If bitten by green bug, along with the travel bug, then solar powered Grand Canyon Visitor Center is the place to hitch the next flight to. A powerful and inspiring landscape, the Grand Canyon overwhelms our senses through its immense size. And now we have a green reason to marvel about this majestic location. The Grand Canyon Visitor Center near the South Rim is getting a solar-power system which will enlighten at least 1 million visitors per year about the benefits of sun’s energy. An $185,000 grant by the Arizona Public Service Co. will help to raise three ground-based solar-panel platforms and a digital readout to show how much electricity is being generated, it will also explain about the working of the system. More solar panels will find their way on to the roof. The 18-kilowatt system is large enough to generate about 30 percent of the center’s annual electricity and save $2,500 annually.
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As the CES is itching to throw its doors open, we are eager to report every bit of interesting eco-news that crop up with CES tagged along. The latest is that Motorola is all set to sail in the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show on the glory of world’s first mobile phone made using plastics comprised of recycled water bottle. Dubbed, MOTO W233 Renew, this cell phone is also honored as the world’s first carbon neutral phone. Teaming up with Carbonfund.org, the company will offset the carbon dioxide required to manufacture, distribute and operate the phone through investments in renewable energy sources and reforestation.
I believe that education does start at home but when I came across this eco-friendly school, I beg to change my view. Eco-education starts at the first ever green school – Ysgol-y-Graig at Anglesey, North Wales. Erected out of sustainable timber, this green school can house more than 300 students. The photovoltaic roof tiles and wind turbine will be able to energize the institute and the surplus power will be sold to the National Grid. The green roof will also attract many insects on the green plants. Roads leading to the school are also fine-tuned for providing safe walking or cycling route to the school from nearby residences. This in turn will lure children to walk to and fro and hence reduce the use of vehicles and CO2 emissions too. Built by contractors, Wynne Construction, the green change is estimated to cost about £3.7 million.
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Audi R8 zooms in as the first all-LED car in the world. Right from head lamps to daytime running lights to other indicators, the energy saving LEDs power up every light source of this vehicle. Pushing aside the battery draining halogen headlights, the four times more energy efficient LED headlights render homogenous light distribution and daylight-esque color. Such a LED headlamp heralds the eco-friendly onset of the headlamps that help to leave lesser carbon footprints. The Audi R8 also boasts of a LED footwell lighting, light and rain sensors and LED engine compartment lighting.
Very few are aware that the United States Colors of the American flag should be properly illuminated, when left up overnight. And here is a green way to light up the red and blue flag! Franklin, a small town in U.S., flaunts of a flag that is lit by solar powered light. Army Airborne veteran and DPW Director Brutus Cantoreggi is the person behind this progress. The townies take pride in following the protocol and honoring the country as well as the veterans who served under the flag. The solar-powered spotlight will save the town at least a few hundred dollars a year. Energy is stored in a battery, which the spotlight draws upon at night to illuminate the flag. The green light source for the American flag wouldn’t have been possible without the $6,000 grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.
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Art collectors in U.S. can add a dash of greenness to their creativity by showcasing their stuff at eco-friendly Sapphire Gallery. Designed by a team of XTEN Architecture, this structure camouflages green features with utmost elegance. Located at Los Angeles, it is an addition to an existing 1960’s modern house. Designed to be erected in a day’s time, the structure is shaped out of lightweight, factory built trusses. Perforated aluminum will help to protect the artwork from direct sun and at the same time reveal the greenery alfresco.
Every time I hit the vehicle congested city roads, I cannot stop swearing as I feel so helpless sitting behind the wheel of my fuel guzzling four wheeler waiting for the traffic to give way. But Truong Minh Nhat has actually given shape to a solution for zooming out of such a no-win situation. This industrial design student at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture has designed a lightweight, compact electric bike that can actually fold into a backpack. No hassles of getting stuck in congested roads, parking or filling the gas tank. Simply wear it on your back, ride it when needed and pack it up on reaching the destination. Inspired by the Unicorn that controls the star Capella, this portable eco-friendly bike is christened as Capella. Targeting the young generation who rate the good looks as a prime reason to buy a product, Nhat has rendered a chic touch to this vehicle.
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Recycle on January 5, 2009
Sean Langman intends to race it up at the 2009 Sydney to Hobart race in an eco-friendly style on a yacht recycled out of aircraft. The idea of recycled yacht didn’t actually rise out of the need to do his bit for the environment but has more to do with the cost reduction. This recycled racing yacht will be a cross between a boat and a glider featuring a canting deck and wings that will help to reduce drag. Langman foresees it as the biggest, fastest most radical thing anyone has ever seen!
Although it isn’t alternatively powered, GreenPeak’s remote control will flaunt the green crown at the CES 2009. Fitted with Emerald GP500C chip, the remote control will be able to get its juice from a single watch battery. Also the chip’s IEEE 802.15.4 protocol allows for two-way communication. Hence these potentially greener remotes would be able to offer high-definition album art and menus from household devices on their screens. Such a move will at least help to save on to tons of AA and AAA batteries that eventually end up in landfills. However, we hope to see more of solar powered or other alternatively charged up versions in 2009 and get rid of the dependence on the batteries completely.
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With the media monitoring every move of theirs, it is difficult for the Royal family to keep the glare of publicity at bay. However it’s the green limelight that they won’t mind basking in. The latest from Buckingham Palace is that Queen of England is going to ride in biofuel powered Bentleys. The Queen has given a nod to replace the engines of the two state limousines with more eco-friendly engine that can run on plant-derived fuel. And this ‘flex-fuel’ system will also allow the vehicles to run on conventional petrol. Priced at £10million each, these majestic vehicles will not leave a trace of carbon footprint when powered by the vegetable fuel. Such a new powertrain will also offer a 40 per cent fuel economy improvement by 2012. Three cheers for green royalty!
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