An eco BBQ.

Work Hard, Party Hard. The motto of almost every MTB-student.

And what better way to have a party than with a good old-fashioned barbecue. But let’s face it, all that smouldering charcoal produces an awfull lot of carbondioxide.

Solar Cooking, a Canadian company, offers you the ability to throw an enviroment-friendly BBQ-party. With El Solito parabolic barbecue you use the sun, also a very helpfull component when throwing a BBQ-party, to grill your meat and vegetables. But don’t be afraid, even on a cloudy day you will still produce enough heat to get your meat ‘well done’.
Although it is still only a concept, El Solito is already on the market for the ‘small’ price of 500 $.

But let’s be honest, knowing the concept you can just as easily build your own with some rolls of tin foil for only a figment of it’s original price.
Whether you choose to buy one or build one, an ecological but tasty barbecue is guaranteed. Enjoy.

Lore

“The hotter the day, the cooler the ice cream”

Now summer days are coming closer, I present you with an invention that will make your lazy, hot days even more pleasant!

We all like to relax with our friends on the Graslei or in the Citadelpark, chatting, enjoying the sun and the atmosphere. Each year we see on these spots some picnic initiatives. Though, a warmish glass of wine or warmish pasta isn’t just as tasty as a cool drink or cool meal on a hot day.

 To prevent this problem I suggest you take the Solar Cool Tricycle to go to the Graslei or to the Citadelpark. This Solar Cool Tricycle is designed for those who choose to ride the bike circling in the sunny neighborhood. While cycling, the solar panel roof powers energy for its cooling container to provide nice cool drinks! The solar panels generate around 35W on a sunny day and the tank for storage of cold goods is approximately 40 liters.

The new trend for summer 2012 when going on a picnic?

Karen A

Solar energy makes lives in disaster areas easier

As Karen already mentioned in a previous blog, solar energy could be an interesting way to provide areas without electricity with energy! Here I present you with an other example how solar energy could make lives in disaster areas much easier!

Recent years have seen a series of natural disasters all over the world: earthquakes in Haiti and Japan, hurricanes in U.S.A., floods in Pakistan and India... The biggest problem faced by affected people and relief workers is the disruption of normal power sources. However, some researchers have developed new ways of harvesting renewable solar energy for use in all disaster relief operations. They could become a tool for fighting against the uncertainties of nature in the future.

The FTL Solar and Ascent Solar have jointly developed flexible panels that provide solar energy and also serve as temporary shelter for people in disaster-hit areas. Named as PowerMod, the flexible shelter can produce up to 4.5 kwh solar energy for running equipments like bulbs, fans, laptops and refrigerators. It can also be stored in a battery for other purposes.

The entire system weighs only 165 pound and can be easily moved from one place to another. Furthermore, conventional fuel ends up taking an enormous amount of resources out of disaster relief efforts as it has to be purchased and transported for use under extreme conditions. With the PowerMod, this problem is also solved.

During normal times, the flexible panels on the tent could be used by campers and tourists.

For more information about renewable solar energy in disaster relief operations, you can read about the application “Solar powered water purifier” or “Inflatable solar lamp” on http://www.ecofriend.com/entry/renewable-solar-energy-disaster-relief-operations/

Karen A

You like to party? Now you can do it eco-friendly!

Since MTB is so demanding, we can all use a party from time to time to blow off some steam. But at a lot of parties, you have to drink out of plastic cups. This is just an example of how our society is plagued by a throw-away mentality, and how people use resource intensive products and packaging for only a matter of minutes before tossing it into the trash can, or even worse, on the streets. But I have good news! In fact, the ladies of ‘The way we see the world” recently created a unique line of vegan beverageware that can be thrown away without feeling guilty when your eco-cocktail is gone. The cups are entirely made out of agar agar, a seaweed extract. Moreover, they come in different flavours, such as lemon-basil, ginger-mint, or rosemary-beet, each specifically designed to compliment a corresponding drink. You can even nibble them while you’re enjoying your cocktail and any leftover remnants can be composted immediately. So from now on, you can party, drink and be environmentally conscious at the same time!

 Annelien

Lamp from recycled coffee filters

Goodmorning fellow bloggers,

If there’s one thing constant in the life of an MTB-students it’s the continuous flow of coffee. It’s gets them through the day and, when necessary, throughout the night. I already had two cups this morning.

However, all this coffee produces a terrible amount of waste. Together with the used up coffee, loads of filters are trown away each day. That’s why I present you guys today Lampada, a project trying to restore balance to the waste problem.

Vilma Farrell, the designer behind Lampada, collects and converts old coffee filters and recycles them to make an assortment of lampshades. With the soft tones from the coffee stains, the lamps give off an atmospheric low-light.

The unusual materials are transformed into unique designs in the living room/studio of the stay-at home-mom, where Farrell cleans and dries out the filters. She forms the shades using wire cloth and then covers or weaves them with the filters in interesting formations. For colorful alternatives, the designer sometimes stains the filters with vegetable juice or spices such as beets or saffron. The final touch is a layer of varnish to seal the shades and ensure the lamp is durable.

I think they look gorgeous but you can decide for yourself by looking at the picture.

Coffee anyone?

Lore

When there’s no electricity at all!

The Aahana Solar Lantern Bracelet… what’s in a name? This bracelet is a real blessing for areas with no electricity supply! For example in India, there are many regions that still don’t have any electricity supply. When dusk sets in in those areas, the productivity of the people is hampered, even while performing basis household chores. The Aahana Solar Lantern Bracelet will surely help them improving their life quality, because they won’t have to use harmful and expensive kerosene anymore.

The Aahana Solar Lantern Bracelet has been fitted with solar cells that will harness solar energy when females go out to collect firewood or fetch water. This will in turn power the LED that will brighten up when it gets dark outside.

The Bracelet will surely increase those people’s efficiency while working and also students will be better studying when the sun sets. The LED system will payback within two months and will save 12 tot 24 times more energy!

Let’s buy it and make someone happy!


Karen Van Overbeke.

Clean your fruit!

Fellow bloggers,

Summer is coming and so are those bikinis and trunks. So maybe you’ve been trying to incorporate more fruits and veggies into your routine, just like me? Nevertheless, washing them can be a chore.

Now one of the most frustrating things about washing your fruit and vegetables is that it always requires a lot of water. However we, MTB-students are always running from meeting to meeting which makes the washing even more difficult. Therefore, I present you an innovative solution: 

                                                                    Vege Aqua! 

Done with apples that have been spoiling for over a week in your schoolbag and that you then stuff into your mouth –unwashed!

Unlike many other produce washes, Vege Aqua is 99,7% water and 0,3% anion. In scientific tests, Vege Aqua was found to reduce the presence of salmonella, vibrio and agrochemicals by up to 90% and was about 9x more effective than water at removing harmful bacteria.
It’s also very easy to use: just spray on, wait a minute and then rinse off.

This environmentally safe product allows you thus to consume fruit and vegetables with 100% peace of mind!

So. What do you guys think? Some Vege Aqua on your broccoli?!

Lore