You are here: Home » Archive Index » Archives for April 2006

From the monthly archives:

April 2006

Energy Efficient Black Lights: Ultraviolet LEDs

April 26, 2006

LED flashlights are now available in the ultraviolet frequency range. These flashlights have the same longevity and durability of other LED lamps. Some of the ultraviolet flashlights on the market are the Inova X5 Ultraviolet (made with anodized aluminum) and the hefty Streamlight Twin Task. You can see many other types listed on this page.

Read the full article →

Efficient Lubricant: Jojoba Oil

April 24, 2006

You’ve probably heard of Jojoba oil being used in cosmetics, but it’s also a great substitute for petroleum-based lubricants, which tend to be strong smelling and polluting. Jojoba is the best alternative because it is a natrual liquid wax that never goes rancid. Use it as you would a petroleum lubricating oil, such as for [...]

Read the full article →

Citrus-Based Bike Degreasers

April 21, 2006

Citrus degreasers are powerful and much safer to use than traditional petroleum-based solvents like gasoline or kerosene. Citrus solvents are non-flammable and 100% biodegradeable. They are also strongly aromatic — so use them in a well-ventilated area or your house will smell like oranges! Best if used on metal parts like chains, bearings and some [...]

Read the full article →

Reusable Aluminum Lunch Boxes by Sigg

April 20, 2006

Sigg is a Swiss company with a reputation for producing quality, non-toxic containers. They makes these lightweight, durable boxes out of anodized aluminium. They have snap lock to keep the lid securely in place, and a rubber seal provides a leakproof closure.
They are available from Amazon.

Read the full article →

Efficient Sleep Sacks for Travelers

April 17, 2006

Sleep sacks are lightweight sheets for travelers that pack into a very small space. They provide a clean “cocoon” to sleep inside, when your bedding is questionable. Many European hostels actually require that you bring one along. In warm weather, you can also use sleep sacks as replacements for sleeping bags. The healthiest sleep sack [...]

Read the full article →

The Pocket Survival Pak

April 17, 2006

These are the best pocket-sized “survival kits” we’ve seen. They are a collection of minimalist survival tools packed into a tiny case — handy to have during wilderness travel or any other time a emergency situation could arise. They also include “Survival Instructions” with 33 illustrations printed on waterproof paper. The packs were designed [...]

Read the full article →

New Ruggedized Cell Phones from Motorola

April 16, 2006

Motorola has released its latest iDEN phone that is designed to meet “military standards” of durability. The iDEN i580 is water and dust resistant and sports Bluetooth, a MP3 player and a 1.3 megapixel digital camera. Multiple push to buttons are available to allow you to push to talk, push to meet and push to [...]

Read the full article →

Dimmable Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

April 14, 2006

Dimmable compact fluorescents are available, they are usually made with “cold cathode” technology. You can find dimmable bulbs here on Amazon. There’s a 12 pack available here, and a dimmable compact fluorescent spotlight here.
1000 Bulbs also sells a wide range of dimmable compact fluorescent bulbs

Read the full article →

Inexpensive, Non-Toxic Solvent: Washing Soda

April 12, 2006

Washing soda is an efficient substitute for conventional toxic solvents. It cuts grease, cleans petroleum oil, removes wax, and neutralizes odors in the same way that baking soda does. Washing soda is sodium carbonate — it is in the same family as baking soda, but it has been processed differently. It is much more caustic/alkaline, [...]

Read the full article →

Portable Pen For All Environments: The Inka Pen

April 11, 2006

The Inka Pen attaches to a keyring and has a lightweight, stainless steel design. Using a pressurized ink cartridge, it writes at any angle, temperature, altitude and even underwater. The pen is made in the U.S. and has a lifetime warranty. Available from Amazon for $11.

Read the full article →

Efficient Repurposing: Twist & Spout

April 10, 2006

Here’s a way to reuse virtually any soda or water bottle with a screw-on cap. It’s called the Twist & Spout, and it comes in two varieties. Use the Garden style to create a watering can. Use the Kitchen style to make those two-liter soda bottles easy to handle.
A set of two is available from [...]

Read the full article →

Efficient Power Adaptor: PowerSquid

April 8, 2006

This piece of electrical cordage is called a PowerSquid. It lets you connect multiple devices, even with big power converters, to a single outlet. It even has its own home page. They also have version that incorporate surge protection and other electrical interference. Available from Amazon for $11.99

Read the full article →

Steam Cleaning Washer For the Home

April 6, 2006

This washer from LG Electronics uses steam to clean your clothes. Steam washers are common in the industrial world, but this is the first one available for the home. LG says the washer “remove creases from your garments, eliminating the need for ironing” and steam-cleaning “reduces shrinkage and extends the life of your threads”. They [...]

Read the full article →

Now Available: Very Efficient: Toilet Lid Sinks

April 6, 2006

These sinks are finally available in the U.S. They sit atop your toilet and replace the lid. When you flush the toilet, the clean water that would go straight down the toilet is first routed up through a spigot to dispense pure water for hand washing. The sink shut off automatically when the toilet has [...]

Read the full article →

Incredible Vegetables from Self-Watering Containers

April 5, 2006

Self-watering container gardens are an efficient method of growing. You can go on vacation and not have to worry that your tomatoes will be wilted when you get back. Ed Smith, the author of Incredible Vegetables from Self-Watering Containers, became fascinated with the possibilities of self-watering containers and began testing dozens of vegetables in various [...]

Read the full article →