Tag Archives: green

Where to recycle your used and unwanted gadgets

Posted on by

We love tech of all shapes and sizes around here, but over the past decade it’s become increasingly obvious that our gadget fervor comes at a cost —especially when it comes to the environment. Metal and plastic don’t fully decompose over time, and almost everything we buy now has rare earth elements in it. But all is not lost as companies and consumers alike have become more cognizant of the problem, and offer possible solutions.

On your end, this means disposing of your old products responsibly, allowing companies and governments to reuse some components and dispose of others in a safe manner. That means taking the things you can’t give away or sell to a recycling center or, at the least, to a store that can pass it along for recycling. Check out our advice below on how to find a place that’ll take your old phones, computers and other broken or outdated gadgets.

National chains

Scrap metal, iron and computer dump for recycling or safe disposal. Ulsan, South Korea.

There is no national electronics recycling law at this time, so you won't find any federal programs to assist you with getting rid of old devices. The USPS does run a program for federal agencies and their employees, but it's not available to the general public. Instead, the rest of us have to rely on nationwide retailers to toss out our old stuff.

Best Buy

With more than 1,000 locations in the United States, Best Buy may also be local to you, in which case, you can go to a location to drop off items to be recycled. You just need to take it to the customer service counter. They'll issue you a receipt too, but keep in mind that you can't claim the drop-off as a deduction on your taxes because Best Buy isn't a charity.

As of 2023, Best Buy also has a mail-in option. You can purchase a small- ($23, up to 6 pounds) or medium-sized ($30, up to 15 pounds) box from the retailer, fill it up with as many approved gadgets as you can (while staying under the weight limit) and ship it back to Best Buy to be recycled. You can either drop off your boxes at a UPS drop-off point or schedule a UPS pickup (do not drop the boxes off at a Best Buy store).

You can even recycle televisions and monitors, though in most places you'll be charged a fee of $30 per item to cover the higher costs of transporting and disassembling them. Best Buy’s in-house TV brands of Insignia and Dynex will always be accepted for free, though, as long as they’re smaller than 49 inches. (Consumers in California are not charged the $30 fee, while locations in Pennsylvania charge the fee but in return offer a $30 gift card as reimbursement. Connecticut locations will only accept Insignia and Dynex sets for recycling.) If you're turning in any desktops, laptops or PC gaming accessories, you’ll get a voucher for 20 percent off toward the purchase of a new Logitech mouse, keyboard, webcam or headset. Just be aware that Best Buy limits you to three items per household per day, including up to two televisions.

Staples

Recycling your stuff at Staples is similar to Best Buy — just bring your products to the checkout counter and an associate will help you out. But you can only bring in seven items a day, and the store won’t accept televisions at all (monitors are allowed). Staples Easy Rewards members also receive points for bringing in goods to be recycled or shredded; the points can be redeemed at checkout for discounts on purchases (200 points = $1 off).

If you can’t make it to a store, Staples also offers a mail-in program. You’ll need to purchase a recycling box first, which start at $20 for a small box and go up to several hundred for a full pallet (only available for commercial locations). You can put as much as you want into a box as long as it fits inside and doesn’t exceed the weight limit (a large box can accept up to 70 pounds). A “serialized” option is also available for an additional charge, which includes an inventory list for everything you send back. The boxes are shipped to you and then back to Staples at no extra cost;, just drop off the sealed packages at your local UPS drop-off point or call for a pickup.

Office Depot

Office Depot has more than 1,300 locations, but unlike Staples and Best Buy, it won't recycle your old gadgets for free. If you're only getting rid of a few phones or batteries, those can be turned in at any store for no charge. For everything else, you must purchase a Tech Recycling Box ($8.39 for small, $18.29 for medium, and $28 for large) even if you’re already at the store. Once you have the box, you can fill it with as many items as you can fit inside, including smaller televisions, as long as it doesn’t exceed the weight limit. So it's a great deal if you have a lot of stuff you want to dispose of. These must be turned in at an Office Depot store; an associate will check to make sure all the items are acceptable and prepare the box for shipping (you’ll be asked to fill out a form).

You can also return used ink and toner cartridges and get $2 each, up to 10 a month, if you’re a rewards member and spend at least $10 in-store on products within the same month.

Home Depot and Lowes

You can dispose of old rechargeable batteries, old phones and CFL bulbs in the dropoff boxes at any of 2,300 Home Depot or 2,200 Lowe’s locations. The bins are usually located in the front of the store, and Home Depot has an 11-pound limit on individual items.

Target

Target locations have drop-off bins for recyclables located near the entrance; in addition to bins for paper and plastics, there is a specially-designated bin for e-waste like cellphones and used ink cartridges.

Manufacturers

Stack of old, broken and obsolete laptop computer

If you can't make it to a retail location, especially when you need to get rid of only one or two items, many companies offer recycling programs for their own products. They'll even pay for shipping. Some run their own programs while others use outside organizations. We've outlined policies from a handful of manufacturers below.

Amazon

Amazon would love for you to use its trade-in program and, if you’re looking to recycle Amazon-branded products like Kindles, Fire TVs and even Ring doorbells, you absolutely should. Amazon will send you a gift card as well as promotional discount to use on a future Amazon device purchase, even if the returned product is non-functional.

For products from other manufacturers that can’t be resold, Amazon offers mail-in recycling. You can send in your busted phones and tablets, as well as select peripherals like keyboards and mice. You'll just need to fill out some forms online and generate a shipping label, which you can slap on any box. Drop it off at a UPS location, and you're good to go; Amazon will cover all the costs.

Apple

Apple's
Apple

If your iPhone or MacBook is still in good shape, you should consider selling it, but if it's too old or beat up you can still score a gift card by turning it into Apple's recycling program. For iPhones (as well as select handsets from Samsung and Google) and iPads, you'll be asked to fill out a form attesting to the product's condition and given a trade-in quote (at the time of writing this, a working iPhone 8 goes for $50 and an iPhone 12 scores you $220). For Macs and Apple Watches, you'll be asked to provide a serial number as well. Though Apple won't give you cash for anything it deems too old, broken or otherwise unacceptable, you can still mail it in or bring it to any Apple Store so it can be responsibly disposed of.

Dell

Dell offers drop-off recycling via a partnership with Goodwill. Not every location participates, but there are more than 2,000 that do. And, because it's a charity, you may even be able to deduct it as a donation on your taxes. Dell also has a mail-back program on its site where you can generate and print out a shipping label and drop the package off at a FedEx location instead.

Epson

You can ship old products back to Epson by simply creating a shipping label on its site and dropping it off at a FedEx location. If you’re located in New York, you can even get free packaging sent to you by calling 866-922-8252. Epson also recommends getting in touch with a local charity via Digitunity, where your old equipment may be refurbished for use by people in need.

HP

If you can, HP recommends taking its products to the nearest Best Buy. HP does have a trade-in program, but it’s geared toward business customers looking to upgrade equipment that still has market value and individual consumers will be redirected to other recycling methods.

Ink and toner cartridges can be returned by mail; the company will mail you an envelope that can hold between 3 and 8 ink cartridges and can be dropped off in a mailbox or at the post office. For toner and large quantities of ink cartridges, you can print out a label and use your own box, or request a box be sent directly to you, which you’ll fill with items and drop off at a UPS location.

Other manufacturers

Many other companies use outside recyclers to dispose of their products, and you'll often see the same names popping up again and again across different manufacturers. This should simplify things in some cases — you should be able to send in products from multiple sources in one package. You just need to fill in the make and model to generate a prepaid shipping label. However, different states have different rules on what you can return, so the drop-downs for selecting your product may vary by area.

Two major recycling companies you'll notice a lot are RLG, which covers Acer, Canon, Google, Intel, Lenovo, and Microsoft, and MRM, which recycles products for Brother, Hisense, Hitachi, HTC, Logitech, Panasonic, TCL and Wacom.

States

computer parts for electronic recycling

There may not be a national law dictating that you must recycle your electronics, but at least 26 states have passed rules that vary widely on what they demand of manufacturers and consumers. Almost all states that do collect products for recycling provide this service free, with the bill footed by the companies in some way. Most provide some local programs to help you get rid of your stuff, regardless of whether recycling your gadgets is required or optional.

States where you can no longer dispose of electronics in the regular trash and must recycle them include: California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.

The following states have laws requiring manufacturers to pay for recycling, but you, the consumer, are not actually required to recycle your electronics: Hawaii, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.

The following states have some special circumstances worth noting:

Connecticut

Does not allow recycling centers to charge you a fee for turning in electronics, so many organizations and retailers that would usually charge for recycling televisions and monitors do not accept them. Because you cannot dispose of them curbside, you can take them to a municipal transfer station for free.

New York

New York State has a law making it illegal to charge a fee at recycling centers, so this is your best bet for disposing of old televisions (retailers can still charge for the service). If you live in a New York City apartment building with 10 or more units, contact your landlord about getting an ecycleNYC drop-off box installed in your building. It’s super convenient and free.

Pennsylvania

Does not allow retailers to charge you a fee to recycle, so places like Best Buy and Staples will not accept most televisions or monitors. Many recycling centers have also closed as a result of underfunding, so check the list of open locations first. Some nonprofit recyclers may still accept the items, and you should check to see if your local government is hosting any drop-off events. Lancaster and Dauphin Counties also still run civic recycling programs.

Virginia

This state does not have a dedicated statewide recycling program, but some localities run their own programs including Fairfax, Loudoun and Rockbridge counties, and cities like Arlington. Check each municipality’s site for details.

Cell phones

Electronics Recycling

Cell phones are the easiest gadget to recycle — if you haven't already decided to sell yours off on eBay or via sites like Decluttr and ecoATM. But, if you can't or won't make some cash off of it, you can send it to:

Call2Recycle, which has drop-off centers all over the country in many chain stores, including Lowes and Home Depot. It will also accept rechargeable batteries.

Cell Phones for Soldiers accepts phones in any condition and sells them to refurbishers or recyclers. The proceeds go toward purchasing phone cards for troops so they can call their friends and family back home. To be clear, the phones are not given directly to the soldiers.

The three major US carriers — Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile — all offer free recycling. You can trade in your old device in-store or send it in for a credit toward a new phone, or let them straight up recycle it. AT&T also participates in Cell Phones for Soldiers.

If you do decide to try your luck with ecoATM to see if your old phone is still worth a few bucks and it turns out it's worth nothing, you can at least rest easy knowing that the company will also recycle your phone responsibly.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/where-to-recycle-electronics.html?src=rss

This self-watering indoor planter is constructed from porous materials to prevent the spread of mold

Posted on by

Mate is a self-watering indoor planter constructed from porous materials with a water basin that allows plants to deliver water to their roots at their own pace.

Indoor planters have taken off in recent years, mostly due to how much more time we’re spending at home. While you can’t beat a home garden, indoor planters and gardens offer a unique alternative for those who’d prefer a bit of green to spruce up their living room or access to fresh herbs and vegetables for cooking in the kitchen.

Designer: Umberto Calle

Self-watering indoor planters use a method of irrigation called sub-irrigation that delivers water directly to the plant’s roots, allowing plants to drink water at their own pace. Italian product and industrial designer Umberto Calle found functionality through simplicity with his self-watering indoor planter called Mate.

Comprised of only four pieces, Mate hosts a transparent bottom that functions as the device’s water basin for the upper layers to absorb from when needed. Users need only fill the water basin when levels are too shallow and then the plant’s roots drink from this reservoir whenever necessary. Fastening into this bottom layer, Calle designed an outer pot to cover the main planter, which works to supply the soil with plenty of air.

The main planter locks into the outer pot and carries the soil for the crops. Alternatively, the outer pot can lock into place above the main planter to make room for larger plants, augmenting the device’s size from 1.5 to 15 L. At the base of it all, Mate has a removable button that detaches the non-stick cake pan to initiate the reporting process.

https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/e42757129750267.61900c34d5086.gif

Many self-watering planters currently on the market are known to cause root rot because of the material used to construct them. Mate is made from porous materials like clay and concrete to allow for breathable plant cultivation. To prevent the widespread mold problem that most indoor planters face, Calle chose porous building material specifically to divide the water and air flows.

Comprised of only four pieces, Mate is built to do the hard of plant cultivation so all you have to do is show some love. 

Mate comes in two sizes, 1.5L and 15L.

The main water basin collects water for plants to drink from and nourish their roots when needed. 

The post This self-watering indoor planter is constructed from porous materials to prevent the spread of mold first appeared on Yanko Design.

The Best of MWC 2022 – Product Design in a Mobile World

Posted on by

The Mobile World Congress this year is unsurprisingly filled with phones and Metaverse references, but producers and consumers are thankfully becoming more aware of the deeper impact these products have in our lives and on the planet.

Next to CES, MWC is an auspicious time for companies to show off their wares, especially those related to smartphones, tablets, and even the new “Metaverse.” Despite the onslaught of COVID-19 since 2020, the smartphone market shows no signs of declining, at least to a significant degree. After two years, MWC 2022 sees a return to face-to-face exhibits and interactions that almost feels surreal given previous events. It’s not as jam-packed and as frantic as before, but that’s not the only thing that’s different this year. There’s also an increased consciousness of the role that thoughtful product design plays in improving people’s lives, both directly and indirectly through sustainable products.

Like every year, a few of these designs and products manage to grab our attention more strongly than others. Some through their design, others through their commitment to the environment, while others are just plain fun or useful. Without further ado, here is Yanko Design’s Top 8 picks for MWC 2022, ranked!

1. OPPO Find X5 Pro

They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and some smartphones are regarded to be beautiful, mostly from the standpoint of people who love gadgets and tech products. They are well-designed, of course, but few would probably be standout to a designer as a thing of beauty. The OPPO Find X5 Pro breaks out of the mold in more ways than one.

The phone’s design takes minimalism to heart without going overboard and ditching features. The cameras are still there, but they aren’t as in your face as most camera bumps are these days. The structure rises so smoothly and so softly from the surface of the phone, like a dune in a desert after a sandstorm. You have a single continuous form that looks and feels unbroken, even with the camera holes and branding.

OPPO’s choice of ceramic material also brings joy to the hands. The white colorway exudes an atmosphere of peace, while the black finish pulls you into its dark depths and into a meditative state. Both are sleek and clean, even if the black does become a fingerprint magnet. Wiping off those smudges can itself even become a mindfulness practice.

What makes the OPPO Find X5 Pro’s understated beauty even more compelling is its relevance. We live very busy lives in an ever-changing world that’s still recovering from two chaotic years. Smartphones have become our faithful companions and weapons in navigating this world, but they have also become sources of stress and, in some cases, addiction. OPPO’s “futuristic” design actually goes back in time and back to the basics, offering an oasis of calmness and comfort for the eyes, the hands, and the mind.

Designer: OPPO

2. Realme GT2

Realme gets the silver medal for the GT2 and GT2 Pro phones not in the uniqueness of their designs but for the boldness of their statement. True, the Paper White and Paper Green models of these phones do have unique patterns and textures that try to recreate the look and feel of paper, but that pales in comparison to the message that the design is trying to send.

Taking inspiration from paper and other sustainable materials, Realme adopted a bio-based polymer to create the shell of these two colorways. Although the phone is far from being recyclable, the novel material significantly reduces the carbon emission overhead of producing these phones. The Realme GT2 is only the second of two phones boasting a TCO 9.0 certification for its positive impact on the environment.

This bio-based polymer might be a one-off thing, but Realme is at least making a lot of noise about its other efforts to create a greener tomorrow. Like many smartphone makers these days, it is reducing the amount of plastic in its packaging and increasing its use of sustainable materials. With the Realme GT2 series, it’s also committing to planting a tree for every phone sold. As one of the fastest-growing smartphone brands in the market, it has a big responsibility in creating awareness and doing its part to help protect the environment. It deserves major props for getting the ball rolling in this arena.

Designer: Naoto Fukasawa for Realme

3. TCL Ultra Flex

Foldable phones are going to be around for a while, even if they won’t become the future. The new experiences it enables are both exciting and challenging, especially for designers. We’re still a few hundred steps away from the perfect foldable screen, which makes it the perfect time for designers and manufacturers to play around with new ideas and test out prototypes.

Samsung and LG aren’t the only ones having fun with deformable screens, of course. TCL is right up there with some even crazier ideas that actually become working prototypes. It hasn’t sold any of that technology yet, though, or at least the flexible screens it has been developing. That gives it at least more time and leeway to bring more ideas to light, including this one it showed off at MWC 2022.

Foldable phones seem to have adopted Samsung’s “innie” design, where the flexible screen folds inward like a book, protected by the phone’s external frame. It’s not the only way to fold, of course, but it is currently the winner, despite requiring an extra screen on the outside to make the phone usable even when folded. Some think that allowing a screen to fold in and out would be the ideal option, leaving the owner to decide which method is best, and that’s exactly what the TCL Ultra Flex tries to do.

As a prototype, it’s not exactly the prettiest nor the most usable, but it does try to prove that it can be done. Of course, there remain many questions about its durability, not to mention its economy, but there’s plenty of time for the company to figure that out. Once it does, TCL will have the opportunity to shape the foldable device market and, consequently, shape the new experiences that these devices will offer.

Designer: TCL

4. Huawei MatePad Paper

Tablets are making a comeback, especially from the Android side. These increasingly larger slates are getting more powerful to the point that they are being positioned as laptop replacements. Tablets, however, do have new competition in the form of more powerful and more talented e-book readers, often called eReaders. Huawei, however, is putting a different spin on that idea and is targeting a very specific and probably niche market.

The Huawei MatePad Paper does come with the trappings of a typical e-book reader, one that uses the popular E-Ink display to give your eyes and the device’s battery a well-deserved reprieve. What makes this new contender different is that reading is actually just its secondary purpose. Its primary goal is to replace your paper notebook instead.

That is definitely a tall order, especially with so many expectations coming from die-hard pen and paper users. You can really only do so much to try and replicate the feel of pen or pencil writing on a material like paper using a plastic stylus nib and glass. Huawei has made a good approximation, but the MatePad Paper’s features try to make up for whatever flaw there is in that experience.

The Huawei MatePad Paper is designed primarily to be a notebook, and the software it has reflects that purpose. In addition to typical note-taking, it even has features for creating your own digital journal and copying content directly from a Huawei laptop. It can also record audio while you’re jotting down notes and play it back later when you need more than just a visual reminder. Its lightweight and portable design makes it an almost perfect companion to keep your design ideas and references, and its simpler functions, at least compared to a tablet, leave very little room for distractions as well.

Designer: Huawei

5. HTC Viverse

The Metaverse is everywhere, at least when it comes to marketing and buzzwords. Just like the early days of the cloud, the term is still a bit hard to qualify and quantify in its current form. This, of course, leaves the doors wide open for any interpretation, implementation, and vision. Despite its name, Meta, formerly known as Facebook, doesn’t have a monopoly on the Metaverse (at least not yet), and its rival in the VR space is putting down some stakes on the ground to claim a bit of that space.

HTC’s Viverse is still a work in progress, but its ambition is no less grand than others. Its Vive VR platform already laid the groundwork for some Metaverse-compatible experiences, like holding events and meetings in virtual worlds. It is also envisioning more interactive experiences, like buying or paying for goods using cryptocurrencies and, of course, buying NFT art.

What makes the Viverse more encompassing is that HTC isn’t stopping with its Vive VR platform. Ideally, the Metaverse experience will extend to almost any device with a screen, like a smartphone, a tablet, or even a computer with a web browser. Without this seamless cross-platform experience, the Metaverse will be limited to a few people that have no problems wearing headsets or eyewear all the time, which doesn’t really sound Metaverse-like.

Designer: HTC Vive

6. Lenovo ThinkPad X13s

Let’s face it, most laptop designs don’t exactly excite, especially when they look like any other laptop in the market. Although there are a few that do stand out, they are far and few in between. When Lenovo announced a host of new laptops at MWC 2022 this week, we almost gave it a pass, but one new entry piqued our curiosity in more ways than one.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X13s has the distinction of being the first ThinkPad to be powered by an ARM Snapdragon processor, a glowing recommendation considering the strength of Lenovo’s brand. With the attention that Apple’s M1 chip has been getting since it launched, there has been a great deal of interest in seeing more Windows laptops running on this platform.

What this means for designers is that the ThinkPad X13s will last longer than most other laptops on a single charge. This translates to longer working times away from a power outlet and more freedom to work the way they want. There are still some problems with app compatibility with Windows on ARM, but staples like Adobe’s suite and ZBrush are completely supported already.

The ThinkPad X13s also has a rather intriguing design that could be best described as a “reverse notch.” Instead of going the way of the latest MacBook Pro, Lenovo opted instead to have a bit of a lip at the top of the screen to accommodate the camera and security hardware. That said, the bezels around the screen are still on the thick side, so there doesn’t seem to be anything gained from that unusual design.

Designer: Lenovo

7. Prinker

We’ve already seen the Samsung-backed Prinker make its debut back in CES 2022 last January, and it has returned to once again show how well-thought design can also be fun and whimsical. Basically a handheld inkjet printer in the shape of a gigantic ink cartridge, Prinker offers almost endless fun in putting temporary tattoos on almost any part of your body.

What makes this product special is that it combines existing ideas and technologies in a way that creates a totally new experience, the marks of a great product design. Plus, it’s also fun and safe, a win-win situation for young people craving to add a bit of personalization and identity, even at the wildest of parties.

Designer: Prinker (Samsung)

8. Fauna

Sometimes, the best solutions are also the simplest and the most inconspicuous. That’s the kind of solution that Fauna’s audio sunglasses try to offer, solving multiple problems with a single and stylish product. Part eyewear and part open ear headphones, Fauna lets you enjoy your music while keeping safe and looking great, all at the same time.

This kind of integrated solution will be critical in the next few years, especially as technology becomes even more deeply embedded in our lives. Ordinary objects like eyeglasses, rings, and even clothing will soon be connected to a network thanks to technologies like 5G (or 6G even), flexible screens, and wearable circuitry. These, in turn, will pave the way for the so-called Metaverse to become as normal and as ordinary as the real universe.

Designer: Fauna

Wrap-up

Mobile technology and consumer devices have grown by leaps and bounds ever since the iPhone first came out more than a decade ago. Smartphones, tablets, and the accessories built around them have become almost unavoidable parts of modern life. There are no signs of things slowing down, which doesn’t bode well for humanity and the planet in the grand scheme of things. Fortunately, there are signs of things shifting for the better as well.

Just like at CES 2022, we saw positive indicators that both manufacturers and consumers are becoming more aware of how these devices have indirect effects on lives and the environment. From focusing on mental health in addition to physical fitness to embracing and promoting sustainable practices, the design of products, both physical and digital, are seemingly taking a turn for the better. While foldable phones, the Metaverse, and dozens of identical devices will continue to flood the market, there is at least some hope that the people pushing these products and technologies have grown more conscientious of the role they play in building a better future.

The post The Best of MWC 2022 – Product Design in a Mobile World first appeared on Yanko Design.

Petrofac and Seawind Ocean Technology join forces to deploy two-bladed floating wind turbines

Posted on by

Energy efficiency and power are usually results of joint efforts of different resources. Turbines are just some of the more efficient producers of energy and we believe this technology will continue to be used. It will also improve and speed up for the better as more innovations and inventions are introduced by many companies.

Petrofac and Seawind Ocean Technology have started on a new partnership that will implement the use of two-bladed floating wind turbines. Petrofac will be using Seawind Ocean Technology’s turbines in many of its projects. The London-based company is known for its focus on building and operating facilities while Seawind is known for its turbines.

Designers: Petrofac and Seawind Ocean Technology

Seawind turbines can introduce improvements to most sea conditions including deepwater and cyclone-prone areas. The two-bladed floating turbines come with a concrete floating structure that can be used on most sea conditions. With a major partnership, Petrofac will help in the installation, assembly, and maintenance of the said turbines.

Seawind’s twin-blade technology can last up to 50 years. It can improve rotor stability and make generation more efficient. Officially called as the 6-126 turbine, this turbine comes with a teetering hinge that separates the shaft and rotor. Another advantage of Seawind’s tech is that the turbine is protected from harmful and heavy loads. The turbine also offers higher speeds as made possible by an active yaw control.

Seawind will benefit from the services Petrofac will be providing. Petrofac will offer design verification, engineering, procurement, and construction. This will be Seawind’s first-ever floating offshore wind turbine demonstrator in the European waters. We can expect the system to be operational by Q1 2024.

Petrofac will continue to deliver to clients results that are made possible by technology that works and innovation. Effective offshore application is possible with both Petrofac and Seawind’s efforts. The combined technologies and services will make harnessing energy with improved speed and efficiency. Another advantage of the system is that it can be assembled in a harbor with cranes. Sea installation won’t require any installation vessel.

Let’s take a look at the Seawind 6-126’s technical specs. Its rated capacity is 6.2MW while rotor speed is 20.8 rpm (rated power). The rotor’s diameter is 126 meters. The turbine can go beyond 50 meters and tip speed is 137 meters per second while the operating wind speed can go 3.5-25 m/s (12.5-90 km/h). It can withstand cyclones up to 70 m/s (250 km/h) with 90 m/s (325 km/h) gusts. All these are just numbers but we believe the technology will work and offer many benefits once operational.

The team-up of the two big companies is expected to succeed in this renewable energy project. Both have good track records in design and implementation. Petrofac, specifically, has obtained several contracts and partnerships with other groups in the UK and the global market that will support different projects concerning water, hydrogen, carbon capture, and storage. Seawind Ocean Technology, on the other hand, will continue to deliver strengthened execution capability.

The post Petrofac and Seawind Ocean Technology join forces to deploy two-bladed floating wind turbines first appeared on Yanko Design.

Serbian scientists install an urban photo-bioreactor to capture CO2 and produce O2 just like trees

Posted on by

LIQUID3 is an outdoor, urban photo-bioreactor that uses microalgae to perform photosynthesis and remove the same amount of CO2 as two ten-year-old trees.

Sustainable design that confronts the effects of climate change comes in many forms. From bio-receptive concrete that grows moss on its own to vertical urban forests that redefine what organic architecture could look like, sustainable design is all around us and provides varying degrees of mitigation against the threat of climate change.

Designer: University of Belgrade

Designers find a unique challenge in creating sustainable infrastructure in urban areas, where green spaces are few and far between. Taking an atypical approach to climate change design, researchers at the University of Belgrade developed LIQUID3, an urban photo-bioreactor that’s used for CO2 fixation and O2 production.

Located in the capital city of Serbia, a photo-bioreactor is essentially a vessel that uses a light source, such as natural sunlight, to cultivate phototrophic microorganisms that produce biomass. Created and designed by the University of Belgrade’s Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, LIQUID3 is a photo-bioreactor teeming with microalgae to sequester carbon and perform photosynthesis to produce oxygen.

Each LIQUID3 vessel carries a total of 600 liters of water, allowing the photo-bioreactor to remove analogous amounts of carbon dioxide as two 10-year-old trees or 200 square meters of green space. Operable even during the cold months of Belgrade’s winters, LIQUID3 only requires a light source for the naturally photosynthesizing microalgae to execute the same carbon-capturing role as trees in urban spaces that typically lack green spaces.

Awarded with Green Product Award’s Green Concept Award for 2022, LIQUID3 has been recognized for its innovative approach to green, bio-reactive design. Besides its appeal to sustainable design, LIQUID3 also suggests an efficient use of public land, while creating space for interactive ads and a high-value fertilizer. Its location in such a dense area of Belgrade also encourages city residents to become more aware of climate change’s threat to urban areas.

Configured like small urban meeting spaces, the LIQUID3 stations could be outfitted with outlets for city residents to charge their devices.

Come dark, LIQUID3 transforms into a neon-green light to guide residents through the streets.

An integrated bench space turns LIQUID3 into a social hub for city residents to gather and feel encouraged to keep fighting climate change.

The post Serbian scientists install an urban photo-bioreactor to capture CO2 and produce O2 just like trees first appeared on Yanko Design.

This sustainable packaging is built to separate plastic lining from paper products like peeling a banana

Posted on by

Bruk is a sustainable alternative to plastic-lined paper packaging built to separate the plastic lining from its paper covering like peeling a banana.

While paper cartons look environmentally friendly, recycling them can get complicated. Typically, these paper cartons are made by sandwiching two layers of plastic inside a paper covering. It is true that paper cartons use less plastic than packaging made entirely from PET plastics, but the layered construction of paper cartons complicates the recycling process.

Designer: Pushan Panda

Before the recycling process begins, the plastic and paper must be separated, which requires a special process that’s expensive and not readily available worldwide. In an effort to streamline the separation period, California-based designer Pushan Panda created Bruk, a sustainable packaging concept that makes separating the plastic from the paper as easy as peeling a banana.

As a result of the complicated recycling process behind plastic-lined paper packaging, only 49% of beverage cartons are recycled in the UK, while only 16% are recycled in the USA. Pushan Panda designed Bruk to look unassuming and familiar so that consumers will recognize the shape and overall look of the beverage container. What sets Bruk apart from other beverage containers is what’s going on inside.

When users are finished with their beverage cartons, they can simply tear Bruk in half from its top, just like peeling a banana. Once the paper covering has been torn in half, the HDPE liner is revealed and can be recycled on its own. Pushan Panda notes, “We designed Bruk to be intuitive and inclusive, easy for everyone regardless of physical ability. Bruk is as convenient and easy to use as a conventional carton, but uses less plastic than a plastic carton and is 100% recyclable with conventional equipment, unlike paper cartons.

The post This sustainable packaging is built to separate plastic lining from paper products like peeling a banana first appeared on Yanko Design.

This compact home finds harmony with New Zealand’s landscape through off-grid features and a small footprint

Posted on by

The Thornton-Hasegawa House is a three-level residence in Wellington, New Zealand that has been future-proofed for off-grid use to find harmony with the surrounding landscape.

Bonnifait+Giesen Architects build homes that are designed to reconnect its residents with a “physical reality, a territory, its history, and a cultural context,” as the firm’s co-founders Cecile Bonnifait and William Giesen put it. As a result, their diverse portfolio of residential homes and commercial buildings exhibits a unique bond with the land that was there long before the buildings were given a foundation and walls. In Wellington, New Zealand, Bonnifait+Giesen Architects were asked to design a small home on a steep slope in Brooklyn, an old Wellington subdivision.

Designer: Bonnifait+Giesen Architects

Calling it the Thornton-Hasegawa House, Bonnifait+Giesen Architects were met with a few challenges when designing the home in accordance with the wild terrain of Brooklyn’s steep hills. To meet the clients’, Tomoko and Aaron’s, request for a small, compact home connected to its surrounding landscape, Bonnifait+Giesen Architects found adaptability in a small footprint and vertical layout. Split between three levels, the Thornton-Hasegawa House covers 50-square-meters and appears as a small tower perched above Brooklyn’s thicket.

Entering the home, residents are greeted with bright walls that are entirely clad in oriented strand board (OSB), which has been coated with a whitewash finish, immediately giving the home a spacious, airy feel. Bonnifait+Giesen Architects followed this spacious effect throughout the home by splitting the living areas between two levels. On the lower level, residents can enjoy the more social areas, like the living room, dining area, and kitchen. Then, taking the ​​yellow, Kowhai staircase to the home’s upper level, residents can find privacy and respite in the main bedroom and private bathroom.

The outside of the home finds a classic, nautical personality with single cedar-clad facades that converge with cool, inky blue metal elements that brace the home from natural elements. Maximizing the Thornton-Hasegawa House’s connection to the surrounding landscape, Bonnifait+Giesen Architects future-proofed the home for off-grid use. As no services were onsite during the home’s initial design processes, Bonnifait and Giesen oriented the home’s north-facing roof to maximize its potential solar gain, allowing the double-height interior to collect pools of natural sunlight. Then, designated locations outside of the home were left for water tanks and batteries.

Floor-to-ceiling windows unfold to connect interior living spaces with an expansive outdoor deck. 

Glazed bi-fold doors grant access to the deck that runs the full length of the living spaces. 

The cool, inky metal siding conceals the home in a sky blue to give it an elusive appeal.

OSB paneling brightens the home’s interior to maximize the sunlight collected through the large internal windows.

The post This compact home finds harmony with New Zealand’s landscape through off-grid features and a small footprint first appeared on Yanko Design.

This sustainable apartment uses 90% wood in its construction

Posted on by

SAWA, designed by Mei Architects and Planners, won the Experimental Future Projects category in the World Architecture Festival 2021. The apartment building drips with green roofs and balcony plantings. It is also Rotterdam’s first 50-meter-high residential building. The design beat out seven other nominated projects for the top prize in the category.

The residential building focuses on circular timber construction, biodiversity, and healthy communities with ample planting space. The designers wanted to reduce CO2 emissions and help achieve national and international climate goals.

The building is called the healthiest building in the Netherlands. It is designed to prove that humans can live and build in a sustainable way. The plan for the building intentionally reduced the approved volume of the zoning plan model with a stepped exterior.

SAWA will house about 100 apartments, with a large communal deck on the first floor plus numerous terraces. The column structure within the building allows apartments to be rearranged in the future, which helps future-proof the building for multiple uses.

The apartment building is unique in preserving as much wood surfaces in the apartments as possible. Only hidden walls will be finished with plaster. In fact, SAWA is built 90% out of wood, which sets an example for future apartment building projects looking to use non-traditional materials and construction methods.

In addition, the cross-laminated timber used for SAWA stores CO2 and reduces emissions while creating a warm and comforting living space. In fact, the construction time is also shorter compared to concrete construction. SAWA was built with Open Building Principles in mind. The principles focus on pillar supports, floor beams, and columns to create flexible and open interior spaces.

This is the sixth award for the SAWA building. The building already won first prize at the Green Good Design Awards and was also awarded the ARC20 Innovation Award. SAWA was recognized as highly recommended at the MIPIM/AR Future Project Awards. The design was awarded a Special Mention at the Architizer A+ Awards and was selected for the Iconic Awards for Innovative Architecture.

Designer: Mei Architects

The post This sustainable apartment uses 90% wood in its construction first appeared on Yanko Design.

Razer Sneki Snek x Cariuma Sneakers can be your first step to going green

Posted on by

Razer Sneki Snek x Cariuma Shoes

It’s true when they say “Sustainability never goes out of style”. That’s what Razer’s newest collaboration with Cariuma proves to the consumers—be they video gamers or sneakerheads.

The tech company more popular for gaming accessories such as premium gaming mice and other gaming peripherals has teamed up with Brazilian sneaker brand Cariuma. The result is the Sneki Snek Sneakers that show the world what sustainability is all about. Sneki Snek is the official mascot of Razer’s #GoGreenWithRazer campaign.

Designer: Razer x Cariuma

Razer Gaming Cariuma Shoes

Razer’s Sneki Snek has become a household name among gamers. There are actual products introduced already including a plushie toy, head pillow, giant cushion, fleece blanket, and an eye mask for the sleepyheads. Home buddies love the floor rug, ref magnets, and slippers while the Razer Sneki Snek Bobblehead will make you bob your head endlessly.

Razer Sustainable Sneakers

For those who want to tell the world their love for Sneki Snek and Razer, proudly don the hoodie and keycap. You can now finish off your look nicely with the Razer Sneki Snek X Cariuma Sneakers. Cariuma is an environment-friendly brand that makes sustainable yet comfortable sneakers using different materials. Their sneakers are mainly made from organic, suede, leather, and canvas.

The Razer Cariuma Sneakers’ upper and lining are made of organic cotton canvas. The sole uses a slip-resistant natural rubber. You can choose from either the black or white insole. For added comfort, the insole features memory foam and mamona oil bio-based cork insert which is a signature Cariuma feature.

Razer Sneki Snek x Cariuma Memory Insole

The shoelaces on either the low or high version are made with recycled plastic, passing through those debossed metal aglets. Like most pairs from Cariuma, the sneakers’ construction is handmade vulcanized with a fully stitched outsole.

Razer Sneki Snek x Cariuma Shoes Availability

Going green isn’t exactly difficult. You can start by making the right and greener choices. Little by little, you can live a more sustainable life. Both Razer and Cariuma are committed to such a cause. Razer has been working to save a million trees with its partnership with Conservation International.

Razer Cariuma Sneakers

Cariuma is all about sustainability. The brand believes being sustainable should be synonymous with style and comfort. Its products are made with you and the earth in mind so the shoes are guaranteed to be low impact and high quality all the time.

Razer Sneki Snek x Cariuma Shoes Market

Conscious gamers, errr…conscious consumers look for items that are timeless and made responsibly. Razer has started to work towards a sustainable future by reducing environmental impact with business practices. The world can soon be a better place to “game and live in”. You can help society by supporting “greener” brands like Razer and Cariuma.

Razer Sneki Snek x Cariuma Sneakers

Razer Sneki Snek Cariuma Low White Sneakers

Razer Cariuma Sneakers Low White

Razer Sneki Snek Cariuma Low White Sneaker Outsole

Razer Sneki Snek x Cariuma Shoes Where to Buy

The post Razer Sneki Snek x Cariuma Sneakers can be your first step to going green first appeared on Yanko Design.

Sustainable waterfront infrastructure uses unique concrete technology to replace traditional rock ripraps

Posted on by

ECOncrete’s patented technology is used to replace inorganic concrete rock ripraps with durable and sustainable infrastructure to provide long-lasting protection for vulnerable shorelines.

While ripraps are familiar sights, their structural formation and the effects they have on the environment are largely left unknown by the general public. Used to armor, stabilize, and protect the shoreline of bodies of water, like lakes, rivers, and oceans, rock ripraps are human-placed revetments that form protective barriers along vulnerable shorelines.

Accounting for vegetation suppression, thermal pollution, and synthetic waste, it seems rock riprap has become an antiquated solution to a lasting problem. Reinterpreting the conventional rock riprap through biomimicry to fit modern environmental needs, ECOncrete developed Coastalock, a new type of durable and sustainable infrastructure to replace rock ripraps. In San Diego, ECOncrete’s patented technology is being used to create a durable and sustainable infrastructure for the Port of San Diego. To replace traditional riprap, ECOncrete set out to create effective, efficient, and climate-adapted armor to protect the Port of San Diego for continued use.

In addition to offering lasting protection for the port, ECOncrete’s patented technology creates sustainable pools for marine species to inhabit and rehabilitates those habitats for fish to enjoy cooler temperatures and organic living surfaces, while generating an expansive carbon sink in the process. Explaining the process behind the Port of San Diego’s new protective barrier, ECOncrete describes, “74 interlocking single-layer armor units were deployed in two pilot sections…The units were rotated to mimic tidepool and cave habitats for local marine life. After a successful 3-day installation, the Port is working with ECOncrete to install 1,000 additional feet of coastal protection.”

Co-founded by marine biologists and innovators, ECOncrete was started to help mitigate the harmful effects of concrete on marine life and ecosystems. Established in 2012, ECOncrete is an interdisciplinary science-backed company with a team made up of many different professionals, from creative designers to technology specialists. Developing a new standard for marine-centered concrete, ECOncrete’s patented technology helps build stronger marine infrastructure which can be used for various functions.

Designer: ECOncrete

The grooves of ECOncrete’s infrastructure provide safe inhabitation zones for marine life. 

The post Sustainable waterfront infrastructure uses unique concrete technology to replace traditional rock ripraps first appeared on Yanko Design.