User-Unfriendly Green Gear: Weird Solar-Powered Cell Phone

Imagine that you’re forced to call 911 for some extremely emergent reason – like, say, a psycho killer in a clown costume is chasing you with a chainsaw (my worst nightmare). You whip out your totally awesome solar-powered cell phone… but, wait. You’ve got to mess with weird little stickers before you can place a call.

Okay, so the clown scenario is a little far-fetched, but still – you want your cell phone to be ready when you need it. That makes the strange “Label With Green” phone concept a little hard to swallow, since you’re required to power individual components of the phone with ‘Eco-Green Electronic Labels’.

From Yanko Design, via Treehugger:

Upgrading a redundant cellphone means adding to the pile of toxic trash that accumulates all around the world. The Label With Green is a concept phone aims at weaning you off the upgrade mania. To power the phone you need to use ECO-Green Electronic Labels, which are solar paper labels that juice up the phones various components (display, speaker, keypad, camera, and solar battery) independently. So to turn on any function, say display, you need to stick on enough solar labels onto the rear cover to power it.

The more functions of the phone you want to use, the more solar stickers you need to paste on the rear.

The idea is to make you conscious of the amount of toxic waste being accumulated due to improper disposal of electronic gadgets, our greed for upgrades and the amount of energy we consume to power our stuff. Essentially you can use this concept for a variety of gadgets.

It’s an interesting idea, especially given all the toxic electronic waste that is generated every day in the form of outdated cell phones. But the concept needs some work. As Treehugger noted, the ‘Label with Green’ phone is great as an educational device, but those of us looking for a more environmentally friendly cell phone that’s actually usable will have to keep waiting.

Link [Yanko Design] via [Treehugger]

Add an Upcycled Whip to Your Green Sex Tool Kit

Did you hear? Synthetic, chemical-laden sex aids are out in favor of eco-friendly choices that are healthier for you and healthier for the planet. Hopefully you’ve already given your sex tool kit an eco-makeover with wind-up vibrators, biodegradable condoms and organic lube. Now, you can even add an upcycled whip to your trunk of treasures.

Etsy seller TheInnerWorks turns bicycle inner tubes into “light and extra-stingy eco-floggers” with knotted, fine 12-inch-long tails.

This flogger is made entirely from upcycled and repurposed bicycle tubes that have been discarded and have found a new life in these creations! Each flogger shows subtle signs of these rough-and-tumble past lives- whether slight raised numbers on the rubber or white manufacturers’ marks. These floggers are made without the use of glues or tape, so there’s nothing to crack or get sticky with time.

They’ve even got a recycled inner tube and chain garter, if you’re into that sort of thing. Meow!

Link [TheInnerWorks Etsy]

From Demolition to Art: Upcycled Creations by Michael Yonke

Artist and ‘upcycler’ Michael Yonke turns reclaimed wood harvested generations ago into stunning, high-end eco-friendly art and furniture. All of his designs have an upcycled material content from 90 to 99 percent and have a modern aesthetic that reaches beyond the rustic look commonly found in upcycled furniture.

The austere geometric designs paired with perfectly polished and stained wood give these pieces, which include chairs, tables, benches and wall art, a sense of sophisticated simplicity.

You can see Yonke’s work in person right now at the Atrium Gallery at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. The exhibit, “Reclaim, Reuse, Renew”, will be up until September 26th. Many pieces are also available in his Etsy shop.

Link [Upcycler.com]

Chic Recycled Paper Jewelry by Sandra Di Giacinto

Who knew that paper could create such beautiful and surprisingly durable jewelry? Italian designer and sculpture artist Sandra Di Giacinto has turned her fascination with recycled materials into a collection of colorful, lightweight, incredibly unique adornments that are hand-made in limited editions.

Di Giacinto’s work speaks to the versatility and potential of recycled materials – they can be upcycled in the most unexpected ways. See the full collection at SandraDiGiacinto.it.

Link [Sandra Di Giacinto] via [Great Green Goods]

Stackable Electric Paris City Cars Save Energy and Space

Small electric cars could transform the world’s big cities from pollution factories to clean, green, efficient metropolises. But one electric vehicle idea takes that concept even further, making a fleet of rental EVs stackable to eliminate the need for vast parking lots, increasing the availability of green space for urban residents.

Designer Taylor Manuilow created the City Car with Paris in mind, imagining an all-electric vehicle that would be available to rent in at all metro stations and other areas around the city.

From Ecofriend:

The cars will be stacked along with a kiosk, which will be used by the commuter to enter the details of his or her commute. New users will have to sign up for using the service initially after which all their commutes will be charged on their credit cards.

Once the details are entered in the kiosk, the system will allow the user to drive one car. On entering the car the user will have the option to change the colors of the interiors or the position of the seats according to his or her requirements. At the end of the commute the user will have to leave the car at the closest kiosk, where the car’s onboard batteries will automatically be recharged, gearing it up for the next user.

For most urban residents and visitors, this sort of transportation – in addition to walking, bicycling and public transportation – is all that is needed to get around. Imagine how much more pleasant cities would be if personal vehicles were limited and almost everyone used a system like this.  It would be like breathing in crisp, clean country air in comparison to the gritty, polluted air that we deal with now.

Link [Ecofriend]

Are Tires Made from Tree Fibers an Eco-Friendly Possibility?

Tires are one of the most ubiquitous waste materials in the world, and the materials used to create them in the first place aren’t exactly environmentally friendly, either. But what if we could replace some of those materials with green options that are not only made from renewable resources, but actually improve fuel efficiency?

Scientists at Oregon State University believe it might be possible to replace the silica used to provide traction for tires with microcrystalline cellulose, a material produced from tree fibers. When tested, this material provided comparable traction and also reduced rolling during high temperatures.

From Earth911:

The cellulose is produced using acid hydrolysis on wood products, such as trees. The average piece of wood contains 40-50 percent cellulose according to OSU. It is then mixed with other materials to form composite rubber, which is the raw material for tires.

Combine this technology with the new advancements that have allowed tiremakers to replace petroleum with orange oil, and we’re well on our way to much smarter, greener tires.

Link [Earth911]
Photo credit: Flickr use tinken

Biodegradable Lids Turn Tin Cans into Useful Household Containers

Many a green home has repurposed tin cans in various rooms, holding pencils or kitchen utensils. But what if you could just pop lids onto them and make them even more versatile, so they can be used as surprisingly chic vases, toothbrush holders and soap dispensers?

Northumbria University graduate Jack Bresnahan designed this set of nine biodegradable plastic lids for tin cans, exhibiting them at graduate show New Designers in July.

From Dezeen:

Green issues are at the heart of everything that Jack Bresnahan does.  A passionate believer that designers  must take responsibility for their designs from conception to disposal, Jack feels that ‘anything that ends up in landfill is simply poor design’.

His aim through his designs is to create products that make environmentally friendly goods more accessible and help to make day to day living greener. This is not a blinkered crusade however, as while his designs are always created within a green framework he balances this with a drive to develop products that are both useful and good to look at.

Not only do the lids decompose, unlike regular plastic, they turn tin cans into modern home accents that resemble expensive designer stainless steel products. Since the lids themselves are small, they use fewer resources to create than standard household organizers – plus, they take tin cans out of the waste stream.

This is definitely one concept that needs to be in stores ASAP!

Link [Dezeen]

Will the Volt Really Get 230 MPG, or is it BS?

When GM announced that its electric car, the 2011 Chevy Volt, is expected to get 230 miles per gallon, people were dazzled – and doubtful. Is that really possible? What does that number even mean? How can the EPA even measure fuel consumption that low?

According to GreenCarReports.com, it’s all in the assumptions. Here’s one, among many others:

40 miles, no gasoline

The Volt, remember, stores energy in both a gasoline tank and a battery pack. And it will always prioritize using electricity from the battery to power itself before it ever switches on the gas engine. Unlike a conventional hybrid car, though, the battery pack is usually recharged by plugging the Volt into a wall socket.

But the Volt’s 16-kilowatt-hour battery pack only gives it 40 miles of electric range. To eliminate “range anxiety,” after that, the Volt switches on its engine to run a generator that provides power to its electric motor. That gives another 300-plus miles of range.

So depending on how many of the Volt’s miles are run on grid power, and how many by burning gasoline in the engine to generate its own electricity.

GM often cites the statistic that more than 70 percent of all US vehicles travel less than 40 miles a day. If your usage falls within that level, your Volt would never turn on its engine–and never use a drop of gasoline. That’s gas mileage of, well, infinity.

On the other hand, if you drive a Volt 140 miles every single day, still recharging it at night, it would travel 40 miles on grid power and 100 miles on gasoline. If the car gets 50 miles per gallon with the engine on, that’s two gallons burned, 140 miles total, or 70 mpg.

The more daily miles over that first 40, the higher the proportion of gasoline burned–and the lower the overall mileage.

EcoGeek notes that there are a few concerns about GM’s claim, and addresses them in order of validity. Here’s the first:

The EPA rules for fuel economy are draft rules, and there is no guarantee that these are the numbers that will be on the car.

This is absolutely true. GM took draft rules from the EPA, applied it to their car, and then created a gigantic advertising campaign celebrating the results. This could be an attempt by GM to force the EPA into keeping these new guidelines, or it could just be GM jumping the gun. Either way, it doesn’t seem like a good idea. If this number gets into the cultural consciousness and then people walk onto dealer lots in two years and see the fuel economy listed at  80 / 60, people are actually going to be disappointed by 80 MPG. That’s a situation GM doesn’t want to put itself in.

Other questions about the rating include whether the EPA could be fudging the numbers since the government now owns GM, and whether using electricity is worse than using gasoline.

Meanwhile, Nissan is now claiming that its own electric car, the Leaf, will get 367 miles per gallon. The company even took a shot at the Volt on its Twitter, saying:

“Nissan Leaf = 367 mpg, no tailpipe, and no gas required. Oh yeah, and it’ll be affordable too”

The Leaf will also be cheaper than the Volt, making it more accessible to everyday consumers  at a retail cost of $25,000 compared to the Volt’s $40,000 price tag.

What’s really important here is that we’ve got active competition between car companies to produce the greenest, most fuel-efficient car. That’s a huge step, and assuming it continues, we should get a whole new spate of ultra-green vehicles in the next few years.

Link [Green Car Report] + [EcoGeek]
Photo credit: GM

Super-Compact Bicycle Folds Up Smaller Than a Wheel

How small can compact folding bicycles get? The new Contortionist bike might just be the smallest yet, rolling up to a size that’s smaller than its 26” wheels. Designed by Dominic Hargreaves, a student at the Royal College of Art in London, the Contortionist contains pivots within its frame that allow it to fit its entire frame between the two full-size wheels for ultimate portability without sacrificing function.

From Inhabitat:

The Contortionist features an aluminum frame, chunky mountain bike tires, and a unique design where the front and rear wheels are slightly misaligned to make folding easier. Once the bike is folded up, the wheels rotate so that it can be easily wheeled along. In designing the bike Dominic Hargreaves decided to eschew messy chains altogether and opt for an internal hydraulic system that uses oil pumped through tubes in the frame to spin the back wheel.

The Guardian reports that the Contortionist bicycle has already been shortlisted for a prize sponsored by world-famous entrepreneur and inventor James Dyson. Hargreaves is currently discussing a possible production model with three different companies.

It’s beautiful, sleek, and perfect for commuters that drive or ride public transit part of the way to work, or those with small apartments.

Link [Inhabitat] + [The Guardian]

Create Your Own Bike Lane with Lasers

There’s nothing more annoying – and frightening – for cyclists than trying to navigate a bicycle-unfriendly area with no bike lanes. Cars come way too close for comfort, especially at night. So, what if you could make your own bike lane with a couple lasers mounted on your bicycle?

A product called ‘LightLane’ does just that, painting a virtual path around your bike with lasers so vehicles know to keep a safe distance. Check out the video:

LightLane is just a prototype for now, but soon it’ll be available commercially.

Link [LightLane] via [Terrapass]

Himane: Eco-Couture Made from Recycled Umbrella Fabric

Don’t toss that broken umbrella! While having it repaired may not be a feasible option for most people, the fabric can be recycled in unexpected and beautiful ways. New Yorkers can bring their broken umbrellas to a kiosk at Grand Central to embark upon new lives as fashionable totes and handbags.

Local Labels, a shop that sells products made within the New York City area, has teamed up with designer Catherine Edouard-Charlot to collect used and broken umbrellas and refashion them into bags that fashion-forward New Yorkers will be proud to carry.

Edouard-Charlot is the founder of Himane, a design label that upcycles fabric into beautiful new items like dresses, jackets and other clothing items. The dress, jacket and tote bag pictured above are all made from umbrella fabric that would otherwise have been sent to a landfill.

Not only are the designs hot, they’re durable and waterproof, too. Check out the whole collection at Himane.com

Link [Himane] with thanks to [EcoSalon]

Book Review: The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget

Whether you’re a newbie to the whole green scene or a dedicated veteran, you’ve undoubtedly noticed that green products can sometimes be discouragingly expensive. Oh, sure, most of these products are worth the money because they’re better for the earth and in many cases, they last longer than conventional goods, too. But the truth is, in many cases you can get by without them, and still be green.

If you’re wondering exactly how one goes about doing that, we’ve got just the book you need to read. The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget is a follow-up to Josh Dorfman’s 2007 book, The Lazy Environmentalist, named after his popular radio show.  The new book takes Dorfman’s guide to “easy, stylish green living” and applies it to a big segment of the population – those of us without a lot of money to spare.

So, how does one shop green on a tight budget? There are so many things to consider, from the smallest household items to big purchases like vehicles and real estate – and it’s all in the book. Dorfman’s tips help readers navigate the often-confusing world of sustainable and ethical shopping – and the best thing about it is, every suggestion adheres to the author’s “easy, stylish green living” standards. No settling for low-quality junk.

And you can still splurge on those pricey green products every now and then – sometimes, it’s worth it. That’s another thing Dorman covers in his latest book: breaking down the long-term cost benefits of buying green vs. buying conventional goods. Once you understand how much you can save in the long term, taking extra time to save up for something seems like no big deal.

Every chapter of The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget includes a list of additional sources of info plus recommended products and affordable brands that you might not have otherwise heard about.

The book’s not perfect – hardcore environmentalists will question whether there are hidden costs to some of the cheaper green recommendations, and roll their eyes at the suggestion to shop at Wal-Mart – but it’s definitely packed with useful information, and it’s a great testament to the fact that you don’t have to be an uptight, rich snob with a lot of time on your hands in order to live in harmony with the earth.

Be sure to catch Josh Dorfman’s new television show, The Lazy Environmentalist, on the Sundance Channel Tuesdays at 9pm EST.

Link [The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget]

Turn an Old Shoe Organizer into a Vertical Garden

GreenUpgrader has found yet another crazy-brilliant way to grow lots of food, even with a yard the size of a postage stamp. Instructables member pippa5 realized that a shoe organizer would  not only give her more space to garden, but would keep cats and other animals out of her plants and eliminate the need to bend over.

All you need to get started is a shoe organizer, curtain rod, hooks, soil, plant seeds and a piece of wood to keep the base of the organizer off the wall. You can also put a trough-style planter underneath it to catch drips.

Simple, cheap, brilliant.

Link [Instructables] + [Green Upgrader]

SERRV International: Gorgeous Fair Trade Goods

From lovely dangling earrings made from blue-tinted mother-of-pearl discs to elegant recycled glass wine decanters, SERRV International has a wealth of high quality goods created by artisans and farmers around the world. When you buy jewelry, holiday décor and home goods from SERRV, you’re helping to give someone else a better life.

From Serrv.org:

Our work encompasses more than just buying and selling.
We offer prepayments so our partners can sustain their business.
Create new designs so they can build their markets.
Teach new skills so they can develop their craft.
Provide grants so they can expand their resources.

We support equal rights for women.
Guide sustainable development.
And of course, pay a fair wage.

There’s a lot of really great stuff on this website – perfect for gift-giving. Check it out!

Link [SERRV]

5 Super Crafty Eco Etsy Finds for the Home

It’s not difficult to find page after page of awesome organic, upcycled and otherwise eco-friendly stuff at online handmade goods market Etsy.com. But, some of the gear you’ll find stands out in a crowd because it’s just plan ingenious. Check out these five ultra-crafty, creative home décor items made from old books, glass bottles, light bulbs, license plates and wine barrel staves.

Wreath Made of Vintage Book Pages

Unusual and exquisitely crafted, this beautiful wreath (above) is made from the pages of a book called The New Phonetic Chardenal, dated 1946. Simple Joys Paperie makes papercraft from old books that are falling apart, have pages missing or otherwise damaged.
Recycled Rolling Rock Beer Bottle Coasters

Rolling rock beer bottles have been kiln-fired and flattened into bubbly, surprisingly pretty glass coasters with the label still intact. YAVA Glass also sells a matching set of 4 upcycled Rolling Rock glasses.

Lightbulb Terrarium

Now that so many people have switched to CFLs, what to do with all those discarded conventional light bulbs? Some of them have been ingeniously transformed into miniature terrariums filled with moss and stones, and displayed on a copper wire base.

Recycled License Plate Clock

Any car and/or travel enthusiast would love this cute little clock, made from a hand-cut portion of a recycled California license plate along with recycled Chevy car timing gear. Powered by a precise Quartz component with black metal hands and a red second hand.

Wine Barrel Stave Glass and Bottle Display

Etsy seller SantaBarbaraCrafts has taken a section of wine barrel stave and upcycled it into a simple yet stylish way to display a bottle of wine and two glasses. Unique and creative, this display is fine-sanded and treated with beeswax and citrus oil wood conditioner for a soft, smooth finish. Each display is one-of-a-kind.

DIY Green Home: Wine Bottle Modular Shelving

If you’ve got a drill, some planks of wood and a collection of empty wine bottles, you can create simple and free modular shelves that are actually quite stylish. Instructables has easy step-by-step directions for the ‘Ten Green Modular Shelving’.

From Instructables:

Ten Green is a modular shelving system, constructed simply from local recyclates.

This prototype was built with the Coach House Trust in Glasgow, using bottles from their recycling centre, and wood from the maintenance of their own sites. You can use any found timber, and adapt the dimensions to suit the wood you are working with.

And hey, if you don’t have any empty wine bottles, there’s never been a better excuse to throw a party or try out a bunch of new varieties. If you’re not a lush, local restaurants would undoubtedly be happy to unload some of their recyclables.

Link [Instructables]

Gorgeous Eco-Friendly Throw Pillows by Alexandra Ferguson

There’s life beyond the landfill for plastic water bottles, and it’s cozy and beautiful. Designer Alexandra Ferguson creates absolutely gorgeous throw pillows out of 100% post-consumer recycled felt, and each one is approximately the equivalent of 4 bottles.

Stylish, modern and fun, Ferguson’s designs range from peaceful botanicals in muted greens and browns to bright, colorful birds and messages like “be nice or leave”. And, if you see a design you like but it doesn’t go with your color scheme, Ferguson happily accepts custom orders.

Check out her shop at alexandraferguson.etsy.com.

Link [Etsy]

Car Tires Made from Orange Peel Oil

The problem with tires isn’t just that they’re a huge waste material, collecting by the thousands in huge piles all over the world. It’s also that they’re made from petroleum. A new tire by Yokohama solves at least half of that problem, producing a car tire made with orange oil as the primary ingredient to make vulcanized rubber.

From Earth 911:

The new tire is called the Super E-spec™ and has already received the Popular Mechanics Editor’s Choice Award in 2008. Yokohama will initially market the tire for hybrid car models such as the Toyota Prius.

“The eco-focused dB Super E-spec mixes sustainable orange oil and natural rubber to drastically cut the use of petroleum, without compromising performance,” Yokohama vice president of sales Dan King said. “It also helps consumers save money at the gas pump by improving fuel efficiency via a 20-percent reduction in rolling resistance.”

Orange oil is considered sustainable because it is produced from a renewable resource. The same philosophy of reducing petroleum use is utilized in producing plastics from corn starch or vegetable oil.

Check out the video:

Yokohama hasn’t stated whether orange oil will biodegrade over time, or if it would burn in quite the same way as petroleum, which can smolder for months and be difficult to extinguish.

We’ve been told for so long that we need petroleum, that there are so many things we can’t make or do without it. Isn’t it nice to find that that isn’t true at all?

Link [Earth911]

Dirt-Powered Clock Hooks Up to Your Houseplants

From the very same innovative designer that brought us the soil-powered LED lamp comes a clock that also runs on dirt. Marieke Staps’ soil clock has copper and zinc electrodes that plug into the soil. Inhabitat explains that “The soil functions as an electrolyte, or conductive medium through which an electrical charge can flow. The natural metabolism of biological life produces enough electricity to keep the clock working.”

But if your plant dies from lack of watering, so will the clock – you’ve got to keep the soil moist.

Sure, this is no miracle invention – it’s a simple electrochemical cell – but it’s still cool, and the promise of harvesting energy from soil certainly doesn’t stop here. It could be a valuable asset in third world countries, where anodes and cathodes could be made from scrap metal. It’s certainly an idea worth investigating further.

Link [Inhabitat]

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