The Red Ferret Journal

The XO2 Electric Scooter does what folks have dreamed about since we first saw the Jetsons cartoons – it folds in on itself.

Called the first “Urban Transformer” scooter, the XO2 is a series of lightweight, electrically-powered scooters with a low saddle, large backrest and are easy to use. Manufactured by French company XOR Motors, it folds into a quarter cubic meter luggage cart in seconds, small enough to drag onto a train or upstairs to the office for a recharge. Speaking of recharging, it’s a snap – just plug it into any outlet and the onboard charger does the rest. Come back in 2 hours and you’ll have 80 to 100% power.

Each of the three different XO2 models can travel at 70km (45 miles) per charge while the sportiest XO2 125 Urban has a top speed of 105km/h. They can carry two people, are equipped with hydraulic brakes, halogen headlights, a removable and swappable battery and a 3 year warranty that also covers the batteries. [Via Designboom]

XO2 is the first URBAN TRANSFORMER scooter – With its clean (electric) and powerful propulsion, its light weight, its blistering accelerations, its large flat deck, its low centre of gravity, its lowered saddle, its tight turning radius, its exceptional ease of use, the XO2 scooter is ideal for city commuting.

Tags: gadget, xo2+urban+transformer, xo2+electric+scooter, folding+electric+scooter

The Taga Trike Baby Stroller combines the clunky utility of an urban tricycle with the darn useful convertibility of a baby buggy. So now mum can ride to the shops, get off, do a quickie conversion and push baby round the store without having to break stride. Almost.

The video makes it look almost too easy (note how they make a strategic cut during the switch) but there’s no doubt that it’s got a whole load of usefulness packed into the concept there. You can even stealth it onto a train or bus. The only thing missing is a funky basket for all the shopping. Priced at £1,495.00 and available in a variety of colours.

The eBoard Neo is a new electric skateboard which accelerates from 0–20 mph in 4 seconds. Which is strange since it has a top speed of 14mph. Mmm…’K, whatever. Range is 13 miles and it’ll take you around 4 hours to recharge the thing. Dunno about you, but I’m not too sure I’d enjoy propelling myself around the planet at 14 miles every hour on a plank of wood. Especially on our infamously dodgy paved streets and walkways.

The Kill-A-Watt, the ubiquitous gadget power meter has had a face lift and a brain transplant, behold the Kill-A-Watt Graphical Timer. A digital version of the standard timer, this easy-to-understand device easily programs even quarter-hour ON/OFF periods for 24/7. Even program different settings for each of the 7 days!

It’s fully loaded surge protector guards against voltage spikes to safely power your coolest equipment. Memory and programming is stored and retained during power outages.

You can track changes in your electric consumption, reduce energy use and lower those monthly utility bills. At $69.99, it’s a must-have for every energy-conscious household.

The power meter once connected to your appliance will assess how efficient they really are. The large LCD display will count consumption by the Kilowatt-hour, same as your local utility. You can track minute-by-minute changes in electric consumption as major appliances are turned on and off.

Tags: gadget, kill+a+watt, power+conservation, kill+a+watt+graphical+timer

If you’ve ever been nostalgic about those bright yellow school buses we all rode, take heart! Now they’ve been recycled into yellow Bus Stop Shelters. Made from recycled parts of old school buses that would otherwise have ended up in the scrap yard, these unique eye-catching shelters even look like a school bus, at least part of one.

Located in Athens, Georgia (not far from Atlanta), pieces of decomissioned buses from 1962, ‘72 and ‘77 were welded together, along with seats from an old city bus. What a creative way to recycle. I’ll be it’s a great conversation piece for bus riders!

Bust Stop Shelter 12′x7′x10′ Athens, Georgia 2007, West Broad and Alps Bus Stop. The Bus Shelter is made from 3 old school buses, years: 62, 72 and 77. The seat is from one of Atlanta’s decommissioned city buses.

Tags: art, bus+stop+shelter, school+bus+recycling

The Moroccans have announced a project to invest 9 billion dollars in a 2000 megawatt solar energy production system located where else but in a handy local desert or two. We’re talking 10,000 hectares of array, sucking the power out of 3000 hours of bright sunlight. Neat.

There is one puzzle though (and it’s not just the weird headline which implies the country is forgoing solar energy). The article claims that Morocco spent $6 billion in 2008 on oil products for energy, and this solar array will reduce the need by 42% when completed in 2020.

My question is this. If the payback on the deal is a mere 4 years, why on earth not go for the whole deal and aim for total self-sufficiency in the one project? Or am I missing something? And wasn’t there a map recently that showed the whole world could be served with electricity from one giant solar array in a desert somewhere in North Africa? (oh yeah here it is).

This Collapsible Rain Barrel gives water conservation a new perspective. Made of laminated, flexible polyester, this tear-resistant container can be stored anywhere when not in use. With its zippered wide mouth and mesh screen, makes debris-free rainwater collecting simple. At only seven pounds when empty, move this handy rain catcher anywhere with ease.

Connect a hose to the pre-installed nozzle, then reuse your catch during the hottest growing season. Priced at $70 from Greenhome.

This 34 gallon collapsible rain barrel helps you take advantage of a free natural resource, which not only helps you further green your backyard, it also decreases demand for treated water and saves you money! Place it under your gutter or just on your deck, and reuse the water for all your outdoor needs.

Tags: gadget, eco+gadget, collapsible+rain+barrel, portable+rain+barrel

This video of a Bottle Bank Arcade Machine is brilliant. Turn a bottle bank into an arcade machine with flashing lights and score tables and what happens? People recycle more bottles. Awesome, now why couldn’t we do this with all recycling banks? And it takes a VW viral site to give us the idea? Wow.

The Nature Mill Plus XE is an indoor compost bin. Unlike other kitchen waste disposal units, the Plus XE actually uses the natural action of microbes to break down pretty much any type of kitchen waste. Things like fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, dairy, meat, fish, pet waste, kitty litter, and cage beddings. The Nature Mill can take up to 55kg of waste per month, turning it into water vapour and awesome garden fertiliser.

The unit has a filter to remove garbage odours and uses about 5kWh of power per month to run, about the same as a night light. The Mill is made from recycled materials and can be used indoors or out, in any temperature and will need emptying about every 2 weeks when the little red light goes on. The Plus XE is the cheaper of two models and is priced at US$299 and according to the website they’re available worldwide.

Deposit food waste any time, any day – up to 120 lbs (55kg) per month. For best results, cut items into small pieces. Items remain in the upper chamber under optimal composting conditions: mixing, air flow, heat, and moisture. The energy released destroys odors, pathogens, and seed germination.

Tags: gadget, nature+mill, nature+mill+xe+plus, indoor+composting

US company Envion, has unveiled the Oil Generator, a recycling plant capable of turning plastic waste back into light, medium or emulsified heavy oil. The Oil Generator works using low temperature thermal cracking in a vacuum. This catalyst-free process results in a net gain in energy recaptured from the plastic.

Envion claim that a single oil generator unit can turn 10,000 tons of plastic waste back into oil in a single year, producing 3 to 5 barrels of oil from each ton of waste. The Oil Generator can accept PET, HDPE, LDPE/LLDPE, PP, PE, PS and PVC plastics, basically 60% – 80% of the types of plastic generated in the US each year. What’s more, the process is closed so it reuses the vent gases for electricity generation, and the waste residue is transformed into emulsified heavy oil. The generator’s output is similar to crude oil and can be processed into petrol, kerosene, jet fuel and diesel.

So all we need is one of these on a barge out in the middle of the Pacific garbage patch and problem solved right? Regardless it sounds like a much better idea than millions of tonnes of plastic going to landfills.

After years of development and operation, Envion is unveiling and launching its groundbreaking technology in the United States. The Envion process is capable of realizing the energy potential of plastic waste while helping to alleviate some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges in a sustainable and renewable manner.

Tags: gadget, envion+oil+generator, plastic+recycling, plastic+to+oil+recycling

The Kiran is a solar rechargeable LED lantern that was designed for people who’s primary source of illumination is kerosene lamps, the smoky, hazardous light source many people have to use in developing nations. The Kiran can be recharged by the sun in 8 hours and will run for 4 hours on high output or for 8 hours on low. If there is some power available then the S10 be recharged via a standard 5mm Nokia phone charger, which must be everywhere by now. The lantern is designed to be sold for $10.

The Kiran is the world’s most affordable quality solar lamp. It is a safer and brighter alternative to the kerosene lantern, and is designed to provide 360-degree lighting for the home or workplace. The Kiran is the perfect product for any household wanting to switch to bright solar lighting.

Tags: gadget, the+kiran, solar+led+light

Known as the Morphy Richards ecolectric bagless, the Ecolectric PerformAir 1000w Bagless Upright has a 1000W motor (half that of conventional uprights), for a 50% energy savings! Weighing a little over 13 pounds, It’s 4.4 quart-size capacity needs no bags and features a HEPA filter and specially designed brushes to pick up pet hair.

Packaged in recycled and 100% recyclable materials, the Ecoelectric is also made from recycled materials and can be fully recycled at its end of life. For just under �100 ($160), now that, is a green machine!

The Morphy Richards ecolectric bagless upright is light, easy to carry, gets into places you wouldn’t imagine and has a huge 4.2 litre capacity for less frequent emptying.

Tags: gadget, eco+gadget, eco+vacuum+cleaner, ecolectric+performair+bagless+upright