Massachusetts-based Konarka Technologies have apparently manufactured the first ever solar cells by inkjet printing. This major advancement has the potential to drastically reduce the cost of production by eliminating the need for clean rooms.
By developing a new breed of flexible photovoltaic material, solar panels can not only be produced at a lower cost, but can be printed or coated onto a variety of surfaces using roll-to-roll manufacturing, similar to how newspaper is printed on large rolls of paper.
From the press release:
“Demonstrating the use of inkjet printing technology as a fabrication tool for highly efficient solar cells and sensors with small area requirements is a major milestone,” commented Rick Hess, president and CEO at Konarka. “This essential breakthrough in the field of printed solar cells positions Konarka as an emerging leader in printed photovoltaics.”
[via TrendHunter]
Temple nightclub in San Francisco is joining the ranks of a handful of clubs around the world who are going green. In 2004, owner Paul Hemming set his sights on creating the greenest nightclub in the world - since then, every facet of the business “adheres to the triple bottom line of People, Profit and Planet.”
According to Mike Zuckerman, Director of Sustainability for the club:
We started with consumables, the no brainers. Compostable cups, straws, all corn starch based. We recycle our bottles and we compost our food. The easiest things to implement are the ones with immediate financial returns. We get rebates and receive credits on our waste bills by keeping up good recycling and composting practices. We try to take the decision making out of the partiers hands when they get to the venue so all they need to think about is having a good time.
Additionally, Temple is equipped with energy efficient light bulbs, only uses non-toxic cleaning products, and organic food is served whenever possible.
The club has a laundry list of progressive plans for the future that include a vertical garden, a piezoelectric dance floor that harnesses dancers’ energy and converts it into electricity, a solar panel system actually built into the building facade, and an urban windmill.
Labels: nightclub, PSFK, San Francisco, sarah
Hop into a hybrid taxi and head over to Counter!
Here’s a new bar we spotted in East Village at the weekend: a bar that serves only organic drinks. The site tells us that Counter martinis are made from Rain vodka - a 100% organic white corn headbasher. Cocktails include The Dirtiest Martini and, erm, Angry Lesbian.
“Ever dreamt of being in a band? Now’s your chance!” says a Brooklyn-based Band-for-bid that is selling itself (literally) via eBay auction. The selling of unconventional items is not new to the eBay marketplace, but the group behind the “BUY A ROCK BAND! (you be the front-man)” auction is really offering the chance to make a wannabe rocker’s dream come true, if only briefly. In five days and some hours, the highest bidder will be entitled to:
-A photoshoot with the band done by a professional photographer
-One full day of rehearsal (minimum).
-A band listing with the winner as the frontman on MusicNation.com.
-One song written by the winner, with the band’s help, recorded at a professional studio.
- One gig with the winner as frontman…location, venue, and time, to be determined.
The dream of a silent, sustainable car is here at last. The ZENN, which stands for Zero Emission, No Noise, is destined to revolutionize the way we think about driving, offering for the first time a viable and relatively cheap alternative to petroleum-based vehicles. Earthtimes reports:
Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, ZENN Motor Company is dedicated to producing zero-emission transportation solutions for global markets, including the revolutionary ZENN, the perfect vehicle for urban commuters, fleets (such as resorts, gated communities, airports, college and business campuses, municipalities, parks and more), the environmentally conscious driver, and consumers who just want to save money. The ZENN is sold through a growing network of retailers across the United States.
The potential commercialization of the Electrical Energy Storage Units being developed by ZENN Motor Company strategic partner, EEStor Inc., in future ZENN vehicles will allow them to go as far and as fast as a traditional car at a fraction of the cost. Moreover, the ZENN electric vehicles will potentially have all of the benefits of an internal combustion vehicle without the harmful emissions, sensitivity to escalating gas prices, or noise pollution. This environmentally friendly alternative will help make the widespread concerns about oil dependency a thing of the past.
Sound amazing? We think so too.
Labels: hybrids, PSFK, Transportation
Charity gig Live Earth has had to be cancelled in one country and moved to a smaller venue in another. Johannesburg officials have found it hard to sell enough tickets for the July 7 event so it has downgraded to a venue of 18,000.
Meanwhile Istanbul’s Live Earth gig was cancelled when potential sponsors steered clear of the event in fear of protests. NME says:
What do you think about Live Earth? Do you think they'll be able to pull it off? It's a great idea and stands to build awareness for lots of folks around the world, I just hope it works out.Local business in Turkey are said to be reluctant to get involved with the event, fearing protests from environmental groups about pollution produced by their factories.
Labels: Live Earth, PSFK
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