Here's How #Japan Is Turning #Footsteps Into #Electricity

By Samyak Goswami, Aug. 16, 2025 6:15 pm EST

Excerpts: "While Japan's implementation of #piezoelectric tiles is new, the underlying technology itself dates back to the late #19thCentury. The Curie brothers discovered that pressing substances like quartz, topaz, sugarcane, and more induced a voltage across the substance, known as the piezoelectric effect. The converse is also true, as piezoelectric materials also change shape or vibrate when an electric current is passed through them. Due to these properties, piezoelectric substances find use in numerous applications like quartz watches, sonars, and electricity-producing sidewalks. Common kitchen lighters, too, use a piezoelectric material to produce their characteristic spark from the pressure applied to the trigger.

"Piezoelectric substances generally produce a low voltage that depends on various factors. Japan's implementation of the piezoelectric sidewalk generated around 0.1W of power when a 60kg person stepped on a tile, back in 2008. The power from one footstep isn't substantial, but the figure quickly grows when millions of people take a step in crowded places like Tokyo's Shibuya Station. Moreover, the technology has evolved, and more efficient tiles can generate up to 30W of power with each step."

[...]

"The biggest roadblock that has limited piezoelectric tiles to niche applications is the high upfront cost associated with them. The cost depends on their efficiency and can range from $50 to $100. Installing a wide network of such tiles over a large area can quickly shoot up the initial investment. However, research shows that crowded areas such as subway stations are best suited for piezoelectric tiles, despite the high cost. A 2017 research even claimed that these tiles can result in up to 99.93% lower cost of electricity over the tile's lifespan, taking Cairo's busting Elshohadaa station as an example.

"That said, low power output is another big factor that makes piezoelectric tiles economically unfeasible. Conventional renewable energy sources, like solar panels, have evolved over time and can generate more electricity at a much lower cost. Additionally, power generation takes a nosedive in lightly populated areas, restricting the technology to only a few busy spaces. Moreover, higher maintenance costs and frequent repairs due to enormous stress in crowded areas are other factors stopping piezoelectric tiles from becoming mainstream. That said, a high-output tile with greater durability could make its adoption economically feasible in the future."

Read More: https://www.slashgear.com/1937672/how-japan-generating-electricity-with-piezoelectric-sidewalks-explained/

#SolarPunkSunday #SolarPunk #FootTraffic #ElectricityGeneration #19thCenturyTechnology #TechnologyAdaptation

#SolarpunkSunday #gardening #jardin #gatten

I traded a bunch of peppers for fruit so I don’t have as much.

Ají apple crisp
Ají cacho de cabra
Ají charapita
Ají dulce orange
Ají dulce
Ají panca
Cheiro do norte
Habanada
Grenada seasoning
Madhatter
Naga hybrid
SR bell stripey
Trinidad Perfume
Trinidad Pimento Seasoning

Wild and cherry tomatoes
Raspberries
Red hybrid jabuticaba
Tumeric leaf (bc I’m making Rendang tonight)

#SolarpunkSunday #gardening #jardin #gatten

I traded a bunch of peppers for fruit so I don’t have as much.

Ají apple crisp
Ají cacho de cabra
Ají charapita
Ají dulce orange
Ají dulce
Ají panca
Cheiro do norte
Habanada
Grenada seasoning
Madhatter
Naga hybrid
SR bell stripey
Trinidad Perfume
Trinidad Pimento Seasoning

Wild and cherry tomatoes
Raspberries
Red hybrid jabuticaba
Tumeric leaf (bc I’m making Rendang tonight)

Ahhhh... Using a hand-drill to start a fire. Now that takes me back to my days at the Wilderness School! I'd love to try and make a pottery-kiln (I'll be researching that soon...)

#Australia - Making #lime with Primitive Technology

"When heated above 840 degrees Celsius, the lime decomposes into calcium oxide (CaO) or #Quicklime and releases carbon dioxide (CO2). When water is added to the quicklime it becomes calcium hydroxide Ca (OH)2 or #LimePutty. From here the calcium hydroxide can then be shaped into a form and allowed to set.

Carbon dioxide enters the lime putty as it dries causing it to turn back into calcium carbonate. The new calcium carbonate has then set, remaining solid and water resistant.

In my local geography, calcareous rocks such as limestone are absent leading to a difficulty in acquiring the feed stock for lime making. However, I was still able to make lime by collecting the shells of large terrestrial snails that are native to the rainforest here. The unoccupied shells of these snails were gathered up and stored at the hut. Fire wood was gathered and packed neatly into the kiln.

Importantly, the firewood was stacked on top of the grate rather than underneath it in the firebox as is the normal procedure for firing pottery. Using an ordinary updraft pottery kiln in this configuration allows it to reach much higher temperatures than would be possible during normal use. The wood was lit from above and the fire burned down towards the grate. Alternate layers of shells and wood were added on to this burning fuel bed. After adding the last layer of wood to act as a 'lid' to prevent heat loss from above I left the kiln to finish on its own, unsupervised. The whole process took about an hour and a half.

When the kiln had cooled down a few hours later, I took out the calcined shells. Not shown in the video was the fact that some shells got so hot, the dirt stuck to them turned into slag and fused to them, possibly with the lime acting a flux lowering its melting point. This extreme heat (+1200 c) should be avoided as the over burnt lime becomes 'dead lime', unable to slake in water. Most shells were still useable though. They were taken out of the kiln and had water added to them.

An exothermic reaction then ensued. Heat was produced as the lime quicklime turned into slaked lime. The water heated up creating steam and the shells decomposed into a white paste. The paste was stirred and crushed pottery was added to it as an aggregate (sand is normally used for this, I just had a lot of old pot sherds lying about to dispose of).

This lime mortar mixture was then formed into a block shape and left to dry. It took about a week and a half to set as we have had extremely humid, wet weather. The block was observed to have set demonstrating its properties.

What I created is actually lime mortar, typically used for mortaring bricks and tiles together. It’s basically the ‘Glue’ that holds together the building blocks of masonry structures. From my research 20 kg of lime mortar is used on a 1 m square section of brick wall. 5 kg of lime to 15 kg of aggregate (sand, grog etc.) per a 1 m square section of bricks. The shells, though large, are not terribly abundant. A method for finding shells efficiently needs to be made before considering making lime mortar in this fashion. From my experience sand bars in a creek sometimes accumulate snail shells from higher up in the mountains. In these spots, water velocity decreases and shells in the water tend to drop out of the water column. Additionally lime may be partially replaced with ordinary wood ash in mortar without a corresponding decrease in strength. To conclude, making lime in a land without limestone is possible but can be problematic when trying to do so on a large scale."

Watch:
https://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/making-lime-with-primitive-technology

YT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek3aeUhHaFY&t=46s

Wordpress:https://primitivetechnology.wordpress.com/

Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2945881

#SolarPunkSunday #SustainableMaterials #TraditionalTechnology #ZeroWaste #Mortar #LimeMortar #Snailshells #Adaptation #AncientTechnologies #Science #AnimalProducts #LocalMaterials

Ahhhh... Using a hand-drill to start a fire. Now that takes me back to my days at the Wilderness School! I'd love to try and make a pottery-kiln (I'll be researching that soon...)

#Australia - Making #lime with Primitive Technology

"When heated above 840 degrees Celsius, the lime decomposes into calcium oxide (CaO) or #Quicklime and releases carbon dioxide (CO2). When water is added to the quicklime it becomes calcium hydroxide Ca (OH)2 or #LimePutty. From here the calcium hydroxide can then be shaped into a form and allowed to set.

Carbon dioxide enters the lime putty as it dries causing it to turn back into calcium carbonate. The new calcium carbonate has then set, remaining solid and water resistant.

In my local geography, calcareous rocks such as limestone are absent leading to a difficulty in acquiring the feed stock for lime making. However, I was still able to make lime by collecting the shells of large terrestrial snails that are native to the rainforest here. The unoccupied shells of these snails were gathered up and stored at the hut. Fire wood was gathered and packed neatly into the kiln.

Importantly, the firewood was stacked on top of the grate rather than underneath it in the firebox as is the normal procedure for firing pottery. Using an ordinary updraft pottery kiln in this configuration allows it to reach much higher temperatures than would be possible during normal use. The wood was lit from above and the fire burned down towards the grate. Alternate layers of shells and wood were added on to this burning fuel bed. After adding the last layer of wood to act as a 'lid' to prevent heat loss from above I left the kiln to finish on its own, unsupervised. The whole process took about an hour and a half.

When the kiln had cooled down a few hours later, I took out the calcined shells. Not shown in the video was the fact that some shells got so hot, the dirt stuck to them turned into slag and fused to them, possibly with the lime acting a flux lowering its melting point. This extreme heat (+1200 c) should be avoided as the over burnt lime becomes 'dead lime', unable to slake in water. Most shells were still useable though. They were taken out of the kiln and had water added to them.

An exothermic reaction then ensued. Heat was produced as the lime quicklime turned into slaked lime. The water heated up creating steam and the shells decomposed into a white paste. The paste was stirred and crushed pottery was added to it as an aggregate (sand is normally used for this, I just had a lot of old pot sherds lying about to dispose of).

This lime mortar mixture was then formed into a block shape and left to dry. It took about a week and a half to set as we have had extremely humid, wet weather. The block was observed to have set demonstrating its properties.

What I created is actually lime mortar, typically used for mortaring bricks and tiles together. It’s basically the ‘Glue’ that holds together the building blocks of masonry structures. From my research 20 kg of lime mortar is used on a 1 m square section of brick wall. 5 kg of lime to 15 kg of aggregate (sand, grog etc.) per a 1 m square section of bricks. The shells, though large, are not terribly abundant. A method for finding shells efficiently needs to be made before considering making lime mortar in this fashion. From my experience sand bars in a creek sometimes accumulate snail shells from higher up in the mountains. In these spots, water velocity decreases and shells in the water tend to drop out of the water column. Additionally lime may be partially replaced with ordinary wood ash in mortar without a corresponding decrease in strength. To conclude, making lime in a land without limestone is possible but can be problematic when trying to do so on a large scale."

Watch:
https://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/making-lime-with-primitive-technology

YT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek3aeUhHaFY&t=46s

Wordpress:https://primitivetechnology.wordpress.com/

Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2945881

#SolarPunkSunday #SustainableMaterials #TraditionalTechnology #ZeroWaste #Mortar #LimeMortar #Snailshells #Adaptation #AncientTechnologies #Science #AnimalProducts #LocalMaterials

Here's How #Japan Is Turning #Footsteps Into #Electricity

By Samyak Goswami, Aug. 16, 2025 6:15 pm EST

Excerpts: "While Japan's implementation of #piezoelectric tiles is new, the underlying technology itself dates back to the late #19thCentury. The Curie brothers discovered that pressing substances like quartz, topaz, sugarcane, and more induced a voltage across the substance, known as the piezoelectric effect. The converse is also true, as piezoelectric materials also change shape or vibrate when an electric current is passed through them. Due to these properties, piezoelectric substances find use in numerous applications like quartz watches, sonars, and electricity-producing sidewalks. Common kitchen lighters, too, use a piezoelectric material to produce their characteristic spark from the pressure applied to the trigger.

"Piezoelectric substances generally produce a low voltage that depends on various factors. Japan's implementation of the piezoelectric sidewalk generated around 0.1W of power when a 60kg person stepped on a tile, back in 2008. The power from one footstep isn't substantial, but the figure quickly grows when millions of people take a step in crowded places like Tokyo's Shibuya Station. Moreover, the technology has evolved, and more efficient tiles can generate up to 30W of power with each step."

[...]

"The biggest roadblock that has limited piezoelectric tiles to niche applications is the high upfront cost associated with them. The cost depends on their efficiency and can range from $50 to $100. Installing a wide network of such tiles over a large area can quickly shoot up the initial investment. However, research shows that crowded areas such as subway stations are best suited for piezoelectric tiles, despite the high cost. A 2017 research even claimed that these tiles can result in up to 99.93% lower cost of electricity over the tile's lifespan, taking Cairo's busting Elshohadaa station as an example.

"That said, low power output is another big factor that makes piezoelectric tiles economically unfeasible. Conventional renewable energy sources, like solar panels, have evolved over time and can generate more electricity at a much lower cost. Additionally, power generation takes a nosedive in lightly populated areas, restricting the technology to only a few busy spaces. Moreover, higher maintenance costs and frequent repairs due to enormous stress in crowded areas are other factors stopping piezoelectric tiles from becoming mainstream. That said, a high-output tile with greater durability could make its adoption economically feasible in the future."

Read More: https://www.slashgear.com/1937672/how-japan-generating-electricity-with-piezoelectric-sidewalks-explained/

#SolarPunkSunday #SolarPunk #FootTraffic #ElectricityGeneration #19thCenturyTechnology #TechnologyAdaptation

Boosting the signal for @scroeser.
Can any of my #LibreOffice, #EndOfWindows10, #Linux friends help out?

"Do you have fun zines about how to switch away from big tech? Maybe a little intro to Mastodon, or something about the thrills of libre office?

I'm going to do a little peer workshop in a bit to help activists with a non-tech background start shifting away from big tech.

It would be cool to have some zines/printouts to share."

#SolarPunkSunday #BuildingCommunity

Boosting the signal for @scroeser.
Can any of my #LibreOffice, #EndOfWindows10, #Linux friends help out?

"Do you have fun zines about how to switch away from big tech? Maybe a little intro to Mastodon, or something about the thrills of libre office?

I'm going to do a little peer workshop in a bit to help activists with a non-tech background start shifting away from big tech.

It would be cool to have some zines/printouts to share."

#SolarPunkSunday #BuildingCommunity

🧵 2/3 #SolarpunkSunday #gardening #jardin #garten #cooking #kochen

Harvesting loads of leafy greens to dry before winter. Dried leafy greens can be added to soups, sauces, curries, rice (while it’s steaming), savory breads or ground into a fine powder to mix with flour for making pasta/noodles.

Below are dandelion greens.

🧵 3/3 #SolarpunkSunday #gardening #jardin #garten #bloomscrolling #blumen #FleurisTonFil #ClimateDiary

Talked to a couple of citrus experts and was told not to worry about the citrus below blooming in late October - none of these cultivars require a cool season to flower and that they’ll just keep blooming as long as the weather is warm. It’s almost 80F/27C today.

Pics were taken today.
Fukushu kumquat
Shikuwasa
Nippon orangequat
Thomasville citrangequat

🧵 2/3 #SolarpunkSunday #gardening #jardin #garten #cooking #kochen

Harvesting loads of leafy greens to dry before winter. Dried leafy greens can be added to soups, sauces, curries, rice (while it’s steaming), savory breads or ground into a fine powder to mix with flour for making pasta/noodles.

Below are dandelion greens.

#SolarpunkSunday #gardening #jardin #garten #paprika #peppers #chile

🧵 1/3

Ají apple crisp
Ají cacho de cabra
Ají charapita
Ají chinchi amarillo
Ají dulce orange
Ají dulce
Ají habanero
Ají panca
Biquinho salmao
Cheiro do norte
Habanada
Grenada seasoning
Madhatter
Peppapeach stripey
PJ UFO
Scotch bonnet
SR bell stripey
Trinidad Perfume
Trinidad Pimento Seasoning
Zavory

Wild and cherry tomatoes
Red hybrid jabuticaba
Winged beans

https://siouxchef.substack.com/p/fck-columbus?r=2z8oqm&triedRedirect=true

“An Indigenous People’s Day Recipe for Decolonization” by Sean Sherman

#IndigenousPeoplesDay #FuckColumbus #SolarpunkSunday

@Steve Thanks for posting! Tagging for an early #SolarPunkSunday

What will be your job in the #solarpunk future?

Your day of birth:
1. Computer
2. Digital
3. Solar panel
4. Windmill
5. Nanobot
6. Origami
7. Technology
8. Space
9. Rocket
10. Clockwork
11. Mechanism
12. Cable
13. Laptop
14. Calculator
15. Induction
16. Media
17. Vacuum
18. Lightbulb
19. Robot
20. Automaton
21. Jetpack
22. Power supply
23. 3d printer
24. Water filter
25. Web
26. Magnetohydrodynamic
27. Flying
28. Nuclear
29. Genetic
30. DIY
31. Bicycle

Your month of birth:
1. Gardener
2. Composter
3. Scavenger
4. Cultivator
5. Harvester
6. Grower
7. Farmer
8. Plantsperson
9. Rewilder
10. Crafter
11. Artisan
12. Repairperson
#SolarPunkSunday @memes

One more for the #InvasiveSpecies topic, and then I'll be moving on to other subjects!

Garlic Mustard - Eat It to Beat It!

• Young tender leaves can be torn up a bit and added to salads.

• Sautee garlic in olive oil or sesame oil or bacon grease; add chopped garlic
mustard and other greens if available (garlic chives, spinach, arugula,
lambsquarters, mustard greens, what-have-you); a little salt or soy sauce; add a bit of water or stock and cook gently. A dash of vinegar, balsamic or otherwise, may be in order. Taste and decide. This could be spread on toast, added to casseroles, eggs, quiche, stir-fries, etc.

• Garlic mustard pesto: crush garlic, slice up garlic mustard and also garlic chives if
available, puree both in food processor with olive oil and walnuts (or pine nuts);
add parmesan cheese. Start the water for pasta!

• Cream sauce: heat 1/4 cup oil and add 1/4 cup flour and cook; add hot milk.
Separately cook finely chopped garlic mustard in a little sesame oil; and tamari or soy sauce. Add some of the sauce; puree in food processor and add back to the sauce. Add cheese as desired. Good on stuffed grape leaves for one.

• With leftover garlic mustard sauce, add a little yogurt, balsamic vinegar, and tamari and serve as a sauce for steamed asparagus. [That sounds really good!]

Read more [PDF, includes recipes]:
https://www.woodcountywi.gov/Departments/LandConservation/Brochures/Garlic%20Mustard%20Recipes.pdf

#SolarPunkSunday #EatEmToBeatEm #Recipes #GarlicMustard

Can #Italy eat its way out of a #BlueCrab infestation?

September 4, 2023

Excerpt: "Italians are turning the killer crustaceans into a culinary delicacy, introducing them into risotto, pasta dishes and even salads.

"Italian farmers’ group Coldiretti suggests serving the blue crab with rosemary in a salad, or with sauteed garlic over spaghetti.

" 'These are some of the dishes recommended by chefs, fishermen and farmers of [Coldiretti] to fight the invasion of the sea killer, which is devastating the national coasts with damage into the millions of euros,' the group said in a statement in support of harvesting and selling the invasive crabs.

" 'The goal is to help contain the excessive diffusion of the crab, which is taking over the seabed of our coasts, identifying economic opportunities for the hard-hit territories.'

"Marine biologists say warmer seawater and above average temperatures mean that the crabs are thriving – and taking over.

"They’ve already been found all along Italy’s vast coastline and even in the Po Delta, a UNESCO heritage site known for its vongole veraci clam variety, which has been largely obliterated this summer.

" 'Usually when the water temperatures drop below 10 C (50 F), this variety of crab doesn’t survive,' Enridca Franchi, a marine biologist and researcher with the University of Siena, says. 'But now the crab finds the ideal temperature 12 months of the year.' "

Read more:
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/how-italy-is-solving-an-invasion-of-blue-crabs/

#SolarPunkSunday #ClimateChange #ClimateChangeAdaptation #BlueCrabs #InvasiveSpecies

Look Out for Invasive Crab!

The #GreenCrab is invading from the west coast and has recently reached #Alaska.

"What is a green crab?

The green crab is considered one of the most invasive species in the marine environment. It has few predators, aggressively hunts and eats its prey, destroys seagrass, and outcompetes local species for food and habitat. It has been documented that green crab devour juvenile king crab as well as juvenile salmon. They also destroy eelgrass habitat that larval fish use to hide from predators, and outcompete Dungeness crabs for food and habitat. Green crab could potentially damage Alaska’s multi-billion dollar fisheries industries, especially for salmon, crab, and mariculture operations. Resource managers in Alaska have been keeping an eye on the invasive crab’s northward movement for years.

How did they get here?

Green crabs were first introduced to North America in the 1800s, likely hitching a ride in the ballast water of merchant ships from Europe. Experts believe the invasive crab was transported to the West Coast in ballast water as well. They may also be transported with shellfish, equipment, or packing materials in aquaculture operations. Larval green crabs can also spread from one invaded area to another in ocean currents. On July 19, 2022, the Metlakatla Indian Community Department of Fish & Wildlife confirmed the first observation of the invasive green crabs in the State of Alaska on Annette Islands Reserve. This map shows the range of green crab throughout the world with their native range in blue and all other colors indicating areas they invaded or have the potential to spread.

What can I do to help?

In cooperation with NOAA Fisheries and the ADF&G Invasive Species Program, MIC DFW has implemented eradication protocols by increasing trapping efforts, working with partners to collect data and samples for research, and expanding monitoring and outreach on the reserve and throughout southern Southeast Alaska. We need your help to identify invasive green crabs on your local beaches and notify local officials and the ADF&G Invasive Species Hotline.

Where should I look?

Green crabs live on rocky shores, cobble beaches, sandflats and tidal marshes. They can often be found near eelgrass beds or other shoreline vegetation. Green crabs tolerate a wide range of water salinity and temperature. They can also survive upstream of river mouths in some estuarine environments. When you’re out on the beach, Look Out for Invasive European Green Crab.

How do I identify a green crab?

Find the 5 spines! The best way to identify green crab is to count the spines. There are 5 spines behind the eye on each side of the shell. Also see the Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve's Crab Identification Guide.

Green crabs are not always green! The top of the shell may be mottled dark brown to dark green, with small yellow patches. The bottom may be orange or red during molting. Green crabs can be identified by their unique shell shape. Adult shells can be up to 4 inches across.

Report it!

Take lots of photos of the crab with a coin, key, or other standard sized item for scale. Report your sightings via the ADF&G Invasive Species Reporter or by calling the Invasive Species Hotline: (877) INVASIV ((877) 468-2748). If you locate invasive green crab on Annette Islands Reserve, you can call (907) 886-FISH to make a report."

Source:
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/habitat-conservation/look-out-invasive-crab

#SolarPunkSunday #InvasiveSpecies #CitizenScience #Alaska #GreenCrabs #ClimateChange

#Maine's invasive #GreenCrabs aren't going anywhere, so why not eat them?

Maine's coast is overrun by invasive green crabs, which harm natural nurseries for lobster larvae and eat clam beds. Fishermen are looking to turn them into food.

By Jack Molmud, June 26, 2023

Excerpt: "To the year, Masi's crew is hauling in around 5,000 pounds of live green crabs. They said more could easily be harvested, but they are still looking for more buyers.

"One buyer in Portsmouth, Row 34, is using the soft-shell green crab to make a slider.

"Josh Peck, the chef at Row 34, said it's getting customers talking.

" 'We sell a fair amount of them,' Peck said. 'There is no lack of sustainability with the green crab.'

"But while the thousands of pounds of green crabs are shipped to restaurants and bait dealers around New England, Masi, and his crew hope that number will only grow. The summer months are moving on, and the crabs are stopping the molting process, which produces the soft shell.

" 'It's a start. You got to start somewhere,' Masi said."

Read more:
https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/special-reports/maines-changing-climate/maines-invasive-green-crabs-arent-going-anywhere-so-why-not-eat-them-food/97-1c68a7b3-2d0f-4b13-993d-313e3b96ddf0

#SolarPunkSunday #InvasiveSpecies #WhatsForDinner #ChangingClimate #ClimateChange #ClimateChangeAdaptation