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USB
MICROWAVE
Office workers chained to their desks have had little hope of heating
up a hot lunch … until now. Heinz has developed a prototype USB-powered
microwave that lets workers keep working and eat a hot lunch without
leaving their desks. Called the Beanzawave, the mini-microwave is just
big enough to hold Snap Pots, a new microwaveable dish from Heinz (convenient!).
It plugs into a computer's USB port and heats up dishes using mobile
radio frequencies. (source: Iconoculture).
LOCAL
BOTTLING = GREENER WINE
Cutting both costs and carbon emissions, Waitrose shipped its new range
of ‘Virtue’ wines from Chile in 24,000 litre flexitanks and
bottled them in the UK. One tank equals 32,000 bottles—or 16 tons
of glass—that no longer need to be shipped. In addition, the bottles
used are lightweight and made of 60% recycled material. Besides reducing
carbon emissions, this shipping and distribution method lowers end-to-end
production costs by up to 40%. Waitrose claims to be sharing these cost
reductions with customers, charging just £3.99 per bottle. Currently
on offer are a Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon and a Sauvignon/Chardonnay,
both from Chile. They’ll be joined by two Californian wines later
this season, and Waitrose is looking to further expand the method to
other countries it imports wine from. (source: Springwise).
THE
RISE OF BIOHACKING
Though it may sound like the plot to a sci-fi film – teenage genius
creates glow-in-the-dark pet monster as science project in garage –
the tinkering we associate with technology and machines is now emerging
within the fields of genetics and biotechnology. The trend is made possible
through a combination of falling prices for DNA sequencing, availability
of basic building blocks like BioBricks, open source databases of genes,
homemade technology that
approximates professional labs and a small but growing community of
biohackers. The situation has been likened to the amateur style engineering
that resulted in companies like Microsoft, Google and Apple. The same
kind of innovative thinking could lead to next big breakthroughs in
the medical and scientific industries among others. (source: Economist).
CREATURE COMFORT
CAFES
A Japanese cafe concept that’s become quite popular is the pet
cafe, where stressed locals can gather to enjoy a meal, a beverage,
and some relaxing companionship with a rabbit, cat, or dog. Since many
rented apartments in Japan do not allow pets, these cafes offer a safe
haven for animal adulation. One example is the Usagi-To Cafe in Nagoya,
which is a rabbit-themed establishment that features decorations, toys,
and food prepared in the shape of a rabbit (although the rabbits themselves
are not on the menu). Since quality pet time is a commodity in Japan,
there is an entrance fee and per minute charge. You can also bring your
own rabbit to socialize with the in-house animals, should your pet need
time to mingle with its own kind. (source: PSFK).
