conserve

What was once the world's tallest skyscraper now aims to be the greenest.

New York's iconic Empire State Building, which played a starring role in the movie "King Kong," is set to undergo a retrofit that could cut the 102-story building's energy consumption by up to 38 percent. The energy-saving measures will initially cost approximately $20 million and will take an estimated two years to implement, according to press materials.

The program includes upgrades of the 1931 Art Deco building's 6,500 windows, radiator insulation, a new air-conditioning and heating system, air handler replacements, … Read more

Imagine being able to control street lights with your mobile phone. This isn't a prank, but an eco-friendly solution now in place in parts of Germany.

The (I must add) responsible denizens there have put in place a system called Dial4Light that lets cell phone users turn on the street lamps only when someone actually needs illumination. We won't suggest this for streets like Harlem or the dodgier parts of Asia since it's so easily subject to abuse.

Much like your very own on/off switch at home, this one requires you to dial up the lights, … Read more

Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt advised Barack Obama during his presidential campaign, but apparently he's willing to diversify when it comes to his influence.

Schmidt will be international business adviser to the U.K.'s Conservative Party, according to leader David Cameron, the Associated Press reported Monday.

It's not his first time in the group's orbit. Schmidt gave a speech at a U.K. Conservative Party event in 2006, too.

Another adviser is Christopher Gent, the former CEO of mobile phone network giant Vodafone, according to the report.

Now that the U.S. has witnessed a peaceful transfer of power, some in the country are saying that it's time to unite. And while that may be possible for some, others still frequent political commentary sites that aim to sway public opinion in one way or another.

There are people on both sides of the political fence--left or right--that use the following sites as sources for their own political understanding and to help them formulate their own agenda. To those folks, these biased sites provide value. But to some, nonpartisan sites are important and they want to hear the unbiased truth. Either way, politics is an extremely contentious business. And whether you're looking for liberal-leaning posts on the greatness of President Obama or conservative discussions on the problems with the president's stimulus package, you can find it all in the following sites.

Drudge Report Drudge Report may just be a collection of links, but critics say they tend to lean to the right. Perhaps that's because Matt Drudge, the site's founder, became famous by being the first source to break the Monica Lewinsky scandal after Newsweek decided not to publish it.

Since then, Drudge Report has become a daily haven for conservatives who want to take aim at liberals. It works: Drudge Report has over 3 million unique visitors each month, according to its internal figures. Conservative rating: 4 out of 5

Michelle Malkin Michelle Malkin may be just one person, but her conservative punditry has ignited fierce debate across the Web.

Malkin first started as a newspaper reporter over a decade ago. Since then, she has become a well-known conservative thinker, nationally-syndicated columnist, and author of three antiliberal books. She updates her blog daily with antiliberal and right-leaning opinions. Conservative rating: 5 out 5

National Review Online National Review Online is the online version of the conservative magazine of the same name. Designed for the Republican or conservative, the site features news, commentary, and opinion on some of the most important political happenings of the day.

The National Review is widely considered one of the most influential conservative publications in the world and as it explains in its "About" page, it constantly aims at providing the "right's take" on political issues facing the world. Conservative rating: 4 out of 5

TownHall The self-proclaimed, "No. 1 conservative Web site," TownHall provides political commentary and analysis from more than 100 leading conservative columnists to "amplify those conservative voices in America's political debates."

TownHall takes aim at the barriers between news and opinion and provides an arena for conservatives to espouse their opinions on the state of the world. The site is often updated with discussions on why President Obama's policies may hurt the world. Conservative rating: 5 out 5… Read more

President Barack Obama recently made waves by tapping Sun Microsystems' chairman to pen a white paper on the benefits of open source.

Not to be outdone, Britain's Tory (conservative) party is now suggesting that it will, if elected, shift to open source to save an immediate 600 million British pounds (about $858 million).

While I support any organization's greater adoption of open source, the Tories seem to be treating open source like a campaign slogan, rather than a thoughtful IT-purchasing policy. (As a conservative, it pains me to have to write that. :-))

Yes, open source can save … Read more

If powering up your amp and monster TV leaves your neighbors in blackout misery, this new energy monitor could be for you. Dubbed the Wilting Flower, it's a visual reminder of how much electricity you're guzzling at any one moment. When you're using very little juice, it's a perky little flower with its petals open, but as you use more energy it goes red and--if you maintain your prolifigate ways--eventually wilts and closes up. Subtle? No. Quirky? Yes.

Designed by Carl Smith of Doncaster, England, the Wilting Flower is essentially a fancy-looking version of the Wattson, … Read more

This year still has several weeks left on the calendar, but it's not too early to look back at the past 10 months and evaluate how we've progressed on the consumer tech front. Rather than look at the best products of the year, however, I decided to focus on the ones that were the most cutting-edge. As such, I've looked back at everything we've covered this year, and I've done my best to winnow down the list and come up with 10 products I think are at the cusp of... something. They may not be fully baked, and they may be overpriced, but they're at the forefront of their respective categories. Of course, I've surely missed some worthy products, so feel free to agree or disagree and add your own selections in the comments section below. … Read more

I've seen a lot of combination appliances, (which for one reason or the other seem to love to utilize toasters in any way they can) but rarely do I see an appliance that removes an element. However, that is exactly what the BoilingPoint kettle has done: left the cup and threw out the kettle.

The gadget warms up water directly in the cup. A heating element is attached to a plunger mechanism, (sort of like a toaster after all) so no kettle is necessary. Simply fill the cup with water and place it under the element. When the water … Read more

Sure, saving water is great and all, and everybody loves the environment, but a new technology coming out of Leeds University might allow for millions of apartment dwellers to finally have their own washing machine and dryer.

I don't know about the U.K., but here in the States, I've found many apartments simply are not set up for installing a washer and dryer. Landlords typically pay the water bill, so even if the infrastructure is there, the enthusiasm for laundry capabilities usually is not.

All that is set to change if this new washing machine works as … Read more