Digging into environmental topics that matter.
Latest Blog Entries
Video: The Solartaxi Arrives in China
Date: May 11, 2008, posted by Erik Schmitt
China - what is China? What can we expect from a country that is said to build a new coalplant each week? Our first impressions of the country are suprising. We are welcomed by a country that is working on solutions to global warming, and that realises that it has to happen quickly. The solartaxi is fully acknowledged as one of the solutions, and was greatly welcomed.
Related: China | Solartaxi Vinod Khosla on the Future of CleanTech Innovation
Date: May 09, 2008, posted by vonross
Newschecker: Ups and Downs
Date: May 08, 2008, posted by joni
Newschecker is short and sweet this week. Artists EcoArtTech have developed a mobile solar powered, GPS enabled robot that’s senses changes in the environment, pollution levels and even terrorist threats! It then projects this data via video projection onto the nearest available surface. The Environmental Risk Assessment Rover–AT, Version 1.0 is on display at the Off The Grid exhibition in New York.
Image from EcoArtTech
In America, they are promoting the use of bikes in May. The League of American Bicyclists is promoting Bike-to-Work Week from May 12-16 and Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 16. Need some ideas? Check their website for 50 ways to celebrate bike month.
Wired magazine have a photo contest inviting readers to send in photos of different forms of mobility in their countries. It is a varied and interesting overview of everything from trains , planes and automobiles, and a few other surprises! Check out the pictures here.
Image "The no 12 Tram by Calum Davidson" from www.wired .com
Related: EchoArtTech | Mobility | tram 
Image from EcoArtTech
In America, they are promoting the use of bikes in May. The League of American Bicyclists is promoting Bike-to-Work Week from May 12-16 and Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 16. Need some ideas? Check their website for 50 ways to celebrate bike month.
Wired magazine have a photo contest inviting readers to send in photos of different forms of mobility in their countries. It is a varied and interesting overview of everything from trains , planes and automobiles, and a few other surprises! Check out the pictures here.

Image "The no 12 Tram by Calum Davidson" from www.wired .com
New Video Series: The Solartaxi
Date: May 06, 2008, posted by Erik Schmitt
Over bumpy roads, the Solartaxi has arrived in China. Another part of the world and another adventure to go on. Of course you’ll get all the amazing images through my regular video blogs coming soon. So stay tuned!
But… after my impressions from almost six months travelling with the Solartaxi, I’d say that the tour is so much more than just the spectacular action on the road. This is why I have decided to share our personal thoughts and concerns with you in a new video series from behind the scenes: Unvarnished, uncensored, simply “uncut”. Exclusive on clubofpioneers.com! Watch Louis in our first episode with his first impressions of China!
Related: China | Erik Schmitt | Louis Palmer | Solartaxi But… after my impressions from almost six months travelling with the Solartaxi, I’d say that the tour is so much more than just the spectacular action on the road. This is why I have decided to share our personal thoughts and concerns with you in a new video series from behind the scenes: Unvarnished, uncensored, simply “uncut”. Exclusive on clubofpioneers.com! Watch Louis in our first episode with his first impressions of China!
Series: The Future of Car Design - The Audi Virtuea
Date: May 02, 2008, posted by Joerg
In the last report from our future car design series we talked about the carpool vision of Honda. Now we present a completely different approach to future mobility: It's all about the single-seat design of the Audi Virtuea Quattro!

Though such a concept might not be very efficient in minimizing traffic, the Audi Virtuea contributes to the health of the environment by using hydrogen as an energy source. But what's really amazing about this car is its ability to change its exterior design! The Audi Virtuea functions as a solid unit at its core, while providing thousands of possible holographic exteriors stored in a library and accessible through the vehicle's interactive holographic interface. The driver can switch between different designs from one minute to the next and without any environmental impact, as no physical materials are needed to create the design, regardless of size.
Another remarkable feature is the Community Processing Unit of the Audi Virtuea. It connects by wireless with the processing units of the surrounding vehicles, thus allowing for collective memory and active symbiosis. And in case you notice the picture of the solid unit and wonder if it has any wheels - it does: the spherical wheels enable the vehicle to maneuver in every direction.
Images: Audi
Related: Audi, Virtuea, car design 
Though such a concept might not be very efficient in minimizing traffic, the Audi Virtuea contributes to the health of the environment by using hydrogen as an energy source. But what's really amazing about this car is its ability to change its exterior design! The Audi Virtuea functions as a solid unit at its core, while providing thousands of possible holographic exteriors stored in a library and accessible through the vehicle's interactive holographic interface. The driver can switch between different designs from one minute to the next and without any environmental impact, as no physical materials are needed to create the design, regardless of size.
Another remarkable feature is the Community Processing Unit of the Audi Virtuea. It connects by wireless with the processing units of the surrounding vehicles, thus allowing for collective memory and active symbiosis. And in case you notice the picture of the solid unit and wonder if it has any wheels - it does: the spherical wheels enable the vehicle to maneuver in every direction.
Images: Audi
Newchecker: Ups and Downs
Date: April 29, 2008, posted by joni
Some news items that caught our eye this week.
As promised we have been keeping watch on the Milan Design Fair. One of the great mobility ideas to come out of it were the cute No More Gas electric vehicles by Meyers Motors. They can travel up to 75 m/hour and if you want to see more, there’s an informative video on their site here.

The No More Gas vehicles Of course we are also in love with the new Caravan by Verdier, with its ‘Sun Tracker’ solar cell technology, GPS and on-board computer to keep the cells in an optimal position as the sun moves.

Image of the Verdier caravan
Meanwhile Australia is unveiling many new sustainable initiatives to coincide with the 2030 summit about the future. One exciting proposal is Frasers Broadway, which is to be the most sustainable development in Australia. It includes new uses for the old Kent Brewery, a staple fixture of the cities skyline. Inhabitat has a good report about it too.

Green plans for the Frasers development in Sydney
Related: Frasers | No more gas | verdier As promised we have been keeping watch on the Milan Design Fair. One of the great mobility ideas to come out of it were the cute No More Gas electric vehicles by Meyers Motors. They can travel up to 75 m/hour and if you want to see more, there’s an informative video on their site here.

The No More Gas vehicles

Image of the Verdier caravan
Meanwhile Australia is unveiling many new sustainable initiatives to coincide with the 2030 summit about the future. One exciting proposal is Frasers Broadway, which is to be the most sustainable development in Australia. It includes new uses for the old Kent Brewery, a staple fixture of the cities skyline. Inhabitat has a good report about it too.

Green plans for the Frasers development in Sydney
Video: Martina Gedeck about the BMW Hydrogen 7
Date: April 27, 2008, posted by Joerg
She is one of Germany`s most renowned actresses: Martina Gedeck earned her outstanding reputation in movies like the Oscar-winning “The Lives of Others” or “Bella Martha”. She is noted for her careful choice of roles and her sincere screen incarnations of characters – which she impressively demonstrates again as Ulrike Meinhof and Clara Schumann in movies coming up this year. When it comes to environmental matters, Martina Gedeck is no less sincere, as she told us when we met her at the Brandenburger Hof Hotel in Berlin. This is one of the reasons why she gave us her testimonial about the BMW Hydrogen 7 which she used for several months. Watch our video interview!
Related: BMW | BMW Hydrogen 7 | Hydrogen | Martina Gedeck | The Life of Others | Next Page >> |
BMW
Berlin
Germany
Hydrogen 7
IAA
Louis Palmer
Solartaxi
climate change
sustainability
sustainable lifestyle
Search for tag
Learn more about our bloggers, their own sites and what they really care about
more



