SHFT is teaming up with Empowered by Light to help transform the lives of Zambian families in need. For a limited time, buy one Pharox Solar Kit, and SHFT will donate one to Empowered by Light's Project: ZAMBIA program, providing renewable energy solutions to Zambian homes with no access to electricity. The Pharox Solar Kit includes a small solar panel, a low-energy LED light bulb, and a built-in......read more
Light bulbs have been around since the days of Thomas Edison, but they're not the same old bulbs anymore. Technology is improving rapidly, and with that progress comes new levels of efficiency and sustainability. In his new book 'Plan B 4.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization,' author Lester Brown explains that one of the easiest and quickest ways that we can reduce electricity use......read more
Italian lighting manafacturer ewo develops and produces advanced lighting systems for public spaces. The T-System, the firm's latest output, is an modular LED street light that consumes only as much energy as the space requires. In Bergamo, Italy, where the first T-System lights were recently installed, officials expect the LED solution to provide 40% energy savings. Oh, also, they look......read more
Home Depot announces LED lightbulb that costs under $20 -- and lasts for 30 years. Seiko Kato's collages are, how you say, AMAZING. Sea Change: Photographers respond to the BP oil spill -- with optimistic pics of sustainable farming, beekeeping, and urban homesteading. No more Mr. Nice Guy: "End of Nature" author Bill McKibben says it's time to get pissed off about climate......read more
There's not much to like about an early morning alarm, so you may as well have a bedside clock that looks good. This wooden LED clock works the the earthy-tech aesthetic to nice effect. The birch block contains a crispy clear LED digital display that projects the time through thin veneer. Also contained within are two internally powered speakers, positioned at 180 degrees, for......read more
130 years after Thomas Edison brought incandescent lighting to the masses, the end is nigh for the old, energy-guzzling technology. On January 1, 2012, seven months from this week, federal efficiency regulations will effectively outlaw incandescent bulbs. Writing in the New York Times Magazine, Andrew Rice traces the rise and demise of the traditional incandescent, and looks into......read more
Solar cells transform sunlight into electrical energy - so this lamp requires no electrical connections. On top of that, the LED light consumes 70% less energy and has at least 4 times longer life than incandescent bulbs in similar lighting. And they come in cool colors too. IKEA has also teamed up with Unicef, and for every SUNNAN solar-powered lamp sold in IKEA stores worldwide, one lamp will......read more
In "Glowing Man," renowned London fashion photographer Jacob Sutton exchanges beautiful women in expensive clothes for a pro snowboarder outfitted in a luminescent suit. Filming with a Red Epic camera, Sutton caught an LED suit-clad William Hughes shredding the slopes of Tignes, France at night. The contrast of the bright suit against the dark night is nothing short of amazing,......read more
Occasionally, in our constant search for cool and interesting stuff to show our faithful readers, we come across creative projects that literally blow our minds. This would be one such occasion. As part of last weekend's Tokyo Hotaru festival, 100,000 LED lights were sent flowing down the Sumida River, commemorating the now scarce fireflies ("hotaru" in Japanese) that used to bring the river to......read more
If these pictures are any indication, Bruce Munro's first-ever large-scale solo show won't be his last. In "Light," the British artist fills 23 acres of Pennsylvania's Longwood Gardens with six outdoor installations, two interior projects, and a collection of illuminated of illuminated sculptural works. Subtle environmental commentary informs the entire project, from the "Waterlilies" piece......read more