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Mr. X 
This account was written [by Carl Sagan] in 1969 for publication in Marihuana Reconsidered (1971). It all began about ten years ago. I had reached a considerably more relaxed period in my life - a time when I had come to feel that there was more to living than science, a time of awakening of my social consciousness and amiability, a time when I was open to new experiences. I had become friendly with a group of people who occasionally smoked cannabis, irregularly, but with evident pleasure. Initially I was unwilling to partake, but the apparent euphoria that cannabis produced and the fact that there was no physiological addiction to the plant eventually persuaded me to try. My initial experiences were entirely disappointing; there was no effect at all, and I began to entertain a variety of hypotheses about cannabis being a placebo which worked by expectation and hyperventilation rather than by chemistry. After about five or six unsuccessful attempts, however, it happened.
(via Instapaper)
Whiteboard
@3 days ago with 102 notesAfter presenting a new design for a company website, the owner leaned over, asked if she could suggest some changes to the layout, got out a black marker and started drawing the changes on my MacBook’s screen. I was stunned.
Disappearing Act
We’re a short-sighted people. We like to consume, and we want our goods in nice packages — oftentimes individually wrapped. But where do these things end up? Who cares — out of sight, out of mind, right? (If you care to know what happens to those plastic Coke bottles tossed away without a second thought, it’s not pretty).
You can throw research, facts, figures, and disturbing images at people all day but it’s still unlikely they’ll kick their habits. So what can be done between now and actual catastrophe? (Or: how can we continue to sell more stuff while making people feel better about consuming?) Most companies are touting all-new ‘green’ initiatives.. and most of it is marketing gimmick.
But Apple is one company that has actually put their promises in practice. I was in need of a mouse a few weeks ago, and noticed a very lightly-packaged product amidst rows of oversized blister packs (you know, those annoying, molded plastic containers that require nothing short of a box cutter to open).
It was the new Magic Mouse, and the packaging — or lack thereof — was simply refreshing.
This philosophy doesn’t end with the mouse. Apple claims a reduction in notebook packaging with almost every new generation and has consistently moved up the ladder on both EPEAT and Greenpeace guides.
‘Except for the small amount that’s been incinerated—and it’s a very small amount—every bit of plastic ever made still exists’ — Our Oceans Are Turning Into Plastic
It’s time to realize that sustainability is not extra credit. It’s not marketing buzz nor some government conspiracy to steal away profits. It’s the cost of doing business, period. And as more and more companies are discovering, it’s good business.
(Via Matchstic Blog.)
@1 week ago
![electricpower:
carmony:
agnesaviiki:
The Car that Runs on Air and Magnets
With fuel prices rising and supplies dwindling, more and more inventors are turning their creativity towards cars that work without the need for barrels of gasoline. True, there have been a number of vehicles released that run on electricity but now designers are turning to another precious resource – air.
It’s not a new concept, as early as the 1920s, car designers were dabbling with the idea of cars that could run off air alone – one involved cycling air through a propeller at the front of the car – but few came to fruition. Now, designers are again looking at how air can be used to power a car.
Magnetic Air Cars, Inc, a company based in San Jose, California, recently revealed their sleek new design for the world’s first fuel-less car at the eco convention, West Coast Green. As the name suggests, the ‘Magnetic Air Car’ will be powered through magnetic technology and compressed air. When air is channeled through the engine, the resultant airflow is converted to torque, which in turn powers the axis and propels the car. This process is powered by a silicon energy storage battery, which can be charged in an hour and has a 10-year lifespan and is 95% recyclable, making this new-age creation possibly one of the most sustainable cars on the planet.
Executives from the company have announced they’re planning to build a working prototype soon and could have it ready for full production as early as 2010. Bring it on!
[Source]](http://15.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kszfd5ksKf1qzavndo1_400.jpg)
