Don't kill! Think green.

What do you think it will take to save livestock on a farm in Kenya from lions?  Bows and arrows or guns?

None of the above.  Pick this up from 13 years old, Richard Turere.  All you need are:

1) five flashlight bulbs
2) a car battery
3) a solar panel

Don't believe me?  Watch this video.



And for his environmentally friendly effort, Richard was offered a scholarship to study at The Brookhouse International School.  How great is that?

It just shows that you don't have to kill your enemies in order to survive.  Just think green.

Earth friendly with less

If your batteries are all mingled up and you do not know which are still good to use, there are battery testers in the market to help salvage them from the lot.  This is what I have.

Here is another way for you to test your battery life without any gadgets.  See if it works for you too.

Can we find ways that will help us reduce our reliance on "gadgets" and be more earth friendly?  A great activity to start working on for earth month, don't you agree?

A reason to stay slim and green.

Forward! Let's charge! Not with bow and arrows, please.

Just with SolePower insoles placed in your shoes, you can start charging a battery fastened around your ankle or to the top of your shoe just by walking around.

 How far must you go to fully charge the battery for, let's say, an iPhone? Currently, a two-and-a-half to five miles (4-8km) walk will do, which designers, Tom Krupenkin and J. Ashley Taylor, hope to bring down to the minimum distance.

Cool. That sounds like a gadget that will allow shopaholics to proudly say that they have been out charging all day.

For the heavy users, which I mean here, as being overweight; if this gadget starts selling, it will provide a good reason for them to reduce some weight as it can only accommodate users of up to 350 lb (159 kg).

Back Tom and Ashley up at KickStarter if you want this gadget.

 

I like the idea that there is a "buy one pair, send one free" programme for those in need living in a 3rd world country.

Need photos? Put down that digital camera!

According to Japanese camera industry's statistics, a digital camera uses about twice as much resource and energy compared to the old fashion film camera of the same grade or price. I have a big collection of used batteries to confirm this statement by Ryuji Suzuki of Silver Grain, a company that supplies environmental friendly photographic chemicals.

But going digital is so convenient when there is a need to share lots of photos electronically. So, what can an environmentally conscious blogger like me, who post lots of photos on my blog, do about it?

I put down my digital camera and did a search to learn more about the AAA batteries I have been using. According to Cnet:

1) Rechargeable Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) based batteries are better for the environment than disposables.

2) The lithium type disposable batteries tend to last the longest and make cameras speedier compared to alkaline, oxy-alkaline.

3) Alkalines batteries do not last long and so is not good for the environment

I am on a look out for battery conservation tips and here are some I have spotted:

1) Turn off your digital camera when not in use.
2) LCD viewfinder drains battery.
3) Control using the playback mode after each shot.
4) Compact Flash cards use less power compared to the miniature MicroDrive media hard drives.

I rather like the write up by Health Care Without Harm about the recycling and disposal options of all kind of batteries used in the health care industries. Reading it will give you an idea of the kind of hazardous material each type of battery would produce.

I am also on a look out for sources of free graphics and photos for my blogs.

Used batteries. Anyone?

I post many photos on my blogs so I have been using lots of batteries for my digital camera. The recyclers who drive around my housing estate to collect recyclables do not take used batteries like these.

What would you do with them?



Me? I hid the batteries between folds of plastic bags and created a flora piece.



Like it? You can learn to make your own.