On my way to Maker Faire!
Can’t afford a plane ticket this year, so I’m having to leave way early. Gonna stop at a gas station every mile, along the way, and buy fresh C-cells. See ya in five days!
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!
American Journey 2.0: AJtheFiesta takes Boulder
Follow the Team Bobcat Ford Fiesta caravan… American Journey 2.0: AJtheFiesta takes Boulder By Laura Rich Apparently in need of a good road-trip stretch, AJ the Ford Fiesta checked into Yo Momma Yoga. “It was an auto-check-in,” explained T.J. Giuli, research engineer at Ford Infotronics, at a Tweetup at Bookends Cafe in Boulder, Colorado, the […]
Alt.Transportation: Make biodiesel in five minutes
Wendy explains how to make home made biodiesel with no special equipment in less than five minutes. She makes use of the “cubbies” that vegetable oil is sold in and make batches that are 3-4 gallons in size. More: HOW TO – Grow your own oil Weekend Project: Making Biodiesel Make your own biodiesel DIY: […]
American Journey 2.0: A visit to Northwestern University
Follow the Team Bobcat Ford Fiesta caravan… Team Bobcat visits Northwestern University The members of Team Bobcat made their first stop at Northwestern University on Friday. They set up in front of the Technological Institute, giving demonstrations and showing off Caravan Track to students and interested passersby. I got a chance to meet up with […]
Get your smash on at “sport” bottle recycling center
When I was still living in Dallas, our local recycling center included a giant steel dumpster, open at only one end, with an elevated platform you could climb up to chuck your glass bottles in. I was in high school, then, and it was pretty common, when we were bored, to go down there on the weekend and pass an hour or so smashing glass bottles into the dumpster just for the fun of it. You’d see “grown-ups” there doing the same thing, and more than once perfectly “respectable” suburban adults would see what we were up to and join in, which inevitably put a big grin on everybody’s face. I’m sure this kind of impromptu bottle-breaking game happens naturally at recycling centers all over the world.
Backpedaling, but in a good way…
MAKE subscriber Steve Hoefer sent us a link to this fascinating piece on retro-direct drives for bikes. Not really sure how practical it is, but the engineering is interesting. And, it’s probably a great way to work different leg muscles. What’s a retro-direct bike? At the beginning of the 20th century, although derailleurs and geared […]
Maker Faire: Chick-in-a-Box
There’s certainly no shortage of high tech gadgetry and fantastical creations coming to this year’s Maker Faire Bay Area, May 22nd and 23rd at the San Mateo Fairgrounds. But the magic of Maker Faire is rooted in the variety of projects present, everything from science to craft to robots to food makers, and beyond. Take, […]
