Abdolhadi Mirhejazi’s Naturmobil: A New Way to Think About Horsepower!

No, you’re eyes are not deceiving you. This vehicle really runs on genuine horsepower, and it even has a patent! Whoever thought mankind would return to the horse as inspiration for transportation alternatives, in the effort to free us from oil dependency? Well, Dubai-based Iranian inventor Abdolhadi Mirhejazi has done just that with his DIY Naturmobil from Fleethorse, LLC, which has been getting some press over the past year, for its shall we say, innovative approach to transportation design. With top speeds of up to 80 km/h the vehicle operates with a horse walking on a slightly inclined conveyor belt, which moves the gears serving six motorcycle wheels, with enough energy left over, to power a small battery for headlights and to act as backup power when the horse gets fatigued and needs to rest (the horse is constantly monitored to keep track of body temperature and heart rate). This process can even maintain enough power to run two LCD monitors on the side of the vehicle, for video advertisements. As you can imagine, a project like this needs constant funding for development, so Mirhejazi and his marketing manager are seeking investors, and planning to exhibit the Naturmobil at the upcoming Invention and New Product Exhibition in Pittsburg, California this coming June.

Although this may not be the most practical solution to oil dependency and auto-based pollution, it certainly offers a unique take on how we could design our modes of transportation to have less negative environmental impact, rather than sticking with the status quo. You never know, by implementing some rigorous lateral thinking, concepts like this may lead the R&D teams at Toyota, Honda and GM, to come up with radical new technologies for the cars of the future. Probably without the horses though…

Via XPRESS of Dubai

Upcoming Conference: 101 More Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth

Designers have an enormous impact on the state of the planet, especially in the realm of Graphic Design with the vast natural resources and energy that get consumed in the production of printing paper. The work that Graphic Designers do for their clients, the way they run their studios, and the persuasive impact of their design skills to convince others to get on board can all make a difference.

The School of Visual Concepts is holding their second annual sustainable “designworkshop” called “101 More Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth.” The event is geared towards graphic designers, art directors, creative directors, production managers, creative firms and in-house department managers. This is certainly an event that should not be missed, and there’s no excuse not to especially since it’s free and, (to say the least) very informative. The event will be held from 10am - 4:30pm on the 28th of this month at the auditorium of the Seattle Asian Art Museum.

Topics Will Include:

• How graphic design and marketing communications contribute to the problem of global warming.
• Ways to rethink every project to see if its environmental footprint can be reduced.
• How to spec and shop for paper, inks, and printing that are more planet-friendly.
• How to convince your clients and managers of the virtues of adopting more sustainable design practices.
• Examples from top design groups of how they’ve taken a more sustainable approach.

Presenters Will Include:

• Eric Karjaluoto Founder, SmashLAB and designcanchange.org
• Glenn Blue Co-founder, Olympus Press
• Fumi Watanabe Senior Designer, Starbucks Global Creative
• Ashley Arhart Design Director and Strategist, Hornall Anderson
• Mike Styskal Chief of Visual Operations, Dept. of Energy Design
• Denise Waggoner VP of Creative Research, Getty Images
• Jill Bamburg Dean of Sustainable Business MBA, Bainbridge Graduate Institute

Wednesday May 28, 10am - 4:30pm
Seattle Asian Art Museum
Volunteer Park
Seattle

Register online at svcseattle.com

Sponsored by
Aquent
Olympus Press
School of Visual Concepts
AIGA

Let Your Dandelions Grow!

In light of the spring season, I’d like to point out one little detail that has been brightening your environment and is also a symbol of a healthier planet. Where dandelions grow, you can be pretty confident that no pesticides have been used to battle them away. This struck me as I was biking down Lake Shore Drive (Chicago) the other day and noticed dandilions everywhere- and I really mean eveywhere.

After digging up a little research I realized that this is due to a Chicago initiative through the Department of Environment and the Safer Pest Control Project to use less pesticides and chemicals in the public park lanscaping as an effort to minimize impacts on the environment. The fertile dandilion growth is also a sure sign that the landscaping crews are not mowing the grounds every few days. This alone stands as a great bit of advice for you homeowners with a lawn- let the dandelions grow!

One last comment worth mentioning dandelion greens are good for your liver! Dry them and steep them in tea, or throw fresh leaves in your stirfry for dinner and you will be on your way to detoxified body!

The Suburb Eating Robot

Among all of the intense, ultra serious eco talk happening these days, it’s a bit refreshing to see someone thinking about playful ways to address sustainability through design in an unconventional way. This is the world’s first “Suburb Eating Robot.” The project was done by Australian architect Andrew Maynard for Critical Visions 2008 (CV08). His studio, Andrew Maynard Architects presented it as rant or criticism at the CV08 conference this year put on by the Royal Australian Institute of Architect’s in Sydney. Inspiration for the project grew out the increasing problems that suburbs are creating in Australia and Maynard was determined to shed some light on the issue.

Playfully responding to a question in a recent interview, he asks, “where will suburbanites live when there is no other means of circulation to their homes? What will we do with our abandoned and decaying suburbs? And most importantly, what will we do with the 50% of Australians that are over-weight due to car dependence and a sedentary lifestyle?” He also commented, “we’re thinking about getting a few more students here in the office to build a prototype in the store room. Then we will accidentally (or on purpose) spill various liquids on it until it comes to life and starts killing people indiscriminately and tries to take over the world, we can only hope…”

Watch the project video

Download the PDF

An interview with Maynard on Architecture MNP

Can a Cell Phone Really Be Green?

When we read about low wage workers in unsafe conditions sifting through piles of discarded computers and cell phones in some far off country, many of us find ourselves asking if there is a way to make electronic devices sustainable, and how we can reverse the process of making the Third World a dumping ground for our e-waste. Is it even possible to make devices truly “green”, considering the many toxic ingredients involved in their manufacturing (lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, etc), which when not properly disposed of, contaminate air, soil and groundwater? Other things to consider are recyclability, energy efficiency, and whether a phone can even be upgraded in order to extend its lifespan.

A number of cell phone manufacturers are beginning to make strides in addressing these issues, including Nokia, Motorola and Samsung. Nokia has been getting a lot of press lately, for their Remade and Eco Sensor phone concepts, featuring recycled aluminum, plastic, rubber, and glass, and so-called “printed electronics”, as well as the potential incorporation of an interface to monitor personal health and environmental conditions. Motorola has been working on a display screen for a phone, which would double as a solar charger, and Samsung is said to be developing a way by which to power cell phones through a water-hydrogen system. Even a Chinese manufacturer not yet well known in the West, Hi-Tech Wealth, has had a solar chargeable phone on the market since last year, with many more planned to launch in the near future. Clearly, the more efficient phones (and chargers) that are now on the market, and these R&D efforts themselves, represent potential progress in terms of positive impact within a market that is known for style-driven products with short lives, but it may take some time before any of these exciting concepts emerge from the realm of ideas, to become reality.

In the meantime, as consumers, we must make efforts to use our cell phones as long as possible, and recycle them only when they cease to work effectively, rather than replace them every one to one and a half years, which is the average. Nonetheless, it is important to keep in mind that ultimately, the responsibility of proper disposal of electronic waste should rest on manufacturers, as is becoming the norm in Europe (European Directive on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment), with the consumer taking up the slack before such options exist worldwide. This sort of mindset will not be established however, before legislation is in place, that will direct companies to redesign their products in such a way that they can effectively be taken back at end of life. Certainly no small task.

For those inclined to recycle their old cell phones, a number of options exist. Apart from the large retail chains at which you can drop off old phones and batteries (Best Buy, Staples, Radio Shack, etc), many cell phone manufacturers (Nokia and Motorola included) are starting to have their own direct recycle-to programs. One may also donate old phones to honorable organizations like ReCellular.com and the Support Network for Battered Women, and some organizations like greenphone.com and RIPMobile (and many others), even buy old cell phones, and donate them to various charities. Earth 911 also offers a guide to lessen your electronics’ environmental impact, including many further options to breathe potential new life into your old cell phone.

Some informative selections from You Tube:

GOOD Magazine: E-Waste

The Secret Life of Cell Phones by INFORM, Inc

How Cell Phone Recycling Works

Strategies for Shaping a Sustainable Future: THINK B.I.G. at Brown University

In order to keep the motivation level rolling beyond Earth Week, please turn your attention towards several climate change initiatives that have been going on within the college student community. In one example from Thursday, April 24 to Saturday, April 26, Brown University took their environmental stewardship to the next level by launching their first Brown is Green 2008: Strategies for Shaping a Sustainable Future, with a series of amazing lectures from a range of disciplines. While bringing together a wide range of prominent leaders, from renowned scientists, policymakers, and CEOs, to designers, community leaders, activists, and artists, this approach demonstrated how a community can make an impact on different levels, from both bottom-up to top-down. Their goal was “to bring attention to the connections between seemingly different practices and industries that have all aligned to work on climate change and sustainability issues.” The list of notable attendees included State Treasurer Caprio, Governor Carcieri, Mayor Cicilline, Senator Whitehouse, Ira Magaziner of the Clinton Foundation and the administration of President Clinton, Adam Werbach of Saatchi and Saatichi S, renowned green architect John Picard, and Stephen Schneider, a lead climate scientist of the Nobel laureate UN FCC.

Of particular note, were Adam Werbach, global CEO of the leading sustainable marketing firm Saatchi and Saatchi S (former head of Sierra Club, and a 1995 Brown Alum), and Ira Magaziner, chairman of the Clinton Climate Initiative and the Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative. Werbach described his mission as “closing the gap between two bookends.” He believes that one of the challenges is to reduce the polarization between the wealthy nations, and those that are in desperate need of help because of the existential threat that global-scale climate change is. In striving to solve this dilemma, Werbach suggests that sustainability needs to engage people at a consumer level. “Whose environment are we talking about?” he asks, and how do we make sustainability of the market place matter?

This is where PSP (Personal Sustainability Plan) comes in; one of Wal-Mart’s climate initiative schemes asks its staff to commit to a personal resolution. Through the PSP, leadership, respect for oneself, others, and the environment are learned. The incentive to go on a diet or quit smoking in return, are more effective when in a sustainability context, and treats behavioral change in a completely holistic manner. Granted, you would think Werbach wouldn’t engage himself to be a part of the Wal-Mart monopoly, but what was admirable, was his reasoning in taking on this monster. It is a perfect opportunity to make the biggest impact on the greatest number of people. Small changes like this, must occur from the bottom up, but motivation also needs to be inspired from the top down.

In addition to Adam Werbach’s approach, it is important to consider that of Ira Magaziner, who offers a more political perspective on climate change. In the course of his lecture, Magaziner spoke about the many different strategic steps the Clinton Climate Initiative has taken, one rather interesting example being the concept of combining the retrofitting of buildings with energy service companies (by working with building owners), so as to reduce overall energy use. This strategy involves municipal buildings, commercial real estate, public housing, and schools and universities worldwide. What is most impressive is that none of this is funded through government subsidies, and the goal is to jump start the market through new jobs and opportunity. In that the Clinton Climate Initiative has partnered with the 45 largest cities in the world, the potential exists for it to have a major lasting impact.

For those unable to attend, please visit this link to the Conference Agenda.

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Eleonore de Lusignan is an Ecolect guest blogger and a soon-to-graduate Industrial Design student at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI.

What Happens to All That Glass?

Ever think of all the potential future uses of that glass bottle or jar you just tossed into the recycling bin? A wide variety of both functional and beautiful products, ranging from Mod Rocks‘ architectural tiles, to Ice Stone’s countertops and flooring material, and even barware made from old or broken car windshields, are now being made from discarded glass. Thanks to its inherent properties, glass is often able to be recycled more frequently than other materials, re-formed into a wide range of different shapes and colors, and is becoming a sought after source material for many design and architectural projects.

Once retrieved from curb-side by municipal or private recycling service, discarded glass is then washed, color sorted and crushed at a recycling facility, at which point, it is ready to be reconstituted. The “cullet”, or crushed glass, is then transported to a particular manufacturing plant, either to be combined with concrete or other material (e.g., Ice Stone), or in its more traditional process, taken back to its viscous state after being mixed with sand, soda ash and limestone, and fed into a furnace for melting - crushed glass actually aids the process by lowering the melting temperature, and making for more stable results. The glass, in viscous state, may then be poured into molds or distributed in another way, resulting in its intended product, such as architectural tiles, drinking glasses, or more commonly, road beds, food containers and beverage bottles. Although perhaps counterintuitive, it’s worth noting that glass always remains in a super-cool liquid state, even when rigid and seemingly stable in the form of a final product.

This process represents a major positive effort in stemming the flow of waste to the landfill, but efforts to implement bottle bills throughout the U.S. (many countries are ahead of us in this regard), as well as enhance those that exist, are still needed. Great things to keep in mind as we all become more committed to recycling (or reusing) as much as we can!

Also, see Glass, How is It Made from the Ecolect Blog

Why does Germany LOVE to Recycle glass? on You Tube

Bamboo or Plastic?

Over the past several years, a trend has emerged, of consumer electronics companies employing counter-intuitive materials like bamboo, as an alternative for their product housings, ranging from Amadana’s popular line of elegant consumer electronics, to Asus‘ upcoming line of laptops and LCD monitors, and even Dell’s recent foray in this direction, with it’s energy-efficient “Mini PC” concept shown at CES 2008. Does this represent a positive revolution in the effort to find alternatives to virgin or toxic materials, or simply a case of jumping on the green material bandwagon without considering the potential short-lived or negative consequences? Certainly, using bamboo means less plastic is used, which is perhaps a step in the right direction, and Asus even claims that its laptops will feature interchangeable (and recyclable) bamboo panels, but there are more things to consider.

As these and other companies increasingly use such materials, it is important for them to ensure that their sources be grown and maintained with the highest standards of sustainability (as natural as it is, bamboo can also be grown through great destruction to forests), while at the same time, develop sensible buy-back programs as well as strive to develop genuine non-toxic alternatives to typical electronic components. Many companies are beginning to see the benefit of adhering to environmentally sensible principals, so there is hope that initial steps like using bamboo, will be combined with the overriding long term mission to design and manufacture the electronics of the future with zero negative effects. An ideal whose time has certainly come.