Tapping into Kinetic Energy that we produce while just walking around or even doing our daily errands has become something that forms and gadget makers are looking closely at. There are many such concept designs that float around once in a while and then disappear into oblivion. But when a major telecom company is making a prototype of a shoe that can charge up your gadgets then there is a reason for you to get a touch excited. The shoes being developed by Japan’s NTT could soon be charging up your iPods and even your mobiles.

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The idea sounds really simple and once you look at the way this one is being executed, you just feel why someone dint think of this much earlier. Well, it took man over 1600 years to think about why the Apple falls, so we are not really that surprised either. The officials at Japan’s Chitose Airport in Hokkaido have announced that they would be using snow collected in the winter months to power the cooling needs of the airport in summer. That sounds both simple and something that can be used in more places across the world.

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If thinking out of the box is your cup of tea then Japan is the land for you. People there surely think out of the box even when they do not need to and ‘tea’ is pretty much all you will get their to drink. Japan is a land that has been known for its amazing new creations and amalgamation of electronic perfection with spectacular new gadgets. But here is an idea by the Japanese that is both needed and welcome. The spectacular Eco-Rigs to adorn Japan’s Coastline would soon make a mighty power source of free energy.

Huge Village-sized floating Eco-Rigs would soon float close to the Japanese shore to generate clean power for the country. These humongous structures would be fitted with both wind turbines and wide solar panels to produce energy in more ways than just one. While the 2 km by 800 meters solar base would be busy turning the power of the sun in to electricity, the wind turbine blades would be swirling around to power up Japan further.

So what about the ocean eco-system in all this? It gets better actually with some of that solar and wind energy to be used to power banks of underwater LED lights. They’re intended to be the source of light for nurseries of seaweeds to encourage the growth of fish and plankton population. That is indeed king-sized eco-revolution.

Via TimesOnline

So what exactly is ‘Solar Cogeneration Power’? That is probably something that we should clear out first and foremost before getting in to the meat of the matter. It is quite simple actually and it just means that solar power will help power the engine to a partial extent. Why are we so bothered about that one little term when we have such a huge story unfolding before us? Simply because it very cleverly hides the fact that this Solar Powered Cargo ship will probably be powered by solar energy to a very little extent. I would be surprised if it was even 10% of the total power required to power a cargo ship.

Japan’s biggest shipping line Nippon Yusen KK and Nippon Oil Corp said that solar panels capable of generating 40 kilowatts of electricity each would be placed on top of a 60,000-tonne car carrier to be used by Toyota Motor Corporation. The ship system is expected to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1 to 2%, or about 20 tonnes per year. While the news is indeed great, using wind and wave energy would probably be more viable along with solar power. Any amounts of energy saving is indeed good, but why stay content for so little when it can be a lot better?

The energy provided by the solar panels would probably amount to 5% of the total power that the ship needs and both salinity and vibrations of the ship will further hamper their efficiency. On the wide blue oceans, it just makes more sense to tap in to the unabated wind and the untamed waves!

Via Nextenergynews

Global warming is probably the single-most famous term that does round in the eco-world and even outside it. Thanks to the efforts of high profile men like Al Gore, you have the whole world sitting up and taking notice. One of the most important ways of solving this impending catastrophe is by reducing and if possible eliminating Carbon emissions. While it is easier said than done, it seems that many architects and firms across the planet are putting in some serious efforts in that direction.

Sony Bank has become Japan’s first carbon-neutral bank, thanks to its purchase of renewable-energy credits. Issued by the Japan Natural Energy Company, the Green Power Certificate equals 1.1 million kilowatt hours. That power is sufficient for the bank to run Carbon-Neutral for a year. The initiative saves the equivalent of 400 tons of greenhouse-gas emissions.

In addition, for clients who own funds that exceed a certain amount, Sony Bank will use part of their service charges to purchase emissions credits, which it will then donate to the Japanese government. While Sony Bank becomes the first Carbon Neutral Bank in Japan, there are many emission-free homes and communities taking shape across the planet which will hopefully lead us towards a future that is safe for us and for the coming generations.

Via Treehugger

Clean diesel car buyers in Japan will now be rewarded incentives by the next fiscal year. The government is looking to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions and is willing to go the extra mile for those who help them achieve their goal. And it’s certainly not the first time Japan will be doing so. If you remember way back in 1998, the Japanese government offered consumer incentives on hybrid cars for nine years to promote gasoline-electric vehicles when they were first launched.
The cars in discussion will be those which meet the tighter regulations on nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions. These cars will be introduced in Japan by October 2009. News is that Nissan Motor Co will probably be the first to launch a diesel car that meets the criteria mentioned above. Honda, Mitsubishi and Fuji too will follow suit. Another thing to note is that the only brand selling diesel passenger car, Mercedes-Benz, will not clear the next emission standards.
Diesel cars emit less carbon dioxide and are 20-30 per cent more fuel efficient than gasoline cars.
Via enn

Anti-whaling activists are facing a hard time in Japan. Apparently, the authorities are miffed with the brouhaha they have created and have released arrest warrants for three of them (two Americans and a Briton from the Sea Shepherd group), who are believed to be a part of the heated clash with Tokyo’s whaling fleet in the Southern Ocean last year.
Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura said, “Physical protests will not be tolerated by the authorities, no matter what you feel about whaling.” The three activists will soon be placed on the international wanted list once the arrest warranst are obtained. They are suspected of jamming a ship’s propeller with a rope to prevent whaling.
Environmentalists the world offer are troubled over the issue of whaling as it violates the 1886 global moratorium on commercial whaling. However, the Japanese say in defence that whaling is part of their tradition and they only perform it for scientific research.
Yep, the reasons are vague!
Via enn

Sometime back we heard that actor Hayden Panettiere was issued an arrest warrant in Japan and was no longer welcome in the country. Well we heard the whole story only now and thought of sharing it with you. Actually, Hayden along with other animal rights activists had gone to the whaling town of Taiji in Japan to protest against the slaughter of dolphins. So the whole series of events.
But good news is that things were sorted for Hayden by Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura. In Hayden’s words, “I think it was an attempt to scare the protestors. But it’s okay now. The Foreign Minister was very kind and welcomed me to his country.” And now the pretty actor cannot wait to return. “Japanese culture is one of the kindest, most polite, most welcoming cultures you can ever run across,” she exclaimed happily.
Wow, quite a story that is!
Via starpulse

Hollywood actor Jamie Lee Curtis aka ‘Wanda’ has set an example to the world with her Honda FCX Clarity fuel cell car. She and her husband Christopher Guest are the second couple after Ron Yerxa and Annette Ballester to do so in Southern California. Though I must mention that the hydrogen fuel is a topic of debate but everyone will agree that Honda’s most recent fuel sedan isn’t better than the first one. However, the latest fuel car is extremely stylish with its electricity-generating fuel cell stack. Curtis herself admitted so by saying that she “wasn’t expecting the car to be so luxurious”. “I love the interior layout, design and access to controls. It is a user-friendly vehicle and is very modern,” she exclaimed happily.

While the Clarity is the first publicly available hydrogen-powered vehicle to hit the market, don’t go rushing off to buy one at your local dealership. The vehicles are only being released in Southern Cal and Japan, and there won’t be many of them available.

Via autobloggreen

The land of rising sun- Japan brings a new fluorescent lamp. This one’s not the run-of-the-mill kinds for it is made in a manner where the bulb of the lamp can be separated into lighting circuit unit and an arc tube unit. This bulb-shaped lamp is an outcome of JV between Hitachi Lighting Ltd and Seiyo Company Ltd. It truly represents that joint ventures between two biggies of the industry can be so eco-friendly! The USP of the product is its power saving feature. The design being such that it requires approximately 1/5th of the amount of copper used in lighting circuit in previous bulb-shaped fluorescent lamp produced by Hitachi. Less copper and more lighting. Wow!

Other features include a shelf life of 10,000 hours. Since the arc tube unit is replaceable, the lighting circuit unit can be repeatedly used. This unit has an overall life of about 30,000 hrs. What’s more? The arc tube can be replaced three times for one lighting circuit unit.

According to the company, CO2 emissions during production can also be reduced by about 70%. One sincere step towards a greener and brighter tomorrow I must say! You can obtain this lamp by spending ¥1,500(country wise price variation is applicable) at the highest. For the replacement arc tube unit you might be required to spend ¥500 or lower. However, this product will be launched on Oct1st, 2008. So, while you are waiting to lay your hands on it follow other simple DIY tips and tread on the green path towards future.

Via Techon