This App Will Get You Moving 30 Minutes A Day––No Excuses
by: Co.Exist, 2013-09-10 12:30:00 UTC

There's a new health–monitoring app or device launched every day lately. But entrepreneur Renato Valdés Olmos is, perhaps, uniquely qualified to create one.

"I used to weigh 320 pounds, and I got that down to about 176," Valdés Olmos says, mostly through simple life changes like walking instead of taking the car or the bus, cycling, and taking the stairs.

Now he's hoping that his new app Human.co, launched last week, can help others produce similar change in their lives, by providing people a simple visual marker of how much daily activity they've done.

Users who download the app need only activate it and keep their phone in their bag or pocket. If they start moving for more than a minute, the tracker kicks in, and based on speed, can tell if users are walking, running, or bicycling (or driving or taking public transit, which would be disqualified). A circular counter slowly fills in as users work toward 30 minutes of daily activity.

There's no option to set your own goal––just the baseline that everybody should move 30 minutes a day. It's "the best form of preventive medicine, and the single best thing you can actually do for your health," he says.

Valdés Olmos thinks that Human.co's emphasis on minimum daily activity will distinguish the app from other health trackers on the market. "There's a very large market of people who don't want to make a commitment as big as slapping down $150 for a wearable device. At the other side of the spectrum, you have these other companies focusing on high–intensity activities."

But Valdés Olmos says that those products appeal mostly to people that are already fit. "They made a commitment; they're mostly healthy. But there's a very large group of people that don't reach the minimum amount of moving 30 minutes per day." These people, he says, may not be into the labor–intensive fastidiousness of other self–quantifying apps that require data input.

The app is free as Human.co works to grow. Although the kind of data that Human.co collects could potentially be valuable for insurance companies eager to monitor the health of their insured, Valdés Olmos says that the company will maintain a "direct and transparent approach on how we collect our data."

"Insurance companies are very interested in how their customers move," Valdés Olmos points out. But he says they won't be selling any data without user consent. The most important thing, he says, is that users trust the app.

Greener alternatives to spray foam insulation
by: TreeHugger Design, 2013-09-09 14:53:07 UTC
Some green builders say the risk of installing spray polyurethane foam is too high. Here are some safer and more sustainable alternatives.

Biobulb is a bacteria-powered light bulb
by: TreeHugger Science, 2013-09-04 12:04:17 UTC
This lightbulb will rely on bioluminescent bacteria for illumination rather than electricity.

zaha hadid: new national stadium of japan venue for tokyo 2020 olympics
by: Designboom - Weblog, 2013-09-10 09:30:40 UTC

with the announcement of tokyo winning the bid to host the 2020 olympic and paralympic games, comes confirmation that zaha hadid architects 'new national stadium of japan' will act as a major venue for athletic events, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies.

The post zaha hadid: new national stadium of japan venue for tokyo 2020 olympics appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

BMW i8 electric supercar debuts at 2013 frankfurt motor show
by: Designboom - Weblog, 2013-09-10 14:20:43 UTC

BMW has unveiled the production version of their first purely electrically powered high performance vehicle.

The post BMW i8 electric supercar debuts at 2013 frankfurt motor show appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

DuPont Sustainable Fiber Hits Fashion Week Runway
by: Environmental Leader, 2013-09-10 14:19:00 UTC
DuPont and the American Chemistry Council are among the organizations rolling out sustainable fabrics and initiatives during New York Fashion Week. DuPont has collaborated with women’s fashion brand Cushnie et Ochs, which showcased conceptual designs made with DuPont Sorona fiber down its runway. Sonora replaces a traditionally petrochemical-based ingredient with one made with a renewably [...]

Auto Industry Close to EU Car Emissions Goals
by: Environmental Leader, 2013-09-10 14:41:32 UTC
European automakers reduced average new car emissions by 2.5 percent to 132.4 grams per kilometer in 2012, putting the industry on track to meet binding emissions goals for 2015, according to a report by the European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E). The EU’s 2015 target is for new cars to generates emissions at or [...]

EPA Web Tool Helps Manufacturers Choose Safer Chemicals
by: Environmental Leader, 2013-09-10 14:54:48 UTC
The EPA has launched a web-based tool that it says will help manufacturers choose safer ingredients to use in everyday products. The tool, called ChemView, improves access to chemical specific regulatory information developed by the EPA and data submitted under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). By increasing health and safety information, as well as [...]

INDEX: Award 2013 Winners
by: design milk, 2013-09-10 15:00:37 UTC

We headed to Copenhagen to attend the INDEX: Award 2013 show where they focus on recognizing “Design to Improve Life”. INDEX received over 1,000 designs from 73 countries and the reputable jury of leading design thinkers from around the world had the task of narrowing the pool down to 59 finalists. From there, 5 deserving winners (see below!) were chosen and revealed during a really unique award show that was a cross between a live news program and a theater production. With Danish news anchor, Steffen Kretz, at the mic and 1,500 guests including HRH The Crown Princess of Denmark (and me!), the winners were unveiled amongst sound effects and a roomful of excitement.

A Tesla, an INDEX: Award 2007 winner, was driven in right beside me (that’s me right behind the emcee!) proving that INDEX designs are viable and market-worthy.

The first of the five finalists (in no particular order) is Raspberry Pi, a PC that fits in the palm of your hand and gives people around the world access to computers. Computer scientists at the University of Cambridge, led by Eben Upton, noticed a decline in the number and skill level of students every year applying to study this field. At the cost of $25 per unit, Raspberry Pi is highly affordable and the hope is that it will encourage young people to rediscover Computer Science as a future career.

From Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde comes Smart Highway who believes that roads should communicate with drivers in hopes of becoming more safe and efficient as far as traffic goes. Over the last several decades, much research and money has gone into developing smarter cars but the same can’t be said for our roads, so Roosegaarde aims to change that with Smart Highway. The five-step plan involves modernizing European roads by embedding technology to visually communicate with the car and its driver by telling you when the road is slippery or charging your electric car while you drive.

“The goal is to make roads more sustainable and interactive by using light, energy and road signs that automatically adapt to the traffic situation.”

If you think about how much food goes to waste and how that food could have fed people in need, it’s mind-blowing. Kavita Shukla took an old family remedy and came up with FreshPaper, by Fenugreen, a simple sheet of paper infused with organic spices that keeps produce fresh for 2 – 4x longer. FreshPaper inhibits bacterial and fungal growth on fruits and vegetables which not only will help everyday people with spoilage, but in the hands of farmers, the product could extend the food supply for the globe.

The Danish capital of Denmark won for their Climate Adaptation Plan that offers solutions to the climate changes with one master plan. The city of Copenhagen will benefit from taking action now to become a climate-proof city with three key levels of adaptation that include: minimizing potential damage that comes up due to climate change, warning and response systems, and a preventative infrastructure to help cope with damage, loss, and traffic disruptions.

Last, but not least, The Natalie Collection won for their trio of solutions that’s designed to reduce child and maternal death. Developed by Norwegian company Laerdal Global Health, The Natalie Collection is a set of durable and affordable products that help train midwives and birth attendants with necessary life-saving skills.

Watch the 60-minute ceremony:

Photos courtesy of INDEX: Design to Improve Life, except for the first two.

Our trip to Copenhagen was generously provided by INDEX: Design to Improve Life.

Great energy-saving gadgets for your home
by: The Design blog, 2013-09-05 06:32:23 UTC

Not all green gadgets are alike. Many of these claim to save energy at your home, while these actually do not serve that purpose. Here are some environmentally sound gadgets that make your home look stylish and actually reduce the consumption of energy at your home.

Standby Buster

Now, you can remotely switch off your electrical appliances that are on standby. The Standby Buster plug lets you do this using a remote. As a single remote can control up to four plugs, you can comfortably keep a check on various devices from different rooms. This helps you save energy that is unnecessarily being consumed by several appliances in your house. This green device saves highly on your monthly energy bills.

ECO Kettle

This is another great gadget that consumes over 30 percent less power than a standard kettle you use to boil water for cooking purposes. In addition, it only boils the amount of water you actually require. This is done using its upper and lower chambers. While the upper chamber stores cold water, the lower chamber allows you to boil only the released amount of water from the upper chamber. You can release as much water as required at a single time. Thus, you do not end up wasting additional amount of energy in boiling extra water.

Battery Wizard

This recharger has the ability to recharge all your standard batteries. At a negligible cost, Battery Wizard can recharge your batteries up to 10 times. You can soon make up for the money you spend on purchasing this effective energy-saving gadget.

Eco Button

This wonderful device saves your computer’s energy to a great extent. It simply allows you to push a button to make your computer go to the energy-saving mode. This can be done whenever you move away from your computer for a few minutes. You can later move your mouse or press any key on the keyboard to turn on the computer and return to the normal working mode. Depending on your computer usage, the Eco Button pays back its cost within two-three months. Additionally, it keeps a track of your energy savings and the total cost you have saved at a point in time.

BioBulb

Using less than 75 percent of energy than a standard bulb uses, this BioBulb is a good saver of energy and emitter of thrice the natural light that a standard bulb emits. It offers a great value addition while reducing your energy bills.