“… some things just annoy me to the point of distraction. A case in point being companies selling products by proclaiming their materials are easily recyclable, especially when their own product does not include any of these very same materials… you are only recycling when you are buying recycled. For example, it is a cop-out for Apple to claim, as part of the green credentials for their new MacBook Air, that its (unibody) enclosure is “highly recyclable” aluminium. If they really wanted to make a definitive stand on recycling, then all they had to do… was ensure that it is made from post-consumer recycled drink cans or pre-loved laptops… recycling aluminium saves 95% of the energy, and 95% in carbon dioxide emissions, compared to virgin production… (and) worldwide, the aluminium industry uses as much electric power as the entire continent of Africa.”

“The problem with recycling is that it’s not only the original material that gets recycled, it’s all the things that go into the recycling process with that material. So if an aluminum can has paint on it, that goes into the process and the paint degrades the quality of the recycled material. Therefore, recycling is not a loop, because it can only be recycled a finite amount of times. This means that recycling is really, just putting off how long the thing waits to go to the landfill.”

“Tetra Pak cartons (aseptic packaging that can keep milk fresh for months without refrigeration) are fully recyclable, which unfortunately does not mean much in locations where carton recycling facilities do not exist… only 20% of America has access to recycling facilities for Tetra Pak, the rest goes into landfill… can a Tetra Pak be made into another Tetra Pak? No. Tetra Pak is seven incomprehensibly thin layers of paper, plastic and aluminum. The people who try to recycle them use giant blenders to mush the paper pulp off the plastic and metal, then they need to separate the plastic from the metal. What idiot thought this would be a better idea than washing a bottle and refilling it.

… by supporting recycling programs, governments are subsidizing companies like Tetra Pak, who is relieved of part of the cost of packaging disposal. This hidden subsidy penalizes bottlers who offer a refund and refill their bottles. Although selling products in refillable bottles uses energy and material more efficiently, it is made to appear more expensive because all the costs are visible.”

1. ‘Recyclable’ is not recycling, TreeHugger.
2. In what world can you call Tetra Pak green?, TreeHugger.
3. MacBook Air, nikf, Flickr.
4. midnight milk, Solar ikon, Flickr.

Home is a documentary by Yann Arthus-Bertrand, a French photographer, reporter and journalist. The documentary chronicles the present day state of the Earth, its climate and how we as the dominant species have long-term repercussions on its future. A theme expressed throughout the documentary is that of linkage; how all organisms and the Earth are linked in a “delicate but crucial” balance with each other, and how no organism can be self-sufficient. It shows the diversity of life on Earth and how humanity is threatening the ecological balance of the planet. The film is entirely composed of aerial shots of various places around Earth, taken in over 50 countries in the process. The movie was released simultaneously on June 5 in cinemas all over the world, on BD, DVD, and on YouTube.

1. Quartier de Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, Yann Arthus-Bertrand.

In just the beginning of 2009, there were 2 notable announcements in the motoring industry; the official unveil of the full-electric Tesla Model S sedan, and the corporate launch of the Indian city-car the Tata Nano. These products are in my opinion, the solutions to 2 fundamental set-backs with the world today; the lack of confidence in the economy, and increasing environmental and social pressure. Jeremy Clarkson on the other hand, being the motoring enthusiast that he is, is so confident about the potential of the hydrogen-fuelled Honda Clarity. It is a radical product yes, that however, alleviates neither of these contemporary problems.

Money is one thing the world does not have, nor time for that matter. It is ridiculous to approve research and funding into harvesting and distributing hydrogen when in the end, our dependency on fuel leads us back to large multi-nationals in control of supply and prices. If we need to get through quoting Jeremy Clarkson “… the entire old testament before you can buy and run such a thing, practically and for a reasonable price… ” then sorry but hydrogen is not a practical solution to the immediate crisis the world is facing. It is neither a solution to our social addiction as being passive, ill-advised consumers.

“I’ll let you into a little secret. In the real world, away from the wide open spaces of the Top Gear test track, a Fiat 500 is much more fun to drive than a Zonda. A Zonda will pull more men, but on a bumpy back road, you’ll be wearing a bigger smile in the Fiat, I promise, or a Mini… in the not too distant future, cars like this will become the norm for enthusiastic drivers… “

It is not, I would like to perceive this as, about toning down aspirations. It is about appreciating that smaller economy cars are just as, if not more fun to drive, and besides, in the middle of the urban chaos, there is no genuine need for anything else; the jam-packed urban roads are best traversed by nimble city-cars that are minute yet practical, economical and environmental, and beautiful. This is the Tata Nano; though not beautiful would I argue, it is an economical, and hence an appealing option. If only it could resemble a Fiat 500 in aesthetics.

“… so it seems likely the car firms will opt for the easier, cheaper option of making stupid hybrids, like the Prius, which all right-thinking people can tell are nothing more than a complicated way of making people feel like they are making an effort. We know that they are doing no such thing. Hybrids are power-hungry when they are being made, and environmentally devastating when they are being scrapped, and in-between times, they do, at best, 45 MPG.”

The Tata Nano does no better, 50 MPG, thought it is a 2 cylinder and not a hybrid; it fails too being environmental. The all-electric Tesla Roaster on the other hand, has reported 120 MPGGE efficiency, considering it being a sports-car capable of doing 0 to 60 in less than 4 seconds. The thing about economy cars is that not only are they small, it takes a lot less effort to move them around, and this is definitely an advantage when talking about efficiency, and consequently the environment. The Tata Nano weighs half of that of the Tesla Roaster.

Though not as small nor light as the Roadster, the Tesla Model S, being an all-electric luxury sedan, boasts some compelling figures of its own. It is quiet, and it is a work of beauty, but let’s put that aside. The focus is demonstrated in its technology. It has a single-speed gearbox, meaning effortless acceleration and no fancy clutch-work; less moving parts and no oil changes, less maintenance. It takes about 4 hours for a full charge through a 220V power outlet, 45 minute quick-charge through a 440V outlet, and costs roughly about 4 dollars equivalent for a full charge. It has a 300 mile range, less if the less expensive battery is preferred, but why worry about range if the user can charge through any electrical outlet, there is not even need to travel to the pumps.

It should be an easy gesture to plug it in when it’s parked, whether it is at work, at home, at the restaurant, even at the store. The concern about plugging these in is of course the strain on the electric-grid, but market adoption is gradual, and if the development of the smart-grid infrastructure is parallel, the relative effects should be negligible. The edge in using electricity is being able to isolate, not disperse, the energy source. The sole focus hence is being able to use environmental and renewable sources to generate clean electric energy. The end-users need not worry about this though, just evaluate and pay for the energy consumed, clean energy that is.

The thing about motoring is that, it is a necessary convenience in the contemporary society, it is a de-facto component of social and urban development; this cannot be changed. The industry needs to understand that society needs nimble city-cars that are economical, so that the people can afford change; society needs full-electric cars, so that people can adopt by choice, the intention of safe-guarding the environment. These should not be 2 separate products, this should be one product; a full-electric city-car. This should be a beautiful product to reflect its ambition, and like the Fiat 500 or the Tesla Model S, beauty should sell innovation.

This is not the motoring industry’s ambition; this is motoring’s ambition.

1. Clarkson on the future, Top Gear.
2. DMC Delorean, chaos & career, Flickr.

“… every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms… we are in the midst of crisis… our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age… and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet. These are the indicators of crisis…

… we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord… the time has come… to choose our better history… starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act… all this we can do, and all this we will do.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them… with old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly… and roll back the specter of a warming planet… to those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West; know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy… nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

Our challenges may be new, the instruments with which we meet them may be new, but those values upon which our success depends… these things are old. These things are true… what is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility; a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world… ”

1. President Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address, Organizing for America.
2. Presidential Inauguration, Wikimedia.

“There are other priorities now. Perhaps in 30 years it will be interesting to come back and speak about the beauty of a chair or a lamp, but today that seems a bit obscene. Even during the time it takes to do this interview, people will die from a lack of water… everyone talks about ecology, but we need to make it happen, not speak about it.”

“I hope the current economic crisis will lead to people looking for longevity. In an average house I see an enormous turn-a-round of stuff. There are plenty of homes where nothing is more than five years old. What happened to the things that preceded them? What happened to the possessions of previous generations? It’s almost like people had no parents or grand parents. Nothing has been passed on.”

Philippe Starck, Sir Terence Conran and Kirstie Allsopp discuss the future of design in midst of a recession, and an interesting yet generous response by Andrew Smith.

1. Caroline Roux, The Guardian.

“It’s gone before you even knew it was there: as energy is unlocked from fuels at power plants, two-thirds of the energy consumed to create electricity is lost.”

“Sixty-four percent of all the energy burned to generate electricity is lost as heat, which creates steam to run turbines, escapes from smoke-stacks into the air. A further 3 percent is lost in delivery to the customer.”

1. Wasted Energy, The New York Times.

“For most of the last two decades, the Rondout-West Branch tunnel, 45 miles long, 13.5 feet wide, up to 1,200 feet below ground and responsible for ferrying half of New York City’s water supply from reservoirs in the Catskill Mountains, has been leaking some 20 million gallons a day; except recently, when on some days it has lost up to 36 million gallons.”

“In the 1820s, New Yorkers used an average of 12 gallons of water a day, architect Kevin Boon said. Individual water use peaked in the 1980s, at more than 200 gallons.”

2. Fixing New York’s Drinking Straw, The New York Times.

3. Olov, Flickr.

“If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.”

“This is your victory. And I know you didn’t do this just to win an election, and I know you didn’t do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime: two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.”

“This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: yes, we can.”

1. Barack Obama Wins Presidency, Wired.
2. Obama Victory Speech Transcript, CNN.

“God is the only one with the message. It’s a message of hope and urgency, because he’s not going to wait much longer. His message is a simple one: we are all connected. Our hopes, dreams, our children’s future, reflecting back in each other’s eyes. We fight our own personal battles, but we know we are not alone. Because only together can we make our short time on this planet mean something. Only together can we be the stewards of our own destiny. And we hold in our collective hearts one noble goal: to save ourselves, save the world.”

1. Nathan Petrelli, The Second Coming, Heroes.

“The bottleneck saver is designed to be attached to liquid soap dispenser necks and restricts the amount dispensed in order to reduce unnecessary wastage in consumption. This is especially pertinent as the manufacturers of shampoos, liquid soap, lotions… have an incentive to encourage more rapid usage. A standard depressing of a nozzle may indeed yield more lotion/shampoo than is really necessary for the user. The bottleneck saver becomes a subtle mark of defiance in the face of more copious consumption patterns.”

This design well deserves a second thought; minute ideas like this one can not only change the way we interact with everyday objects, but how these forms of interaction can be made sustainable, challenging consumptive behavior. It is a much worthy example that reminds us how “a little goes a long way”; sustainable design should relate and permeate intuitively to our ways of life and manner of living. There are a variety of products, for example those through the Future Friendly initiative, that inherently contemplates environmental demands, saving energy and reducing waste and packaging based upon the properties of the product itself. “Every small step towards a greater good can help preserve our world and prepare it for generations to come.”

Looking for more simple ways to do your part in helping the planet? How about 50.

1. treehugger » orcadesign.

“Thanks to an unprecedented set of restrictions on cars and factories for the Olympics… the skies over Beijing have been cleaner than ever… but the weather isn’t even the most popular topic of conversation. The bigger issue for many, and the question that’s been biting at everyone for years, how will Beijing stay beautiful after the Olympics are over?”

“What’s a one-party government with its hand in the auto industry, and a public increasingly discontent with pollution, to do? An odd-even car ban has proven to be great for Beijing in short term. And it’s already left behind a healthy legacy: strong public debate over the environment that the government has no choice but to heed, at least in part… still, it’s unlikely the car ban will stay in place. To say nothing of the impact to the auto industry, cars are too important to the middle and upper classes, and those classes are too important to the government… and just as well, a car ban is neither as fair nor as sustainable as measures that alter demand and supply. If Beijing simply bans half its cars every day… it would only be delaying bigger problems down the road. It will be a long, hard road, but it doesn’t need to be crowded or dirty.”

1. 10 ways Beijing (and other cities) can keep its skies blue and roads gridlock-free, TreeHugger.