Eco Factor: Concept vacuum cleaner powered by ethanol fuel cells.

The rise in pollution doesn’t only affect the outdoor air quality but has an ever greater impact indoors. Keeping the indoors clean does remain a priority for all health conscious homeowners, who have technology to their aid, which in most cases isn’t as green as they would like. Product designers do show a way technology can go green without sacrificing its overall aesthetics. Here is another green product that helps you clean your indoors without polluting the outdoors even by a fraction.

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Eco Factor: Energy-efficient technology to generate hydrogen from water using sunlight.

Normally a constituent of toothpastes and sun screen lotions, titania (or titanium dioxide) could revolutionize hydrogen generation if the research conducted by a team from Northeastern University turns fruitful. The research team has discovered that the potassium residue bound to the surface of titania nanotubes makes them more efficient in generating hydrogen from water.

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Eco Factor: Water circulator improves water quality using solar energy.

The SolarBee long-distance water circulator helps improve water quality in lakes and other potable water sources, by creating a gentle and laminar flow over a long distance. The device improves biodiversity in lakes and helps eliminate thermal stratification and stagnation in potable water.

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Eco Factor: Lights powered by solar energy.

Among all uses of solar energy, the technology best suits lighting systems developed for outdoor use. Since they’re only used after sunset, they do get ample time to recharge themselves during the day. Gone are the days when solar-powered streetlights were simple lamps with a large solar panel on top. Zara Luce and VP Solar are refining old designs with pleasing designs that’ll surely make your outdoors look trendy and green.

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Eco Factor: Concept car designed to run on electricity.

We did showcase some of the most stunning concept cars that were designed for Peugeot, after the company called in entries from budding designers asking them to “Imagine the Peugeot in the Worldwide Metropolis of tomorrow”. The competition received over 2500 entries and the winning car is designed by Carlos Arturo Torres, a 27-year old designed from Columbia. Apart from an opportunity to make his dreams turn real, the winning designer gets a check for 10,000 Euros and an Xbox 360 game console.

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Eco Factor: Lamps crafted from recycled carpets.

Green artists always see an opportunity in everything that is trash and junk for all others. We recently showcased some bizarre products made from junked objects, but designer Aaron Petersen has shown us a way recycling can be a bit more creative. The artist turns old carpet shreds into gorgeous lamps, which he calls the “Fil-a-ment Pendant Lamp”.

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Eco Factor: Water-saving garden sprinkler.

With the water crisis looming large, homeowners are always on the hunt for gadgets that might help them conserve a few gallons of fresh water for drinking and cooking. The AquaHub helps you save precious fresh water and also prevent your garden from flooding. The product is being touted as power strip + surge protector for watering outdoors, and is actually a water management tool that connects to a standard garden hose and divides water flow into six regulated outlets.

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As some of you know, in addition to being the laziest Lazy Environmentalist, I’m also the founder of Vivavi. Over the past year, we’ve had a showroom/pop-up store inside the Riverhouse luxury green condo building in downtown Manhattan in NYC to offer residents some of the best green design furniture available today.

This weekend we’re closing out the space and offering a special sale on all floor items of up to 50% off. If you’re in NYC come on down and say hello. I’ll be on hand along with Aron.

DETAILS:
Dates: Friday, Saturday & Sunday (April 24, 25 & 26)

Hours: 10am to 6pm

Location:
Vivavi at The Riverhouse (in Battery Park City)
Suite 11N
2 River Terrace
New York, NY
(Click for directions)

View many of the sustainable designs available in our Riverhouse showroom.

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He eats, he sleeps, he plays and he bathes. W spends between 20 and 45 minutes of each day in the bathtub (and he hasn’t even started playing with finger paints or baking up mud pies in the backyard!). Since he dedicates such a significant amount of time to splashing around in soapy, bubbly water, I’ve become highly attuned to what I use to get him clean. Following my general parenting guideline—do unto my progeny as I would do unto myself—I’m always on the hunt for liquid soaps and bubble bath that 1) smell delicious and 2) are made primarily from natural or organic ingredients.

Since I’m a natural beauty freak, I spend an unnatural amount of time reading product labels. Before purchasing anything that will end up on my skin or the skin of somebody I’ve given birth to, I scan the product for any no-go ingredients like parabens, phthalates or synthetic fragrances. These substances have been linked to a good handful of conditions and diseases that I’m not interested in acquiring (check out the Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetic Safety Database for detailed info on the ingredients in most personal care products).

Lately, I’ve been scrubbing W with luscious, all-natural (which simply means that I can recognize and/or pronounce most if not all of the product’s ingredients) soaps from Little Twig—I’ve been known to swipe the lavender bubble bath for myself when W’s not looking and California Baby (each bottle of bubble bath comes with a bubble wand for blowing—Chamomile and Herbs is my favorite scent). He loves each brand’s fluffy lather (he’s been known to consume multiple handfuls of bubbles, which is not a problem when the stuff’s non-toxic) and I love the 10 minutes post-bath when I have a sweet smelling, naturally cleansed child.

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(above: hip, eco-baby clothing from Speesees)

I have a soft spot for jumpsuits—there’s something totally irresistible about sliding into a single piece of fabric. And I love jumpsuits on kids as much as I dig them on adults. This spring, as W perfects his awkward, wobbly walk—think drunk sailor or blood-hungry zombie—I imagine him strutting his stuff in a fly one-piece.  The fabric? Organic cotton, of course. The color? Anywhere from white to deep green to dark brown.

Currently, I’ve got my eye on Kate Quinn Organic’s Boys Collared Jumpsuit in Storm (deep gray/blue), a big-collared number that screams 1974. W will clearly own the playground in this getup.

I’m also crazy for Speesees Harmonize Jumper. The organic white cotton suit is another throwback to the 70s with flared legs, red, blue and brown stripes and a line drawing of two people arm in arm. And while digging into Speesees’ awesome collection don’t miss the Grow Jumper—a similar design, but in a more practical dark color. Awww yeah.

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Ever since the invention of the light bulb, mankind has struggled to remember to turn it off when not in use. It’s been an uphill battle, to be sure, but a few advances here and there have gone a long way towards helping the average illuminated-room enthusiast save energy without having to, you know, walk all the way over to the light switch and turn it to the “off” position.

Motion detectors, for instance, have long been a staple of not-leaving-the-damned-lights-on-when-you-don’t-need-them-to-be-on technology, most notably in office building bathrooms and the like. But the Adjustable Universal Vacancy Sensor Light Switch by Wattstopper takes such methodology to the next level with a gaggle of settings, options, and sensors that allow one to optimize budgets and energy efficiency alike without skimping out on sweet, sweet visibility. More importantly, they’re designed with home use in mind, allowing individuals to incorporate energy efficiency into their domestic routines without having to incorporate hassle as well, or even the non-hassle of having to turn off a light switch.

Though other specialized switches also boast time delays, this one ups the ante with more customization. Likewise, it improves on the now-standard motion detector integration with some newish infrared technology by which to help differentiate between someone walking through a room and existing background space, thus helping to ensure that the light doesn’t go off (or remain on) at inappropriate times. And yet another sensor detects whether or not there is already adequate light in a given room before automatically activating. Unsurprisingly, this ultra-intricate doodad is fully compliant with California’s stringent home energy codes.

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Here Josh discusses how The Lazy E TV show tests the best green solutions – products and services – in real world situations. Many of the experts featured on the show were skeptical about “going green” because the stakes are high when we’re testing these solutions live, on-location, at their place of business. You can watch the first episode June 16th at 9PM on the Sundance Channel.

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Eco Factor: Energy-efficient wireless routers from NEC.

NEC has launched two new Wireless LAN routers that the company claims consume 30% less power than comparable devices on the shelves today. The routers from the AtermWR8150N Series, (BGN), come with an Eco Button, which when pressed, switches off all LEDS that the router is equipped with.

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Eco Factor: Sculptures crafted from junked license plates.

In an effort to educate people the value of recycling and environmental conservation, artist Bill Thomson has begun a “Recycling Eagle Project”, which is being sponsored by BC Lions Society. Eagles are natural scavengers performing the clean up task every day. Bill has made use of this quality of eagles and has designed eagles from junked license plates and other metal objects. The eagles have a built-in LED system which makes them glow after sunset. During the course of the project, Bill will install more than 150 eagle sculptures on all major highways in the city.

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Eco Factor: Safety laser beam powered by bike movement.

A rise in the number of cars has led to an increase in the number of road accidents. While our cars are much safer now than they were a decade ago, bicycling still remains a risky way to commute. This problem is suffered principally in the big cities where thousands of cars, motorcycles, bikes and other vehicles share the same infrastructure.

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Eco Factor: Mobile base station powered by renewable energy.

Turkish mobile network operator Avea is using the advantages of both solar and wind energy to power a base station, which they claim is the first of its kind in the country. To ensure continuous connectivity, the base station relies on a hybrid approach, making use of both solar and wind energy systems. Since both sun and wind resources have opposite cycles and intensities during the day, the system makes sure that the base station never runs out of power.

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Eco Factor: Electric catamaran fueled by solar energy.

Taiwan-based Horizon Yachts has developed a ecofriendly catamaran to green your next sea trip. Developed in cooperation with Solar Water World AG, the SunCat 23 utilizes four solar panels capable of generating 760 watts to fuel a 2.8KW electric outdoor motor, which propels the catamaran to a top speed of 6 knots while carrying 12 passengers. In addition to the solar power technology and an electric motor, this green boat utilizes an ultra low resistance hull design optimized for cruising efficiently with very limited power.

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Eco Factor: Home powered by solar energy.

A team of 200 students at the Iowa State University is designing a 100% off-grid home for the Solar Decathlon 2009 event to be held later this year. The Interlock House, as the project is being referred to, may be constructed in a backyard, driveway or empty lot within an established community minimizing construction waste.

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Eco Factor: Small concept car with roof- and hood-mounted solar panels.

Geely’s new concept car “IG Fantastic” is perfect for inner city travel. A single gull wing door and distinguished seating arrangement make it stylish enough for next-gen transportation. Although the specifications are scarce, we can find it interesting for it includes solar panels mounted on it. Don’t know how much energy need can these panels satisfy, but definitely their presence boosts the green trend.

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Eco Factor: Golf cart runs on methane made from cow dung.

Already running short of fuel, any respite in the existing stocks seems as meaningless as it had ever been. Taking a cue from the exigency, Yamaha has suggested a green solution in developing a methane-powered golf cart. It uses cow dung as fuel. Osaka Gas Co., a close collaborator, lent a hand in providing methane at a low cost. In Katori, Osaka first processes cow poo into biofuel and then turns it into methane gas. Though it is not easy to store, Osaka makes it possible in developing an activated carbon capable of sopping it up at low pressure. The golf cart has a specially designed tank that can hold methane around 30 times of its volume.

Via: Dvice/Inhabitat

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Eco Factor: Corrosion-resistant fence is made up of sustainable materials.

Chicken wire and metal stakes are common in fencing in gardens. Very prone to rusting and complex in installation, these wires not only deteriorate with the passage of time, but are also not considered safe. If you are growing a vegetable garden in your backyard and needs protective measures, then the “Guarden,” an all-in-one retractable fence, can make it safer, easier and sustainable. Designer Louis Filosa’s intention behind designing the Gaurden is to deliver a corrosion-resistant fence that will not only protect your garden from animals, but will contribute toward the environment too.

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Eco Factor: The laptop is powered by clean wind energy.

Showing concern for the environment, Fujitsu has taken one more green step to boost the eco-conscious trend in the Japanese market. The FMV-BIBLO LOOX U/C50NA, wind-powered laptop that was launched in the market on Tuesday is estimated to reduce carbon emissions up to 18 kilograms in its total life span. Fujitsu will purchase a Green Power Certificate equivalent to the total electricity the PC will consume in the course of its operating lifespan. Technically, the PC is one of the smallest in size, with a 5.6- inch screen that swivel around and folds back on itself.

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Looking back at the overwhelming success of his 2008 Target collection, Rogan Gregory must have felt pretty freaking awesome.  Using his rock’n roll aesthetic and sustainable materials like bamboo and organic cotton, the badass fashion designer revealed a whole new world of affordable eco-fashion to Target shoppers.  And they liked what they saw.  In fact, Rogan Gregory’s line sold out as quickly, perhaps even quicker, than that of other Target GO designers including Alexander McQueen, Proenza Schouler, or Thakoon.

Now fashion fans are sure to flip over sweet seperates the designer’s other fashion line, Loomstate, will be rolling out exclusively for Target just in time for Earth Day.  Rogan and business partner and co-designer, Scott Hahn, began Loomstate in 2004 and have since cultivated a strong following for their denim, sweatshirts, and button ups with luxury shoppers.  Loomstate for Target will feature Mens and Womens casual wear, made almost exclusively from eco-materials and at Target prices ($14.99 to $44.99) they are sure to go quickly.

More Loomstate for Target eco-chic looks:

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Men sweat. This is what my sweaty husband told me after one particularly sweaty evening at the gym. I was trying to convince him to leave behind his conventional deodorant and go natural. Not totally natural. I’m not crazy. Men sweat. My goal was simply to get him to agree to a one-week test drive of a deodorant made from natural ingredients—no synthetic fragrance or preservatives.

I didn’t want to blow this opportunity to convert him to the natural side, so I did my research, sniffing and rejecting at health food stores (the ideal spot for natural deodorant, though some drug stores may have a few options) across the city before brining home any test subjects. I’m partial to a floral scent, but for Paul, I sought out naturally occurring masculine scents—a tough task since most noses are accustomed to the synthetic machismo of Old Spice et al.—guessing that he’d never go for anything that smelled like a damp forest or a freshly cut plot of grass. He seemed like a pine or sage man and so I hedged my bets on three strong contenders: Aubrey Organic’s Men’s Stock Natural Dry Herbal Deodorant, Burt’s Bee’s Herbal Deodorant and Weleda’s Sage Deodorant.

The plan was to test each one for a week, but the Weleda was rejected on day one. Paul found it “too light” and claimed it couldn’t stand up to the demands of his day. Aubrey and Burt’s each passed the longevity test with clean, pine-heavy scents that were strong enough to get him through a day of mountain biking, but subtle enough to blend in while riding a packed subway. In the end, Burt’s triumphed. And so did I. Paul’s gone natural and he’s never gone back.

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Eco Factor: Cellphone charged with solar energy.

KDDI has announced that the company is planning to launch a new cellphone, which will not only generate solar energy with built-in solar panels but will also allow you to keep talking while having a shower. The new solar powered cellphone would initially be available in Japan, with a global release to follow.

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