Tag Archives: carbon footprint

Device concept lets you monitor and lessen personal carbon footprint

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If you’re conscious about how we’ve been treating Mother Earth the past few years, decades, centuries, measuring carbon emissions is something that you’ve probably looked into. There are a lot of tips out there on how you can keep track of your own carbon footprint and how you can slowly lessen it. It may sometimes require a huge lifestyle change and we also need a visible tool to help us do this and see how we can help our environment recover.

Designer: YeEun Kim

The Toad House is a device that looks like a cross between an air purifier and a smart speaker but is actually something you can use to monitor how much carbon emission you’re using when you’re at home and make the necessary adjustments. It is inspired by a Korean children’s song that talks about building a new house from an old one which can be a metaphor in how we can repurpose wasted energy.

The product description can be a bit vague on how the device can actually measure your carbon emissions but it says the interface at the top of the house is where you can check how much you’re already using. This is probably connected to the app on your smartphone where you set targets and also see the values of the various appliances and gadgets in your house. It also says that the wasted power from your devices can be stored and then used for wireless charging later on.

This is still a concept for now but if it eventually becomes a product, it would be interesting to see if a gadget like this can really affect how you use energy. Eventually, there can also be studies if it indeed lessens carbon emissions when you have a visual reminder of how much you’re using and leaving in your environment. Probably what’s needed now though is more education on how people can measure their carbon footprints, at least in their personal use.

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A conceptual boat marries sustainability, design, and technology to spread an environmental message

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Now that a lot of people are traveling again, “revenge travel” is the name of the game. But do we really think about the carbon footprint that going to different places brings? While the aviation industry has been accused of producing a huge amount of carbon emissions, the bigger culprit is actually maritime transport. Not only does it account for more CO2 emissions than planes, it also has brought damage to the marine ecosystem and has contributed to ocean acidification.

A concept boat called the MS Porrima is aiming to share the technology and innovation that the shipping industry can adopt in order to have a more sustainable kind of transport. The boat is actually meant for environmental research and its main philosophy is to show how sustainable technology can be used to lessen carbon emissions and reduce carbon footprint significantly. The ship is expected to traverse five continents and make more than a dozen stops ever since it launched back in December 2021. It’s targeting to go back to Japan where it first set sail by 2025 just in time for the World Expo.

Designer: Gunter Pauli / Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia

Of course, since environmental research and education is its main goal, the ship itself uses several sustainable practices and technology. There is a miniature farm that cultivates spirulina algae and mushrooms which can be eaten by the crew and guests aboard the ship. They also use air bubble nets that separate the fish by weight and can help prevent overfishing. The reproductive females, noted by their weight due to the eggs, are thrown back into the ocean. The ship is also largely powered by solar panels and will also get a filter that will convert nano plastics from seawater into hydrogen fuel.

But aside from these sustainable features, the ship’s design is also created to help in “promoting Porrima’s environmental message”. Since the ship itself is not as huge compared to others (it’s 118-foot long and 79-foot wide), they are also working with limited storage space. The VIP suite and the main hall draw inspiration from Russian matryoshka dolls, Japanese origami, and Swiss Army knives. This means their storage fit inside one another like the famous dolls and they have tables, seats, and shelves that can fold into walls like origami. The main hall is actually convertible into various functional rooms: classroom, library, exhibition space, and even dining room.

The ship will also be displaying various artworks including those of painter and theorist Michelangelo Pistolleto. He is the proponent of the idea of the “Third Paradise” which finds the balance between nature and technology. The Porrima’s journey will be all about educating the public, academics, industry leaders, and more importantly, students, about how the two can work together and the ship is a prime example of that.

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Dell envisions a sustainable laptop, allowing you to replace parts, creating a design you could grow old with

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Dell is checking all the right boxes for a laptop that is not only environment-friendly but also potentially immortal.

Laptops revolutionized the computing industry by making personal computing more portable, but it also came at the expense of some flexibility and sustainability. Unlike towering desktops, not everything inside a laptop can be easily upgraded, much less replaced when broken. Many laptops makers probably prefer that status quo, but Dell is boldly pushing an idea that could mean it will eventually sell fewer laptops.

Designer: Dell

Today, you can upgrade or replace a laptop’s memory and storage, but that’s pretty much it. You can’t upgrade the processor, add a graphics unit, or even easily replace the keyboard after years of wear and tear. That’s not even considering the materials and processes used in manufacturing these devices, which involve a lot of plastics and a lot of components that eventually end up being a lot of waste.

Dell’s Concept Luna laptop throws all of that out the window, envisioning a portable computer that would appeal to almost everyone, from the expert PC modder to the environment-conscious consumer. The company is trying to apply multiple strategies across the pipeline to not only reduce the laptop’s carbon footprint but, ultimately, also make it as long-lasting as any desktop that can get repaired or upgraded bit by bit.

The ideas that Dell has are quite interesting. In addition to using more recyclable materials, like flax fiber instead of plastic laminate, the company is also looking into shrinking the size or number of components like the motherboard to reduce the amount of energy used to manufacture them. Smarter placement of those components can also lead to better passive heat dissipation, removing the need for plastic fans inside.

Then there’s also the element of repairability, which is made easier by having only four screws to access internal components and using no adhesives. Components can be removed easily and replaced, or perhaps even upgraded with a newer part. All in all, the Concept Luna represents the holy grail of sustainable computers and is probably years away from becoming a reality.

Dell admits that the concept only touches on what is possible, not what is feasible or, more importantly, profitable. A sustainable laptop would ultimately mean people will buy fewer new laptops if they could just upgrade or replace parts of the laptop they already own. Of course, Dell could build a business around selling parts or services, but that might still be less profitable than the status quo that isn’t doing our environment any favors.

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This 100% self-sustaining cabin is was placed in the forest without a trace of fossil fuels!

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You know my love for cabins and sustainability, I am always searching for the best cabins to go live in once the pandemic is over and sustainable designs that can help slow down the climate crisis. I finally found a design that marries them both and this is the most perfect cabin to exist on my list – a 100% self-sustaining and sustainable off-the-grid cabin that focuses on enjoying as well as preserving the environment it is in! They invented an assembly architecture that is fully adaptable to the environment and doesn’t even need a boom truck to be transported because of the construction technology (through assemblies) – the team takes the materials anywhere even when the construction site is far from the car path.

The latest cabin by the company is called Krul and is developed to perform independently of passive systems. The interiors are designed in a way to allow maximum natural sunlight, especially during winters to keep it naturally warm as much as possible. The orientation of the structure also maintains breezy natural ventilation even during summers. The water harvested or used is naturally treated through a worm-based Lombrifiltro system – think of it as biomimicry of our natural ecosystem. It provides enough for reuse (shower to WC), sanitation, drinking water, and sewage system. The wood used is treated with the best product on the market, certified without chemicals, and the best sealing technology in the world Rothoblass. The cabin completely eliminates the need for fossil fuels, external services, and bills!

ZeroCabin wants to change the habits of its occupants by providing the tools to live sustainably. “It is not about ‘what happens if the water-scarce,’ the questions these days should be ‘if the waters scarce, are my habits according to the water available in the place where I live? If the solar energy is not enough, are my consumption habits according to the energy available?” adds the team when talking about the thought process behind the design. All ZeroCabins regardless of the modality you buy (turnkey or DIY) have a structural base that allows optimal capture of their only two inputs, just like trees: sun and rainwater. The cabin maximizes functionality oversize but includes a wide range of modifications you can do based on the land you want to put it on and as long as it is aligned with their environmental guidelines.

Additionally, the company also encourages all cabin owners to be a part of their 100% ecological tourism network. Every cabin kit sold finances planting of native trees according to the reforestation campaigns. “We do not seek to make houses with character, spatiality, or identity … our architect is nature and its rules, and from there we create something for you. The result is a respectful mutualism that will not break the limits of the environment and in gratitude, you will be able to live without accounts happy of life for the rest of your life,” says the team with utmost love for their work and their efforts to help the environment. ZeroCabin is a home that adapts to you and the planet seamlessly.

Designer: ZeroCabin

This compact water recycling system reduces carbon footprint, lowers bills & mitigates the global water crisis

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Hydraloop not only designed an award-winning water recycling product but also made an eye-opening documentary that shows you how easy it is for everyone to recycle water – stream the Brave Blue World on Netflix for an unfiltered story on water and climate change! This water recycling system looks like a slim closet and can be used in any building or home, anytime. Hydraloop was presented at both CES 2020 and CES 2021 where it received notable attention for being one of the most innovative designs in the sustainability, eco-design, and smart energy categories.

Only 0.014% of the total amount of water on earth is fresh and available. It is one of the most misused natural resources and with the increasing global population, we have to use it in the most efficient way possible and make sure we don’t dry out our planet. Four billion people are already facing severe water scarcity and by 2035 40% of the world’s population could experience serious water stress. By 2050 the water demand is projected to grow by 55%, including a 400% rise in manufacturing water demand – to be able to meet the needs of almost 10 billion people in the next two decades, we need to take important steps right now that can save up to 95% of your shower and bath water alone and enables you to reuse up to 85% of the total in-house water. So even on an individual level, you can add your drop to the ocean and make a positive impact.

Hydraloop’s goal is to create compact recycling systems that can be used at offices, hotels, apartment buildings, homes, and anywhere else with running water – they want to make it easy for everyone to recycle water without having to go through complicated machinery or expensive infrastructure upgrades. It collects water from washing machines, bathtubs, showers, and air conditioning systems. This water is then cleaned and disinfected using their technology to make it reusable keeping in mind that treated gray water should not be directly used to drink to cook. It can be re-used for toilet flushing, washing machines, garden irrigation, and topping up swimming pools which can save up to 45% on tap water and 45% on sewage emission with recycled water. The system is easy to install, completely automatic, self-cleaning, and doesn’t use any filters or chemicals.

Hydraloop’s systems are powered by electricity and uses an extensive six-step process – sedimentation, flotation, dissolved air flotation, enforced skimming aerobic bioreactor, and a UV light disinfection. The latest Hydraloop (H600) can recycle about 260 gallons of water per day for homes and small businesses. “The easiest way to recycle water is to clean it right where you use it – decentralized. By recycling at the source we can make an impact on the global water crisis,” says the team which is why they designed the appliance to be used in any space. If you have a larger company or setting, the Cascade offers commercial-grade, water-recycling capabilities for your needs. Hydraloop future proofs buildings by increasing their value, lowering the running expenses for water as well as energy, and reduces carbon footprint by 6%. It makes any home or business less dependant on the grid while making it easier to live sustainably. Hydraloop is also contributing towards four of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – clean water and sanitization, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, as well as climate action.

Designer: Hydraloop Systems BV

Adidas and Allbirds team up to make environmentally friendly shoes

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Sneaker brands collaborate all the time, but they usually do so with companies outside of the footwear industry. Adidas’ latest joint effort, though, involves sustainable shoe maker Allbirds, and the two hope to create a high performance sneaker whil...

Your hand sanitizer may have 60% alcohol but is it carbon negative?

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I have never really paid attention to the ingredients of a hand sanitizer before the pandemic which taught me that the Bodyworks glitter ones really won’t help and I have to look for ones that have 60% alcohol or above. Obviously, the AIs of the worldwide web picked up on my searches and I ‘came across’ the world’s first carbon-negative hand sanitizer made by New York-based start-up, Air Co. I am all about sustainable living and a carbon-negative sanitizer was exactly what I needed to replace the glitter.

The pandemic caused an exponential increase in the demand for sanitizers, and in a bid to help health professionals as well as every regular person, all the alcohol brands switched from making their usual products to making sanitizers. Air Co. actually made the world’s first carbon-negative vodka by using captured CO2 instead of yeast to make alcohol and now it is following suit by switching from vodka to sanitizers but, their method still remains the same – sustainable distillation + innovative technology that removes CO2 from the air and replaces it with oxygen. They use the CO2 emitted from nearby factories, mix it with water during their production process and then distill it, all using solar energy. “It is inspired by photosynthesis in nature, where plants breathe in CO2, take up water, and they use sunlight to make things like sugars and other higher-value hydrocarbons, with oxygen as the sole by-product. Same thing with our process: The only by-product is oxygen,” says  Stafford Sheehan, one of the cofounders of Air Co.

The Air Co. sanitizer is 70% ethanol (their technology’s main output) and they are working with local officials to donate these bottles to the institutions that need it the most. Their actions reflect the brand’s two-part tagline – Almost impossible. Goods that do good. Air Co’s sanitizer is one-of-a-kind because of its undeniable benefit to the environment and positive impact that ripples beyond just keeping us virus-free. The brand is proud of using scientific methods to design products that would leave a lasting impression on people, be it their gluten-free, sugar-free, impurities-free, carbon-negative vodka or their hand sanitizer which is also crafted from the same air. Check out the running ticker of how much CO2 they have removed from the atmosphere – it is PRETTY impressive!

Designer: Air Co.

This credit card also tracks your carbon footprint along with your payments

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It’s easy to see how much money you have in the bank. It’s easy to check your weight, your height, how much water you’ve consumed, but tracking your carbon footprint, as critical as it is in a time like this, isn’t as easy as you think. Up until now, the only two things that affect our choices as a consumer are A. Price, and B. Brand Value. It’s high time we start seeing each product’s carbon impact too.

This is the DO card, developed by Swedish startup Doconomy. Along with working like any other credit card, the DO credit card also lets you track the impact of your spending. Using a calculation system called the Åland Index, the DO card tracks and displays how much CO2 is being generated by each of your purchases. Not only does this allow you to keep tabs on your carbon footprint, it even allows you to see which product or service generates lesser CO2, pushing you in a more environmentally-friendly direction. DO even allows you to set a limit on your carbon footprint, and declines transactions when you reach the limit you’ve set. Additionally, the card even rewards you for environmentally-conscious purchases made, and even goes so far as to allow you to compensate for your carbon impact by making donations to UN certified green projects aimed at global emission reduction.

The card comes with Doconomy’s partner app that allows you to track the emissions caused by your purchases, pushing you to cut down on ecologically harmful spending, while nudging you in the right direction by letting you know which product/service has a lower emission count, making it ecologically viable. The card itself is designed to be eco-friendly too, and is made from a bio-sourced material, and printed with Air Ink, a black pigment collected by trapping unburnt carbon soot from the smoke that comes out of car and motorcycle exhausts!

Designer: Nathalie Green (Doconomy)

The Norwegian hotel that’s saving planet earth

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While we try to minimize our carbon footprint on the earth, Norwegian hotel Svart doesn’t really worry about its own carbon footprint of energy because it doesn’t generate one. The Svart actually generates more energy than it consumes, making it a powerhouse for sustainable energy. “Svart is the first building to be built after the energy positive Powerhouse standard in a Northern climate. Not only does this new hotel reduce its yearly energy consumption by approximately 85% compared to a modern hotel, but it also produces its own energy” says the architectural firm Snøhetta.

The design and materials for the Svart are inspired by traditional Norwegian rorbu (a seasonal house found in fishing villages). The hotel stands on wooden poles, just like a house close to riverbanks would. This allows the building to reduce its footprint and prevents the need for constructing directly on the land and impacting the flora around. The hotel generates its own electricity using solar panels and geothermal wells, making it 85 percent more energy efficient than traditional hotels.

Guests who visit the Svart will get a stunning 360° view of the land around, only to be highlighted further by northern lights that will punctuate the sky at night. Additionally, since the Svart sits on top of a water body, guests get the privilege of even seeing a second set of northern lights in the reflection on the water right below the hotel!

Designer: Snøhetta and Powerhouse for Arctic Adventure of Norway.

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