Eco-Computer with a natural wood look
by: Fraunhofer Research News, 2012-08-01 07:59:00 UTC
Surfing for hours on the Internet consumes a lot of electricity and is harmful to the environment. However, a new ecological PC saves energy as it operates: It produces about 70 percent less CO2 than conventional computers. As the first computer of its class, it obtained the “EU Ecolabel,” the environmental label of the European Union.

TED: Timothy Prestero: Design for people, not awards - Timothy Prestero (2012)
by: TEDTalks (video), 2012-08-16 15:00:41 UTC
Timothy Prestero thought he'd designed the perfect incubator for newborns in the developing world -- but his team learned a hard lesson when it failed to go into production. A manifesto on the importance of designing for real-world use, rather than accolades. (Filmed at TEDxBoston.)

Light goes out for incandescent bulbs (News)
by: Euractive, 2012-08-31 14:56:51 UTC

After more than a century lighting up the world, the switch will be flicked off across the EU for the final time on incandescent bulbs on Saturday as the phased ban on their sale is completed.

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40 GW CHP Would Save $10bn a Year, Report Finds – But Barriers Remain
by: Environmental Leader, 2012-08-31 14:45:57 UTC
Achieving 40 GW of new combined heat and power by 2020 would save energy users $10 billion a year compared to current energy use and reduce emissions by 150 million metric tons of CO2 annually, according to a report by the Department of Energy and EPA. Combined Heat and Power: A Clean Energy Solution, released [...]

Tower Glassware by Sebastian Bergne
by: mocoloco, 2012-08-30 16:05:58 UTC

Sebastian Bergne has created a family of stackable glassware that celebrates water.

Meteorologists Say Climate Change Is Real and Human Caused
by: Triple Pundit: People, Planet, Profit, 2012-08-31 09:07:58 UTC

The American Meteorological Society (AMS) finally released an official position statement on climate change: it is occurring and it is human-caused.

The post Meteorologists Say Climate Change Is Real and Human Caused appeared first on Triple Pundit: People, Planet, Profit.

SmartThings is a Universal Smart System
by: Jetson Green, 2012-08-30 20:14:08 UTC

There’s an interesting Kickstarter campaign right now for an innovation called SmartThings.  SmartThings is a Minnesota-based company and an open platform to connect everyday things to the internet to monitor, control, and automate.  The company wants to add “intelligence to everyday things in your world, so that your life can be more awesome.“  It consists of a hub, “things,” maker tools, a cloud platform, and mobile app.

For example, at launch, SmartThings will be able to connect with a smart power outlet, open/shut sensor, motion sensor, and presence sensor.  Developers and makers will be able to use the platform to connect all sorts of devices and create new SmartApps.

SmartThings will use funding to bring the system to market and enable more devices, such as door locks, thermostats, temperature and humidity sensors, in-wall switches, smoke alarms, CO alarms, moisture and flood sensors, vibration and pressure sensors, etc.  Kickstarter pre-order pricing includes the hub and three connected things for $199.

[+] More about making home smart with SmartThings.

Related Articles on JetsonGreen.com:

1. Allure Intros EverSense Thermostat System
2. Vivint Upgrades Home Energy Offering
3. Cloud-Based Smart Watering: Cyber Rain

Design vs Craft: An Argument that Designers Are Delusional If They Think They Can Change Anything
by: TreeHugger Design, 2012-08-31 15:28:00 UTC
An essay by a design student makes some cogent arguments that poke holes in many of our closely held beliefs

sustainable LED street lighting - urban star by west 8 + philips
by: Designboom - Weblog, 2012-08-30 15:35:00 UTC

the system uses a soft green lighting ambience to help reduce the impact on nocturnal bird-life and cycles of local vegetation.

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eurobike awards 2012: gold award winners
by: Designboom - Weblog, 2012-08-31 03:02:00 UTC

of 439 entries from 28 countries, eight gold award winners were selected from this year's competition for their product innovation including an e-bike, cycling garments and hydraulic racing bike brake system.

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