Design & Innovation | Design | GreenBiz.com

Ford Developing Laser Ignition to Cut Exhaust Emissions

Tilde Herrera — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:42:00 -0700

Ford Motor Co. and researchers at the University of Liverpool are developing a car ignition system that swaps spark plugs for a laser beam to start vehicles while generating fewer greenhouse gas emissions. The technology may also overcome the cold-start issue for vehicles running on biofuels.

REI Prototype Store Lands Top Sustainable Design Award

GreenerBuildings Staff — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:19:00 -0700

The Association for Retail Environments (A.R.E.) singled out REI's LEED-Gold certified store last week for its holistic design aesthetics and functionality, naming it the Project of the Year in its inaugural Sustainability Awards. A North Face store in Boise, Idaho, and the Founding Farmers restaurant in Washington, D.C., tied for second place.

Timberland Designed Newest Boots With Disposal in Mind

Jonathan Bardelline — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:24:00 -0700

Later this year Timberland will release its Earthkeepers 2.0 boot, the company's first product to be designed with end-of-life in mind. The company has crafted the boot to be disassembled and recycled, a concept that is spreading throughout various industries as companies realize the benefits of taking back and reusing their own, and other companies', trashed items.

The Buzz on Electric Cars: What's New This Week

Sarah Terry-Cobo — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:01:00 -0700

GM gives a tour of its Advanced Battery Laboratory and ExxonMobil partners with Electrovaya to create a low-speed electric vehicle.

Unleashing the Next Wave of Engineering Innovation

Cameron Burns — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 11:00:00 -0700

Bad engineering design is simply wasteful, but a Rocky Mountain Institute initiative aims to create a set of teaching tools to help engineers designs things like buildings or vehicles that use radically less energy and resources.

Toyota, Coda to Bring New Electric-Powered Vehicles to Market

Tilde Herrera — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:53:00 -0700

Toyota will soon begin selling a diesel hybrid lift truck in Japan that cuts fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions in half. Meanwhile, a newly formed company will introduce an all-electric sedan to California in late 2010.

Design Roundup: China's Plastic Savings, Wal-Mart's Expanding Scorecard and More BPA Research

Jonathan Bardelline — Tue, 26 May 2009 16:58:00 -0700

A new study shows that drinking cold beverages normally from bottles that contain bisphenol A (BPA) can quickly increase concentration of BPA in human urine. Also this week, Wal-Mart announced it will be introducing its packaging scorecard in Mexico, and China reports on how many plastic bags it has avoided using with its bag ban.

Johnson & Johnson Asked to Remove Chemicals from Baby Shampoo

GreenerDesign Staff — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:25:00 -0700

A coalition of more than 40 parent, health care and environmental organizations is asking Johnson & Johnson to remove two chemicals, both considered probable human carcinogens, from baby shampoo and other items.

Method: Balancing Performance, Looks and Safe Materials

Jonathan Bardelline — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:42:00 -0700

Adam Lowry, co-founder of Method, speaks with GreenBiz Radio about why green products can't skimp on performance, the indepth work needed to clean up cleaners, and why all the new green products from mainstream companies don't worry Method.

The Secrets Behind 'Design for Environment'

Tilde Herrera — Thu, 07 May 2009 15:44:00 -0700

Joseph Fiksel spoke to GreenBiz Radio about the design principles behind his new book, the companies already putting them to work, and advice for those new to the game.

Former Ford SUV Plant to Build All-Electric Focus

GreenBiz Staff — Wed, 06 May 2009 05:31:00 -0700

Ford Motor Co. will spend $550 million retooling a former SUV plant to build electric and next-generation versions of its compact Ford Focus.

Nine Chemicals Face International Ban

GreenerDesign Staff — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:29:00 -0700

Talks began this week on nine chemicals facing a worldwide ban. The chemicals, used as pesticides and flame retardants, are persistent when released into the environment and accumulate in human bodies.

GE Expands Lifecycle Research at Ecoassessment Center

GreenBiz Staff — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:11:00 -0700

Researchers at GE's Ecoassessment Center of Excellence have been helping the company understand the lifecycle impacts of products, and they're now working on a systematic approach to assessing overall impacts from products.

Teijin to Cut Back Plastics Development, Focus on Green Chemistry

GreenerDesign Staff — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 12:04:00 -0700

Teijin, a Japanese company with businesses ranging from plastics to aircrafts to pharmaceuticals, plans to halve its sales of polyester, PET and polycarbonate while increasing other business divisions like bioplastics and recycling.

The Costs and Benefits of Better Design

Jonathan Bardelline — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:17:00 -0700

Wendy Jedlicka of Jedlicka Design talks with GreenBiz Radio about explaining the benefits of green design to clients, countering the idea that green has to carry a premium and making sense of language related to sustainability.