How did you wake up this morning? Feeling fresh or rather had a bad sleep? In fact, we are all sometimes confronted with nights through which we didn't sleep that well, waking up in a bad mood as a result. However, waking up in a good mood feeling fresh is an extremely important element to be productive and efficient throughout the day.
That's why some scientists decided to create the Zeo personal sleep coach. This innovative system enables people to improve the quality of their lives through the power of sleep.
The system consists of a soft headband which accurately and safely measures sleep patterns based on the electrical signals produced by the brain. After transmission to a bedside receiver, the user of the Zeo system gets a personal sleep score every time he wakes up. Thanks to intelligent calculations, the device is able to reveal weekly trends and sleep patterns. But there is more: the Zeo personal coaching website makes it possible to make a long-term analysis of one's sleeping patterns. Users can transfer the information from their headband to the website, where a set of intelligent analytical tools can be used to discover correlations between one's lifestyle and his sleeping patterns. Top of the bill is the Zeo SmartWake alarm, an alarm clock that makes use of the revealed sleeping patterns to calculate one's natural awakening point. Based on these calculations, the alarm clock gently wakes you at the optimal point in your sleep cycle within half an hour of any specified time. The result is that you always wake up refreshed, never feeling in a bad mood.
Wouldn't the world just look so much better if everyone was able to use this kind of product?
Although this idea is not a real innovation
(since it was on television in 2008), I still think it’s worth mentioning in a
blog about green innovations! “How can we make the war more eco friendly?”, a
rather unconvenient question, but if you think it through, it’s right on!
We
all like to live in a peaceful world, but that’s not so easy as it may seem.
So, if wars can not be avoided, can’t we at least make them more eco friendly? This question (in This video) was brought forward by the “Onion”, a United States-based parody
newspaper, published weekly. Although they just want to mock the
Americans and their government, I think it may not be such a bad idea to
really think this through. The tanks, trucks and jeeps could perhaps run on solar
energy? The amount of fuel that’s used for all those vehicles is enormous, so
why not try to cut back on that? Or all the radar systems for instance, can’t
we incorporate some solar panels?
What do you think about this idea? Do you
think it’s rubbish?
Or do you agree with me in saying this might have some opportunities?
Sure, coins and notes will never completely disappear in our society. However, since major players like Google and MasterCard have joined hands, it is possible to transfer the entire payment experience from the plastic credit card or traditional banknotes to a mobile device.
A few months ago, Google and MasterCard brought to life “Google Wallet”, a new step in moving customers away from credit cards and banknotes. Google Wallet is a mobile application that will turn phones into wallets. On the one hand, this gives customers the opportunity to save time and money while shopping. But on the other hand, it gives businesses the opportunity to strengthen customer relationships by adapting rewards or product deals to the needs of the customer.
In fact, the idea is quite simple: instead of deciding which credit card you are paying with in a store, you simply pay with Google Wallet, which works through an app on your smartphone. The only thing you need to do is tap your phone on the so-called “google bypass reader” that can be found at checkout in several stores. Thanks to your existing credit card credentials that are stored, safe and sound, to a secure microchip on your phone, the payment is executed automatically. On top of that, loyalty rewards, product deals or purchase history can be easily integrated In the application, since the use of a personal smartphone enables merchants to identify customers in a more efficient way.
Will mobile devices eventually kill all of the plastic cards and bankotes in our wallet? Certainly not. But at least, this cashless initiative offers a convenient solution for digital natives aiming for an efficient way of in-store paying.
Today, I have something very special to
present to you, guys! It’s something fast, something green, something exciting
and something for the dare devils among us! Any idea yet? (You’ll never guess
it, actually!
It’s an environmentally friendly roller
coaster!!!!
Say what?! Yes, an eco friendly roller
coaster. How does it work? Very simple, it does not run on electricity but on
muscle power. This means that you are pedaling, instead of having it run on
gasoline or electricity! It’s like riding a bike, but on a roller coaster! The
thrills must be enormous, being so high up in the sky and knowing you worked you
way up there all by yourself.
For the roller coaster lovers who are really
interested in this attraction: it’s located in the Japanese amusement park “Eagle
Feather Mountain Highland” on the island of Seto. Just jump on the next plane
and enjoy the ride!
After seeing the innovations of Super Friday
and then more specific the one about the solar bag, you probably all know how
important it is to think of new ways to create energy. Since one of the most
promising alternatives is solar power, a lot of companies have integrated this
in their products.
One of those companies is SEIKO, which makes
“clean watches”. They are not just stylish, but also very eco friendly. Their
product offer also includes a watch called the SEIKO Solar, a quartz watch
which takes its energy from light and stores it in a self-recharging battery
which never needs to be changed. In this way, batteries have become superfluous
and the planet can get healthier.
For the fashionista’s among us: don’t panic,
you never notice there’s a very tiny solar panel incorporated! This picture
shows that you’ll never see the difference between a solar watch and a normal
watch.
Green label, Future Friendly, Organic, Eco certified, Planeteco, Got2BeGreen,
Ecorazzi, Brighter Planet, Eco Line, … These are just a few of the wide rang of
ecologic labels that products carry in your local supermarket. But what do they
mean exactly? Aren’t they rather misleading than giving relevant information to
the customer?
That’s exactly why some IT professionals in the US developed a new
smarthone app called the GoodGuide. As
its name already reveals, the app wants to be a “good guide” towards the
costumer while shopping in his/her favrourite supermarket. Again and inherent in all smartphone apps I
cited before (i.e. Paper Karma, Hootroot
and iRecycle) , the ease of use is impressive. Simply by scanning the
barcode of a product, you’ll immediately see its overall green score, which is calculated
upon its health, environmental and social performance ratings. In a jiffy, you can
separate green products from fake green products.
It might seem
surprising, but heating thermostats control up to half of our monthly energy bill.
With energy prices continually rising, shouldn’t we look for more effective
ways to reduce our energy consumption? The “Nest” intelligent thermostat might
be a good solution for all of us! Nest claims that it can cut home heating
costs by more than 30% compared to a classic thermostat, by making the temperature
in the room exactly fit to our preferences. Once installed, the intelligent
thermostat just asks a few questions about your heating preferences, after
which one can start using the thermostat as he would do normally: turning it on
when coming in, turning it off when going out. The longer you use the
thermostat, the more it will learn from your preferences and behaviors. As a
result, the Nest thermostat will create an adapted heating schedule, which fits
perfectly to the users’ preferences and habits, and it continues to learn over
time. On top of that, some intelligent sensors are integrated in the
thermostat. Those are able to detect whether somebody is in the room or not.
Thanks to the energy history-feature, users can see how much energy they have
consumed over a certain period. So no
more bleeding hot rooms wasting tons of energy, but an intelligent and green way of heating,
providing the exact temperature when and where you need it!
I doubt if
some of you still don’t know the company Mobile Vikings. This young company
came up last year providing cheap mobile internet for smartphones and tablet PC’s
in Belgium. So far, more than 90 000 users have been convinced by the new
operator. Since innovativeness and entrepreneurship have always been the key
driver in their business, Mobile Vikings recently launched an experiment in
which customers can earn free mobile internet service by participating in
offers from local businesses. The system, called “Viking Spots” has set up a
network of local businesses or “spots” that can be accessed virtually through a smartphone app. When mobile users
interact with these spots, for example whey they check-in, buy something and
write a recommendation, they earn free Viking Points, which can be exchanged
for credit on their Mobile Vikings account. Currently, the system is only open
to a limited set of users around Hasselt, where the headquarters of Mobile
Vikings are located. However, a broader roll-out in other cities can be
expected soon. In fact, the Viking Spots platform could be compared to the
existing Foursquare-app for smartphones. Yet, the difference with the new app
is that you can get rewarded for your check-ins and purchases at local
businesses. As a result, powering mobile users through local business offers means benefits
for both parties. An idea to watch and learn from!
Thomas Catteeuw
Your wish is Siri’s command
As we all know, Apple is the king of innovation. According to the
website businessrevieweurope.eu, the company has maintained its crown for yet
another year with the launch of its Siri voice recognition technology. Siri
lets you use your voice to send messages, schedule meetings, place phone calls
and much more. She’s nothing like other speech recognition software. In fact, you
can just talk the way you talk normally. Siri will understand you, unless you
have a terrible English accent of course. And the cool thing is, she talks
back! She answers your questions and asks you questions herself if she needs
more information to complete a task. Sometimes, she even says funny things. On
YouTube, you can find a lot of videos of people who are having a go with Siri. Moreover,
there are websites that are entirely devoted to her funny comments. One of them
is http://shitisaytosiri.tumblr.com. Have a look yourself!
Annelien
007 gadget for
midgets
I think I’ve
just come across the tiniest device I’ve ever seen. Isn’t it this digital
camera insanely small? I think it’s even safe to say that it’s the world’s
smallest digital camera! As you can see on the image below, it even fits on the
tip of a finger. Despite its size, it can actually take photos as well as
record videos and it supports up to 32GB microSD cards. Via USB, you can send
everything to your computer, which is also the way to charge its battery.
Although this tiny camera is very cute, I’m not exactly sure what you can use
it for. The company suggests that you might use it for personal espionage
activities. So hereby, I strongly recommend this innovation to anyone who feels
–for whatever reason- the need to spy on someone. I assure you that the chances
of being caught are extremely low!
As I was reading a business proposal on the Dreamtime Alarm Clock (by Charlotte Verbeke, Karen Van Overbeke and Lore Ott), I found myself thinking I really liked their idea. But personally, as a person whose mornings are strictly orchestrated by the minute, I don’t think this clock is precise enough for me. Additionally, I’m not too keen on the design and the construction simply looks too complicated to me.
Frolicking through the internet, I came across a similar alarm clock with a less complicated design: the Bedol Drop Water Clock. Just like the Dreamtime Alarm Clock, this device is powered by water albeit with a less complicated construction. To power up the clock, you simply unscrew the base and fill it with clean water. The water only has to be changed every six months.
According to the website of Bedol Technology, their clock converts ions in the water into energy. A built-in memory chip remembers the time, so that you don’t have to reset the clock when changing out the water supply. This clock sounds like a great green way to wake up!
On top of all that, the clock (which is shaped like a drop of water), is relatively small and could easily be taken with you as a travel clock.
The Bedol Drop Water Clock is for sale on the company’s website. It costs about $29 (which converts to +- €22) and can be ordered in several colors.
Interested in this peculiar device? Check out the website at
Imagine yourself sitting in those typical Hoveniersbergclasses
during a warm, nice day. Everyone is enjoying a drink on the Grasslay, while
the MTB-community is gathering around for yet another guest lecture. The beads
of sweat standing on our forehead, everyone hankering for a drop of water and
finally, we reach our fata morgana ... in the form of a water cooler. But this
is not a regular water cooler you find in the passage of almost every company. We,
eco-friendly people from the MTB-community use a self-filling water cooler that
extracts water from the air, purifies it and serves it up in nice refreshing
dollops of goodness. Water passes through a filter which removes solids,
oxygenates and removes any odours. Every 24 hours, this cooler generates 20
litres of pure hot or cold water. But there’s even more: this water cooler is
solar powered! While the world outside is almost having a sunstroke, the
MTB-community is bottling their own green but clean water thanks to this
dispenser!
When I present you the PeePoobag, I don’t think
you really need an explanation. It is what it is. The peepoobag is a genious
invention as it is a sad confrontation. But the fact that nobody wants to know
in what condition other people have to live (or to shit) on the other side of
the world is hereby invalidated. Swedish architect and professor Anders
Wilhelmson proved that. And he proved even more: while regular toilets are in fact a very expensive way of
flushing one’s feces down the drain, the Peepoobag has more hidden advantages.
Next to being a simple solution for the lack of access to basic sanitation in
developing countries, the bag itself has a harmless chemical fertilizing layer
that changes the human waste witin a period of two to four weeks into a
fertilizer itself. Besides that, it is also odor-free for at least 24 hours
after use. Concerning the MTB-community the Peepoobag could also provide a
solution for possible future accidents, as there have been in the Lost Forest a
couple of months ago. The producers call themselves “Peepoople”, because “we
are all the same”, says Carmilla Wirseen, product manager of Peepoople,
“whether we are rich or poor, we all do it”.
Natural disasters: they happen almost
everyday. An earthquake here, a tsunami there, but has anyone of the
MTB-community actually ever been in one? Does any of us know what it is to leave
your destroyed house behind you and go live in a tent? A problem about
emergency services is the unnecessary waste that is associated with the process
of helping those who are in need. The huge amounts of tents, water, food and
medications require and equally big amount of boxes, paper, bottles and other
types of packaging. The LEGO-inspired brick could form a handy solution in
avoiding the creation of waste. Although it only provides a temporary shelter,
the LEGO-brick is not just a brick. It’s also a source of food and water: the
two typical dots of the brick are actually compartments in which you can find
and store food and water. Once a person has nurished himself, the bricks can be
filled up with soil to form actual and usable bricks to make temporary shelters!
And here’s the best thing: once a region has recovered, the temporary
LEGO-houses can be deconstructed and transported to and re-used in another
disaster region! So instead of leaving the ‘recovered’ zone full of ‘supportive’
waste, now emergency services can not only just help where needed, but also in
a more ecological responsible way!
After
blogging for more than five weeks about all kinds of ways to protect the
environment, it was a real challenge to find another topic that really could make
a difference. Well, to my own surprise I found just yet another way for being
environmentally friendly and healthier. I present you all sorts of apps that offer incredible handy ways for us to adapt a more durable
lifestyle. These apps can help you with transportation and shopping, even
carbon footprint monitoring and home energy management!
I’ve
compiled a short overview of the most interesting apps that could help us to be
more aware of our impact on nature.
First, for
those who like to eat fish, the Seafood Watch can come in handy. Since it helps
you to identify which fish are the most environmentally friendly, which are the
good alternatives and the types of fish that should be avoided. There’s also a
sushi guide that can be consulted! Secondly, I
suggest uploading the Good Guide. This tool allows you to scan or search
products to see how healthy the product is and if the company is
environmentally friendly.
Finally, I
propose to use the Tree Hugger to be more eco-friendly. This application keeps
you on top of environmental news. It also helps you to find local places to
recycle!
Download these
apps and see how they can influence your lifestyle! I really hope that this last call to action
was worth it to make you all more aware of the importance to protect our
precious nature.
After the Hootroot and the iRecycle, I’d like to continue my ultimate quest to offer a full
range of green living apps to the
eco-conscious smartphoners among us.
Since we have to make all human beings aware of the main future issue called
ecological awareness , why not do this via a booming industry such as the
industry of smartphone apps.
In this
next episode of my quest, I present to you the Paper Karma that was launched
only last month. Apart from being a cool name, the Paper Karma is a useful app
that helps you getting rid of the towering stack of junk mail. The only simple
action to take is snapping a photo of each one of the pieces of junk mail and
sending the pictures to Paper Karma. After that they’ll contact the responsible companies in question and
urge them to remove you from their mailing list. Peace of cake, innit?
In our
search for green innovations, we don’t always have to look abroad. Interesting
green projects also arise in Belgium. A week ago, Humo presented in an article
four Belgian ‘ecopioneers’. One project in particular caught my interest: the
transformation of algae (yes, algae) into green substitutes.
Apparently,
algae can be used in a lot of applications. Two of them can have a big
environmental impact. First of all, it is possible to make biofuel with algae. Currently, most research is conducted in the private sector, but experiments show that using algae to produce biodiesel may be the only viable method by which we can produce enough fuel to replace world diesel usage. Secondly, algae contain a lot of
omega 3, which we need to live healthy and which we normally get out of fish.
As a result, getting our recommended quantity out of algae instead of out of
fish would be a solution for the overfishing.
And what’s
the role of Belgium in this story? Well, Proviron, a Belgian chemical company,
has developed an efficient and simple method to grow microalgae, the ProviAPT photobioreactor. I won't explain the technical details, but I can tell you this. As it is
very expensive to grow algae, this new technique is a real breakthrough.
What do you
think? I don’t assume a lot off you will have a problem to use biodiesel, but are
you ecological-minded enough to replace your weekly amount of fish by algae?
I have
found an interesting competition for future MTB students. Have you ever heard
of the CleanTech Challenge? This challenge is an innovative competition for
Belgian students in cooperation with the International CleanTech Challenge in
London. The idea behind the competition is to build a better future through
environmentally-friendly technology. This kind of resembles the MTB Innovation
Award BUT the price is €5,000 cash (and lifelong fame, of course)! The
challenge is open to all students who have an innovative idea to tackle the
current problems related to energy generation and energy consumption. The organization
helps you to build a network of professionals that can help you with the
realization of your idea. You can form groups beforehand but you can also log
on to the forum and find a particular team member (for example an engineering
student that can help you with the more practical side of your idea). You can
also go to their free kick-off event to meet other people with green ideas. The
competition consists of two rounds, with five semi-finalists. These
semi-finalists have to convince the Belgian jury and the winner can participate
in the European Finals in London.
What do you
think? Do you think future MTB students are up for the challenge?
Yesterday,
I presented you with an ecological barbecue. Now what can’t be missing on that
perfect barbecue party? Right. Beer. No more wine for me after our litte
Quartvin experiment.
Last
week, I came across some green beer in a nightshop. No, not just reserved for
celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. I mean the other kind of green beer: eco-beer
— extra refreshing whether it’s March 17 or any other day.
One
brewery that’s been generating a lot of word-of-mouth buzz is New Belgium
Brewery. It turns out that New Belgium Brewery is a remarkably green brewery,
yet they played down this particular fact surprisingly enough.
Now
how is this a green brewery? By reducing the energy, water and waste involved
in making its beer, this brewery is proving that great taste and a clear
conscience can be both good for business.The company considers
sustainability as a key of its philosophy, and is also entirely wind powered.
Thus,
the perfect beer for treehugging MTB-students as us, don’t you think?
Hi fellow
bloggers! Over the past few weeks, we have seen a lot of nifty innovations.
Sometimes, an innovative idea doesn’t have to be complicated. On the contrary,
in this blog entry we will see that even a twelve-year-old can imagine one.
Meet Billy
Schopf. While some twelve-year-olds are concerned with having the newest jeans
or knowing the latest celebrity gossip, Billy is concerned with saving the
environment. He wants to prevent the world from running out of fossil fuels.
That is why he invented a wind-powered generator for electric and solar car
batteries, which makes solar-powered cars more efficient.
The idea is
simple: grown-ups invented solar cars, but Billy wondered how these cars will
be able to drive during the night. The solution: you should turn to another
natural resource, wind; and install a wind engine on your car. He uses the
concept of a windmill to load the car battery during the night.
Billy requested
a patent for this innovation. He was already rewarded with the Da Vinci Science
Center Science Hall of Fame's Young Scientist Award in 2010. Even officials
of the Obama government are said to have shown their interest.
So, what
were you doing when you were twelve? I found this question very confronting. This
young boy is the future. But don’t worry, there’s plenty of time left for us to
change the world. For now, let’s just focus on giving a kick-ass presentation
tomorrow. Good luck everyone!
Yesterday I’ve finally traded my old Samsung mobile
phone for a Samsung Galaxy Y, “the Android smartphone for beginners” as the
seller described it. With my previous discovery of the Hootroot, the smartphone travel app that helps you navigate
efficiently from A to B, I considered the time ripe for digging out the ‘market
of green apps’.
The next in line worth mentioning: iRecycle®. Again the idea is very
basic but no less revolutionary. Installing this app on your smartphone, you
get immediately access to over 1 million innovative ways to recycle all kinds
of products. In addition to that, iRecycle® is also the mobile extension of the wildly popular
Earth911.com, the virtual spot where American eco-conscious consumers meet and find
all kinds of greenlifestyle inspiration. One of its most
useful features, both of the website and the mobile app, is providing local recycling information. In
no time the user is routed to the nearest recycling site from his/her current
location. Unfortunately there is still no Belgian variant of the iRecycle available. Ivago? Anyone?
You probably wonder what on earth could be
economical, ecological and good exercise at the same time? The answer to this
question is The Schweeb. This monorail technology is already fully operational in the North of New-Zealand. Schweeb is actually a
human-powered monorail vehicle. As you can see on the picture below, it’s sort of
a bicycle that’s enclosed in a plastic cage that hangs on a monorail. For the
moment it is being used as an attraction, where people can race next to each
other on two different rails. In the movie (link below) it is clear that the track is going
downhill, to ensure speed and sensation. The Schweeb can reach up to 70 km/h on
this track!
But how could a racetrack be a green
innovation? Well, if we would implement this invention in our everyday life
transportation methods, it could replace millions of cars worldwide. Like the
inventor says, you could go by bike to your work, cycling above the traffic
jams at a very high speed. If these tracks were installed in cities, many people
would switch to the monorail transportation method, which would reduce the
greenhouse gas emission.
In the below movie you can see The Schweeb
at high speed! Check it out!
Maybe you
don’t have to pay your energy bills yourself yet, but next year, a lot among us
will. And probably, you will have to deal with the question: “where does all
off this electricity (and my money) go to?” Well, Electrabel came up with the
perfect solution: the Smart Energy Box. With this device, you can keep track of
your energy consumption and control it from a distance.
How does it
work? It’s very simple. When you buy the box, you get 4 Smart energy plugs -
which can measure your energy usage and which make it possible to switch on and
off your tools automatically – and one gateway – which figures as an interface
between the plugs and the web platform.
What does
it do? It is possible to check the energy consumption of your devices online
and spot unusual high expenditure. If that is the case, you can switch off the
device in question, even when you are for example at work.
If you don’t
get the whole picture, check out this funny commercial!
One point
of criticism already occurred: the box itself uses electricity. What do you
think of the Smart Energy Box? Can it help you to limit your energy usage or is
it just a marketing stunt and will it make no difference?
Some of you may have seen this before, (since
it has been circulating on Facebook and news sites for a while) but for those who haven’t, I
present to you the Low Impact Woodland Home. It’s an eco friendly house in Wales, built
by one man and his father in law (and some help from a few friend now and then).
When I first saw the house, I thought:
“Haven’t I seen this before? It looks so familiar.” After taking a good look
and digging in my memory, it finally hit me!
IT’S SHREK’S HOUSE!!!
A few years ago, the Shrek movies were my
favourite, so maybe that’s why seeing the Woodland home immediately rang a
bell. But still, even for all those non Shrek fans, don’t you think the resemblance
is freaky?
Anyway, back to the Woodland Home. It was
built in four months time and it cost about 3000 pounds (approximately 3500
euros). In other words: it was cheap as hell! The tools that were used to create
this cosy little place were limited to only a chainsaw, a hammer and a one inch
chisel (a tool used for carving or cutting a hard material such as wood). So, in what way is this house so eco friendly?
The stone and mud from the diggings were used to retain the walls and the
foundations and the frame of the roof was made out of wood from the surrounding
woodland. The fridge is cooled by air coming underground through foundations,
there is a compost toilet and the solar panels take care of all the devices
that run on electricity. I could go on like this, but my blog space is limited
so I’ll just give you the link to the website for more information. If there’s
one thing about this house that’s most important, it’s the idea behind it: it’s
possible to enormously reduce energy consumption and still live comfortably.
If you would like to know more about why this
family built the house and why it’s important to meet the challenges of climate
change, watch this video!
So that's it for today! Good night, sleep tight (don't let the bed bugs bite :))
Fashion
seems to be a hot topic on this blog. But the summer’s approaching so will have
to change our wardrobe. Normally, we girls would be shopping for cute little
bikinis. But girls, imagine this: you can look smoking hot AND save the planet
at the same time! Forget about the stereotypical green girl with “geitenwollen
sokken”. Let’s spice things up!
If this weather is any indication, we’ll
soon be sunbathing at the Blaarmeersen. With this bikini you can get a sexy tan
but at the same time you can make use of all that sunlight to recharge you
phone, iPod, camera and other essential holiday gadgets. The little solar
panels on the bikini use the sunlight to create electrical power. You can even
cool your drinks with this bikini! The bikini comes with a USB drinks cooler
that once plugged in, will act as a chiller for your beer.
Not every girl likes wearing a bikini. But
don’t worry, Triumph designed this sexy swimsuit with incorporated solar cells.
This swimsuit also allows you to recharge your phone or iPod.
While reading this title you all probably
thought there’s no way tomatoes can grow in exhaust gas.
Well, guess again. It all started when British Sugar, which produces about half
of the UK's quota of sugar, decided to produce their own energy by means of an
enormous gas turbine. A gas turbine relies on the combustion of gas to produce
energy. We all know this technology from a jet’s engine, but here the energy
released by the turbine isn’t used to propel a plane but to produce sugar.
So
far, nothing green about their investment, but here it comes. The first
ecological measure they took when using the gas turbine was recovering the heat
that’s lost while producing the energy. People can’t imagine how much energy is
lost by the inefficiency of machines of all kind. The second and most important
step towards a green innovative way of producing energy was to use its exhaust
gases. At about 2.5 km of the company, the largest greenhouse in Europe resides
where they grow tomatoes. By chance, tomatoes happen to take up C02
in order to grow and release O2. They even noticed that the tomatoes
grew much faster in air with a high CO2 concentration! The perfect
invention isn’t it? Not only do they increase the efficiency of the turbine,
they also use the exhaust for the growth of food until the greenhouse gas is
neutralized.
Like the speaker stresses in the movie
below: “It’s a good example of tens of thousands of companies that are moving from
one sector to another.”
Yesterday,
I went to Ghent’s annual Mid-Lent Fair. After
visiting tons of amusement arcades and being spun around in the ‘Take Off’, it
was time for the traditional doughnut balls with powdered sugar on top. While enjoying
the finger licking good pastry, a little breeze must have thought that some
white sugared spots would look great on the black top I was wearing!
Sounds
familiar? The problem for those among us who have their own student’s apartment
– such as I – is that you can only wash your clothes when you’re at home during
the weekend. And going to the launderette to wash but one article of clothing
is just fundamentally wrong for environment-minded persons as ourselves.
Luckily, an
eco-friendly solution to this problem is afoot: the Airwash! This washing
machine doesn’t require water nor detergents. Instead of these two ingredients,
the Airwash uses negative ions, compressed air and deodorants to remove spots and
to kill bacteria. Air will go in through an ionic filter and will be compressed
to clean our clothes using pulsation and sweeps. The negative ions will remove
dust, spots and bacteria; and the deodorants will give off a pleasant smell to
our favorite garments.
Maybe
students in 2020 won’t have to wait for their moms anymore to wash their
clothes during the weekend!
About two weeks ago we hopped on the bus, all acting like elated schoolchildren going on a trip, and we headed for Kapelle-op-den-Bos. We took off for another informative business visit at Eternit, a Belgian company founded in 1905 which is known for its roof covering (e.g. roofing slates) and wallboards. They gave us a presentation and a guided tour of the factory.During the presentation, the slates called Activa, which are equipped with an air purifying layer,struck my eye.
How does it work exactly? The tiles are equipped with photocatalysts, which are activated by the UV content in daylight. These photocatalysts interact with harmful nitrogen oxides (NOX) in the air and help in converting them into innocuousnitrates (NO-3). While raining, these nitrates are washed off the roof.
This process repeats countless times, for as long as your roof exists. During the average life span of a roof covered with Activa slates, this brilliant roofing material will clean an amount of air equivalent to the amount of harmful exhaust fumes a car emits during a 160 000 kilometres cycle.
The way I see it, these tiles could mean an important step towards living more green. It would partially compensate for the environmental pollution the human race causes. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the tiles, which cover thousands of buildings and we need for protecting our houses anyway, would have the gift to clean the air?
