Month: March 2008

Wave Powered Boat to Travel on Waves

- Adam Clare 3 Comments

Kenichi Horie, who has traveled on a solar powered boat, will now travel across the pacific on a wave-powered boat. Strange, but true!

The boat made of recycled aluminum relies on the energy of waves to move two fins at its bow and propel it forward. Horie said it is a sturdy vessel, designed to right itself if it capsizes. But it is equipped with an engine and an 11-metre sail mast for emergencies.

The journey – which would take a diesel-powered boat about 10 days to complete – is expected to take Horie about 2.5 months. He will take along rice, canned food, microwaveable meals and beer.

Solar panels atop the catamaran will power the microwave and Horie will also have a satellite phone and access to e-mail.

Eco-Friendly Weddings

- Adam Clare 1 Comment

Green weddings are gaining popularity, we’ve mentioned them before, and now the green wedding trend has evolved.

Octopus’s Garden in Oro-Medonte (an hour north of Toronto), is one of these unique locales. Specializing in intimate weddings and cocktail parties, its garden is a true eco-tourism setting. In keeping with a balanced lifestyle, Octopus’s Garden grows a wide selection of organic fruits, vegetables, edible flowers and herbs, allowing the bride and groom to create their dream feast – naturally.

According to Bruce Mathews, head chef and one of the main hosts, it’s the almost four acre natural setting, surrounded by crown land on three sides along with a hundred organic fruit trees, hardwood trees, evergreen trees, a wildflower garden, herb garden, and rivers that really make it the perfect place for those who wish to pursue the garden path.

Solar Leafs for Homes

- Adam Clare

Solar leafsThis is a neat idea that may or may not go with your aesthetic tastes, but should go with your green tastes. Inhabitat says that solar leafs can hang off your house while providing you power. Like leaves on trees, these leafs use the sun to make energy, and unlike trees, these solar shingles also get power from the wind.

Using a series of flexible solar cells as leaves, GROW takes the shape of ivy growing on a building- the leaves are solar cells while the wind that causes them to flutter is harvested as viable energy. Teresita hopes that the modular system would be readily available via the Moma store or Design Within Reach, rather than a commercially out-of-reach system like many traditional solar components. GROW also integrates an energy monitoring system for users to visualize their consumption. The leaves are made of 100% recyclable polyethylene, and are available in a variety of colors and opacities.

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