At Polythene UK we love new sustainable technology and eco-friendly projects. The inventions and developments that are being made across the world are awe-inspiring and motivational. Here are some of our favourite environment saving inventions that remind us why it’s important to remain eco-friendly.
Moss Carpet Bathmat
Designed by La Chanh Nguyen the living bath mat features three different types of moss grown together- forest moss, island moss and ball moss. These grow in Plastazone which is a decay free, recycled latex foam. The moss thrives in your bathroom as it uses the moisture from the room to keep growing.
Eco Kettle
It’s been estimated that on average in the United Kingdom we boil twice the amount of water we really need every time we used our kettles. With a standard 3 watt kettle that is the equivalent of wasting energy on approximately 50 lightbulbs! Brian Hartley, a British designer, has created the new eco kettle that combats the problem. The concept is simple, you fill up the kettle then use the measuring button to release exact amount of water required. This could be anything between a cup or a jug of water. This is released into a separate chamber for boiling and is also insulated to keep the water hot. The energy saved from this kettle is up to 30 percent so it’s definitely worth giving it a try.
Frictionless Wind Turbines
Whilst most think that the problem with wind turbines is a lack of wind this is actually not the case. The real problem is the heaviness and friction in the turbines that stops them from allowing weaker, softer winds to spin them. Chinese scientists cracked this issue by using the technology from advanced monorails! These frictionless wind turbines replace the ball bearings with ‘magnetic levitation’ (MagLev) creating an energy source that can generate electricity from winds as low as 1.5m per second.
Bike Shares
Bike share programs have taken over the world and completely changed the way we use transportation across some of the worlds biggest cities. The process is similar in most countries- you have a daily or annual fee that is paid by debit card and then you can check out a bike from any ‘docking station’ or ‘kiosk’, ride it for around 30 minutes (although some cities may offer more or less) and then check it back in at another ‘kiosk’ or ‘docking station’. For example in England, Mayor of London Boris Johnson set up a bike share that is sponsored by Barclays Banks. The idea has been popular overseas since 2007 with Paris owning 16,000 bikes, China owning 65,000 bikes, New York owning 10,000 bikes and London owning 8,000 bikes all available for shares.
Billboard Water Catcher
In Lima, Peru the desert only gets around 2 inches of rain each year, forcing locals to dig trenches and wells for water. Despite this dryness on the ground, there is a lot of water in the air with the countries atmospheric humidity often hitting 90 per cent. Luckily, engineers from the countries Universidad de Ingenieria and Technologia have come up with a handy, marketable solution. The water-producing billboard uses filters to capture water from the humidity in the air then allows it to trickle down into large tanks at the bottom of the tower. This ingenious idea not only creates a natural water supply for the people of Peru but it also acts as advertising space for the highest bidder!
Smog Eating Sidewalk
In 2010 Eindhoven University of Technology came up with a plan to kill off polluted particles in the air. They sprayed 1,000 metres of pavement in Hengelo, Netherlands with titan oxide. Titanium oxide is a photocatalytic material that uses sunlight to convert nitrogen oxide- in other words the polluted air that was floating about around the pavement becomes harmless and is then washed away with the next rainfall. So why isn’t everyone using it? Unfortunately the material is 50% more expensive that normal concrete pavement but there are hopes that this price will decrease over time.
YoGen Charger
In 2010 Easy Energy revealed this handy product at the Consumer Electronics Show. The portable, lightweight gadget is capable of charging your phone, iPod, navigation device and camera at the same speed as your standard AC charger. The charger works when the user pulls a string attached and uses alternator technology to boost your devices. It is entirely battery free and nice and small therefore easy to keep in your bag!
Bedol Water-Powered Clock
This clock is incredibly clever, eco-friendly and as it is made of non PVC plastic it is also entirely recyclable. It doesn’t use any batteries or mains and instead uses the principles of fuel cells to create energy using the flow from water. All that’s needed is water in the clock and a few drops of lemon in the reservoir and the clock will run for a remarkable 8 weeks. It also features built in memory so you don’t have to worry about resetting it every time you add water.
AUG Living Goods
Aug created an app that really stole the show at the Greener Gadget Conference it was presented at in New York. The app is easily downloadable to your mobile phone and then you simply take it to the supermarket with you and scan whichever barcode you like. The app will then tell you information on the production of the food, how far the food has travelled, whether the food is in season, the historical pricing information, detailed customer ratings and reviews as well as your own purchasing history. Handy!
Empower Rocking Chair
Also featured at a Greener Gadgets Conference in New York is the Empower rocking chair. The principle is simple, created fro public spaces such as waiting rooms and airports they harness the kinetic energy of your movement with the chair creating a store that can be released via a USB connection. This way you can charge your phone simply by rocking back and forth!
Bio-Based Carbon Negative Polythene
At Polythene UK we specialise in Carbon Negative polythene, helping businesses across the UK to reduce their carbon emissions and lower their waste packaging tax. Created from Sugar Cane, our Polyair polythene actually removes more carbon from the environment than it contributes!
For more information on our sustainable polythene packaging, please get in touch today: 0845 643 1601*
