LA 2008: Brabus smart fortwo revealed
The smart fortwo BRABUS, unveiled today at the LA Auto Show, looks pretty sweet in person. I can do without the BRABUS name stuffed everywhere - floormat, hand brake, gas cap, etc. - but if you’re willing to fork out the $17,990 for the coupe (or $20,990 for the cabriolet), then you probably want your passengers and attentive passersby to know it. And, becuase we’ve got a nice gallery of high-res images of the new model (in black, the silver version wasn’t displayed today), you can decide for yourself if the new look of 41 mpg (highway) is too much or just right.
Amazon Debuts Frustration-Free Packaging
Just in time for the overly packaged holiday season, we are thrilled to see that Amazon is debuting a new eco-friendly idea called ‘Frustration Free Packaging’. If you’ve ever tried to open a plastic package twice the size of the product inside and ended up with box cutters in one hand and carpal tunnel syndrome in the other you may know ‘wrap rage.’ Then once you finally got the plastic off, you still had 18 wires to unwind and a mountain of mostly unrecyclable trash.
smart enthusiast drives his two seater to Italy for charity
It’s not unusual to think that giving back is a good thing. Nathan Kift, from Gloucester, England, thought that he could give something back to the hospital who helped his son, Archie, get through 8 weeks at the Special Care Baby Unit. So, after a suggestion of the nurses in the hospital - who loved the car Kift’s smart fortwo - the Kift family decided to do charity with his smart, and he and his step-brother did a fundraising run. Where did they decide to go?
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ANNOUNCING… Greener Gadgets 2009!
Attention all eco inventors, green design visionaries, and gadget geeks! We’re excited to announce Greener Gadgets 2009! Registration is now open for the return of this provocative conference, which will take place on February 27th, 2009 in NYC. Like last year’s inaugural Greener Gadgets event, the 2009 conference will convene some of the world’s leaders in green tech to explore the sustainable side of the consumer electronics industry.
Three wheels + 60 Mpg = EMC
It’s been a while since we’ve posted about a 60 mpg three-wheel car but when a reader let us know about the EMC3 appearing at the recent Seattle Autoshow (thanks, Troy!), we had to make a little room for it. According to the Eco Motor Company’s website the tricycle began its life as a summer project by David Joner and his two kids. Soon others (grown-ups) joined in the effort and after several years, the EMC3was born.
Solar powered cellphone is just good enough for calling
Eco Factor: Basic cellphone gets powered by the sun.
The technology-driven world of today is highly dependent on devices such as mobile phones to keep us in contact with our relatives and friends. While some people are rich enough to own the latest and most feature-rich phones on the market today, others still dream about owning a cellphone one day. Designer Julia Schlegel seems to have an answer for such people. She has developed a concept phone dubbed the SoleCall, which is powered by solar panels plastered on its rear side.
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Nissan Cube makes an early appearance
Filed under: Nissan, LA Auto Show, USA
Scion may have had a good thing going with the first-generation xB, which proved to be an ultra-popular model here in the U.S. Nissan hopes to capitalize on some of that model’s success with the new Cube. While the official unveiling of the latest box-it-came-in-mobile is set for Wednesday (tune in early!), Nissan’s Japanese arm has let loose some early images of the U.S.-spec Cube. What we see is pretty much an exact mirror image of the Japanese model, which makes perfect sense given that we drive on the other side of the car.
Alpine capsule for a sustainable stay at the mountains
Solar and wind powered shelter for those who enjoy staying in the peaceful ambiance of the mountains.
The peaceful environment and the natural beauty have always attracted enthusiasts to the mountains. While some carry their tents along for staying on the highest peak, some just reach the top for a day’s fun and come back in the cold evenings. Studio Lovegrove have designed a glass mountain shelter called the Alpine Capsule, which could just tempt visitors to stay overnight.
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EPA ups America’s Renewable Fuel Standard to 10.21 percent for 2009
In 2009, the U.S. will use at least 11.1 billion gallons of renewable fuel. This was the pronouncement of the EPA today regarding an increase in the Renewable Fuel Standard Increased from 7.76 percent (the 2008 number) to 10.21 percent, an increase of 2.45 percentage points or about 2 billion gallons. The 11-plus billion gallons will be blended into transportation gasoline as E10, E85 and different types of biodiesel blends. The raise continues the EPA’s policy of gradual increases in the annual use of biofuels until the target of 36 billion gallons in 2022, set by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), is reached.
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Recycled Magazine Mobiles by Frasier & Wing
When it comes to mobiles, everyone knows that they can make great nursery decorations and playthings for babies, but sophisticated, abstract mobiles can also function equally well as artsy decor for grownups. Such is the case with Frazier & Wing’s beautiful recycled magazine mobiles.
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