Environment
Latest
In-car DriveMaster Pro nags you about killing nature
The DriveMaster Pro from Japanese manufacturer Hino is one of those products that's surely flying off the shelves, because who wouldn't want to pay good money for a device that sits on your dashboard and constantly reminds you that your driving style is so very environmentally unfriendly. Although once again our best efforts at machine translation are thwarted by in-graphic text, it seems that the DM Pro ships with a number of different sensors that are able to detect your speed, acceleration / deceleration, idle time, gear ratio, and emissions; if any of these metrics indicate that you could be outside the range of government-suggested levels, the info-packed display lets out audible and visual alerts that hopefully won't distract you enough to crash and kill a tree or something. No word on pricing, once again making it quite difficult for us foreigners to get our hands on the best Japanese gear.[Via Akihabara News]
Robotic tuatara fools males, partakes in social dominance study
Although Wowwee's farm of robotic animals are quite the playful bunch, they aren't exactly prime targets for participating in a biological study of how animals interact in the wild, but Jennifer Moore from Victoria's School of Biological Science is aiming to use a faux tuatara to be the focal point of a new study. Modeled after a highly-regarded and recently deceased tuatara named Oliver, the new creature will purportedly be mingling with others of its kind in order to give a first-hand view on "social dominance and aggression in wild tuatara." Crafted by the Weta Workshop, Robotic Oliver will be used for the first time next month on the tuatara capital of the world, Stephens Island, in order to carefully inspect male mating habits in an effort to "significantly enhance conservation efforts." Of course, utilizing robotic clones for the betterment of a species seems like a brilliant idea, but we should probably all join in unison and hope this same stunt isn't pulled on the human population.[Via RobotGossip]
Corncob waste could enable methane use in vehicles
Aside from the obvious choice, there's vehicles scooting around on bioethanol, batteries, fuel cells, and all sorts of other alternatives, but a recent breakthrough in Kansas City, Missouri has opened up the possibility of using natural gas. Currently, the cheaper and cleaner burning methane isn't feasible in modern vehicles due to the extremely high pressure (3,600 psi) and gargantuous tanks required to actually use it. Researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia and Midwest Research Institute in Kansas City have devised a way to change all that, however, by using corncob waste to create "carbon briquettes with complex nanopores capable of storing natural gas at an unprecedented density of 180 times their own volume and at one seventh the pressure of conventional natural gas tanks." In layman's terms, this discovery allows natural gas to be held under much less pressure and in thin-walled tanks similar to cells used on current vehicles, which could instantly make natural gas a viable (and readily available) alternative fuel source. A prototype system has been working just fine since last October, and the backers are currently crafting a second revision in hopes of storing even more natural gas and driving production costs down, but there's still no hard deets on when this invention could see commercial light.[Via AutoblogGreen]
Australia to phase out incandescent bulbs by 2010
While some US cities like Raleigh are already planning steps to cut back on energy wastes by converting to more efficient lighting systems, it looks like the entire continent of Australia could be following suit. Claiming to be the "world's first" national government to phase out incandescent light bulbs in favor of the more "fuel-efficient, compact fluorescent bulb," environment minister Malcolm Turnbull is hoping to "cut Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by four million metric tonnes a year by 2015." Citing the "climate changes" the world is facing as a "global challenge," Turnbell also urged other nations to follow suit in making a difference, but didn't exactly open up his personal wallet to stock our households with those uber-pricey bulbs. Interestingly, some environmentalists feel that the bulk of greenhouse gas emissions come from government and business-related activities, which should presumably take priority over swapping out a country's light bulbs. Still, we've got no complaints with hooking homes up with LED / fluorescent options to help Mother Earth, but shouldn't Australia (and America, too) ink its name on the Kyoto Protocol before getting all high and mighty about saving the planet?
Apple to address environmental policies?
The Greenpeace activists behind GreenMyApple.org claim that Apple may begin taking steps to address several of the company's environmental issues, despite their denial of said concerns because of a disagreement with Greenpeace's ratings and criteria. In particular, Greenpeace is concerned with Apple's use of several hazardous chemicals in its products which can have adverse effects on the environment and people's health once the equipment is disassembled. Other manufacturers have already begun to ditch some of these same toxic chemicals, and Greenpeace claims Steve Jobs recently met with a Social Responsibility Fund investor to discuss some of these environmental matters. Apple has not yet responded to this claim of meeting with Greenpeace, but they did issue a statement to a new report, which ranks Apple lower than HP, Dell, Nokia, and Sony for its global policies and practices on eliminating dangerous chemicals and on taking responsibility for products once they are thrown away by consumers. ``We disagree with Greenpeace's rating and the criteria they chose. Apple has a strong environmental track record and has led the industry in restricting and banning toxic substances such as mercury, cadmium and hexavalent chromium, as well as many BFRs (brominated flame retardants)." Despite the arguments, let's hope Apple can come to terms with stronger and more effective policies in this delicate day and age of increasing environmental concerns.[via MacNN]
Recycled 45 rpm records as iPod cases
Environmental website Grist writes about a new site that sells iPod cases made from recycled 45 rpm records. For $45, you can choose your favorite record from a page of used records, and have your case custom made from your selection. Yes, it's a little on the pricey side, but it's a nice way to green your music. Grist describes it as using the "old media" to protect the "new media". Cute.
Silence PT2 rocks three wheels, all electric powertrain
Getting word of a new electric car hitting the pavement is (thankfully) becoming quite common these days, but crafting a vehicle that's made it a few steps beyond the easel is certainly noteworthy. Silence, Inc., a mash-up of Canada's EBW and T-Rex, has set out to "design and build high-performance electric vehicles," and the company's first attempt looks to be a winner. The three-wheeled PT2 certainly has a flair for the dramatic, as its metallic paint, vivid interior, and overall dashing good looks make it a sight for sore eyes in the fully electric vehicle department, and as if that weren't good enough, this bad boy can reportedly cruise 125 to 250 miles on a single charge, hitting speeds "around 125-miles per hour" along the way. Silence states that its PT2 will be "available for ordering" sometime this Spring, but folks with enough interest (and the spare loot to back it up) can hit them up right now to get on the short list, and for those already glancing away to save yourself the pain from viewing the pricetag, remain focused -- this hotrod will only run you around $50,000CDN, or just over 42 large here in the US. Be sure to head on over to AutoblogGreen for a sweet high-resolution gallery.[Via AutoblogGreen]
Girasole electric car packs horse hoof warnings
Apparently, we've used that simple "beep" to alert pedestrians when a vehicle is reversing or otherwise coming up on someone long enough, as Yoshio Takaoka, in collaboration with Italy's Start Lab SAP, has crafted a fully functional electric car that packs built-in "horse hoof" sound effects. The Girasole can be fully charged from a home AC outlet for around $1 per "tank," and can then travel nearly 75 miles at a top speed of around 45-miles per hour, but the standout feature on this otherwise uninspiring (albeit very green) automobile is the entirely bizarre "clip-clop" horn that "alerts pedestrians and other drivers" that the car is near. While we're not entirely sure why a next-generation vehicle is throwing back to the days of (way) old when literal horsepower was the main means of transportation, we'll give due props for the ingenuity, but equipping our vehicle with equestrian noises is likely the least of the worries here in the US.[Via AutoblogGreen]
Researchers develop closed hydrogen fuel cell system
If EEStor's elaborate claims are to be believed, we suppose all these other fuel alternatives should just hang up the gloves while they're at it, but just in case things don't pan out so well, we suppose the continued research in hydrogen fuel cell power isn't such a bad idea. Although we've seen glimpses of hydrogen-powered vehicles (and um, crafts) in the past, most of these modes of transportation have been large-scale, and now it seems that a closed system has been crafted which would make these techniques suitable for more diminutive applications such as chainsaws and lawnmowers. The research team has reportedly found a way to better control the way the fuel is used, thus eliminating the need for costly recycling stations, and they insinuate that their findings are "ideal" for devices currently using small internal combustion engines that lack emissions controls. Of course, the system has yet to be broadly trialed, but if things go as planned, there's even hopes to link several of the new cells together to rival the power of cells currently being tested in the automotive industry.
Little Green Apples: the EPA approves
Ars Technica reports that the EPA really likes Apple's computers. (Cue Sally Field.) The EPA, which grades computers on a a 51-criteria scale, gave Apple some very high marks. According to the grading scheme, computers that meet all the required criteria and at least half of the optional criteria are awarded silver medals. (No computers have won gold medals.) Apple's MacBook Pro line received 6 silver medals, as did the Mac Pro and several Cinema Displays. We've already covered Apple's extensive recycling program, energy efficiency goals, and reduction of harmful materials in manufacturing in an earlier TUAW post. It's nice to know that the EPA agrees. Clearly some groups targeting Apple for environmental concerns aren't in agreement with the EPA's stance.
Swedes envision greener navigation routing
We can all agree that having a navigation system at all helps the environment out, since you'll be headed right where you need to go (well, most of the time, anyway) rather than spinning your wheels trying to figure out what's what, but a group of Swedish researchers have envisioned a plan that could actually help drivers cut down on emissions without even requiring them to hop in a hybrid. Instead of sorting your routes by criteria like "shortest distance" or "near food," Eva Ericsson at the Lund Institute of Technology in Sweden would rather you follow the path of least resistance, which would channel through the most efficient pathway depending on traffic, time of day, and speed limit. The team has trialed various routes and estimates that its thrifty approach to navigating provides fuel savings of "near four percent," but commercializing the idea has some tall hurdles ahead. A spokesperson for NAVTEQ insinuated that re-mapping the current roadways based on these scenarios is practically infeasible, and the idea only becomes marginally plausible if drivers were to volunteer en masse to use their vehicle as a "probe" device that could track and record data as they drove, slowly covering larger areas. Of course, folks aren't apt to cruise around for hundreds of miles (and burn through multiple tanks of fuel) on a whim, but with the right marketing approach, it's possible to turn an entire fleet of vehicles into one giant guinea pig.
Solar cell breakthrough: 40% efficiency achieved
If that silly Hummer O2 concept vehicle we just saw didn't sate your appetite for environmental friendliness, try this on for size: researchers at Boeing-Spectrolab have just succeeded in building a multi-junction solar cell that achieves an incredible 40.7% efficiency, or -- to the best of our knowledge -- about twice that of the reigning champ in this space. To put this Department of Energy-backed breakthrough in perspective, it was less than two months ago that Silicon Valley-based SunPower announced a 22% efficient cell, and even that model was claimed to produce 50% more power over a given space than previous iterations. In case you're unfamiliar with multi-junction cells -- no shame in that game -- they can best be described as being composed of several layers, with each slice capturing only a portion of the solar spectrum; this method of optical concentration is what has allowed cells to surpass the 12% to 18% efficiency barrier faced by most traditional modules. In conclusion, while this is certainly an encouraging development, we remain somewhat skeptical about its potential for real-world implementation: once Big Oil gets wind of this new tech, it will likely "disappear" just as quickly as that guy who invented a car that runs on water, man.[Via Slashdot]
Apple versus Greenpeace
Is Apple environmentally friendly? They certainly seem to think so. Their Apple and the Environment webpage says that Apple recognizes "its responsibility as a global citizen and is continually striving to reduce the environmental impact of the work we do and the products we create." They've set up a free recycling program for purchasers of their products. They strive for energy efficiency and are continuing to reduce idle power consumption. Their products use recyclable materials and conform to a set of environmental specifications. Most of all, they claim their goal is to reduce or eliminate environmentally harmful substances from the manufacturing process. So is Greenpeace completely off the mark when it claims that the production of Macs, iPods and iBooks is exposing children in India and China to dangerous chemicals? Greenpeace is lobbying for a greener Apple and has set up a lobbying group at .mAct to make this happen. So what do you think, TUAWers? Is Apple doing enough? Does Greanpeace have a point? Does Apple deserve the low e-Waste score assigned to it today by Greenpeace? Let us know in the comments.Thanks Gyve
Hummer O2 concept brings shame to the nature-terrorizing brand
In a humiliating blow to the once proud, gas-guzzling Hummer SUV, engineers at GM have re-imagined the poster child for environmental apathy as a completely green vehicle that not only leaves a small "footprint" in its wake, but actually promises to give something back to nature as well. Called the Hummer O2 (like the H2, only less toxic), this concept -- which just won the L.A. Auto Show Design Challenge -- incorporates a number of innovative, futuristic features into its oddly-shaped chassis, not the least of which is a "phototropic" body shell that contains algae-filled panels. Yes, you read that right: this Hummer-branded vehicle, made of 100% post-consumer recycled materials, pulls double-duty as a mobile algae cultivation farm, whose photosynthetic waste provides oxygen for both the O2 itself and the surrounding environment; what's more, used algae are employed as biomass to provide partial power. The main power sources, though, are the fuel cells built directly into each wheel (wrapped in adaptable Active Tread tires, naturally), which drive independent hydraulic motors when fed hydrogen from a central holding tank. Unfortunately for all those SUV-loving environmentalists out there (a huge demographic, we're sure), the Hummer O2 is slated to remain little more than a set of drawings for the time being, and we hear that California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is already pushing to ban the production of these vehicles for "sullying the reputation that Hummer has worked so hard to earn." Keep reading for a few more pictures...
Sony develops enviro-friendly FeliCa cards
Sony's FeliCa contactless smart card system has already seen a fair degree of success, in Japan if not here, with Sony signing up NTT DoCoMo to put the technology to use in its cellphones, and, of course, pushing the technology hard in its own laptops. Not one to rest on its laurels, however, the company's now looking to further broaden its FeliCa appeal, not to mention do the right thing, by creating cards made of vegetable-based plastic (itself a product of sweet, sweet biomass) instead of the less renewable petroleum-based plastics. Apart from that not-so-secret ingredient, the cards are apparently identical to and just as durable as existing cards.This isn't the first time Sony's used vegetable-based plastics in its products, however, with the company previously putting it to use in a Walkman, DVD player, and a few AIBO parts, as well as some product packaging. Keep it up, Sony, there's plenty more plastic you can replace.
LG planning eco-approved 52-inch wooden HD plasma
Environmentalists take heart, as LG Electronics is out doing some good in the world, and their forthcoming 52-inch HD plasma provides that widescreen beauty you adore with a sense of tree-luvin' satisfaction to boot. While we've seen gizmos encased in wood before (including Hannspree's own HDTV), this particular piece goes one step further by incorporating wood throughout the entire set. While rummaging through the secret lairs of LG in Seoul, CNET UK caught a glimpse of the mysterious set, and while they weren't allowed to film / photograph it, they rendered a look-alike and assured us that the "bezel was made of compressed wood (derived from renewable forests) and finished in white water-based paint." Of course, no piece of AV equipment would be complete without a hint of silver, so LG added an aluminum trim to go along with the "lead-free / low-lead internal components." While the company would lend any clues to its future release date nor pricing information, we were told that it would eventually be "commercially available," but similar components will probably be found in more peon-friendly models (like the LG LX70) before too long.[Via CNET]
TX Active, a new pollution-eating cement for Europe
Dwellers of modern cities often have to deal with the problems of industrial pollution, which leads to a host of problems ranging from thick and ugly smog to health issues like asthma. But a team of Italian inventors may have a new solution to this problem that urbanites have had to deal with since the 19th century -- use pollution-eating cement. Buildings and streets across Western Europe are just starting to use TX Active, which has been in development for a decade. According to an article in BusinessWeek, the town of Segrete in northern Italy has repaved a street that sustains 1,000 cars per hour with TX Active. A spokesman for the company, Italcementi, said that it had measured a 60 percent reduction in nitric oxide on that street. According to Italcementi, the cement has a photocatalyzer that speeds up the natural oxidation process of pollutants in the presence of natural or artificial light, making it more environmentally-friendly by "transforming them into less harmful compounds such as water, nitrates, or carbon dioxide." Now if only they could repave every freeway in Los Angeles with this stuff, that would be a major boon for the environment; of course, shutting down LA's arteries would be like shutting down our access to the internet -- not gonna happen.[Via MetaFilter]
Unplug your charged phone, save the world
Who knew that leaving a fully-charged phone plugged in to the wall was such a problem? Nokia's formed a new group -- including rival Motorola, among others -- with the aim of educating folks on ways to use their phones in environmentally conscious ways, a move that seems appropriate for the company recently named greenest among cellphone manufacturers.. Among other initiatives, the group will be pushing to add reminders to phones' displays to unplug them once they've been topped off, a change that Nokia says would power about 60,000 homes a year if just 10 percent of the populace complied. The obvious question is, don't the phones begin discharging once they've been unplugged, thereby requiring deeper and longer charging the next time they're jacked in?
Greenpeace slams Apple, Motorola and Lenovo for toxic chemicals
Late last week, Greenpeace issued its latest "Guide to Greener Electronics," which offers a serious takedown of various tech companies' environmental production practices. The organization judged several tech firms mainly on the criteria of "eliminating hazardous substances" from the production phase, and also offering to take back and recycle older products. Dell and Nokia topped the list, but Apple, Motorola and Lenovo were among the worst, who scored 2.7, 1.7 and 1.3 respectively on Greenpeace's 10-point scale. Lenovo, which placed last among the companies evaluated, was knocked mostly because it hasn't committed to phasing out toxic chemmicals like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and brominated flame retardant (BFR) from its product line. Motorola was particularly dinged for its recent broken promise of eliminating PVCs and BFRs from its product line, and not having good enough recycling programs. Apple was guilty of many of the same offenses as Lenovo, according to Greenpeace, but have not committed to a firm timetable for PVC and BFR elimination. According to CNET, both Lenovo and Apple disagree with Greenpeace's assesment, saying that they have strong environmental records and follow worldwide regulations. Perhaps Michael Dell and Jorma Ollila need to have a chat with Steve Jobs, Ed Zander and William Amelio to clear the air, so to speak.[Via CNET]
Nokia gets nod for being green
Greenpeace's "Green Electronics Guide," which ranks global electronics companies quarterly on environmental friendliness, has Nokia coming out on top among ranked phone manufacturers and ties Dell for best manufacturer overall. The guide apparently takes into account a variety of factors, including corporate policy, quantity of environmentally destructive chemicals used in production, and recycling programs. Sony Ericsson, Samsung, and LG are all bunched up in the middle of the pack, with Motorola finishing a distant last, besting only Lenovo. According to Greenpeace, all of the manufacturers have room for improvement -- Nokia included -- but hopefully this serves as a stark reminder to Moto that they need to, uh, start taking back our worn-out RAZRs and replacing them with MOTORAZR MAXXes. Yeah, that's it.[Thanks, Abdul]
