• Category Archives: Other Stuff

    Solar Chaise Lounge chair soaks up solar energy, generates electricity

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    Well, no one’s really thought of turning solar panels into seating arrangements before, and for good reason. Given the fact that these do tend to get really hot, with the sun-rays showering down on them through the day, it isn’t really a great place to rest your backside. The Solar Chaise Lounge chair however uses the principal, though in a comfortable way. Designed by Vlada Davydova, these rigid hinged recliners integrate solar panels and are meant for the outdoors. Also, the seats can be modified as per your preference, given that the sport hinges, making them foldable.

    Posted in Other Stuff on August 5, 2011
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    Japan to turn 1.3 million acres of waste farmland into solar farms

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    Japan has loads of space to spare, particularly unused rice paddies, and for a country that’s currently facing several electricity blackouts after the devastating natural calamities and the nuclear power plant meltdown; this seems to be an open invitation to go green! And that’s exactly what Softbank Corporation President Masayoshi Son plans to do, putting to use 1.3 million acres of unused rice paddies and turning them into solar farms instead. All this could result in the generation of a sweet 50 million kilowatts, and 35 of Japan’s 47 prefectures have already expressed interest in the plan.

    Posted in Other Stuff on August 4, 2011
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    Samsung and Apple plan for solar powered devices up ahead

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    Samsung and Apple have literally been at war recently, trying to grab technology-markets, each with their own products. The companies however do agree on one thing, the fact that the environment needs saving, and have been looking towards the sun for an answer. Samsung has already waded into solar energy, unveiling solar powered devices including the Android-powered Replenish smartphone and the upcoming NC215S netbook. Apple though is still at its drawing boards and has already stashed a bunch of patents relating to solar-powered tech.

    Posted in Other Stuff on July 29, 2011
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    Best of The Rich Traveller

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    This week, the Rich Traveller checks in to the new Harrods store at The Corinthia Hotel London, before taking off for some retail therapy at St Barths. If you’re trying to be cautious with your diet this summer, you must speak to the guys at Gluten Free Travel -Us, and stay healthy. On the other hand, if you’re looking to indulge this summer, MSC Cruises will be serving different cuisines prepared by specially-invited celebrity chefs on their different itineraries. This week we have some truly inspiring holiday ideas : choices include lapping up it in luxury at the very very pink Eloise Suite at the Plaza Hotel in New York, getting cozy with your partner on Richard Branson’s heart-shaped island, taking a wellness journey in the Maldives or experiencing the Great Wildebeest Migration in Kenya. We also bring to you a pleasant surprise with the Lakes’s my lake hotel & spa in Wörthersee, Austria.

    Posted in Other Stuff on July 29, 2011
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    Flesh-eating suit with mushrooms is the new eco-friendly way to be laid to rest

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    Some prefer burials while others look to cremation as final resting places for their bodies. Well, if you’re looking for a unique way to deal with your body when you leave for heavenly abode, bioartist Jae Rhim Lee has a suit that’ll do just that, in a manner that somewhat made us cringe. Lee designed a suit with Infinity Mushrooms that eat away your body and decomposes it once you die. Carefully adjusted and bred to break down human hair, nails and skin completely, the suit seems to be a pretty feasible way to put bodies to rest.

    Posted in Other Stuff on July 28, 2011
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    DIY fish feeder traps live insects, powers with solar energy

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    We just came across an innovative way to supply those goldfish you’ve bred in your pond with a constant supply of fresh food, straight from the living ecosystem! Here’s how it works. The system includes a device to be placed in the pond. Featuring a solar LED light, it attracts insects in the dark. And once close at hand, the naïve insect is trapped inside, and ends up as a gourmet dinner for you goldfish. This one certainly doesn’t cost much to build and is a simple DIY process, while all you’ll need for it is a LED light that uses solar energy to power up, a float, duct tape and a bit of mesh!
    [Instructables]

    Posted in Other Stuff on July 26, 2011
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    Solar powered toilets to surface in Dubai

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    There’s been green flowing out of UAE time and again. Dubai’s done it again, this time with solar-powered places to pee. Soon, solar energy will be used to power up new public toilets in Dubai, generating energy from the sun to power up the fluorescent lights, exhaust fans and small water pumps in the toilets. And if all goes well with the pilot project, Dubai’s older toilets will be upgraded to solar-powered too. Also, these will be free for public use, and Dubai is also drawing up plans for solar-powered swimming pools and solar panels for abattoirs up ahead. A pat on the back for Dubai and its solar powered escapades!
    [TheNational]

    Posted in Other Stuff on July 25, 2011
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    World’s first compostable swimwear makes sure you don’t toss your old bikini in the bin

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    If you’re one of those fashion-conscious pool-regulars who throw away old swim-wear on a seasonal basis, here’s an interesting concept that might just catch your eye! Designed by Linda Loudermilk, what you’re looking at here is the world’s first compostable swimsuit! Once you’re done using it and decide to buy a new one, all you need to do is dig a hole in your backyard, and bury this one six feet under, and it disintegrates in 180 days. Shown off at the HauteNatured swimwear show at the Miami Swim Week, these degradable swimwear are sure to make you look fabulous too, making heads turn, as you walk around the pool.

    Posted in Other Stuff on July 22, 2011
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    Best of The Rich Traveller

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    Eco-adventures can rejoice as luxurious hotel operator Ritz-Carlton, have announced plans for their first reserve in the Americas, while the posh Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa was recertified two years in a row for their Carbon Neutral status. Lenny Kravitz is the latest celebrity to turn his hand into designing for rooms at the SLS Hotel at South Beach, set to open next year in Miami. With all eyes on Qatar for the FIFA World Cup 2022, the country is now building a $1.6 billion sports facility in Doha. Travel experiences continue to evolve with transparent bubbles that will let you camp under the stars or a Chandelier Bar enveloped in crystals and definitely making news is Abramovich’s Eclipse yacht, which is now available for charter at $2m per week! In other hotel news, the iconic Grand Hyatt San Francisco has announced plans for a $70m refurbishment while the Viceroy Hotel Group will take over management of the iconic Yas Hotel in Abu Dhabi.

    Posted in Other Stuff on July 21, 2011
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    GM and OnStar launch smart-grid pilot program

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    Making electric cars a lot more energy-efficient than they already are, General Motors has joined hands with OnStar, a smart-grid solutions firm, to develop a smart-grid pilot that will substantially help reduce charging costs for Chevy Volts around. The OnStar system being set up will help utilities directly control EV charging for the participating Volt users in the program, offering discounts or other incentives to encourage drivers to charge their EVs when overall electricity demand is lowest. Also, hundreds of utility workers will lease out Chevrolet Volt vehicles and drive them to work every day, plugging them in at night, participating in this program.

    Posted in Other Stuff on July 21, 2011
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