SUSTAINABLE INTERNET

Lately there has been a lot of talking around proposing INTERNET NOBEL PEACE PRICE.
We have been arguing a lot about the meaning of SUSTAINIBILITY and what are our responsibilities in order to achieve a more fare and sustainable society.
This blog offers the possibility to reflect on what is linked to those action that most of the time we give for granted and we never stop questioning. You will also find some GUIDELINES for a better use of this TOOL and to defining some GOOD PRACTICES.
We are responsible for our choices and sometimes to think about the implications of our actions make us remember the role of people and the role of tools.

Bruce Sterling on Atemporality @Transmediale.10

Preview Image: Jonathan Gröger

Transmediale is an international festival for contemporary art and digital culture which includes exhibitions, competitions, conferences, film and video programmes and live performances. This year's subject of the festival, to which Bruce Sterling refers, was "Futurity Now!:

2010. It is a year which has been synonymous with past images of the future. Writers and commentators throughout the 20th century strove to depict 2010 as a shining example of a future framed by technological progress and social harmony.

But as 2010 draws nearer it is clear that global society is neither the utopia nor the dystopia traditionally presented in these fictions, architectures and theories of the future. Rather, it is an increasingly complex web of economic, political and cultural systems dependent on the convergence of rapidly evolving technologies. With the ubiquity of digital practices and social media firmly entrenched as an intrinsic part of our cultural code, we have caught up with our own notions of the future. The future is experiencing an identity crisis.

Futurity is a concept that examines what the 'future' as a conditional and creative enterprise can be. At its heart lays the intricate need to counter political and economic turmoil with visionary futures. With FUTURITY NOW! transmediale.10 explores what roles internet evolution, global network practice, open source methodologies, sustainable design and mobile technology play in forming new cultural, ideological and political templates. transmediale.10 invites artists, scientists, media activists, thinkers and visionaries to ask not what the future has in store for us, but what do we have in store for the future? (source: transmediale.de)

Ecosia: The eco-friendly search engine

Ecosia is a environmental-friendly search engine that saves the rainforest while your're searching the web. At least 80% of their search income goes to a rainforest protection program run by WWF, which uses this money for the sustainable protection of rainforests in the Juruena National Park in Brazil.

It saves 2m² of rainforest with each web search you do. Their search results are as good as Google or Yahoo. So far (28.1.2010) Ecosia has saved 18,795,321 m² (22,479,204 yd²) of rainforest. They're not running any servers powered by alternative energy yet though. None the less I suggest you make it your browser's default start page!

Devices making energy use visible_2

This is designed to make householders aware of their energy consumptionon a daily basis.

This clock visualises the daily energy rhythms of thehousehold and reminds householders of the ordinary kitchen clockin its form, place and use. the clock indicates electrical use of its environmentin real time.

Devices raising awareness of energy use :Wilting Flower"

This flower wilts as you consume power. It allows consumers not onlyto be conscious of their energy consumption, but also to realise theimpacts their energy use has on the environment.

A British designer has come up with the Wilting Flower as a way to raise awareness of home energy consumption. The device is shaped like a flower that provides a visible reminder of how much energy is being used at the moment. When low amounts of energy are being consumed, the flower stands tall and blooms open. Flick on more lights and turn on the TV or video game and the flower wilts and closes up.The prototype is expected to cost about $90 when it comes to the market. So why would someone buy this novelty device when a simple energy monitor would do the exact same thing? Designer Carl Smith, who came up with the Wilting Flower, told the Daily Mail that he hopes people will become attached to the flower and keep it in bloom by changing their energy consumption habits. Other products display energy use on small LCD units which are not as attractive, he says.A wireless connector is connected to the household electricity supply and when more appliances are turned on, the amount of current drawn increases and is relayed back to the Wilting Flower. When the flower displays a blue and greenish light, that means power usage is low. Purple is a bad sign and an indication that the flower is about to wilt and it's time to turn off some of those appliances.

Devices making energy use visible_1

Electronic Cord, designed to make electricity visible.

With regards to saving electricity consumption, it is important to be aware of the use of electricity. Generally, energy is invisible so consumers are unconcious in using energy.

This type device allows householders to realise they are using energy.

*Source_Visual voltage exhibition at design vlaanderen, brussels

Visual voltage is an exhibition which explores the use of energy through smart design.the show is meant to give insight into electricity, energy consumption and environmental issues.the projects on show are all developed by swedish designers and artists, expressing their creative roles as a means to generate awareness and debates on essential issues such as sustainability and energy consumption, shedding new light on how we use electricity.

Remotely controlled garden using Twitter and Arduino

via instructables.com

I'm always excited when I come across projects in which interaction, open source technology and social media is being used in resilient everyday design proposals and appliances. So, here's a great instructable about how to build a remotely controlled garden using the open-source electronics prototyping platform Arduino and Twitter. Instructable user natantus had the brilliant idea to combine the "Tweet-a-Watt" power-metering project with the automated garden how-to "Garduino". In this step by step tutorial you'll learn how to build your own garden that you can monitor from work, university or with your smartphone via Twitter.