Efficient things
Efficient things
Bicycle City is a planned community built around bicycles. No cars are allowed. A real world cycling utopia, the project, started by Ohio-based Bicycle City LLC, has been in the design phase since the early 1990s, but in 2010 the town of Gaston, South Carolina near Columbia was chosen as the first location for Bicycle […]
A Town Without Cars: Bicycle City Read More »
Urban living requires efficient use of space, but it can be a very environmentally-friendly lifestyle: city residents generally live in small homes with access to walkable neighborhoods and public transportation. One common downside is a lack of green space, but architect Stefano Boeri aims to change all that with his “Bosco Verticale” concept. Italian for
Stunning Vertical Forest Skyscraper By Stefano Boeri’s Read More »
Light rail is a type of electric railway that runs on right-of-way railroad tracks or on tracks in city streets. Using their own lanes and able to go anywhere, light rail cars mix well in urban settings by not getting caught up in traffic congestion. Though the United States operates the largest and most efficient
3 Reasons Light Rail is an Efficient Transportation Option for U.S. Cities Read More »
Aromatherapy, literally ‘scent treatment’, is the practice of using essential oils extracted from trees, flowers, and herbs as an alternative medicine to ease all kinds of ailments and conditions including stress, depression, and cold symptoms. Essential oils stimulate our mood sensors while providing germ-killing power, as well as medicinal properties to ease symptoms of disease
How to Use Essential Oils in Aromatherapy to Treat Colds and Flu Read More »
Great ideas for sustainable development sometimes just remain abstract concepts – that is, until they’re put into practice where they can serve as a showcase for their real potential. Such was the case with Chicago’s Center for Green Technology, the country’s first LEED Platinum municipal building – and an inspiration for subsequent development both in
Chicago Center For Green Technology: Sustainable Development Leader Read More »
Since LEDs are an efficient light source and draw far less power than traditional bulbs, they are perfect for off-the-grid applications where solar cells charge a battery that powers the lamp. Large-scale applications of this concept include LED road lane markers, but smaller-scale projects like lighting your lawn or garden are perfect uses for them
Best Solar LED Lawn And Garden Lights Read More »
Cannonball! Jumping into a swimming pool is a classic way to beat the heat on a hot summer day. But clean pool water requires a combination of filtration, circulation, and sanitization. Chlorine has long been the most common tool for keeping pools free of bacteria and algae – but it has its drawbacks, and there
Chlorine Alternatives For Efficient Swimming Pools Read More »
A recent Metaefficient post offered some ideas for reducing water consumption in your home – but why stop there? Read on to learn about some tips and products that will help you manage water use in outdoor spaces like lawns and gardens. Best of all, you’ll reduce both your environmental impact and utility bills in
Efficient Outdoor Water Use Read More »
Who says that a home with cutting-edge energy efficiency has to look like an ultra-modern pod? This recently completed Wisconsin home packs so much energy tech that it makes money by selling electricity back to the grid, and it still keeps a low neighborhood profile.
An Energy Producing Home In Disguise Read More »
Urban alleyways. Grubby places that only scrappy cats or cop-show perps could love, right? Not in Chicago, where the Department of Transportation is giving them some serious TLC with its recently implemented Green Alley Program. This city-wide renovation initiative will offer some surprising environmental benefits and improve quality of life for residents.
Chicago’s Green Alley Initiative Read More »