An dochasac - Slashdot User

Submission + - A Technological Ring of Gyges vs the Environment (greenprophet.com)

Submitted by

An dochasac

on Tuesday January 01, 2013 @07:21AM

An dochasac writes: "Many people believe technology can get us out of the environmental mess we're in but here is a strong argument that technology got us into this mess by giving each of us a 'Ring of Gyges', hiding our ecological footprint from our neighbors and even from ourselves. Can information technology destroy this technological ring of Gyges and help consumers see the impact of our choices?"

Submission + - Hannukah and Other Celebrations of Efficient Lighting

Submitted by An dochasac on Friday December 07, 2012 @06:24AM

An dochasac writes: Each December as nights grow long, people of the Jewish faith celebrate an ancient miracle of efficiency. In our oil-soaked, electrified age it is difficult to understand what it meant for the Maccabees to enjoy eight days of light from one day’s supply of oil.

After an early Persian usage of kerosene lighting, people relied on vegetable and animal fats for indoor lighting. For several hundred years whale oil was the best indoor lighting fuel, but when the world neared "peak whale oil," whalers who'd previously prospered in local waters now toiled dangerous waters of the high arctic and southern ocean. Moby Dick's narrator warns:

“For God’s sake, be economical with your lamps and candles. Not a gallon you burn, but at least one drop of man’s blood was spilled for it.”

We've finally come to a time when each of those eye-watering blue LED "holiday lights" can distract Christians from the context of Christmas for six months on the equivalent of one day's supply of menorah oil. Here is the history of this... uh... progress in efficient lighting.

Submission + - Fun-powered SOcket ball provides 3 hours of light from a 30 minute soccer game

Submitted by An dochasac on Monday December 03, 2012 @06:59PM

An dochasac writes: From the why-didn't-I-think-of-that department: Harvard students Hemali Thakker, Julia Silverman, Jessica O. Matthews and Jessica Lin received grants from the Clinton Global Initiative University to develop a prototype of a soccer ball that generates electricity to illuminate homes in the developing world. Jessica Matthews and Julia Silverman went on to found a company called Unchartedplay to manufacture this SOccket ball and try to organize sponsorship for the balls to be sent where they are needed the most.

Submission + - Robotic umbrella forest to keep Hajj pilgrims cool (greenprophet.com)

Submitted by

An dochasac

on Friday March 23, 2012 @06:46AM

An dochasac writes: "The annual Hajj pilgrimage is expected to bring over three million Muslims to Al-Masjid al-Nabaw mosque in Medina this year. The dry Saudi Arabian climate with temperatures exceeding 100F makes this a punishing and potentially dangerous event for pilgrims gathered in the shadeless marble plaza. German designers, SL-Rasch, in collaboration with Sefar Architecture, conceived a landscape of high-tech sunscreens that span the 150,000 square meter forecourts, a total area larger than the mosque’s footprint. The 250 convertible umbrellas, each 20 meters tall, are sized to fill the courts’ proportions, converting the open plazas into fully covered outdoor rooms.

These umbrellas open and close on demand to provide shade during daylight, trap heat at night and collect precious rainwater. They are also beautiful, fitting in well with the traditional architecture of Mohammad's second mosque."

Submission + - ESL - A CRT-based Replacement for CFL Lights Without the Mercury (greenprophet.com)

Submitted by

An dochasac

on Monday March 12, 2012 @08:55AM

An dochasac writes: "Everyone knows incandescent lights are inefficient little space heaters which happen to convert 5% of their incoming energy to light. Compact Fluorescents (CFLs) are more efficient but they contain toxic brain-eating mercury and emit a greenish light. LEDs are also efficient and last longer but if their blueish 'white' light doesn't mess up your melatonin balance, their price is high enough to wreck your checking account balance and give you the blues.

A company called Vu1 has come up with something called Electron Stimulated Luminance (ESL) lights which claim to solve the mercury and price problem with a light based on Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) technology. These lights have the warm color balance of incandescents and are compatible with dimmer switches. Here are some ESL details along with an explanation of why it's still a bad idea to say these are "trash can safe.""

Submission + - ESL lights, (greenprophet.com)

Submitted by

An dochasac

on Monday March 12, 2012 @07:13AM

An dochasac writes: "Everyone knows incandescent lights are inefficient little space heaters which happen to convert 5% of their incoming energy to light. Compact Fluorescents (CFLs) are more efficient but they contain toxic brain-eating mercury and emit a greenish light. LEDs are also efficient and last longer but if their blueish 'white' light doesn't mess up your melatonin balance, their high price is likely to give you the blues and wreck your bank account balance.

A company called Vu1 has come up with something called Electron Stimulated Luminance (ESL) lights which claim to solve the mercury and price problem in a light which has the warm color balance of incandescents and is compatible with dimmer switches. It's based on CRT technology. Here are some more ESL details along with an explanation of why it's still a bad idea to say these are "trash can safe.""

Slashdot Top Deals