Continuing on with alternative ideas -- in the event of the millennium flood, how handy would it be to have a dining room table that floats?
Two designers have come up with an unusual way of escaping a flash flood: a dining table that can quickly be converted to a life raft.
The table, entitled Either Oar, has removable legs that convert into paddles and a built-in buoyancy tank. It is part of a series of designs created "as a response to climate change and natural disasters of recent times," an apparent reference to crises such as Asia's tsunami in 2004 and last year's Hurricane Katrina in the United States.
The table will be on display as part of the Design Museum's Design Mart exhibition, which opens in London on Sept. 20 and celebrates new talent.
The "Climatized Objects" range was designed by David Cameron and Toby Hadden.
Other dual-purpose devices include a vase that switches to an emergency flashlight if knocked from its ledge, and a series of picture frames that turn into flashing navigational aids.
"We've always wanted to do a project that translates the way people in emergency situations use everyday objects in innovative ways in order to stay alive," the pair said in a statement.
"The effects of climate change can leave us facing dangerous situations in our own home, where we are affected by destructive elements such as flooding and earthquakes. Rather than shy away from these negative processes, our ideal was to offer functional solutions in these increasing times of crisis."
How about ashtrays that turn rainwater into hydrogen as an approaching tornado's low pressure compresses water molecules into its component parts? I haven't quite figured out where to store the results but I think the fish tank may provide an answer.
Whoa, watch out then.
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