World's Longest Solar Footbridge Also Powers the Main Grid

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:30:29 GMT

Rendering courtesy of Eco Friend The world's largest solar-powered footbridge has now opened in Brisbane. The panels not only power its LED lighting but they also feed the main grid: this will save 38 tons of CO2 annually! Connecting South Brisbane and the city center, it's expected about 36,000 people will use the new Kurilpa Bridge every week to walk or bike across the Brisbane River. A must have as 1,500 people move into South East Queensland every week! Brisbane is in fact the fastest growing urban region in Australia. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

E. Coli Can Be Used To Clean Up Nuclear Waste

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 23:22:14 GMT

Picture courtesy of Hulu.com Researchers have found that E. coli can be used to recover uranium from tainted waters and can even be used to clean up nuclear waste. Using the bacteria along with inositol phosphate, the bacteria breaks down the phosphate--also called phytic acid--to free the phosphate molecules. The phosphate then binds to the uranium forming a uranium-phosphate precipitate on the cells of the bacteria. Those cells can then be harvested to recover the uranium. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

NASA Testing Breakthrough In Water Safety

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:20:10 GMT

Photo courtesy of Science Daily/NASA NASA and University of Utah chemists are developing advanced tech for testing the drinkability of water. The process just began a six month run aboard the International Space Station. Water will be sampled either from the Space Station's or Shuttle's galley using a syringe. It is then forced through a chemically-imbued membrane which changes color based on toxicity. Man, astronauts sure do have a tough gig. They are either drinking processed urine or waste water. Whatever happened to plain ol' Tang? ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Study Confirms Direct Link Between CO2 and Antarctic Ice Sheets

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:34:23 GMT

Photo by Norman Wu A team of scientists have confirmed a direct link between declining CO2 levels and the formation of Antarctic ice caps some 34 million years ago. It's kinda like inverse Global Warming. During the Eocene-Oligocene transition atmospheric CO2 levels reached a tipping point of 760 parts per million (ppm) causing the Antarctic ice sheet to form. The biggest climate change since a meteor-sized can of whoopass allegedly took out the dinosaurs.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Google's Custom Solar Technology Will Reduce Costs by 60%

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:19:00 GMT

Photo of Google's Green Energy Czar Bill Weihl from Reuters Google's developing new solar tech that will drop the cost from 18 cents a kW-h to just under 5. At least, it's hoping to. Just like everybody else, Google's disappointed by the industry's lack of innovation so they've decided just to do it themselves. At least that's what Google's Bill Weihl said today at the Global Climate and Alternative Energy Summit hosted by Reuter's right here in San Francisco. Not too surprising. Google builds its own servers since commercial servers are too expensive. The company makes cheap janky ones and just lets its homegrown software handle the outages.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Taiwanese Center Has High-Tech Solar-Powered Skin

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:49:39 GMT

Design by MAD Ltd Taiwan's new Taichung Convention Center will be covered in solar-powered skin that naturally ventilates the structure reducing energy consumption. The skin--a pleated smocking-esque envelope--provides a natural air flow to the building minimizing air conditioning usage. It also uses a high-tech double photovoltaic glass to reduce the remaining energy consumption. Part of the pleat is also transparent so that natural light can permeate the interior. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Inflatable Solar Panels Zip Together To Power Most Anything

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:18:00 GMT

Illustration by Studio Formwork This lightweight, inflatable solar panel concept brings renewable energy access to any building and without that pesky renovation. Each eye-shaped piece has a white foam shell that measures 4 feet by 2.5 feet. Inside the foam housing is an inflatable polymer lined with thin-film solar cells printed on mylar. The pieces can then zip together for a variety of configurations. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

NASA's Advanced Space Tech Gets Turned Into Self-Aware Eco Building

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:35:26 GMT

Photo courtesy of NASA NASA is using decades of space exploration technology to build a new eco-aware base here in California. Using an advanced central computer, the building will access online weather forecasts and set the building's interior climate accordingly. Sensors around the structure allow it to adjusts for changes in sunlight, wind, and temperature. For example, if the building detects a cool breeze...it could very well open the windows. It will also adjust the room temperature based on how many occupants. The California heat will be thwarted by geothermal wells that route naturally cooled water throughout the building in lieu of using air conditioning. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Lamborghini Announces Hybrid Coming In 2015

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 18:45:44 GMT

Photo courtesy of Niot.net Exotic car maker Lamborghini has announced they will be entering the hybrid fray with their iconic Gallardo. Company CEO Stephan Winkelmann told Germany's Automobilewoche that the first one is slated for 2015. He says that the Gallardo's electric motor will be used for low demand driving in slow, congested city traffic much like the Toyota Prius. When the Lambo hits higher speeds the 10- or 12-cylinder gas engine will kick in and immediately drop your MPGs back to a single digit.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Solar Forest Keeps Cars Cool And Juiced

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:45:00 GMT

Photo by Burb.tv Designer Neville Mars has designed a charging station that keeps your car both cool and charged. Called the Solar Forest, the panels actually follow the sun throughout the day for maximum efficiency. And that canopy provides some much needed shade for the cars below, hopefully while keeping the overlap to a minimum.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

New York City's Waterfront Gets Extended With Wave Power

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:50:15 GMT

Photo by Metropolis Magazine Richard Garber and Brian Novello of GRO Architects have designed an extension to New York City's piers that would harness tidal power from the city's rivers. The design concept, called Docking Stations, not only captures clean tidal energy, it also provides a public green space and tidal pools for wildlife. Of course, the hopes of harnessing Manhattan's renewable energy sources is nothing new. Recently a study from the Carnegie Institution and California State University found that high-altitude winds such as those found above New York City could power the world a 100-times over. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Play Lone Ranger With Plant-Fueled Horse (Tonto Not Included)

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:25:24 GMT

Photo courtesy of Coroflot Project Nomad is a mechanical vehicle concept by designer Jason Battersby. The vehicle--designed like a horse--can climb steep grades and even navigate rocks and boulders. Best part, it finds its own fuel. Using a built-in GPS system, the horse seeks out vegetation which it then consumes and converts to fuel.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Transport TW: Zero Emission Car Powered By Magnetic Fields

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:30:06 GMT

Photo courtesy of EcoFriend Car designer Harsha Vardhan suggests that this two-wheeler concept is the car of the future. His Transporter TW (Twin Wheel) is a single-seater electric vehicle that uses magnetic fields for driving the car. The two gianormous wheels, suspended over a superconducting fluid, are propelled by those shifting magnetic fields. Thus the power generation, and motion of the car, is a nice noiseless and smooth ride. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Off-Grid House Made Of Recycled Steel Goes Anywhere

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:35:44 GMT

Photo courtesy of Michael Jantzen The Homestead House is an off-grid prefab concept made from recycled steel by designer Michael Jantzen. The house makes use of prefabricated, commercially available steel which makes it both low in cost and extremely modular. In fact, it makes the size and shape of the structure completely customizable - not to mention really tough! ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Zoo Installation Shows Trouble In Wildlife Paradise

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:27:05 GMT

Photo courtesy of Steinbrener-Dempf Trouble in Paradise--an art installation at Vienna's Schonbrunn Zoo--shows the troubling impact of modern civilization on wildlife habitat. The installation is the work of Austrian artists Christoph Steinbrener and Rainer Dempf who have set up six different enclosures at the zoo. There are oil pumps in the penguin pen, toxic waste in the aquarium and abandoned cars in the rhino enclosure to name a few. Intended to confront the notion of pristine wildlife, the installation hopes to raise awareness about the destruction of animal habitat globally. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

13 Hot Eco-Cars That Go Zoom

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:25:14 GMT

Photo by Concept Climax Who says a green car has to be shaped like a sneaker to save the planet? These 13 hot supercars sure don't. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

13 Hot Eco-Cars That Go Zoom

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:03:00 GMT

The Aero EV has a twin motor AESP producing a jaw-dropping 1,000 hp, 60 mph in 2.5 seconds, and its top speed is 208 mph. It can be charged and ready to go in 10 minutes on a standard 110 outlet has a range of 200 miles.

Photo by Gas2.0

... Read the full story on TreeHugger

New York City's First Rooftop Hydroponic Farm To Yield 30 Tons Of Produce Annually

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 09:18:20 GMT

Photo by NYDailyNews - Viraj Puri on the rooftop at 148-02 Archer Ave.e in Jamaica. It seems city farming in New York is all the rage these days. Just a few steps from the Long Island Rail Road's Jamaica Station, a church's rooftop will soon transform into New York's first hydroponic rooftop farm. At least, that is the hopes of a startup called Gotham Greens. Winners of the grand prize at New York's Green Business Competition, they plan to start construction of the 12,000 square-foot greenhouse this fall and yield their first harvest early next year. The project, with an estimated cost of $1.4 million, will be powered by 2,000 square-feet of solar panels and will capture rainwater for irrigation. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Cykel: A Plug-in Electric Bike Sharing Concept

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:32:14 GMT

Photo courtesy of Brian Mcallister Cykel is a plug-in electric bike sharing system designed for a wide range of users and topographies. The concept was inspired by the popular bike share programs found throughout Europe. It functions on either pedal-power or fully as an electric bike, which opens up transportation to wide range of users. It's especially appealing for cities with more difficult topographies like San Francisco. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

10 Droolworthy Eco Structures (Slideshow)

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:37:47 GMT

Photo by David Baker + Partners Surely these eco-structures will get you drooling. There's everything from prefabulous bamboo huts to towering vertical gardens. And yes, I called you Shirley. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

10 Droolworthy Eco Structures

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:01:28 GMT

The Dragonfly is a 128-floor vertical farm concept that will definitely get locavores drooling. Conceived by Vincent Callebaut Architectures, the building supports housing, offices, laboratories and and twenty-eight different agricultural fields. It completely sustains itself using solar-power, wind-power, and captured rain water.

Photo by Vincent Callebaut Architectures

... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Pee-to-Water Converter Is Neat And Kinda Gross

Tue, 26 May 2009 15:18:59 GMT

Photo courtesy of: The Design Blog Pee-cycling is getting more and more popular. Especially with water scarcity causing alarm planet-wide. Heck, even NASA astronauts are in on it. Like, whatever happened to just drinking Tang? The latest entry is by designer Leonardo Manavella. The "Aqua H20" works both with human or animal urine. The liquid waste is handled via the Activated Carbon which removes both the color and the flavor. No word on how this thing holds up against asparagus. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

New York City's Dragonfly A Locavore Wet Dream

Thu, 21 May 2009 18:37:00 GMT

Photo courtesy of: Vincent Callebaut Architectures Architect Vincent Callebaut will have locavores drooling if his 128-floor vertical farm concept is actually realized. The Dubai-esque Dragonfly addresses issues like food production and agriculture in cities that are horizontally-challenged for space like New York City. The concept supports housing, offices, laboratories and twenty-eight different agricultural fields. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Robo Taxi Requires No Driver And No Tip

Tue, 19 May 2009 16:45:49 GMT

Photo courtesy of: EcoFriend The Robo Taxi -- which hopefully behaves nothing like RoboCop -- is a robotic taxi designed for large metropolitan cities. Conceived by designer Kubik Petr, the vehicle holds only two passengers with a minimal amount of luggage. It's driven by two electric motors connected to the vehicle's back wheels. The car would be built from the lightest of materials and can operate for up to 20 hours. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Algae-Powered Big Rig That Transforms Into A Locomotive

Fri, 15 May 2009 15:00:00 GMT

Photo courtesy of: CarDesign.ru The Chiron Transportation concept transforms between both a big rig and a locomotive. Powered by an algae-based fuel cell engine, the Autobot-wannabe also comes with a satellite tracking system for navigating railways efficiently. The design addresses the gianormous ecological and economic costs of commercial transport. Something even the un-green have had to contend with due to the increased costs of petro-based fuels.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Seedbomb Instills Fear And Plants Trees

Tue, 12 May 2009 15:45:12 GMT

Photo courtesy of: Coroflot The Seedbomb, an unintentional eco-terrorist, is a non-military "bomb" designed for protecting the earth. When the Seedbomb is dropped, it disassembles mid-air. Within it are seed "warheads" that are then dispersed over a large area. It's kinda like the Michael Bay version of guerrilla gardening.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Solar-Powered Bench Is Eco- And Geek-Friendly

Fri, 08 May 2009 17:31:23 GMT

Photo courtesy of: Coroflot The Solar Inside, a collectively designed concept bench, is so much more than just a park bench. Imagined by designers Seon-Keun Park, Byung-Min Woo, and Owen Song, the Solar Inside's made with thin-film solar which works in a variety of weather conditions. The rechargeable battery not only turns the bench into a night-light but also provides wifi access. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Chinese Exercise Balls That Kinetically Charge Your Batteries

Mon, 04 May 2009 17:09:53 GMT

Photo credit: Coroflot Inspired by Chinese baoding balls, Shanghai designer Jiang Qian has created a kinetic charger concept that juices up your batteries all while fixing that pesky carpal tunnel. The aptly named Roll Charger harnesses energy from the ball's motion. It converts that kinetic energy into electricity. That electricity is then used to charge a single battery within the ball. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Solar-Powered Speakers Make For Less Guilt, More Boogie

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:28:30 GMT

Photo credit: designboom Pekka Salokannel's Gramo Speaker concept is an eco -- and aural -- treat. They've been specifically designed for a digital music lifestyle. They can cozy up to your laptop, transform into a tabletop speaker, or be taken on a picnic along with your iPod. Oh yeah, and they're powered completely by three layers of photovoltaic panels! And for any nocturnal booty-shaking you might have planned, the solar panels charge an internal battery pack . But it's their portability that's the real win. The speakers can completely unfold so they are flat enough to carry around in your pocket. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

TreeHugger Welcomes Writer Jerry James Stone!

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 09:39:07 GMT

Jerry is a web developer, part-time blogger and a full-time environmentalist. His crusade for all things eco started twenty years ago when he ditched his meat-and-potatoes upbringing for something more vegetarian-shaped. He currently works at Care2 and also blogs over at Green Options. His passions include green tech, eco politics and smart green design. And while he doesn't own a car anymore, he loves to write about those too. Jerry studied at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, CA. During his time there he was a DJ at the campus station KCPR and he also wrote for the campus paper. Jerry currently resides in San Francisco, CA with his cat Lola. You can stalk him on Twitter @jerryjamesstone.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Recent Posts by TreeHugger's Jerry James Stone, San Francisco, CA

World's Longest Solar Footbridge Also Powers the Main Grid

E. Coli Can Be Used To Clean Up Nuclear Waste

NASA Testing Breakthrough In Water Safety

Study Confirms Direct Link Between CO2 and Antarctic Ice Sheets

Google's Custom Solar Technology Will Reduce Costs by 60%

Taiwanese Center Has High-Tech Solar-Powered Skin

Inflatable Solar Panels Zip Together To Power Most Anything

NASA's Advanced Space Tech Gets Turned Into Self-Aware Eco Building

Lamborghini Announces Hybrid Coming In 2015

Solar Forest Keeps Cars Cool And Juiced

New York City's Waterfront Gets Extended With Wave Power

Play Lone Ranger With Plant-Fueled Horse (Tonto Not Included)

Transport TW: Zero Emission Car Powered By Magnetic Fields

Off-Grid House Made Of Recycled Steel Goes Anywhere

Zoo Installation Shows Trouble In Wildlife Paradise

13 Hot Eco-Cars That Go Zoom

13 Hot Eco-Cars That Go Zoom

New York City's First Rooftop Hydroponic Farm To Yield 30 Tons Of Produce Annually

Cykel: A Plug-in Electric Bike Sharing Concept

10 Droolworthy Eco Structures (Slideshow)

10 Droolworthy Eco Structures

Pee-to-Water Converter Is Neat And Kinda Gross

New York City's Dragonfly A Locavore Wet Dream

Robo Taxi Requires No Driver And No Tip

Algae-Powered Big Rig That Transforms Into A Locomotive

Seedbomb Instills Fear And Plants Trees

Solar-Powered Bench Is Eco- And Geek-Friendly

Chinese Exercise Balls That Kinetically Charge Your Batteries

Solar-Powered Speakers Make For Less Guilt, More Boogie

TreeHugger Welcomes Writer Jerry James Stone!