One such device is the Light Tree. The designer has combined solar and hydroponic techniques to give a light source that also helps trees and seeds to grow. The device simply conducts the LED generated light through water to the plants or seeds. The seedling may be left there to grow into a plant or even transplanted.

The Lightimus, a hourglass shaped solar light, uses photovoltaic technology to charge itself during the day. As the night falls it turns upside down. The solar cells in the light use their stored energy to light up the LEDS. A full days charge will keep the light running for 8 hours.

Interested in turning the nights into days, but without leaving a carbon print, try Sky LED lighting system or solar powered outdoor lighting systems by Qnuru, and Corona. Designers have come up with complete systems that can help light up parks, outdoor spaces and roads with clean energy. These green inventions will help reduce the carbon print.

If you are looking for some designer lighting pieces that look stunning in your homes, then the Riflessie is the right pick. The lights are essentially mirror droplets with a sunlight trapping fabric piece. During the day the fabric traps sunlight and reflects it off the mirrors to light up a room and at night the fabric provides trapped solar energy to light up LEDs that have been embedded in it. A few drops of water on the fabric will result in beautiful illumination patterns.

The companies taking care of recycling phones use the metals that they find in the old phones to create the parts of the new phones, while the precious metal that is found is sold to jewelers or investors. Some of the gold found is sold back to the manufacturers that use it to create the circuits of the new phones. This is because gold conducts electricity better than copper.

The interesting thing is that in case of mining one ton of ore produces about 5 gm of gold, while one ton of recycled phones mean 150 gm of gold or even more. Also from this amount of phones we can get 100 kg of copper, 3 kg silver, and other metals as well. Not to mention that the recycling technology will make the earth greener.

The sad truth is that there are millions of gadgets thrown away on a yearly basis and this sums up to millions of tons of e-waste that is just perfect for upcycle.
Next time you are thinking about throwing away an old phone that you don’t use anymore, you should take the time and take it to a recycle bin to make sure that somebody will make use of all the parts that could be recycled

There are proposals for tapping into the shale natural gas reserves that the country has in abundance. Natural gas exploitation looks like an easy and ready option that will help curb carbon emissions. It seems like the right answer as natural gas is already being commercially used and the infrastructure needed is already in place. So should the country simply shift from petroleum vehicles and coal fired industries to natural gas for vehicles and as fuel?

But is natural gas truly a green energy source? It is a fossil fuel and will emit carbon emission, albeit much less when compared to other fossil fuels like petroleum and coal. So moving to natural gas from petroleum and coal is not the solution. It is only a mid way path to the ultimate goal of minimum carbon emissions.

To maintain the supply of natural gas, the country’s shale reserves will be tapped. This would mean development work on the shale reserves which in turn could lead to future  fugitive leaks. Natural gas is green house gas and can have serious ramifications in the atmosphere if leaked into it. It is definitely not the right choice for a green future.

No carbon-emission energy sources are still in their nascent stages and seem like a lot of expenditure for someone who wants to shift from fossil fuels to green energy sources. The basic infrastructure may seem expensive and natural gas may seem like a cheaper alternative. However, it would be wise to remember that eventually one needs to move to the sustainable energy sources in order to achieve the target. So shifting to natural gas and then slowly to green energy sources may turn out to be much more expensive and energy consuming than slowly shifting directly to the greener options.

Generally, the green driving concept cannot be applied to sports car as it will affect the speed and smooth travel factor that a sports car promises of. But, BMWi8, the green sports cars, is a model with greater fuel efficiency and does not compromise on the features of a sports car in any of the areas including the speed factor. Front wheel are driven by the electric motors and the rear wheel are driven by petrol mode. If you choose all electric modes then the car will give 20 miles.
Stylish and sleek appearance adds up to the top-notch features and the car is designed with light-weight materials. The lithium-ion batteries come with a two hours recharge option. This wonder hybrid car will see the light in the year 2014 and is slated for the showcasing in Frankfurt coming September. BMWi8 is an ideal choice for those car-lovers who want of mix of sophistication as well as green living. No wonder, the super fast car is set to bring in a new era for cars.

Join Dr. Kathy Barbeau and explore the world of phytoplankton, from the molecular to the global scale, in her quest to understand the mysterious role of iron in phytoplankton ecology.

Off Architecture has come together with Duncan Lewis Scape Architecture and Jeans Giacinto to create the stunning Lycee Jean Moulin, a High School building that is literally a “green” design. Situated in Revin, the school building blends completely into the landscape no structure is distinguishable from the rolling slopes. It is a beautiful example of green architecture.

The amazing school structure is in complete harmony with its surroundings and truly a unique design. The eco building does not stand out like a concrete sore thumb amidst the natural beauty. It has been designed to become a part of the nature and leave no traces of concrete urbanization on the landscape.

The school structure uses a unique camouflage technique to blend in. It has roofs that   look like layered grass terraces. The structure looks like steppe cultivation on a rolling slope. The innovative design concept incorporates the structure right into the green hills making them difficult to distinguish from a distance. The architects have taken the green housing concept a step further with a green school, providing the students with a natural environment to study and learn.

Lycee Jean Moulin High School is an innovative attempt at green building and will prove to be a path breaking design in the green world. It is a successful attempt to blend in a concrete structure into the surrounding environment, so much so that the “urbanization” of a natural landscape is hardly noticeable. The green hills seem to embrace the school structure into their arms and make it one with nature.

The project is expected to complete by 2012, and will be a one of its kind school with a sustainable and green living concept. The students will be bale to enjoy studying amidst nature. The Lycee Jean Moulin is a green example of how modern architecture can contribute towards a better and greener life.

One of the most carbon efficient schools is the Sandal Magna Community Primary School in Wakefield, England. It has been created of truly unique architectural shapes, resulting in a special design. Having such a form, it blends in with the industrial surroundings and it also incorporates reclaimed materials, renewable energy and energy conservation.

There has been a Victorian school that couldn’t be repaired, and then the bricks of the old school have been used in this new green design as well. The majority of the school has been created from sustainable timber. Nonetheless there are some other parts of the old school as well that have been kept, such as the old school bell, telling the children that it’s time for school, just as it has been hundreds of years ago.

The eco friendly design comes with asymmetric roofs and so the ventilation and natural lighting can bring fresh air and sunlight into the classrooms. The designers of the school wanted the energy saving features to be visible for the children, so that they could learn from them. This is why the rainwater harvesting system and the natural ventilation system is visible at the building.

The green concept also includes the roofs being topped by photovoltaic solar paneling that offers power to the heat pump, heating water and taking care of the school’s temperature control.

The eco structures of the school also include a garden near the school that the students can use to harvest their fruits and vegetables. There are 210 students of the school under the age of 11, but the school has been built to be able to house up to 315 students. Besides the regular curriculum, students are learning about energy efficiency and to raise their own produce. Now this is something that every school could try.

How to do a perfect green house.

Drinking water fountains are used all over in schools and public places. There is one fatal problem associated with these fountains i.e., lots of water gets wasted in the process. In order to address the issue, gray water system can be used along with drinking water system. Gray water is the system of purifying the used water and using it for non-drinking purposes. In short, the gray waters can be converted into useable form and used for irrigation purposes. It is a new eco lifestyle. These gray water concept will help in better utilizing water for purposes that does not require a clean water. For instance, it can be used in toilets as well.

Yet another method for a green lifestyle is that of the biodegradable drinking cups that help in areas were water is taken through drinking cups. The wastage of water in these cups is quiet less in comparison to that of the fountain water but still its conservation is necessary as such small wastage amounts to big wastages. You need to keep in track the eco behavior in order to derive benefit from it.

Disposable paper cups are turning out to be a great problem as they occupy the landfills to a considerable level. In such cases, it is better to make use of the biodegradable cups that causes lesser footprints in the environment. If you yearn for an eco life then you need to earn it through some good initiative to make life happy for yourself and for the generations to come.