From the monthly archives:

September 2008

ASUS Introduces Bamboo-Cased Computers

September 30, 2008

Bamboo is an ideal material to fashion into gadgets — it’s tough but lightweight, and it wears well. I also find it much more pleasing to the eye than plastic. But few bamboo-clad electronics have made it into mass production yet. One exception is ASUS’s bamboo-cased version of its U2E notebook which is now available [...]

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Netgear Introduces Green Routers

September 30, 2008

Netgear didn’t get much of a mention in our recent post “The Greenest Routers of 2008“. But now the company has released two green routers — the Netgear WNR2000 router, and its DSL modem-equipped DGN2000. Both these routers comes with EnergyStar-rated power supplies, and they come in new packages made with 80 percent recycled content.

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LiFePO4 Batteries: A Breakthrough For Electric Vehicles

September 21, 2008

Soon, we’ll probably be seeing Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries being used in most electric cars and bikes. This new battery type is set to dominate the market. Based upon lithium ion technology, LiFePO4 batteries offer many advantages over lithium cobalt dioxide (LiCoO2) batteries which are commonly used in laptops, mp3 players and cell phones.
In [...]

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The Greenest Audio Systems Of 2008

September 19, 2008

This has been a breakthrough year for green electronics, but audio equipment is lagging behind a bit. As you’ll soon discover in our review below, there’s only a smattering of products that are Energy Star certified. Fewer still are those products certified to be free of toxic materials, or packaged in green manner. Perhaps audio [...]

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The Greenest Routers Of 2008

September 16, 2008

Networking routers are on their way to becoming standard household appliances. They are typically turned on 24 hours a day, so it’s good to see that they are becoming much greener of late. Small changes in the efficiency of appliances can lead big savings, when millions of units are being sold. For example, Linksys estimates [...]

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Efficient Use Of Solar LED Bricks

September 10, 2008

Looks good! It’s a large-scale installation of Solar LED bricks. I couldn’t identify the location, but the bricks are Meteor Solar LED pavers. Solar bricks are self-contained — during they day they charge via the sun, and turn on automatically at night.

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Office Building Is 100% Sewer-Free

September 8, 2008

The sewer systems we use today are entirely ineffectual and unnecessary. The primary flaw in our design is that we use fresh water to dispose of feces. This is perhaps the most ineffectual thing to do with human manure — it pollutes fresh water, and it requires municipalities to maintain extremely costly sewage treatment infrastructures. [...]

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Efficient: HP Reduces Laptop Packaging By 97%

September 8, 2008

Recently, HP announced that its DV6929 laptop will be packaged in messenger bags made with 100% recycled materials. This will reduce the amount of packaging by 97% — almost all the Styrofoam and cardboard conventionally for packaging will be eliminated.

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Bags Made With 95% Recycled Material

September 7, 2008

I’ve been testing a new line of bags called Terraclime by Lowepro. I was impressed by the fact that 95% of the material used to make these bags is recycled content. The fabric is made with recycled PET bottles (i.e. post-consumer plastic). The hooks and zippers are made from plastic salvaged from the factory floor, [...]

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Efficient Natural Deodorizer: MultiFresh

September 7, 2008

I’ve been testing a new deodorizer called MultiFresh. It is made with pyroclastic rock called Ignimbrite, which is found in volcanoes. This natural deodorizer absorbs odors like baking soda, but it is said to be many times more effective. Ignimbrite is one of the few negatively charged minerals in existence, so it also works by [...]

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90,000 Homes To Be Powered By Chicken Manure

September 4, 2008

The world’s largest biomass power plant running exclusively on chicken manure has opened in the Netherlands. The power plant will deliver renewable electricity to 90,000 households. It has a capacity of 36.5 megawatts, and will generate more than 270 million kWh of electricity per year.

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Highly Efficient House Uses 80% Less Power and Water

September 4, 2008

I have to mention this highly optimal house recently completed in California. Jetson Green has all the details, so I won’t repeat them here. Basically, the Margarido House is on its way to being the first home the nation that’s both LEED-H certified and GreenPoint rated. I’m impressed by how many green elements are incorporated [...]

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Sharp Introduces Earthquake-Detecting Solar LED Streetlights

September 4, 2008

Sharp is introducing a new range of solar-powered LED streetlights. These self-contained lights charge during the day, and switch on automatically when darkness falls. They can operate for 10 years straight without maintenance. They make use of new, high-intensity LED spotlights, which are ideal for public parks. The LEDs illuminate with a directed light and [...]

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