Monday Mar 05, 2007
Saw this on Hugg today. A new green directory for renewables.
Unfortunately no category for computers and electronics yet - just a catch-all for technology.
There are other sites like this out there. I'm into these kinds of sites, particularly if there are a lot of ratings and reviews. I have also seen several green wiki sites that are even more interesting. Unfortunately I can't find them right now.
Thursday Feb 22, 2007
Thanks Andrew for sharing these LED lights spotted on Thinkgeek, to continue the conversation on my "Lights Out for Old Bulbs" post.
<snip>
LED Light Bulbs also have these great features.
- Long life - up to 10 years
- Low power consumption (about 1/30th of a standard bulb)
- Output: Vivid (31 Lumens), Vivid Plus (60 Lumens), Spotlight (120 Lumens)
- Great in a directional lamp for reading, mood or porch light
- These bulbs are generally not intended as a complete
replacement for incandescents - these bulbs are lower output but more
focused
- 120V bulbs
- Two-year warranty
Tuesday Dec 12, 2006
OK, I'll admit it: it's still not easy to find eco gifts online, and furthermore there is not a one-stop shop for everything eco. It's really unbelievable.
You have to have incredible amount of patience, and a lot of creativity and positive energy. I have been looking for a post-consumer/eco-friendly/reclaimed-materials padfolio as a gift suggestion for myself for a while now and have had no luck whatsoever. I was even searching for 'recycled alumininum padfolio' to try to get more specific. A padfolio are notepads for professionals that sometimes have a leather holder sometimes with a zip around. I wanted something a little funky, and to show my eco consciousness in meetings.
So far I've found the best way to find these things is to go through alternative channels: to local art shops or craft fairs like Crafty Wonderland, which had a line out the door to get in yesterday. These artisans are just that, crafty, and many of them are very eco conscious.
I bring this up because it's time to shop for family members and I'm having a hard time following my own rule. I will not give up and will report back.
I did purchase several wallets and purses from Mugwump at the fair made from reclaimed materials such as old contact paper, vinyl, and other scraps. I didn't get the one below (made from old maps) but probably should have. I got one that has a vinyl woodgrain.
So for the eco shopper, there are challenges ahead, at least going through mainstream channels.
Sunday Dec 10, 2006
(source)
My wife is Catholic and I am Jewish, and so we typically have a
Menorah burning as well as Christmas lights, and sometimes a tree.
It's a beautiful way for us to express our differences and our openness
to celebrate each other's holidays, faiths, and traditions. This post is about being eco-friendly, and has no judgment on the idea of putting up lights as a form of celebration and tradition. I will first say, I love Christmas lights and always have. My parents used to drive us around the neighborhoods so we, even as Jewish kids,could ooh and ahh at all the beautiful lights. This post is totally at risk of calling me a scrooge, but hear me out.
I posted previously my wishlist to my mother to buy me something (if anything) that is eco-friendly. But riding my bike around Portland, Oregon, which is supposed to be a very green city, has me baffled. The city has so much holiday spirit they must have forgotten that Christmas lights use a whole lot of energy up. Imagine how much energy our city -- if not the planet -- is using up from now until New Years. Someone should do a study. However, I simply cannot imagine how sad it would be if we were told we couldn't have Christmas lights anymore because they weren't eco-friendly. You never know, it could happen some day soon.
With our beautiful trees and restored historical houses here it's ample playground for those beautiful Christmas lights. I've done some very quick web searching and already found some much more eco-friendly lights. Since the holiday season is for giving and sharing, now's the time to share with your family and friends that it's time to think differently about the holiday season, and make it a green holiday.
Tis' time to switch to LED Christmas Lights. Check these out.
They’re 255 times brighter than conventional LEDs, up to 90% more
energy-efficient than incandescent lights, and stay cool to the touch
even after hours of use. The lights are durable and weatherproof with a
strong lens and no fragile filaments, and since each LED lasts up to
200,000 hours, nobody has to worry about trolling through the attic for
extra fuses after swilling too much eggnog. Each strand is 24 feet long
with 70 LED lights and can be used indoors or out. Multi-colored,
$19.95; white $29.95 ::BrookstoneMO]
(source)
UPDATE: My wife doesn't like the multi-colored ones. So I quickly did more research. Luckily, there are plenty of varieties available, and they're not all as expensive as the Brookstone one above. Target, for instance, sells some white LED lights and they're only a little more than five bucks.
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