Hybrid Living

LED Lighting Would Save America $120 Billion

Hank Green — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:10:00 +0000

A Department of Energy report on light emitting diode (LED) technology has some pretty startling numbers to digest. First, 7% of America's electricity is used to light our homes and businesses. That number is down significantly in the last few years because of the adoption of efficient lighting. But there is still a great deal of ground to be gained. Indeed, as bright white LEDs begin to make their way to the market, the DOE expects their adoption to result in huge decreases in energy use.

The cumulative savings of widespread adoption of this technology over the next 20 years would be about 1.500 terawatt-hours the price of which, at today's energy prices, is around $120 billion. The savings would eliminate the need for 24 new large power plants, to say nothing of the decrease in carbon emissions.

The DOE has a host of programs to spur growth in the LED market, including a X-Prize style contest, R&D projects and market-baed projects. Of course, we have to do our part too. New technology relies on EcoGeeks to be the early adopters of LED technology. I've already got a few lighting up my house.

Efficient LED Light Bulbs For The Home

benjamin — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:33:07 +0000

C. Crane Geobulb 3 LED Home Light Bulb

LED light bulbs have some huge advantages over incandescent and compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs. But they perform differently, so here’s your guide to understanding LED bulbs so you can enjoy their benefits and play to their strengths.

(more…)

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China Planning Massive Asia-Europe Rail System

Megan Treacy — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:08:00 +0000

China's high-speed rail plans get more ambitious by the day. Not satisfied with having the world's most advanced and extensive rail line in the world, China is now planning to connect its rail system to 17 other countries in Asia and Eastern Europe where it will join the European rail network.

China plans to have this massive project completed in 10 years. The rail system will include three major continent-crossing lines running at 200 mph. One line will connect London to Beijing in a two-day trip and continue on to Singapore. Another will link Vietnam, Thailand, Burma and Malaysia. The third will connect Germany to Russia, go across Siberia and back into China.

With travelers able to take major routes like these at high speeds, air travel may become a lot less necessary across Europe and Asia.

China will be financing the project in exchange for access to natural resources from the 17 countries the rail lines will run through. As an example, Burma will provide China with lithium for its rail connection.

via Daily Telegraph

Recyclable Indoor/Outdoor Lounge Chairs

Justin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:18:03 +0000

These polymer-based chairs can be used both indoors and outdoors. The Bubble Club Chair by Kartell (shown above), 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 one piece roto molded polymer, it sells for $450. It would also be good to see these chairs made with biopolymers.

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Efficient Urban Bikes: Felt X-City 1 & Dahon Jack

Justin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:44:53 +0000

Versatile urban travel: the Felt X-City 1 bike, and the folding Dahon Jack bike for under $600.

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An Efficient Spring 2010 Icebreaker Polo

Justin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:18:10 +0000

How soon the warm weather is here. Icebreaker has released a new line merino clothing for spring. Available from Moosejaw.

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Bead-Filled Washing Maching Uses 90% Less Water

Megan Treacy — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:06:00 +0000

A new washing machine design uses 90 percent less water and reduces utility bills by 30 percent by cleaning clothes with tiny plastic beads.

The machine by UK company Xeros Ltd uses 3mm-long nylon beads that can get into all crevices and folds of clothing and absorb stains and dirt. Stephen Burkinshaw, a polymer chemist at Leeds University, discovered that nylon beads at 100 percent humidity could attract stains away from clothing and into the center of the beads, preventing deposition back onto the clothes.

The machine uses a small amount of water to dampen the clothes and to reach the right humidity level, then the drum is flooded with the beads. When the cycle is complete the beads drain away with the water to be reused hundreds of times.

I'm sure you've already started questioning what happens to these plastic beads once they're done scrubbing clothes. The company wants to eventually create a closed loop where the saturated beads can be refreshed and reused in the machines, but for the time being they will be collected and recycled.

Xeros says that if all of the US used these machines instead of regular washing machines, it would save 1.2 billion tonnes of water per year and the CO2 emissions saved would equal taking 5 million cars off the road. The machine would also eliminate the need to dry clean many delicates, another environmental benefit. The Xeros machine is expected to be available by the end of next year.

via Guardian

Concentrated Solar Power Isn’t Just for Deserts, It Could be for Walls Too

Megan Treacy — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:32:00 +0000

Usually when you read about concentrated solar power, it's referring to some large project destined for the Mojave Desert, but Syracuse's Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE) has set out to prove that this technology can be used in smaller, colder settings.

SyracuseCoE in Syracuse, NY is itself a LEED-platinum-certified, 55,000 square-foot building that serves as a testing ground for renewable energy and efficiency technologies. The south wall of the building is home to a concentrated solar facade that, at first glance, resembles the frosted cube walls found in doctors' office waiting rooms.

This 8-foot by 8-foot facade houses several clear pyramid lenses that track the sun and concentrate the rays onto high-efficiency PV cells. Extra energy not converted to electricity is used for heating water and radiant heat in the building. And because it's made up of clear panels, it also adds natural lighting indoors. You can watch a video of the system at work here.

Using a concentrated solar power system in an architectural application is a new concept, so the center will be monitoring and reporting on its performance.

The facade was designed by the Center for Architecture Science and Ecology and the company HeliOptix is licensed to market it.

via Jetson Green

Ultrafine Yak Wool Clothing: Efficient

Justin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:49:58 +0000

Khunu is a start-up company that aims to be the first to bring yak wool clothing to the global market. They offer a range of athletic clothing that is made with 100% Himalayan yak wool. What are the advantages of yak wool? Khunu says that independent lab tests have shown yak wool to be 10-15% warmer than merino wool of Australia and New Zealand. They claim the wool has a luxurious hand feel which is comparable to cashmere, because only the ultrafine down fibers of the wool are used.

The yaks are usually raised by nomadic Tibetan and Mongolian families. Their wool is combed (not shorn) once per year in the springtime when the animals shed their winter coat. See more information here.

Currently, Khunu is offering a limited number of items from their web site, until their formal launch in September 2010.

The Yak: The Creature With The Warm Wool

Website: Khunu

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Three New Electric Bikes For 2010

Justin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 04:53:22 +0000

Now that the e-bike market is maturing in the U.S., I think we’ll be seeing some sophisticated electric bikes released this year. Here are three intriguing e-bikes that have become available so far: (more…)

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