Greenlaunches.com

Super green home near Tokyo uses groundwater basin and natural ventilation to keep cool

2012-02-07T11:24:27Z

Energy hungry air conditioning systems aren’t the only way to spend the sunnier part of the year comfortably and A. H. Architects proved just that. This astoundingly green home was built in Kitakanto near Tokyo and uses minimal energy. Using a groundwater basin and ventilation cooling systems with solar control, the house uses a carefully planned north-facing courtyard. The basin and a heat reservoir foundation along with carefully placed windows help cool the house, reducing reliance on air conditioning, subsequently decreasing energy usage. A perfectly green home that requires no additional energy whatsoever, this abode’s comfortable to live in and is a working example of living green. [worldarchitecturenews] ]]> "Super green home near Tokyo uses groundwater basin and natural ventilation to keep cool" is a post from Greenlaunches.com

India was 2011’s world leader in renewable energy growth

2012-02-07T11:23:26Z

When it comes to turning green, India seems to have silently led the world as the foremost nation when it comes do development of environment-friendly and eco-friendly infrastructure. The nation invested $10.3 billion in renewable energy that led to a subsequent growth of 52% in the sector! Also, solar power growth shot up more than ever, with investments topping 700% over those in 2010 with a total of $4.2 billion invested in solar power in 2011. With $4.6 billion invested in wind power, India’s total investments in renewable energy contributed 4% to the total growth worldwide! [treehugger] ]]> "India was 2011’s world leader in renewable energy growth" is a post from Greenlaunches.com

Super Bowl XLVI goes green with eco-friendly practices

2012-02-06T11:56:23Z

This year, the Super Bowl is all set to go green and has come up with ways to be the greenest NFL championship ever held! Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium and the Super Bowl Host Committee have worked together to turn the Super Bowl super green. With the Lucas Oil Stadium going green with 100% recycled toilet paper, water preservation faucets, CPI lighting, natural lighting and ventilation. Recycling will be kept in mind this Super Bowl with strategically placed recycling bins around the stadium and in hotels, restaurants and in residential areas. Also, the Project Plug-In initiative by the Super Bowl Host Committee has helped set up and fund two charging stations for electric cars at the stadium’s parking lot. ]]> Continue reading "Super Bowl XLVI goes green with eco-friendly practices " »

]]> "Super Bowl XLVI goes green with eco-friendly practices " is a post from Greenlaunches.com

Toshiba unveils energy-efficient T-type daylight and incandescent LED lamps

2012-02-06T11:56:17Z

It is a known fact that LED bulbs use lesser energy to power up than the conventional bulb and using these help shorten electricity bills substantially. Now, Toshiba has unveiled two new LED lamps, a daylight-running lamp and an incandescent lamp with brightness levels of 600 and 485lm respectively. These LED lamps matchup to the brightness levels of a 40W incandescent light bulb and use just 7.4W of power. These are the first T-type (cylindrical) LED lamps by Toshiba and will be included in the E-core series. [techon.nikkeibp]]]> "Toshiba unveils energy-efficient T-type daylight and incandescent LED lamps" is a post from Greenlaunches.com

Researchers develop inexpensive paintable solar energy harvesters using green plants

2012-02-06T11:55:54Z

Solar energy soaking systems could soon get cheaper and could work as a boon for developing nations who have no connections to electricity grids whatsoever with this new development that featured in the Scientific Reports a short while ago. Researchers today are working on creating a chemical that can be mixed with green plants to create a paintable biophotovoltaic material that could harness the energy of the sun! Without the need of sophisticated laboratory equipment and the like, this material could very well be painted on the roofs of houses in developing areas, helping people living there generate energy from renewable sources like the sun! A mix-up of biology and electronics, the chemical helps use the photovoltaic abilities of plants for the betterment of humankind. [cnet]]]> "Researchers develop inexpensive paintable solar energy harvesters using green plants" is a post from Greenlaunches.com

MariClaro creates trendy backpacks recycled from airbags

2012-02-06T11:55:16Z

Airbags are one of those things that can never serve the same purpose twice. Once deployed, these life saving bags of air that prevent a driver’s face from crashing into the steering wheel on impact are cut out and replaced. So, instead of tossing the material from used airbags into trash-cans, the guys at MariClaro recycle it all into trendy backpacks. Based in Toronto, the sustainable design company makes fashion accessories and apparel from recycled materials. This backpack in particular is made from 99% recycled materials and takes up to three weeks to make. However, the $300 price tag might seem a bit too hefty on one’s pocket, though we applaud the idea behind this recycle-reuse idea. ]]> Continue reading "MariClaro creates trendy backpacks recycled from airbags" »

]]> "MariClaro creates trendy backpacks recycled from airbags" is a post from Greenlaunches.com

Omer Sagiv’s solar Powered Vehicle soaks up the sun to power up

2012-02-03T15:08:00Z

Remember the Silver Surfer who showed up in the Fantastic Four flick? This vehicle we just stumbled across could make for the perfect ride for the planet destroyer, if he ever did chose to jump off that gleaming surf-board and chose to drive instead. Called the SPV (solar powered vehicle), this futuristic contraption on wheels is powered by solar energy and uses flexible thin-film modules on its aluminum structure to power up. By designer Omer Sagiv, the SPV is sleek and shiny as ever and is seriously energy efficient too. However, its sheer size and uniqueness doesn’t really make it for an ideal way to travel to work, particularly on a rainy day! [tuvie] ]]> "Omer Sagiv’s solar Powered Vehicle soaks up the sun to power up" is a post from Greenlaunches.com

Walmart ranks third on EPA’s list of top renewable energy purchasers in U.S.

2012-02-03T15:07:49Z

The EPA pulled out yet another list of some of the greenest businesses out there, and the result this time seems to be pretty fascinating. Walmart, earlier ranked 15th for green energy purchases has moved up to the 3rd spot on the newest list by the EPA. With 872,382,088 kilowatt-hours of Walmart’s energy being sourced from biogas, wind power, or solar power, the retail giant has made it pretty clear that it means green. First up on the list however is Intel Corp, followed by Kohl's Department Stores for the maximum green energy purchases when it comes to businesses. [treehugger] ]]> "Walmart ranks third on EPA’s list of top renewable energy purchasers in U.S." is a post from Greenlaunches.com

Portable K-TOR’s Power Box lets you juice up your devices with pedal power!

2012-02-03T15:07:36Z

K-TOR has come up with an innovative way to help you workout and create some green juice too. Behold the Power Box! This efficient contraption is portable and can be carried to work or used at home. Essentially a charging device that uses pedals to charge up your gizmos including tablets, smartphones and media players, the K-TOR Power Box sports outlets enabling you to simply plug in your device adapter and have it juice up as you pedal away to glory. This works as a fantastic way to exercise your legs and burn some calories in the bargain too. Measuring 4.5 x 4.5 x 8.75 inches and weighing in at just 4 lbs. (1.8 kg), the Power Box is your answer to an eco-conscious healthy living. [gizmag] ]]> "Portable K-TOR’s Power Box lets you juice up your devices with pedal power!" is a post from Greenlaunches.com

BMW Zentrum Museum powers up with solar panels

2012-02-03T15:07:32Z

BMW’s Zentrum Museum has now gone greener than ever with the automaker completing a one-of-a-kind solar installation that will completely power up the facility. Spending a whopping $500,000 for the same, BMW installed 400 solar modules in front of the museum, each capable of soaking in 240 watts worth of solar juice. The installation generates about 96,000 watts, enough to power up the sprawling 24,000-square-foot facility. And that’s not all. BMW has also installed three electric charging stations to juice up electric cars at the museum and we applaud the automaker’s efforts to go a darker shade of green. [goupstate]]]> "BMW Zentrum Museum powers up with solar panels" is a post from Greenlaunches.com

Larger-than-life 28-meter high lighting installation uses just 20 Kwatt/h!

2012-02-02T14:56:48Z

You’d expect a structure as humongous as this to gulp down more electricity than a couple of apartment blocks. This installation at the Ghent Light Festival in Belgium by Luminarie De Cagna however proves to be shockingly energy efficient. Using a total of 55,000 LED bulbs, this cathedral of lights sports majestic renaissance arches and is a treat for the eyes indeed. Towering 28 meters high, the installation makes use of just 20 Kwatt/h of energy, making it a one-of-a-kind visually pleasing piece of art and innovation that keeps the environment smiling, without stamping out ugly dark carbon footprints. ]]> Continue reading "Larger-than-life 28-meter high lighting installation uses just 20 Kwatt/h!" »

]]> "Larger-than-life 28-meter high lighting installation uses just 20 Kwatt/h!" is a post from Greenlaunches.com

London cabs go green; Renault Fluence Z.E. electric cabs now for fire

2012-02-02T14:56:45Z

London will now play home to greener taxis, beginning with two Renault Fluence Z.E.s that have finally been commissioned and authorized for hire. These cabs by Climatecars are low on carbon emissions and are the future of green taxis in London. The taxis are available at the same rate as conventional gas-guzzlers, though hiring these instead does the environment a favor. The taxis in particular sport a 115 mile range on a full charge and are comfortable enough to suit all the expectations you’d look for in a taxi! A better alternative to the iconic black London cabs that have been known to spew out enough smoke in the environment to create little trails of clouds behind them, these green taxis make public transport in London cleaner. [thegreencarwebsite] ]]> "London cabs go green; Renault Fluence Z.E. electric cabs now for fire" is a post from Greenlaunches.com

Acoustical- waves powered biomedical sensors uses use thumping bass notes to juice up

2012-02-02T14:56:41Z

Hip Hop has been accused of ruining people’s vocabulary before. However, the pumping thumping music that usually lacks the need for great lyrics does have its benefits too. Those deep and heavy bass notes for one could pretty much help power these new implantable sensors being developed at Purdue University. These biomedical sensors uses acoustical waves and particularly those of lower frequencies found in house, hip hop and trance music. The researchers found hip hop to work best however, and these implants could pretty much change the way we live in the near future. [inhabitat] ]]> "Acoustical- waves powered biomedical sensors uses use thumping bass notes to juice up " is a post from Greenlaunches.com

Nissan uses solar powered Roro ship to transport Leaf cars

2012-02-02T14:56:33Z

Nissan chose to go green with its delivery system this time and seems to have made an efficiently green choice by using a solar powered ship to deliver its Leaf vehicles throughout Japan. Called the Roro ship, this vessel is partially solar-powered and uses 281 solar panels. Complete with light-emitting diode (LED) lighting to save energy. The Roro can carry up to 1,380 cars at a time. The ship will make the 1,100-mile from Oppama Wharf near Yokohama to the southern Japan island of Kyushu. The ship has about 18% lower Co2 emissions than a convention ship of its size with the panels helping save up on more than 1,300 tons of fuel annually! [green.autoblog] ]]> "Nissan uses solar powered Roro ship to transport Leaf cars" is a post from Greenlaunches.com

GM and PJM Interconnection to use OnStar system to notify Volt owners about ideal-charging-time

2012-02-01T13:21:32Z

General Motors has come up with a great way to further give your Chevrolet Volt a greener shade. Using the OnStar navigation system, Volt owners will now be informed just when their utility companies use renewable energy sources for power generation, notifying one in regards to the ideal time to recharge the car. Currently working with utility firm PJM Interconnection, GM’s OnStar users will be notified what percentage of a grid's power supply is coming from renewable source, helping them regulate their car-charging activities as per peak renewable-energy time. Generally for wind energy, PJM suggests the 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. timeframe. A clever way to recharge your Volt with green juice from the comfort of your home-charging-station, this move could help decrease your car’s carbon footprint substantially. [autoblog]]]> "GM and PJM Interconnection to use OnStar system to notify Volt owners about ideal-charging-time" is a post from Greenlaunches.com