Since today was the day for eco-friendly vehicles that zoom on the roads as well as soar high in the air, its time to end the day with another green vehicle that is set to hit the depths in a green style. Fueling his passion for speeding up the underwater exploration, Ted Ciamillo intends to pedal across the Atlantic in a one-man submarine. The eco-friendly pedal powered sub is a larger version of the Lunocet. And what is Lunocet? Well, teaming up with marine biologist Frank Fish (is that a nickname?) of West Chester University, Ted had designed a carbon-fibre "tail" for divers, called the Lunocet. Akin to dolphins, Lunocet enables the diver to swim as efficiently as possible. Coming back to the new pedal powered mini-sub, it is going to be crafted out of light weight yet sturdy materials. To be precise, a stainless steel frame, a polycarbonate shell and a propulsion system made from aluminum and titanium.

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After covering posts about terra-vehicles that aim to cut down on emissions and race to keep the environment clean, its time to look up to the green air-vehicles too. Just yesterday, the SkySpark project took off in Turin. In an attempt to shape up as a 100% ecological aircraft, this electrically powered flier also aims to set a world speed record for the same. The whole system is powered by a hydrogen fuel-cell, about 65kW. Powered by an electrical motor, it has already surpassed internal combustion engines both for efficiency and dimensions. Electronic control systems allow today to modulate RPM and torque with dynamics which are far beyond what it is attainable in reciprocating engines.

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Come February and you can find green wheeled goblins on the roads on America! No I am not narrating any fairy tale and the goblins I am referring to are the human powered vehicles from Goblin Motors. All set to come alive in the coming month, these single seater, human powered vehicles are known as velomobiles. American can now commute to work using their own power or use the power assist and arrive without even breaking a sweat! The GoblinAero and the GoblinRAMPAGE are based on the bicycle technology and high tech aerodynamics engineering to serve as the most eco-friendly personal vehicle of the time. Users can simply cruise through town using the engine or use the pedals to take advantage of their powerful muscular legs. Sporting an ergonomic seating position, the upholstered seat also comes with an adjustable seat back for uber comfort.

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BMW is out to lure all the eco-friendly racers with its latest green supercar dubbed ZD 10 ED. The ED stands for Efficient Dynamics and the Z 10 stands for the platform it is built on. Under the hood, it packs in fuel saving technologies that include stop-start system, an integrated starter/generator and a new brake energy regeneration system modified to store energy in a lithium-ion battery. Powered by a new generation, direct-injection turbocharged straight-six efficient engine, it can produce 400 horsepower with ease. This power will be channeled to the rear wheels via BMW's new seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Along with this, the light weight body helps to boost the efficiency by nearly 15%. However no word on pricing or availability yet.

[Wippz]

When temperatures plunge, only ardent skiers would actually itch to venture outdoors and hit those snow-clad slopes. And the more adventures ones try their skills after dusk. Guided by the headlamps, skiers glide over the long stretch (about 5km) of solar powered lights on this trail. And that's exactly what brings the Bogus Basin Nordic trails on Greenlaunches. This solar light system is an interesting draw and a fabulous example of the use of green energy for such a winter sport. It also bags the honor of being the longest renewable energy evening ski trail system in North America. So when the sun goes down and most of the ski resorts send everyone home until the lifts start again in the morning, you can indulge in some night fun by zipping past slopes that are lit with green energy at Bogus Basin.

[Idahostatesman]

As we turn to sun for powering up every possible thing on earth, latest innovative materials are being designed to reduce the cost and increase the efficiency. One such ingenious material on the horizon is Konarka's Power Plastic. This super-light fabric is ultra-flexible and affordable in comparison to the traditional silicon panels. With such high flexibility potential, Power Plastic can also be fused into fabrics…..giving rise to solar powered tees, skirts, jeans and more. The maker is also working on a translucent version of the material that could also be used to put up on the windows of the eco-towers. Such Power Plastic windows will help to energize the whole tower with its sun-soaking powers.

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Just recently a French magazine L'argus de l'automobile has announced the winners of its seventh Student Competition Awards, themed 'Automobile Design for Social Utility'. A team of three students from Institut Supérieur de Design in Valenciennes, France bagged the honor of first prize for their 'Link' concept. Winners Damien Grossemy, Thibaut Dereymacker and Maxime Dimarco received $4,000 (€3000) and also and opportunity of working with the Design department of Renault. Here is the description about the winning automobile design - The 'Link' concept proposes a multi-user, on-demand system based on car sharing principles in inner cities. Special stations are located at strategic points within the city limits (no more than 400m apart), at which a user can order a vehicle according to their needs. The electrically-powered cars vary in size and shape, and when not in operation can be used as interactive information points by passersby. Special 'green' lanes - similar in concept to California's High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes - also allow cars carrying four or more passengers to bypass congested roads.

[Cardesignnews]

As the trend of resorting to alternative energy is gaining ground, it isn't surprising to come across a trash van that is actually powered by the garbage it collects. Folks residing in Yorkshire can watch this green self powered garbage van in action. Developed by Smith Electric Vehicles, the Kirklees Council believes that these battery powered electric trucks are supposed to be the first of its kind. These zero-emission vans will clear waste from 25 newly-installed split litter and recycling bins around Huddersfiled town centre. And what cannot be recycled will be transported to the local Energy from Waste (EfW) plant. Here the remaining trash will be combusted to generate electricity that can again juice up the van's battery. Such a trash disposable system helps to save fuel and raises the awareness of the benefits of alternative energies.

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When Reebok and Super Bowl Championship come together to announce a green product, their ardent fans are going to embrace it, or rather wear it, with open arms. Cashing on to the craze of Super Bowl, the company has come out with eco-friendly Super Bowl Locker Room Tees. These tees will be worn by the winning team following Super Bowl XLIII. Designed out of organic cotton yarn, these tees will also sport hang tags made of recycled materials. Signature green stitching on the shoulder and inside neck seams will set this official product apart.

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As plenty of eco-friendly vehicles are slated to crowd up the lanes of the future, a tire company is working on wheeling out eco-friendly tires to complement them. Renowned for developing superior quality street as well racing tires, Yokohama Tire is all set to roll out juicy tires. Juicy tires sounds ridiculous but the making of tires from Super Nano-Power Rubber justifies the adjective. The maker has developed a process that combines orange oil with natural rubber to form a new compound called Super Nano-Power Rubber. This proprietary technology helps to consume lesser petroleum in the making of tires. And the 2009 Patrón GT3 Challenge by Yokohama will be the first race series to use these tires environmentally friendly tires with a dash of orange oil.

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Concerned about boosting your health as well as the well being of our planet? Easy Health Juicer is the solution for both the concerns. This eco-friendly kitchen gadget squeezes out the healthiest potion without consuming any electricity. A hand crank system helps to churn out glasses of orange, lemon, grapefruit, carrot or apple drinks. It is even helpful to serve medicinal juices of wheat/barley grass, sprouted bean and ginger with ease. Oh did I say, with ease? Well many of you may disagree on this as it is slightly inconvenient for those who are used to gulp down a glass of juice at the push of a button. But then eco-friendly health-conscious folks will go for the Easy Health Juicer as it cold presses the fruit or vegetables that helps to preserve the natural flavor and nutrients.

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These days, even the toys manufactured for kids are being ruled by the eco-wave. Makers are pushing the idea of recycling, especially with clear plastic bottles which are difficult to recycle. In order to educate the young generation to be compassionate towards their planet, toys like 4M Amphibian Rover play a significant role. For $17, Playwell Enterprises has come out with a kit that will help the children to shape up a cool-looking rover that can go on water or land. All that is needed is four plastic or water or soda bottles that will play the role of wheels for the rover. Due for release in the coming March, the Amphibian Rover is meant for children aged 8 years and more. So next time think twice before dumping those bottles in the trash! This eco-friendly toy was also on display at the recent 69th annual Canadian Toy and Hobby Fair, Toronto.

Floors concreted out with cement, stones, tiles or wood have been ruling the dens of millions. But if you intend to step on a floor that is shaped out of none of the mentioned material then TING has laid out smart green solution. The latest in eco-décor are the floors crafted out of recycled leather belts. For about $75 a square foot, each hand selected belt is hand cleaned with chemical free substance. Later the belts are shaved for uniform width. Finally they are laid carefully onto a reconstituted leather backing applied with water-based glue. Since each tile is carefully designed in-house, the color and patterning on every belt is unique.

[Riverwired]

Adding on to the dozens of eco-friendly vehicles that have surfaced on Greenlaunches, here are two more electric babies from ZAP. Showing up at the, just concluded, National Automobile Dealers Association annual conference and exposition, Shuttle and Alias are the latest additions to the fleet of electric transportation. The five-passenger, 4-wheel, battery electric van, big brother Shuttle is designed for transportation around large campuses, to and from parking lots, through factories, warehouses and other indoor uses. Shuttle also conforms to US regulations for Low Speed Vehicles with a top speed of 25 MPH limited to streets with a posted speed limit of 35 MPH. It can zoom up to 30 miles on a charge and recharge at a standard 110 volt outlet in about six hours and an 80 percent charge in just four hours. The maker also allows options for air-conditioning, solar panels and a rapid charger.

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Want the world to know that you sport a green attitude that doesn't revolve only on a serious note always? Dangle this funky Sun Catcher Ornament recycled out of a circuit board on your window. It will catch the light form any light source via a piece of film that was used to design the actual circuitry of a circuit board. Encircled by a water outlet auto-gasket, it forms an interesting pattern for the sun to shine through. Though it doesn't play a significant eco-friendly role by generating some alternative energy or else, this geeky sun catcher will exhibit your green passion without doubt. Just for about $9, you can swap that old dusted wind chime on your window pane with this Recycled Computer Circuit Board Sun Catcher Ornament with Photographic Negative Film. A new green look for your window!

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