The 700 LED lights on this particular city's Christmas tree are not connected to any sort of traditional power outlet, instead relying completely on volunteers pushing the pedals of some stationary bicycles. It's certainly environmentally friendly, but will they seriously manage to consistently keep 15 people working out? [CNET]

The setup presumably connects to a house's gutter system, storing rainfall it for the next uh, not-rainy day. It's gorgeous but I think it should be made out of metal, not fiberglass, if he is going for maximum green points. You can probably cut a line in your own rain gutters and hack together a collector on your own, though. I award the idea, not the actual hardware, a thumbs up. [Designboom]

I'm glad to see that it's finally open for business because the way the Kurilpa Bridge was designed definitely enforces the green "Hey you! This bridge is made for walking" attitude:

The energy-saving lighting system will be powered by 84 solar panels that collectively generate a daily output of about 100KWh and an average yearly output of 38MWh. The solar energy generates supplies 75% of the power required to run the LED setup in the fully lit mode, but in most lighting configurations, 100% of the energy required will come from the solar panels. Surplus electricity generated by the solar array will be returned to the main grid.

How green and pretty it is aside, does that criss-cross design remind anyone else of pick-up sticks? [Ecofiend via kTreehugger]

It's not a novel idea to crush cans to 40% of their volume in order to recycle them, nor is it news that there's a gadget for it. What is of interest about this can crushing gadget is that it's automated and oriented toward households. Check out the video for a peek at the (rather durable looking) inner workings and you won't be surprised that it's great on battery life, too. Unlike my iPhone since a certain update. [Yanko Design]

As a teenager in a rural village in Nepal, Milan Karki knows just how desperately developing countries need an affordable, renewable energy source. But rather than whine about the availability of electricity or the cost of batteries, he sat down and came up with a solution: Low-cost solar panels with human hair conductors.

Solar energy isn't anything new, but solar panels themselves can be pricey to produce due to using silicon. Karki solved the cost issue by using human hair instead since it turns out that Melanin, a color pigment in hair, is a good conductor. Oh, and did we mention that it's cheaper than silicon?

Half a kilo of hair can be bought for only 16p in Nepal and lasts a few months, whereas a pack of batteries would cost 50p and last a few nights.

I don't know why they're selling hair by the kilo, but this idea is absolutely brilliant and I can't wait to see if it turns into something widely used. [Daily Mail]

The hope is that Incheon will one day become an epicenter of R&D for sustainable industries and promote the eco-friendly approach to things. While it is said that the city will incorporate the natural topography of the region and minimize loss of agricultural space, I'm still skeptical about just how eco-friendly the actual construction process will be. Stay tuned over the next 10 to 15 years and we'll find out. [Foster + Parners via Inhabitat]

The analysis compared carbon emissions from the production of electronic books to that of traditional book publishing. Despite the manufacturing and mining process required for the Kindles being taken into account, they still came out as the more eco-friendly contender since the Kindle doesn't exactly compare to a single book as Emma Rich, who conducted the analysis, explains:

The roughly 168 kg of CO2 produced throughout the Kindle's lifecycle is a clear winner against the potential savings: 1,074 kg of CO2 if replacing three books a month for four years; and up to 26,098 kg of CO2 when used to the fullest capacity of the Kindle DX. Less-frequent readers attracted by decreasing prices still can break even at 22.5 books over the life of the device,

We found the "fullest capacity" of the Kindle a bit amusing. Sure, the study compares the number of books you can have on a Kindle at a given moment, but what about the infinite number of deletions, downloads, and books stored on your computer for syncing?

Either way, the gist of this is that if you only read 22.5 books or less every four years, then you don't have to feel guilty about mucking up the environment by not using an electronic reader. The rest of us though are going green and ordering a Kindle. Well, at least I am. [CNET]

The key component are the three wheels, which morph from the paddle form you see in the image to a traditional wheel for land-based activities. In the case of snow or other such hard-to-traverse terrain, the wheels can open slightly, mimicking snow tires or chains.

Designers Janne Leppänen, Tuulia Miettinen, Roope Kolu, Tiemen Stelwagen, and Jaap Van Der Voort also created the Hybrid to be eco-friendly: Driving the wheels are battery-powered electric motors and the souls of lesser, weaker traditional paddle boats, which this vehicle must consume to stay alive. [Tuvie via Ecofriend vai DVICE]

Not only does it measure your consumption, it looks pretty damn awesome...you know...for a hose. I wouldn't mind spraying something down with this. However, in my weaker, less eco-friendly moments, I really want to use this thing. [Yanko]

Instead, we should be thinking about our poop. Like how much water we waste when we poop or how many people in this world don't have a pot to poop in. The Loowatt solves this problem with a structure that is composed of 90% horse poop. The biodegradable lining stores your poop which will be inserted later into an outdoor biodigestor—a device that turns said poop into biofuel for cooking. It's like the poop circle of life. The project has been well received in exhibits around the world, but funding is still needed to get the Loowatt off the ground. And don't worry—your contribution will not go unrewarded. For only £17 ($28) you will receive your very own "poo gem" to cherish forever. Awesome?

*number of times poop was referenced in this article: 12 (poopity poop poop) 15 [Loowatt via Dwell via Inhabitat]

Apparently, the Crest can generate enough power for 5-10 minutes of talk time with one hour of exposure to the sun. Like I said, practicality flies out the window here. Not surprisingly, the additional features are basic—like an FM radio, MP3 ringers, fake call feature (for avoiding unwanted calls) a flashlight, and a few minor features tailored to specific markets. However, there is no denying that it is easy on the budget. Besides the power savings, Unwired View claims the device is already on sale in India for around $59.

Cheap or not, we probably won't be seeing it in the States anytime soon. The Crest E1107 is slated for release in India, Europe, Southeast Asia, Southwest Asia, and Latin America starting this month.

Samsung Introduces Its First Solar Powered Mobile Phone

Samsung leads solar panel mobile market with

the launch of Crest Solar (E1107)

Seoul, Korea, June 10, 2009 - Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd, today announced its first solar powered mobile phone, the "Crest Solar" (E1107). The new handset enables its users to charge the battery anywhere the sun is shining when electricity is unavailable.

"The Crest Solar represents our effort and commitment to strengthen our leadership in the solar panel mobile market," said Executive Vice President JK Shin, head of the Mobile Communication Division at Samsung Electronics.

"With Samsung's cutting edge technology and consumer-oriented strategy, I believe the Crest Solar will be the perfect fit for anyone in any market – not only because it is solar powered, but because it has features that were designed to appeal to various cultures."

The Crest Solar will be available in numerous markets including India, Europe, Southeast Asia, Southwest Asia, and Latin America from June 2009.

Powered by the Sun

With an extended solar powered battery, the Samsung Crest Solar solves the problem of unavailable or unstable electrical outlets, particularly in rural areas. The phone has the capacity to provide around 5~10 minutes of talk time with one hour of solar charging.* Moreover, the solar panel charging allows its users to save money and energy consumption on traditional electrical charging.

* Measured when the phone is turned-off under the sun light of 80,000 Lux. Results can be different depending on circumstances.

Localized Features for Various Markets

The Crest Solar comes in a compact design with essential mobile phone features such as FM radio, MP3 ring tones, embedded games and a powerful torch light. For consumer safety, the phone offers Mobile Tracker, which automatically alerts when the SIM card is changed or sends out an SOS message in an emergency. The Crest Solar also has a fake call feature, so users can pretend they have an incoming call to escape unsafe situations.

To satisfy Crest Solar users in various markets, Samsung offers localized features for different countries. For instance, it offers profile screening for bikers in the Southeast Asian market that provides incoming call alerts only from selected contacts for safe riding. The Crest Solar also provides specialized features for different religions, such as alerts for prayer time.

Should you find yourself with a dead battery when you need to make a call, the Power Pump can provide emergency power via a turbine driven by a foot pump. Apparently, you can generate around 5-minutes of juice in the same time it would take to inflate a standard-sized pillow.

The device is set to be presented at the upcoming Glastonbury Festival (a proving ground of sorts for new technologies in the UK), so it would have to make a big impression there before any real world product would be considered. The way I see it, there are already eco-friendly products in the pipeline that provide a more efficient, less physically taxing form of alternative power. [Orange via Red Ferret via OhGizmo]

Indeed, the nation so slow to embrace change has jumped on the green bandwagon in a big way. Apparently, their $1.5 million solar array idea has expanded into what will become Europe's largest solar plant. Plans call for the new plant to be built on 740 acres near the medieval village of Santa Maria di Galeria. When all is said and done, it should produce around 100 megawatts of power—more than enough to handle the entire Vatican city-state and subsidize the energy needs of nearly 40,000 Italian homes.

Solarworld, the same company behind the earlier array also offered to give the pope a special electric-powered Popemobile should they be selected to handle this new installation. Although the devil may tempt them to trick an out-of-touch old man by simply tossing some bulletproof glass and a spray paint stencil that says "Pope" on a golf cart. [Bloomberg via Inhabitat]

Plus, it's actually kind of dangerous. Sure, people have been known to fall off a Segway from time to time, but the Legway is even more challenging to ride because it doesn't turn very well and it requires a keen sense of balance. But hey, if you are a nerdy treehugger with a taste for adventure, it doesn't get better than this. Hit the following link for instructions on how to build one yourself. [Instructables]

Instead of using traditional materials, the powers-that-be commissioned local designers Alrik Koudenburg and Joost van Bleiswijk to build them an office made entirely out of cardboard. As you can see, the results are pretty spectacular. To make things even more interesting, visitors are encouraged to decorate the cardboard with anything they choose. So, presumably, Nothing's walls will soon be riddled with penises and "for a good time call" phone numbers. [Nothing via CR Blog via Fast Company]

Furthermore, the trees inside the structure would be nourished using a windmill-powered pump system, so it would not significantly contribute to our energy consumption. Would something like this actually work? Maybe—that is until the wind kicks up and we have trees falling all over the streets of L.A. [Core77]

This bump is attributed to their new lithium ion battery, which can store more power than the nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries found in traditional Prius models. The testing is ongoing, and there is no word on when we might actually be able to purchase the plug-in, but this is definitely encouraging news for anyone sick of lining the pockets of big oil companies. [Automotive News-subscription]

We loved the RITI coffee printer concept as well. It uses used coffee grounds instead of ink. Click on through to see the rest, including the Tweet-a-Watt! [Core77]

If the RITI coffee printer existed as a real-world product, you could do just that. The design calls for spent grounds to be poured into a cartridge and for the printing mechanism to be manually moved back and forth to create an image. I think the whole "manual labor" thing takes the eco-friendly concept a bit too far, but if old coffee could actually be used for ink I would be all for it. It would also infuse a delightful scent into your resume that would give you the edge on any job application. Plus you could lick your documents if you were ever really jonesing. [Core 77 via Inhabitat via DVICE]