Tag Archives: recycle

Litterers, Beware: Here’s What Happens When the Trash Cans Strike Back

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Littering is bad. We all know that. Throwing trash in streets is just asking for trouble. Not only does it make the world an uglier place, but it also clogs street drains which could result in floods and all sorts of other crap.

How hard can it be to find the nearest trash can and throw your garbage in it, right? The hilarious PSA by the South Dublin County Council gives people more incentive to throw their trash in the proper bins, since they risk having it thrown back at them by this dude dressed in a trash can suit.

Litter VideoThe video is called ‘Tackle Litter’ for reasons that will become clear to you once you watch it.

Now do you still want to litter? Nah, I didn’t think so.

[via Softpedia]


Finland sets new mobile phone record… by throwing one

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Finland sets new mobile phone record by throwing one

Admittedly, Finland's seen better days in the mobile industry, but that hasn't stopped the townspeople in Savonlinna from hosting the 13th annual Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships to brighten things up. In fact, the recycling awareness event went so well that 18-year-old Ere Karjalainen set a new championship record of 101.46 meters. The secret? Just an old Nokia device (obviously) plus a bit of preparation the day before -- "mainly by drinking."

While Finnish organizer Christine Lund claims this is a new world record, a little digging revealed that Britain's Chris Hughff threw -- as a guest participant -- a 102.68 meter distance at JIM Mobile's Belgium Championships earlier this year. Despite the utilization of a laser rangefinder plus video proof after the break, Lund dismissed the "unofficial" event's record, according to the AAP. Regardless, Karjalainen is no doubt the latest sweetheart amongst Finnish geeks.

Continue reading Finland sets new mobile phone record... by throwing one

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Finland sets new mobile phone record... by throwing one originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 19 Aug 2012 13:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceThe Telegraph, The Australian, ITN News  | Email this | Comments

Fujitsu making laptops from unwanted CDs and DVDs

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Back in our day, we used to listen to music on shiny plastic discs with lasers, not any of your new-fangled Zunes and what not. That was back when bands had sensible names, like the Dave Clark Five. These days, however, CDs and DVDs are remnants of a simpler time, a time before these kids were playing their Lady Gagas on their Rio Carbons. Fujitsu will be putting those outdated media formats to work again, with a recycling program that uses the material to build shiny new notebooks, starting with the Lifebook P772/E enterprise laptop, with more models to follow. According to the company, the new program is set to reduce the use of new plastic by 10 tons a year and slice C02 emissions by around 15 percent. More information on the program can be found after the break. Now please get off our lawn.

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Fujitsu making laptops from unwanted CDs and DVDs originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 12:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Researchers create super-efficient microbial fuel cell, dream of selling excess electricity

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EDIT Researchers create superefficient microbial fuel cell, dream of selling excess electricity

Recycling wastewater to generate energy has turned up noses before, but researchers at Oregon State University have developed a microbial fuel cell that can create 10 to 50, or even 100 times more electricity per volume than similar technologies. After refining the tech for several years using new materials, techniques and selecting better microbes, the team can now extract two kilowatts per cubic meter of refuse. As bacteria oxidizes organic matter, electrons -- rather than the hydrogen or methane that other methods rely upon -- are produced and run from an anode to a cathode within the device to create an electric current. Once implementation costs are cut down, the technology could power waste treatment plants and enable them to sell excess electricity. The contraption isn't just for processing what comes out of the porcelain throne -- it can also utilize materials ranging from grass straw to beer brewing byproducts. For now, however, the cell will tackle a pilot study before it inches closer to your local brewery or water treatment facility.

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Researchers create super-efficient microbial fuel cell, dream of selling excess electricity originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Aug 2012 04:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink PhysOrg  |  sourceOregon State University  | Email this | Comments

Campaign to Recycle Fashion Covers Buildings with Used Clothing

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Guys, correct me if I’m wrong here. But based on what I’ve seen, I think it’s safe to say that a girl’s closet size is usually two to three times bigger than that of a guy’s. So if a guy has a pile of clothes in his closet that he probably won’t wear anymore, multiply that by two or three times to get the girl’s version.

Some folks over in London, England decided to take these stacks of clothing out of their closets, and instead them it over the sides of buildings, not for fun, but to encourage people to recycle their clothes.

Shwopping

However, that said, I just don’t get how hanging clothes outside of a building pushes that point across. But it did generate a lot of attention, which is what they were gunning for in the first place?

Shwopping1

Anyway, the campaign was launched by department store Marks & Spencer and is called ‘Shwopping’. The goal is to get people to combine shopping and swapping. Basically, it’s a recycled clothes drive, with M&S placing over 1,200 boxes in stores across the UK for people to drop their unwanted articles of clothing in.

The donated stuff will then be handled by Oxfam, who will resell, re-use, or recycle the clothes.

[via Pop Up City]


Scientists develop flush-efficient toilet system that can turn waste into energy, sort before it recycles

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Scientists develop flush-efficient toilet system that can turn waste into energy, sort before it recycles

Scientists from Singapore's Nanyang Technological University aren't keen on being wasteful -- that's why they've developed a toilet that uses 90% less water than other commodes and is capable of generating energy. Aptly named the No-Mix Vacuum Toilet, the porcelain pedestal's pot divides waste between two partitions -- one side for liquids, the other for solids -- and uses vacuum tech reminiscent of airline lavatories. Flushing solid and fluid wastes with 1 and 0.2 liters of H2O, respectively, the can will be able to route refuse to external processing facilities. Fertilizer ingredients such as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous would then be harvested from liquids. Similarly, methane can be coaxed from solids for conversion to electricity or as a replacement for other natural gasses. Two of the university's restrooms are slated to have the toilets installed in the near future, and the team expects the thrones to roll out worldwide within three years.

[Thanks, Yuka]

Scientists develop flush-efficient toilet system that can turn waste into energy, sort before it recycles originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 21:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Inhabitat  |  sourceNanyang Technological University  | Email this | Comments

Insert Coin: Berlin Boombox recyclable cardboard stereo (video)

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In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line.
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It's been years since we've spotted a proper handle-sporting boombox on this side of the equator (in public, at least), but we're decidedly impressed with this unique Kickstarter creation, dubbed the Berlin Boombox. Constructed nearly entirely of cardboard, save for some metal- and plastic-based essentials, the speaker rig ships disassembled in a flat cardboard box. Getting the Boombox up and running shouldn't require much effort, however -- the designer states that you won't need any tools during the quick assembly process. After you're done, you can connect the setup to any source with a 3.5mm headphone jack, then control volume with the large aluminum power/volume knob. The Berlin Boombox also ships with four AA batteries, though it's not clear how many hours of music you'll be able to pipe through the speakers with that initial set of cells. We also can't speak to sound quality, though there is a free custom sound profile available for iOS devices -- audio "will be remastered in real-time to use the full potential of the Berlin Boombox."

You can pre-order your own with a $50 pledge, saving you 9 bucks off the estimated retail price. There's also a "limited edition" two-tone box, available with a $100 pledge, while $250 will net you a custom-designed model, which can also be paired with a dinner and tour of Berlin with the inventor if you're willing to fork over $500 or more. There's just shy of two weeks left during the funding period -- you'll need to provide that financial support before noon on April 25th. The project is on track to meet its $14,000 funding goal, however, so it's fairly safe to say that you'll be able to snag one of these cardboard contraptions even if you aren't ready to take the plunge just yet. Jump past the break to see the Berlin Boombox in action, and to catch up with our last Insert Coin project: The PowerPot.

Continue reading Insert Coin: Berlin Boombox recyclable cardboard stereo (video)

Insert Coin: Berlin Boombox recyclable cardboard stereo (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Engadget German  |  sourceKickstarter, Berlin Boombox  | Email this | Comments