist pierre calleja has developed a lamp for use as street lighting (as well as in indoor spaces) that absorbs more carbon dioxide than a tree, each unit eliminating 1 ton of emissions per year.

We are already tapping into wind and solar energy and tidal and geothermal energy are also being explored as viable alternate energy sources. The attention though as turned towards energy produced by humans and how most of it that goes to waste can be tapped into using both thermoelectricity and piezoelectric principle. The idea basically stems from the necessity to charge up all those millions of smartphones and MP3 players that keep us connected and entertained while we are on the move. Fifth-grader Ryan Gramp along with the help of those at Hopewell Crest Gifted and Talented program has manufactured shoes that will do exactly that.

iShoe invention by Ryan Gramp

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iShoe invention by Ryan Gramp

Hopewell Crest fifth-grader Ryan Gramp makes convenience green with iShoe invention.

Ryan likes to call his invention ‘iShoe’ and it has been designed to charge up your iPhone or iPod while on the move. Of course, you can pretty much charge up any other smartphone and MP3 players as well, but the name is inspired by the incident that kick started the idea for Ryan. He was playing one afternoon with his friends while listening to his iPod. Soon, the iPod ran out charge and Ryan was left wondering how he could charge it up while still running around with his friends.

The design of the iShoe is not too complicated, but it did take the 11-year old a bit of time to perfect it. The iShoe comes with a slide-on heel that sports kinetic energy micro-springs and there is a detachable battery pack inside that will charge up as you move around. Ten minutes of walking in these shoes should be enough to charge up your mobile for an hour. All you need to do is walk around and when your gadget runs out of charge just replace the battery with the battery pack in the shoe.

Ryan hopes to patent this idea somewhere down the line and hopes to generate enough money that will allow him to do so. And he should try and do so as we can totally see one of the big footwear companies picking up on the idea sooner than later…If they haven’t done so already!

Via: nj

There’s been a lot of talk about solar power and renewable energy lately. This has caused people to look beyond conventional fuel sources to sustainable alternatives that not only offer a cheap solution in the long run, but help preserve the environment as well. But solar energy and other similar renewables are still a relatively new concept especially in terms of utilizing the technology for home use. As such, for ordinary folk, solar systems appear to be exorbitantly priced and not quite worth the effort. A recent study conducted among Americans found that a high majority of the public are of the view that installing solar systems are very expensive.

97% of Americans Overestimate the Cost of Installing Solar Panels

For about 40 percent of those surveyed, it was found that 4 out of 10 adults think that solar system installations cost $20,000 or more. Just 3 percent were found to truly understand the cost of setting up such systems which is about $1,000 upfront. For 97 percent of the population, solar energy, while no doubt beneficial, is too expensive to consider.

The reality of solar system installation is very different. Sunrun, the US’s largest home solar company, invented a concept called solar power service wherein depending on customer requirements, it is sometimes possible to avail of this renewable resource without any upfront payment. Customers pay a small amount for solar energy to ensure predictable power costs for 20 years.

It is this notion that solar systems are expensive that prevent the masses from opting for renewables. This poses a huge setback to the green sector and contributes to the poor demand of green energy. As it is, most of the public are concerned over high utility costs with many struggling to pay off their bills. Once the misconceptions surrounding solar energy are dispelled, the United States could soon see a high demand for renewable energy.

Via: Marketwatch

An eco friendly water bottle that actually tells you how many plastic bottles you saved is truly an ingenious creation. Not only does this exploit inform you about the good turn you are doing, but it also goads you to take the same exemplary step in the future. The innovative concept will make all ecosavvy people more aware about their actions prodding them further to stick to their ethical life choices. The superb idea to quantify the number of plastic bottles one is saving is the brainchild of Fernd Van Engelen, an industrial designer from Artefact.

999Bottles

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999Bottles

A Water Bottle That Tracks Its Own Eco Impact

This merchandise, actually known as 999Bottle, is a simple reusable bottle that retails for $29. The bottle looks quite dapper as it has a metallic top half and a rubber base. Its wide mouth supports cleaning while its cap has a lanyard. Moreover, the eco friendly propaganda it supports is truly endearing. Every time you refill this bottle, you just have to move the dial forward by one notch, and the unique mechanism attached to the bottle will churn out amazing facts for you.

Its rubberized base bears a three digit dial that lets you know how many plastic bottles you saved by using this green tagged water container instead. An app attached to this piece actually converts all your environment conscious actions into useful and easy to understand statistics. Quite savvy, what say? The message is conveyed using catchy graphics and fun messages. Take a look at this one for instance - “You’ve saved 1,063 bottles! That’s equivalent to the height of the Eiffel Tower. Oui, oui!”

Via: Fastcodesign

I really don’t see the point in an electric citrus fruit squeezer. I own one and end up putting in manual labor to hold the orange in place with firm grip. I may as well invest in a classy juicer like the Edwin; it is sustainable and made from smooth ceramic and wood. Squeezing the fruit will give my fingers good exercise and no more worrying about repairs! Unless I get clumsy and break the ceramic component, I guess I’m all set.

Designer: Natalia Coll

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(My Orange Squeeze was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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Ask any designer and they’ll tell you the same thing- a winning balance of functional and aesthetic simplicity is harder to achieve than you might think. Take a few notes from the team at Bureau Puree because they’ve hit the nail on the head with this design: the Cone Lamp. It’s a gleaming example of simplicity and reduced design with a characteristic form.

Each Cone Lamp’s industrial glass funnel has its individual surface and structure. With the lamp switched off, its cone reflects the daylight and accentuates the low-key design. Its emanating light corresponds with the surrounding light and, depending on daylight intensity, produces various color temperatures and contrasting effects.

Designer: Bureau Puree

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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!
(Reduced to Beautiful was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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