I know it's not a new invention and most of us know how it works to act as transducer between air pressure (ie sound waves) and current. But the idea behind it is always to capture intelligible sound. The idea that I propose is based on the same scheme as microphone but for the purpose of generating electricity. We can think of huge or array of microphones installed near noisy or windy places to perform like windmill but at very low cost.Reward: mark of gratitude
I moved to the city a couple of years ago, and have noticed how clean the roofs always are. No leafs get up there. Further, from every roof there runs a pipe all the way along the edges of the roof, and to the ground in order to make the rain that ends on the roof go to the ground without pouring down on the windows.My idea is simply to put a little mill inside the pipes that go from the roof to the ground, the mill should run a simple generator in order to produce power. - Since the roofs are always clean in the city, the problem of dirt accumulating in the mill is not an issue.It wouldn't be much of an extra cost to produce such pipes, since both the generator and the mill are easily made out of few raw-materials (plastic for the mill, and some copper and magnets for the generator).There is quite a lot of square meters of roof in a city, and if these pipes were installed as a replacement of the old ones when the roof should be renewed anyway, it would propably accumlulate a neat amount of energy (although not nearly as much as a dam!).Reward: A sample of the product?
Problem #1: During the summer months here in Minnesota, it seems that there is geese everywhere and goose poo everywhere (expecialy in suburban areas). I hear of people going to North/South Dakota and having an unlimited bag limit on their goose harvests (I bet most of the geese they harvest go to waste). It seems that we have a problem with an over-population of geese. It's just gross walking around a metro lake that is peppered with goose sh*t everywhere! We simply dont need all of these geese.Problem #2: A lot of homeless people and they need food.Solution: Why don't we have a team of professional certified people that go around in various metro areas and humanely harvest some of these geese. Also set up hunts in the Dakota's that are cheaper for hunters if they donate some of their harvest. If we can thin out some of these geese, maybe we won't have so much wasted game from people bringing home 50 geese from a unlimited bag hunt and not eating it. I certainly don't think that this would really impact the goose population too much if the DNR helps monitor the program. The geese can go to shelters and be served to help feed people in need. Goose certainly isn't like "phesant under glass", but to a hungry homeless person, it has more nutrition and better taste than a dirty sock. Beggars can't be choosers.Reward: The opportunity to go on a "Donation Hunt" for free.
Undersea electricity transmission cable between Africa & EU
Many Europen nations have a surplus of electricity generating capacity. A cable laid across the Straits of Gibralter would enable electricity to be transmitted & sold to African nations which were connected up to a common electricity grid. The funding for such a cable (and the transmission grid) could come from a European sponsored 'Marshall Aid' type plan for Africa. This would further economic development in Africa and ease immigration pressures on Europe simultaneously. A classic win-win situation for all!Reward: Prosperity in Africa, stability in Europe.
This idea is directed at the USA but might have application elsewhere.I am proposing an idea to our government to promote the creation of a nationwide, privately run, rail shipping system that could significantly affect the energy cost and number of interstate trucks. The idea is a cross between the Interstate highways and Federal Express. The infrastructure would be developed and paid for by both the federal and local governments just as the Highways were. Initially it would only connect major transport hubs. Over time it would be extended to cover the same sites our current interstate system covers, possibly by using land contiguous with the highways. A major rail yard being set up outside each transport hub. The trains would only carry truck trailers that would be picked up at the rail yard and delivered to their final destination.Where the Fed Ex idea comes in would be in the charter under which the schedules were run. Trains would leave on-time, whether fully loaded or not. Delivery at the rail yard would be guaranteed by the private firm running the system. This private firm would gain the concession to run the service by bid from the Federal government. They would be held to their schedules, rates and penalties by the terms of their contract and federal law, the ultimate penalty being loss of the concession and a fine. Payment for the concession would be used for repayment of the construction costs. Private trucking firms would supply the delivery to final destination and from source to the rail yard.I suggest this idea for two reasons, although it may have several others. After talking with some friends who were truckers but have left the business, I found they were driven out by rising fuel costs and flat charge rates. The rates set by the major trucking firms make it impossible for small contractors to compete. This is the way capitalism works and eventually, when the competition is reduced, rates will rise again. This proposal would reduce the amount of fuel used for long distance transportation while overcoming the chief objection to rail transport, untimely delivery. Secondarily, it would decrease the number of heavy trucks on the interstates which would increase the safety and structural life of those roadways. I would appreciate your thoughts both on the feasibility of the idea and a method of presentation that might gain some considered thought by our government.Reward: Fewer trucks on the Interstate and less air polution.
