ZENA System designs world’s first Wind Tower system to capture wind from any direction
by: Ecofriend, 2011-01-04 10:28:48 UTC

Eco Factor: Innovative design harnesses wind from any direction to produce renewable energy.

While researchers at NASA have put their bets on airborne wind turbines to produce a large amount of energy, researchers over at ZENA System are taking a different approach. The company has unveiled an innovative design for a wind energy generating system that is able to harness wind from any direction. Christened the Wind Tower, the system accommodates a power plant, a tourist facility and a desalination plant in one structure.

The 50m tall structure captures wind at any speed at any height and turns it into wind masses with three-point wind compression. The wind is then accelerated in the tunnel, from where it rushes toward the exit point. The exit is equipped with air pressure adjustment and produces powerful wind masses, which are then used to generate large amounts of wind energy. The creators opine that the innovative system overturns conventional aerodynamics theory and Betz Limit Value theory.

Via: Greenz

Universal Phone Chargers to Debut Soon in EU
by: Design & Innovation | Design | GreenBiz.com, 2011-01-05 20:35:54 UTC

 Charging phones in the E.U. is set to become easier and less wasteful with new standards for universal charger-compatible phones.

ULE Creates Sustainability Standard for Cell Phones
by: Design & Innovation | Design | GreenBiz.com, 2011-01-06 21:33:53 UTC

Cell phone makers are getting a standard to determine how sustainable their products are.

Natural Dyes For Textiles Made From Agricultural Waste In Argentina
by: TreeHugger Science, 2011-01-04 14:26:14 UTC
Natural dyes from agricultural waste in dust form. Photo: INTI. Although natural dyes for textiles are widely spread in the green world (with a production house in Chicago and many DIY tutorials around), the Argentine National Institute for Industrial Technology (INTI) is taking an interesting alternative approach: they're experimenting with the extraction of pigments ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

China's Desertification Will Take Three Centuries to Reverse
by: TreeHugger Science, 2011-01-04 20:30:00 UTC
photo: Preston Rhea/Creative Commons An area of China the size of Rhode Island is being lost to desertification each year, with 38% of all the land on Earth in danger of following suit. According to the head of China's anti-desertification effort... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Packed by Min‐Chieh Chen, Dominik Zausinger and Michele Leidi
by: Dezeen, 2011-01-02 03:00:35 UTC

Design students Min‐Chieh Chen, Dominik Zausinger and Michele Leidi of the ETH Zurich, Switzerland, have sent us some images of a pavilion made of cardboard hoops. (more…)

Curbing Consumption by Creating New Relationships with Our Stuff
by: Design & Innovation | Design | GreenBiz.com, 2011-01-04 08:05:00 UTC

From the resurgence of artisanship to new concepts in sharing goods, people are reexamining their relationships with the things they own.

Green in the Virtual World is Good for the Real World
by: Yanko Design, 2011-01-04 10:16:24 UTC

Stella is a collaborative project that offers a tangible interpretation of how ecological actions can positively affect the environment. It’s thought that if people can quickly see how simple acts like recycling can benefit the environment, they’re more likely to replicate those actions in the real world.

Designers: Julien Bergignat, Mathieu Azema, Arthur Brault, Maxime Billault & Nicolas Cloarec

Green your campus + Stella from Opton on Vimeo.

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Reprinting on One Paper Only
by: Yanko Design, 2011-01-04 10:33:53 UTC

Typically paper fibers can go through the recycle process five-to-seven times. Not too bad, but since we’re talking about innovation here, how about increasing thas lifespan? The Eco Printer uses specialized ink composed of photographic materials that disappear from UV irradiation. What this means is that non-sensitive documents can be printed, erased, and reprinted increasing the lifecycle of paper. Awesome!

The Eco Printer is a 2010 Red Dot Concept Design winning entry.

Designer: Sharsha Lee for Liteon Technology Corp.

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Yanko Design
Timeless Designs - Explore wonderful concepts from around the world!
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Qantas to Produce Biojet Fuel from Waste
by: Eco Geek Latest, 2011-01-03 17:34:32 UTC

Australian airline Qantas will announce this month that they will be building the world's second commercial-scale plant to produce biojet fuel completely made from waste for its aircraft.

The airline is partnering with Solena, an American biofuel maker to build the plant, which will convert food scraps, household materials like grass and tree cuttings, and agricultural and industrial waste into biojet fuel.  Solena has already partnered with British Airways to build a similar plant in London that will convert 500,000 tons of waste into 16 million gallons of biojet fuel a year.  That plant will be up and running in 2014.

Almost every airline has been testing biofuels in their aircraft, with successful results so far. Right now, only a 50/50 blend of biofuel and jet fuel is certified for use in the U.S. and the U.K., though British Airways is looking to use 100 percent biojet fuel once it's approved.

via Guardian