The Subaquatic Flow and Volume Regulator

Fast Company has put together a very funny "Tongue-in-Cheek Guide for Green Gadget Buyers", which is made of obvious, common-sense devices for everyday use.

We find specially amusing The Subaquatic Flow and Volume Regulator:

It's made from recycled materials, and by simply dropping it into your toilet tank you will enjoy substantial savings on water usage.
According to Fast Company, Americans will save a whopping 900 billion gallons of water per year if this technology goes viral, which is simply amazing.
We sincerely hope this "technology" goes viral ...

Also check out the ioAerial Garment Purifier:

the Anti-Solar Panels:

or the Population-Density Moderators:
at:
http://www.fastcompany.com

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Fast Company believes Ethonomics is the future of business.

"The end of the modern financial system as we know it has cleared the way for an era of ethical economics, or "Ethonomics." We live in a world that's resource-constrained but ingenuity-rich. So an upstart generation of entrepreneurs--and innovators within the world's biggest companies--are founding businesses that are good for the world as well as the bottom line. They are practicing social change through urban revitalization, sustainable agriculture, green IT, alternative energy and online community-powered investing. Any business that claims to be truly sustainable and innovative should be increasingly efficient with energy and natural resources, transparent and accountable, and good on balance for people and other living things. Ethonomics is a hybrid of technology, design, and social responsibility."

Also see the definition of Ethonomics at Wikipedia:

"Ethonomics is the provisional name for the discipline of formally mapping and defining the prioritization of values within value systems, with the intent of understanding differences between seemingly disparate value systems, the people who hold those value systems, and the decisions they make based on those value systems. The intent is also to provide a mechanism for resolving conflicts between value systems through rational analysis."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethonomics

HydroPak

The HydroPak fuel cell is a portable power generator that can provide up to 14 hours of power with a single water-activated disposable cartridge.

Manufactured by Millennium Cell Inc and Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies, the HydroPak product combines Horizon's fuel cells with Millennium Cell's Hydrogen on Demand storage technology to offer a clean and quiet power generator for use by consumers and professionals for emergency and recreational purposes.

This power source is a high energy alternative to lead acid battery packs and portable generators.
It works by simply adding water.

The HydroPak is designed with a common AC outlet and two USB connectors to charge or operate low power devices such as portable lights, notebook computers, portable televisions and ad hoc communications networks for more than 14 continuous hours when needed.

The planned retail pricing of $400 for the system and $20 for the disposable cartridges will make this solution attractive to both professionals responding to emergencies, as well as consumers desiring power for both backup and recreational needs.

Features:

• 25 Watt continuous, 50W peak
• 1 AC port: 100 Volts
• 2 USB ports: 5 Volts DC
  
• Water-activated cartridges
• Infinite shelf life
• Enough energy to recharge an average notebook computer 8 to 10 times.
• It can run indoors
• Quiet operation
• Zero harmful emissions
• Lighter and smaller than generators
• Stores more energy than possible with batteries
• Lower cost than any similar fuel cell device

The HydroPak was on display at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).
The system will also be shown to the U.S. military at the Tactical Power Sources Summit 2008 at the Georgetown University Conference Center in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 29-30.
These conferences are the first venues where potential users and distributors can see HydroPak emergency power products publicly in the United States.

Beginning in February 2008, Horizon and Millennium Cell plan to demonstrate and sample limited numbers of the current pre-production unit to OEM's, distributors, and key military decision makers.

A HydroPak Mini product prototype for use in consumer devices such as cell phones, PDA's and portable media players will also be demonstrated for the first time at the conferences in January.

The objective of showing this unit is to gauge interest for a less expensive, smaller power source with unlimited shelf life and silent power for smaller portable communications and electronics devices.

"We are excited about the prospects for the HydroPak(TM) line of products, beginning with the commercialization of the first water-activated portable power system in 2008 and followed shortly by others in 2009. We believe that these fuel cell power products possess a potent combination of convenience, performance and economics that are unique in the marketplace and will fill a void that exists today,"

commented George Gu, CEO of Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies.

“Millennium Cell considers the HydroPakTM product line as a cornerstone in our product strategy and we are dedicating significant resources to support product introduction into the marketplace beginning in 2008. The initial reaction from OEM’s and potential distributors for this product has been very positive and we plan to generate our first commercial revenues through aggressively marketing and selling this innovative family of products,”

commented Adam Briggs, President of Millennium Cell.

About Millennium Cell
Millennium Cell is a leader in the development of hydrogen battery technology used to power portable applications. Through its proprietary Hydrogen on Demand® fuel cartridges and PowerSkinTM fuel cell modules, the Company provides increased energy density resulting in longer runtime and lighter weight in a compact space. The Company is working with market partners to meet the demand for a better battery in the military, medical, industrial and consumer electronics markets.
For more information, visit:
www.millenniumcell.com.

About Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies Pte Ltd
Thinking big, yet starting small, Horizon pioneered the sales of next-generation fuel cell power products in small consumer products, while developing larger-scale clean power solutions for practical applications in portable remote power, light-duty transportation and aerospace. With comprehensive technological developments focused on enabling fuel cell commercialization, Horizon is the first company to bring advanced fuel cell technology out of the laboratories and into the mass market today.
For more information, visit:
www.horizonfuelcell.com.

The Aquaduct

The Aquaduct is a pedal powered vehicle that is meant to transport, filter, and store water for the developing world.

A peristaltic pump attached to the pedal crank draws water from a large tank, through a carbon filter, to a smaller clean tank.
The clean tank is removable and closed for contamination-free home storage and use.
A clutch engages and disengages the drive belt from the pedal crank, enabling the rider to filter the water while traveling or while stationary.

The Aquaduct is the winning entry in the Innovate or Die contest put on by Google and Specialized.
The contest challenge was to build a pedal powered machine that has environmental impact and upload a YouTube video showing how to harness pedal power in innovative ways.

Team Aquaduct was declared the winner out of 102 entries by building a unique and functional solution to provide rural communities with access to clean water.
The Team, composed by John Lai, Adam Mack, Brian Mason, Eleanor Morgan and Paul Silberschatz, will share the $5,000 grand prize, and each will receive a Specialized Globe bicycle – as will all five of the finalist runners-up.

The contest encouraged people to evaluate environmental issues and develop ingenious solutions surrounding climate change.

More Info:
www.innovate-or-die.com
YouTube Innovate or Die page.