Fixed Fee IP is representing what the Sheffield inventor calls the 'paintbrush for life', a new paintbrush that you attach to your power drill in order to fling off the paint, leaving it sparkling clean and ready for the next job. It's tested especially well with gloss paint, with the result that much less solvent is used and brushes are wasted. No word on price, but for more information you can write to cleanpaintbrushes@yahoo.co.uk. [GT]
cleanpaintbrushes@yahoo.co.uk
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The irony of the New York Times reporting on how much damage overconsumption of paper does to the planet seems not completely lost in The Hidden Life of Paper and Its Impact on the Environment. It is, however, somewhat amusing that they're reporting on Time Magazine's responses. (Though, if being obsessed with Time was good enough for Allen Ginsberg...) There is some good news about companies going over to recycled pulp and identifying the really vile offenders. For example: "Time Inc.’s study found that greenhouse emissions from one of its paper mills accounted for 61 percent of the emissions from Time magazine and 77 percent of In Style’s emissions." Ouch! [GT]
The Hidden Life of Paper and Its Impact on the Environment
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Shout about is Friends of the Earth's annual project to involve stage 3 pupils in environmental issues. This year's competition prize: an actual-factual wind turbine for the winning school or youth group. Write to FOE and they'll provide you with an activity pack, lesson ideas and a bundle of visual resources. Click here to download a PDF of the Shout about flyer. [GT]
Shout about at Friends of the Earth
Related stories: Join the Big Noise | ITV Granada Big Cleanup campaign
Upstairs my in-laws to be have six grocery bags of Christmas, birthday, and other cards. I bet a whole tree could've been saved if they'd been Sheepy Greetings Cards, which are made from sheep dung. 5 packs are £6.99, all alike; 10 packs are £10.99, likewise alike; the 20 card variety pack has five of each of the four types for £20.99. Each card comes with a matching self-sealing envelope. And yes, I am jealous of where they work. [GT]
Sheepy Greetings Cards
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Not only does the Tumi Limited Edition Powerpack Backpack have a built-on solar panel (a la the Voltaic) its full purchase price goes to support Doctors Without Borders. Which is good, since otherwise, no matter how Anish Kapoor designed it is, you might have trouble justifying £350 versus the Voltaic's £150. However, since it's for charity... has a myriad pockets, a pillow-padded section for your laptop, and a back designed to keep your back happy. [GT]
Tumi Limited Edition Powerpack Backpack [via Sybarites]
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The days where electric bikes are huge and clunky - nearly motorcycles - are long gone. Find proof in the UM 24 from Urban Mover, which has a battery charged from mains power at a cost of about 6p per 25km. Then when you arrive at work - or your 3rd story flat - it folds up for convenient carrying. (Although it's still 22.5kg, which is not so convenient! Better build up those muscles!) £700. [GT]
UM 24 electric bicycle
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"I'm in surplus. I am now providing money to the grid," [Donnachadh McCarthy] said with a grin, gesturing at a red light winking on the wall that marks the progress of his domestic power station.
McCarthy is one of 80,000 UK homeowners with their own renewable power generation units. And why not, with B & Q selling them for only £1500? If that's too steep, try the models from Future Energy at only £695 - with the rising cost of power and the potential to actually sell back to the grid, it seems like a solid investment opportunity to investigate. Although McCarthy warns that alternative energy will only go so far in Britain's battle to restrict the emissions causing global warming.
"Renewables are not the answer. This is about a range of things that come together. Mainly it's about reducing your need for energy," he said. [GT]
Home Wind Turbines Turn Fashionable in Britain
Related stories: How to Build a Wind Turbine | Plant a wind farm in your garden
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