Don’t mistake by labeling Solar and Human Powered Concept Boat, an exclusive creation by French designer Jonathan Mahieddine as mere work of art. In fact it is an absolute radiance. The designer has previously urbanized distinct model of boats but this latest concept soon-to-turn-reality is going to be pretty comfy and lavish.

The extent of relaxation can be defined as the boat will burn down the stress of all your family and friends by offering a sun bath. What more do you need? The eco friendly boat is motorized by knob instead of engines. This reflects that a ride on it demands a bit of an exercise than mere sitting idle. It assures good health.

Mahieddine planned this concept as a part of his project in high school and within no time he has turned this concept into a reality by making an association with the Numero Design agency. Truly, this Mahieddine’s solar cum human powered concept boat would be asking its right payment for accurate ease, it guarantees.

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I am sure none of use has ever thought about liters of water getting wasted with every cloth we wash in a washing machine? Honestly speaking, it’s a conscious waste of valuable reserve, isn’t it? And in the course of our ignorance, there were alarmed designers working over it to come out with a practical solution to this problem.

And one such conceptual design is Washup designed by Sevin Coskun from Turkey. It incorporates washing machine with toilette-flush. The machine is preset over the toilet and is intended in such a manner that clothes are easily poured in without any kind of bend. An unusual crossing point counting three semi-sphere control units and two flushing buttons is considered for a realistic handling of the creation. The exhausted stream from washing machine is reprocessed to redden the toilet thereby saving water.

Truly, this green concept sounds interesting and can ready break heads amongst eco-lovers, as and when it hits the market. Now, I can say it’s not only two shots and one bow but right focus as well.

Via Core77

It is not the first time actress Sarah Michelle Gellar aka Buffy the vampire slayer will be dropping her clothes. Previously, it was for a s*** Vaseline ad but now it is to help eBay raise money for the Coalition of Skin Diseases charity. This too is a Vaseline campaign which not only will promote its products but will also work towards creating awareness of skin conditions.

In this photo op, Gellar will be presented in a never-before style. And it has taken her a lot of clever posing to do that. One close up will show only her well manicured hand resting on her arm when another will show her hair falling over her face as she wraps her arms around her bare legs. The skin brand then gives a glimpse of the star’s lips and chin with the slogan ‘Keep skin amazing’.

Apparently, Gellar has always vowed never to reveal all for any film role. So, for this ad campaign she was dressed in a tiny black dress which was later removed digitally to make the actress appear nude.

Via EcoRazzi

This is as ecofriendly as it gets. Technology has come up with toothbrushes that are made from 100% recycled plastic with Stonyfield Farm yogurt cups making up 25% of the blend. Plus, these toothbrushes are available for both men and women and come conveniently packaged in a convenient travel case that has little holes in it to prevent the brush from getting mildew-y. But the catch is here. When the bristles start to wear out, put the brush into Recycline’s postage-paid mailer to turn the old brush into plastic lumber.

The kiddie brush has fun animal facts printed on the package and it also has a big handle for a proper grip in little hands. On the other hand, the adult brush has a sweeping curved handle which may take a while to get used to but once you get the hang of it, it will help you reach even the inaccessible nooks and corners of your mouth where plaque might be hiding in. The size of the head is also not very big unlike the many newfangled high-tech brushes. Priced neatly at $2.50, the toothbrush is quite a cool green deal!

Via GreenDealsDaily

After adopting the Kyoto Protocol way back in 1997, developed countries have reduced their carbon emissions drastically. However, reports suggest that global CO2 emissions have risen by 35%. Often we hear of developing nations being blamed for failure to enforce environmental regulations. But a new study in ES&T shows that 5.3 gigatons of the planet’s carbon emissions come from international trade. And most of this trade serves the consumers in the developed countries, which have become net importers of carbon emissions. Many developed nations have tries to reduce the carbon emissions but their uncontrolled consumption is turning their environment saving efforts futile.

This trend had been talked of in a paper published last year in ES&T. In this report, Scott Matthews and Christopher Weber of Carnegie Mellon University showed that U.S has outsourced its emissions to its trading partners like China. “It is bit obvious China is producing more to meet consumption in the U.S.,” says Glen Peters of the Industrial Ecology Programme at the Norwegian University of Science and author of the new ES&T study. “Otherwise, China wouldn’t be growing at such a rapid pace.”

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The United Nations scientific climate panel is gearing for some action. Recently, it urged the U.S lawmakers to lead the world in cooling our overheated planet. “We don’t
The head of the United Nations scientific climate panel spoke with U.S. lawmakers Wednesday, encouraging them lead the world in cooling the overheated planet. “We don’t have a moment to lose,” said a worried Rajendra Pachauri, who is presiding on the chair of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC. He shared his concern over the massive greenhouse gas emissions which can lead to serious disruptions in the earth’s climate system. Pachauri feels that these harmful gases cannot be dealt with without the initiative of the US.

The United States is responsible for some 22 percent of current greenhouse gas emissions. Though it was recently found that China is the leading emitter, U.S. emissions are four times greater than China’s on a per capita basis. Even after receiving broad criticism from across the world, President George W. Bush has rejected mandatory limits on greenhouse gases. Even U.S. lawmakers are reluctant to commit their nation to deep cuts without similar obligations from China, India and other developing nations.

Via NewsWire

Long Beach Airport has been installed with five Dual Port SuperCharge systems by Electric Transportation Engineering Company (ETEC). These stations will be used to recharge a fleet of electric baggage tractors and belt loaders which serve JetBlue and US Airways. The SuperCharge installation can charge up to 40 electric ground support vehicles thereby providing infrastructure for the airport to transition its ground support equipment from gasoline-and diesel-powered equipment to pure electric power systems. This will reduce the dependence on gasoline, which will mean a significant cut in fueling costs and will reduce noise and air pollution. The project has been funded by the California Air Resources Board.

As per the February 2007 report published by ETEC and the US Department of Energy, with the use of electric ground support equipment we can reduce annual fueling costs by an impressive 70 to 80%. As a result, the total operating costs will be cut down by 30 to 40% when put in comparison with the internal combustion engine ground support equipment that operates on gasoline or diesel fuel. At present, similar systems are installed in 13 major airports in North America.

Via GreenCarsCongress

The much abhorred E. coli for its close association with food poisoning will earn some of its lost respect if Thomas Wood’s research turns out to be fruitful. A professor of chemical engineering at Texas A&M Wood successfully tweaked a strain of E.coli to get it to produce 140 times more hydrogen than it does naturally. With the help of his friends, he was able to remove 6 genes from the strain’s DNA to convert its cell machinery into a mini hydrogen-producing dynamo powered by glucose. E-coli is known to convert sugar into hydrogen through a special fermentative process.

Wood’s plan will also solve the problem of transportation, a major hassle in hydrogen production. In his own words, Wood puts it, “the idea is to make the hydrogen where you need it.” He is already confident about the potential of his project which will power the next generation of homes and vehicles. In the current stage of his experiment, he estimates that an individual would need to shovel the equivalent of a man’s weight of sugar into a 250-gallon fuel tank so that the E. coli-reactor could produce enough hydrogen to power the average home for an entire day. We sure wish him luck!

Via Treehugger/ Sciencedaily

Hawaii witnessed a very strange climatic condition when the U.S.-sponsored meetings were on in Honolulu. Believe it or not, but the hula dancers shivered wrapped in towels before performing under a hotel awning and not by the usual site, the poolside, when delegates of the conference to combat climate change witnessed a chilly downpour. If facts are to go by, the plush hotels on Waikiki Beach have stacked sandbags along the water. Also, beaches are narrower than they were few years ago.

According to Patricia Tummons, founder and editor of Environment Hawaii that chronicles ecological developments on the islands, “The climatic zone here has been changing drastically over the last 10 years particularly during the winter, which are growing colder by each passing year.” An alarming observation by the same chronicle suggests that the water run-up is also increasing, inching closer to the structures. Naturally, Tummons is worries like other environmentalists. “We have our heads buried in sand, which is vanishing by the day. Let me be brutally honest. If we make no efforts to save nature, in 50 years time Waikki will become the Venice of the Pacific.

Via Reuters