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Green Innovation on the Horizon
We know we are in a new era when high circulating magazines, major newspapers,
and famous talk show hosts are promoting green initiatives. It’s also no
surprise that major companies are spawning green campaigns to align with the eco
trend. To demonstrate some green ideas, I’ve highlighted some growth in the
green market from Newsweek’s “Ten Fixes for the Planet” article from April 14,
2008 issue. This article just goes to show you that there is a lot of innovation
on the green front.
It’s no wonder that Alan Heeger, Professor of Physics at the University of
California, Santa Barbara, won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2000 for his
plastic solar cells technology. These innovative devices offer a lightweight,
inexpensive, and easy way to add solar energy to a variety of devises. They can
be added to handbags so that your electronic gadgets can be recharged via solar
power while you walk around. Keep a look out for these devices and let’s see
what Konarka Technologies, a company Heeger co-founded, will bring to market.
Let’s see if LED light bulbs take the place of CFLs. They contain no mercury,
like the debated CFLs, and they actually last eight times longer. The cost is
still a bit prohibitive, and the technology is still advancing, but definitely
worth monitoring.
Who said you can’t get 300 miles per gallon out of a car? And wait…It’s a bird;
It’s a plane; It’s Aptera. This two seater, $30,000, hybrid or fully electric
(you pick) car is coming to you by next year. It’s designed to be ultra light
and has three wheels to help with overall weight. To see it for yourself, go to
www.aptera.com.
How can we go main stream with green products to make it affordable to the
masses? That’s the question that Adam Werbach, global CEO for Saatchi and
Saatchi S has focused on as he grows his company. He’s working with major
companies to promote the green initiative and help them come up with green
product lines. It’s a company to watch that has green on the mind. To read more,
go to www.saatchis.com