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From the monthly archives:

July 2005

Rubberwood Coffee Table

July 28, 2005

This coffee table is made with rubberwood, which is considered a renewable timber because it is only milled from rubber trees that have ceased to produce latex. See more information on rubberwood here.
Available for $60 from Amazon.

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Non-Toxic, Eco-Effective Ice Pack

July 27, 2005

These reuseable, non-toxic ice packs are unlike the gel-based packs you may have used. Most ice packs on the market today contain urea, a waste byproduct. Instead these packs use a super-absorbant material instead. You can cut them to any configuration you need, soak them in water for a few minutes and freeze. The packs [...]

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Sustainable Chopstick Set

July 27, 2005

This fair traded chopstick set is made with recycled scrap hardwoods in Thailand. The set includes six chopsticks, six bowls, and six holders. Packaged in sustainable, hand-crafted Saa paper. Available from DropSoul for $29.

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Organic Vanilla Beans from Papua New Guinea

July 27, 2005

These organic vanilla beans are grown on co-op plantations dotting the Coastal Mountains of Morobe Province in Papua New Guinea. The remote farms grow their beans without the use chemical fertilizers or artificial additives. The beans are sun dried and then air-freighted every week from Papua New Guinea. They are available Amazon.

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Printer Ink From Car Tires

July 27, 2005

Printer ink can cost as much as vintage champagne, so finding an inexpensive and eco-effective way to make would be great. Now three inventors from Derbyshire, UK, think they have just the solution: extract the carbon from unwanted tires to generate a cheap and plentiful supply.

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Bamboo Fiber Towels

July 27, 2005

These towels, are made out of 100% bamboo fiber, which means they are soft as silk. Since they come from the fastest growing plant on earth and there is no fertilizers, pesticides, or chemical treatments involved in producing them, these towels qualify as being metaefficient.
Originally we linked to bamboo towels for sale at Amazon and [...]

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Organic Cotton Water Girl Racerback Dress

July 27, 2005

This dress, by Water Girl, is made out of 95% organic cotton and 5% Lycra.
It is intended to be worn over a swimsuit as a nighttime outfit. It is available at REI for $24.83.
Also available is this organic cotton Persuasian Top for $15.83:

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New Hydrodynamic Surfboard Fin

July 27, 2005

The H-2 is an advanced surfboard fin, that is designed for hydrodynamic efficiency, and better speed and manoeuvrability of surfboards.
It features a specially-designed fin geometry and is constructed with an ultralight, flexible material. It was designed by Surf Hardware, and was awarded the 2005 Australian Design Award.
Yanko Design has more information. They also have many [...]

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Looolo Cushions and Blankets

July 26, 2005

Looolo is one of a handful of innovative companies whose production methods are 100% sustainable. Thus the name Looolo is a visual representation of 100%. They create modern cushions and blankets using methods that have zero environmental impact. Here’s how they achieve that: all the materials used in manufacture are organic (organic buckwheat and cotton [...]

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Man Retrofits Freezer to Make an Ultra-Efficient Fridge

July 25, 2005

An off-grid experimenter in Australia, Tom Chalko, has retrofitted a chest freezer to create a fridge that uses only 100 watt-hours (0.1 kWh) per day! Why a chest freezer? Tom points out that vertical door refrigerators are inherently inefficient. As soon as you open a vertical fridge door the cold air escapes, simply because it [...]

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New Nike “Considered” Models

July 24, 2005

Nike has released four new “Considered” sneakers. This is good news, because the first round of sneakers were fairly unattractive. Nike produces these shoes using sustainable manufacturing practices (more details here).
However, Nike has a history of maintaining questionable working conditions in its oversesas factories. More information on this issue can be found on the Responsible [...]

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Ultrametaefficient: Cork Chaise Lounge by Daniel Michalik

July 22, 2005

This cork chaise lounge, designed by Daniel Michalik, qualifies as being ultrametaefficient because it is: made with a renewable material, light, aesthetic, waterproof and impervious to rot and mold. It can be used indoors or outdoors.

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Whole House Energy Monitor

July 21, 2005

This handy device monitors the amount of electricity a house is using and displays the information in real-time through its LED display. You can see, for example, the kilo-watt hours being used, or the calculated cost per day. It also projects the next electric bill, based upon local rates.
The monitor itself sells for $200, which [...]

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PIE Furniture

July 21, 2005

PIE’s curvaceous furniture
is handmade using
natural materials like water hyacinth, liana, bamboo and rattan.

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ecoMOD

July 21, 2005

ecoMOD is a student design project at the University of Virginia School of Architecture. The aim is to design a house that is both affordable and eco-efficient. The first design they came up with is modular with an emphasis placed on melding indoor and outdoor space through passive design strategies.
Via: Inhabitat

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Organic Cotton Tank

July 21, 2005

Organic cotton goes mainstream, and starts to slip into the malls.
Now available from Saks Fifth Avenue, this scoopneck tank by Eileen Fisher.
It’s made in the U.S. too. The price on it is $58.

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Elite Dual Compartment Garbage Bin

July 21, 2005

This Brabantia Twin Bin is divided into two compartments, one for regular trash, one for compostable matter can be kept separate from all other waste.
Eliteness doesn’t come cheap — it’s available for $166 here.
Now if it really glowed like that…
Via: Kitchen Contraptions

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Cordster

July 20, 2005

The Cordster is a small attachment to keep your headphone cables untangled. It works with virtually all portable cords, and snaps on and off using a removable Velcro-like fastener. Reportedly, it works well. Available in a variety of colors for $4.95.

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Auro Contact Glue: 100% Natural

July 20, 2005

Why are we featuring this dull looking tube of glue from Germany? Because it doesn’t suffer from the design flaw of every other household adhesive: toxicity. It is one of the few glues in the world that are derived solely from natural materials. How is this possible? This transparent glue’s main ingredients are dammar, latex, [...]

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TAK Pushpins

July 20, 2005

It’s a design update on a common household object. The TAK Pushpin has two pins, an oversized head and a channel in the middle.
The double pins add strength and stability while preventing paper from swiveling, and the horseshoe shaped channel allows users to organize wire and hang up holiday lights. Packs of six are available [...]

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