A unified bathroom theory combining hygiene theory, universal theory, green theory, vastu theory.
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A Unified Meta-Theory Of Design combining optimization theory, green design theory, universal theory, design pattern theory, and zen theory.
Meta-efficient in 2009.
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Happy new year! This post has been updated for 2009.
Solar cells really shine at charging your batteries at remote location or on a boat. They are also useful for maintaining a charge on a 12V battery, such as a car battery. The best (and most expensive) solar battery chargers are flexible, thin-film solar cells. These cells can be folded and packed away easily.
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Stovetop kettles are nostalgically cute in movies and lovable as collector’s items, but when it comes to our time-crunched, energy-efficient world, electric kettles–which boil water twice as fast as their stovetop counterparts–are the way to go. [Click to continue...]
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Once again, we have scoured the internet to find the highest rated flashlights. The lights we feature here received the most praise from the forums and review sites we assessed. These sites included: CPF Reviews, Backpacking Light, Light Reviews, Candle Power Forums and LED Museum.
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Picking a morning caffeine pick-up’s gotten confusing, what with the proliferation of certifications: organic, fair trade, Rain Forest Alliance, Utz Kapeh — not to mention all the self-certification schemes companies like Starbucks are trying to sell. To help you cut through the clutter, here are five eco-ethical coffees you can feel good about drinking: [Click to continue...]
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For powering high-drain electronics such as digital cameras, the most efficient batteries to use are high-capacity Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) cells. Higher capacity batteries store more charge and they can power your devices longer. [Click to continue...]
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Bloggers are drafting up their top 10 list posts and techies are e-organizing their hard drives for the new year. But if you’re old school — or have a boss who forces you to stick to ink-and-paper ways, here are some efficient 3-ring binders to help you catalog and file away 2008.
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When buying 9 volt batteries, you might want to consider a rechargeable Lithium Polymer 9 volt batteries. As far as I know, iPower is the only company that makes rechargeable 9V lithium polymer batteries. Their batteries are the same size as a 9 volt alkaline battery. [Click to continue...]
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Craftsters can turn paper into snowflakes or partridges, and hikers can search for natural pine cones. But if you’ve got a naked Christmas tree and two left thumbs, here are some affordable and eco-friendly tree ornaments to pick from: [Click to continue...]
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My unwinking, analytical gaze of efficiency now turns to the toilet. Unfortunately, the design of the modern Western toilet is highly inefficient, in fact, it is so inefficient that it is actually harming our health. The modern toilet has only been around for about 150 years — the “porcelain throne” was created to “give dignity” to the water closet, rather than considering human physiology. [Click to continue...]
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Reusing the stocking you stored away last year’s the greenest option, of course. But if you lost yours in a natural disaster or bad break up–or got a new pet–here are four efficient options to pick from. [Click to continue...]
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We are happy to announce that Siel Ju, noted green writer, will be joining MetaEfficient.
Siel runs her own site Green LA Girl, and she has also written for Treehugger, Lime and Worldchanging.
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Just a couple years ago, a simple organic cotton T-shirt wasn’t so easy to find. Now, with Quicksilver, H&M, and even Forever 21 getting into the green fashion business, eco-friendly T-shirts are a dime a dozen. Still, finding well-fitting and stylish T-shirts made using fair labour can take some work — especially if you’re interested in the latest in eco-friendly and innovative materials and design. Here’s a look at five of the most efficient T-shirts available now: [Click to continue...]
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I recently had the chance to test two state-of-the-art LED light bulbs from EarthLED. LED bulbs have many advantages over incandescents and compact fluorescent: they use very little power, they last 10 years or more, and they contain no hazardous substances. They are also tough: they can be dropped and turned off and on repeated without damage, they can operate in very cold or warm temperatures. [Click to continue...]
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Toshiba has developed a new lithium-ion battery called SCiB (or Super Charge Ion Battery) which can charge to 90% capacity in 5 minutes. The life cycle of the new battery is more than 10 years even if it is rapidly charged and discharged many times. The battery is also mucher safer than other types of lithium ion batteries, which are potential fire hazards.
Toshiba will begin commercial production of the battery in March 2008. The company says the battery can be used in electric motorcycles and hybrid cars. Toshiba currently makes 150,000 cells a month, mostly for electric bicycles. [Click to continue...]
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High-grade essential oils are the most efficient killers of microorganisms (for more information see The Aromatherapy Bible: The Definitive Guide to Using Essential Oils, The Complete Book Of Essential Oils or The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Essential Oils). Basically, essential oils are great disinfectants, and they are also healthy to inhale. They have other beneficial effects on the body and mind. Surround yourself with Eucalyptus during the winter for example, to kill airborne microorganisms. The most efficient way of dispersing an essential oil is to use a nebulizer. Burners and other diffusion methods do not create super-fine particles of the oil. There’s a much greater chance of these particles coming into contact with mold spores, germs, and other airborne bacteria.
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It’s important to keep indoor humidity at an optimum level (45 to 65 percent). Dry air in the winter is one the main causes of sinus infections and sore throats. You can use a mechanical humidifier to add moisture to the air, but these devices require constant cleaning to prevent the growth of microorganisms.
An easier way to add humidity to a room, is to put a few areca palms in it. These palms release copious amounts of water into the air, and remove chemical toxins too. They are consistently rated among the best houseplants for removing all indoor toxins tested. According to B. C. Wolverton, author of How To Grow Fresh Air, a six foot (1.8 m) areca palm transpires approximately 1 quart (1 litre) of water every 24 hours. So if you put three in your bedroom, the palms will be release three quarts of water per day — not bad!
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Efficient jeans are still hard to find. Conventionally grown cotton requires more pesticides to grow than any other crop. The more efficient method is to grow organic cotton or hemp. The surf company Reef makes some good organic cotton jeans, like their Heritage Jeans (shown above), their Philosopher Jeans and Heritage Cords. Outdoor clothing company Patagonia offers a pair of organic cotton jeans: the Workender. The Gap offers some organic cotton jeans. You can also find designer jeans made out of organic cotton. Hemp is the most optimal material with which to make jeans, but few hemp jeans are available. You can find some at Hempest.
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Merino wool is the most efficient material for cold weather. Merino wool is softer than regular wool, and it feels more like cotton against the skin. Merino wool resists wind and warms better than synthetic materials. It doesn’t absorb odors and it regulates body temperature. It is also produced in a sustainable manner.
The jacket pictured here is the Smartwool Banff Jacket. It’s designed with a woven wool sueded fabric, and it has a heavy 100% merino wool lining. There is a women’s version of this jacket too. Smartwool sells a whole range merino wool clothing, including summer wear. Merino wool clothing tends to be expensive, but you can find Smartwool on eBay and at REI Outlet.
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