Does the thought of planting 100 trees on earth day sound nice? You can do it right now via Oxfam. Other “green” solutions include purchasing a crocodile to restore caiman populations thus returning the ecosystem to what it was, or protecting fishing rights in traditional grounds. Plant 100 Trees - $60. Raise a Crocodile - $50. Protect Fishing Rights - $45.
Canadian Intelligent Form Design came up with an outdoor table that charges your laptop, iPod etc. using the solar panel surface. You can access battery info etc about the table using bluetooth, and at night, the whole thing glows with internal LED lights. USB plug and normal three prong wall plugs are built in. Perfect for a deck, or out by a pool - we want one. $14,000. BUY
For earth day, today’s products will all be green focused. We’d like to remind you to visit our Green Section as well as our Green sponsors, including Eco-Living at Gaiam, Wind towers
“Biodegradable Business Bag” doesn’t mean some hemp made messenger sack - we mean cleaning up after Fido. These are made from corn, like the cups (but try not associate what goes in them) - thus biodegradable in 45 days. You can even toss them in your compost. Probably acts as great fertilizer. Keep it clean. 40 for $6. BUY
Orbee-Tuff has come up with a dog chew toy that is their most indestructible yet, rated “for the most aggressive chewers.” The Orbee-Tuff Recycle Ball will occupy your dog - and take the place of your couch arm. Think of it as the tennis ball that the dog can’t destroy - and is actually washable. It’s even made of materials the company normally would throw out, that couldn’t fit in other chew toys (hence recycle image). $10. BUY
Cyber-Rain has come up with something very clever. The Cyber-Rain XCI System for your sprinklers, will wirelessly connect to the internet to research the weather, then adjust your watering schedule accordingly. You can even adjust the schedule from your computer and see how much water you are saving (Cyber-Rain estimates 30-70% drop in watering bill.) The system also accounts for seasons as well as fertilizing. The Cyber-Rain can manage eight separate zones, meaning you can put different sections/plants of the garden on different watering schedules (as is probably best anyway). Why didn’t anyone think of this before? Combine this with your lawn-robot and forget about the lawn permanently. We love it - and it pays for itself over time. $340. BUY
Next time you’re buying those red cups for large parties, try grabbing these Greenware Cups. A new line by NatureWorks - who figured out a way to extract the starch from corn and convert it to sugar and lactic acid using fermentation - which results in a plastic called polylactide. All you really need to know is these are made entirely from corn, and they biodegrade in 50 days when met with 150º and 90% humidity (a.k.a composting conditions - don’t worry they will survive shelfing). Keep in mind these are only good for cold drinks. Now to get college students to use these… $105 for 1,000 cups. Buy Here.
No hybrid convertibles are currently for sale in the United States. However, PGO has just announced a clean natural gas version of it’s speedster, the PGO Cevennes Turbo which can also run on biogas. Modeled after the 1950s Porsches, it looks fantastic. Six gear manual transmission and a turbo-charger - to compensate for the four cylinders. Top speed of 130 mph and 0-60 in just over six seconds. Unfortunately, it’s sold in Euros - and with the dollar where it is: €48,000 is…brace yourself, $75,000.
Alternative home energy is growing, and the Skystream Wind Turbine is now installed in some of the greenest homes in America, even the urban ones. Embrace that lower electric bill and grab one of your own. Unit is all inclusive, with built in inverter. It is quiet, clean, and doesn’t need a tornado to run. After the math, you do save money in the long run. Birds on the other hand…are a different story. Feed a pigeon lose a finger, install a rotating blade in the sky - you might lose a pigeon (don’t worry not the case). $9,000 includes installation.
So what happens when you take beef that is grass fed on Hearst Ranch’s pastures, family farmed, high in heart-healthy Omega-3 acids, and just tastes fantastic? You get a company that can’t restock the shelves fast enough. Let’s Be Frank Hot Dogs are somewhat hard to come by, but if you can find them - you’ll want to try them. Great taste, sustainable farming, no hormones, no nitrates, even organic spices. The best. Click the link for ordering and markets that carry them.
Brammo will begin shipping the Enertia Electric Bike in the 2nd half of this year. A smart answer to the recent US success of the Piaggio Vespa, the Enertia can go upwards of 50 mph, for 35-45 miles, and takes about 3 hours to recharge. Quiet and fast enough for city use (0-40 in under 6 seconds) - this might just be the answer to getting around town…unless you’re looking for a 2-seater. $11,995.
At the end of 2008 Aptera will begin mass production of it’s vehicle. Technically licensed as a motorcycle, you can choose electric or hybrid option. Comes with rear camera, GPS and even goes over 85 mph. Reservations may be made now for $500. The all electric version is $26,900 and the plug-in hybrid $29,900. Look to be no problems with aerodynamics.
A kitchen compost that let’s you take vacations, and has a locking mechanism to prevent any bad smell escaping? Green may be easier that previously thought. Feed the soil to your plants to brighten up the pad even more. The NatureMill PRO comes with a spare carbon filter (each filter lasts years), heavy duty operation, and foot pedal to open. Simple, green, productive. $400.
