Get Your Kicks (And E-Car Charges) On Route 66!

It’s immortalized in song as “the highway that’s the best” for a reason…and now, even more so!  The United States' storied stretch of roadway, Route 66, will be going green in a major way…

Oldschool neon can now be lit by futuristic solar power...
what a trip!
(Image courtesy e-spaces.eu.)

Olli, Olli, Oil-Free: New Electric, 3-D Printed Shuttle Bus Rolls Out In DC

The description sounds like the ultimate futuristic vehicle, but the technology is here today: an autonomous, 3-D printed, electric shuttle bus. As of today, it’s transporting the citizens of one of America’s oldest cities into the future…

This cozy little computer-generated craft
might be revolutionizing shared vehicles in big cities.
(Image courtesy csmonitor.com.)

Keep On (Electric) Truckin': Tesla And Mack Team Up On Efficient New Powertrain

It’s not just fancy sports cars or even reasonable commuter vehicles that are getting the sustainable treatment.  The e-car rockstars at Tesla, in partnership with Mack, have also developed a non-fossil-fuel dependent garbage truck, with a special modification…

It's still trying to help the environment, even if your non-recycling, plastic-bag addicted self isn't.
(Image courtesy popsci.com.)

Top Of The Crops: New Aeroponics Farm In New Jersey To Revolutionize Urban Farming

As we continue to re-think our old societal conventions regarding even the most time-honored traditions of humanity, we begin to find ways to majorly improve on some techniques that have lasted for thousands of years. Conventional farming has recently joined this upheaval, with new tactics and layouts producing more yield than field-workers of yore may have ever thought possible. One such installation is set to make records near the NYC area…

The greatest salad bar of all time, or the start of a new farming paradigm?
(Image courtesy weburbanist.com.)

Electrifying: Tesla Model 3 Demand Hits 325,000 Reservations

We've fought wars over it, ruined countless swaths of the environment over it, created unimaginably massive fortunes due to it, crushed entire parallel industries over it, and in general had it govern our lives way more than any fuel source should, but any rational modern human has to admit:  the fossil fuel empire is over.  Now, the next phase of transportation is about to do donuts all over our past fast 'n furious foibles...but will the massive demand exceed the possibilities of prompt production?

Sharp AND smart:  the Model 3 is a ride not to be denied.
(Image courtesy digitaltrends.com.)

Go Out With Your Glow Out: Prototype Bio-Fueled "Mourning Lights" For Cemeteries

Sure, the future may look cool now, but what about looking further...say, for after you're dead?  If you're not useful and good-looking already, here's a way that you may be able to improve that...although unfortunately, it'll be too late for you to really enjoy it.

Not exactly like this, although that would be cool.
(Image courtesy aliexpress.com.)

One Man's Trash Is Another's Treasured Power Source: How MIT Claims We Can Convert Car Batteries To Solar Cells

It's almost 2016, and people are finally beginning to realize that fossil fuels are about are pertinent to the future as whale oil.  But what are we going to do with all those outdated chunks of old-school dead car batteries?  The bright minds at MIT have figured out a way for the past to fuel the future...

Rev it up with some recycling, and your old car battery could be a new source of sustainable energy.
(Image courtesy cleantechnica.com.)

Cultivate This: New Indoor Garden "The Grove" Gives You A Mini Ecosystem

Want a garden, but you're stuck in a postmodern (or pre-modern) cube/tomb of an apartment with no sunlight and certainly no arable land?  Worry not, for a new invention called The Grove can bring you a relative abundance of plant life, all in the comfort of your own home...

If you traded all your bookshelves for e-reading, here's your perfect futuristic home furnishing.
(Image courtesy treehugger.com.)

Power For The People: New "Powerwall" Battery To Revolutionize Energy Usage

The dynamics of power are changing.  While unfortunately that doesn't mean much for our government, it may be having a great impact for those in need of electricity (a.k.a. all denizens of the modern world...)

The fact that it looks a bit like the monolith from "2001" might be intentional.
(Image courtesy businessinsider.com.)

Google's Green Growth: Search Engine Has Renewables In Their Tank

Google is absolutely not planning to hit the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button in regards to hoping the world's environmental problems will turn out alright.  The company has announced that they will triple their purchase of clean energy over the next ten years.

It takes a lot of fuel to answer all the world's questions.
(Image courtesy solarenergycanada.com.)

The Beast In The Yeast: Beer-Byproduct Biofuel

With all of the waste products our society creates, why not put some of them to use as fuel?  It's already working for french-fry-oil vehicles, so why not use a material that's also awesomely abundant, thanks to our love of beer?

Friends DO let friends drive cars fueled by beer.
(Image courtesy dbexportbeer.co.nz.)

Goals, Not Coal: Energy-Harvesting Soccer Ball Illuminates Impoverished Lives

As the world (rightly) shifts away from dependence on fossil fuels and begins to cultivate new avenues of obtaining energy, it seems the sky is the limit for innovative ideas.  However, by "sky", we don't mean that solar has to be the sole rock 'n roller of the possibilities.  Watch how a small company has provided help to impoverished areas with a sustainable source of portable, playful power...

Even if you don't like sports, this is pretty cool.
(Image courtesy espn.go.com.)

Prize In The Skies: Solar Plane Set To Cross Pacific, Break World Record

With solar technological innovations progressing every day, and with powerful supporters claiming it will be the energy of our future, solar power is rapidly eclipsing all that oil has to offer.  Now, a solar-powered plane is poised to make history, if only it can keep the lights on to cross the Pacific...

Could there be a bright future in store for solar planes?  The Solar Impulse 2 will help find out!
(Image courtesy industrie-techno.com.)

Smack That (Sunlight Into Solar Panels): Akon To Open School For Solar Energy

Pop stars spend their cash and fame in a lot of interesting ways, but only a small percentage of them do so for a world-changing greater cause.  Now, the artist Akon has announced that he will be using his influence to help an entire continent, by building a school for solar energy in Africa.

Using star power to literally harness star power!
(Image courtesy morungexpress.com.)

Ecocapsule Homes: Better Than Rent Or Tents

Living off the grid is an attractive idea for many in this hyper-commercial, uber-urban world.  Now, a new self-contained pod could bring you one step closer to scaled-down solace...

You bring me closer to pod.
(Image courtesy modernreaders.com.)

Brew News: Innovative "Induction Kettle" Boils Via Electromagnetism

Teatime is a tradition that's been around for centuries, but now, it has a revamped look and a whole new way to get your cuppa cooking...

Tea parties just got high-tech.
(Image courtesy dezeen.com.)

Carpooling Goes Commercial: New "Via" App Sends Pooled Passengers To Mutual Destinations

In a city of millions, one often wonders who else might be going their way, or at least in that general direction.  For the urbanites who might be accustomed to not speaking with their vast number of neighbors, a new app has handled these transportation logistics for them...

Bail on the hail.  Hit up the Via app.
(Image courtesy allposters.com.)

Thinking Green On The Red Planet: Dry Ice Engine Could Propel Spaceships To Mars

Mars has emerged as a major spacefaring destination for the coming decades, but ideas on how to get there are still up in the air (well, lack of air, technically.)  Now, a new idea that would utilize sustainable Martian resources for fuel has got scientists gassed to head to the red planet...

An image from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) shows abundant dry ice deposits.
Could this be the new rocket fuel?
(Image courtesy socialphy.com.)

 

Power To The Peeing People: New Prototype Toilet Converts Urine To Electricity

Techniques for harnessing sustainable energy have expanded tremendously in the last few years, and power has been found to be accessible from some rather unorthodox sources.  Now, gathering power is apparently as easy as taking a trip to the restroom...

"Drink up!  We're pee-powering the nation of Rwanda tonight!"
(Image courtesy blog.cureus.com.)

Caffeine Fiends And Chocoholics, The Holy Grail Has Been Found

Sustainable energy is pretty sweet.  Soon, for at least one innovation, that will be literally true...

This is about to be real.  Deal with it.
(Image courtesy unilad.com.)