The Fukushima Plate | Images courtesy of Nils Ferber
It’s Radioactive
A plate for what ails you (or your food). With radioactive food scares of the past (need I mention radioactive milk?) brought to mind by concerns over the disabled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, designer Nils Ferber has introduced the “Fukushima Plate,” high-concept flatware with the goal of detecting if food is radioactive (it’s got three glowing rings to indicate low, medium and unsafe levels of radiation). This may sound all well and good — until you find out the meal you’ve spent hours preparing is reactor fuel. Try putting the food on the plate before you you cook it. (Link)
No Gas Required
Shorter trips may no longer require fuel. The 2014 Toyota Prius will come with a standard plug-in option, meaning that short trips and city driving may need just a charge to run the car. (Link)
Happy, Unhappy Feet
The ice melt in Antarctica’s Ross Sea is not bad for all South Pole wildlife. While some penguins are imperiled, others are thriving. Adélie penguins, which need ice to survive, are suffering on Ross Island (the colony there has seen a 90 percent decrease in), but in the Ross Sea (where sea ice is actually increasing, Adélie penguins are prospering. (Link)
Bucks For Bikes?
This would be nice to have in Philly (hint, hint). In order to avoid mass commuting by cars, the Office of Planning in Washington D.C. is hoping to “bribe” people with a nice sum of money to use other forms of transit. Though there are many possible glitches with this plan, we fully endorse incentivizing a more sustainable lifestyle (but also think internal motivation should be plenty sufficient). (Link)
Foodie Confab
On May 4 the Future of Food Conference was held at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. The day brought together some of the world’s leading experts on food, including Prince Charles, Eric Schlosser and Wendell Berry, who discussed survival strategies for the world’s food supply, and how the current industrial food system is depleting the planet and health. (Link)
