Let there be light...

There's an interesting article on one of our favourite design sites at the moment, www.core77.com. It's about a new type of energy saving lightbulb developed by Philips. We've all seen these bulbs before, and probably been slightly frustrated that although we want to do our part to preserve this incredible environment we live in at the southern edge of the world, we also like being able to see properly. Energy savers are notorious for their dim light, making it awkward to read by comparison to older incandescent bulbs. Philips have found what they believe to be the answer. Winning the US Department of Energy's prestigious L-Prize, their new EnduraLED bulb produces equivalent light to a 60W old style bulb while using just 9.7W of electricity. The implications are obvious, and although every user should investigate whether the higher cost of these bulbs is right for them and their home or office, the principle is sound. We need to use less energy.

Here in New Zealand, we're blessed with a largely unspoiled natural environment. The downside to this is that the land's rugged nature can make it difficult to move around....leading us in turn to drive a large number of highly inefficient, emission heavy vehicles. This in turn creates a more dangerous environment for road users, particularly those on bikes and in smaller cars. Can we find a better way? Furthermore, can we encourage design that saves energy, and encourages good stewardship of our greatest asset? Can we use less water, insulate our houses more effectively, learn to be more careful? Right now New Zealand only has around 4 million inhabitants, but that's going to change. Imagine it with 40 million. There's plenty of space. This is an opportunity to put better ideas into use earlier, and to keep New Zealand pure.

Have a look at the full article here.