Moving Windmills: The William Kamkwamba Story

If you are ever stuck thinking that you don’t have the tools or resources to be innovative, think again!   At the age of 14, Malawian William Kamkwamba Malawan created a functioning wind turbine after merely seeing an image of one!  Inspired by the dream of providing his family with electricity and a water pump, William’s story is incredible, inspiring, and has almost brought me to tears this evening.  Enjoy the video, and when you realize you must know more of this fascinating story, buy the book here.

Quote to Keep on Keeping on

“If you’re not failing every now and again, it’s a sign you aren’t doing anything very innovative.”

Woody Allen

Two Thousand Zen

I’m feeling good about this new decade we’re getting started.  Really good.  The onset of each new year provides us with an oportunity to step back for a moment, to reflect on where we find ourselves.  A moment to give thanks for where we are and establish goals to get us where we would like to be next.

Personally, i haven’t decided on a singular action for the year.  I just know I’m ready to thrive.   Perhaps that it why ZenHabits‘ article on ‘The 7 Little Habits That Can Change Your Life, and How to Form Them” really captured me.  In this list, author Leo Babauta provides Cliff’s Notes to his abundance of great ideas in the form of 7 simple changes.

The site is full of invigorating ideas to clear your head and get your momentum churning in a positive direction.  Take the moment.  Direct your own innovative new decade.

A few other related posts:

How to Make the Most of the Fresh Start of a New Year

The Essential Zen Habits of 2009

mnmlist.com (Leo’s other blog)

(thanks to Jamie Bullock for the title of this post)

Quote for the New Year

“Don’t ask what the world needs.  Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it.  Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

-Howard Thurman

Looking Back, Moving Forward

The end of a year, almost the end of a decade.  Eliza and I have been somewhat M.I.A. the past month, due to burgeoning to-do lists and holiday mayhem,  but boy have we got grand plans for 2010!  We are looking to give our little blog a nice facelift sometime in the first part of the year, add more personalized content (including videos and interviews!), and continue to improve Innovate as the year progresses.  Thanks for being a part of our beginning, our first (half) year!

Here’s a final post for the magnificent, difficult, eventful, wondrous, and bittersweet year of 2009……… And a hopeful nod to the innovations of tomorrow.

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Cherry-picking from Time Magazine’s 50 Best Inventions of 2009, here are 5 supremely cool items from their list:

5. Vertical Farming.  ”Real estate — the one thing we’re not making any more of. That might be good news for landlords but not for the world’s farmers, who have finite cropland to feed a growing global population. The answer: build up by farming vertically. Valcent, a company based in El Paso, Texas, is pioneering a hydroponic-farming system that grows plants in rotating rows, one on top of another. The rotation gives the plants the precise amount of light and nutrients they need, while the vertical stacking enables the use of far less water than conventional farming. But best of all, by growing upward instead of outward, vertical farming can expand food supplies without using more land.”

4. The Electric Eye.  ”MIT researchers are developing a microchip that could help blind people regain partial eyesight. Though it won’t completely restore normal vision, it will enable a blind person to recognize faces and navigate a room without assistance. The chip, which is encased in titanium to prevent water damage, will be implanted onto a patient’s eyeball. The patient will then wear a pair of eyeglasses equipped with a tiny camera that transmits images directly to the chip, which in turn sends them to the brain. With any luck, human trials are only a few years away.”

3.  The Smart Thermostat.  ”A couple of years ago, Seth Frader-Thompson was driving a Prius. Priuses have little screens on the dashboard that tell you what gas mileage you’re getting, in real time, as you drive. It crossed Frader-Thompson’s mind that houses should have something similar. So he built the EnergyHub Dashboard, a little device, with a screen, that can talk wirelessly to your furnace and your various appliances and let you know exactly how much electricity (or gas) each one is using and how much it’s costing you. It can also turn appliances on and off and raise or lower the temperature in your house so you can rein in the real power hogs. EnergyHub is currently partnering with utilities for trials and will be available direct to consumers in early 2010.”

2.  The School of One.  ”This past summer, in a sixth-grade math class, New York City schools chancellor Joel Klein piloted a small program in which individualized, technology-based learning takes the place of the old “let’s all proceed together” approach. Each day, students in the School of One are given a unique lesson plan — a “daily playlist” — tailored to their learning style and rate of progress that includes a mix of virtual tutoring, in-class instruction and educational video games. It’s learning for the Xbox generation.”

1.  The Planetary Skin.  ”What happens to Earth when a forest is razed or energy use soars? We don’t know because environmental data are collected by isolated sources, making it impossible to see the whole picture. With the theory that you can’t manage what you can’t measure, NASA and Cisco have teamed up to develop Planetary Skin, a global “nervous system” that will integrate land-, sea-, air- and space-based sensors, helping the public and private sectors make decisions to prevent and adapt to climate change. The pilot project — a prototype is due by 2010 — will track how much carbon is held by rain forests and where.”

*All images above, and text descriptions, via Time online.

And for those who want a little laugh, check out BuzzFeed’s list of 50 Best Protest Signs of 2009.  One of my faves…

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!

Growing Holiday Cards

I love to get cards and letters… birthday, holidays, just-because.  There is nothing quite like getting a written note.  But what to do with cards when they’ve expired their display time?  It’s either sock them away in a box or drawer, or toss them in the garbage (which always makes me feel sad!).

Needless to say, I’m loving Green Field Paper Company‘s plantable “Grow-a-Note” holiday cards!  The paper is made of 100% post-consumer pulp and printed using soy inks, and is embedded with tiny wildflower seeds.  When the holidays are done, you simply put the card in a pot, add water, and voila!  Up sprout your wild-holiday-card-flowers!  So much better than just throwing them away.

Green Field makes all kinds of recycled and plantable paper goodies, from writing paper, to business cards, to journals and sketchbooks, made from hemp, recycled jeans, coffee bean scraps, and more.

Ross Lovegrove

Ross Lovegrove is sui generis in the world of designers.  His idiosyncratic approach to product design is organically breathtaking– fluid in appearance, and revolutionary in composition.  He describes himself as “an evolutionary biologist, more than a designer.”  This quote coming from one of the few sources I could find information on this incredible innovator, in an interview with Design Boom.

The following video is his presentation for TED, (which we recently wrote about here at Innovate). It’s a fantastic talk, but don’t get too sidetracked by the fact that there is a lot of focus on chairs!  (It’s more about the design process and materials, rather than the object itself).

Two items conspicuously missing from his talk are his Alpine Capsule and Solar Trees:

The Alpine Capsule is an off-grid, sustainable, futuristic cabin, if you will. Created as “simply a way to place people in the extremes of nature and its wonders, whilst retaining the maximum of comfort…space technology not in space, but on earth.”¹ The Capsule is meant to be a sanctuary within nature,  transparent from the inside looking out, but reflective of its surroundings on the exterior.  Learn more about it here.

Street lamps are often a dull affair, and Lovegrove’s Solar Trees are a welcome aesthetic antidote to humdrum street appearance.  ” The Solar Trees communicate more than light… they communicate the trust of placing beautifully made, complex natural forms outside for the benefit of all of society”  Read further at hg.hu.

image via Lisa Town

image via hg.hu

¹from interview featured in Clear magazine, issue 33

*Alpine Capsule images from Dezeen.com (Design Magazine)

The Indoor Mini-Garden

I live in an apartment without any yard to speak of (the crawling vines on my building’s fence don’t really count), so there isn’t a place where I can grow my own yummy, organic veggies, even though I want to!  Neither do I possess the green thumb needed to sustain a living plant. Needless to say, when I saw this cool little creation called an Aerogarden, I was pretty stoked.

Touted as the “Foolproof dirt-free indoor garden”, the Aerogarden works by way of oxygen and water.  There is a little pump inside the bottom half of the unit which circulates water into the seed pods, causing them to grow, without the need of a soil base.  The actual science behind this is called aeroponics (similar to hydroponics), which utilizes air and mist to make the growth happen.  The top part houses a special growth light, to make sure the little green guy gets plenty of “sun”.  The Aerogarden is built to house all kinds of edibles and pretty things, from heirloom tomatoes and salad greens, to delicate herbs and flowers.

Though there is no real match to an old-fashion dirt and (real) sun garden, this might be the next best thing!  And you’ll always know exactly where your tomatoes and herbs came from.

Fun Can Change the World

My heart swells a little each time I watch the above videos from the Fun Theory.  Simple, yet well produced, each of the Fun Theory projects realizes great success.  Their theory has been proven: “that something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people’s behavior for the better. Be it for yourself, for the environment, or for something entirely different, the only thing that matters is that it’s change for the better.”

Think you’ve got the next fun idea?  Now is your time to get paid for it.  The Fun Theory is hosting an open competition for the next installation.  The winner will be rewarded the hearty sum of €2,500 and get to have a little fun making the world a little better.  Deadline is December 15, so get to work! And be sure to also let us know what you come up with!

Treehugger’s Wishlist

I fully intend to post my own green wish list, but in the meantime, Treehugger’s “2009 Gift Guide: Have a Slow Holiday” is a great head start!  With 12 categories and over 100 gifts you can pinpoint every person on your list with a meaningful green gift!  A few of my favorites on the list:

Reusable bottle + filter! You have no idea how badly I need one of these with the old pipes in our house

Sorry Louis, Matt and Nat's vegan bags are the must this year

Everyone needs a fabulous sit and sway spot...

Recyled leash. Now all I need is a pup to pull along. Details...

If you know me, you know that I dont leave home without a scarf, and you can be safe to assume that this on, which provides a week worth of resources to tribal families, is really making me smile.

gnome bowling. cute and FREE!

Apparently Inhabitat has compiled a great list as well, but I haven’t had a chance to peruse yet.

TED- “ideas worth spreading”

Lately, I’ve been completely hooked on watching TED videos.  A good TED clip can give me everything I’m looking for when I have a few moments of free time… information, happiness, tears, confusion, awe, amazement, empathy, and more than anything, inspiration.

TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, the three elements which were the founding premise for this small non-profit back in 1984.  Today TED brings together people from every industry and occupation imaginable, from all over the globe.  It is a platform for individuals to give their story, in 18 minutes or less, about anything, and the topics are all incredible: Biomimicry, water purification, creativity, slowing down in life, happiness, environment, homelessness, intelligence, inventions, ideas, ideas, ideas…. endless, profound ideas.  Not every presenter is poetic, not all presentations are inspiring, but each has something unique and fresh to offer the viewer.

Two of my all time favorite speakers are Jill Bolte Taylor “stroke of insight”, and Elizabeth Gilbert “on nurturing creativity”.  Another fascinating one I just watched tonight, Johnny Lee “demos Wii Remote hacks”.  Check them out, be prepared to open your mind.

 

Elizabeth Gilbert speaking at TED

 

 

 

The ‘Thank You’ Project

city lights

lolita

moscow

The optimist in us would like to find something positive in every day.  But as we all know, some days our inner optimist is quite challenged with this task. We’re busy!  We’re working hard!  And sometimes we simply forget to be grateful for the opportunities that create this stress and the goodness that eventually follows.

Meet Julia.  Julia is a passionate, grateful woman on a mission!  A mission to prove to the world that through positive thinking we can achieve whatever our heart desires and needs.  When Julia was faced with several difficult situations and the onset of depression, she did not turn to therapists or pills.  She looked inward and relied on the power of positivity to pull her out.  That’s proof enough for me, but other people were harder to persuade.

egypt

In an attempt to practice what she preached and connect with other people, Julia began The ‘Thank You’ Project.  Each day Julia takes a moment to document and share what she is thankful for through her blog.

I asked Julia what inspired her to get this blog started and she had the following to say:  “There are a lot of negative and pessimistic people out there and somehow I seem to come into contact with a lot of them and haven’t always been successful in making them believe that my theory works… And what better way to show and explain something than by your own example? A blog makes it easy for both me and readers – I write, I practice what I preach, and people decide if it’s possible. I belive if I can do it, than everyone can.”

palm trees

Today I am thankful that Julia commented on an Innovate post and led me to discover her wonderfully positive project!  Though I think contributing to one blog is enough to keep me busy for now, I am inspired to start a daily journal of things I am thankful for.  What a wonderful reference and reminder of how lucky we are, especially on the days that simple fact is so easy to forget!

paris

(Each of the images are from an entry of Julia’s that included a photo, click on the images to read why she was thankful for that topic)

Turn The Radio On

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Trying to find alternative sources for news can be difficult, with airwaves and print dominated by major publications such as CNN, The New York Times, and The BBC.  The trouble I find with mainstream media is that sometimes it’s difficult to figure out what exactly is going on in the world, and why… better yet, what about all the stories behind the scenes we don’t get to hear about?

Three particular sources have proved to be continually innovative in the way they report news, and all are convenient audio sources available with the click of a radio knob (or on podcast!):  This American Life, Fresh Air, and Planet Money.  When I got confused about the economic crises and the health care debate recently, these were the sources I ran to, and I feel like they did the most stand-up job at reporting in a clear, concise, and engaging way.

Not only do these three programs continually produce efficient news, but they also offer a pleasant respite from the surplus of negative commentary out there, with entertaining and thought-provoking true stories from real people, both big names and no-names.

1.  This American Life.  The first show went on the air on NPR in 1995, and since then host Ira Glass, (picture above in the funny glasses) has been producing some of the most eye-opening audio shows I’ve ever heard.  Each episode features a variety of “acts” on a given topic.  Topics range from uniquely informative (episode #375, “Bad Bank”, reveals how and why the U.S. banking system collapsed, and what is being done to fix it; #392, “Someone Else’s Money”, takes a deep look into health care insurance), to heart-wrenching (#322, “Shouting Across the Divide”, in which a Palestinian family is torn apart in America), to hilarious (basically any episode that features Adam Davidson or David Sedaris, two frequent contributors to TAL), and beyond.  If you’re already a listener to this fantastic show, I recommend checking their archives for some episodes you might not have heard! (TAL is available as a free podcast via iTunes, and also now graces television with technicolor shows!)

2.  Fresh Air.  ”From WHYY in Philadelphia, this is Fresh Air…” Host Terry Gross has been in the radio business since the 70′s, and in 1985, she took over a little show called Fresh Air.  Since then, this enthralling interviewer has graced the nation with “probing questions, revelatory interviews and unusual insights”, according to the show’s 1994 Peabody Award credits.  She has covered topics ranging from politics and war, to arts, science and pop culture, and interviewed way too many people to list (Spike Jonze, Bill O’Reilly, Marvin Hamlish, and Gene Simmons, to name a few).  I started listening to her show years ago, mostly for entertainment, but it has become a staple in my daily yearning to understand the world.  (available as a free podcast via iTunes, and on NPR)

3. Planet Money.  This NPR production is a newby, but a goody.  So good, in fact, that I have completely fallen in love with it, and want to go out and tell everyone that if the’re looking for a place to learn about the global economy, in layman’s terms, this is the golden goose.  In August 2008, they were looking for a name to put on their brilliant idea for a business and economics show, today they are the “captains of revelatory explanation regarding the rapidly changing global economy” (according to me).  Adam Davidson (the funny bloke who sometimes appears on TAL), Alex Blumberg, and Chana Joffe-Walt are a few of the correspondents for the show, and they manage to make international economics fun and even delightful.  Who knew economics could be enjoyable? (available as free podcast via iTunes and other sources)

Since I’m on a roll, I’ll go ahead and list a couple more audio shows that have thoroughly intrigued me recently.

Inside Renewable Energy:  This is the podcast for Renewable Energy World, a website and blog dedicated to its namesake.  Offers news reports about renewable energy in companies, products, and events, in countries all over the globe.

PRI’s Social Entrepreneurship:  Yet another fabulous free podcast about incredible things happening in small business around the world, particularly focused on developing areas such as Africa.

Listen up, great things are happening!

*cute radio image via: DayGlowVintage.blogspot.com

How Green is your Facebook?

It’s no surprise that we use up quite a bit of energy, both physically and electronically, on our social networking!  Good thing the helpful leaders at Facebook have taken a stance and are helping ease the carbon footprint of our addiction with their new offices!  Their new digs located in Palo Alto owe their innovative design to Studio O+A Architects.

 

d.j. booth and skate park to keep the energy flowing

 

 

When the 700+ employees of Facebook were each questioned what they would like to see in their new offices, they all showed an unwavering desire to create a green environment.  The renovated warehouse is the first commercial project to be completed under Palo Alto’s 2008 green ordinance.  Starting with the laboratory shell of high-tech manufacturer Agilent Technologies, the design takes care to salvage several of the architectural features such as millwork, exposed ductwork and structure.  The building also features high-recycled content carpet and energy efficient light to keep them running late nights.  When the company efficiently combined the 10+ locations into one, they wanted to merge the 700 unique employees while allowing the departments to remain distinct.

 

this whiteboard surrounded conference room begs for creativity!

 

 

‘Neighborhoods’ were created within the sunlit open floor plan through partitions and well placed color. The bright color makes certainly keeps the work environment fun; or is it the dj decks, basketball court and skate park that keep everyone smiling?  or round the clock food service?  Either way, I feel better than ever about updating my status and taking the time to look through everyone’s weekend photos!

 

the space features an abundance of inviting areas to interact and collaborate

 

 

(photos courtesy of concepTrends)

Wear My Umbrella

Italian lady Cecelia Felli sees more than just protection from the elements when she looks at an umbrella.

“Some time ago, around home I found this umbrella, very pretty, but broken.  So I saved both the handles and the fabric too, because I was sorry to throw them in the garbage.  Looking at the umbrella fabric and shape, I noticed that there was a similarity in shape with a skirt.  This is how I got the inspiration! Since I was young, in my family I’ve been used to reusing objects, not to trash them if it wasn’t necessary.”

Felli’s umbrella skirts are not only pretty and inventive, but they are entirely reclaimed from the fabric of old umbrellas.  They are also one-size-fits-many, with an adjustable piece of fabric at the waste, and their inherent design makes them perfectly suited for a feminine twirl.

“In design I like the use of natural elements in the everyday life’s objects…the transformable products, the artisan way to work and project. I like also the iconic, ironic, amusing design. I’m a very curious person, determinated, essential, coherent, respectful.”

Cecelia currently makes these skirts by hand, one by one, but hopes to produce them on a larger scale in the near future.  You can purchase one here!