Did Ya See?

Combining the best of vertical gardening and window sill gardening, these clever planter designs by Barreau & Charbonnet really caught my eye.  Not sure you could get away with it in every rental, but there so neat, I’d be tempted to try. More pictures and video after the cut.

Translated: “Component” plant” is a response to the growing needs of contact with the plant users especially in a dense city. This product revisits the hanging garden by multiplying the surface plant at the window. On the other hand, they can enroll in a logic of home furnishings, as a plant …
Read more

Quite a step above the paper and plastic temporary tableware we often drag out and promptly stuff into the nearest trash receptacle. In a truly clever and inspired design, one core set of tableware becomes the mold for as many additional pieces as you need (assuming you have enough wax). When you’re done, just melt them back down and store the wax for use again later.

Meltware has three stoneware pieces — a spoon, a bowl, and a carafe — that double as molds for extending your set. You make the rest of the collection using Carnauba wax, a super-hard, …
Read more

Nice clothes washing kit that would be a nice, no-power addition to a long-term emergency or preparedness set up.  Can also see it being a great addition to a base-camp for hikers, cabins or hunters.

NOTE: You could store two 5-gallon buckets, stack one inside of the other. Use one bucket for the soapy water and the other for the rinse water. You may be able to wash and rinse a couple of batches of clothes without changing the soapy water depending on how dirty the clothes are.

…
Read more

Large segments of the world still depend on dirty and dangerous fuels such as kerosene for their primarily lighting needs.  The Nokero (short for No Kerosene) hopes to address that by providing safe, reliable and renewable lighting alternatives.  I wouldn’t mind owning a couple of these for sheds, patios, car and camping.

Nokero N200 Solar Light Bulb Lantern. About the size of a typical lightbulb, weighing just 3.2 ounces, this is a practical lighting solution for camp. Enjoy the outdoors at night in style. Get an extra 6+ hours of light camping, hunting, or during an emergency. The Nokero N200 …
Read more

I’ve seen quite a few aquaponics plant and fish gardening designs, some can get very pricey or very complex.  This is one of the few I’ve seen and thought, this is within my skill level and actually a manageable size for someone looking to dabble with the process without sinking a huge amount of money and space into it.

Engineering for Change (E4C) is a forum to connect, collaborate, problem solve and share knowledge among a growing community of engineers, technologists, social scientists, NGOs, local governments and community advocates, all dedicated to improving the quality of life around the world.…
Read more