Archive for Environment
September 12, 2008 at 3:45 pm · Filed under Environment
There have already been several posts about hurricane
Ike on Scienceblogs (1
2
3
4
5
6
7),
but so far I haven’t seen anyone put the whole picture together.
We still don’t know exactly where Ike will hit, but it looks
increasingly likely that Ike will hit close to Houston. In
fact, the most recent (3PM EDT 11 Sept. 2008) damage model posted at The Oil Drum
indicates that it is likely to be a direct hit on Houston.
See The Oil Drum for interesting maps and
diagrams, if you like that sort of thing.
This time, the problem is not the oil rigs or the Louisiana
Offshore Oil Port (LOOP). Yes, oil rigs are being
evacuated and shut down; yes, this will lower the amount of oil and gas
that we get from the Gulf of Mexico. From The Oil
Drum (linked above):
Also, the MMS
reported Wednesday that staff has been evacuated from 452 production
platforms (63.0%) and 81 rigs (66.9%) – (95.9% of the oil
production
and 73.1% of the […]
Original post by Joseph j7uy5 none@example.com
August 27, 2008 at 9:08 am · Filed under Environment, Art, Household
Meet Rabbit-kun, a plastic trash sack with pink eyes, an X-shaped mouth, and a pair of bunny ears that double as handles. Designed by Tokyo-based creative group MAQ, Inc., Rabbit-kun aims to inspire a more responsible attitude toward waste by providing a cute and stylish way for people to carry their trash home after a day outdoors. Whether it’s a picnic in the park, a hike in the mountains, or a day at the beach — or any place without public trash cans — Rabbit-kun is charming enough that you might actually enjoy carting your garbage all the way home.
The bunny-shaped sack is the latest in a line of eye-pleasing Garbage Bag Art Work trash bags by MAQ. Their previous creations include a series of color-coded bags imprinted with patterns of trees, fish and flowers, which are designed to add convenience and character to neighborhood garbage collection […]
Original post by Edo
August 12, 2008 at 1:38 pm · Filed under Environment, Art, Landscape
Near Tappi Saki, Aomori (Photo: Mr_M_Montgomery)
Hit the beach anywhere in Japan, and you are likely to see endless piles of tetrapods — enormous four-legged concrete structures intended to prevent coastal erosion. By some estimates, more than 50% of Japan’s 35,000-kilometer (22,000-mi) coastline has been altered with tetrapods and other forms of concrete. Critics, who blame the tetrapod invasion on decades of excessive government spending designed to bolster the construction industry, argue that in addition to posing a danger to swimmers, surfers and boaters, tetrapods actually accelerate beach erosion by disrupting the natural processes that shape the coastal environment. Meanwhile, others have developed an aesthetic appreciation of the tetrapod landscape, as evidenced by a host of stunning Japanese tetrapod photos on Flickr.
Location unknown (Photo: saksak)
Location unknown (Photo: f l u x)
Kawasaki (Photo: gullevek)
Kobe (Photo: varble)
Hamamatsu, Shizuoka (Photo: seotaro)
Yakushima (Photo: TommyOshima)
River bank, Shikoku (Photo: kodama)
Amarube (Photo: shikihan)
Tetrapod molds — Location unknown (Photo: […]
Original post by Edo
June 17, 2008 at 2:25 pm · Filed under Environment, Hokkaido, Robot, Transportation, Household, Energy
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has released a few details about the “Zero Emission House,” a state-of-the-art green home under construction at the site of the upcoming Hokkaido Toyako G8 Summit, where environmental issues will be high on the agenda.
Incorporating the latest in sustainable building technology, the 280-square-meter (3,000 sq ft) Japanese-style home is designed to have a small carbon footprint. A 14.5-kilowatt solar array and a small 1-kilowatt wind generator provide power to the home, which is equipped with next-generation energy-saving appliances, thermal insulation glass, vacuum insulated panels and a green roof. The interior is illuminated by a system of light ducts and OLED lamps.
Read the full post (207 words, 2 images)
Original post by Edo
May 14, 2008 at 12:53 pm · Filed under Environment, Wearable
Lingerie maker Triumph International Japan has unveiled a new eco-friendly concept bra called the “Solar Power Bra” (太陽光発電ブラ - Taiyoko Hatsuden Bra), which aims to stimulate eco-awareness and promote clean energy.
The green, high-quality cotton bra features a waist-mounted solar panel that powers a small, chest-mounted electronic billboard or any other electronic device you choose to connect. A pair of reusable drink containers attach to the bra pads, allowing the wearer to reduce consumption of aluminum cans and plastic bottles while increasing bust size. When not in use, the bottles can be collapsed and stored in small pockets in the pads.
Read the full post (149 words, 1 image)
Original post by Edo
February 21, 2008 at 3:16 pm · Filed under Environment, Smart Tech, Robot, Sentient Tech, Osaka University
As long as oil is transported by sea, accidental spills will remain a threat to the marine environment. When an oil spill occurs, the cleanup response must be quick in order to minimize the environmental and economic impact. To help speed up the response, researchers at Osaka University are developing an autonomous marine robot that can track down spilled oil and provide real-time location data.
SOTAB 1 (Spilled Oil Tracking Autonomous Buoy 1) is a 110-kilogram (243 lb.) GPS-equipped robot that measures 2.72 meters (9 ft.) from top to bottom and 27 centimeters (11 in.) in diameter. It has imaging sensors that can spot floating globs of oil from a distance, as well as viscosity sensors that detect the presence of oil, and it includes a wind monitor, depth meter and water thermometer. When multiple robots are dropped into the water at regular intervals around an oil spill, they can provide […]
Original post by Edo
November 7, 2007 at 8:15 am · Filed under Environment, Fashion, Simulacra, Wearable
On November 7, lingerie maker Triumph International Japan unveiled the “My Chopsticks Bra,” which features a pair of cups that resemble bowls of rice and miso soup, and a set of foldable chopsticks that tuck into either side. The My Chopsticks Bra is the latest addition to Triumph’s line of concept lingerie designed to boost awareness of environmental issues.
Triumph unveils the My Chopsticks Bra as Japanese consumers are becoming more aware of the negative impact that disposable chopsticks have on the environment. While it is becoming increasingly trendy for people to reduce waste by carrying around their own reusable chopsticks, Japanese consumers still go through an estimated 25 billion pairs (90,000 tons) of disposable chopsticks each year, which amounts to 200 pairs per person.
Triumph lingerie model Yuko Ishida, who ordinarily carries around a pair of her own chopsticks, says she hopes people think of the environment […]
Original post by Edo
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