Emerging Tech

Your Sierra Nevada IPA Will End Foreign Oil Dependency

That’s right. The next time you go to the bar and order a tall, cold Sierra Nevada (sponsor us!), drink it knowing that it’ll not only get you drunk but also that your efforts are not in vain. The California-based brewing company unveiled an initiative to convert beer waste into ethanol that can be used to power certain vehicles. Yeast, ...

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Crank It Up: Solar-Energy FM Radio

So this isn’t really anything extravagant, but sometimes the best gadgets are the ones that operate in a simple fashion. This AM/FM radio has a bit of a DIY look with the old-school silver button on the top and the solar panel feeding it energy. There’s also a hand crank in case you live in Seattle or Alaska. It can’t ...

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Monster GreenPower Center

Even if you turn your computer and electronics off, they still suck power from your outlets. This is known as vampire energy and it can really add to your electric bill if you’re like us and own a lot of consumer electronics. For $100-130, this power strip from Monster lets you tap a button to switch it into sleep mode. ...

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The Wrong Case: Energy Consumption and Television

The LA Times is running a piece about how flat-screen televisions aren’t energy efficient and how California is going to impose rules on energy consumption and all that other hippie shit. I call bullshit. Know why? Because less than 5 years ago, no one had a flat-screen HDTV except the extremely wealthy. Everyone had those old, shitty, big ass CRT ...

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Removable Kitchen Sink Promotes Water Conservation

Here’s an idea that really benefits you as a homeowner. A removable kitchen sink that can be taken outside and the water drained over your garden. Genius. And the nutrients the plants will get from food waste will benefit your crop for sure. The design comes from Hughie of Australia and believe it or not, it’s not a concept! You ...

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Citrus-Powered Clock Saves Electricity, Wastes Lemons

This clock burns with the power of lemons. No, really. This is a digital clock that is powered by citric acid. The wood plank has two spikes of copper and zinc built into it. Put half of a lemon on each spike and be amazed at how it runs on a single lemon for an entire week. It’s magic. Looking ...

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Aviation Innovation: Getting Higher Than Ever Before

Powering jet planes with eco-friendly biofuels such as algae has been done before and yet, I’m still being charged an arm and a leg by the airline companies who are still stuck in the past, burning up high emission jet fuels. Deep down in my heart I have always known that marijuana is not only a powerful medicine, but that ...

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A World’s First: Solar Submarine

When one thinks of a submarine, solar energy is the furthest thing from their mind. After all, submarines dive down deep below the ocean’s surface where the sun does not shine. The Swiss energy company, BKW is a little more optimistic than myself. It’s unveiled the GOLDFISH project, which will feature the world’s first solar powered submarine. How will they ...

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MAKE’s Alternative Energy Gift Guide

Anyone interested in DIY, energy or our ecosystem should most definitely check out the Alternative Energy Gift Guide from MAKE. They cover some key issues that we as Americans must confront head on, such as our dependence on foreign energy and oil. There’s a bunch of a kits you can browse through that will have you using the Sun as ...

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Fuel Cell Stickers, No Outlet Required

Can you imagine charging your cellphone without plugging it into an outlet? No, I’m not talking about those plug and charge kits you can purchase for select phones, I’m talking about fuel cell stickers. Just slap ’em on the back of your phone and considered it charged. The Swedish-based company myFC is trying to expedite the act of charging cellphones ...

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