April 2011

As the US transitions from incandescent bulbs to more eco-friendly options, many companies are rushing to get their LED light bulbs on store shelves. The problem is that many people are put off by high price of the single bulbs when compared to cheap packs of CFLs. Amazon has teamed up with Lighting Science Group to offer LEDs that are easier on your budget.

On March 11th, 14:46 JST, a strong earthquake with the magnitude of 9.0, dubbed “The 2011 off the Pacific cost of Tohoku Earthquake” by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), occurred 130 km ESE off Ojika Peninsula. The Tohoku quake caused a Tsunami with waves of up to 15 meters, and damaged the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant compound, causing the failure of the generator cooling system. Due to reactor nuclear meltdown, as of April 12^th, Tepco declared the INES rating at Fukushima Daiichi NPS to be Level 7, equaling it to the Chernobyl accident with 90% less radiation leakage compared to the Chernobyl accident. The estimated number of casualties caused by the earthquake and tsunami on April 11^th was at 12,000 deaths and 15,000 missing persons. (Asia, 2011, April 11th)

You want to be healthy and drink water rather than soda or a sugary fruit drink. You know that bottled water costs 1900 times more than tap water. You know that bottled water uses 1.5 million barrels of oil per year for both the manufacture of the plastic and the transportation of empty bottles to the bottler and full bottles to stores. And you know that, in spite of the best intentions for recycling, 86% of the bottles are thrown away.

But your tap water tastes awful, too much like chlorine. Before you settle on buying bottled water, however, it might be worth trying the Nubo reusable water bottle filtration system.

Nubo’s innovative design integrates a water filter into in the bottom of the water bottle. The bottle is filled by removing the bottom cap and letting water pass through the filter. The filter uses coconut shell activated carbon, which removes up to 98% of chlorine, and is silver impregnated to inhibit bacterial growth.

We’ve all been there: stuck in traffic just wanting to get to our destination before we drop another four-letter word that’s not allowed on TV. Being stuck at an intersection doesn’t just raise your level of anger, it also wastes an enormous amount of gas. IBM is tinkering with a new smartphone app that will help you get around traffic snafus and save gas at the same time.

If you’ve ever relied on your smartphone for directions you know that many of the apps aren’t that reliable; they aren’t made to give you a warning about construction or even car accidents. Many American drivers don’t realize that on average we sit for 34 hours a year in backed up in traffic and waste $808 in gas. IBM aims to change that fact through their Smarter Traveler project that will predict traffic patterns before they happen.

As anglers explore new waters and interact with nature in a uniquely participatory way, they often develop a conservation sensibility. Because, in spite of high tech fishing gear such as Gore-Tex waders, graphite rods, and felt-soled wading shoes, the first prerequisite for good fishing is clean water, and that depends on a resilient, intact ecosystem. Yet – regardless of how conservation-minded they might become – anglers are unwittingly damaging ecosystems by spreading invasive species such as Didymo from watershed to watershed with felt-soled waders.

Felt-soled boots were introduced in the late 1980’s. Because felt soles gave superior traction on slippery rocks and made wading swift rivers safer, they were quickly adopted by anglers. Since felt soles stay damp a long time, however, they are also a haven to transport invasive species such as Didymo (Didymosphenia geminate).

When it comes to hybrid and electric cars, cool technology features can be a real selling point in the age of gadget obsession. Mini replaced a standard key with a smartphone on their concept scooter and Chevy developed an app that will tell Volt owners the cheapest time to charge up their car. Toyota is looking to get in on the game by partnering with Microsoft to add similar technologies in their hybrid and electric cars.

Natural systems maintain the quality of life by providing vital services such as water purification, stormwater management, and pest control. But we often don’t notice or appreciate the benefits of natural systems until they are gone. This natural capital must be assessed and valued before it is too late. A recent study valued the pest control services of bats to be billions of dollars per year, just as a new disease is decimating the bat population.

Bats normally conjure images of vampires, horror movies, and night creatures. But bats are both beneficial and, in spite of their reputation, elegant. Trout anglers know this: on warm summer evenings during the mayfly hatch, as rising trout dimple the water and mayflies fly their last conjugal dance, bats flit back and forth feeding as acrobatically as any rising trout. Such an evening is often the high point of the season for a trout angler.

Since it was reintroduced back in 2002 Top gear has been a cash cow for the BBC. The show that features three witty British guys playing around with high powered cars is seen in more than 100 countries and spawned a line of merchandise that includes t-shirts and CDs. While the lads may get a chuckle out of testing sleek rides, one company isn’t laughing along with them. Tesla Motors claims that the producers behind the show weren’t playing fair when they tested their all-electric Roadster and are suing the BBC for libel and malicious falsehood.