Kapok is an alternative to conventional pillow stuffing. It is soft like down, yet supportive. Kapok is a silky fiber harvested in the rainforests of southeast Asia, tropical America, and Africa. After the ripe pods of the tree are harvested, the seeds are removed and the fluffy fiber is meticulously cleaned and dried.
Kapok Pillows Are Non-Toxic and Supportive Read More »
Most garden hoses leach lead and other chemicals into the water. The problem is that they are made of PVC, which uses lead as a stabilizer. Consumer Reports tested 16 brands of garden hose sold at national chains and on the internet. In some hoses they measured 10 to 100 times more lead than the
A List Of Lead-Free Garden Hoses That Are Safe For Water Drinking Read More »
Nikon has introduced some new binoculars called Ecobins with some nice green features. The body of the binocular is made with rubber than does not include chloride, toxic inks or dyes. The lens and prisms are made with Nikon’s Eco-Glass™, which is lead- and arsenic-free.
Nikon Introduces Green Binoculars: Ecobins Read More »
The Dahon Jack folding bike. It weighs 28.4 pounds (or 12.9 kg). I’ve treated this bike harshly for a year now, and I haven’t had any problems with it. It costs $459. The Dahon Espresso. It has 21 gears instead of 8. It weighs 13.3 kg (or 29.3 lb). I’m currently testing this bike —
Dahon Jack: An Inexpensive, Folding, Full-Size Bike Read More »
In 2004, MetaEfficient.com pre-reviewed the AeroGrow aeroponics growing system. That was before the system was released. A couple of years ago, you couldn’t cut on your TV without seeing an ad for AeroGrow indoor gardening systems. It isn’t as ubiquitously advertised now, but it hasn’t disappeared from the market. In fact, five years after its
AeroGarden: Easy, Efficient Indoor Gardening Read More »
I’ve been testing a new line of bags called Terraclime by Lowepro. I was impressed by the fact that 95% of the material used to make these bags is recycled content. The fabric is made with recycled PET bottles (i.e. post-consumer plastic). The hooks and zippers are made from plastic salvaged from the factory floor,
Bags Made With 95% Recycled Material Read More »
Sales of electric bikes have spun into high gear this year — some merchants reporting a 6000% increase in sales. This is good news, because, for short trips, the efficiency and convenience of electric bikes is hard to beat. You may have heard that in the U.S., 40% of all trips are made within two miles
An Inexpensive Electric Bike Conversion Kit Read More »
Last year, Philips showed off their LivingColor lamps at a media event. Each compact light can illuminate 16 million unique colors, all of which can be controlled via an included wireless RF remote. You can set any remote to control up to six fixtures simultaneously, keeping their colors in synchronization for a dramatic effect. Since
16 Million Color LED Lamps Now Available Read More »
The Contina line by Hape International is said to be the first range of 100% bamboo toys. They are colored with natural, water-based paints. The full range is available from Hape through Amazon. Found via: Eco Child’s Play
Efficient: Bamboo Toys Read More »
From Japan, comes this frog that can crush cans! You can buy it from this Japanese store. A less whimsical can crusher can be found at Amazon for $20.
Brunton makes a range of flexible solar cells they call SolarRolls. These weather-proof solar cells can be rolled up quite tightly, and attached to a backpack. Seen here is a 14W model — it produces DC power even during low light conditions. SolarRolls come with a range of plugs, including a standard car lighter socket.
Flexible Solar Cells: SolarRolls by Bruton Read More »
A spin dryer is an appliance that can readily improve the energy efficiency in your laundry. A portable spin dryer like this one from Amazon, uses centrifugal force to dry clothes. The dryer was out of stock for a while, but it is now available again. Spin drying is much more efficient than electric tumble
Spin Dryer From Laundry Alternative Read More »
Note: This post has been expanded and updated for 2009! Tankless water heaters only heat water when it is needed. About 8% to 30% of the energy consumed by a standard water heater goes to keeping the water hot while it’s not being used. New tankless systems heat the water instantly when you turn on
Electric Tankless Water Heaters Read More »
Klean Kanteen has just introduced this non-toxic Sippy Cup for toddlers. It is made with stainless steel, and it does not have epoxy coating in the inside. It’s coupled with a non-leaching #5 polypropylene adaptor and #5 polypropylene sippy spout. This cup does not contain the Bishphenol-A chemical, a potent hormone disruptor found to leach
Non-Toxic Stainless Steel Sippy Cups Read More »
We recently discovered these 100% natural linen sheets by Area Simone. Linen, which comes from the flax plant, is an optimal material for making sheets. Like hemp, linen does not require pesticides to grow. By contrast, 25% of all pesticides used in the world are sprayed on cotton. Linen is also 2 to 3 times
Optimal: Natural Linen Sheets by Area Simone Read More »
Here’s an interesting alternative to those regular old vinyl lunchboxes which have a tendency to leach phlatates and lead into your food. It’s a stainless steel lunchbox that will probably garner attention from your co-workers, fellow students or curious passers-by. Based on the idea of the Japanese Bento Box, the lightweight “To Go Ware” has
A Non-Toxic Stainless Steel Lunchbox Read More »
These sinks are finally available in the U.S. They sit atop your toilet and replace the lid. When you flush the toilet, the clean water that would go straight down the toilet is first routed up through a spigot to dispense pure water for hand washing. The sink shut off automatically when the toilet has
Now Available: Very Efficient: Toilet Lid Sinks Read More »
In its pure state, chocolate, or cacao, is quite nutritious, and inspires eudaimonia. There are number of varieties of cacao. Almost all commercial chocolate is made using beans of the Forastero Group. Another more prized cultivar, Criollo, is used by the top chocolate makers around the world. It is less bitter and more aromatic than
Criollo Chocolate: Efficient Food of the Gods Read More »
Corelle dinnerware is efficient because it is highly durable — it doesn’t break, and the designs on the plates cannot be scratched by knives. Corelle is actually made out of glass, but it is created like a sandwich with a glass core that’s thermally bonded to an outer glass glaze. The lamination creates a finished
Corelle: Durable and Inexpensive Read More »
This practical book is the first step-by-step green building guide we’ve seen. It is packed with photographs illustrating building techniques like Earth Plastering, Straw Bale Construction, Living Roofs, Cordwood Building and Cob Building. At over 600 pages, this hefty guide is useful for anyone wanting to see the nitty-gritty details of green building. The author’s
Building Green: A Complete How-To Guide Read More »
