Designs that could save the environment

(Open Planet Ideas)

Electronics manufacturer Sony Europe, in collaboration with conservation organization WWF, has launched Open Planet Ideas, an online challenge to find ideas to repurpose existing technology for new environmental benefits.

Entrants in the Open Planet Ideas challenge can submit their ideas in text, video or photo format from September 1 to October 1, and members of the Open Planet Ideas community can critique, comment on or even help tweak other users' ideas, even if they themselves have not submitted an idea.

Currently members of the site are uploading ideas regarding different environmental problems and trying, as a community, to define the area on which the competition should focus - deforestation or affordable solar technology for example. Users have also submitted general ideas, but not designs, proposing solutions to these problems. After October 1, the online community will decide, with Sony and the WWF, which particular environmental problem the challenge should focus on finding a solution to.

Designers of innovative environmental technology recently competed to win votes in the Do The Green Thing competition. Entries included moldable environmentally friendly silicon which could be used to repair numerous products. The competition, sponsored by environmental news, advice and product website dothegreenthing.com, is now closed and winners will be announced at a later date in September.

The Open Planet Ideas challenge is open to designers across the world and the final concept chosen by Sony and the WWF will be announced in January 2011.

http://www.openplanetideas.com/