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 I recently read an article about dinosaur flatulence. (I read anything with words on it. You never know what you may learn.) It seems some people think the potential extermination of our species may not be the first time dinosaur emissions caused the extinction of a species. The theory is that a great many dinosaurs were herbivores (an early form of vegans). This veggie diet obviously resulted in an excess of gas in the dino's tummies – and, since no uber-sized dino Beano existed, the atmosphere became sated with methane (not to mention the need for a jumbo air freshener). The resulting greenhouse gas effect may have ended the dinosaur reign and made way for us. This is just a theory, of course. Now fast-forward a few millennia and here we are, faced with the greenhouse effect caused by emissions from the remains of our dinosaur friends – it's almost poignant (better than pungent, at least). Whatever the real cause of the dinosaurs' demise, we are certainly dependent upon their by-products for our daily routines, and that dependency may indeed cause us severe trauma (if not outright extinction) in future generations unless we develop clean alternatives soon.  So what does this have to do with design? Well, I am one of those people who think all great advances are the result of good design. After all, design is the development of a practical solution to a problem. And Houston, we certainly do have a problem. This realization has caused us to look into what cool things the design minds of our times are doing in attempts to solve this crisis and provide us with personal transportation that is powered by clean, alternative energy sources. There has been a lot of attention to mass transit, both in Design Notes and in the press at large. However, I do believe that if we are going to really find a meaningful solution, it has to provide a vehicle for personal transport that is "cool" as well as clean. After all, we do love our independence and freedom, and nothing represents those ideas more for many Americans than their cars.
Our investigations into the development of individual transport indicate that a lot of options are being tested. The Segway has certainly been an early entry into personal urban transport, and it is gaining ground. This one-person vehicle can be seen in use by airport security, parking enforcement and even tourists on "walking" tours. We recently saw Segways on Sanibel Island in Florida (don't ask). However, this vehicle appears to us to be a limited-use solution.  The Prius has certainly become the eco-warrior status vehicle. It is a very practical step and really does perform. But on a recent trip to Los Angeles, I did notice the carpool lane full of Priuses with just one person in each. I know your exemption stickers grant you the right to be there, but come on, gang – your cars do have more seats.
Of course, Lexus has come out with a luxury hybrid that gives you the performance of a 12-cylinder from just 8, and gets a whopping 20 highway miles per gallon. Now, I do see this as progress beyond an actual 12-cylinder but really, it does seem a bit like pandering. This is reminiscent of using carbon credits to ease the pain of your G5 a bit. A Northern California group has developed an electric roadster called the Tesla. It is a beautiful vehicle to look at, and it can leap from zero to 60 in less than four seconds. The price is rumored to be around $100k and the theory is that all new innovations in technology spread best when the early adaptors are attracted and the trend trickles down among the rest of us. Seems right – and the methodology certainly fits the model of developing a great design solution.  Then we have the good folks at BMW, who have what is reported to be a very functional hydrogen fuel cell vehicle operating on the Autobahn. It is sleek, fast and even practical. All that stands between it and a rollout is the need for hydrogen fill-up stations (a few design problems to solve there).
And just recently we discovered Pi. Pi is an electric hybrid bike being manufactured in Northern California by Electrobike. We were so impressed with this solution that we asked the designer and founder, Marcus Levison-Hays, to write about Pi and how it works.  Of course, there's the plain old pedal bike (which may also aid in treating the reported obesity epidemic), the skateboard and walking.
Whatever alternative you may choose, we only hope that enough of us choose one often enough to make a difference. It would be a shame for dinosaur emissions to win twice – and in the end, it all smells bad. Let us know what you think, and what ideas you may have seen that should be shared. We are always happy to hear from you, and to spread the word. Thanks,  Ray Brunner CEO |
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| Award-Winning Extension The 2006 Elle Decor Product of the Year, Matthew Hilton's Cross Extension Table seats up to 10 and features strong, unadorned geometry. And it's only at DWR. See the Cross Extension Table > Mix or Match and Save 15% > |
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| Take a Seat for the Cure Join DWR and Knoll® in the fight against breast cancer. This October, we'll auction off 10 limited-edition Florence Knoll Benches, upholstered in pink Spinneybeck® Riva leather, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation. Learn more > |
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| Studio Events: 9.27.07 (Jackson Street) 10.16.07 (Palo Alto) Peace Industry's Melina and Dodd Rassina Location: Jackson Street; Palo Alto Join us for an evening with Melina and Dodd Rassina of Peace Industry, who will talk about the history of felt rug making in Iran and their efforts to revitalize and reinterpret the technique. 9.29.07 Kreeger Museum Fundraiser Location: Georgetown Support the Kreeger Museum's upcoming exhibition, Philip Johnson: Art as Architecture, at this Georgetown Studio fundraiser. |
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| A Writer's Block In addition to being an architect and designer, Joaquim Ruiz Millet is also a writer, filmmaker and gallery director. His Manuscrit Rug (2003) is an expression of all of his passions, and features a romantic poem that he wrote in his native Catalan. See the Manuscrit Rug > |
| From the Blog | |
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Potrero Sample Sale, September 29–30 Savvy DWR employees furnish their homes with furniture scored from warehouse sales. You can too – at our Sample Sale this weekend. Read the full post > Read more from the Design Notes blog > |
