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Justin Thomas

The Most Efficient Public Swimming Pool In The U.S.

A community swimming pool called the Richmond Plunge has just opened in Richmond, California, and it may be the most efficient swimming pool in the country. The Richmond Plunge has many efficient features: it’s heated by solar collectors, it’s entirely chlorine-free, and the building is powered by solar panels on the roof. The Plunge is [...]

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The Most Efficient Chest Freezers

When researching energy efficient appliances, we often turn to the recommendations of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). The ACEEE continues to publish helpful information about all sorts of appliances, including freezers. The ninth edition of their Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, published in fall 2007, contains helpful information about selecting a [...]

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Kid’s Trailer Bikes For 2010

Want to bring your child along on an extended bike ride? One easy way is to use a trailer bike — it’s a one-wheeled bike extension that attaches to the back of your bike. Your smaller companion can then assist you with pedaling, while you control the steering and speed. If your child gets tired, [...]

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Breakthough: $25 LED Light Bulbs Available Soon

I’ve been testing the new Zeta-Lux 2 LED light bulb from EarthLED. This bulb looks similar to the first Zeta-Lux –but this bulb retails for $25 instead of $40. This means you can get a 40-watt equivalent LED bulb that consumes just 6 watts. The color temperature of the Zeta-Lux 2 is a pleasing 2800K. [...]

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Tested: 240 Lumen LED Bike Light For $20

Important Update: After testing a second unit, I can no longer recommend this product as a bike light. The trouble is that the flashlight popped out of its container whenever I rode over a curb. The problem seems to be the weight of the flashlight. One positive note — the Cree flashlight itself proved to [...]

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The Best MIDI Keyboards Under $500

MIDI controllers have become more loaded with features in recent years, a far cry from the simple keyboard-only controllers from several years back. Now many MIDI models feature full mixing controllers, such as knobs, faders, and even transport controls. Some models also have integrated effects, vocoder microphones, and drum pads for a wider range of [...]

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Minimalist Functional Design

Kenya Hara wrote the book “Designing Design“, which is 472 page tribute to “white” not just as color but as a design concept. It contains chapters by like-minded designers such as Jasper Morrison and Naota Fukasawa. The works of German industrial designer Dieter Rams (Braun), and Apple’s “Snow White” design language are other examples of [...]

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Intelligent Electrical Outlets: Efficient and Safe

Here’s a short presentation at TED 2010 by inventor John La Grou, where he unveils an invention that would make electrical outlets much smarter. The invention, Safeplug, promises to prevent deadly accidents like house fires — and to conserve energy.

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Non-Toxic Indoor/Outdoor Lounge Chairs

These polymer-based chairs can be used both indoors and outdoors. The Bubble Club Chair by Kartell (shown above), is made of non-toxic materials, and it has all its plastic parts printed with an identification mark to determine the correct recycling classification. It sells for $680. The Heller Mario Bellini MB1 Armchair (below) is constructed of [...]

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