Car Sharing

Ever heard of car sharing? I hadn't either until getting the latest TerraPass newsletter in which they talk about a company called Flexcar. Flexcar is a company that owns a fleet of cars, all of which are fuel efficient and 30% of which are hybrids. The way it works is you pay an hourly fee (usually $8 per) to use the vehicle. That's it, there are none of the typical costs associated with owning or operating a car.



From the TerraPass blog: "The U.S. Transportation Research Board reports that each car-sharing vehicle takes up to 15 private cars off the road. Seventy percent of respondents in a 2005 study said they postponed buying a car because of car-sharing. Half of those interviewed said car-sharing enabled them to sell an existing second car....This arrangement should encourage drivers to eliminate unnecessary trips, and indeed, surveys show that roughly half of Flexcar drivers report driving less after becoming members, with an average reduction of almost 40%."

Of course, TerraPass isn't talking about Flexcar just to talk about them. No. They've announced a joint partnership where Flexcar users can buy a Green Membership for $9.99 and they will aid in taking a billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions out of the atmosphere.

The idea of car sharing isn't just unique and original, it's revolutionary. Who knows if it will catch on nationwide but they already have a significant presence in many cities including Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Philadelphia. Hopefully soon they'll come here and we'll get to try them out.

More info:

Flex!

TerrPass Blog Post

Vertical Farm Update

Now Iconoculture has caught on to this (you may remember I posted and talked about an article I read on the vertical farm concept a couple months back). Here's what Iconoculture has to say on the subject:

"Consumers living in large metropolitan areas may be struggling with the desire to buy locally grown produce and the lack of availability. The creative solutions, whether a complex skyscraper design or simply a small indoor garden, will likely connect with those looking for a way to lessen their impact on the planet."

Also, Toronto is bandying about the idea of building a Sky Farm downtown, the building's 58 floors would have nearly 3 million sq. feet of floor and 8 million sq. ft. of farmable surface, or growing area.



Pretty cool. And personally I think it would be great to have a cluster of three 35–40 story buildings in Denver that were vertical farms. Not only would it make it easier for people here to buy locally grown produce but it would be great for the economy in terms of our exports. How often do we hear of late frosts (or other bad weather) severly hampering our crops of corn, cherries, peaches, apricots, etc.? A climate controlled environment could guarantee that a certain amount would always be available. Plus, by making the buildings not only green but a source of renewable energy (recycling rain/snow water as well as turning sewage into gray water) we're aiding the health of our own local environment.

Cool Wall Art

OK, this ain't exactly new as this was put up before last year's World Cup. However, it's the first time I had seen it and I thought it was pretty cool. This is some mural art Nike did in Berlin promoting its involvement with soccer.

The Future is Here! (almost)

The two latest technologies revealing that the future is right around the corner:

Releasing this fall from Microsoft is a kind of revolution in computing, or at least in interfacing. For those of you that have watched, as I have, shows like Star Trek or Minority Report and said to yourself, "That'll be the day! When computing can be done with your hands, just you interfacing directly with the computer." Well that day is (almost) here. And the product's name? Surface.

The Surface Site

Popular Mechanics In-Depth Article

Geektastic Article from a Geektastic Blog

Wiki-wiki-wikipedia

In the future television will be everywhere! Again echoing sci-fi visions from the likes of Minority Report, Star Wars, Total Recall, etc. we will soon be able to watch TV, well, anywhere. Scientists are perfecting a technology that is essentially paper TV. A TV screen that's paper thin and pliable—it can be bent and because it's so thin it won't break. This technology can also be applieed to other media, like clothing, so you can wear a TV on your t-shirt that isn't bulky like current video screen tees, but feels completely natural.

Paper TV!

Paper Thin TV, Take Two!

But that's just the beginning! Also in the works is a technology using OLED, Organic Light Emitting Diodes. In other words a living TV. Because they're organic they can exist in organic compounds, like paint. So in the not-too-far distant future you will be able to buy paint for your living room that is not only a lovely, complementing shade for your sofa but it's also your TV screen.

And much like Microsoft Surface manufacturers are working on technology that literally allows you to watch TV anywhere...not just a wall, but you can turn it on to your counter top or on the back of the person in front of you in the elevator.

BUT those don't compare to the technology of implants. Scientists already have an implant for people suffering from severe myopia that helps restore their vision. This implant is placed on the back of the retina. Scientists are working on taking this technology to the next level (the leisure level) to create implants that allow to you watch TV in your own eye, like a hidden video screen. You know what that means? Never having to miss a game because of work or loved ones ever again!

Amazing.

Thanks to Eduardo Yorvit Moutinho for the DL on the Microsoft Surface bonanza stanza!