If achieving a natural fake tan seems like an oxymoron, you’ve yet to experience the organic goodness of plant-based self-tanners like Alba Botanicals’ Golden Tan Sunless Tanning lotion. As a redhead with milky white skin that inevitably ends up charred each summer, I’m all about “sunless.” Alba’s potion is chock full of organic plants and herbs like green tea and chamomile and delivers a natural glow without the harsh lingering scent of conventional tanners. For the pasty white and organically obsessed, this is clearly a minor victory.

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Eco Factor: Zero-emission yacht powered by hydrogen fuel cells generates renewable energy for on-board systems.

In a bid to study pollution caused by the use of fossil fuels in the Mediterranean, the Zero CO2, which is the world’s first hydrogen propelled yacht, will set sail in March 2010. The objective of the Zero CO2 project is to create a clean way to commute across the seas without emitting a single gram of carbon.

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Eco Factor: Sustainable space gets inflated with passing wind currents.

Created by Mass Studies, the Air Forest provides sustainable space for a wide range of applications. The 1,400 square-meter pavilion can be inflated with passing wind currents and once deflated can easily be transported and set up at some other location without making use of any specialized building materials.

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Eco Factor: Concept cellphone powered by alcohol.

Apart from solar and wind energy, other green energy sources are being developed to run our portable gadgets and like always designers are taking cellphones to perfect their most ingenious of technologies. Industrial designer Tryi Yeh is developing a new “high” for communication with a cellphone powered by wine.

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Eco Factor: Device captures water condensate in the AC for watering the garden.

Summer months are not just hard for you, but the same for your garden as well. Watering gardens during summers increases your utility bills and if you forget doing it, some of your plants will have to pay for it. The AIR-igator system solves both the issues by collecting condensate from air conditioners and storing it in an underground tank for watering the garden.

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Eco Factor: Hydrosense water consumption monitor tracks leaks to their source.

Tracking electricity consumption in a normal household isn’t a new concept, but tracking water usage and detecting the tap which is consuming the most with just one device installed somewhere in the plumbing system is unique, and the tech is not just ingenious but efficient as well. Shwetak Patel, a professor of computer science and electrical engineering at the University of Washington has developed a unique sensing device called Hydrosense, which can plug into water pipes in a household and detect the tap which is consuming the most water and can also detect leaks back to their source.

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Eco Factor: Energy-efficient HomePlug adapter saves up to 50% power in standby mode.

Energy-efficiency is the need of the hour, and electronic companies are quite well versed with the requirements as most products launched recently offer greater energy savings and hence a reduction in utility bills. Guillemot Corporation has unveiled the Hercules ePlug 200, their latest in networking-over-power gadgets, which the company claims saves up to 50% energy.

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Eco Factor: Limousines powered by biofuel produced from plant waste.

The world’s most important climate change conference will see the likes of Gordon Brown and Barack Obama being ferried in luxurious limousines propelled by a unique biofuel generated from plant waste. The next-gen biofuel isn’t made from crops like corn-based ethanol is, rather it uses plant waste and the rest of the crop goes for consumption as food or other much important uses.

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Eco Factor: Modular home generates solar and wind electricity, harvests rainwater.

Designed by Michael Jantzen, the Homestead House is a design for alternative housing that explores the potential use of renewable energy generating systems and recyclable materials to reduce the carbon footprint of its owners. The modular house is to be made from recyclable steel sheets, which are to be bolted together for easy disassembly. This allows the homeowner to construct it with ease and in minimum time and with minimum cost.

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Eco Factor: Algae to be used for cheap ethanol production.

In an effort to fuel the world with clean and cheap energy, Dow Chemical and Algenol Biofuels have partnered to build algae farms that can convert carbon dioxide into ethanol, which can either be used to power vehicles or can also be used to produce plastic by replacing the use of natural gas. The team has announced that they will build a demonstration plant that would effectively convert CO2 into fuel.

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Eco Factor: Digital camera made from recycled plastics comes with Smart-Eco Wheel.

The advent of digital cameras made it possible for all budding photographers to test their skills. This increase in demand made camera manufacturers debut countless products that in one way or the other were made to suit your requirements. However, most of these manufacturers don’t really consider the impact of these devices on the environment. Since these devices are made from plastic and carry hazardous batteries under their hood, once disposed of they tend to harm the delicate ecosystem of the planet.

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When I was about four or so, I stuck a significant chunk of orange Play-Doh so far up my nose that it had to be extracted by a medical professional. Considering that the apple most likely does not fall far from the tree, I’m preparing for W’s dough experimentation with what seems to be the safest option out there: Eco Dough. Available in a selection of cool shades and colored with nothing more than fruit and vegetable extracts, this malleable stuff also comes in containers that are completely compostable. Safe for human consumption and eco-friendly, my little guy can stick this dough anywhere he wants!

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Eco Factor: 1986 motorcycle modded to sport an electric engine.

An ingenious mind in Santa Cruz has converted an old 1986 make Honda motorcycle to run on green fuel and have no emissions at all. Based in Santa Cruz, Geoff Bjorgan, holds that green mind with which he fully modified the Honda motorcycle into a 120 lbs electric, pedal-assist bike.

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Eco Factor: Solar-powered bicycle pod with change rooms, showers and self-cleaning device.

Normal excuses for not riding a bike to office range from arriving to work laden with sweat to arriving wet during rainy season. All these excuses won’t be much relevant if your office houses the solar-powered bike parking pods that do much more than keeping your bike safe from harsh climate. Designed by Penny Farthings Pushbikes, the solar-powered bicycle parking pod comes with change rooms, showers, a self-cleaning system and the use of recycled water.

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Eco Factor: Electrically propelled Eco Yacht generates solar and wind electricity.

London-based Rainsford Mann Design has unveiled their latest design, the 80m Eco Yacht that is a result of the company’s in-house study of the potential technologies that can lower the environmental impact of sailing. Apart from considering the environmental impact of yachts, the Eco Yacht has been designed with several luxury features as well.

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Eco Factor: Energy-saving all-in-one PC from ViewSonic saves desk space as well.

Traditional computing systems can be both unattractive and expensive, but ViewSonic’s latest development can answer both these problems with an added benefit of consuming less desk space. The VPC 100 PC is sans a tower PC unit which makes it easy to install and removes the cable mess associated with normal desktop PCs. The unique AIO design also reduces the use of plastic, and the company claims that the PC consumes 45% less power than conventional desktop computers.

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Eco Factor: Zero-emission airplane powered entirely by solar energy.

With a wingspan similar to a Boeing 747 and having a weight less than a small car, the Solar Impulse airplane has been unveiled by adventurer Bertrand Piccard. The plane will now go through rigorous testing over the next two years and based on the results a new plane will be constructed, which will show the tremendous potential of solar energy when the plane will aim to make history as the prototype for a solar-powered flight around the world.

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Eco Factor: Wireless sensors powered by metabolic energy of trees.

With the rise in the average temperature, forest fires are becoming an ever-increasing threat to the delicate ecosystem of the planet. Not only do such fires account for billions of dollars in losses, they disturb the wild life as hundreds of animals and birds are killed along with thousands or even more trees. Voltree Power thinks that they’ve struck the bull’s eye with an ingenious sensor system that detects forest fires and warns a central monitoring station, which can then tackle the fire before it gets out of control.

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Eco Factor: Renewable energy-powered gym is the world’s first.

When Movement Climbing and Fitness will open its doors in July, it will enter the record books being the world’s first solar-powered climbing gym. Lighthouse Solar has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the inventors of the gym. The energy required to power the gym will be harnessed by a 100KW photovoltaic array and water will be heated in a 90-sq-ft evacuated tube solar thermal system.

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Eco Factor: Hydroponic gardening system for green interiors.

The Legacy Hydrocart ensures that your family food is as hygienic as it should be with no pesticides and harmful fertilizers to be used. The indoor hydroponic gardening system provides you with a fresh supply of organic vegetables and fruits that grow up to 3 times faster than traditional dirt gardens.

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I’m the first one to admit that most high-quality all-natural or organic beauty products can be a pricey investment. But there are exceptions. Luscious, moisturizing exceptions. Take Target’s line of Weleda lotions and potions for both men and women. The big box retailer features killer products like Wild Rose Night Cream and Citrus Deodorant. And while you’re strolling the aisles at Tar-zhay keep an eye out for other natural beauty brands like Burt’s Bees and California Baby.

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Until recently, parents had one of two choices when it came to toddlers and dining: plastic plates or no plate at all. I discovered this after serving W a ceramic bowl of yogurt when he was seven months old. Unwise. Very unwise. Kid dishes are important. Plastic is the obvious solution, but if you have an aversion to the stuff like I do, you’ve most likely found that alternative dinnerware options for the miniature set are limited if not nonexistent. Not any more. Kidishes are made of Duralex, a super durable tempered glass (which means they’re hard to break and if it happens, they won’t shatter into a million little daggers). They’re also microwave and kid safe and look sharp on any table.

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Eco Factor: Solar-powered houseboat recycles waste.

For those of you who have had the pleasure of living in a houseboat, the experience might have been mesmerizing. From fun, this experience can quickly turn into a necessity if glaciers keep on increasing the sea level at a pace at which they’re today. Industrial designer Wyatt Little is trying to keep abreast with the needs of the future in the greenest possible way. Little has designed a stunning houseboat, which has been carefully planned after living in a houseboat for about six years.

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Eco Factor: Folding bicycle designed by Andre Kim.

Until solar and wind-powered cars get cheap enough for the common man to afford, bikes will retain the first place in zero-emission transit. Though slow, bikes are undisputed winners over cars in traffic jams, which will get even worse with the amount of cars being sold every year on a rise. Samchuly has unveiled a new commuter bike for all those who love carrying their bikes in their car’s boot.

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Eco Factor: Solar and electromagnetic wave powered concept phone.

News recently surfaced that Nokia is planning to develop new handsets that don’t need a connection to the wall socket as the phone will be powered by the electromagnetic waves emitted by wireless transmitters. The device is still on paper, and designers like Alexander Mukomelov have already planned a conceptual device that not only is powered by the same technology which Nokia is hinting at but also takes on any shape you might have dreamt of having.

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