The Scoop on Peepoo Bags
For areas like Kenya and Bangladesh that lack widespread toilet facilities (and, therefore, clean water and sanitation), the folks at Pee Poople will begin offering their biodegradable Peepoo bags, says TreeHugger. Here's how it works: the inner bag has a liner coated with urea that breaks down the bag's contents into ammonia and carbonate. In about 2-4 weeks, feces is safe to be used for fertilizer. The plastic bag biodegrates quickly and is currently made of 45 percent renewable materials (they plan to become 100 percent in the near future) For further details on how to use the bag that we won't get into, visit their web site.
-- Lisa Lombardi
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November 06, 2009
TEDMED Conference
The fifth TEDMED conference finished last week, and videos of all the talks will be up in a few months on the web site. TED Talks are always interesting and innovative, and with all that's going on in our country regarding health care, these topics should be especially engaging. Be sure to look for talks on topics such as "Can My iPhone Save my Life?" by New York Times columnist David Pogue, "Can a Video Game Cure Cancer?" by Steve W. Cole of Hopelab, and "Can We End Aging?" by Aubrey De Grey of the SENS Foundation. Along with specialists, researchers, and foundation representatives, lecturers include Martha Stewart, Goldie Hawn, David Blaine, and Aimee Mullins.
-- Lisa Lombardi
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November 04, 2009
Aerophobia App: Whoopi-Approved!
Virgin Atlantic just released an app-version of its popular 'Flying Without Fear' course which features an instructional video on the flight process, relaxation techniques, and answers to frequently asked questions. The company claims that the course has a 98 percent success rate, but don't take their word for it -- just listen to what Whoopi Goldberg has to say about it:
"I was a skeptic. I hadn't flown in 13 years, but after doing their program, I understood that while my fear was real, there were many things I didn't know or had misinformation about, which they were able to clear up. So what happened? The program works. I now fly. It's that simple."
The app costs $4.99 and even comes with a panic button.
-- Lisa Lombardi
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October 15, 2009
Improve Your Rugby Through Virtual Reality
Medical News Today reports that The School of Psychology at Belfast's Queen's University have been working with the Ulster rugby team by testing the player's visual perception through a range of virtual training scenarios. The testing goes beyond a regular computer game as players wear backpacking of sensors and a helmet, allowing them a 360 degree of the virtual field. The game is meant to both help scientist better understand the different decisions made by players in various situations, providing insight into the decision making process. Watch a clip of the game testers run around like blind monkeys and learn more about the program on the Queen's University website.
--Alison Kelman
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October 14, 2009
Engineered Reefs Make Big Waves
There's nothing better than an innovation that helps the plane and adventure junkies alike. TreeHugger talks about how ASR Limited, a company that recreates coral reef ecosystems, has created a new reef system that prevents erosion and forms killer waves. Their current, almost-complete reef is based near the English town of Bournemouth, and should improve the aquatic ecosystem while establishing the area as a destination for surfers and snorkelers.
-- Lisa Lombardi
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Automakers Add Noise to Hybrids
By now, you may have heard the ruckus about how Hybrid cars are too quiet, which has safety experts worried that people won't hear them coming. The good news (uh, maybe), reports the New York Times, is that Hybrid automakers are now working to equip cars with artificial sounds. Fisker, Nissan, and Toyota are all automotive companies that have been working on these "car tones." Next year, Fisker's Karma will emit a sound similar to a "cross between a starship and a Formula One race car." If that doesn't sound appealing to you, the future may bring the option of letting drivers choose their preferred type of vroom.
-- Lisa Lombardi
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October 07, 2009
The Good Route: Curbside Ski Recycling? Maybe Someday.
Last month, we sang the praises of ski swaps as a great way to give new life to old skis and snowboards. But events such as swaps will never divert all old ski sticks and boots from the landfill. Fortunately, there's a concerted effort underway to turn the gear no one wants back into useful items—and maybe even back into skis and snowboards.
Last year, the Snowsports Industries of America (SIA) started a pilot program in which it collected unwanted skis, snowboards and boots at participating ski shops in Colorado and then put them through a multi-step recycling process in order to separate the metal and plastic materials. The plastics can then be used as feedstock for building materials and flooring (Trek lumber is a good example).
"The pilot program was highly successful," says Greg Schneider, the recycling program manager, "we collected 100 tons of equipment."
Continue reading "The Good Route: Curbside Ski Recycling? Maybe Someday." »
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October 02, 2009
Generate Electricity While You Hike
This video posted by the Adventure Blog demonstrates the functions of a new backpack that generates electricity as you walk. The pack collects energy as it bounces up and down with your body, allowing the wearer to recharge batteries, iPods, satellite phones, etc. The military has taken a particular interest in the new pack as it will allow soldiers to carry fewer heavy batteries.
--Alison Kelman
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September 30, 2009
Track Calories and Sleep with Fitbit
Laughing, walking up stairs, opening a bottle of wine -- they're all activities that burn calories, and with the Fitbit, you can track just how many calories, along with how many steps you take in a day, and how many hours of sleep you get at night. The sensor uses technology similar to that found in Nintendo's Wii to track your motions and can record minutes details like how long it took you to fall asleep, and how many times you woke up during the night. For things like how many calories you consume, or calories burned doing activities like biking, the Fitbit web site has ways to help you track that, too.
-- Lisa Lombardi
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September 24, 2009
New Online Tools for Better Traveling
By now, savvy travelers know about most of the web tools that are useful for planning a trip: Sidestep. Farecaster (now Bing). GoogleMaps. However, CNET has managed to round up a bunch of helpful sites with new features, from a page that maps out the most comfortable seats on an airplane to deals from Amtrak for high schoolers on a college visit. Do you have any other must-use web sites for trip planning?
-- Lisa Lombardi
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