Eco Factor: Handsfree Bluetooth runs on solar power.

Nextar, while announcing its all new Bluetooth Handsfree Kit NXBT-001 / NXBT-002, ensures it to be eco-friendly. Here, eco-friendly conveys that the ‘green’ solar chargers relax you to carry a charger most of the times as they recharge automatically. I mean, they draw it from the vehicle itself. The technical specifications also suggest 50 hours of standby time and 10 hours talk time. What one can deduce from that is you need not charge it too often. It comprises of a LED signal display, supports profiles A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile), and AVRCP (Audio/Video Remote Control Profile).

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Eco Factor: Supercomputer consumes less energy for cooling.

Argonne Leadership Computing Facility (ALCF) at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory is saving many taxpayer dollars while reducing the laboratory’s environmental footprint. Blue Gene/P high-performance computer installed at laboratory is just an antithesis of its family members that often require several megawatts of electricity. This supercomputer is second-most energy-efficient among the 20 supercomputers in the world.

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Eco Factor: Clock made from recycled paper draws energy from en suite solar panel.

Chinese designer Shuo Yang has once again proved his mettle in handing out environmentally friendly tools. Now, he introduces a square-shaped clock made of recycled paper. Quite interestingly, the hollow clock has center directing pointers. Needless to say, this is a great stride in direction to make the waste usable, as recycling is just the thing to do.

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Eco Factor: Keeps a check on one’s daily changes of habit toward energy use.

Have you ever realized the amount of energy you exploit and carbon emissions you are responsible for? Now, this becomes feasible with Efergy Smart Electricity Meter that hands out an exact energy consumption analysis. Updates every six minute would never allow you to be neglectful toward the planet on the whole. It is user-friendly, and caters to awareness related to electricity, energy and our environment. So, it’s positively a great idea to keep you clued in about the power consumption, its cost and your share in CO2 emanation.

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We, at EcoFriend, strive to introduce our readers to the very best of green technology and services from all around the globe. There was not even a single day when we didn’t have something special for you. I would like to thank everyone, including anonymous tipsters, design houses, industrial designers and entrepreneurs who keep our email inbox flooded with tips and suggestions. The responses from individuals and companies quoting the benefits, in terms of traffic and money, they received from our blog postings on their specific products or services, make us feel elated. With the New Year right around the corner, I am presenting a glimpse of the very best of scoops we covered this year at EcoFriend.

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Eco Factor: Portable system generates electricity by capturing solar energy.

Lyman-Morse, a well known name in the fields of marine industry that delivered many DC and AC power combinations and power units that are not dependent on the grid, is now looking to go green with its new project called “Powercube.” It’s a fiberglass box that is self contained and can generate power up to 600 watts when the sun is on its full glow. According to Lyman, these portable systems will cost ,000 for the 600-watt unit and ,000 for the larger version, but are advantageous as compared to other generators, as these systems provide easy mobility and the generator’s batteries can store a charge for up to three weeks and pull up to 3.5 kilowatts in short spurts in a shorter amount of time.

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Eco Factor: Chandelier and fan combo, with energy saving technology.

This two-in-one delighting combination of lighting and fan mechanisms, “Fan-tastic Chandeliers,” is the latest design introduced by Meyda Lighting. This customizable fixture with a diameter of 44 inches and a height of 41 inches can be adjusted to accommodate flat or vaulted ceilings of any pitch or height. A treatment with Silver Mica shade and coniferous trees around the functional casement for a 29-inch fan gives it cool looks and style. The design offers unlimited custom options, and energy saving technology surely saves some bucks you spend to pay your electricity bill.

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Eco Factor: Electric bike with zero emissions.

Good news for those who like bikes with speed, strength and cool looks. Still better is the eco friendly advantage it will provide over other sporty bikes. Simultaneously, this electric bike will reduce noise pollution as well as air pollution. Designers from MOTOrepublic are busy working on a full-scale prototype of the bike and are trying to deliver a performance motorcycle free of the constraints of an internal combustion engine. A new ultra-thin exoskeleton frame is being tested to include all necessary running gears. A battering ram-like headlight on the solid, single-piece body gives it sporty and speedy looks. Nothing can be said about its production, but if it saw real roads then it will be a blessing for humanity.

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Eco factor: Greenhouse made out of recycled plastic bottles.

Plastic products have become one of the biggest hazards to the environment today. Throwing plastic waste into the trash after using it is what we do to get rid of it. But how about managing that waste in a creative and useful way? Have a look at the latest project at Blue Rock Station. A greenhouse completely made up of recycled plastic bottles. Students from Clark Montessori High School gave a helping hand in the construction of this cool project that includes over 1000 2-liter plastic soft drink bottles as its walls.

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With a green theme, year 2008 witnessed numerous innovations and technological advances that promise of a greener world in the future. Like passionate guardians of the planet, green tech blogs were out there supplying that really informative stuff, which the end users and appreciators found exciting. Green technology blogs are playing a major role in building a common voice amid the literates towards the catastrophic effects of global warming; a reason which we thought these blogs required a sincere mention. Presenting here the ten best green technology blogs for the year 2008:

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Eco Factor: Hydroponic planter encourages homeowners to grow plants.

Plants not only generate oxygen, but they also contribute towards a peaceful ambience. Growing plants till now required homeowners to tackle the mess of plant soil, but now things have changed and the latest in plant technology allows you to grow plants in a nutrient-enriched water solution. Endrit Hajno has brought out one such planter called the Ponic-Home that allows you to grow plants easily and without any soil mess in your living room. All the user has to do is to make sure that the plant never runs out of water or nutrients.

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Eco Factor: Green preparations at Times Square for New Year’s Eve.

This year, celebrating New Year’s Eve at Times Square will be more than just dancing under a glowing ball, as preparations are being made to welcome 2009 in a green way. This year Times Square will host an energy-efficient LED ball that weighs 11,875 pounds, which will be illuminated by 32,256 Philips Luxeon Rebel LEDs.

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Eco Factor: Hybrid car with a carbon fiber body.

When it comes to cars, lightweight is the key to better fuel economy. The ever rising prices of fuel and the demand to go green have tempted designers to develop cars that are light in weight and reduce the use of fossil fuels to a minimum. Reconnoitre is one such car that utilizes its carbon fiber body to get the most out of the precious drops of fuel burning in its diesel-electric reverse hybrid engine.

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Eco Factor: Solar energy generating plant.

Technology has certainly made our lives easy, but powering all those electronic items is not as easy on the environment. To make things better for the environment, industrial and product designers have always shown their skills in designing products that we might become accustomed to in the near future. The Solar Plant is one such innovative way to power electronic items using nothing more than the green and renewable energy of the sun.

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Eco Factor: Battery-free remote control powered by movement.

Yesterday we discussed the soft solar battery that could be used in remote controls to stop harmful AA batteries from polluting the environment. Now a team of designers has come up with yet another innovative way to reduce the number of batteries being discarded each day, with a remote control they call the Shake Control.

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Eco Factor: Solar and wind power generators installed at Yamaha’s Nakaze plant.

Yamaha Motors has installed solar and wind power generators at its Nakaze plant in Japan. The installation comes according to the company’s initiatives to make the best use of renewable energy sources. The company has stated that the systems will be capable of providing power for the lighting and air-conditioning needs of the offices in the plant by generating 26,000 kilowatt hours of clean electricity annually. This electricity will not only save a lot of money, but will also prevent about 18 tons of harmful CO2 from being released into the atmosphere.

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Eco Factor: Energy-efficient LCD from LG.

With CES 2009 just a couple of weeks away, companies have already started boasting about their new products that might steal the show for them. Earlier we discussed Energizer’s solar battery charger and now we have LG with a sunlight illuminated 14.1-inch LCD screen, developed specifically for all light conditions.

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Away from gifting objects of décor that will do nothing more than just hang on your wall or snatch space in your room, we suggest something very unique, useful, economical and ecofriendly gift this Christmas. The Iqua Vizor SUN is a solar-powered handsfree device that fits neatly onto the sun visor of a car. This hands-free device can extend talk time to over 20 hours with a standby time of over 500 hours. Along with many other great features, this small and sleek device is available for 9.95 at the Apple Store.

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Eco Factor: Cars powered by used vegetable oils taking skiers to mountain resorts of Colorado.

Kristopher Klain is a man who envisions a greener Colorado with his veggie oil powered shuttle service to the mountain resorts in the state. Klain used to work as a waiter in a Denver restaurant, where he got an idea to use the waste vegetable oil right from the deep fryer to power a car that can shuttle skiers to the ski areas.

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Eco Factor: Foldable solar panel to be used as an AA battery.

Though AA batteries have been outclassed by the more efficient lithium counterparts, there are still some gadgets like your retro Walkman or your TV’s remote control, which still depend on the juice provided by these small batteries. Once empty, these batteries are no more than a metal cylinder filled with toxic chemicals waiting to pollute the already scarce water resources. A product designer from China, Wu Jian, has come up with a solution that won’t require you to change each and every gadget that gets powered by AA batteries.

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Let’s say you want to have a party. Whether it is a beer and nachos blow-out to watch the Duke v. Carolina game, a classy wine & cheese soiree to celebrate your friends’ anniversary, or a mad hatter themed tea party for your 6 yr old niece and her friends, the first thing you’ll need is the perfect invite.

And for that, my friends, you need to Pingg.

Pingg.com is an event management site offering customers services like customized invitations, RSVP and guest list management, reminder notices, last-minute changes, and thank-you notes. Since its creation in February of 2008, over 2.5 million electronic invitations have been sent by Pingg.

Just to be clear here, Pingg offers party planners a foolproof way to send beautifully designed, eco-friendly (i.e. paperless, inkless, transportation-less), and super affordable invitations to guests and then track them. Unlike other online invitation services I have tried that are hella confusing, Pingg invitations are so easy to figure out that even a monkey could do it.

Back in late October, the simplicity and class of Pingg caught the attention of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc (MSLO) who decided to invest and and enter a commercial agreement with Pingg. Besides being an unwavering entertaining authority for the longest, MSLO also owns Martha Stewart Radio on Sirius 112, which the Lazy E has hosted a handful of times. That in itself means Martha and her people know a good thing when they see it.

President of Media and Co-CEO of MSLO Wenda Harris Millard says, “Pingg illustrates our commitment to our digital business and our focus on growing our core franchises in new and exciting ways by providing tools and resources that enable our customers to carry out the inspiring ideas they expect from Martha Stewart.”

Strawberries & Cream from Strawberry Earth on Vimeo.

The lure of Cheers, the bar in the 1982-1992 “Cheers” the TV show, was that everybody knew your name. And they were always glad you came. But what if Norm had told Woody, “look the brewskis aren’t enough. I think you ought to trick out this bar so it’s eco-friendly.” Most likely Woody would have been confused. Perhaps a more likely scenario, would have been Frasier Crane (remember he was in that show) telling Sam, “Look man, I think a more sustainable but upscale aesthetic is needed to attract more business.” Sam also might have been a little confused, considering it was the 90s, however in a green savvy 2008 this is actually happening.

Putting customer purchasing power to work, a new Amsterdam based eco magazine Strawberry Earth challenged a few of their favorite local bar owners to see what percent of a night’s revenue they’d spend on environmental improvements on their premises. The bars loved the idea, competed in the challenge (even though admittedly, the challenge name Strawberries & Cream doesn’t sound like a bar-challenge at all) and the first winner is the Bar Waldorf. On December 7th, Bar Waldorf has promised 60% of the night’s revenue will go to greening the bar.

Strawberry Earth, a self described, “magazine with lots of good stuff about the environment” features international stories including a regular NYC column by Lazy E team member Margaret.

As the holiday gifting season approaches, the Lazy E appreciates presents that are easy-to-find, easy to use, and require little to no assembly. If that gift happens to be inspiring like Sebastian Copeland’s “Antarctica: A Call To Action”, well that’s just an added bonus.

Copeland has made a name for himself as a documentary-maker and photographer capturing beautiful images ranging from nudes and nature, to celebrities. Copeland says, “Something like the Burning Man Festival celebrates humanity in a natural environment, and the photos I have taken reflect that. Antarctica on the other hand thrives outside the reach of humans, yet is an ecosystem most effected by them. It is like a Ground Zero of Climate change.”

If someone on your list loves breathtakingly beautiful photos, this book is a great choice for them. Or, for another type of coffee table photo book of super-cute babies strategically positioned in flowers and watering cans, there is always Anne Geddes.

In this video, Sebastian talks about the mission of the book, some of his favorite photos, and man-handling penguins to get the good shots.

If you’ve ever bought bling bling, then you know that the karats cost! Furthermore, buying jewelry goes beyond impacting your wallet. The gold industry extracts 2,5000 tons of gold per year from the earth, using a gnarly process that is harmful to the environment.

Fortunately, there is enough old and unused jewelry above ground stored in vaults and home safety boxes to satisfy gold demand for 50 years. GreenKarat is an industry leader jewelry using recycled precious metals to make beautiful rings, necklaces, earrings, etc.

And now they have taken their A-game to another level with an easy, consumer driven jewelry recycling program myKarat. Just look around your house and find old gold jewelry (white, rose, or yellow) that you don’t wear anymore. Send it into MyKarat and you will receive store credit, which you then use to you to buy new jewelry. It’s just easy. This program is similar to another Lazy E favorite, Patagonia’s Common Threads Program in which consumers recycle their old Polartec® fleece clothing (from any maker) that Patagonia then transforms into new clothing. But unlike Patagonia, myKarat actually pays you off in jewelry, in exchange for recycling. In fact, I’m sending in my gold grillz, right now.

It’s sweet to be back on Sirius Satellite Radio for a few days. You can catch me this week at 10am EST on Martha Stewart Living Radio (Sirius 112/XM 157) as the guest host for Whole Living. We had a fun chat today with Dr. Cheryl Dellasega, author of Forced to be Family: A Guide for Living with Sinister Sisters, Drama Mamas, and Infuriating In-Laws (awesome subtitle!). We talked about how to cope with going home for the holidays, an occasion that we want to be filled with family cheer but can deteriorate into backstabbing bitterness and petty jibes that leave us filling less than fulfilled by our time spent with so many ‘loved ones.’ I enjoyed the conversation because it hit home on some levels for me like I think it probably does for most of us. It’s also fun to to chat about topics that are about how we relate to and treat each other since my radio conversations almost always focus on how we relate to and treat the earth.

But we hit upon that topic with our second guest, Jeff Barrie, filmmaker of the documentary Kilowatt Ours: A Plan to Re-Energize America. I watched Jeff’s documentary last night. He does a fantastic job of first providing a national and global perspective about our energy and environmental crisis, next personalizing it through the stories of those who directly suffer as a result, and then rapidly shifting focus to solutions we can implement on the individual and societal level. He also hits upon one of my favorite topics; the eco-innovation underway at school districts across the U.S. to reign in energy costs and create high-performance educational facilities that enable students to maximize their education and thus their economic opportunities. It’s exactly the type of environmental framing needed to shift the dialogue from problems to solutions and paint a vision of a future that’s better for all Americans precisely because it’s green.