Welcome to my blog. I often share personal stories that usually have something to do with product durability, packaging, food waste and similar topics.
While visiting the Fabrisonic booth at the IDTechEx Show recently, I was compelled to ask whether a process that welds thin metal foils together should really be called 3D printing. The question is, what defines 3D printing? It's a buzzword that gets attention and sounds a lot more exciting than "additive manufacturing," but it can mean many different types of processes.
Read MoreI started attending the annual IDTechEx Show in Santa Clara, CA in 2011 when the primary focus was printed electronics, which was a perfect match for my role writing a column on printed electronics for Industrial+Specialty Printing Magazine. In recent years, the show has expanded its focus to a huge range of emerging technologies. Some of the co-located topics may appear to have little to do with each other, but a keynote from the Nuon Solar Team demonstrated the synergy between them.
Read MoreStarbucks missed an opportunity. The company recently introduced a limited-edition "green" cup with much fanfare. But why didn't Starbucks take advantage of the "green" theme to make this a reusable plastic cup?
Read MoreThere's something striking about taking a break from writing a white paper on lithium ion batteries to walk across the street and test drive a Chevy Volt. The Volt, like all commercial electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, gets its power from a lithium ion battery.
Read MoreLast time I was at my local Yogurtland store, I noticed something new. When I walked over to throw away my cup and spoon, I saw it: a clear plastic cylinder that exactly fit my yogurt cup and special compartments in which to toss the spoon and napkin.
Read MoreLast summer I bought a juicer, with the intent of juicing our backyard harvest of grapes that are too small and full of seeds to eat whole, as well as the fruit from our two apple trees. Alas, the apple trees suffered from a fungus that rendered most of the apples inedible. We did, however have a bountiful supply of grapes.
Read MoreIs there something wrong with a world where more people own cell phones than have access to running water? That statistic makes me aware that we, as a global community, need to work to provide more people with safe running water, and also that the production of consumer electronics contributes to the toxic environments in which many people in the world live.
Read MoreIn my last blog post, I promised to tell the story of my visit to Clearwater Commons in Bothell, WA, where you can indeed drive on the grass. Property owner Tom Campbell gave me a personal tour of this very unusual neighborhood.
Read MoreDid you know that stormwater runoff is the largest cause of pollution in Puget Sound? The traditional Seattle rain is often light enough to prompt a question of, "Is it raining?" You actually have to stand outside for several minutes to be sure. But we also get heavy rain, the type that flows down the street in a visible river and drenches you as you run across the street. Due to climate change, the Seattle area will supposedly see much more of this drenching rain.
Read MoreWashington State has been behind in the race to adopt solar energy, and perhaps for good reason. Seattle is not known for having a lot of sunshine. But cloudy and rainy days do not preclude getting energy from solar power. Solar cells are actually more efficient, and degrade more slowly, the cooler the temperature.
Read MoreShortly before the caucuses, I replied to a Facebook post stating that I was planning on attending and hoped that the discussion would be civil and informative. Indeed, it was. My neighbors and I do not agree on everything, but I was pleased that we could bring up our differences of opinion candidly and respectfully.
Read MoreWhen you sit down to a glass of your favorite cabernet (or whatever you prefer), you may be feeling virtuous that you are drinking a beverage that is good for heart health, or maybe you are just enjoying the moment. You probably aren't thinking about whether the wine is Salmon-Safe Certified. Why would you? What does it even mean for a wine to be certified as salmon safe, and why does it matter?
Read MoreWhen I replaced the cushions on my glider (see previous post), I dropped off the old cushions at the upholstery shop for a few days. When I came to pick up the new cushions I wondered what the shop did with the old ones. The answer was just as I feared. They threw them away, along with all the miscellaneous torn, stained, and faded fabrics their customers bring in for replacement. Wouldn't it be better to recycle them? Of course, but that takes time and money. The shop owner would be happy to separate recyclable materials into a specific bin if someone would come by and pick it up. That's the story behind a lot of do-good actions. Make it easy, and preferably free, and people will do it.
Read MoreWhen I was expecting my first child, I bought a high-end Dutalier glider and ottoman. It was one of my favorite pieces of furniture - just as comfortable for sitting and reading a book as for rocking a baby. But that baby is now in college (and his younger brother is in high school) and the original cushions have seen better days. We moved in 2014 and thought of selling or donating the glider, but we didn't want to part with it. So we installed it in the living room of the new house. A few months ago I finally decided to reupholster the cushions. They were really worn out - torn, faded, and just not fit for public viewing. And the living room is one of the first places people see when the come into my home.
Read MoreFloral foam was a great idea when it was invented in 1954. It keeps cut flower arrangements moist for days while providing structural support to allow designers to create impressive displays. But 1954 was a long time ago. Today's senior citizens were children. Mr. McGuire had yet to tell Benjamin that the future was in "plastics." We as a society were blissfully ignorant of the health hazards inherent in the many novel materials that American ingenuity had brought into our daily lives.
Read MoreHow can we as a society teach our children to take responsibility for their own actions when huge corporations refuse to take responsibility for theirs, even in the face of threats to human health? I recently read a New York Times article called "The Lawyer Who Became DuPont's Worst Nightmare." The author tells the story better than I can, so I encourage my readers to follow the link. But here are some takeaways:
Read Morewas relieved to read that Alaskan fish has tested negative for radioactive isotopes iodine-131, cesium-137, and cesium-134. Testing in 2014, and now this year, confirms no measurable levels of these isotopes. In case anyone has forgotten why scientists are testing fish for radioactivity, it's related to the Fukushima nuclear disaster following the tsunami in Japan in 2011. Personally, I wasn't worried about radiation in my Alaska king salmon, but perhaps some people were.
Read MoreHigh-tech Dutch fashion designer Anouk Wipprecht has created a dress that blows smoke when anyone gets close. Now, that could come in handy when walking in the wrong part of town, as well as prove interesting at a cocktail party. The dress is made from 3D printed lace made of polyamide and TPU 92A-1, a thermoplastic polyurethane that is the first flexible 3D printed material.
Read MoreI'm researching smart textiles for a client, and one of the first questions is how to define smart textiles. Everything these days seems to be claiming intelligence - our phones, our cars, our watches. I found this amusing definition: "They [smart textiles] can be described as textiles that think and respond to a situation." Wow. And I suppose the category of "ultra-smart textiles" covers those with an IQ over 130.
Read MoreAn unusual art exhibit is on display in parks throughout the greater Seattle area, and I am endeavoring to experience as much of it as I can. This is both an artistic and a musical journey, and I carry with me the sheet music to the Grieg Nocturne and Beethoven’s Fur Elise.
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