solar energy

I was hooked on the last season of Project Runway, not only because of its geeky additions, but also for the fashion! I'm a girl who loves fabrics and style as much as I love my tech, so I was excited to hear that last season's winner, Seth Aaron, would be presenting his new solar-inspired collection at Portland's Fashion Week today.

Influenced by SolarWorld's sleek panels and its Hillsboro, OR, HQ, Seth designed a new, futuristic take on the LBD. But it's not just Seth who's got solar on the brain. "Solar is the New Black" is the theme for this year's Portland Fashion Week, and all of the designers' collections will be seen on models who will walk a solar panel-laced catwalk.

• The sun's next cycle of activity could wreak havoc on gadgets — Switched
• Extension syncing coming to Google Chrome — Lifehacker
• Tetris and Contra collide in this hand-drawn mashup — Urlesque
• The undersea robot pilots working in the BP oil spill disaster — Gizmodo
• Get this game: Looksley's Line Up — BoingBoing

This weekend marks the fifth annual Maker Faire, where crafty geeks from all around venture to Silicon Valley to show off their handmade goods. One such person is Tom Padula, who crafted these enchanting electronic fireflies — that attach to your plant leaves — from tiny LED lights and solar-powered batteries. Each light is the size of a quarter, and turn on and off for about two hours before needing a new charge the next day. If you're in the area, Padula will be selling his creation at the Maker Faire for $10 each. Considering how much cash you'll save on batteries and electricity, it seems like a good deal for some unique ambiance, despite their tiny size.

With Summer coming up, it's likely that solar will play a big part in evening deck-side activities, and these lights are just one way to add some character to your outdoor space. Between great Ikea finds for your porch, and funky lawn ornaments, there are more and more ways to spruce up your yard with solar. Find out what other fun additions you can bring to your outdoor living areas after the break.

Although Super Mario Bros. 2 wasn't as memorable as its older and younger siblings (did anyone ever actually finish that game?), it had its moments. And with these Ripe Radish Solar Energy Lamps, you can relive your days of pulling radishes out of the ground, only this time in real life. Minus Mario, of course.

The Ripe Radish harnesses solar energy by day, then lights your garden with a crimson hue during your nighttime festivities. A nice alternative to those cookie-cutter garden lights, these lend a geeky Mario touch to a gamers' garden. But that's not all! Find out what else these lights can do when you read more.

Looks like Chipotle has seen the light. Yesterday, the fast-casual Mexican chain announced plans to install solar paneling on 75 of its locations in the next year. The move will make the company the largest direct producer of solar energy in the restaurant industry to date. Chipotle wants to reduce energy consumption during its peak hours of 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., when the energy grid experiences the highest level of demand. With solar panels, it could eliminate as much as 41 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. The Mexican fast-casual chain has partnered with Standard Renewable Energy to begin installing panels on restaurants in Denver, Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio. Along with the company's desire to educate diners about food sustainability and use environmentally conscious building materials, this move is yet another case for why customers should support the brand. But let's be honest: the best reason to hit up Chipotle is still for its insanely good burritos. Are you impressed that the company is making more socially conscious strides?

Source: Flickr User bpende

If I had an electric car, this is where I'd want to charge it up. Better than hooking up to a charger that gets its energy from a power plant, charging up at this solar forest lets you save a (real) plant or two. A concept design brought to you by Neville Mars, the solar forest would find a home at your nearest urban concrete parking structure (taking up the entire top open-air level, perhaps?), would create its own energy from the sun, and would shade your car while it's juicing up. I can't think of a better and cleaner way to get around, and seriously — this design is pretty freaking cool. What do you think?