From the category “creative responses to environmental challenges“: Edible Cutlery. As the world is wasting incredible amounts of mostly fossil-fuel based plastic, and wood-based chopsticks cutlery, a couple of people in India (Bakeys.com)have come up with practical, edible cutlery. Including Forks, Spoons and chopsticks, this cutlery is made from double-dried bread, has a shelf-life more than three years. It also bio-degrades within just a couple of days and is reported to be very tasty. A truly creative response to a considerable problem.
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Creative Responses
This category lists simple, but brilliant ideas and inventions that ordinary people can take advantage of to increase their personal comfort, raise their standard of living, live a more sustainable life, and help reduce global warming.
Concrete canvas shelters (creative responses)
From the category “creative responses to environmental challenges“: Concrete Canvas Shelters. These are inflatable concrete buildings, hardened shelters that require only water and air for construction. According to the manufacturer, they can be constructed by 2 people without any training in under an hour and are ready to use in 24 hours, making them a viable alternative to conventional emergency shelters. Contrary to the conventional light tents that only last for a limited amount of time and which use massive amounts of plastic and other synthetic fibre, these concrete shelters can last for decades, provide reliable shelter from even the heaviest storms,…
Windmill made from washing machine (creative responses)
Using a standard washing machine motor (Fisher and Paykel direct drive), some blades cut from a 200mm PVC pipe, a cheap and easy-to-use charge controller (555 chip), and some other random bits of wiring and fiberglass, Timot put together a DIY windmill power generator that produces enough electricity to charge and/or operate a phone, laptop or other devices. Considering that washing machines rarely last longer than 5 years, and assuming that most families in the developed world possess a washing machine, the conversion of old washing machines to mini windmills could add up to a lot of energy savings. Let’s…
The Gravity Light (creative responses)
From the category “creative responses to environmental challenges“: The Gravity Light. GravityLight is a revolutionary new approach to storing energy and creating illumination. It takes only 3 seconds to lift the weight which powers GravityLight, creating 30 minutes of light on its descent. For free. The makers of the Gravity Light started the project searching for options on how to bring affordable and sustainable energy and light source for places outside the power grid. They experimented with more conventional approaches utilizing solar technologies, but they ultimately came up with this quite ingenious invention:
Earthship Biotechture 101
Here are a few helpful links for those who are interested in learning more about earthships and perhaps building one of their own. In the first place, there are existing earthships that can be rented as hotel rooms on a weekly or nightly basis. There is this earthship in France which one can rent or buy and these rentals in New Mexico. For those who want to learn, there are internships opportunities as well as an Biotecture Academy offering training and degrees. Here’s a website keep track of progress on an earthship being constructed in Manitoba of all places. And the following…
Sustainability and freedom
Although it does snow in New Mexico, most people who watch the Garbage Warrior or witness the biotecture communities sprouting up in places like Taos probably think that earthships are fine for hot dry climates but wouldn’t really work in places like Canada. This short video clip nicely debunks that idea. The Potter’s earthship is in Bancroft Ontario which gets extremely cold in the winter, going as low as -35 Celsius. But as the Potters attest, they are perfectly comfortable in their home. And after building it, for very little money, they discovered that it not only sheltered them and…
Garbage Warrior (documentary)
Michael Reynolds is a true maverick; he sees humanity marching toward the edge of a cliff and he’s not willing to go along with the crowd. Instead he uses his skills as a trained architect to show people that there is another, better way of living, one which is sustainable, ecologically beneficial, and 100 percent self-supporting. He builds homes–even entire communities–that are completely off the energy grid, collect water from rainfall, recycle waste, and are made from mostly garbage and recycled materials. It’s called “Earthship Biotecture” and it may very well be the most profound and practical solution to the pressing environmental challenges…
The off-the-grid, do-it-yourself smart-home (creative responses)
From the category “Creative responses to environmental challenges“: The off-the-grid, do-it-yourself smart-home. Challenging numerous conventions about housing, C++ pioneer Loren Amelang designed his off-grid house just the way he wanted. It is filled with innovative solutions to the energy problems associated with traditional houses and nicely balances comfort with sustainability and efficiency. His smart home also challenges the illusion that modern technology and sustainability are mutually exclusive.
The plastic bottle solar light-bulb (creative responses)
From the category “Creative responses to environmental challenges“: The plastic bottle solar light-bulb. Simply cut a hole in your roof, stick in and seal a water filled plastic bottle, and you get a free, solar-powered daytime light-bulb.
The recycled can solar heating panel (creative responses)
From the category “Creative responses to environmental challenges“: The recycled can solar heating panel: Newfoundlander Jim Meaney found a creative way to reuse can’s to build cheap but effective solar panels to heat homes and save energy.
Sun-powered system to provide electricity, heat and cooling to rural schools and clinics (creative responses)
From the category “Creative responses to environmental challenges“: Sun-powered system to provide electricity, heat and cooling to rural schools and clinics. This system, developed and introduced by MIT students showcases yet another amazing technology to utilize solar energy. The students also founded a nonprofit company to further develop the system and get spread it’s use around the world.
Cob houses built with local clay (creative responses)
From the category “Creative responses to environmental challenges“: Cob houses built with local clay Cob, which is made from clay, is a material that has been around for centuries, but was abandoned in favour of concrete and other material. Though not exactly a new “invention” these houses are easy to build and come at a astonishingly low costs. For a whole documentary dedicated to cob houses check out: First Earth: Uncompromising Ecological Architecture
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