I decided to blog about pieces of two interesting articles I read, both of which the original articles you can find provided at the links above. The first article concerns an invention created relatively recently by the Japanese in an attempt at helping slow down a world wide problem using a simple solution: Purifying contaminated drinking water through bicycling!
In the picture listed to the left, a woman is enjoying a glass of fresh drinking water from the bicycle-water set up, known as "Cycloclean." The bike is functional, cost-effecient, and if damaged, easy to repair. The act of purifying the water itself is quite a simple one- just through pedaling, it is able to accumulate water from the selected water source through a tube, and push the water through filter membranes before it is ultimately stored in a container connected to the mechanism on the bike. With 884 million people in the world suffering from dirty drinking water, it's no wonder such an invention was created. However, though very user-friendly and ideal, the bike comes at a high price, equivalent to $6,700 US dollars. Even at such a high price, at least 500 bikes have been created and sold in the last few years. Maybe in the future the production of the bikes will increase, and allow for a more affordable cost so the general public will be able to enjoy the bike's functions in their own rural areas all over the globe.While the Cycloclean proves to be a rather efficient invention, it still doesn't stop others from dreaming big about what the future can bring. For some, the future certainly looks bright- very bright- for many architectures creating more eco-friendly spaces and homes!
Listed at the right are just 3 of the many architectural structures that designers came up with, all of which are based around the idea of using natural energy in attempts to go more green. The first picture listed on the right at the far left (the tall, green, twisted tower) is known as the "Acupuncture Tower." It was designed by grad students of Tawain university, for Taiwan's port city, Khaosiung. While working as a usable building, it would also simultaneously be able to desalinate ocean water, harvest wind and solar energy, and recycle waste. The top image to the right (the purple-grey/blue one) is another great, pro-energy design of a futuristic theme park. The park would be full of eco-friendly rides while still providing an entertaining experience; the particular structure in the design would be created to harvest rain water, collect solar energy, and recycle waste, similar to Taiwan's acupuncture design. The final design to the bottom right is a skyscraper created for Armenia. The tower would consist of three towers joined by a bridge, and would house offices, homes, and a hotel. The exterior of the building would be made of mechanical openings which would allow for light and heat to circulate through the building system, as well as being equipped with solar panels, wind turbines, and rain-collecting filters.
These constructions are only a few of many ideas composed for the future. Though the ones I personally blogged about here haven't been considered for construction, few of the other eco-friendly building designs have been slated for creation in upcoming years. As the earth becomes populated more and more each day, the horizon seems quite promising with the prospect of having space-saving, go-green homes which could benefit our society!
So, my questions for you are...
1. Of the three designs posted, which do you think would be the most beneficial right now? And where would it be beneficial most?
2. Do you think there is a way to help lower the cost of the bike so it's affordable to the mass public who's in need of clean drinking water? If so, what is this way?
3. Look at the building designs, and think about the way each one utilizes a way to improve the environment. If you could create your own structure, describe what would make your structure eco-friendly, and how (example: a structure that is solar powered, through large solar panels lining the building's exterior, etc.) Think creatively for this one, don't just use what the other designs talked of using!
In reading both articles, I can tell people who're educated about the Earth's water problems are doing their best to do something about it. I think the bike is an inspiring idea, but unfortunately the people who need it the most cannot afford the key invention to get purified water. Also, the buildings sound extremely helpful in using wind, water, and solar power as well as reusing plastics and water. The only negative part of the plans are that they cost so much, and most countries' economies cannot afford to spend such HUGE expenses on such a gigantic project (reflection).
ReplyDeleteWhen I heard Armenia had their own eco-friendly building, I thought of my Armenian friend and how she'd react if I told her about the futuristic building. I was also reminded about a boy from my old school that used a bicycle to fuse together atoms for his science fair project last year at my old school (connections).
1. I think the most beneficial design is the one for Armenia because the human population is growing every minute of every day and the new design could help with supplying more housing. Also it would provide more jobs and hotel rooms for people visiting the families living in the other part of the design or staying there while on a business trip.
I also really like how people are really trying to create new and beneficial designs for helping for a good supply of water and a better environment. Although there are many bikes being sold and many different designs being made, I think that these projects NEED to be on a much larger scale for any of this water conservation and decontamination to succeed. I know that I defiantly want to help the environment and the environment’s water, but it is always hard to give up things that can change your life (how much water that we use) but I think that I and many of my friends and those I do not know will have to make sacrifices.
ReplyDeleteThe story about the bike reminds me a lot about the video in class "water for life". As soon as I learned about this bike I immediately thought of the play pump that built for the children in order to have cleaned freshwater. I think that these are similar and both really great idea that need to be brought to a larger scale.
1. I disagree with Marisa, I would have to that that I think that the most beneficial design would have to be the eco-friendly roller coaster. Humans defiantly use a lot of water and other resourced to do necessary things like drinking eating and bathing, but we use a TON of water doing things for pleasure or in our spare time. So, I think that if a source of entertainment can be good for the earth then this can lead to many more things in return, like more water for and other resources for other people.
The new and beneficial ways for a water source and a clean one at that are awesome. Each invention sounds interesting and extremely helpful to the population of each region. This would most definitely help the environment, but the only problem I see in the future would be the lack of people who would take the time to help or care. Some people don't want to make sacrifices to help the environment because maybe some people just don't know about the problems that the environment could face in the future. I can relate in some sense in the fact that I'm not one to sacrifice for others. If I had to chose though between helping the water become more effecient with some effort or spend money later in my life to buy scarce fresh drinking water, I would chose the helping now.
ReplyDeleteI could tie this immediately into my personal life when I heard about the bike. I have traveled to many different countries, and when I went all around Europe, I was in Italy when I saw a toilet that when you flushed was hooked up to a filter to make fresh drinking water. My exact thought at that time wasn't oh cool it's saving the environment, it was most likely that I was disgusted. However, I now see how that is a helpful source of water.
1. I 100% agree with Stephanie considering the fact that the eco-friendly theme park would be such a value to many people and everyone in that area. Not just including water which many people over use anyway, but the jobs that that would provide so people could have more work. The MAJORITY of people in theme parks normally have bottles of water when they are there, so why not produce more then being used?
The ways that are showed are great. They all are very helpful to society but they have a couple problems with them. One being the cost of them all. They must take a lot of money to build. Also they seem very technologically advanced and we may not have the technologies to build them. They are very good ideas and would seem to really help everyone. The most beneficial design I see now would be the tall green twisted tower. The fact that it can use salt water and generate its own energy is great for people as a whole. I do not think they would lower the cost of the bicycle because it costs a certain amount of money to make the bike so they would need to set it equal to that or higher. The only way I see to lower the prices would be to make it out of different materials. If I could make my own structure it would be the exact same thing as the green twisted one but it would have many trees on each level to help the air.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone and that all these designs are really good to use for each of their certain situations.