From the monthly archives:

March 2006

Tumi Electrical Adaptor for Travel

March 31, 2006

From Tumi comes this device that combines many electrical adaptors into one. It has configurations for 120 countries, all in one unit.
Available from: Tumi ($50)

Click to continue...

Efficient Materials: Tube+9 Lounge Chair

March 30, 2006

The Tube+9 Lounge chair was designed with the user, environment, and budget in mind while maintaining a modern of the times feel and appearance. This chair achieves this by using materials that are either recycled or recyclable. The frame is constructed from a 3′x4′ sheet of plywood cut into 1/8″ strips, laminated and formed from [...]

Click to continue...

Amaranth: Efficient Native Grain

March 27, 2006

Amaranth is an ancient plant whose seeds can be ground or popped — they have a sweet, nutty flavor. The ancient Aztecs considered Amaranth a “super food”. It was an important part of the empire’s crop base, and was fed to runners and warriors because of its reputation for providing large bursts of energy and [...]

Click to continue...

Biodegradable Dish Scrubbers and Brushes

March 23, 2006

Made from thin ribbons of fine-grit sandpaper, these biodegradable scrubbers come from Japan. They are called “Sandclean Scrubbers” and they are said to outperform regular sponges and steel wool. They are quite durable and do not beak apart. They work well on tea or coffee stains in teapots and cups. Also shown here is a [...]

Click to continue...

Ceramic Japanese Soaking Tubs

March 21, 2006

A company called Aquapal imports these authentic tubs from Shigaraki region of Japan. The tubs are hand-made ceramic sculptures. The clay and titanium oxide composition are naturally antibacterial. There are no prices posted on the Aquapal web site, the company says can call for custom pricing.

Click to continue...

LED-Flex: An Efficient Substitute For Neon

March 20, 2006

How many times have you seen a broken or flickering neon light? Durability is not one neon’s strengths. But now a new product, LED-Flex, has been introduced as a substitute for neon. The producer, Mule Lighting, has managed to make the flexible LEDs have the appearance and brightness of neon. The biggest advantage of this [...]

Click to continue...

New Sustainable Women’s Hemp T-Shirts

March 19, 2006

Fair Hemp has released some new women’s tees priced at $14.95. The shirt are made with 55% hemp and 45% organic cotton, and colored with eco-friendly dyes. They are soft, stylish and comfortable, and sweatshop and pesticide free. Fair Hemp says the fabric is pre-washed for broken-in softness and shrinkage control, so these shirts won’t [...]

Click to continue...

Pure Aluminum Bottles By SIGG

March 17, 2006

If you are looking for a drink container which has a completely inert lining, you might try SIGG Bottles from Switzerland. These bottles are extruded from a single piece of pure (99.5%) aluminum. They are strong, lightweight, and do not contaminate their contents with phthalates, Bisphenol-A or other potential toxins. The liner is a food [...]

Click to continue...

Criollo Chocolate: Efficient Food of the Gods

March 16, 2006

In its pure state, chocolate, or cacao, is quite nutritious, and inspires eudaimonia. There are number of varieties of cacao. Almost all commercial chocolate is made using beans of the Forastero Group. Another more prized cultivar, Criollo, is used by the top chocolate makers around the world. It is less bitter and more aromatic than [...]

Click to continue...

The Healing Powers of Peppers

March 15, 2006

Chile peppers contain one of the most effective curative substances in the world — capsaicin. While many people enjoy eating hot and spicy food they are not aware of the therapeutic properties of chile peppers. The authors of The Healing Powers of Peppers present a wealth of scientific and medical information, including personal testimonies about [...]

Click to continue...

The BeeBoard: A Cardboard Desk

March 14, 2006

This desk is made out of a recycled cardboard called “BeeBoard”, which is a low-impact construction material, but the acrylic used to coat it might be toxic. Here’s the description:
BeeBoard is a layered cardboard with a honeycomb structure. By keeping the BeeBoard exposed, he lets the material provide a densely textured surface that contrasts with [...]

Click to continue...

Efficient Organic Rum

March 14, 2006

There are three organically produced rums on the market today. Currently, they are only available through dealers in the U.K. However, some specialty retailers in the U.S. are starting to offer these rums too.
Papagayo Organic Rum comes from Paraguay, it has organic ingredients giving the rum flavors of vanilla, ginger and even a hint of [...]

Click to continue...

Efficient Native Flavor: Sassafras

March 13, 2006

Authentic root beer owes it distinctive flavor to Sassafras, a tree native to the eastern U.S. The root or root bark of sassafras can also used to make tea. The leaves are used for thickening sauces and soups, and when dried and ground are known as filé powder, a spice used in Cajun, [...]

Click to continue...

Multi-Fuel Lantern: Britelyt

March 13, 2006

This Britelyt lantern is a versatile lantern, which is able to burn no less than seven types of fuel, including biodiesel. The approved fuel types are: kerosene, biodiesel, diesel, gasoline, mineral spirits, charcoal lighter fluid and lamp oils. It’s made by Petromax who’ve been building these lantern since the 1920s. The lantern can also be [...]

Click to continue...

Tankless Water Heater Uses Microwaves: Vulcanus Mark 4

March 11, 2006

A Canadian company, Pulsar Advanced Technologies, claims to have produced a water heater that uses microwave technology to heat water instantaneously. The company says: “The Vulcanus MK4 can heat water from 35 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit in seconds and can source multiple applications at once: showers, dishwasher, sink usages and more. The Vulcanus [...]

Click to continue...

Very Efficient: Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

March 9, 2006

Virgin coconut oil is one of the healthiest foods out there, and it’s also a great cooking oil. A company based in the Philippines called Tropical Traditions produces an organic virgin coconut oil. It can be purchased online from Tropical Traditions or PureSweeteners. This coconut oil is unrefined — fresh coconut meat is shredded (wet [...]

Click to continue...

Corelle: Durable and Inexpensive

March 8, 2006

Corelle dinnerware is efficient because it is highly durable — it doesn’t break, and the designs on the plates cannot be scratched by knives. Corelle is actually made out of glass, but it is created like a sandwich with a glass core that’s thermally bonded to an outer glass glaze. The lamination creates a finished [...]

Click to continue...

Efficient Native Flour: Mesquite

March 7, 2006

Not many people know that the pods from the mesquite tree can be ground into a flour. It’s a traditional Native American food — the flour has a distinct warm and spicy flavor. The mesquite tree grows in the desert regions throughout the world, and it can be found from central Texas to southeastern California [...]

Click to continue...

Heirloom Beans: Efficient Flavor

March 6, 2006

Heirloom beans! These are special bean varieties that have been passed down by generations of growers. The beans have their own distinct flavors and heritages. For example, here’s a description of the “Tongues of Fire” bean:
A cranberry-type, mottled beige and brown marked bean grown from a seed variety originally collected from Tierra del Fuego, [...]

Click to continue...

Raw Cacao Butter: An Efficient Dessert & Skin Moisturizer

March 3, 2006

We’ve found the best place to purchase raw cacao butter. This is the pure oil of the cacao bean, extracted using a cold-press technique — the temperature stays around 104 degrees Fahrenheit, instead of 300 degrees which is the norm. It’s certified organic and it’s produced by Nature’s First Law. The oil is edible and [...]

Click to continue...

← Previous Entries