Many people all over the world use their bicycles to get them from point A to B. Well for all those people who also have cell phones which are constantly dying here is a pretty cool invention that generates kinetic energy which in turn charges your cell phone. You simply clip the piece onto the bike reflector and voila you have a cell phone charger. This model takes about 90 minutes to fully charge and will produce energy as long as you keep on riding your bike. This was designed by Oscar L’Hermitte who is a design student at Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Deign in London.

I have always thought, as well as many others, about the possibility of creating some kind of technology so that we could create useful energy from all the cars driving around on the roads. Well Engineers at Innowattech recently created a type of road that actually generates energy as the cars pass over it. The surface of the roads are embedded with piezoelectric crystals and what those crystals do is they transform kinetic energy into an electrical current. The amount of energy generate is still not that much but multiplied nationwide on all the streets we have the amount would definitely be significant. Also I’m sure with time they can make a better more improved version.

Winter is here and although yesterday was a pretty nice day (where I live) the temperature has gone back down today and the heater goes on as with many other homes. The thing is though a lot of us are using more heat then necessary due to either old windows, old heating systems or simply because of thermal leaks. Well Black & Decker has made a Thermal Leak Detector to fix those problems.

With the awareness of global warming and energy saving appliances available companies like GE have recently made plans to end the development of incandescent bulbs. Also because of this they can now focus more on the production of Organic bulbs which save energy and actually last longer. I believe the real reason for the switch is because Australia, Canada and many US states are planning to ban the companies with bans starting in 2012 so that’s a nice little motivational push for GE.

Use a Timer: If you have a timer on your air conditioner set it to turn off when you leave and then to turn back on a couple minutes before you return to your house. This saves the air conditioner from working while you aren’t home therefore saving you money and energy.

Seal the Unit: Once a room air conditioner is in place, seal the space around it with rope caulk or some other sealant to prevent warm outside air from leaking in.

Close the Fresh-Air Vent: Make sure the fresh-air vent is closed when the room air conditioner is operating so you aren’t cooling outside air. Open the vent when the outside air is cooler to let in fresh air.

Use Fans With Your Air Conditioner: Fans are a great way to circulate air around your room. You can use a fan to spread the cool air that your air conditioner is creating so that the room cools down faster.

Maintain the Furnace: Clean your furnace filters monthly or replace if necessary. A clean unit runs more efficiently.

I always enjoy seeing how creators combine style with green technology and on that note here is an Energy Seed Lamp that Runs on Expired Batteries. Many of us go are constantly going through batteries. Whether it be for our remote controller, music players or house hold appliances and those Alkaline batteries are extremely bad for the environment. Even after they stop working for our appliances there is still some battery power left. So Sungwoo Park and Sunhee Kima designed this so batteries can get all the energy sucked out of them.

Use the Microwave: Cook using your microwave oven rather than your standard oven or range. The big oven creates more heat so using the the microwave oven creates less heat and humidity in your home.

Turn Off Electronics you are not using: Don’t leave electronics, such as televisions, stereos and computers, on if you don’t need them because they produce heat. Not only that but they waste energy so if your not using it turn it off.

Keep Vents Clear: If you have furniture in front of the air vents consider moving them out of the way. This allows the cool air to move out into the rooms and keeps your air conditioner from running more than necessary.

Keep the Air Conditioner Out of the Sun: When looking for a place to put your air conditioner make sure its in a location that is out of direct sunlight. If you can only place it in sunlight find a place where it will be shaded most of the day. Avoid the south and west sides of the house. Placing the air conditioner in direct sunlight causes it to work harder to cool your home.

Purchase an ENERGY STAR model: ENERGY STAR room air conditioners cost at least 10 percent less to operate than conventional models. Meaning you save money as well as the environment.

Cool Only The Rooms in Use: When you have your AC or heater on make sure to close unused rooms to keep the cooled or heated air where you need it the most. By leaving the doors open you are forcing the unit to work to change the entire houses temperature.

Keep Vents Clear: When laying out the furniture in your home make sure to keep the furniture and drapes away from the air vents. This allows the cool air to move out into the rooms and keeps your air conditioner from running more than necessary.

Turn Off Electronics You Are Not Using: When you are done watching T.V. or using your computer make sure to turn them off when you are done because not only do they use more energy and also produce more heat. Extra heat requires more energy to power the air conditioner and increases cooling costs.

Use The Microwave: Cook using your microwave oven rather than your standard oven or range. It creates less heat and humidity in your home also it takes longer for you to pre-heat your stove or oven then when using a microwave oven.

Don’t Make More Heat. If you can, delay chores that produce heat and moisture until the cooler parts of the day or evening. Limit dish washing, laundry and cooking on hot, humid days. These activities make your room more uncomfortable and require your air conditioner to work harder.

TickleStar has recently claimed that with their new product they can cut your electricity bill by up to 12 percent. This can be done by using their new PC standby power saver. This device connects to your computer through a USB port and the other two sides connect,  one to your computer and the other to the outlet. The USB device reads when your computer is off and it then cuts the power to the power strip in which its plugged in.

Having a plant in your home or office adds a nice touch but as many of us know it can be a pain to have to deal with watering the plant multiple times a week (depending on what kind of plant it is) or dealing with the soil. That has all been solved with Patrick Morris’ new design which lets you hang your plants from your ceiling. The Sky Planter may look like it will cause more of a pain then anything but actually it saves space, time, water and the mess. With is unique internal reservoir system it feeds water directly to the roots.