How fantastic are these creations? Swiss Army Knife manufacturer Victorinox has opened public online voting for its Time to Care sustainable design competition. According to an article in GizMag,

The year-long project was conceived to foster awareness of sustainable design and innovation

…and the entries are tremendous in their breadth and the issues they address. Entries from around the world include an eco-friendly washing detergent system based on ancient Chinese ideas, a sustainable fuel stove from India designed to reduce the health risks associated with the fuels commonly in use in developing countries at the moment, a solar-powered ‘leaf’ that creates 20 litres a day of potable water from condensation and our personal favourites, the Safety Net. The Safety Net, illustrated above, incorporates escape rings into trawler nets so that juvenile fish and those not the target of the catch can escape. All the projects are laudable, but this one has our vote for its place in addressing the plight of our oceans, and the role they play in the global ecosystem.

Please take a look at these thought-provoking innovations and place a vote. At the time of writing, Leaf, the solar-powered water system, is in the lead. And just to add, the competition is in the spirit of Victorinox’s long history of environmental responsibility: product materials are reportedly heavy metal-free, products are fully-recyclable, and the company’s office buildings run independent of crude oil. Three cheers!