Green Living Ideas » Technology

Skeptical Science iPhone App: Overcoming Global Warming Deniers

Scott James — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:00:20 +0000

We’ve all been out at the pub getting a seasonal pint, or down at the deli getting a tea and some salad, when you overhear someone next to you say, “I don’t know, I just don’t think that global warming thing is real. At least, it’s not our fault…” Or maybe it’s the friend you’re [...]

[Skeptical Science iPhone App: Overcoming Global Warming Deniers from Green Living Ideas]

iPhone 3G S or DROID: How Much Radiation Does Your Smartphone Emit?

Jennifer Lance — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:45:05 +0000

I got my first smartphone for my birthday, and it is true it has changed many aspects of my communicating life. I love my iPhone and have been so enthralled with its applications that I have not stopped to consider how much radiation it emits until a friend sent me the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) [...]

[iPhone 3G S or DROID: How Much Radiation Does Your Smartphone Emit? from Green Living Ideas]

What Does “Green” Mean? Interview with Chris Nelson of UL Environment (Part 2 of 2)

Scott James — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:54:32 +0000

UL Environment created Environmental Claims Validation or Sustainable Products Verification programs for companies and products making “green” claims. This is Part 2 of my talk with Chris Nelson, Global Commercial Development Director at UL Environment, about their programs, how you can get involved, their public reception and program goals. Part 2 of 2: Interview with Chris [...]

[What Does “Green” Mean? Interview with Chris Nelson of UL Environment (Part 2 of 2) from Green Living Ideas]

What Does “Green” Mean? An Interview with Chris Nelson of UL Environment (Part 1 of 2)

Scott James — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:17:28 +0000

Companies and products are tossing around terms like “green,” “sustainable,” or “eco-friendly,” but as a consumer it’s hard to know what those words mean on products or whether they can be trusted. A year ago, UL Environment began offering Environmental Claims Validation or Sustainable Products Verification programs for products making “green” claims. Why trust them? [...]

[What Does “Green” Mean? An Interview with Chris Nelson of UL Environment (Part 1 of 2) from Green Living Ideas]

$1.45 million QinetiQ Research on Remote Environmental Sensors

Scott James — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:07:06 +0000

Measuring and monitoring environmental impact is a continuing challenge. I’m seeing new tools and attitudes that will enable nations and corporations do a better job of monitoring and, hopefully, reducing emissions and impact- from Google Earth’s aggregation of satellite data to track forest size to energy efficient office buildings. A new tool called The Sensor Web [...]

[$1.45 million QinetiQ Research on Remote Environmental Sensors from Green Living Ideas]

Flexible, Thin Batteries Made from Algae

Jennifer Lance — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:00:31 +0000

Algae is largely considered a nuisance and a sign of environmental degradation; however, it is also offering climate change solutions. First fuel, and now “paper-thin” batteries have been made from algae. Researchers have found Cladophora created cellulose promising for developing “thin, flexible, lightweight, inexpensive, environmentally friendly batteries made entirely from nonmetal parts”. Nanotechnologists at Uppsala University [...]

[Flexible, Thin Batteries Made from Algae from Green Living Ideas]

New Silicon-Air Battery to Have Unlimited Shelf Life

Derek Markham — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:33:47 +0000

Non-stop power from a battery with unlimited shelf life. Sounds like a pipe dream, right? Maybe not. Scientists at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology have developed an eco-friendly silicon-air battery capable of powering devices for thousands of hours before replacement. The batteries are created from silicon and oxygen, are lightweight, and have a high tolerance for [...]

[New Silicon-Air Battery to Have Unlimited Shelf Life from Green Living Ideas]

Google PowerMeter Aims to Help People Reduce Their Electricity Usage

Scott James — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:45:27 +0000

“Over the last year I’ve reduced the energy consumption by about 64%, I’ve done it without making any significant changes in my lifestyle, and I’ve saved about $3,000 so far.” says Russ Mirov, a Google Engineer and one of the U.S. beta version testers of Google PowerMeter. The straightforward purpose of the PowerMeter is to help [...]

[Google PowerMeter Aims to Help People Reduce Their Electricity Usage from Green Living Ideas]