Eco Friendly Product Guide

Everyone is frantically looking for sustainable, alternative forms of transportation.  Even people who aren’t necessarily concerned about the environment are trying to save money.  Petroleum prices continue to rise, city streets become more congested, and it doesn’t look like things are going to get any better for a while.

This GoPed self-powered folding scooter that is suitable for adults as they travel short distances.  It can fold up flat for easy transport on the bus or train and storing in the office.  It comes in five colors: Blue, Pink, Red, Yellow and Green.

Unlike most other scooters, it is made in the U.S. with the finest quality materials:

Patmont Motor Werks is the world leader in personal transportation and proudly produces the world’s finest portable transportation devices out of it’s 70,000 sq ft production facility in Minden Nevada USA.

The Patmont family has kept PMW strong by constantly innovating new and improved products. In addition to an excellent selection of scooters and carts, the introduction of the ESR750 pure electric GoPed scooter line in 2003 now provides the world with a zero emission, environmentally friendly transportation device for those wishing to reduce climate change, their carbon footprint, beat the rising prices of fossil fuel, and foreign oil dependence.

You can buy the scooter in different sizes, including the adult version pictured here for just $164 from GreenAndMore.com.  You’ll save at least that much in gas within the first two months of using it!

One of the problems with the way manufacturing is done in today’s world is the sheer volume of waste that is produced.  Some of it is a byproduct of the process, and some of it is simply a result of mistakes by the workers or machines.  For example, in factories which make cans, tins and other metal containers, there can be hundreds–even thousands–of misprints which must be discarded because they are not able to be sold.

One artist has salvaged this misprinted sheet metal and used it to make stunning Moroccan-inspired themed lanterns that can lend ambience to either an indoor or outdoor space.  These colorful lamps come in two shapes:  round and cylindrical.  They have hundreds of tiny openings which allow a lit tealight candle to illuminate the room with a magical glow.

Imagine your next BBQ or evening party decorated with these festive lanterns.  Each misprint metal lamp is $69 and can be purchased on Viva Terra.

I have never given sponges the consideration they deserve. I suppose, though, that sponges (the type that sway about on the floor of the ocean) have as much right to life as anyone.

Also I had failed (until hearing about Twistclean) to consider that the billions of sponges manufactured artificially every year might lead to unwanted piles of spongy waste with a detrimental impact on the environment.

That was the reason that the people at Twistclean decided to reinvent the sponge. Now you can get a range of household sponges that keep your house clean as well as your conscience. The materials they use are 98% biodegradable, plus they do their absolute to best to use all the raw material they take into the factory.

You can look at the Twistclean website for a list of suppliers. Unfortunately you cannot buy online and the website gives no indication of the prices of these little suck-ups — but if you are seriously into purchasing non-damaging household materials then Twistclean sponges may be the answer for you.

Fire & Light is known for it’s vast array of dinnerware, glassware, and other assorted products geared towards entertaining your guests. Since the start of the company in 1995, Fire and Light has manufactured products with over 91% recycled glass, turning it into raw material.

The glassware made through Fire & Light is aesthetically pleasing to the eye, and provides the eco-friendly consumer with a nice piece of mind when entertaining guests. Having unique dinnerware and household accessories is one thing, but serving drinks in an eco-friendly tumbler made of recycled glass is what we like to call entertainment on a clear conscience.

You can buy the glass tumbler set through such retailers as Greenfeet.com, starting at $22.95. You can check out the variety of products available through Fire & Light’s website.

Here’s a great idea: bags for your compost bin or dog poop bags that are biodegradable. That’s right, it’s the easy way to get rid of stuff knowing that it’s all going right back to the environment.

Available through Clean Air Gardening, these Biodegradable Dog Poop Bags or Compost Pail Liner BioBags are made from corn, and are completely shelf stable! There are no chemicals added, so decomposition is a quick, natural process.

Not only will it make your neighbors happy (no more gossip about Walter’s dog pooping on Rumsfield’s lawn again in the neighborhood), but they can bring a smile to your face knowing that you have done something great for the environment. You can even take it one step farther: go next door to your new neighbors, The Klopeks (I think that’s a Slavic name), and give them the compost bags and get them started on their own compost bin as well.

The compost liner bags have 125 per package, and are $29.99, and the dog poop bags have 150 per package and are $19.99. These are great alternatives for your compost bin, and for simply picking up after your pet.

Everyone’s a winner with these bags. Go over to Clean Air Gardening and check out some of the other products they have to offer.

Current Energy uses the slogan “leading the quest for smart energy solutions.” In keeping with their name, the company also has an online store chock full of eco-friendly products, ranging from recycled goods, to energy saving devices, to even just fun educational devices for the kids.

The Mini Hydro Greenhouse is a table top hydroponic mini greenhouse for the kids that grows vegetables, herbs, or anything of the like without soil.

This greenhouse really works, and is only $25. It’s a fun gift for the youngsters, and is a great way to get them started on a green lifestyle for when they grow up.

Lugging a trash can around the lawn while doing yardwork can sometimes become an annoying process. It can become heavy, and can even be a way to slow down the overall speed in which work gets done around the yard. A collapsible container can rid someone of these problems.

If you know an avid gardener, or someone who is no stranger to lawn and garden work, you might find yourself searching for gift ideas or new garden gifts. You can really make their day when you find this collapsible garden debris container. It’s compact and very sturdy. Holding up to 43 gallons of material, this collapsible container makes for easy storage, and can make the average gardener’s life much easier. For example, worrying about bag breakage while dragging leaves around the yard in a trash bag will become extinct.

This container can even be used as a portable trash can – you can fit lawn bags inside and then carry the container around from place to place! There are four padded handles and a detachable strap included with the container, so carrying it around from place to place in the lawn will be totally easy. This is an excellent gift idea for any gardener, you will never let them down by giving them one. It prices in at $34.99, which is a small price to pay for helping make someone’s life a little easier.

A hand washer can turn out to be a great Christmas gift for many people – from a die hard eco-friendly individual, to a camping obsessed buddy. There is no doubt about this. However, Looking for garden gifts, eco-friendly gift ideas, or just the Christmas gift idea for the guy/gal that has everything can be kind of tedious. There’s so much out there, and if that special someone you are looking for is like my father and buys everything before you can even think of a gift to purchase, you might want to consider this hand washing machine. It’s a surefire bet this product will catch someone by surprise. However, if they are eco friendly or are a camper, they will love it. At just $49.99, this washing machine practically pays for itself.

One cannot overlook the simple fact that this washing machine is so easy to use – just combine water, eco friendly laundry detergent, and whatever items of clothing to be washed in the chamber inside. Secure the lid, and turn the crank about 1 turn per second – then BAM – clean laundry. No electricity required. It’s so ideal for the camper – wash your stuff and then hang it to dry. When you are looking to purchase a green gift for the holidays, for a birthday, or “just because,” it really doesn’t get much better than this portable washing machine.

Electric bikes are an excellent way to get around the city or a quiet suburb. They might not yet be ideal for highway traffic, but if you are living the Urban Lifestyle, they are perfect. Especially if you are one of the many who waits to take the bus from one end of the city to the other every day, this is an excellent way to go.

UrbanScooters.com sells a wide variety of electric scooters for purchase. A fun sporty model is the X-Treme XB-508 Electric Bike. Totally environmentally friendly, the XB-508 has a speed of 20mph and a driving range of 20 miles, but you can also pedal as well, reaching faster speeds and longer distances when necessary. This is also a nice feature, because if for some reason or another you unfortunately run out of power, you always have the pedals to fall back on…no getting stranded roadside with the XB-508!

It’s nice, quiet and comes with all of the standard features that one would expect. A nice feature is also the locking rear cargo box and a cargo rack. It’s an excellent way to get around, and is certainly a nice addition to your already green lifestyle.

Be nice to the bike, however. Any Andy Samberg style stunts a-la Hot Rod are not recommended.

This bike costs $1,069.95, and is available in blue or burgundy from UrbanScooters.com.

During the spring and summer, mosquitos and other insects can be somewhat of a nuisance. That’s when people start bringing out the bug spray. Of course, there are some wonderful environmentally friendly solutions to insect repellent.

Buzz Away insect repellent products are DEET free and are all natural products. They are chemical free, and do an excellent job repelling insects from mosquitos to files, to even ticks and gnats!

Check out the list of products available from Buzz Away. You can send yourself or your family out into the elements, and still retain protection…just in a chemical free, all natural way.

The prices of the different insect repellent products vary, depending on what you are looking for. For example, a 4 oz. spray bottle of Buzz Away Extreme insect repellent goes for $8.09, and a 20 hour Buzz Away Cintronella Candle will typically cost $6.89.