High in the northern mountains of Guatemala, near the ancient city of Quetzaltenango, there’s an unusual new venture that is helping transform the way local communities think about the garbage they throw into landfills. It’s also reforming the way people think about nature’s most industrious ecologist: the worm. María Rodriguez, founder of Byoearth is teaching women the value of the […]
Vermicomposting by Worms
My Treem Tree
My Treem is a whimsical lamp that has been shaped like a real-life tree (one that has lost its leaves, at least). Unlike similar light fixtures that focus on just one aspect of a tree, which the Bichos lamp does in terms of branches, My Treem simply brings a small tree into the home. Unlike a traditional tree wrapped in […]
USB Bracelet
Nothing says “Geek Chic” like this new USB Bracelet by Skandanavian Etsy user bynordvik. Made with a 4mm genuine leather cord with a Silver and Gold accessory, this 2 GB thumb drive can come in handy in a pinch. Perfect for everyday fashion or a gift for your favorite e-nerd. USB Bracelet- Fashion Meets Storage [Uber Review]
Antistress For Free
The street artist conceived a brilliant idea to hang square sheets of bubble wrap for transit patrons to enjoy as they wait. The sheets are positioned under a cardboard placard reading “Antistress For Free!”. People can choose from three differentiating plastic sheets that take from three to ten minutes to pop. Bursting the bubbles on plastic shipping wrap is globally […]
Shake and Charge
Need to make a call but run out of juice? Just give your cellphone a shake for an extra burst of power – that’s the idea behind a new cellphone charger that turns movement into energy. Shashank Priya and his colleagues at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg are designing an emergency onboard charger that draws energy from the piezoelectric force generated […]
Bird Nest
Box-framed beds are boring compared to these wonderful birdsnest beds designed by O*GE Creative Group. Designed to inspire new ideas, the circular beds come in three different sizes with the largest being 4.5 meter wide and big enough to fit up to 16 (relatively small) people. Cardboard pieces on the outside resemble twigs, while the bed itself is as soft […]
Onefinestay in Someone’s Home
Onefinestay takes stylish homes around the city and turn them into boutique hotels when the owner is out of town. As the world’s first ‘unhotel’, Onefinestay effectively strikes a balance between a luxury rental and a five star hotel. Guests receive the comforts of a real home, but with the perks of a luxury hotel, such as fluffy towels, fresh […]
Tea Bag Buddy
Tea time! This little helper holds your tea bag while it steeps and traps the heat in the cup in the process. After the tea has steeped, use the Tea Bag Buddy™ to lift and squeeze excess tea from the bag. Turn it over and it holds your used tea bag. Tea Bag Buddy [The Container Store]
Slim Housing
This project has been recently completed by Polish architect Jakub Szczesny in Warsaw. More of an installation and social experiment than an actual dwelling, the object is a response to the rising problem of urban housing in Poland. The house occupies a gap between two buildings, at its widest point it is less than 5 feet wide (and only a little over 3 […]
Pee-Powered Energy Generator
Four African teens have wowed visitors to Maker Faire Africa by creating a generator that is powered with pee. Using a resource that everyone has, the girls developed a generator that produces six hour of power for one liter of urine. At only 14 and 15 years old, the students are an inspiration for renewable energy developers everywhere! Four African Teens Create Pee-Powered Energy […]