Power Tool
Date: August 19, 2008 | Category: Lifestyle, Tech
Whether you want to conserve green dollars or resources, guesstimating with a carbon calculator only goes so far. This eco-geek gadget from Blue Light Innovations will help you monitor your home’s electricity in real-time.
Compact and elegant, this cool blue wireless display will gauge your power use with the simple push of a button. Just add rechargeable batteries to start saving. Program in local utility rates and you’ll get within 5% of actual usage. Estimated Cost: $135. Value to the planet? Priceless.
Sony Makes Photos a Snap
Date: August 12, 2008 | Category: Lifestyle, Tech
Billions of batteries clog our landfills each year, leaching toxic chemicals into the earth. If you’re in the market to buy a new camera, you might want to try and hold out a little bit longer. Sony’s innovative ODO Twirl N Take requires only 15 seconds of hand-rolling to generate enough power to snap a shot. In prototype since December 2007, Sony has yet to schedule a release date.
Nestled in its own flowerpot, this lime-green beauty will use recycled plastics to further minimize its environmental impact. We’ll keep you posted on the release date, since these picture-perfect gadgets are sure to get snatched up in a flash!
This PC is PC
Date: August 12, 2008 | Category: Lifestyle, Tech
A typical desktop generates over 600 pounds of carbon each year. So if you’re in the market for a new computer, why not search for a better alternative? Dell‘s new hybrid has been awarded gold label status by the hard-to-impress EPEAT (the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool), using a full 70 percent less fuel than its peers. Energy Star 4.0 compliant, this sweet and petite machine is available in a sleek, eco-chic bamboo cover. Packaging is 95 percent recyclable with printed materials a quarter its of competitors.
Plug Into Green
Date: August 6, 2008 | Category: Lifestyle, Tech, ecoMan
Ever wonder how to consolidate that jumble of messy cables behind your desk? A new company called Green Plug is getting ready to debut an eco-friendly solution. Their universal power adapter will accommodate multiple USB cables to keep your cell phone, MP3 player, speakers, modems, laptop and more juiced and ready for action! Besides being sleek, Green Plug’s adapter is energy efficient, cutting power to individual devices once batteries are fully charged. Early adopters can get this eco-adapter for less than $100 starting in early 2009.
You Can Stand Under Our Umbrella
Date: August 5, 2008 | Category: Home Furnishings, Lifestyle, Tech, The Home
Enjoy shade by day and light by night with Gaiam’s innovative Solar Umbrella. All you need is four rechargeable AA NiMh batteries to convert those golden rays into six to eight hours of illumination. The expansive water-resistant canopy is laced with 24 LED lights for evening entertaining.
Supporting carbon-neutral shipping and reforestation, Gaiam is committed to promoting fair trade practices and environmental responsibility. They also support Solar Living Institute, a nonprofit that promotes research and educational awareness of renewable energy sources.
ReKindling my Love of Reading
Date: July 29, 2008 | Category: Lifestyle, Tech
A recent article in Publisher’s Weekly caused me to reexamine the way I get my fill of news and fiction. Having started my environmental career in the world of print publishing, my emotional sympathies run deep. I’ll also admit a guilty fondness for design magazines, especially the ones printed on recycled paper with soy-based ink. But after reading that the US publishing industry dumps more than 12 million tons of carbon dioxide into our delicate ecosphere each and every year, I decided it was time to go electronic.
It’s Time to Clear the Air
Date: July 29, 2008 | Category: Lifestyle, Tech
In the workplace, we’re often hapless victims of stale, hermetically-sealed air. The stylish Airpod mini-purifier, made by Blueair, is perfect for keeping your cubicle (or office) fresh. Covering up to 29 square feet, the 13.4 inch high Airpod (HEPASilent filter + fan) exceeds Energy Star standards. Available in four stylish prints, it’s the perfect remedy for stuffy colleagues.
Easy Rider
Date: July 29, 2008 | Category: Lifestyle, Tech, Transport, ecoMan
Governor Kulongoski of Oregon recently made headlines for doing what so many eco-conscious residents in his state have done for years: He biked to work. Since most of us aren’t blessed with a two-mile commute and dedicated cycle paths, having a sturdy, portable set of wheels can mean the difference between hitting the gas pump and the pedal. STRiDA is making life in the bike lane more fun and fashionable.
iPhone meets iDrive
Date: July 22, 2008 | Category: Lifestyle, Tech, ecoMan
With the release of the new iPhone 3G, Apple’s application developer community has been busy redefining eco-mobility. The iPhone app store now features five innovative eco-applications, all dedicated to changing the way you burn fuel. AccuFuel, which will run you $.99, helps you measure gas consumption in an easy-to-read visual way, displaying graphs that detail your pump history. FuelGage and GasHog present this data in a simpler fashion.
If you’ve got a little extra green to burn, for $1.99, CarStat takes the above applications to the next level. Old school iPhone owners take note: with Apple’s free upgrade to iPhone 2.0, these cool eco-apps are available to you as well. We applaud the iPhone community for making consumers more savvy about carbon emissions. But once again, we remind you that it’s always greener to love the phone you’re with.
Sims Goes Green!
Date: July 22, 2008 | Category: Lifestyle, Tech
While many of us have never outgrown the thrill of building a Sims city that implodes from lack of energy efficiency, our friends at Greendaily inform us that Sims 2 offers an expansion pack that puts a more constructive spin on green building.
Now you can design an eco-friendly home that optimizes the use of natural light and flips the switch on electrical overage. There are also earth-friendly means to get your avatars unplugged, including lighting candles, nixing the Plasma and powering down the PC (sort of ironic). Your eco-avatars can also recycle, buy local organic produce and compost for a cleaner tomorrow. If that isn’t enough, you can dress your alter egos in eco-fashion and purchase non-toxic products for kitchen and garden. I’m really looking forward to the next gen Sims pack, where I will presumably be able to upgrade to solar, build a backyard wind turbine and incorporate geo-thermal heating! We’re just hoping our gamers don’t outsource all their eco-commitments to the virtual world-Yours in eco-geekdom, sue.
