Eco Factor: High voltage charger for electric cars. Siemens Energy Sector in Denmark is working on the EDISON project that involves the development of new charging technology that will enable EV owners to recharge their green rides in as little as six minutes. The system works by raising charging power to as much as 300KW to replicate the familiar filling up at a gas station in about six minutes. The EDISON group, which includes the Technical University of Denmark and its and its Risø-DTU research center, as well as Denmark’s Dong Energy and local electric utility Østkraft, the Eurisco R&D center, and IBM as well as Siemens, initially wants to develop a 43.5KW rapid charge capability for a 20 minute charge on a 400V 63Amp connection. Once successful, the consortium will try to develop the 300KW system that charges the batteries in six minutes. Via: Gas2
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Eco Tech: Siemens to develop six minute charging tech for electric vehicles
From the world’s largest Christmas star that now hovers above the A9 Autobahn near Munich’s northern gateway–after a year of engineering, modeling, and trials–to the renaming of the world’s tallest waterfall–deep within the Venezuelan jungle–a lot happened this week in green. New research reveals that excessive use of disinfectants could be spawning mutant bacteria capable of resisting the strongest antibiotics, readers sent in the green New Year’s resolutions for our weekly slideshow, and we continued to round out the year with our Decade in Review and Best and Worst of 2009. Find out what else happened in the world of… Read the full story on TreeHugger
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The Week in Pictures: Wind Turbine Christmas Star, 10 Years in Green, Mutant Superbugs, and More
photo via WCS Most people when they think back on 2009 might not think of it as the quadricentennial of Henry Hudson’s famous voyage of 1609, but for fans of the Mannahatta Project, it has been a year to celebrate. Mannahatta, the book was a big hit, mentioned on many holiday-round up lists, including an Editor’s Choice from Barnes & Noble and Planetizen ‘s list of best urban design books. There were also wonderful exhibitions at the Mus… Read the full story on TreeHugger
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2009 Year of the Mannahatta Project
Photos via AFP Japanese researchers have produced a new species of goldfish with see-through skin. You can see the fish’s beating heart, brain, and other internal organs, right through its invisible scales. And that’s precisely the point–the scientists created the fish to eliminate the need for dissections, which are getting ever more controversial… Read the full story on TreeHugger
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Japanese Scientists Create See-Through Goldfish
Are fireworks green ? Photo by Kev Gibbo via Flickr A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other, as the saying goes. So start by staying home tonight and watch Earthcam to see New Year’s Eve celebrations in 35 locations around the world. Earthcam will webcast the LED ball drop in Times Square from various viewpoints among the crowd of one million gathered for the world’s largest party. So save fuel… Read the full story on TreeHugger
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Watch New Year’s Countdowns Around the World and Jump Start Your Green Resolutions
Photo via IndoSpectrum As early as last month, there were estimated to be at least 1500 sea lions off of San Francisco ‘s famous Pier 39. Now, most appear to have all but vanished. A few stragglers lounge on piers where hundreds of sea lions used to lay in massive stacks–so where did the famous mammals go?… Read the full story on TreeHugger
For five weeks beginning January 13th, I’ll be working with a small group of 7th and 8th grade girls interested in fashion. My assistant is a fashion design student from the local high school, a 16 year-old honor student who has already showed me her 23-piece collection. Together, we’ll engage the kids with recycling and reusing everyday items like milk jugs, candy wrappers, toilet paper rolls and cereal boxes, fashioning them into dresses, skirts, innovative hats and whatever else they come up with. It’s Eco Fashion 101 for budding designers. Not only do I hope the class is fun and a refreshing change of pace from their regular academic routine, I hope they learn something about sustainable design and reusing. While we have a multi-generational work force now in the sustainable design, field pushing the boundaries of fabric and form, these younger kids are our future . What they learn now matters. I take inspiration for the course from a few fascinating people and groups working to make their own fashion mark. In November, the British Fashion Council launched an ethical clothing initiative called esthethica . Six designers, including Ada Zanditon , Christopher Raeburn , Goodone , Minna , Nina Dolcetti and The North Circular were selected for a mentoring program to make their businesses greener. All six designer businesses have been selected to receive one on one expert support from one of three industry mentors: brand consultants Susanne Tide-Frater and Yasmin Sewell and buying consultant Bev Malik. Another grooming venue, the Chicago Fashion Incubator , which meets at the city’s Macy’s on State Street, provides six emerging Chicago-based designers with workspace and education about the business of fashion and mentoring. The Designers in Residence are provided office space, including computers and software, a workshop room with sample production space and a resource section as well as a showroom (not to mention the help of of Chicago’s eco-darling Lara Miller). Just south of where I write, New York City’s own Nolcha has fast become the platform for emerging and independent fashion talent. Securing their inaugural Ethical Fashion Preview of Spring/Summer 2010 last September at New York’s Carlton Hotel (a true success for the participating eco-designers), Kerry Bannigan at Nolcha says, “We’re super excited about our first step into the ethical fashion world. It’s absolutely on trend in the industry, yet there’s never been a professional hub to showcase ethical designers in New York before now. This is a peak time to launch our Ethical Fashion Preview.” Nolcha’s success linking the fashion industry has helped new fashion entrepreneurs learn what it takes to evolve in the challenging industry from all angles. Here’s to hoping they do even more in the sustainable design realm. In the back rooms of high-end department stores, in the dusty brick buildings of cities and studios near and far, these young men and women are being groomed for big things. Seeing as we’re a society that defines ourselves through what we wear most of the time, we should pay heed. My New Year’s wish? That we all make a conscious effort to support them. Take some time today to learn more about groups in your city or town that are engaging our future designers and see how you can help. It’ll be way easier than starting your new diet and exercise regiment. I promise. Main image: esthethica
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A Sustainable New Year’s Wish
Photo via Climate Ground Zero In what could turn out to be a violation of their constitutional rights, 4 climate activists were arrested and taken to jail last Tuesday for trespassing. Specifically, they were charged for hanging up a banner that read “Yes, Coal is Killing West Virginia’s Communities” during a peaceful demonstration on October 10th. But the activists have been held in jail for 2 days now on that charge–a charge that is typically handled by a summons by mail, and for which the maximum fine is a scant $100. And it looks like they’ll be sp… Read the full story on TreeHugger
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Activists to Spend New Year’s in Jail for Flying Anti-Coal Banner
Revelers rejoice at the greenz.jp Christmas party in Tokyo. It’s time when everybody thinks how they can spend a fun, entertaining and warm time with friends and families. But it’s also a time to re-think how fortunate we are to be able to celebrate this happiness. So we decided to throw not just an ordinary Christmas party but something that would be meaningful and fulfilling to many people. At greenz.jp, we held the green drinks Tokyo Xmas Special kindly supported by Sanyo Electric’s eneloop… Read the full story on TreeHugger
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The Green Drinks Tokyo Holiday Dispatch
Photo via the Portland Mercury Yup, the aughts or naughts or naughties or whatever you want to call them have been confirmed to be the hottest decade in recorded history –a full 0.2 degrees C warmer than the nineties. And now, as Joe Romm puts it, ” the hottest decade begins .” So were do we stand?… Read the full story on TreeHugger
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And Thus Ends the Hottest Decade on Record . . .