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| Grocery Bag Chic, Moukisac Review Posted: 10 Oct 2008 04:38 AM CDT Walk into any supermarket today and you’ll see a new trend. People are bringing their own shopping bags. With plastic bags labeled as the evil accomplice to the environmental problem, a number of companies have taken it upon themselves to design grocery bags durable enough for hauling while remaining questionably stylish. After all, being “green” is now a message people want to project so shopping bags have had to evolve into accessories. I’ve been using the Moukisac shopping bag for the past few months and it promises utilitarian chic.The Moukisac is made of a nice suede-like material about the size of a small satchel. Inside are 4 mesh bags of varying sizes to hold nuts, seeds, grains, produce, and perishable goods. The satchel unfurls into a larger bag and the flap become a smaller bag itself. In total you have 6 bags. In practice the bags work fine. Just fill them up and put everything in the larger bag to haul home. The concept is simple so I have no complaints there. My only one complaint is the build quality. The main bag is only single stitched which over time will not be able to withstand the constant tension and weight of groceries. A double stitch or better yet, overlock stitch would have made it much more durable. What we liked:
What could be improved:
Perhaps I’m being too picky since I’m a fashion designer; I notice textile and garment construction with a surgeon’s eye. The Moukisac really is a fine bag and the number of compliments I received while standing in line proved it so. Would I buy it? Yes, yes I would. Designer: Marie Naubert [ Buy it here ]        |
| Trashing Batteries for Brighter Sidewalks Posted: 10 Oct 2008 04:08 AM CDT We all know alkaline batteries are really bad for the environment if you don’t dispose of them properly. The right thing to do is send them to special recycling centers but hundreds of tons end up in landfills where their toxic innards seep into the earth. Perhaps a good solution is the Energy Seed, an LED lamp post powered by trashed alkaline batteries. The idea is to encourage people to throw their batteries away into the Energy Seed. There’s a slot for nearly every size battery. The unit combines any left over juice from all the batteries to power a super efficient LED ring. Of course once the bins are full, we’re left with the same original problem. Somebody has to collect all those spent batteries and recycle them. Designer: Sungwoo Park & Sunhee Kim        |
| Leave Thee a Stain on Thy Bike Thief Posted: 10 Oct 2008 03:58 AM CDT In nature, things that are sharp, or colorful, or hard, are a lot less likely to be eaten by bears. Bears will eat salmon instead of porcupines or cacti (supposing they have cacti available.) This is also true of bike thieves and bike locks. There are plenty of relatively excellent bike locks out there, but how many of them explode? The Smart Lock - It Explodes. Michael Lambourn presents the Smart Lock: “‘17% of cyclists have suffered bike theft in the last 3 years; of these 24% no longer cycle at all, and 66% cycle less often’ (Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, 1997) Cycle theft is deterring people from using one of the most efficient forms of environmentally friendly transport. It is considered petty theft but can have huge emotional effect on the victim. Smart Lock is lightweight but offers additional protection. It's quick and easy to use and allows the cyclist to lock both wheels and the frame. If breached, Smart Lock helps the authorities identify your bike, and links the perpetrator to the crime. It also stains the ground identifying areas vulnerable to theft. Smart Lock helps you keep your bike.” In a nutshell: when cut, colored liquid inside the entire length of the Smart Lock explodes forth unto the thief! The thief then proceeds to appear to have wizzed his or her pants. The liquid also stains the surrounding area. While I can think of more than a couple ways that one could avoid the spray of death, I imagine that this particular lock would defer thieves the way security system installed stickers on car windows work. The thief thinks “purple explosives? or the bike next to it?” Designer: Michael Lambourn        |
| I Want Your MP3s for the Rest of My Life Posted: 10 Oct 2008 02:00 AM CDT Liberty Fearns presents the Twinned MP3 player: two devices that act as one. After they’re broken apart, they’re activated: both MP3 players hold the same playlist together… forever. Together forever and never to part / Together forever we two / And don’t you know / I would move heaven and earth / To be together forever with you. Liberty Fearns designs a treat for playlist lovers: “Have you ever heard a song on the radio that took you back to a specific time or event, which conjured real emotions connected to that time? “Twinned MP3 players which will play exactly the same music at any time. The unit must first be snapped in half in order to become functional, creating a formal ritual shared between two people. Music is uploaded to a shared online play list, which will only download new music when both MP3 players are in their docks, so that audio content always remains the same. Users build a soundtrack to their relationship, like a growing mixtape. “Inspired the process of cell division or 'mitosis', whereby a cell separates the chromosomes in its cell nucleus, into two identical sets in two daughter nuclei.” I must say I’d love to do it, and the little wave in the device is cute as heck. How many of you would find it easy to share a playlist with anyone? Let Liberty Fearns provide you with the real deal in a hardcore sense, and you and a loved one can share your Rick Astley playlist together -forever. Designer: Liberty Fearns        |
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