Inhabitat: Energy company Sunrgi recently announced an astounding new solar system that will break our grids free from the fossil fuel lockdown. Their Xtreme Concentrated Photovoltaics promise a low-cost, high-efficiency system with an incredible projected energy pricing of 5 cents per kilowatt. This breakthrough puts solar on par with the cost of coal, natural gas, and other non-renewable energy sources.

If solar energy is ever going to live up to it’s world-changing potential, it’s going to have to mesh with our existing energy infrastructure, competing with coal and natural gas on price point. While traditional photovoltaic arrays span great expanses and struggle to keep costs down, Sunrgi’s system proposes a novel idea, making better use of fewer expensive materials.

The XCPV system is based on a principle blinding in its simplicity: use a magnifying glass to concentrate the sun’s energy into a single high efficiency solar cell. Each unit features a lens that magnifies the sun’s rays 2,000 times, focusing it onto a solar cell that converts more than 37% sunlight to energy. The result is a system that maximizes the potential output of each solar cell while minimizing cost and space required.

The units are modular and thus easily deployable on or off-grid, and they can be easily upgraded to accommodate future advancements in solar cell technology.

SOLAR ENERGY AS CHEAP AS COAL! [Inhabitat]

Freep.com: Hospital food has always gotten a bad rap, much of it richly deserved.

But the Henry Ford Health System is taking unprecedented steps to change that, along with many other traditional hospital practices, in a $350-million community hospital and wellness complex opening in February on 160 scenic acres in West Bloomfield.

Its multifaceted approach is so different that it has attracted the attention of health care experts around the country.

In addition to national-class clinical services, the 300-bed hospital is to offer amenities ranging from homelike private rooms with couches where relatives can sleep comfortably overnight to relaxing in-room whirlpool tubs for mothers in labor.

Wellness services include health coaches, holistic therapies and personal trainers -- part of an emerging national trend to help people control or prevent chronic conditions that lead to expensive hospital stays.

But one of the hospital's most innovative elements is its culinary program, which involves a trio of partners: prominent metro Detroit restaurateur Matt Prentice, the nationally known culinary department at Schoolcraft College in Livonia and Chef's Garden, an elite organic farm in Ohio that sells exclusively to America's most famous restaurants.

New Ford hospital strives for 5-star treatment [Freep.com]

Trendwatching: In an ECO-ICONIC world, visibility counts, for big and small products alike. Which, in the case of cleaning products, means exposure will start the moment others check out your shopping basket or cart. Will that bottle of washing-up liquid scream 'green!'? Some examples:

New-Zealand-based Beauty Engineered Forever produces a range of environmentally-friendly household cleaning products from natural ingredients and essential oils that are not harmful to the environment and safe for consumers. The packaging has been designed to connect with the customer on a personal level with playful and cheeky pick-up lines, such as “I’ll do your dirty work” and “I’ll make it all white.” And yes, it’s different enough to be easily recognizable to visitors of one’s kitchen.

Belgium-based Ecover makes a range of domestic and professional cleaning products like washing-up liquid, laundry detergents and bleach. As a matter of policy, all ingredients are from renewable sources and of the "highest possible biodegradability."

Eco-Iconic [Trendwatching]

CoolBuzz: They say after you have had your fill of booze, you might just end up seeing stars. But here's an innovative idea that lets you see stars before the liquor has even touched you tongue. These Lava Lamp Shot Glasses come mounted atop a funky lamp with flashing LEDs that add sparkle to any drink. Just add you choice of beverage and watch your drink brimming with a whole lot of glittering little stars without you having to consume LSD or any other banned substance for the heavenly experience. The lights stop blinking once the glass is empty so you know when its time to fill the thing up again. Available in a range of assorted colors, we highly recommend the $8.98-a piece Lava Lamp Shot Glasses to college sophomores out to live la vida loca.

Lava Lamp Shot Glass let you add a celestial spark to your drink [CoolBuzz]

CoolHunting: Re-Shirt is an Austrian-based company that resells second-hand t-shirts. What sets them apart from other online boutiques is that every shirt comes with a personal story. Owners submit the unique history pertinent to the garment they donate—often the circumstances behind buying it, or a memorable event while wearing it. The Re-Shirt philosophy is rooted in the question, "Do products last longer if you know their history?" The idea seems promising. Like a table made with reclaimed wood from some distant castle, a story can equate to desirability.

Once a shirt goes through the system, it's marked with a Re-Shirt code. Stories can be added onto the shirt's history, perhaps increasing its value.

Re-Shirt [CoolHunting]

A recent Reuters wire story (picked up here in the International Herald Tribune) describes the new trend of "urban mining" - of recovering gold, silver, copper, iridium and other precious metals from discarded cell phones and other consumer electronics.

According to the article, a ton of used cellular phones contains far more gold than an equal amount of ore from a gold mine. Ditto for silver and copper. Estimates vary, but there are tens (or possibly even hundreds) of millions of cell phones taken out of service every year as users upgrade to newer models. These end up in landfill, or at the bottom of the sock drawer.

And another use for used phones - Zurado Systems, from California, also wants your used cell phones. They want to reprogram them for use as portable kiosks.

There is clearly a real business opportunity in the recovery of used mobile phones and computers for smart entrepreneurs able to devise an efficient collection system. What are your ideas?

Graeme Spicer is a Canadian trendspotter, ethnographer and observer of all things retail. As Director of Retail Strategy at DW+Partners he spends his time consulting with leading retailers; presenting at conferences across North America; lecturing at OCAD, Canada's leading design school; and reading too many blogs.

Luxist: The ice chest isn't generally considered a luxury object but the Yeti coolers are designed to keep things cooler than many cheaper versions. The coolers have a a full two inches of polyurethane foam in the sides, bottom and lid to keep items cold all day which makes them great for use on boats when people stay out on the water for long excursions. It has a home freezer-style lid gasket that creates an airtight seal. Heavy-duty rubber T-latches and a self stopping, full length integrated hinge keep it secure in the roughest conditions. A leak-proof drain plug offers easy draining without leaks. It can be used to store food and drinks or bait and fish.

Yeti Coolers [Luxist]

TrendHunter: The famous blue Linksys machines are now synonymous with wireless routers. Like the rest of electronics, the blue boxes have upgraded their look. Linksys has redesigned their routers - making them black and sleek.

Making Wireless Stylish - Linksys Makeover [TrendHunter]

TextHub is a text messaging service that allows you to send personalized text messages to a group of people online or via mobile phones. TextHub offers an all-in-one suite of tools in one easy to use account manager and makes it easy for any non-technical user to administer mass text messaging campaigns and scheduled alerts.

Businesses are always seeking innovative ways to communicate efficiently and effectively with customers in order to maintain good customer service and to increase sales. While postal mailing, phoning, and most recently emailing have been utilized as methods of communication from businesses to its customers, a new communication star is emerging, known commonly as “text messaging” and also known as short message system (“SMS”). TextHub seeks to tap on this new trend for companies to reach their customers.

Some interesting ways to use TextHub:

Schools use TextHub to send alerts to parents about important reminders, truancy, or emergencies.

Banks and financial institutions use TextHub to notify account holders of their balance, transactions, overdraft items, and other account activity.

Online portals and content providers use TextHub to broadcast regularly scheduled content to opt-in subscribers such as news headlines, daily astrology, stock alerts, and more.

http://www.texthub.com

Co-Founder Mark Michuda is offering TextHub for free to non-profits. Organizations can attain the free account by writing to info(AT)TextHub.com.

Update: Mark has an exclusive offer for CoolBusinessIdeas.com readers only. Mention the code word CBI and you can enjoy a free 40 days use of an TextHub pro account.

TrendOriginal: Unusual smells aren’t generally the inspiration for scented candles, but Hotwicks doesn’t really seem to care. Among its unique collection of scented candles is the “Campfire Candle” which emits vapors reminiscent of a campfire-makes you feel like you’re camping and toasting marshmallows.

Hotwicks also have other unusual scents such as grass, popcorn and even urinal smells.

Campfire Scented Candle [TrendOriginal]

ProductDose: I love dogs. I hate picking up dog poop. This Poop Freeze product doesn't make the poop go away but at least it removes that steaming, mushy texture that still makes you feel gross even through the plastic bag. It freezes the droppings so you can just pluck it up without having to deal with scraping it from the ground. The spray is grass and environmentally safe.

Poop Freeze [ProductDose.com]

jobwerx: New Greenshoot fresh soup range selects the innovative packaging format for ambient soups launched by RPC Bebo Nederland and RPC Containers Halstead.

According to Urban Foods, Greenshoot Soups is the first really convenient individual fresh soup range to be launched for the French market, and the company wanted the packaging to combine practicality and ease of use for consumers with a stylish new look to create maximum shelf impact.

Designed to meet the demands of busy lifestyles, the new pack from RPC offers optimum consumer convenience, being lightweight, easy to open and microwaveable.

The container is co-extruded and thermoformed in PP/EVOH/PP by RPC Bebo Nederland. The multi-layer construction offers significant barrier protection to ensure, in combination with processing, that the soup has a shelf life comparable to traditional packaging.

The cup’s rounded design delivers sufficient durability to withstand high filling temperatures and is compatible with standard in-car cup holders so that soups can be enjoyed safely and conveniently on the move.

The cups are sleeved before being hot filled. The new packaging features a bold design with a black cup and lid and striking graphics in bright colors illustrating each product’s ingredients.

Julien Ponceblanc of Urban Foods says, “Fresh takeaway soups are a relatively new concept in France so we wanted this new product launch to reflect this innovation with stylish, convenient and high quality packaging which attracted attention."

Style and Convenience Packaging on the Move [jobwerx]

The Cool Hunter: One of the biggest problems that people have with iPods is that unless you have a diploma in hacking, it is extremely difficult to share your tunes, especially without getting a computer involved. That is of course until now. Want the latest album from your friends' iPod? Simply connect both iPods to the miShare unit, press the button and away you go. It's kind of like swapping football cards in the playground, although much cooler.

Providing that your files are not DRM protected (that's digital rights management to you technophobes), everything from movies to photos to songs can be transferred. Even entire playlists. Nice. There is however one downside – for now the unit does not work with the iPhone or iPod touch, although we are told that a firmware update is being looked in to.

MiShare [The Cool Hunter]

Luxist: Every woman has at least a few jewelry pieces hanging around from past relationships, and although some of them may be sentimental in value and very special, others are ... well ... not. But what to do with that ugly diamond necklace when the pawn shop just won't pay a fair price? Ex-Boyfriend Jewelry offers up a solution with their theme of "buy, sell, trade, blog about the boy." Not only can you list your gold and diamonds for the price you think is fair, but you can also let off a little steam and vent about your ex's annoying habits and bad taste in jewelry.

Ex-Boyfriend Jewelry: Sell, Trade, Vent? [Luxist]