By Nick Chambers •
November 13, 2009
In Los Angeles this morning, at the United States unveiling of the Nissan LEAF electric car—set to hit showrooms in late 2010—Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn was enthusiastic and clearly proud of the position the Nissan-Renault Alliance has taken as a leader in the development of electric cars and charging infrastructure.
“The LEAF is a new paradigm of the car,” said Ghosn. “LEAF represents a totally new transformational technology that will change the way people drive, use, and power their vehicles. And the time is right for this breakthrough.”
By Nick Chambers •
October 23, 2009
According to CEO Carlos Ghosn, unlike its other Japanese rivals, Nissan has made a strategic decision to cede the standalone hybrid wars to them and will not make hybrid-only models such as Toyota’s Prius or Honda’s Insight.
By Andrew Williams •
July 28, 2009
A team of Japanese scientists have developed a new type of lithium-air battery cell with an ultra-large capacity, and say that it holds great potential for the next-generation of electric cars.
Researchers at the country’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) predict that at a filling station, the driver of a vehicle equipped with the new battery could make use of a revolutionary new cassette refill system, and then continue driving without waiting for batteries to be recharged.
By Alex Felsinger •
February 24, 2009
Two British supermarket chains will ensure that none of the seafood products they carry will be supplied by companies that support or engage in whaling or the hunting of other sea mammals.
Waitrose, one of the two stores, has already written to the Icelandic government asking them to reverse their decision to allow an extended whaling quota this year. The other store, Marks & Spencer, said they are drafting a letter to send soon.
By Becky Striepe •
February 17, 2009
I’m totally smitten with these gorgeous vintage kimono fabrics from Shibori! She stocks all sorts of weights, from delicate silk to cotton and wool.
Owner Juliet and her husband Richard are ordained Zen Buddhist priests. She says she’s struck by, “the sense of history and culture when you handle Japanese kimono silk.” I have to say, I can totally see where she’s coming from. On top of being absolutely beautiful, the patterns on her kimono fabrics make you think of a different place and time. Since they’re all vintage, that means they’re eco-friendly to boot!
By Andrew Williams •
January 28, 2009
A study has revealed that poems in the loo can help tackle global warming, through cutting toilet paper use by up to 20 per cent.
A team of Japanese researchers pasted ‘toilet poems’ at the eye-level of people sitting in cubicles. One poem read, “That paper will meet you only for a moment,” another said, “Fold the paper over and over and over again,” while another read simply, “Love the toilet.”
By Amy Bell •
January 23, 2009
According to legend, miso was a gift from the gods to ensure humanity’s health, longevity, and happiness.
It may do just that.
Miso is a traditional fermented Japanese food with amazing health benefits. This creamy salty paste is commonly made with soybeans, but other beans and or grains such as rice and barley are often used as well. After being inoculated with a vitamin B12 synthesizing fungus, the mixture of ingredients is allowed to ferment from as little as five days to as long as several years. The result is a versatile food that contains protein and vitamins such as B12, along with trace minerals such as zinc, manganese, and copper.
By Andrew Williams •
December 27, 2008
A Japanese professor has showcased an electric car capable of reaching a blistering 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4 seconds, quicker than a Porsche 911 [video].
The Eliica, created by Prof. Hiroshi Shimizo of Keio University, can also reach a phenomenal top speed of 370 km/h (270 mph), powered by li-ion batteries via 100 hp electric motors in each of its eight wheels.
Shimizo is understandably proud of his creation, telling reporters, “The feeling of acceleration you get with this model is something automotive technology could not produce, even in a hundred years of combustion engine cars.”
By Andrew Williams •
December 27, 2008
Anti-whaling activists aboard the Sea Shepherd vessel ‘Steve Irwin’ have covered a whaling ship with a smelly cocktail of rotten butter, methyl cellulose and indelible dye.
The unconventional sliming operation was carried out in a bid to intimidate the Japanese whaler, Kaiko Maru, into moving out of Australian Antarctic territorial waters. According to Peter Hammarstedt, the Sea Shepherd’s second officer, “this is one stinky, slippery ship.”
By Andrew Williams •
December 2, 2008
Former playboy playmate Vanessa Carbone has staged an unconventional protest against Japanese whaling, by holding a naked demonstration outside the Japanese embassy in Santiago, Chile (pictures).
The Argentinian model was among a group of protesters demanding that the Chilean government create a whale sanctuary in the country’s territorial waters. Stripped down to nothing more than a skimpy thong, she unsurprisingly drew the most attention from passers-by.
By Ariel Schwartz •
October 16, 2008
Japanese telecommunications company NTT claims that it is developing shoes that generate electricity upon movement. The shoes generate 1.2 watts of electricity— enough to power an iPod forever if the wearer doesn’t stop walking.
