Log radio is better than bad, it’s good
A beautiful wooden radio from designers Solène Le Goff and Christophe Gouache. Solar and/or wind-up powered. [via Dude Craft]
Energy & Sustainability
If you’re a maker just starting out your journey in sustainability, it can be overwhelming to figure out how to get started. From understanding the types of materials to utilize, learning what steps will help reduce waste and emissions, and finding inspiring new ways to explore creativity that don’t have a negative environmental impact. The good news is there are plenty of resources available for DIYers looking for ways to make their projects more sustainable – from simple switches you can make today, big-picture ideas for longterm change, or exciting new ways makers are helping push sustainability into the future. In these blog posts we’ll look at tips tricks and ideas specifically tailored towards diyers and makers on the road to creating projects with greater eco consciousness so that not only will you create something beautiful but also respect its impact on our planet!
Energy-harvesting rocking chair
Rochus Jacob designed this energy-harvesting rocking chair. It works by storing energy while you rock during the day, then lights up the attached OLED lamp at night.
Open source sourcing
This is a really cool idea, an open source project dedicated to the idea of tracking, documenting, and mapping where all of the components for our everyday goods come from. It’s supply chain transparency. [Thanks, Laura Cochrane!] SourceMap – Visualizing Supply Chains
Train an army of crows to gather treasure for you
Josh Klein developed a machine that trains crows to trade coins for peanuts. Literally, for peanuts. So you fill this thing with peanuts and set it out, say, in a public park, and the crows will scour the ground for loose change, carry it to the machine, and drop it in a slot in exchange for food. The project, dubbed “CrowBox,” made a big splash when he unveiled it back in 2007. Now he’s made the complete plans for the CrowBox completely available online so you can roll your own. And there’s no reason you couldn’t train your fly-monkeys-fly to gather other crow-portable objects. Twenty-dollar bills? Keys? iPods? Human eyes? The possibilities are endless. Set one up at the beach! Train seagulls to trade whole wallets for pre-shucked oysters!
Coffee sleeve iPhone stand
The onslaught of DIY iPhone stands continues. This time around we find ourselves in a cafe with a warm beverage and the need to watch BMX stunt videos. Luckily we remembered to bring along our nice utility scissors and the Barista was kind enough to include a cup sleeve with the drink.
Pedal powered computer
The OLPC Afghanistan team rigged up this pedal-powered generator for the OLPC.
How-To: Build a driftwood xylophone
Heeding the call of stonewashed lumber, experimental musical instrument maker Bart Hopkin and his percussionist friend Joyce Kouffman head out to the beach in this video to show us how to build a driftwood xylophone.
