Lenovo says its ThinkVision L1700p ($240) uses 30 percent less power than regular LCD screens. The display also has 50 percent less mercury content. The graphics capability is pretty standard, so the 17-inch screen may be better suited to people who are more concerned with their carbon footprint than cutting-edge resolution. Just remember: to really save power, shut the box off when you’re not using it.
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Got It Covered
iPhone shield
www.agent18.com
Protect the planet while also protecting your iPhone. Agent 18 has a hard phone cover that is made from postconsumer plastic bottles....[More]
Protect the planet while also protecting your iPhone. Agent 18 has a hard phone cover that is made from postconsumer plastic bottles. For $20, it’s a sleek fit. You’ll still need to take some care, however, because the slip does not have a screen protector. Blackberry users are out of luck; so far the eco-covers are just for iPhones.
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Cut That Out
Printer software
www.printgreener.com
It’s not uncommon when printing Web pages to get a final piece of paper that is blank except for a single line....[More]
It’s not uncommon when printing Web pages to get a final piece of paper that is blank except for a single line. And most people would also like to save paper and ink by deleting sidebar ads. GreenPrint offers downloadable software ($29) that recognizes and ignores ads and won’t print out Web pages with just one line. It also tracks the pages and money you save. You could do most of this manually, of course, but the software saves time.
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Friendly Feet
Vegan shoes
www.charmone.com
Being socially conscious doesn’t mean you can’t be fashionable, too. That’s the philosophy of shoe manufacturer Charmoné....[More]
Being socially conscious doesn’t mean you can’t be fashionable, too. That’s the philosophy of shoe manufacturer Charmoné. Its footwear is made from Italian microfiber that has a structure similar to leather but is made without any animal products. The material is also free of polyvinyl chloride and other common shoe materials that are hard on the environment. The heels, flats and boots are built sweatshop-free in Italy and Brazil. All that eco-style comes at a price: a pair averages $180.
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Drink in Global Warming
Temperature-sensitive mug
www.uncommongoods.com
Start the morning with a cheerful reminder that sea levels are rising. Pour a cup of hot coffee and watch the oceans depicted on the mug spread across the continents as the ice caps melt....[More]
Start the morning with a cheerful reminder that sea levels are rising. Pour a cup of hot coffee and watch the oceans depicted on the mug spread across the continents as the ice caps melt. How relaxing! Uncommon Goods provides this little reminder to watch your carbon dioxide emissions during the day ($12).
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Biker Accessories
Inner-tube fashion
www.totallytubebags.com
Got old, spent bicycle tire tubes? Totally Tubular Design can transform them with style....[More]
Got old, spent bicycle tire tubes? Totally Tubular Design can transform them with style. Send your fatigued inflatables to its team in Agoura Hills, Calif., who will cut up and refashion them into wallets ($18), bags ($28) and shoulder bags ($80).
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Stretch Your Bag
Portable totes
www.whatsurbag-usa.com
You may already have an armful of reusable bags, but the its-laS-tik stretchable tote can scrunch up to fit anywhere and expand to hold quite a few items....[More]
You may already have an armful of reusable bags, but the its-laS-tik stretchable tote can scrunch up to fit anywhere and expand to hold quite a few items. These nylon and Lycra sacks are manufactured in a New Orleans factory that was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and then rebuilt by survivors. The company also gives 5 percent of the profit from their $12 bags to Hope House, a local nonprofit that provides services such as rent, food and shelter assistance. The totes come in different prints and textures.
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Signs of the Times
Misprint watering can
www.vivaterra.com
These colorful containers are made from outdoor sheet-metal signs that were misspelled. ...[More]
These colorful containers are made from outdoor sheet-metal signs that were misspelled. To spare the misfits from landfills, a designer at VivaTerra turned them into gardening tools. Even though $48 is pricey, they’re an artistic way of making sure absolutely nothing goes to waste.
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Wash without Water
Car cleaner
www.luckyearth.com
Instead of wasting gallons of water and using harmful chemicals to clean your car, consider Lucky Earth’s toxics-free solution....[More]
Instead of wasting gallons of water and using harmful chemicals to clean your car, consider Lucky Earth’s toxics-free solution. Made with coconut extract and silicone, the water-based solution breaks down dirt; just spray it on the vehicle and wipe with a soft cloth. As long as the automobile isn’t caked with mud, cleaning requires only a little elbow grease and some rags (which, yes, you’ll have to dispose of eventually). Because a typical automated car wash uses up to 45 gallons of water and hand washing uses even more, the 32-ounce bottle—good for seven to 10 washes—saves considerable quantities of water ($16.99).
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YES! Send me a free issue of Scientific American with no obligation to continue the subscription. If I like it, I will be billed for the one-year subscription.
The only one I really have a problem with is the mug. Seriously, I may be convinced that global warming is a real phenomenon, but that doesn't mean we have to go out there sensationalizing it in a bogus fashion. That's just going to convince more people that it's all a joke.
3. Hugo_Artenis_Rune
in reply to galaxy_man03:58 AM 7/16/09
I was given one of these mugs for Christmas and within three weeks nearly all of the heat sensitive image had fallen off (due to mistreatment I reckon).
At the moment the mug is only showing a small part of Australia to be above sea level, so I'm moving there as soon as I can, just to be safe.
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4 Comments
Add CommentThe only one I really have a problem with is the mug. Seriously, I may be convinced that global warming is a real phenomenon, but that doesn't mean we have to go out there sensationalizing it in a bogus fashion. That's just going to convince more people that it's all a joke.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHey, until MILLIONS of people are affected or start dying it IS a joke to just about everyone.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSome people still do not believe this, but they also think the world is flat.
There is a strong consensus that we may already be past a point of inevitability, where we cannot react quickly enough to prevent massive changes.
So, ultimately, the joke is on all of us.
I was given one of these mugs for Christmas and within three weeks nearly all of the heat sensitive image had fallen off (due to mistreatment I reckon).
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAt the moment the mug is only showing a small part of Australia to be above sea level, so I'm moving there as soon as I can, just to be safe.
Check out www.myfiddlehead.com. We use them at my school and they really save electricity. You replace fewer PC's also.
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