Going Green - SlashGear

‘going green’ Stories

The Umeox Apollo Solar Powered Cell Phone – with Android

Samia Perkins, Feb 14th 2011 Discuss [4]

The latest solar powered cell phone was just announced at Mobile World Congress in Spain, the Umeox Apollo. The phone runs on Android, and would take about 2.5 hours of sunlight for refilling the battery after daily use. This is great news if you want to go camping and not be without your smartphone. The phone is headed for production, but there is no word on when it will actually be available in the US. The phone could also be great for travelling. But for daily use, leaving your phone out in the sun for 2.5 hours at a time probably isn't realistic. More likely, the phone would charge for 10-15 minutes throughout the day in between uses. In the event the phone goes completely dead, it would take up to 17 hours in the sun to charge it back. Read The Full Story

7-11 Japan Opening 100 Green Stores

Samia Perkins, Feb 3rd 2011 Discuss [1]

How can 7-11, with its glaring fluorescent lights, coolers, and Slurpee machines go green? Well, they have had success with a pilot program in Japan, and are now expanding it to 100 new stores, as well as renovating 100 existing stores to the new green model. [caption id="attachment_130709" align="alignnone" width="537" caption="Image © David Oooms"][/caption] Read The Full Story

Pure Sun Uses Sun’s Rays to Provide Green Light

Chris Burns, Jan 21st 2011 Discuss [0]

The light itself isn't the color green, but it's certainly less likely to put you in the poorhouse via electricity bills. This is the Pure Sun lamp designed by Denmark-based Igland Design who've billed this object as "a table that doubles as a light source, using only the sun. Well wait a second, couldn't I just open a window? Yes you do have to open a window. Isn't the room then already light? Not if you've got a small window. This seems difficult. It is! Read The Full Story

Electronic Eco-Friendly Rickshaw Designed by Japan Firm

Chris Burns, Jan 20th 2011 Discuss [2]

I have the distinctive honor of presenting to you the very first post on SlashGear to feature a rickshaw. This rickshaw is both electronic and eco-friendly. This is the Meguru, a three-wheeled, three seat tiny vehicle that's made to go what they call "maximum speed" and range of about 25 miles per hour. Of course that's just with the out-of-the-box build, you can add batteries as you like for a longer ride. Read The Full Story

Self-Powered House Generates Income for You

Chris Burns, Dec 16th 2010 Discuss [0]

This is a concept project that's on its way to real reality. I say real reality because not only are there hopes to turn this project into a reality, there's money moving towards that end. In Germany, this "Plus-Energy" house is designed by Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design (ILEK), headed by Werner Sobek (who succeeded the great Frei Otto, a master of lightweight structures.) - thanks for the info, TreeHugger. There's a bit of credibility right there that lends itself toward thinking this is a project on its way toward the real world. What is it? Why, it's a square house completely covered in photovoltaic panels and solar thermal systems that generate electricity and hot water. What else would it be? Read The Full Story

Sony Demonstrates Solar Power Window Panels

Chris Burns, Dec 14th 2010 Discuss [0]

Take a look at this flower power right here. This is what Sony calls Hana Mado (aka Flower Power), a solar panel that uses screen printed dye to generate custom designs for windows. What's that? windows that double as solar panels? I'll take them all, thank you. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) in any color combination and design you like. For the demonstration at Eco Products 2010, Sony attached a tiny cute fan to an approximately 10 inch(?) panel that when light was introduced turned, and when light was taken away, stopped. In my walls and in my car next too, please? Read The Full Story

Hybrid Sweet Sweeper Allianz 4000 is World’s First

Chris Burns, Dec 13th 2010 Discuss [0]

Hey world, check it out, time to get green while cleaning up while saving the world. All of these things are the same thing, in a way, and now they're all in the same vehicle. This Allianz 4000 vehicle has a top speed of 60 miles per hour and currently resides in New York City. It has a 6.7-liter Cummings diesel engine and two 12-volt lithium-ion batteries with an electric-traction drive system. How much more efficiently does it run than its non-hybrid counterparts? How does 40-45% fuel savings sound to you? Read The Full Story

Nissan Reveals Fuel Efficient ECO Pedal System

Chris Burns, Nov 24th 2010 Discuss [0]

For a car only available in Japan (for now), a car called the Nissan Fuga, Nissan has created a system called ECO Pedal, a system that'll improve fuel efficiency anywhere from five to ten percent. How does this pedal work, you might ask? It provides resistance so that the user will be less inclined to press it all the way down. But there's more, right? It can't just be harder to press down the gas pedal, right? There's just a little bit more, it's not just a brick under your pedal, but essentially it's just a system that suggests you be more sensible about how hard your pressing the gas. I know more than a couple people who could use this. Read The Full Story

Waterless Household Cleaner Saves the World

Chris Burns, Nov 3rd 2010 Discuss [3]

Do you know how much of that bottle of spray cleaner is actually just water? Basically 95% of it. You know who's taking care of this situation? Replenish, a new multi-surface cleaner who's main goal (other than saving the world and earning some profits along the way) is to ask you to "rethink the bottle. They offer basically a cartridge system where you buy an empty bottle, (or maybe that part'll end up being free,) then purchase the chemicals that turn the water into a cleaner in a tinier bottle. Read The Full Story

Introducing eco-friendly in-ear headphones by thinksound

Paul Fang, Jan 5th 2010 Discuss [0]

New audio startup Thinksound began with a simple goal; “to create incredible sounding headphones with the smallest eco-footprint possible”. The company’s line of headphones are made with real wood, creating a more “natural resonance and unparalleled acoustics”. Read The Full Story

Featured

Sharp announces more efforts to become greener

Staff Editor, Jan 7th 2009 Discuss [0]

Today at in a press conference Sharp announced that they are taking extra steps to become more eco-friendly. The series of ultra thin LCDs are designed to be more eco friendly and are up to 30% more energy efficient than traditional LCD TVs using OLED technology.

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Yamaha Japan about to roll out more electric bikes

Staff Editor, Dec 30th 2008 Discuss [0]

The past few months have really seen a lot of new ways to help the world go green if only to save money at the pumps. One way that people are making the attempt is by walking or riding a bike to work. Not all of us are in the best shape to ride a bike to work, especially if you live in a place with several hills such as San Francisco. Read The Full Story