Tag Archives: eco-friendly

Solar Powered Jacket Heats Without The Usual Bulk

by SpencerMcknight Posted on August 26, 2016

You’ve heard of solar powered homes and solar powered devices, but have you heard of a solar powered jacket? ThermalTech is changing the way we look at fabric with its new patented energy absorbing technology.

How ThermalTech got started

ThermalTech was co-founded by Carlos Cortes Manica and Fatima Rocha Arguelles with a shared goal to “impact people’s life positively through technology.” They began by making solar technology for the solar water heater industry, but they were always inventing new ways to use materials in the area of solar.

ThermalTech has a group of seven passionate engineers that is lead by one of the best scientists in Mexico. She recently won the Mexico National Science Academy award. Her PHD thesis on solar coatings along with the team’s desire to find new ways to harness energy from the sun is the foundation for ThermalTech’s innovative fabric design.

ThermalTech is currently patented in over 10 countries. The team was trying to find the best use for their technology for a few years when they were awarded first place as Best Technological Start Up at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Morocco among 1,000 contestants. Today, they’re bringing their technology to us through their ThermalTech jackets.

“We are very excited to bring this technology to market,” said Fatima Rocha, Co-funder of ThermalTech.  “Our goal is to help people stay warm in any environment without having to sacrifice fashion and comfort.”

How ThermalTech is different from traditional fabrics

Traditional coats and jackets are designed to recycle body heat and slowly warm you up. In contrast, ThermalTech fabric is designed to capture the sun’s ultraviolet rays and energy from artificial light sources to convert and store as heat. This stored heat can increase the in-clothing temperature by 18°F (10°C) in only two minutes, even when it’s cold outside.

While most heat-storing materials are heavy and bulky, ThermalTech fabric is super lightweight, so you can say goodbye to bulky jackets. Now you can have a more fashionable look, even on the coldest winter day. The paper-thin fabric is made from stainless steel mesh threads, which makes it strong and durable in addition to being lightweight – lending to a longer lifespan for the fabric. The water repellent fabric is easily embedded in any clothing style, from jackets to pants and is machine washable.

“We believe that by introducing this solar-absorbing fabric into the apparel marketplace, the next generation of outerwear will provide the consumer with even more of an optimal temperature & fit,” said Carlos Cortes, CEO of ThermalTech.  “This will allow everyone from the snowboarder to the fashionista to be warmer in colder climates.”

Solar powered jacket even works at night

You might be wondering if a solar powered jacket can work at night. Tests prove that ThermalTech fabric can reflect your own body heat in addition to capturing energy from sunlight or artificial light. This is possible due to Infrared light, which can’t be seen by the human eye. This undetectable light can be converted into heat. So when the sun goes down for the night, the ThermalTech fabric acts like a shield between your body and the environment. And, your body transforms Infrared and UV light into extra body heat.

Don’t worry – you won’t overheat

Even though the ThermalTech smart fabric stores up energy to keep you warm, you won’t overheat. The fabric maintains your body temperature once you reach the optimal level. It works under the same principle as how your body cools itself when you exercise. At a certain point, your body will begin to expel and radiate the extra energy that is being created. The same happens with ThermalTech smart fabric technology because it understands when it’s time to expel energy.

ThermalTech solar powered jackets on Indiegogo

You can now get ThermalTech fabric on Indiegogo in its very first use – jackets. ThermalTech jackets are breathable, waterproof and slim down the traditional bulky winter look. There are three different jacket styles available for both women and men that can be used for a range of outdoor activities such as shopping, running errands, walking around town, jogging, hiking, snowboarding and camping.

Street style jacket

The Street style ThermalTech jacket is fashion inspired, and is offered in three colors for men and three colors for women. It’s made with waterproof and wind breaker fabric featuring deep front pockets and one inner pocket. It works great in temperatures from 32-50° F (0-10° C). The Street jacket allows even the most discerning fashionista to keep warm without compromising their style. It’s perfect for running errands around town or a night out on the town.

Explorer style jacket

The Explorer style ThermalTech jacket is designed for casual, every day use and also comes in three colors for men and three colors for women. It’s made from waterproof and wind breaking fabric and features a waist zipper, deep exterior with strategically placed inner pockets to carry your wallet, mountain pass or cell phone. It comes with a removable hoodie and exits for your headphones. It’s perfect for staying warm in any outdoor setting or situation and is great for campers, hikers and fishing. The Explorer style jacket works great in temperatures from 30-55° F (1-10° F).

Extreme style jacket

The Extreme style ThermalTech jacket is intended for outdoor sports and you have the choice of three colors for men and three colors for women. If you’re hitting the slopes on a snowboard or skis, you will be able to say goodbye to two to three pounds of weight and bulk without sacrificing warmth as this jacket works great in temperatures ranging from -4-14° F (-10 to -20° C). It’s made with waterproof and wind breaker fabric and features a waist zipper, deep exterior pockets and strategically placed inner pockets to carry your wallet, mountain pass or cell phone. The Extreme style jacket comes with a removable hoodie and exits for your headphones.

Each style is available on Indiegogo in several popular colors and sizes S, M, L, XL and XXL. The jackets also offer a one-year warranty. There are currently a limited number Early Bird specials of 50% off MSRP (on all jackets), so pop over to Indiegogo to choose the style that’s right for your lifestyle.

Do you see a solar powered jacket in your future?

About
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Chrystal Johnson

Chrystal, publisher of

Happy Mothering

, Founder of

Green Moms Media

and essential oil fanatic, is a mother of two sweet girls who believes in living a simple, natural lifestyle. A former corporate marketing communication manager, Chrystal spends her time researching green and eco-friendly alternatives to improve her family’s life.

Latest posts by Chrystal Johnson (see all)

Solar Powered Jacket Heats Without The Usual Bulk – August 26, 2016
5 Stores Who Kicked Plastic Bags To The Curb – August 15, 2016
Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Is Here – August 10, 2016

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Solar Powered Jacket Heats Without The Usual Bulk
The Ultimate Guide To Creating A Greener Kitchen
Why Solar Financing Truly Is An Art Form
Seeking Sustainable Living? 5 Inspiring Ideas
Deconstructing Construction Waste
4 Creative Eco-friendly Transportation Options
Light Bulb Moment? Researchers See Bright Idea
How To Create Your Own DIY Duvet Cover
Why Compartmentalizing Your Garden Works
5 Stores Who Kicked Plastic Bags To The Curb
This Is One Sweet DIY Kombucha Recipe
College Road Tour Teaches Sustainable Living 101

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Solar Powered Jacket Heats Without The Usual Bulk

Posted in A Greener Kitchen, alo, eco-friendly, Everyone, FF, GE, LG, ONA, PUR, solar, solar power, Ultima, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Solar Powered Jacket Heats Without The Usual Bulk

America’s First Offshore Wind Farm May Power Up a New Industry

by Myrna Posted on August 22, 2016

A just-completed project off the coast of Rhode Island, though relatively tiny, is at the forefront of a sea-based transition to renewable energy. View article:  America’s First Offshore Wind Farm May Power Up a New Industry ; ; ;

Continue reading here – 

America’s First Offshore Wind Farm May Power Up a New Industry

Posted in alo, eco-friendly, FF, G & F, GE, Holmes, Monterey, solar, solar power, Uncategorized, wind energy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on America’s First Offshore Wind Farm May Power Up a New Industry

Feeling Cornered, Coal Industry Borrows From Tobacco Playbook, Activists Say

by Myrna Posted on August 16, 2016

A presentation at a trade group meeting showed that coal companies were seeing comparisons that environmentalists typically make. View post:  Feeling Cornered, Coal Industry Borrows From Tobacco Playbook, Activists Say ; ; ;

Continue reading – 

Feeling Cornered, Coal Industry Borrows From Tobacco Playbook, Activists Say

Posted in Citadel, eco-friendly, FF, G & F, GE, LAI, Monterey, ONA, solar, solar power, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Feeling Cornered, Coal Industry Borrows From Tobacco Playbook, Activists Say

A Warning for Dogs, and Their Best Friends, in Study of Fertility

by Myrna Posted on August 9, 2016

Decreased sperm quality and other effects could be related to environmental causes, and further declines could harm the dogs’ ability to reproduce. See more here –  A Warning for Dogs, and Their Best Friends, in Study of Fertility ; ; ;

Source: 

A Warning for Dogs, and Their Best Friends, in Study of Fertility

Posted in eco-friendly, FF, G & F, GE, LAI, Monterey, ONA, solar, solar power, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A Warning for Dogs, and Their Best Friends, in Study of Fertility

13 Green Tips That Can Save You Over $5,000 A Year

by FrederiDarley Posted on August 8, 2016

Simple shifts to greener versions of the products you already buy can save you as much as $5,000 a year. Oh, and you’ll reduce the amount of energy you use and how much trash you throw away, too.  Here are 13 green tips I’ve made personally that have saved me a bundle of money while making me feel good about doing my part to protect the planet.

13 great green tips

Choose compact fluorescent light bulbs

Estimated Savings: $5 – $10/yr/bulb x 4 bulbs = $20 – $40/yr

CFLs use 66% less energy than a regular incandescent light bulb and last ten times as long. Plus, each bulb you shift to will save you $5 – $10 per year in electricity costs. That’s as much as $100 over the lifetime of every bulb you buy. Start by switching out bulbs in the four lights you use the most: your kitchen ceiling light, your bathroom ceiling light, two lamps in your living room or family room. Switch to LED lighting, and you’ll save even more on bulbs that last even longer than CFLs.

Try a reusable water bottle

Estimated Savings: $250 – $500/yr

Bottled water can cost 10,000 times more than tap water! Why? Because you’re paying for all kinds of things BESIDES water: the bottle, the water wasted during the bottling process, the energy used to bottle the water and transport the bottle to your store, the paper label on the bottle, and the bottle cap. Purchase a reusable water bottle for less than $20 and fill it up at home or at work. With these savings, you can buy a water filter for your tap if it makes you feel better, or buy a reusable bottle that comes with its own filter.

Take lunch to work

Estimated Savings: $1560/yr

This green tip is a big money saver, but you probably never thought it was a planet saver, too. Why is it so eco-friendly to take your own lunch to work? Because you’re not using all the throwaway plastic and paper packaging that a take-out lunch involves, especially if you use a reusable lunch bag and food containers.

Programmable thermostat. Image courtesy of _vikram

Program your thermostat

Estimated Savings: $150/yr

Every time you adjust the thermostat to reduce your heating or cooling needs, you save money. But remembering to make the adjustment can be a challenge. The beauty of a programmable thermostat is that it does the adjusting for you. Set the controls to moderate temperatures, and enjoy watching your energy bills decrease.

Put in low flow shower heads, toilets

Estimated Savings: $72/yr

Most conventional shower heads and toilets use an excessive amount of water, wasting a precious resource along with your hard-earned dollars. Replace your existing shower head with a high-impact low flow model to enjoy the same quality but using far less water. Older model toilets may use as much as six gallons of water per flush; newer models only need 1.6 gallons (or less) to get the job done.

Plug in to a smart power strip

Estimated Savings: $94/yr

Computers, fax machines, monitors, answering machines, televisions and other electronics are called “vampires” because they keep sucking energy out of the electrical sockets they’re plugged in to even when they’re turned off. In fact, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, electric appliances use 40% of their energy when they’re turned off! You can cut that – and your energy bill – simply by plugging your electronics into an energy-saving power strip.

Insulate windows, doors with weather stripping

Estimated Savings: $129/yr

A lot of energy is wasted in winter and summer alike when cooled or heated air escapes through cracks around windows and doors. Caulking windows and weather-stripping doors reduces the losses to everything but your pocketbook.

Improve car fuel economy

Estimated Savings: $1050/yr

With gas prices averaging around $2.50 a gallon, every gallon of gas you save puts real money back in your wallet. Burning less gas generates a lot less smog and air pollution, and reduces the impact driving has on climate change, too. If you replace a car that gets only 20 mpg with one that gets 40 mpg, you’ll save $750/yr at today’s gas prices. When prices rise, a fuel efficient car saves you even more. Learn to drive “smart.” Following the speed limit, driving at a consistent speed, keeping the engine tuned up and your tires inflated, will save an additional $300- $500/yr.

Skip one driving trip each week

Estimated Savings: $225/yr

Gasoline costs for individual trips can really add up. Replace at least one trip a week with a carpool, or shop online, telecommute, bicycle or walk to save fuel and money. You can find many more ways to cut your fuel costs at www.biggreenpurse.com.

Energy Star Energy Guide. Image courtesy of Andy Melton.

Buy ENERGY STAR appliances

Estimated Savings: $100/yr on energy, 7,000+ gallons of water

All ENERGY STAR appliances are designed to save energy, and clothes washers and dishwashers offer the added benefit of saving thousands of gallons of water over conventional models. Plus, many local utilities offer a $50 or $100 rebate when consumers trade in old refrigerators and air conditioners for new ENERGY STAR models.

Make Home Cleansers

Estimated Savings: $360/yr

You can save a small fortune by skipping commercial cleaning products and using simple and non-toxic ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. You can clean almost any surface in your home with fragrance-free and biodegradable liquid soap, standard baking soda, hot water, and a sponge. For windows, mirrors and other glass surfaces, use a mixture of vinegar and water, and you’ll pay mere pennies per window to get the shine you want. You can find many green cleaning recipes here.

Buy Gently Used, Swap, or Get Free

Estimated Savings: $750/yr

Swap or trade what you already have for what you want. Use our recycling locator find recycling opportunities, or check listings at Craigslist.com, freecycle.org or your own neighborhood list-serv.

Sell Your Own Used Stuff

Estimated Savings: $350/yr

We all have more stuff than we can use. And we all throw away perfectly good items that someone else could use. From clothing and sports equipment to kitchenware, electronics and furniture, our trash can also generate some treasure. Take advantage of listservs, Ebay and Craigslist to sell what you no longer need or use. And don’t forget that tried-and-true method of keeping your perfectly good stuff in circulation: the neighborhood yard sale!

Total Estimated Savings: $5,110.00

What green shifts have you made that have saved you money? Do you have other green tips you’d like to share with others? Leave your comments below.

Featured image courtesy of Ken Neoh

About
Latest Posts

Diane MacEachern

Diane MacEachern is a best-selling author, award-winning entrepreneur and mother of two with a Master of Science degree in Natural Resources and the Environment. Glamour magazine calls her an “eco hero” and she recently won the “Image of the Future Prize” from the World Communications Forum, but she’d rather tell you about the passive solar house she helped design and build way back when most people thought “green” was the color a building was painted, not how it was built. She founded biggreenpurse.com because she’s passionate about inspiring consumers to shift their spending to greener products and services to protect themselves and their families while using their marketplace clout to get companies to clean up their act.

Latest posts by Diane MacEachern (see all)

13 Green Tips That Can Save You Over $5,000 A Year – August 8, 2016
Valentines Day Gifts That Show Mother Earth Some Love, Too – February 4, 2015
Tired Of Spending Your Money On Gas? Get A Chevy Volt – January 28, 2015

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Rio2016™ Goes For Gold In Sustainability
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Why House Hunting By Bike Has Real Curb Appeal
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13 Green Tips That Can Save You Over $5,000 A Year

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As Peat Bogs Burn, a Climate Threat Rises

by Myrna Posted on August 8, 2016

Warming temperatures can dry out northern peatlands, increasing the risk of fires that release thousands of years of stored carbon into the atmosphere. Source:  As Peat Bogs Burn, a Climate Threat Rises ; ; ;

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As Peat Bogs Burn, a Climate Threat Rises

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A Tantalizing Offering From a Meal Kit Service: The Box

by Myrna Posted on August 3, 2016

The reusable box that FreshRealm created to reduce packaging waste is a selling point of its delivery service — and a product it sells to competitors. Source:   A Tantalizing Offering From a Meal Kit Service: The Box ; ; ;

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A Tantalizing Offering From a Meal Kit Service: The Box

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Third Man Records Sends a Vinyl Record Into Space

by Myrna Posted on August 3, 2016

The spinning gold-plated copy of Carl Sagan’s “A Glorious Dawn” reached 94,000 feet above earth on a high-altitude balloon. Taken from –  Third Man Records Sends a Vinyl Record Into Space ; ; ;

Credit: 

Third Man Records Sends a Vinyl Record Into Space

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Oil industry supporters are getting ever more creative with their memes

by Gidget1126 Posted on July 27, 2016

Bad Internet

Oil industry supporters are getting ever more creative with their memes

By on Jul 27, 2016 6:06 amShare

A Canadian advocate for oil sands recently learned just how fickle the internet can be.

Robbie Picard, a former Alberta oil sands worker, posted a homemade meme to the Canada Oil Sands Community Facebook page this week. It showed two women kissing, and read:

In Canada lesbians are considered hot! In Saudi Arabia if you’re a lesbian you die! Why are we getting our oil from countries that don’t think lesbians are hot?! Choose equality! Choose Canadian oil!

The backlash was swift. People from within the group and beyond did not hold back their anger, although the source of that anger varied. Some objected to the treatment of women as sex objects, others to lesbianism itself, and still others to the idea that Canadian tar sands oil is any better for the planet than importing oil from Saudi Arabia. (For the record, they’re both bad.)

Then, naturally, the backlash to the backlash started: “People who legitimately complained about it being offensive should be banned from Universities,” Charles Garand weighed in on the Facebook page. “I urge you to reupload the picture back to your page because I really do love it.”

The point of the meme, according to Picard, was to raise awareness about how imports from Saudi Arabia are hurting the local economy. This is not the first time Picard, who lost his home in the recent wildfires in Fort McMurray, has said something controversial about oil exaction.

In 2015, he claimed that “[t]he oil sands are the best thing that ever happened for aboriginal people.” The aboriginal people of Alberta, however, may disagree. In fact, Canada’s First Nations people have been on the front lines of working against tar sands oil extraction for years. But Picard certainly has a creative way of thinking.

“When I say lesbians are hot, I don’t think there is anything wrong about saying that,” he told the National Post. “I think all lesbians are hot and I’m not opposed to putting a picture of two guys up there. It was just to strike up a conversation. I find anybody is hot. I think two women kissing is hot. I think that something that is part of the fabric of our city — that we can do whatever we want in our country — that is hot.”

It certainly is, Mr. Picard.

ShareElection Guide ★ 2016Making America Green AgainOur experts weigh in on the real issues at stake in this electionGet Grist in your inbox

Original post:

Oil industry supporters are getting ever more creative with their memes

Posted in alo, Anchor, eco-friendly, Everyone, FF, GE, LAI, LG, ONA, solar, solar power, Uncategorized, wind power | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Oil industry supporters are getting ever more creative with their memes

Trump: Scared of ISIS, loves air-conditioning, slams John Kerry

by KatrinaDeffell Posted on July 27, 2016

Trump: Scared of ISIS, loves air-conditioning, slams John Kerry

By on Jul 26, 2016Share

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Fox News’s Sean Hannity had a little chat on Monday evening about economics, climate change, and terrorism. It was pretty typical for a Trump interview, until the talk turned to air conditioning (a subject I happen to have done a little thinking about recently).

CBS reporter Sopan Deb captured the moment for Twitter:

Let’s fact check this for a moment, shall we? Here’s what really happened:

Last week, Secretary of State John Kerry attended a conference in Vienna where global leaders worked on an amendment to the Montreal Protocol, the landmark 1989 agreement that banned chlorofluorocarbons, an industrial refrigerant formerly common in air conditioners that caused the hole in the ozone layer.

The goal of the Vienna amendment is for countries to phase out hydrofluorocarbons, the successor to CFCs, which have some serious negative consequences of their own. HFCs are a potent greenhouse gas and trap thousands of times more heat than carbon dioxide, making air conditioners a significant contributor to climate change. Kerry said the following from Vienna:

[On Thursday], I met in Washington with 45 nations — defense ministers and foreign ministers — as we were working together on the challenge of [ISIS] and terrorism. It’s hard for some people to grasp it, but what we — you — are doing here right now is of equal importance because it has the ability to literally save life on the planet itself.

He’s right. ISIS has killed thousands across the globe, but as terrifying as that is, ISIS will not spell the end of mankind. Climate change, however, could. Climate change impacts every aspect of life on earth, from where we live to the food we eat to the water we drink. Global markets, natural disasters … even war and terrorism. 

In 2014, the Defense Department (not exactly a bunch of hippies) wrote: “In our defense strategy, we refer to climate change as a ‘threat multiplier’ because it has the potential to exacerbate many of the challenges we are dealing with today — from infectious disease to terrorism. We are already beginning to see some of these impacts.” 

Donald Trump doesn’t see the connection. You can watch the entire segment here, or you could repeatedly hit yourself in the head with a heavy object. Either way.

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Trump: Scared of ISIS, loves air-conditioning, slams John Kerry

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