Shortly before, Tesco decided to cut the use of its environment-friendly degradable bags, given that these were well, not as green as they were expected to be. The supermarket chain recently swung open its doors at Somersham, a village in Cambridgeshire, and has decided to stick to the green policies of the little habitation. Instead, the Tesco store will have “bag for life”, plastic bags that aren’t meant to be disposed but used repeatedly. Also, Tesco will keep an ear open for customer feedback, and will decide if continuing with these will be appropriate for the future.
Generations before us have been dreaming of flying-cars taking the place of the gas-guzzlers the world has been used to driving all along. Though, the dream of transportation boosts still remains just a fragment of designers’ imagination. However, we aren’t really far from having truly green vehicles driving us to work and back home every day, like this revolutionary nuclear-energy-powered car for example. Using thorium and a turbine electric generator system powered by a thorium-based laser, scientists at the research-and-development firm Laser Power Systems are busy pouring over sketches of what could be the future mode of transport for the world. Now we haven’t experienced thorium long enough to know its side effects, though we’re pretty sure it’d do a lot better than the environment-strangulating gas we use today.
And just like the rest of the environment around us, the world’s coral reefs are in trouble too, facing environmental harm climate-change, localized over-fishing and habitat destruction. And as we all know, replacing these naturally isn’t really an option, so researchers these days are looking forward to use electrified artificial reefs instead, called Biorocks. These start off as a electrically-conductive wire mesh called the Coral Ark attached to the seabed with a solar panel floating on the surface above. The electricity collected by the solar panels results in accretion coating the Ark with a natural concrete material very similar to that of clam shells. With this, these artificial reefs can grow at a rate of 5cm annually and can grow indefinitely!
This week’s new openings include the Four Seasons Baltimore, a Bota Bota Ferry which opens as a Luxury Spa and Lego-themed hotel in California and an inside peek into Dubai’s newest luxury name – the Palazzo Versace. For those who’d like a taste and feel of the rich and famous, experiences include the choice to rent Sir Richard Branson’s submarine Necker Nymph, check-in to the Four Seasons Hotel New York’s Ty Warner Penthouse at a mere $35,000 or plan your New Years at the sumptuous Ponta dos Ganchos in Brazil. If you’re looking to invest into some fantasy living, the Golden Oak residential resort community is now offering custom homes at Walt Disney World Resort. With Lamborghini new Carbon Fiber travel bags, travel has become more sustainable, but if you’d like to flaunt some labels we have some practical-label-friendly options!
Toyota has shown that it is electrically-charged. Its TMG EV P001 has broken the existing lap record for an electric vehicle on the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 7 minutes, 47.79 seconds and zooming past Nissan GT-R, Porsche 911 Turbo and Peugeot’s EX1. This news is supposed to help boost the EV P001 sales which will begin next year. This is like the final tests the company did to check whether the car could perform in extreme circumstances. Its powertrain includes components from Rational Motion and EVO Electric.
In the land where soccer is considered more than just a religion, turning a soccer stadium green is like giving heaven a green makeover! Nestled in the third largest city in Brazil, Salvador da Bahia, the Pituaçu Stadium will soon sport a 403 kilowatt peak (kWp) system that will begin juicing the stadium in September. Germany-based Gehrlicher Solar AG has teamed up with Brazilian environmental technology group Ecoluz Participações S.A. are working on the project called Gehrlicher Ecoluz Solar do Brasil S.A.
When it comes to energy efficiency, OLEDs are right up there, and are expected to change the home-electronics industry for the greener good forever. Israeli designer Meidad Marzan’s UrbanTiles concept uses OLED lights to spice up building facades aesthetically. These two-sided reversible tiles have photovoltaics on one side which collect sun energy during the day and OLEDs that light up using the energy collected at night. These when used on building facades could turn our city skylines into an eye-pleasing treat like never before!
Toyota Motorsports GmbH (TMG) decided to go soft-hearted and has decided to release the electric technology nestled in its drool-worthy and magnificent Radical Sportscars SR9. The pack will be available in limited numbers however, and those looking to get their hands on one of these on its release in 2012, will need to begin filling up their bank accounts. Toyota Motorsports will sell the electric powertrain technology including the electric drivetrain, battery and control integration supplied by rational motion GmbH and twin electric motors built by EVO Electric with lithium-ceramic batteries, all the essentials required to piece together a superfast sports electric mobile.
And after hours of efforts and sweat being put into making this skyscraper the greenest in the world, the Taipei 101 building has finally been accredited with LEED – EBOM Platinum Certification, breaking three records in the bargain and earning itself the title of the world’s tallest green building! With an approximate area topping 1.6 million square feet, the building set the Tallest Green Building record along with the Largest Green Building and the Most-user Green Building, given that it houses about a 90 tenants! The building sports waste reduction, energy- and water-saving systems and a bunch load of more technology ensuring that its office temperatures, humidity and carbon dioxide levels are all kept under check!
Ever dreamed of growing chickens in your backyard? Here’s the perfect way to do so, and that too in a green and eco-friendly way, that makes us love it as a whole a lot more! Called the Front Yard Full Monty Coop, the structure uses solar panels to power up and keeps your chickens happy. That’s not all. Measuring 4′ wide x 8′ long, this coop also propels itself by 16 feet every hour using energy from the solar panels, keeping your chickens active, ensuring that they walk around.
