The Financial Times Climate Change Contest had some amazing inventions competing for the $75,000 first place prize from Hewlett-Packard.
Among the contestants were: Mootral, a feed supplement for livestock that reduces the methane they emit by 15 per cent. And Deflecktors, wheel covers that make delivery trucks more fuel-efficient by reducing drag.
One of the most interesting inventions, in our opinion, was the Black Phantom, a machine that turns wood and organic material into charcoal. This charcoal not only has a myriad of uses but it also prevents that carbon from just being released into the atmosphere. The contest judges loved this idea as well but a weak public response left it in fifth place when total points were tallied.
The winner of the Financial Times Climate Change Contest was a much-deserving solar cooker. The $6.60 solar cooker, called the Kyoto Box, is made from insulating two cardboard boxes, and makes use of reflective foil and black paint to harness solar energy for cooking.
The cheap, elegant and practical product is currently being manufactured in Nairobi. The product should reduce the use of firewood for cooking, which would in turn slow deforestation while reducing carbon emissions.
The Kyoto Box can boil 10 liters of water within two hours for various purposes including purifying for drinking and cooking.
