This week at TreeHugger: We take a virtual spin on the Fhybrid hydrogen-powered scooter, and wish it wasn't stuck in prototype purgatory. When it comes to emerging green technology, Bill Joy, the co-founder of Sun Microsystems, has some thoughts about the potential of the green technology field (hint: it's enormous), proclaiming that it's where the next Google will be found. Big Mac munchers beware: we found an interesting statistic you can really sink your teeth into. Seems that cooking four normal sized hamburgers in a fast food joint emits the same amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as driving a car for 1,000 miles. Mmmm...volatile organic compounds....Lastly, in our latest attempt to battle the neverending summer heat wave, we bring you "no energy ice cream," which can be made during the next blackout and might stave off heat stroke for another day.
Crijn Bouman might just be a name you'll remember in a couple of years. As an Industrial Design student at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, Bouman created a prototype hydrogen-powered scooter, which he calls the Fhybrid. The Fhybrid tops out at about 40mph, and has a range of around 124 miles, which can be extended with energy recovery during braking. Acceleration is better than the average scooter, and it emits no noise or fumes, making it just about the perfect city flitzer. Whenever this puppy is ready for production, we're ready to buy one.
Speaking of up and coming green technology: Bill Joy, the co-founder of Sun Microsystems, has some interesting thoughts on the subject. Specifically, the potential of the green technology field is enormous, and it will be where the next Google will be found. From his interview in Business Week: "There will be an enormous amount of new [green] technology, new wealth, and we are trying to create the Googles, the Microsofts of the new era. [Even] the garbage stream has a high value." That's right — watch your trash cans, boys and girls; you never know what valuable asset might be hiding beneath those banana peels and toenail clippings.
Fast food enthusiasts everywhere should really be able to take a bite out of this statistic: cooking four normal sized hamburgers in a fast food joint emits the same amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as driving a car for 1,000 miles. According to manufacturer Engelhard, chain-driven charbroilers and rapid-cook technology used in many fast food restaurants rely on high temperatures to cook meat quickly, but they also generate large amounts of smoke and odorous VOCs, including formaldehyde and acetaldehyde; we're guessing you probably wouldn't want an extra side order of either.
Here in the midst of the dog days of summer, there's nothing worse than when a rolling blackout takes down your air conditioning. When you're looking for a way too cool off without the benefit of your local utility, roll out this handy ice-cream maker; no electricity is required to whip up a cool treat. Just push, roll or shake the magic ball around for 20 minutes, et voila! It works thanks to the magic of thermodynamics: by adding rock salt to the ice, the temperature in the ball drops to around ten below, cooling the ingredients and churning them into some tasty ice cream. Just don't kick it too hard before it's done.
TreeHugger's EcoModo column appears every Tuesday on Gizmodo.