Excellent idea - an old (ancient?) idea being brought into the 21st century. This is the kind of thinking we need!

This is a really great idea, although I do not think the natural evaporation is going to be effective enough without a lot more space and ventilation around the sides, especially in non desert environments. A tiny electric fan would make it much more

Modern refrigerators are just plain dumb. Why can't we separate out items into relevant environments. A small freezer on bottom with a colder environment on top for meats, dairy, and this on top of that for veggies and fruits, etc. Maybe we just don't put anything that close to the sides to Michael's point. I'm okay with that. My refrigerator has all kinds of room around the sides and back. I'm desperate for a smart solution to the refrigerator problem which wastes so much energy. If it was plac

This is the most realistic idea here. I also like the cardboard computer cases, but they are probably not going to become a commercial product. I think this one is more practical. I want one! This is not only green, the temperature and humidity will be better for my fruits and vegetables than a traditional refrigerator. Great use of old wisdom in new ways!

I really like the idea of having one spot for all my fruits

I love this idea! it may be a way to downsize our refrigerators (and therefore save some more energy) and it looks good! In fact I was so intrigued by the concept that I made myself a nigerian refrigerator to keep soft drinks somewhat colder in my office :P and IT WORKS! So far I've not given much attention to it, I checked the temp. only once but it went down to 12°C which is amazing considering that it's two big flower pots, some sand I got from a superstore's hole in the foundations (yeah I

Utilise recycled and sustainable materials in the production and this is what every eco friendly home will want. It this doesn't win then send it on to Kevin McCloud...

This would not work in climates that are not very low relative humidity. good for desert but not for temperate zones. If it is used in an indoor environment the humidity expelled to the indoor air may cause the air conditioner to work harder in summertime (no real energy savings just transfer load via moisture).

How much would a product like this cost? Put me on your waiting list!

This a great example of how we should use more brain energy in redesigning older typically forgotten technology, with new methods. But why all the manual work refilling water etc. This works perfect on my terrase, couple to my rain water collection system, used to watering my garden. And it keeps all our crops fresh longer, and hence I don't waste energy, and i get every thing free from the suns energy.

This is a great concept that would benefit from a collaboration with some materials science engineers. In the right environment I would expect this to work well and the range of application and acceptance could be increased by some additional applied science. Nice thinking!

The principle is not transferable into our closed homes, I think. The additional humidity may even bring mold to your house! And it's a water-waster. The classic refrigerator sure needs new ideas, but I doubt this is the right one. Producing heat and keeping things cool on the other hand is the main energy wastage every house contains. There has to be a better way to redistribute heat and coolness. Maybe like bringing the fridge's coolant circuit, the home servers water cooling, and even the wa

Useful idea i like it, does the device retain all mositure within it self or is there a possibility that it may escape

simply beautiful. I need this in my kitchen, I live in a house with 3 other people, all vegetarians, and we have so many vegetables that often times the get push to the back and go bad. This would declutter our fridge, add another chopping block (always nice) and look amazing in our kitchen. Even if you don't win please, <b>please</b> make this. If it were to sell for under $100 I would buy it in an instant.

I share the concern that one of the posters had for humidity and bacterial growth - but wouldn't it make sense to ask the inventer if they've tested for that? Even if having the whole thing indoors doesn't work perfectly there's the option of putting the evaporator outside and running cooling lines to the refrigerator indoors. I think this is SO cool that the hotter and dryer it gets, the more it cools. Seems like a smart idea - much more so than using energy to create heat (which is what we

I am a vegan and I've been thinking that I probably don't need a refrigerator anymore, especially since I mostly eat raw foods anyway.

This is fantastic! No power needed! Awesome. Hope it gets commercialized.