Author Archives for Justin
Air Jet Showerhead: A High-Powered Water Saver
I’ve been testing the Air Jet showerhead, and so far I’ve been impressed. This is low-flow showerhead, but it creates a high pressure shower experience using simple physics. The showerhead draws in air, and the air is compressed and mixed into the water. As the air moves top the showerhead, it expands and the shower [...]
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- Reduce Your Household Water Use Efficiently Reducing household water usage has big-time benefits for both homeowners…
- Ovopur: The Art Of The Water Filter I’ve been testing an Ovopur water filter from Aquaovo, a…
- 2010 Review Of Tankless Water Heaters Tankless water heaters have been used in Europe and Asia…
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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- Chlorine Alternatives For Efficient Swimming Pools Cannonball! Jumping into a swimming pool is a classic way…
- Irish Firm Claims World’s Most Efficient Solar Heater An Irish company, Surface Power, has launched what could be…
- Green Roofs – Efficient Design Starts At The Top Green roofs have seen a surge in popularity recently as…
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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- Trailerbikes: A 2008 Review and Buying Guide A trailer bike is a one-wheeled bike extension that…
- Hyperefficient Transportation: Utility Bikes and Bike Trailers Utility bikes or “work bikes” are very efficient vehicles…
- Three New Electric Bikes For 2010 Now that the e-bike market is maturing in the…
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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- New LED Light Bulbs Can Replace 100W Incandescents Update: See our latest post on LED Light Bulbs For…
- Liquid-Filled LED Bulbs: 360 Degree Light I’ve been testing a new LED bulb called the HydraLux….
- EcoLEDs: Mercury-Free LED Bulbs A start-up company is offering mercury-free, energy efficient, high-brightness…
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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- World’s Brightest Single LED Flashlight: Neofab Legion II A triumph of careful thought, detailing and thorough testing,…
- The Tri-L: A Portable LED Work Light I’ve been testing the battery-powered Tri-L LED work light…
- Liquid-Filled LED Bulbs: 360 Degree Light I’ve been testing a new LED bulb called the HydraLux….
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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- A Viper Created With Recycled Keyboards This is a viper made with keys recycled from…
- Efficient: Foot Pedal Faucet Controllers Foot pedal faucet controllers allow you to control a…
- The Best Subwoofers Under $500 The best subwoofers give consumers that low end from the…
Fit. Functional. Useful. Operative.
Capable. Optimal. Sufficient.
(Coming Soon)
Related posts:Electric Bikes For Commuters The New York Times recently featured an article about…
2010 Prius To Use Solar Power “Prius,” in Latin, means roughly “to go before.” Since…
Minimalist Functional Design Kenya Hara wrote the book “Designing Design“, which is…
Related posts:
- Electric Bikes For Commuters The New York Times recently featured an article about…
- 2010 Prius To Use Solar Power “Prius,” in Latin, means roughly “to go before.” Since…
- Minimalist Functional Design Kenya Hara wrote the book “Designing Design“, which is…
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 [...]
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- Chinese Design Winner: High-Rise With Vertical Hydroponics This apartment high-rise concept won a sustainable housing award…
- Ultra-Efficient Design Meets Low-Impact Manufacturing: Patagonia Wetsuits If you’re not a surfer or a diver, a wetsuit…
- Most Efficient 3-Ring Binders Bloggers are drafting up their top 10 list posts…
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.
Related posts:Highly Efficient House Uses 80% Less Power and Water I have to mention this [...]
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- Highly Efficient House Uses 80% Less Power and Water I have to mention this highly optimal house recently…
- PowerHub: Backup Power From Solar, Wind Xantrex, a company well known the renewable energy world,…
- Micro-Wind Turbines: Update I first wrote about these wind micro-wind turbines for…
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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- Rechargeable 9 Volt Lithium Polymer Batteries: Efficient When buying 9 volt batteries, you might want to…
- Optimal: Natural Rubber Pacifiers Pacifiers that do not contain toxic materials are efficient….
- Bloxes: Modular Cardboard Furniture Cardboard can be incorporated in modern design pieces —…