Great News For The Environmentally Unconscious

I know you're sitting there thinking "what can we do to make it more energy efficient to drive our cars rather than riding our bikes or walking." You're thinking that because you're lazy and don't want to give up the luxury of automated transportation. Oh. You weren't thinking that? That was just me? Figures. But there's some good news for me. Britain's Environmental Transport Association may have come up with a solution. Piezoelectric crystals. The idea is to embed a stretch of highway with the crystals, then each car that drives over a crystal contributes a tiny bit of energy, such that a single kilometer of roadway could generate 400-kilowatts of energy. That energy could then be collected, stored and used for any number of functions. But will it work? Absolutely. A Sainsbury's supermarket in Gloucester, UK has already put it into use, powering their checkout lanes.
     Posted By: Nethie - Tue Jun 16, 2009
     Category: Inventions | Science | Technology | Natural Resources





Comments
This is a great idea, but it seems like increased and improved public transportation would be a more cost effective solution. I would ride a bus if they were kept cleaner (and had decent air conditioners).

Mohawk Warrior - You are not going imagining things when you see 1984 more in society today. I personally got the impression that Cheney used it as a policy guide.
Posted by Matt in Florida on 06/17/09 at 09:26 AM
Black Zeus, I can see your point about speeders. The bigger problem is that people that speed also often tailgate, and don't have enough time to react when the unexpected happens. And the low crash rate on highways in Germany is exactly because they ticket tailgaters, not speeders. Also, if the radio is your only concern, bring an mp3 player (it's what my wife does when we can't agree on a radio station or CD in the car).
Posted by Matt in Florida on 06/17/09 at 10:01 AM
If the crystal thing is viable and relatively affordable to implement then it would seem a win/win situation. Make the street lights solar powered. Implement crystal roads. Manufacture more electric cars. Government incentives for solar and wind power along with electric car use. Stop eating cows.

Soapbox Dismount!
I stuck it.
Posted by Pablo on 06/17/09 at 01:42 PM
I ALWAYS make faces at the ATM cameras. It's a moral imperative!
Posted by DownCrisis on 06/18/09 at 12:44 PM
Sometimes I makes passes at the ATM cameras.
Posted by MohawkWarrior on 06/18/09 at 05:30 PM
Commenting is not available in this channel entry.