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HippoRoller Water Carrier – Simple Efficiency With A Far-Reaching Payoff

Food and Drink • March 13, 2009 • 18 Comments

Water is an immediate, fundamental need for human survival, but one in six people worldwide don’t have immediate access to water resources, particularly in arid regions of southern Africa. The HippoRoller is a deceptively efficient water carrier with the potential to offer huge health, economic, and social benefits to developing communities.

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Old Running Shoes Never Die – But Brooks BioMoGo Really Does Fade Away

Uncategorized • March 9, 2009 • Leave a Comment

A critical aspect of a product’s “efficiency” involves not just what it does, but also where it comes from and where it goes after its useful life. Brooks has taken an innovative step to improve the life-cycle efficiency of its running shoes with its biodegradable BioMoGo cushioning material.

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Vancouver: All New Developments Must Be Green

Architecture • August 18, 2008 • 6 Comments

In June, the Vancouver City Council unanimously approved the adoption the the highest green standards for private sector development in North America. Effective immediately, all new re-zonings for development in Vancouver will be required to achieve or exceed the level of LEED Silver, and they will have to achieve LEED Gold on January 1st, 2010.

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75% More Efficient: Blue Ridge Parkway Destintation Center

Architecture • July 23, 2008 • Leave a Comment

The new Blue Ridge Parkway Destination Center has just been completed in North Carolina. It’s a beautifully designed building that is also highly efficient — it will use 75% less energy than a comparable conventional building. The building has Trombe walls: a very clever feature that will reduce the building’s heating load by 35% alone!

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The Best Kitchen Faucet Aerators

Uncategorized • March 30, 2008 • 10 Comments

One of the least expensive ways to increase the efficiency of your home is to install low-flow aerators on your faucets. These devices save water, and lower utility bills as well, because less hot water is used. Because of this, low-flow aerators will generally pay for themselves in only a few months.

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Optimal: European Toys

Uncategorized • November 19, 2007 • 5 Comments

This post has been updated and expanded here: Classic European Toys. Toys that are well-designed and made with renewable materials are optimal. European toys often fit this description. This durable block set, for example, is made in Germany by Haba using solid, natural, untreated beech wood that is harvested from sustainable forests. Toys like this

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The Best Push Reel Mowers

Live Plants • September 15, 2005 • 6 Comments

Modern reel mowers are quite efficient at cutting grass using nothing but your own push power. Gas-powered mowers actually produce a stunning amount of air pollution considering their small size. Plus, spilled gasoline is a nasty toxin that has no place in your yard. Plus, both you and your neighbors will appreciate the lack of

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