For large companies that have a long list of suppliers that they work with, it’s not only difficult to manage communication with all of them, but understanding the environmental impact of each supplier is next to impossible. It’s not a sexy space to work in by any means but the addressable market is comprised of Fortune 500 companies and the government itself, which is bound to… → Read More
Biomimicry is an engineering field that takes cues from nature to help solve and address human problems, and Google today launched a new website at its Google Green initiative that highlights some of the ways nature’s engineers can inspire and guide human behavior. The site uses gorgeous National Geographic images along with brief descriptions of how the natural antecedent relates to the human… → Read More
AgLocal, a startup that’s using the power of the Internet to disrupt how animal farmers connect with meat buyers and distributors, has just scored $1 million in funding from Andreessen Horowitz, Midwest VC firm OpenAir Equity Partners and other angels including John Fohr (Partner at Lux Capital), Thad Langford (former CEO of Zave Networks), Dan Carroll (founder of Leap2 and AdPredictive), Andy… → Read More
Ethical Community, an online, eco-friendly marketplace (which has plans for a snazzier name in the works!), has secured a £200,000 ($316,640 USD) round of seed funding from a syndicate of angel investors, the company is announcing today. Founded in 2009, the marketplace has signed up over 850 sellers from around the world, who have now listed over 7,000 eco-friendly, organic and natural products… → Read More
Greenstart, the San Francisco-based startup accelerator dedicated to the cleantech industry – and more importantly, to making it “sexy” enough to attract investors – announced its second cadre of of companies this week. This time around, the organization is tightening its focus to concentrate solely on the intersection of I.T. and cleantech, specifically in areas of smart grid, the built… → Read More
Apple met with leaders of five environmental groups in China yesterday to discuss pollution concerns. According to a report from The Wall St. Journal, Apple told the groups it had launched audits of 15 of its suppliers who have been suspected of violating environmental regulations, and has completed reviews of 11 of those. → Read More
Solar manufacturer Solaria and solar performance monitoring software and hardware provider meteocontrol have today announced a partnership that will see meteocontrol’s Virtual Control Room (VCOM) monitoring system added to Solaria’s projects. The system aims to help Solaria’s customers increase their solar yields through remote management. → Read More
Facebook, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and clean tech startup Opower are today announcing a partnership on a new social networking-based energy application that will help consumers monitor, improve and compare their home’s energy usage with their friends and other Facebook users.
The app, designed to improve energy awareness, has the potential to combine the 800 million+ users… → Read More
This week, GM announced it will launch an all-electric vehicle under the Chevrolet brand, the Spark EV. The car is basically an electric version of the Spark mini-car and will be sold in limited quantities in the U.S., including California, starting in 2013.
The company also announced it has started working on its new concept vehicle, the Chevrolet EN-V. → Read More
General Motors is partnering with a car-sharing startup called RelayRides on a new venture that will allow GM owners to rent out their idle vehicles via the OnStar service and their mobile phone. The program will launch first in California in 2012, before expanding to other markets. → Read More
GE is leading a $22 million investment in San Francisco-based green builder Project Frog, which helps speed up and reduce the cost of traditional construction by using a combination of new technologies. The company improves on current methods by combining semi-custom designs with a pre-engineered kit of energy-efficient building materials. The end result are building that use at least 25% less… → Read More
2011 Boulder TechStars graduate Simple Energy is teaming up with San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) to help the utility engage its customers in energy conservation efforts.
To accomplish this, Simple Energy is running an energy saver contest that offers a social gaming experience with real-world rewards. → Read More
Ford Motor Company and the leading car-sharing network Zipcar have just announced a partnership that establishes Ford as Zipcar’s largest auto source for Zipcar’s University program. The new, two-year alliance will reach students at over 250 university campuses here in the U.S.
Ford will start shipping its vehicles, primarily the 2012 Ford Focus and Ford Escape, to colleges starting this week. → Read More
Today, EnergyHub launched its new, comprehensive, in-home energy management system for U.S. consumers. The system includes the EnergyHub Home Base, for centralized management of the electricity usage in the home, as well as The EnergyHub Thermostat, Sockets and Strips.
The Home Base also connects to the Web via Wi-Fi, allowing users to remotely manage individual components via Web-based or… → Read More
Electric bike maker FlyKly is bringing its stylish, powerful and eco-friendly bikes to San Francisco after having a blowout launch in New York earlier this summer. The company, which opened up shop on June 20th, sold out its entire stock of bikes in July at a pop-up store in Soho. Now, the bikes are being made available in San Francisco. → Read More
Ford Motor Company is teaming up with San Jose-based solar panel maker SunPower to offer a rooftop solar system option which will be sold alongside the upcoming Ford Focus EV. The “Drive Green for Life” program, as it’s being called, involves mounting solar panels on a customer’s home.
These panels wouldn’t be used just to charge the Focus itself, however. They actually help offset the cost… → Read More
Marvin is one of the most interesting brands out there that common people can afford. This is in large part due to the brand’s leadership – a spunky and creative woman named Cecile Maye. Her view of design is highly emotional which lends to theme and philosophy being one of the main driving forces behind the design. Plus talent, of course. On Marvin’s current list of designer credits are the famed… → Read More
One of the things green energy proponents eagerly look forward to is an “artificial leaf”: a truly small, portable, modular photosynthetic power plant. The ability to take a hundred or a thousand such units and plaster them on a wall, roof, tree, or whatever, and have them store power in a simple fuel cell all day long would be a great way to make power distribution less tricky in countries where… → Read More
SunTech Power Holdings is planning on building a major solar power installation at one of the highest inhabited places on the planet: the Tibetan Plateau. The county of Sangri, 4000m (13,123ft) above sea level, has been chosen as the site for the latest of this company’s green power plants, and will generate around 20MWh of power yearly for the surrounding area. Nice! → Read More
It certainly looks that way. The country has been having a national discussion ever since the Japan nuclear crisis, and the consensus seems to be that nuclear isn’t worth the risk. Instead, the country will embrace alternative forms of energy, including renewable sources. → Read More
We cover electric bikes every now and then at CrunchGear, but while millions are sold in Asia and Europe, they remain a rarity here in the US, even on the mean cycling streets of Seattle. Certainly the convenience of cars and our highway-orientated infrastructure is partially to blame for the lack of interest in these extremely effective transportation tools, but I also think that accessibility… → Read More
If you’re like me, you cringe a little whenever you put a little synthetic oil on your chain or send some toxic cleaning fluid down the drain. Seems to me that people with bikes are more likely to care about their environmental impact, and also more likely to pay more for quality gear and accessories. These sustainable bike care products from Orontas let you and your bike feel good. → Read More
Last year Hublot released their first watch with a colored sapphire crystal. The crystal itself was tinted red on the very cool Hublot King Power F1 Monza watch. It was shared with me that more tinted crystals watches would come. Hublot is thus far sticking with red, but more colors will come soon – no doubt. Here for you is the Hublot Big Bang Red Magic collection for 2011 – that sport red tinted… → Read More
If there were a superhero who was powered by 100W lightbulbs it’s safe to say his days of fighting crime in California are over. The state will end the sale of 100W light bulbs after the current supply has been exhausted. It’s part of the federal Energy Independence Act and Security Act of 2007. Silly name aside, the law will go into effect in the coming years across the country. → Read More
Are graphics cards (and processors) now going green? AMD is certainly trying, having noted that its E-350 APU “demonstrated a significant reduction in the overall product ‘carbon footprint’” compared to previous AMD Anthlon processors and Mobility Radeon graphics cards. We’re talking a 40 percent reduction in carbon emission over the life of the APU. This is the part where the smart-aleck… → Read More
Very clever, this. It’s a t-shirt that “detects” pollution by way of changing color when it comes into contact with high carbon monoxide levels. It was designed by two NYU graduate students, who are now famous forever. → Read More
We see bamboo here and there on CrunchGear (the Dodocase, laptops, bikes), but I’m usually suspicious of bamboo-type products, because they usually make specious claims of greenness.
This kit seems useful, though, if only because it provides a semi-eco-friendly way to put together a new bike. Interestingly, it does not provide the bike parts or the bamboo. Hey, what the… → Read More
Formula One’s governing body, the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), has committed the sport to “improving sustainability.” As such, starting with the 2013 season all F1 cars’ engines will have to meet new, dare I say greener criteria. Namely, engines will shrink in size from 2.4 liters to 1.6 liters and will go down from 18,000 rpm to 12,000 rpm. All this works out to a 35… → Read More
In an effort to promote its sustainability efforts, Facebook has officially launched the company’s “Green” page. The page, represented by what appears to be the merger of a restart button and an abstract pine tree, will showcase the company’s latest green achievements, pertinent articles and a bevy of fun facts.
Under the “programs” tab there’s an official list of Facebook’s recent achievements… → Read More
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