Can't wait for an iPhone? Build your own cut and fold paper model

For the truly desperate, here's a layout and instruction sheet to cut and fold your own iphone (pdf).

[sneakmove - they've also got a diy cut-and-fold ipod nano case!]

John Howard's YouTube climate change experiment

By unveiling his belated climate change measures on YouTube, John Howard is obviously trying to target youth culture (i.e. people under 55!) .
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You do have to wonder at this venture into new media - this audience is unlikely to be impressed by the image and probably more interested in the multitude of parodies already there. More significantly, this medium is empowering individuals who are able to assess wider evidence and construct a critical commentary. An ABC Lateline interview during Al Gore's visit last to Australia less than a year ago, paints another picture of Howard's climate change credentials.

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Labor was obviously waiting to ambush the announcement by releasing a television ad on the same day featuring a bedridden Howard complete with Menzies eyebrows and bedside photo of Bush. TV news appeared more interested in the use of media than on the substance of the issue.

Furniture design and production as an artwork performance

FRONT Design, a Swedish design firm is bringing the technology
to people’s bedrooms to create truly personalized furniture. The 3-person team “draws” directly into the air using the tip of a pen, captured by surrounding cameras connected to computers. The sketches are translated into 3D digital files and materialized through an innovative Rapid Prototyping technique - a plastic molding machine that uses a laser beam to solidify the liquid plastic layer-by-layer with the 'functional' piece of furniture emerging over a day.

The design team are doing “performances” of their work in Miami, Tokyo and other cities.

[From Wired Blogs: Gadget Lab]

Save water by using a "navy shower"

The "navy shower", or "sea shower", is a way conserving water (and energy) while taking a shower. The basic steps are:

1. turn on the water
2. immediately wet the body
3. turn off the water
4. soap up and scrub
5. turn the water back on and rinse off the soap

The total water flow time should under 2 minutes or so and beats standing in buckets like some people I know. I believe the girls at the MLC Marshmead camp developed even more extreme water management techniques someone may care to comment on!

Navy showers originated on naval ships, where supplies of fresh water were often scarce. [From Wikipedia]

Small Barrel Wind Turbine for residential rooftop use

In Feb 2007, the Western Australian Sustainable Energy Development Office awarded Graeme Attey a $34,000 grant to develop a modular axis wind turbine system suitable for individual houses and other buildings in urban areas. It will involve the development to commercial stage if testing of an existing prototype proves successful.

Another grant to Dr Jonathan Whale of Murdoch University will examine best practice for placement of rooftop wind systems and establishing of best practice guidelines.

The unit is modular and stands about 1.5m high. Six connected to the grid would apparently power a household. At AU$700 each, it could be a lot cheaper than solar panels in a suitable location, clearly suiting Perth because of its daily sea breeze, the "Fremantle Doctor". The design takes advantage of roof profile to concentrate airflow .




See also:
EcoGeek.org
ABC News
WA Sustainable Energy Development Office 2007 Grants
Wind Roses for Selected Locations in Australia

Library Books - useful little Mac application to monitor your library subscriptions

Library Books is a small Mac OS X application that puts a listing of books you've currently borrowed or reserved up in the Menubar. You can subscribe to multiple libraries, receive notification of overdue books and access the online library catalogues.

It's thoughtfully designed and surprisingly easy to set up. Libraries in Australia, US, UK, Germany and other countries are listed, in addition to some generic catalogue systems. I haven't been able to get the Melbourne City Library going yet (any ideas?), but have connected to Boroondara and Melbourne University.

It's free and definitely worth trying - particularly by all those recently retired babyboomers catching up on reading!