GreenWave Sustainable Crops

GreenWave, a Connecticut nonprofit, is growing oysters, mussels, clams and seaweed on ropes anchored to the ocean floor. As land farming becomes increasingly problematic—it accounts for a growing portion of the planet’s greenhouse­-gas emissions—and oceans get overfished, humans will need to develop alternative food sources. GreenWave’s crops offer compelling advantages: they’re protein-­rich, self­-sufficient (no fertilizer needed), and they even help combat climate change by sequestering carbon as they grow.

The Chevrolet Bolt

The Chevrolet Bolt is an all-electric car that touts crowd-­pleasing features, like more than 200 miles of driving on a single charge, at a relatively low cost. It won the 2017 Motor Trend Car of the Year Award and is considered the first mass-market electric car. 

Tesla’s Model X

The Model X was unveiled in September of 2015 and marks a leap toward a reality in which electric cars aren’t simply exotic, but just as useful as their competition. The world’s first luxury electric super utility vehicle can go 250 miles on a single charge, and haul seven passengers. It can hit 60 m.p.h. from a standstill in 3.2 seconds, and its battery pack gives it a low center of gravity, enabling sports-car-like handling. That’s rare for any SUV, let alone one that runs on clean power.

The Personal Pollution Detector - TZOA Environmental Tracker

To avoid potentially harmful pollutants and allergens, it helps to know about the air you’re breathing. The Tzoa, uses sensors to evaluate the atmosphere in any given area, measuring factors like temperature, particulate matter (dust, pollen, mold, car exhaust) and UV exposure then uploads that data to the cloud, so that institutions like Johns Hopkins can conduct air quality research. The company plans to launch wearable versions in 2016.

Wireless Electricity

WiTricity, based in Watertown, Massachusetts, developed a plug-in coil that creates a magnetic field which can power objects as far away at 8 ft.  Within 10 years, rooms could be wired so that all appliances – lamps, TVs, stereos – pull power from a central charging base.

A Reactor that Could Realize Nuclear Fusion

Nuclear fusion, the production of energy from the fusion of hydrogen nuclei, has always been the holy grail of energy.  It’s endlessly productive and largely clean but so far, it’s remained elusive.  However, in October 2014, Lockheed Martin said it had achieved a technological breakthrough that will enable it to make compact fusion reactors small enough to fit on the back of a truck within a decade.

The Wheel that Gives Bikers a Boost

We know that biking is good for us, and good for the environment.  But getting around on a bicycle can seem daunting, especially in a large city with hilly terrain.  To lessen that burden, Massachusetts-based Superpedestrian has developed the Copenhagen Wheel, a standard-size wheel that can be attached to the back of most bicycles that boasts a rechargeable, battery-powered motor.

The Plus Pool is an Olympic-size pool

Designed to float in the less-than-crystal-clear East River, the Plus Pool kills two birds with one stone: it cleans the river water, and gives New Yorkers a place to swim. Its unique filtration system scrubs the water as it floats through it, while its distinctive plus-sign shape isolates different wings for different activities. 

Volvo’s Solar Pavilion

When Volvo challenged designers to create a showcase for its new V60 hybrid, the winning entry, by the firm Synthesis Design & Architecture, was a spectacular, flexible solar panel that can charge a car and fold up to fit in the trunk. It’s not for sale yet, but testing is on-going.