‘Natural’ Driving Product Development in 2013
The 2013 edition of New Nutrition Business’s trend-spotting report, 10 Key Trends in Food, Nutrition & Health, indicates natural foods and ingredients will continue to see an upward trend in product development. The report, conducted by German-based Kampffmeyer Food Innovation, highlights consumer research that shows 74% of people surveyed thought that ‘natural’ meant ‘healthier.’ Several … Read more
Energy Efficient Photovoltaic Production
The Optical Cavity Furnace is a relatively new type of furnace that uses light and optics rather than other sources to create silicon-based photovoltaic (PV) cells. The new process uses only half the amount of energy to make conventional PVs. The recent innovation uses a series of lamps in a reflective chamber to create temperature … Read more
Making Things Glow
The lamps of yesteryear, incandescents, produce light when electricity heats a thin filament. This causes it to glow. The quality of light is pleasing to many. But the lamps only last about 1,500 hours at best. They’re also inefficient. Roughly 90 percent of the energy is emitted as heat rather than light. Full, partial, or … Read more
B’More Healthy — Joint Effort Yields Better Food Choices
Poor urban neighborhoods are often food deserts, bereft of fresh fruits and vegetables. According to a report by the Bloomberg School of Public Health, nearly one in four school-aged children in Baltimore live in a food desert — an area where nutritious food choices are limited, and almost one-third of city households lacked access to … Read more
Train Your Ear to the Pulse of Innovation — 3d Printing is Here!
Need a new knocker for the front door? Select a design and push the print button. How about that fork that got damaged in the garbage disposal? Scan one of the remaining ones and print a replacement. Printing 3d objects at home is now possible although the choices of material are somewhat limited. Soon, very … Read more
Empowerhouse — From Concept Home to Family Residence
One of the green concept homes showcased at the Department of Energy’s 2011 Solar Decathlon now has a permanent address in Washington, DC. The design is based on several net-zero energy systems that reach peak efficiency when they are joined together. A rainwater harvesting system captures water from the roof and adjacent land, minimizing the … Read more
The Social Unit
Wouter Kalis and Corinne de Korver are two Dutch designers who have long been aware of the overall importance of sustainable accommodations throughout the world. Based in Amsterdam, the duo are dedicated to socially-conscious designs that incorporate simple and often recyclable elements, such as their most recent piece, “Social Unit.” Devised as a solution for … Read more
What Nutrition Experts Won’t Feed Their Kids
Beth Wallace, a registered dietitian at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, asked twenty well-respected, experienced, pediatric nutrition experts what foods they refuse to provide to their own children. The children range from 18 months to 20 years old. The results are in. The top 10 foods experts won’t bring into their home: Sugar sweetened beverages- … Read more
Georgia Weighs In — “Feed My School”
Obesity rates for kids have become a hot button educational issue in the USA, with childhood obesity tripling in the last three decades. The State of Georgia is among the worst in the nation with more than 37 percent of students overweight or obese. These children will likely grow up to become obese adults and … Read more