Waterpebble is a revolutionary device designed to take the effort out of saving water.
Water Pebble is a world’s first. Paul Priestman a director of design company Priestmangoode was inspired by a sign in a hotel bathroom to, “Please Use Water Sparingly” and he started developing the concept on his return home. The Waterpebble is unique in the way it works to help reduce water usage.
This clever device monitors water going down the drain when you shower. Memorizing your first shower and using it as a benchmark, Waterpebble then indicates, via a series of ‘traffic lights’ flashing gently from green through to red, when to finish showering. Each time you shower the Waterpebble automatically fractionally reduces your shower time helping you to save water without needing to think about it. Set it and forget it! The Waterpebble encourages you to use less water each time you shower.
Press the reset button. 3 lights will flash
Place in the shower near the plughole. Shower as normal. The lights will flash green, amber and red as Waterpebble memorises your shower. Then each time you shower, Waterpebble lights up to indicate:
Green – start , Amber – you’re halfway through, Red – time to stop
Every shower, your water usage is reduced a little. Waterpebble can be reset at any time. They claim the battery will last for around 4 to 6 months with average use. The battery cannot be replaced which we view as a downside however they do recycle the units if you send them back.
As the majority of the U.S. heads into the summer months, Dyson has the answer for sweltering temperatures with the latest Dyson Air Multiplier™ fans: the AM02 Tower and the AM03 Pedestal. Engineered for larger spaces, the floor standing machines produce a far greater airflow than the previous iteration – AM03 Pedestal generates nearly 50% more airflow at maximum than the AM01 Desk fan.
Dyson first introduced Air Multiplier™ technology in October 2009 offering the first real innovation in more than 125 years. Their patented technology replaces fast spinning blades and awkward grilles with loop amplifiers. The machines draw air in at the base through a mixed flow impellor – a combination of the technologies used in turbochargers and jet engines.
Unlike conventional fans with limited settings, Dyson Air Multiplier™ fans can be infinitely adjusted up or down. The new tower and pedestal fans offer precise airflow and oscillation control and can be adjusted remotely. Air Multiplier™ technology is easier to clean and a safer way to keep cool this summer.
Both new fans come with a remote control, which is magnetized to conveniently locate itself on the machine.
“The new machines are engineered to circulate smooth un-buffeted air in larger rooms. They draw in and multiply nearly 50% more air than our desk fan,” says James Dyson.
Dyson AM02 Tower fan specifications:
AM02 Tower is slender and running track shaped to take up limited floor space. Drawing in nearly nine gallons of air per second, the machine amplifies the air 16 times creating a smooth and cooling airflow.
Dyson AM03 Pedestal fan specifications:
Offering the most airflow of all Dyson Air Multiplier™ fans, the AM03 Pedestal takes in nearly nine gallons of air per second and amplifies the air 18 times. Unlike other pedestal fans, which use an awkward clamp to fix the height, AM03 Pedestal uses a constant rate Tensator spring to easily push or pull the loop amplifier to set the height and angle. The machine extends nearly nine inches for use in larger areas including living rooms and offices. It has no spinning blades, is easy to adjust and tilt.
How Air Multiplier™ technology works:
Dyson Air Multiplier™ fans draw air in through a mixed flow impeller – a combination of the technologies used in turbochargers and jet engines. Only 7% of the air generated by Dyson Air Multiplier™ fans actually passes through the impeller, 93% results from the inducement and entrainment of surrounding air.
Air is accelerated through an annular aperture set within the loop amplifier. This creates a jet of air which passes over an airfoil-shaped ramp and channels its direction. Surrounding air is drawn into the airflow in a process known as inducement and entrainment.
Conventional fans have limited settings. Dyson Air Multiplier™ fan airflow can be precisely adjusted up or down and oscillated by controls on the machine or remotely for the AM02 Tower and the AM03 Pedestal.
About Dyson:
Research, Design and Development is at the core of Dyson. One third of people at Dyson are engineers and scientists. Their expertise in fluid, mechanical, electrical, EMC, thermal, chemical, acoustic and software engineering allows them to design new products as well as challenge and improve existing technologies. Dyson has over 1300 patents and patent applications for over 300 different inventions (March 2010). Dyson’s RDD investment has quadrupled over the last 5 years with plans to double engineers in 2010.
Uncle Sam’s about to Pay You $10K to Kick the Oil Habit
As oil continues to flow into the Gulf, it is becoming increasingly clear that this environmental disaster will be a major sticking point for voters come the elections in November.
Hence why we’re now seeing new House and Senate bills that, if passed, will increase incentives for electric vehicles. Albeit, the timing is suspect, but if this helps bolster support for electric vehicles and makes us some money in the process then why not!
The House legislation offers $800 million to five designated regions with the intention of getting 700,000 electric cars on the road within six years. The Senate legislation would pony up to $10,000 tax credits for electric car buyers in 15 metropolitan areas.
The legislation also bumps up the tax credit for the installation of electric vehicle charging stations from 30% to 50% of the equipment purchasing cost; it also extends the credit out to 2017.
Certainly this is great news for those major automakers that will soon be debuting their new electric offerings, including Nissan which has already had about 20,000 drivers pony up their reservation fees to be among the first to own the company’s all-electric LEAF. We are also thrilled to report that these vehicles are being built by U.S. workers in Tennessee.
Tesla Motors and Toyota Motor Corporation Intend to Work Jointly on EV Development, TMC to Invest in Tesla
TESLA MOTORS, INC. (Tesla) and TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) recently announced that they intend to cooperate on the development of electric vehicles, parts, and production system and engineering support.
The two companies intend to form a specialist team to further those efforts. TMC has agreed to purchase $50 million of Tesla’s common stock issued in a private placement to close immediately subsequent to the closing of Tesla’s currently planned initial public offering.
“I’ve felt an infinite possibility about Tesla’s technology and its dedication to monozukuri (Toyota’s approach to manufacturing),” said TMC President Akio Toyoda.” he went on to say, ”Decades ago, Toyota was also born as a venture business. By partnering with Tesla, my hope is that all Toyota employees will recall that ‘venture business spirit,’ and take on the challenges of the future.”
“Toyota is a company founded on innovation, quality, and commitment to sustainable mobility. It is an honor and a powerful endorsement of our technology that Toyota would choose to invest in and partner with Tesla,” said Tesla CEO and cofounder Elon Musk. “We look forward to learning and benefiting from Toyota’s legendary engineering, manufacturing, and production expertise.”
TMC introduced the first-generation Prius hybrid vehicle in 1997, and produced approximately 2.5 million hybrids in the twelve years since. Late last year, TMC started lease of Prius Plug-in Hybrids, which can be charged using an external power source such as a household electric outlet. The company also plans to introduce EVs into the market by 2012.
Tesla’s goal is to produce increasingly affordable electric cars to mainstream buyers – relentlessly driving down the cost of EVs. Palo Alto, CA-based Tesla has delivered more than 1000 Roadsters to customers in North America, Europe and Asia. Tesla designs and manufactures EVs and EV powertrain components. It is currently the only automaker in the U.S. that builds and sells highway-capable EVs in serial production. The Tesla Roadster accelerates faster than most sports cars yet produces no emissions. Tesla service rangers currently make house calls to service its Roadsters.
Osram Sylvania, one of the largest lighting manufacturers in the world is scheduled to come out with an LED bulb in mid August that emits as much light as a 60 watt incandescent bulb. The 60 watt output bulb will consume only 12 watts and they claim to have another one out shortly that would have a 75 watt output equivalent. LED bulbs in general are expected to last 10-12 times longer than conventional ones.
However one of its competitors, Lighting Science, recently announced that Home Depot has started selling its LED bulbs. They also said they will come out with a 50 watt equivalent bulb that only uses 9 watts with a suggested retail price in the low $30 range.
General Electric, Panasonic, Lemnis Lighting and many others have announced or already released bulbs in the $40 range. These bulbs, however, only have and output equivalent of 40 watt bulb. While this is good, the general market acceptance is for 60 watt output bulbs. Another key factor is the color output. To be successful they will need to be in the 2700 Kelvin range or better (lower) so that they more closely resemble the yellow warm glow we like about incandescent bulbs as consumers are highly sensitive to color temperature (or tone) in bulbs. Surveys show that most still prefer the warm, yellowish light of incandescent bulbs to the bluish tone of older LEDs.
Although low prices will help drive massive adoption, performance and look will also make a huge difference in which companies do well. As you can see by the above picture Osram Sylvania deliberately tried to get its LED bulb to look as much as possible as a conventional bulb.
“Twitter” is the #1 job trend – the fastest growing term over the last year – beating “Cloud Computing” into second place and “iPhone” into third place. Click on the Jobs Search tab to search for “Green Twitter” openings.
There is a shortage of light emitting diodes (LED) in the USA due to increased consumer uptake as people rapidly begin to use them in place of power hungry incandescent bulbs. According to a recent Department of Energy report on LED technology it states that 7% of electricity used America is to light our homes and businesses. Although that number is down significantly in the last few years due to the adoption of efficient lighting, there is still a great deal of ground to be gained. Further adoption will be because of continued innovations in more subdued color LEDs which will begin to make their way to the market. The DOE expects this further adoption to result in even larger decrease in energy use.
A small change like using this technology has a BIG impact as the cumulative savings of the continued adoption of LEDs over the next 20 years could lead to saving 1.500 terawatt-hours which based energy prices today is around $120 billion. The savings would eliminate the need for 24 new large power plants, to say nothing of the decrease in carbon emissions. So don’t delay get the LED out today!
You can now lower your energy bills by installing a solar powered attic fan. It works regardless of the time of year, to save you up to 30% on your cooling costs.
During the hot summer months attic temperatures can exceed 160 degrees, and small, passive roof vents are often unable to dissipate this heat, which drives temperatures and cooling costs through the roof. In the winter the heat trapped in your attic can melt the snow that accumulates on your roof, which could then refreeze, leading to destructive and costly ice damming.
Also keep in mind, moisture from everyday activities such as showering and cooking produce water vapor that migrates into the attic, and could lead to mold and mildew. And if it saturates your insulation, it could cause fungal decay and destruction of your roof frame and decking. So it helps all year long by reducing your energy bills and potential for indoor pollution today.
The below video is worthy of watching. We can all make a BIG difference in a short amount of time if we make the effort to conserve energy, waste less and do things smarter. At the end of the video you can find out more about this fine organizations efforts and how you can make a difference. Or you can see their site at www.fouryearsgo.org
As the majority of the U.S. heads into the summer months, Dyson has the answer for sweltering temperatures with the latest Dyson Air Multiplier™ fans: the AM02 Tower and the AM03 Pedestal. Engineered for larger spaces, the floor standing machines produce a far greater airflow than the previous iteration – AM03 Pedestal generates nearly 50% more airflow at maximum than the AM01 Desk fan.
