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Justin

Ozone Generators: Effectively Deodorize Rooms and Purify Water

July 4, 2009

One of the simplest and most inexpensive ways to purify water is to bubble ozone through it. Ozone is a molecule made of three oxygen atoms ( O3). It disinfects water very effectively, through a process called oxidation. Ozone ruptures the cellular structure of organisms, killing them. It also oxides toxic organic chemicals, minerals and [...]

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A Solar Flower Tower Rises In The Desert

June 23, 2009

This unusual solar tower was designed by Israeli architect Haim Dotan for AORA Solar. It is set to launch on June 24 in South Israel.
The tower has 30 tracking mirrors (heliostats) that reflect sunlight towards the top of a 30-meter high solar tower. The top of the tower has a special solar receiver and a [...]

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Hyper-Efficient House Completed In Virginia

June 22, 2009

This new home in Virginia was designed for optimal efficiency. It’s the first to receive LEED platinum in Virginia.
Optimal elements that set it apart: an integrated rain water collection system (the site design features zero site runoff for a one-inch rain event), integrated geothermal wells, and exceptional indoor air quality.

The home was built by Metro [...]

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The Best Wireless Earbuds For iPods

June 14, 2009

Wireless earbuds allow you to listen to an iPod or MP3 player without a tangle of cords. They are particularly useful for listening while active.
There are two types of wireless earbuds: those that transmit wirelessly via an iPod adapter, and those that attach directly to an iPod shuffle. Most of the transmitting wireless earbuds use the [...]

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The Best Cargo Carrying Bikes Of 2009: A Review

June 5, 2009

If you are interested in carrying cargo on your bike you should consider a dedicated “cargo bike” or “utility bike”. These bikes are great for transporting luggage while commuting, touring or running errands.
Cargo bikes feature a long wheel base for more space on the rear luggage rack. They usually have a strong frame and wheels [...]

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The Best Women’s Cruiser Bikes: 2010

May 27, 2009

Recently, we featured men’s cruiser bicycles. Now let’s take a look at women’s cruiser bikes, which have become very popular in recently years. Nearly every major bike manufacturer now offers at least one cruiser model, if not an entire line. Here are some of the best:

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Top Mountain Bike LED Lights Under $300

May 22, 2009

LED systems are natural choice for mountain bikers given their efficient power consumption, durable construction and distinctive white light. Finding quality LED light systems for mountain bikes under $300 isn’t easy, so we’ve scoured the net and studied dozens of reviews from Amazon, MTBR.com and retailers to find the LED systems that stand out as [...]

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Optimal Ride: Best Cruiser Style Bicycles

May 19, 2009

“Cruisers”, the sturdy, balloon-tired bicycles that were a common sight on American streets through the 1950s, have seen a serious spike in popularity lately. Their throwback style is attracting commuters and other riders for some very good reasons. We review seven top cruiser bikes — read more on Optimal Ride.

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World’s First 100% Solar-Powered Stadium

May 15, 2009

A couple of years ago, we wrote about a 1.3 megawatt solar-powered stadium in Switzerland. A new solar powered stadium has been built in Taiwan for the 2009 World Games in July. Designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito, the stadium incorporates 8,844 solar panels on the roof. The roof will generate enough energy to power [...]

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New On Optimal Ride: The Best Around-Town Bike Panniers

April 22, 2009

We review around-town bike panniers on Optimal Ride.

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Shai Agassi’s Plan To Get 100% Electric Cars On The Road

April 20, 2009

I’m an advocate for car-free cities (on this note, see the newly published Carfree Design Manual by J. H. Crawford). But 100% electric cars are certainly preferable to gasoline-powered cars. Therefore I found this recent presentation by Shai Agassi of Better Place to be of inspiring. He argues that hybrids won’t work, and ethnol isn’t [...]

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City Of Green Rings To Be Built In Korea

April 20, 2009

A Dutch architecture group MVRDV have won a competition to design a city center for Gwanggyo, a new city which could be built south of Seoul, Korea. The town is planned to be a self-sufficient city of 77,000 inhabitants.

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Efficient Organic LEDs Demonstrated

April 17, 2009

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are a new type of LED where a thin film of organic compounds is used to produce electroluminescence.

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Nikon Introduces Green Binoculars: Ecobins

April 14, 2009

Nikon has introduced some new binoculars called Ecobins with some nice green features. The body of the binocular is made with rubber than does not include chloride, toxic inks or dyes. The lens and prisms are made with Nikon’s Eco-Glass™, which is lead- and arsenic-free.

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Free Book: Sustainable Energy — Without The Hot Air

April 14, 2009

I’m very glad to see the publication of a book called Sustainable Energy – Without the Hot Air. Don’t be fooled by the cover — this is book is a lively look at sustainable energy.
I liked the way reviewer Cory Doctorow describes the book on Boing Boing: “This is to energy and climate what Freakonomics [...]

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New On Optimal Ride: GoCycle: An Innovative Folding Electric Bike

April 11, 2009

Optimal Ride has been on a bit of a hiatus during the winter, but now it’s spring and our first feature is the GoCycle — an innovative folding electric bike from the U.K. See also this post on the Zero S electric motorcycle.

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GM And Segway Unveil Their Electric 2-Seater

April 8, 2009

Yesterday, GM and Segway unveiled an electric-powered urban vehicle called the Puma. The Puma seats two people, and is said to reach a top speed of 35 miles per hour. The vehicle can go 35 miles before needing a recharge.
Larry Burns, vice president of research and development for GM, said it would cost about 35 [...]

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Renewable: Sunglasses Made With Castor Bean Oil

April 7, 2009

The frames of these sunglasses (Dragon Experience Eco) are not made with petroleum.
Instead they are made with Nylon 11, the only commercially successful high volume biopolymer, which is made by polymerizing a split segment of castor bean oil.

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From The Meta-Efficient Labs: Most Optimal Comforter Material: Organic Merino Wool

April 4, 2009

As many of you may have heard — I believe merino wool is an optimal clothing material. But it is also useful in the bedroom: as an optimal comforter fill. The advantage of wool is that it doesn’t retain moisture.

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Lenovo’s Latest Green PC: The M58p Eco Ultra Small

April 2, 2009

I’ve been testing a new, very efficient PC called the ThinkCentre M58p Eco Ultra Small by Lenovo. This compact PC is the successor to the ThinkCentre M57p Eco. My kilo-o-watt meter is telling me that the M58p consumes only about 35 watts while idle, and 58 watts of power at peak usage. It has a [...]

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