Here’s what’s been happening in the energy realm of late:
Home Depot’s Downlights
The world’s largest home improvement retailer has begun selling LED downlights through a partnership with Cree. The bulbs will only consume 10.5 watts, compared to an equivalent incandescent bulb’s 65 watts.
I Want to Ride My [Hybrid] Bike
Old and busted: a regular bicycle. New hotness: adding the Copenhagen Wheel to your bike to convert it to a hybrid. A group of MIT students have invented a device that, when outfitted onto the back wheel of a bicycle, will conserve energy from braking for use later when you really need it, such as when pedaling uphill.
Green Is a Good Look for Any Man
Uncrate, an online style magazine for the menfolk, highlighted some products for the energy-savvy: the Nokero Solar Light Bulb, a solar-powered lantern for camping and other after-hours outdoor activities, and the Belkin Conserve Insight, a plug-in energy monitor that reports how much it costs to power individual household appliances. (Blue Line’s PowerCost Monitor is a whole-house energy monitor if an outlet-by-outlet one doesn’t float your boat.)
Serving Up Sustainability
What do you get when you mix some recycled plastic bottles, a little bit of wind energy, and a love of cooking? Green Street cooking utensils, of course!
Confused About Energy
A new study has found that many Americans, even though they understand the importance of saving energy, don’t know the best ways to do it. The energy-saving behaviors most cited by respondents (like turning lights off) were actually less likely to save energy than behaviors cited less often. Oops.
Image: Ray Tibbitts via Flickr
--Keith Caswell