I founded an NGO, redeVelo

We attended the Chattanooga MakerFaire in 2013 where we presented several of our ideas.
redeVelo aims to develop human-powered technology for rural and developing regions using re-usable materials.
I was inspired traveling through developing regions to pursue solar thermal, bicycle mechanics, piezoelectricity and novel implementations of renewable resources.

I started the Purple Swing Project

In the Summer of 2012 the Purple Swing Project began with one piece of wood and some clearance-sale purple paint.
It continued to evolve in Europe, where I placed 20 swings in 15 cities.
The focus is to use locally-sourced materials and resources, including tools and assistance, to create a swing in a public location.
Swings are a type of interactive art that really can make a city more inviting.
For the past 2 years I have been working on a way to generate energy from these swings.
As of November-December 2014, I finally made this dream a reality.
Stay tuned for further details!

I stay informed on environmental technological innovations

Below is a feed I wrote a script for (based on Freewall) of my tumblr blog posts containing interesting links to articles about climate change, innovation, sustainability and environmental engineering:

Bio-Concrete that absorbs CO2:

A layered concrete works to absorb rainwater that seeps to a living layer beneath, sandwiched between insulating layers that act to absorb solar energy and protect the building from moisture. This development by UPC in Barcelona is intended for primarily Mediterranean climates, but offers an innovative solution to CO2 emission reductions in those regions by utilizing building wall space. Normal concrete is not conducive to most plant life, so this concrete is more acidic, with lower pH levels. Although buildings worldwide already feature vertical gardens, the idea to implement them within the actual wall structure is revolutionary.

KTH | Wooden windows? New material could replace glass in solar cells and buildings:

At the Wallenberg Wood Science center at KTH in Stockholm, a new solution to solar panels is growing. Removing lignin from cell walls of wood allows for researchers to generate a transparent wood that can be used in windows and walls for solar panels while still maintaining some privacy. This would allow for solar panels to be further incorporated in building surfaces. The benefits of using wood include low cost and availability as a renewable resource. The center is currently working on ways to ramp up production and improve the transparent qualities.

These biodegradable pencils have been designed with capsule of your choice of seeds (you can choose from 12 varieties of flowers) replacing their erasers so that when the pencil is too short for use it can simply be planted in the ground. The pencil is made of cedar and its clay/graphite core contains no lead. Currently available for purchase on the Sprout Pencil online store (http://sproutworld.com) and amazon. Definitely a novel idea for recycling a commonly used item, and certainly something to write home about :)

HomeBioGas, a backyard bio-digester can convert every 1kg of waste food into 200 liters of gas - enough for a full hour of cooking. This really attests to its ability to function off-grid, and the future possibilities are exciting. Additionally, it also produces fertilizer and can digest most types of food including meat and dairy. The product is in its final stages of funding on Indiegogo and expects to launch soon. Truly better than compost!

The World’s First Wave Power Station Is Up And Running!:

A pilot project in western Australia, CETO is harnessing wave power to produce both energy and desalinated water. The system is located underwater to protect it from corrosion. The desalination is coupled with the pump system used to pressurize the water before it is sent to an onshore hydroelectric power generation station.

ePaper-equipped sneakers ensure you'll never have to wear the same style twice:

Using piezoelectric generation and ePaper, ShiftWear proposes to harvest energy from walking to power animated displays on shoes. Currently just in the prototype phase, the project still has hurdles to overcome in producing a viable model. Regardless, the idea demonstrates what may is possible for the future application of energy harvesting.

A new “drinkable book” has pages that turn raw sewage into drinking water:

With 99.9% effectivity on bacterial agents, the drinkable book has a promising future for developing regions. It teaches clean water drinking habits at the same time as filtering water through silver nano particles that coat the pages.

A Princess's Plan to Bring Light to the 620 Million Africans Without Power:

An interesting proposal that leads me to wonder about the infrastructure requirements and what might result for future grid connectivity…

Olympic Cyclist Vs. Toaster: Can He Power It?:

A great commentary on the amount of power we need to power devices we may consider simple and take for granted in our everyday lives… how effective are human powered machines?