For the COP21 conference in Paris, Adidas decided to rethink oceanic garbage, turning it into raw material for new 3D-printed footwear, with textures and colors hinting at its unusual origins.

The shoe consists of an upper made with ocean-harvested plastic and a 3D-printed midsole made from recycled polyester and gill nets, part of a larger exploration process the company is pursuing for reused materials.

The company says there is no reason to stand on the sidelines, even if political action is taking place internationally, and that business leaders need to step up and lead environmental efforts as well, in and beyond the footwear industry. One could argue that this is still a small step, or a greenwashing effort, but it at least shows the potential for new technologies to transform old manufacturing habits.

From Adidas’ project partners, Parley: “2015 is our year, the year of the oceans: the ocean movement successfully brought the cause onto the COP21 agenda in paris. Protecting life underwater became the 14th development goal of the united nations. With a framework of political goodwill in place, it is the right moment to transform words into action.”

“Therefore, Parley in Paris is all about updating knowledge, sharing visions, fine-tuning strategies, creating concepts and forging collaborations in order to kickstart change. W are really excited to have Adidas supporting us in this journey and showing how you can take concrete steps in the right direction.”

The post Wearable Waste: Shoes 3D-Printed with Plastic Ocean Trash first appeared on Gajitz.

Whether you’re wrapped up in a big blanket to ward off the winter chill or spraying yourself down with cool water to stave off summer’s heat, chances are you also use some kind of external climate control through much of the year. Heating and air conditioning use an astonishing amount of energy – and that’s a big problem for the environment. A group of MIT students may just change the world by asking a simple question: why not cool our bodies rather than the air around our bodies? They plan to do this with a device they call Wristify, a bracelet that regulates body temperature as it rests on the skin.

A member of the team was inspired by a personal situation that will resonate with just about everyone: he always felt hot while his mother always felt cold. He figured that there must be a way to keep them both happy while in the same room. Wristify works by exposing the wearer’s skin to pulses of hot or cold – whichever is needed at the time. Surprisingly, a lot of the device’s effect has to do with perception. The group explains that diving into a pool of cold water feels shocking at first, but given a bit of time the body adjusts to the temperature and it feels normal.

Similarly, by exposing parts of the body to bursts of heat or cold, that initial blast tricks the body into thinking that it is warmer or cooler than before. In trials with friends and family, the concept has been shown to work. The brain’s perception of the body’s temperature – not the actual ambient temperature – is what really makes the wearer feel more comfortable in their environment. The current prototype is exceptionally affordable, using only around $50 in materials. But the Wristify is far from becoming commercially available thanks to the fact that a great deal more research needs to be conducted. If successful, heating and cooling bodies rather than entire buildings could be a real game changer in the area of energy conservation.

(via: Wired)

The post Heating + Cooling Bracelet Lets Everyone Pick a Comfy Temp first appeared on Gajitz.