Here’s a quick re-cap of interesting science and technology posts from our Keetsa Eco-Friendly Blog this week:

Solar-powered bike Cycle Sol may allow bikers to re-use the power of the sun.  Portable Eco-Frienldy Fridges are really neat idea.  Here’s a commercial Wind-Power Charger for all your gadgets.  Solar Powered Traffic Lights are definitely in these days.  Solar Powered Trash Compactor is another one that big cities should start using more of.

For more, check out Keetsa!

With the gas prices these days, it makes sense that you do your part to help cut down on energy costs.

Here’s a couple tips for green commuting:

1. If you drive an SUV or anything that guzzles gas more than 20MPG, you should really either get a smaller vehicle for commuting or take public transportation.

2. If you want to have fun while saving gas, try getting yourself a motorcycle such as the Suzuki GSX-R1000 pictured above, you will get 50MPG+ on every commute to work while being able to cut through dense traffic.  (In California, it’s legal to drive between cars, of course, this isn’t super safe but pretty safe if you are in a dead-stop traffic.)  This is the method I used to use when I had a 9 to 5 (8 to 5 actually) job.

Electric cars are great but they still get you stuck in traffic with its massive body, a bike is probably the most efficient way to get around without having to spend more time in public transportation or dead-stop traffic.

3. Public transportation is great for saving some money and you can relax while going to work.  Even better, get a netbook equipped with a broadband card then you can surf the web while going to work.  Map out the shortest public route using Google’s bus route feature.  (I use this on my Blackberry on the go if I am taking buses in San Francisco and works great for real-time adjustments)

4. Move to an urban area with lots of people and public transportation, preferably a metrolpolitan city such as San Francisco or New York.  If you are going to live in LA, you will have to suffer the consequences of bad traffic and long travels between “anything”.  Avoid cities where you must drive a lot or in constant traffic.

Metropolitan cities dense with population usually means short walking distances to most things in life such as groceries, retail shops, etc…etc…  On an average, people in big cities save more energy since a big percentage of people use transportation and are also more green-conscious.

I have to admit to living in a suburban neighborhood where it took 5 miles to get to 7-eleven or even a gas station, that’s a big waste anytime you want to do something.

If you really feel you can’t be a city slicker, you will need to get the Suzuki Gixxer man…

5. If you job can be done from your home computer, ask your boss if you can work from home at least once a week.  Everybody’s doing this and if your boss says no, he’s called an A-hole.

6. If you do drive your car, make a short to-do list of where and what so you get everything done efficiently.

7. Turn your electronic devices off when not in use such as the cable box, lights, etc…etc…

8. STAY AWAY FROM TRAFFIC whenever possible.  Always schedule yourself to stay out of rush traffic hours.

I used to go to work 5 in the morning just so I could avoid traffic, you should too since early bird eats the worm.

Well, I am sure there’s more stuff you can do, it’s really common sense and trying to help earth will also help your life.

Drink a lot of beer in the bottles and have too much recycling every week?

Don’t worry, you can turn your empty beer bottles into powerful solar-powered LED beer lanterns that will light up your house at night for free.

Al Gore and company have helped us to see that our planet is in peril. Lend a hand, make a toast, and help illuminate ways for saving Earth — all at the same time! It’s easy to do your part: recycle, refill, and recharge. Just take your fave beverage bottle (keep the cap), drop in a flexible solar panel, a step-up switching regulator circuit, a rechargeable battery pack, and a powerful LED, cap it, and you’ll have a self-sufficient garden lantern that is ideal for shedding some light on solving environmental issues. You will have to choose your bottle carefully, though. Clear glass rules. Also, wide-mouth bottles are easier to convert than narrow opening long-neckers. Like your grandfather who built ships in discarded bottles, put a modern spin on bottle building while being conscientious of your world. Cheers!

via popsci

Here’s a man who built an artificial island off the coast of Mexico and lived there for 7 years.

This is a great idea, if you want to live on one but not build it yourself, you can check out Dubai’s newest man-made islands here.  You can also check out these pics of the artifical island.

If you need more ideas, make sure to check out the Top 10 Man Made Islands in the world here too.

On this man made island, you’ll find a two-story house — comprised of 250,000 bottles, complete with self-composting toilet, and a solar-powered oven. It was located in a lagoon off the coast of Mexico until Hurricane Emily destroyed the work of art in 2005. However, Rishi Sowa has built a second island in Isla Mujeres, Mexico.

via techeblog

It’s that time again, yes, it’s a Saturday and we are still working…AND it’s time for Weekly Wrapup of Eco-friendly and Green Posts from our Eco Blog!

1. Bill Gates invests in Bio-Fuel and we think that’s a great move by the billionaire.
2. Walmart will be offering hormone-free milk, wait, they added hormones before then?
3. Hemp Drinks may be the start of many hemp food products to come.
4. Check out Top 5 Resources for Green Jobs if you are an eco-geek.
5. Install Eco Showerdrop to save water and earth.
6. More cool eco-friendly bags…
7. Sarah Palin’s Energy Plan for Alaska cracks me up, now I really don’t want to vote for her.  (No offense Alaskans but it seems Alaska’s energy plan seems really redneck to me…I cannot imagine her as Vice President and carving up Mooses carcasses, why the hell would you want to do that I dont know…)
8. Eco-friendly bags made from old aircraft seats!
9. Eco-frienldy Hair Dryer found!
10. Yey, eco-friendly Webcam rules!

Well that’s all folks for the wrapup, make sure to check out the Eco-friendly and Green Blog if you want to knock yourself out with greenies.

Well, it took me all day to get all my sites running today, there’s was a massive DoS attack by some hackers I had to take care of.

With that cleared away, here’s how to make some inexpensive solar cell panels.

Mike Davis is an astronomer. To practice his hobby away from the light-pollution of cities, he bought some land in a remote part of Arizona. But there was a problem: No electricity…. But he’s a resourceful fellow. He built some home-made solar panels using inexpensive blemished and damaged solar cells from eBay!

via treehugger

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A Korean-born designer has designed what seems like “air bubble” chair that pumps itself when you walk.

I think this is a really great idea for concerts and outdoor events where people have to stand constantly.

For example, it would be great to have this while watching Tiger Woods play in a real PGA Tournament, you’d have a chair for every hole you are at. (or wherever you are at)

Just don’t take the bus with the chair inflated, make sure to deflate the thing first.

Artist and interactive designer, JooYoun Paek takes the cake on that front with her recently revealed Self-Sustainable Chair, a wearable piece of furniture which is a dress where the butt inflates into a chair through pumps in the shoes. Paek hopes the provocative art piece will “transform the humdrum experiences produced by routine walking commutes into an amusing interactive performance.” Featured at this weekend’s Conflux Festival, her quirky and intriguing project suggests that rest and walk can be balanced by re-thinking the function of what we wear.

via inhabitat

Wow, here’s Clorox Toilet Bleach substitute that will make your toilet cleaner while saving earth from harmful chemicals going down the drain into the ocean.

All Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner

1 cup vinegar
1/2 cup baking soda

The very simple procedure that goes along with this recipe is……Put the vinegar into the toilet bowl. Leave it be and have a cup of coffee…..give yourself say 30 minutes, so grab a magazine to read while you are sipping your coffee. Return to the toilet after you are finished reading, grad your toilet brush and dip it into the toilet. Take it out, and sprinkle some baking soda onto the brush. Scour the inside of the toilet with the brush repeating the sprinkle procedure until the baking soda is gone…..voila! Clean Toilet!

via keetsa

Lizard made from Soda and Bottle Caps!

Check out this cool lizard, all made from soda and bottle caps.

What’s interesting is the artist behind this Lizard, Val Hunt makes all kinds of neat things with recycled material (crap).  We need more artists like this who can turn something trash into work of art.

Great stuff Val, keep ‘em coming.

Reincarnated Rubbish is Val Hunt’s touring solo exhibition. Despite her use of manufactured materials from foil, take-away containers, computer parts and especially drinks can metal much of her inspiration comes from natural forms. Patterns, colours and logos aften appear on the finished, expertly crafted objects.

via arthunt