Sustainable Technologies at Home

There are seven different numbers you might see on a plastic container. And each number has its own meaning.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Imagine a different kind of light bulb, one that lasted as long as a fluorescent bulb, but without the buzz, as energy-efficient as a CFL but with a more pleasing light. Meet the FIPEL bulb.

By Patrick J. Kiger

We live in a universe of clocks. The technology may not sound as dependable as your cell phone alarm clock, but humans have turned to water-powered clocks for more than three and a half millennia.

By Robert Lamb

If you turn off the lights in your computer room, you'll probably see the glowing eyes of vampire electronics peering back at you. A smart power strip can help you cut down on how much energy they waste.

By Nathan Chandler

LED light bulbs have taken over the market. But what are their pros and cons?

By Francisco Guzman

Solar air conditioners take advantage of the sun at its brightest and use its energy to cool you during the hottest part of the day. What are we waiting for?

By Maria Trimarchi

What if your net power usage was zero? Some homes combine energy efficiency with their own power plants to end up consuming no energy at all.

By Julia Layton

Imagine finishing off a nice cup of morning coffee and then, instead of throwing the grounds into the trash, pouring them into a cartridge where they become printer ink.

By Jacob Silverman

Green technology is always better, right? Not so fast. Find out five of the biggest misconceptions about green technology.

By Maria Trimarchi

As the symbol of innovation, the incandescent light bulb is not very innovative. Luckily, there's a new type of light bulb -- a greener one -- that stands poised to replace Edison's most famous invention as the icon of ideation.

By William Harris

If you drive a compressed natural gas vehicle, you'll soon learn that fill-up stations are few and far between. Is there an alternative way to gas up these alternative-fuel vehicles?

By Maria Trimarchi

Is the remote control dead again? Or does the flashlight need another eight new batteries? The wind might just be able to save you a trip to buy new AAs.

By Julia Layton

If you've ever used a solar-powered calculator, you've experienced the power of thin-film solar cells. But can spray-on solar panels take that technology one step further?

By Maria Trimarchi

When you get that gas or electric bill at the end of the month, you may swear off long, hot showers. But if your resolution always seems to cool after a few days, you might be a good candidate for a solar water heater.

By Julia Layton

Bicycling has the potential to improve our environment, health and happiness in a big way. These five points will make you want to pump up your tires and get your bike rolling again.

By Julia Layton

In response to heavy criticism, the mobile phone industry has started going green. What are five of the greenest mobile phones out there?

By Julia Layton

There's nothing particularly organic about a robot, even if you dress it in hemp and fuel it with alternative energy. But these five can help our planet one mechanical movement at a time.

By Robert Lamb

The world flushes up to 20 percent of its drinking water down various drains. That's a lot of water going to waste. Waterless toilets could squelch the squandering.

By Susan L. Nasr

Left unchecked, friction between the moving parts of an engine would turn it into an inert piece of sculpture. Clean, filtered oil keeps the parts moving with relatively little resistance.

By William Harris

Ever wish the lawn would just mow itself? Well, the Husqvarna Automower is about as close as you'll get to that dream -- with the added bonus of using the sun for power.

By Maria Trimarchi

A little friendly competition never hurts to stir up motivation, right? That's the idea behind Tweet-A-Watt, a power-monitoring gadget that connects your power usage to your Twitter account.

By Julia Layton

From toothbrushes to iPhones, we fill our lives with a seemingly unending string of gizmos -- all of which depend on electricity to give us what we need to make it through the day. What if you could generate that power?

By Robert Lamb

The Duke Smart Home isn't your typical residence hall. It's a live-in laboratory, complete with LEED Platinum certification. What's inside (and out) that makes it so special?

By Maria Trimarchi

Sure, your hair dryer or toaster sucks up a lot of kilowatt-hours during the short time it's on, but what are the truly big drains on your home energy budget?

By Julia Layton

While rebates and tax credits have put solar power within reach for many homeowners, it's still an expensive undertaking. How do you make sure you get your money's worth?

By Julia Layton