Eco Tech

Got a new mobile this Christmas? 7 ideas for your old mobile!

2011-12-30T08:25:00.000-08:00

Did you get a brand new mobile for Christmas? Don’t know what to do withyour old mobile? I have a few ideas to fit everyone...

For the Nostalgic

Put your old mobile in a shoebox and hide in the corner of your closet.Imagine the fun you’ll have when you rediscover that old forgotten shoebox in 5years and remember how big and clumsy mobiles were back in the days... which bythe way brings back some memories of my granddads very first car phone (*laugh*).

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For the lazy

Throw it away. Put it in the same old bag where all the packaging and paper and ribbons go at Christmas Eve. Don't even bother putting it in that extra bin especially made for electronic waste. Just kidding! If you are going to throw it way, seek out one of those electronic waste bins. E-waste that ends up in landfills or are burnt outdoors can release toxic substances such as Arsenic, Mercury and Lead.

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For the entrepreneur

Sell your old mobile on eBay or Gumtree and make someone else happy who needs a cheap second hand phone. That is if it is still in good shape.

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For the Environmentalist

Recycle it for money! There are several sites that offer you to send in your old mobile in exchange for a check. Check out www.mobiles.co.uk or http://www.compareandrecycle.co.uk.

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For the creative

Gather all old mobiles your friends and family are still hanging on to and create a piece of artwork. At the 2000 Hannover Expo, the Finnish Pavilion contributed with a tree shaped suspended installation that was decorated by dozen mobile phones. The phones were decorated as birds by children, assigned ring tones resembling the sounds of birds and set to ring at occasional intervals.

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For the parent

Give it to your kid. The Tech News section of the Telegraph today published an article about how children get their first mobile phone at an average age of 8 years according to a survey.

Wendy van den Hende, chief executive of the charity, said: "Children today face a kind of 'technological tipping point' forcing them to develop financial awareness at an earlier age.

"It is therefore, vital, that they are equipped with the skills and judgment to make sound decisions about money management from an early age." (source text The Telegraph)

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For the good hearted

I once joined a friend of mine as he gave some whole hearted attention, clothes, food and coins to a homeless man. The caring attention this man that sleeps under bridges in London got that evening was enough for him to feel get the courage to spend a coin in a red phone booth and ring his father that he had lost contact with over a decade ago.

Charge your old phone, put some credits in it and give it to someone in need. You never know who they might call. If you don't want to go alone, join the Sock Mob, which is a group of people who hit the streets every week in London to give away food and clothing to homeless.

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Portrait of the Month - Oscar Niemeyer 104 year birthday!

2011-12-16T04:00:00.000-08:00

Today is Oscar Niemeyer's birthday. 104 years, 70 years career and still rocking the world of architecture!

The Brazilian Le Corbusier disciple has been amazing us with his Brazilian modernism since he designed his first building, the Ministry of Education and Public Health in Rio de Janeiro in 1936.

"It is not the right angle that attracts me, nor the straight line, hard and inflexible, created by man. What attracts me is the free and sensual curve — the curve that I find in the mountains of my country, in the sinuous course of its rivers, in the body of the beloved woman."
- Oscar Niemeyer

He is famous for his flowing sensual feminine curves and deems his architecture to be just as important to modernism as the straight lines of the Bauhaus movement. To mark his 103 birthday last year he opened his latest work, a museum with his own work.

WHY SOLAR TECHNOLOGY IS MIMICKING BIOLOGY

2011-12-14T16:42:00.000-08:00

I believe that the advanced technology of solarcells that mimic the process of plants to draw energy from the sun, otherwiseknown as photosynthesis, first came to my attention about one year ago.

I hadalready been doing a thorough study on solar cells and where and when it makes sense to implement them.And the one dominant downside to solar cells as we know them is clearly thatthey need sunlight. They can store theenergy that is produced to some degree, but not enough to make it a reliable source of energy in acountry such as England, which is famous for its fish and chips, Mary Poppins, Oliver Twistand of course, cloudy skiesand plenty of rainfall. So I thought to myself that there should be away for solar cells to be more effective. And one answer lies in biomimicry.

Before I startdiving into the amazing world of biomimicry I’d like to ask one question: Why amI so interested in solar cells? Why not just use wind turbines during thosecloudy days?
England has plenty of wind so that would make sense. But windturbines can also make noise and take up a lot of space. So far solar cellshave had the capability of blending in slightly more than wind turbines. Andthey do look pretty cool as roof tiles, completely replacing any other type ofroof material. But solar cells are also fantastic in a smaller scale. Smallsolar cells have been used for decades in hand calculators. And using solarcells to charge mobile devices rather than plug in electricity is not justbeneficial for our beloved blue globe, but it also makes the user mobile andflexible not having to rely on electricity from the grid, never mind spendingvaluable vacation time figuring out one of those universal plug converters(find your favorite solar chargers here).

Nature has spentbillions of years creating and refining its creations. Everything nature hasever created that has been left untouched by the more intelligent species Homosapiens exists in perfect harmony. And we have so much to learn from our wisestteacher mother earth. And using what she is teaching us and translating that knowledgeinto smart technology is simply put amazing.

This brings meback to biomimicry. The term is a broad one, as the mimicry or imitation ofnature, comes in many forms and many fields of expertise. By the study of nano-scalemorphology of living organisms many applications have been developed throughmultidisciplinary collaboration between biologists, chemists, bioengineers,nanotechnologists, and material scientists. The imitation of processes, systemsand models in nature is used in fields such as architecture, industrial designand engineering to mention a few.

Michael Grätzel, ref. hydrogen

The MillenniumTech prize, which is awarded each year by Finland’s Technology Academy, wasgiven to the Switzerland based chemist Michael Grätzel in September 2010 forinventing solar cells that mimic photosynthesis.

Panels are being manufactured byan Australian company under the name ‘Dyesol Cells’. The panels are low costand low in energy consumption during the manufacturing process, and can beturned into electricity-generating windows, mobile solar devices and others. Thetechnology behind the ‘Dyesol Cells’ is inspired directly from the process ofplants absorbing sunlight through their green pigment chlorophyll andconverting carbon dioxide, gas and water into carbohydrates (glucose) andoxygen, which in turn provides for the energy the plant needs to survive andgrow. The solar cells similarly make use of a dye analogous to chlorophyll, forinstance dye squeezed from berries, which absorbs sunlight and generateselectrons and converts light into energy. And the energy that the cells producecan be used in both micro or macro scale, DC power storage which is integratedinto the products, AC power to Smart Meter and the grid, it can be combinedwith thermal energy, as portable power or distributed power. The cells aretolerable to partial shading and can be used all day. They can be transparent,rigid or curved and bendable and integrated into glass or metal. The advantagesare many and the technology is proven stable. So why is using nature as asource of inspiration such a growing trend? I would like to put it simply.Nature has a tried, tested and approved it all. Nature is the most experiencedbiologist, scientist and inventor of all times. We can certainly learn one ortwo things and use the wisdom to make our everyday life even better.

Semprius Solar Cell, ref greenpacks

A company namedSemprius, which won a “NextGen” grant from the Department of Energy in 2007,unveiled in July this year (2011) an ultra tiny solar cell half the size of apinhead, that in combination with powerful but inexpensive lenses canconcentrate sunlight more than 11,000 times and convert it to electricity. Thishas nothing to do with imitating nature, but it reveals another trend that hasbeen strong for some time, which is the capability of going smaller and smallerin scale, and thus making technologies easier to produce, distribute and use ina wide variety of products. Large scale production is made easy while leaving asmall ecological footprint in exchange for a micro scaled product with a multipliedefficiency. But it is not only micro solar cells that are now making headlines.In my next article I would like to explore some other still unusual energyproducers which can become specifically advantageous for mobile devices such asmobile phones and radio transmitters: electromagnetic energy tapped from theair around us or from sound waves that is transmitted into energy to charge ourphones as we speak.

ref:

http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-06/inventor-photosynthesis-based-solar-cells-wins-millennium-tech-prize

http://inhabitat.com/semprius-unveils-powerful-micro-solar-cell-that-can-fit-on-a-pinhead/

10 Sexiest Mobile Solar Chargers

2011-12-12T02:35:00.001-08:00

1. Sunny Flower

by Fandi Meng, via Designboom

Sunny flower' by chinese designer fandi meng is a personalsolar charging device. It works byspreading the petals onto glass to absorb sunshine. once charged you can harvest the powerfor your iphone or mp3 player.
'Sunny flower'consists of a solar panel and storage battery, which can be stuck on glass surfaces.when the storage battery is full, its indicator light will shine to catch yourattention.

2. Solar Window Charger

by XD Modo via Zilla Mag

A sticky adhesive around the solar pad that attaches to the window and catches sunlight to power up the battery life on your device. It can get enough sunlight to recharge the battery capacity of 1400mAh.

Available in 3 colours (grey, black or green) and selling at $65.

3. Dunhill Solar Charger

by Dunhill via Green Economy

The international luxury accessory company Dunhill, based in London, has released a solar power mobile device charger that appears to be as impressive in performance as it is in style.

We first caught sight of the shiny new device over on the GreenLaunches blog, and noted the beautiful design and sleek case that is seemingly uncommon for similarsolar chargers. We’ve seen several similar devices, but many are either too bulky,too weak or still in the development stage. Available for €190 (£160).

4. iPetals

by Mac Funamizu

Inspired by Fandi Mengs 'Sunny Flower', Mac Funamizu designed an iPhone charger that can also be used as an iPhone stand.

5. Solar Gorilla and Power Gorilla Laptop Kit

by The Solar Centre

Solar electrical device Charger. Solar charger with enough power to run a laptop for 2-6 hrs easily charges phones, ipods, MP3 Players, Digital Cameras.

6. Freeloader Classic

by The Solar Centre via Skyline Technology

Covered in a hard wearing and stylish aluminium skin, Freeloader Classic now has super powerful solar panels and is capable of giving power to an iPod / iPhone for 18 hours, a smart phone for 44 hours, a PSP of DS for 2.5 hours and an iPad for 2 hours. Prices range from £30-50.

7. Freeloader Pro

by The Solar Centre via Extreme Kit Shop

Freeloader Pro is the ultimate solar charger capable of powering virtually every electrical device, anywhere in the world, whether on a beach, a mountain, jungle or the Polar ice cap. Freeloader Pro uses its high power solar panels or USB (cable supplied) to quickly charge its internal battery (7 - 9 hours in sunny conditions). Once fully charged Freeloader Pro is capable of delivering enough power to give a mobile phone 70 hours of standby time, 5000 page turns on an eBook or a 100% full charge for a digital camera battery. Also by switching its Multi voltage switch to "9.5v" Freeloader Pro is capable of charging power hungry, high voltage devices such as MP4 players, portable DVD players and SLR camera batteries.

8. reNEW your charge

by Yanko Design

A slightly different design is provided by Yanko Design. This AA battery charger blends into the interior of the room and can hang on the window via a suction cup or rest on a table like a pretty frame.

9. Juicebar Pocket Solar Charger

by Juicebar via GreenWala

This stylish, sleek and reliable pocket size universal battery charger (Juicebar Solar Charger) is proven to be your best friend in a situation when conventional electric supply is not available or if you are trying to use eco-friendly renewable power supplies.
Great as a solar phone charger for any type of Mobile Phones, IPhones, PSA, PDA, Mp3 Players, Satellite Navigation, and much more.

10. Bolt Solar Charger

by Solio via Treehugger

This is probably the only solar charger that also acts as a sun dial. Simply insert a pencil into the hole in the middle and point towards the sun. Turn until the pencil no longer casts a shadow. This way the charger can use the most of the sun energy.

Organic Design and Green Thinking - What do you think?

2011-12-08T03:00:00.001-08:00

Organic design is something that I find very interesting. I am intrigued by and drawn to all shapes inspired by nature. And even more so its history and how closely it is connected to people and their reactions to their environment and society.

The decorative decadence of Art Nouveau with emotional, feminine illustrations, masters like Klimt and Mucha and highly decorated architecture and furniture as a reaction to the Industrial Revolution. People longing for earthy aesthetic colours and shapes after the horrors of WWII, bringing us organic modernism with designers such as Charles and Ray Eames, Eero Saarinen and Arne Jacobsen. And the more recent 'organic essentialism' by Ross Lovegrove who combines science, technology, design and architecture.

Photograph by: Victoria Ryan

And now the spotlights are on Green, Sustainable Design. Design aimed at saving the planet and the people living in grey smog filled concrete jungles. Though green can also be geometrical, rigid in its shape, and still breath life into cold sterile environments.

What is the most influential design or movement that has inspired you to go into the professional field you are in today?

2011-12-07T13:18:00.001-08:00

Subtracted from a discussion on LinkedIn group "Interior Architecture + Design":

What is the most influential design or movement that has inspired you to go into the professional field you are in today?

My reply:

It was never one or two movements that inspired me to become an Interior Designer, but rather the influence of moving a lot, at an early age being introduced to many new impressions, and the underlying urge to constantly creating something new and pushing boundaries. Later on sources of inspiration have been the likes of Zaha Hadid, Le Corbusier, Frank Gehry, Ross Lovegrove and organic design from the 1960's and the present.

The Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles California. By architect Frank Gehry
photograph by Jean Luc Mege

Hey Dalai Lama...

2011-12-07T12:38:00.001-08:00

Hey, Dalai Lama, what surprises you most about humanity?

"Man, because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then he dies having never really lived."

Photography by Steve Pyke

Hey There!

2011-12-07T12:26:00.001-08:00

My name is Selma Karlsdottir and I am now the author of this blog. Just want to introduce myself briefly before getting into any details about why the topic of this blog is not just so incredibly important, but also will be so much fun for me to write and hopefully for you to read.

I am an interior designer and supporter of green initiatives in design. I must genuinely say, I love everything that has to do with design. It is such a broad area and can include design with the intent of touching your senses. Or it can be a tool to reach out to your readers or clients or just people happening to pass by. It can also be a means to make the world a better and more exciting place.

And don't you just love it when nature, design and technology come together? Well I do. Because design really becomes something amazing when it combines all of these aspects.

A perfect marriage of a need, a wish and a purpose.