As part of the Greener Gadgets Design Competition, Francesco Biasci submitted this Carboard Computer Case that would have even made Andy Warhol proud—for at least 15 minutes. It was built with recycled cardboard and eliminates the need to use wasteful plastic that must be tossed every few years. |Inhabitat|
When the referendum hating mayor announced his plan to green up NYC a few months back, he floated the idea of mounting wind turbines on skyscrapers—though he later admitted that he was kind of just bullshitting, telling the Post that the likelihood of harnessing this form of clean energy is “relatively unlikely.” He must have spotted Dubai’s proposed Anara Tower and ran with it. The 125-story mixed used building is topped off with a big fake wind turbine-looking structure to mask it in eco-chic.
Here’s a shocker. The teeny 70hp Smart Car, which is great for finding parking in the city that not even a Mini could, but terrible when it comes to getting squashed on the BQE like a bug, has been rated the most fuel efficient, all gas powered vehicle in the EPA’s annual report (PDF). The 8 ft. long, non-hybrid, two-seater achieves 33 city/41 highway mpg. But despite it’s tiny size, the car only placed 5th overall for fuel efficiency, with HEVs and other alternate technologies ranking higher.
Spain-hating presidential candidate John Sidney McCain III was discussing the benefits of offshore oil drilling at one of his town hall gatherings and suggested how eco-friendly platforms can be for sea life:
“And by the way, on that oil rig — and I’m sure you’ve probably heard this story — you look down, and there’s fish everywhere! There’s fish everywhere! Yeah, the fish love to be around those rigs. So not only can it be helpful for energy, it can be helpful for some pretty good meals as well.”
The nuclear reactor responsible for making the plutonium that was used in the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki has received official national historic landmark status. Check out this neat slideshow. The B Reactor at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and the surrounding site will undergo the “world’s largest environmental cleanup.” |NYT|
The High Line continues to sprout. The elevated strip of coveted property received a fresh delivery of flora: “For the past couple weeks, workers on the High Line have been getting their hands dirty, carefully adding an even layer of soil to the tracks. And as fun as it’s been to look at, all brown and flat and whatnot, we felt something was missing. But today, much to our Monday morning merriment, the High Line received its very first plant delivery!” |PAA|
“A chunk of ice shelf nearly the size of Manhattan has broken away from Ellesmere Island in Canada’s northern Arctic, another dramatic indication of how warmer temperatures are changing the polar frontier, scientists said last week. Derek Mueller, an Arctic ice shelf specialist at Trent University in Ontario, said the 4,500-year-old Markham Ice Shelf separated in early August and the 19-square-mile shelf is now adrift in the Arctic Ocean.” |ADN|
As Republican leaders and their hillbilly masses chant “Drill baby drill,” the weed tolerant Dutch are innovating to achieve the country’s energy goals. Famous for centuries old windmills and huge networks of safe bike lanes, they’ve now “unveiled the world’s largest biomass power plant to run exclusively on poultry manure.” That’s right, chicken shit will be used to generate about 36.5 megawatts or “enough to power 90,000 homes,” while we’re stuck in the mud discussing how to drill in ANWR. Despite the torturous nature of factory farming, at least they’re using the amassing waste and more importantly, their brains to come up solutions. |Inhabitat|
With word that Bloomberg wants to install wind turbines on buildings and explore other forms of renewable energy for the city, the Post looks into the past, the late 70s to be exact and uncovers these innovators: “In 1976, a band of architects, community activists and volunteers – some of whom had to be plied with beer, one activist recalls – managed to equip a five-story apartment building at 519 E. 11th St. with solar panels and a 40-foot windmill.” |NYP|
Forget about making the Earth green, here’s some suggestions for destroying it:
“Whether it took the Earth 4.5 billion years to get to where it is today (or a mere seven days), destroying it might take a lot less time” |LiveScience|
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