Eco Friendly Kiosks for Green Businesses

The growing use of kiosks in business is a great advancement in ecological responsible corporate practices.  The kiosk is not only less expensive for smaller start up businesses and even more established corporate presences, but it is itself a move toward smaller, less energy consuming and more ecologically responsible way of doing business.  The kiosk often replaces the traditional store front model, and in so doing it removes the need to provide electricity and other utilities for an entire physical area when only a small space utilized in kiosk is needed.

Beyond this basic move toward more ecologically sustainable business practices through the use of a kiosk based business however, there are several businesses that have gone farther to take advantage of the green capabilities of kiosks by creating more eco friendly kiosks themselves.  Here are some of the latest innovators in this growing eco friendly movement.

Barcroft Park

Offering a unique selection of bicycles created out of reused and recycled bike parts, metals, and scrap parts, the kiosk itself is constructed of old license plates, bike wheels and other repurposed junk material.

Oil Drum Kiosk and MFA

The Maker Faire Africa displayed a creative piece of repurposed material made into a kiosk.  This particular kiosk was made in Uganda and consisted of several unwanted oil drums.  The goal is to use this kiosk design in schools and offices around Africa.

Solar Powered Internet Kiosk

Another African based kiosk innovation is under the direction of the Voices of Africa for Sustainable Development and Voices of Diani.  This is a solar powered kiosk that is a self sustaining, solar powered computer kiosk that is designed to provide Internet connectivity to rural areas of Africa.  In particular, this device is being implemented to assist Ugandan citizens in an educational effort to teach them Web 2.0 capabilities and skills required to get jobs in lucrative technical fields.

IBM AnyPlace and Olea Make Kiosk from Repurposed Plant Material

The designer Olea has created a new design for a kiosk housing the IBM AnyPlace kiosk technology that utilizes the discarded stalks of the sorghum plant in its design.  This kiosk was first presented at the National Retail Federation (FRD) and provides access to information resources and e-commerce functionality.

Shopping Bag Kiosk

Designer Elliott Montgomery has created a kiosk around shopping bags he creates out of recycled materials.  He also utilizes solar power in his kiosk design.

Automated Teller Can Do Your Recycling Too

Another interesting green friendly kiosk device is a kiosk that does double duty as a recycling disposal and an automated telling machine (ATM).  The nice thing about bringing these two functions together is that they offer a positive reinforcement incentive to the person who brings their recycling in by dispensing cash, thus delivering the not so subtle message of “Recycling Pays”.  This also is a convenient functional marriage as the ATM is a device that one may visit more often than a recycling kiosk.

Bicycle Powered Kiosk

In rural areas far from a consistently implemented power grid, it is sometimes difficult to provide any regular means of communication with the ever more digitally connected world.  In Caqueta, Columbia, a group of engineers have implemented an internet kiosk that runs on muscle power.  The  battery is powered by a two seated bicycle that transmits a signal to the local radio broadcasting unit, and then accessed through the local community radio station.

Mobile Charging Station Runs on Solar Power

A new kiosk design built with recycled acrylic sheets has made it easier for users to charge their cell phones when on the go – with solar power!

Jason Phillips has authored this post. He has started the new business of photo kiosk and he is getting success by leaps and bounds. Photo by Kimco Realty