Weird Green Tech (more)
Edible Shoe Polish
(image via: Po-Zu)
Mmm, shoe polish. If you’ve ever polished your shoes and thought to yourself, ‘This shoe cream looks so tasty, I wish it were edible’ then you’re in luck. Po-Zu, a company that makes eco-friendly footwear, also offers an all-natural edible shoe cream that doesn’t just make your shoes shiny – it also can be used for a variety of non-shoe-related purposes like massage oil, lip balm and even a nutritious snack. They recommend spreading it on toast.
Pollution-Sensitive Dress
(image via: CNET)
Don’t be caught outside unaware of pollution levels in the air. The pollution-sensitive ‘EPA Dress’ by Stephanie Sandstrom detects pollution in the air and wrinkles accordingly. That’s right, this dress – which is actually quite pretty – looks like you pulled it from the bottom of the dirty laundry heap when the air is dirty. It might protect your health by advising you to stay indoors for the day, but it won’t do you any favors if you’re meeting with clients.
People-Powered mp3 Player
(image via: Core 77)
The RollOn mp3 player sort of looks like someone ripped a tire off a child’s toy truck and attached a wire to it. But, it’s far more sophisticated than that. Give your idle hands something to do by rolling this gadget on any surface, which charges it up. Other than its unusual power source, the RollOn – which is inspired by bicycles – functions like any other mp3 player.
Cow Poop Power
(image via: Wikimedia Commons)
Slaughterhouse waste and used coffee grounds aren’t the only unusual power sources popping up in the news lately. Cow manure is being used by dairy farms to produce electricity, and the process has another benefit as well: turning all that ozone-destroying methane gas into something useful. One “poop-filled lagoon” can power an entire dairy operation and feed power into the community grid as well. Such methane power systems are currently under construction all over the country.
Flowering Energy Monitor
(image via: Core 77)
Keep track of your household energy use with a visual indicator. The FlowerPod is a device that monitors your energy use and provides a graphic representation of how you’re doing. If you keep it low, a small green sprout appears and its well-being is determined by the overall energy usage of your home. Use too much power, and the flower begins to wilt. It comes with an ‘information portal’, accessible through your computer, that shows your use of electricity, heating, cooling and water with detailed graphs and statistics, and also suggests ways you can improve.
Man-Powered Ferris Wheel
(image via: Flickr user sourabhj)
A ferris wheel operator in India at some point realized that he could save some money by paying a handful of locals to manually operate a ferris wheel instead of using electricity. A group of about five men use their body weight to spin the wheel. Sure, it’s zero-emissions, but also more than a little dangerous for the workers. Getting caught in the bars as the wheel spins wouldn’t feel too good.
Solar- and Wind-Powered ‘Walking House’
(image via: Mail Online)
This strange little pod on hydraulic legs isn’t just an example of compact modern architecture – it’s actually a solar- and wind-powered home that can stroll at walking pace across all terrain. Designed by Copenhagen art collective N55, the computer-controlled walking house is meant to help people escape rising water levels during floods. The makers hope to see it become a viable option for low-income people living in flood-prone areas.
Replicating Robot
(image via: RepRap)
An open-source robot created by scientists at the University of Bath can create real, robust mechanical parts – including replications of itself – acting as a three-dimensional printer. The RepRap – short for replicating rapid prototyper – builds parts in layers of plastic as durable as Lego bricks. It heats up plastic and then squeezes it out into a line, which is built into a form as it solidifies. Some have noted that it could reduce dependence on China for cheap manufacturing, since it can create everyday objects like door handles, coat hooks, and even sandals. Considering the pollution China factories emit, that could be a very good thing, although with a RepRap in their homes people might go a little crazy creating plastic junk they don’t need.
