Notes from a session held at the Luminous Green Hands-On Workshop, 2nd of May 2007

• Life cycle analysis aka environlental life cycle assessment aka ecobalance
  • http://www.pre.nl/life_cycle_assessment/default.htm
  • What is the ecobalance of a product? Products themselves do not pollute: it is the factories that made them, the trucks that transported them, the user who uses them and the incinerator that burns them.
  • You need life cycle thinking to understand how products impact on the environment. If you want to be more precise, you need life cycle assessment (LCA) to quantify and balance the impacts of products.
  • LCA is often criticised as being complex and time consuming. We think it does not need to be. It is a scalable concept: you can choose how detailed and precise you want to be. You can go from a full, ISO compatible, peer reviewed study to a screening that takes only a few days. An important factor is how much of the data you need is already available in the database of your LCA tool.
• http://www.exo.net/~drsteph/activities
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_cycle_assessmentBlackberry%20solar%20cell.pdf
• Eco-friendly batteries
  • http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/08/04/HNorganicbattery_1.html
  • http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/08/04/HNorganicbattery_1.html

• Definition & limitations
  • Autonomous = not connected to main grid; stand alone; flexible
  • Micro: small scale; or bigger through connecting different small systems
  • Storage: we need to consider if we really do need storage; How does this function in nature?
• Reflections/Questions
  • Why the world is green? Best for capture red light ⇒ “Flowers are not for us”
• Understanding plant storage / Photosynthesis
  • Photosynthesis chemical equation: CO2 +H2O+Energy ←→ C6H12O6+O2
  • (oxygen decomposes the core nutrient → carbohydrates (sugar))
  • 2 different processes: in loop (respiration) during the day, and unidirectional at night
  • For growth efficiency plants are divided in different levels: top part = growing from light; lower parts drive e.g. from sugar
  • Conclusion: plants 'store' energy for use at night; in fact the saccharides keep on circulating in the plant contineously.
• Q: How to measure photosynthesis in real time?
• BioHacking?, BioMimicry and NanoTechnology?
• Biohacking is part of Synthetic biology, aiming initially at integrating different areas of research for a more holistic approach of life, but being 'perverted' rather now as it became synthetic, artificial and alienating –> e.g. notion of BioBricks?, components who can be combined as in Lego but playing at an essential level;
• Ex.: The first photographic biofilm has been developped, using bacteria. Or, the photosynthesis system from algae, bye it, and recombine.A reductionist language is being used, it is presented as fun, whilst it involves elements who could be used for/in a biowar.
• BioMimicry = using technology for imitating nature
• NanoTechnology? is about breaking down atoms
  • “Nano is the big thing now” –> e.g.Nanocreams: sold in make-up shops ithout knowing what the consequences are or might be.
  • Grey Goo: refers to a hypothetical end-of-the-world scenario involving molecular nanotechnology in which out-of-control self-replicating robots consume all living matter on Earth while building more of themselves (ecophagy).

Discussed topics:

• photosynthesis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthesis
• synthetic biology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_biology
• nanotechnology/grey goo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

• –> make a hybrid system combining power through dye sensitized solar cells + power through fruit/vegi + copper/zinc
• Consider what we can do with the limited voltages and amperes we will be dealing with.

• materials list; monitor eco-foot print
• links:
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dye-sensitized_solar_cells
  • DIY http://www.solideas.com/solrcell/cellkit.html
  • PDF http://www.exo.net/~drsteph/activities/Blackberry%20solar%20cell.pdf