Eugene Chen, a chemist at the Colorado State University, has developed a fully reusable bioplastic – a unique new biopolymer that can be fully recycled back to its original monomer state for reuse through a heat-based reaction using GBL (Gamma-butyrolactone).

Previously, biopolymers could only be partially converted back to usable forms, contributing to the tens of millions of pounds of waste plastic that makes its way into the world’s oceans annually (over 5 trillion fragments).

Chen and partners were able to create linear and cyclic versions of the polymer by varying the catalysts used and the reaction conditions of the production process, upturning existing consensus opinions that purely (and complete) thermal recycling would be impossible.

These properties of the poly(GBL) underscore its immense industry-changing potential. It is importantly petroleum-free, can be broken down by living organisms (biodegradable) and can be fully recycled for future use. The discovery was published in Nature Chemistry journal and a provisional patent  recently received the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award.

The post Biopolymer Breakthrough: World’s First 100% Reusable Plastic first appeared on Gajitz.

An elegant solution to an age-old problem, this solar-powered device dynamically tracks the sun reflects incoming rays to wherever your home needs them the most.

Solenica, a company based in Rome, Italy, designed Lucy to bounce sunlight and naturally made the gadget solar-powered so no extra energy or external cost is required.

For people in small urban apartments and condos, this is a perfect way to deal with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) but also to bring a bit more natural light into those hard-to-reach parts of a place.

Easy to set up, position and point, this wonderful work of solar robotics can be used between rooms as well, great for places with just one wall of windows in a street-facing facade.

Diva Tommei, herself a sufferer of SAD, developed the solar-energized bot to turn itself off at night when not in use, then activate during the day. She also made the machine elegant and minimal, something you’d be happy to add to your home decor.

The post Robotic Reflector Brings Sunlight to Dark Inside Corners first appeared on Gajitz.

A new twist on an ancient technique, this subterranean refrigerator takes advantage of cooler subsurface temperatures to let you store fruits, vegetables, cheese, wine and other goods right in (or rather: below) your own backyard.

Floris Schoonderbeek of Dutch design company Weltevree crated the Ground Fridge to showcase at Milan Design Week, illustrating the power of simple insulation to store foods self-sufficiently at a stable temperature year round (around 50 degrees F).

The rounded volume is placed under excavated soil, about three feet deep, with an above-ground entry for access. Needing no plumbing or electricity, the structure is generally exempt from building permit requirements so anyone can install one with relative ease. The catch: there are still many things that will spoil in this setup, so you may need to be selective about what you keep in this system, or simply try to eliminate things from your simplified lifestyle that won’t work within it.

“The Groundfridge is an innovative take on the traditional root cellar. It meets the requirements of people with their own vegetable garden, who choose to live in a modern and self-sustaining way. Floris Schoonderbeek (founder of Weltevree) is continuously discovering and exploring new angles, chances and materials that he puts to good use in improving and enriching our habitat. With the Groundfridge, he presents a means for new world citizens who want to handle their food in an autonomous, independent way.”

The post Power-Free Fridge: Underground Geothermal Food Cooling first appeared on Gajitz.

Plant life in your home can do far more than brighten up the space, filtering toxins and pollutants from the air your breath everyday – this infographic draws on NASA data to help guide you toward the best options for your home. For best results, buy and place one plant per 100 square feet of interior space. Fortunately, many of these are also quite common species you can pick up pre-potted at your local flower or gardening shop.

As the Clean Air Study shows (graphic by Love The Garden), not all plants are as useful when it comes to cleaning your air. Indeed, different plants have varied strengths and weaknesses when it comes to particular particulates and other pollution. “The NASA Clean Air Study has been led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in association with the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA). Its results suggest that certain common indoor plants may provide a natural way of removing toxic agents such as benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene from the air, helping neutralize the effects of sick building syndrome.” 

The post Purifying Plants: NASA Guide to Air-Filtering Houseplants first appeared on Gajitz.

A company in Holland has deployed a radical new system for generating clean, green, renewable energy from plant life in order to power everything from phone charging stations and WiFi hotspots to city street lamps and more.

The technology of Plant-E works on the same principle as a potato battery but much more efficiently and, naturally, at a much larger scale, harvesting power without harming plants via byproducts of photosynthesis.

For the Netherlands streetlight projects, “Plant-e’s electricity generation process involves plants growing in two-square-foot plastic containers. Plants undergo photosynthesis, essential turning solar power into sugars. As they grow, plants always produce more sugars than they need, and the excess is cast out through their roots into the surrounding soil and break down into protons and electrons. Plant-e’s system uses electrodes in the soil to await the breakdown of this plant waste, thus conducting electricity.”

While the current experiments near Amsterdam explore possibilities for urban uses, the real boon come be in remote locations where there is a great deal of plant material growing wild but no electrical grid, ultimately bringing power to the 25% of the world’s population that has never lived with it before. Even in problematic areas with pollution or contamination the dangers posed to humans will not, of course, translate to the power still able to be generated by area plants in browfields sites.

More about the company and what they are working on: “Plant-e develops products in which living plants generate electricity. The technology enables us to produce electricity with living plants at practically every site where plants can grow. The technology is based on natural processes and is safe for both the plant, and its environment. Plant-e is currently working on three types of products, the Plant-e World, the Plant-e Green Electricity Roof and the Plant-e Tube system.”

The post Power Plants: Dutch Harvesting Energy from Live Greenery first appeared on Gajitz.