The Inflatable Chimney Pillow blocks cold drafts from coming down the chimney

I really love it when people use out of the box thinking to save the planet. You don’t really need to create draconian laws or appeal to people’s fears by creating crisis after crisis. All one needs to do is appeal to everyone’s number one barometer … their pocketbook. And when it comes to conserving energy in the home, The Inflatable Chimney Pillow may do just that.

Created from a durable plastic laminate that is both air tight and tear resistant, the Inflatable Chimney Pillow can be inflated and stuffed up just about any unused chimney to block heat from escaping up the plume and cold air from drafting down the chimney. It can be deflated and stored when using the fireplace, and then re-inflated to reinstall.

Installation kit includes the Inflatable Chimney Pillow, inflation tube, and a reminder card which can be placed on the fireplace mantle to remind the homeowner to remove the pillow before starting a fire.

No word on availability or price, but you gotta love the out of the box thinking ….

Hat Tip – Trend Hunter

It used to be you heard about electronic and mechanical geniuses getting their start through tearing apart any gadget or motor they can get their hands on.  Purely to see what made it tick and if they could perhaps get the whole mess back together again.  Sadly, today’s kids get a little bit jipped in that department.  A lot of electronics once taken apart have a void warranty and on occasion can even have harmful materials within.  Well BigShot is a working camera that allows for the kids to build the camera.

It’s a great way to get kids interested in the technology world and gives them a camera of their own that they can proudly show off.  Once the camera kit is all put together it can be powered by either a battery or by cranking it.  To work the crank you just need to crank it 6 times per picture.  It also has lenses on a rotating wheel that allow for prism, wide angle and other type shots to be taken.  Right now the BigShot camera kit isn’t available.  BigShot hopes that they’ll be able to make the camera cheap and available to kids worldwide.  However, it’s too early to tell as to whether or not they’ll actually succeed at that.

Source: OhGizmo

As kids most of us enjoyed building things.  Even if it was just a sand castle or a Lego themed item that really didn’t do anything but sit there, it was still awesome.  For a kid to be able to build something that actually moves would be a whole lot more fun.  Especially if it’s a speed boat that they get to play with at the local pool or even in the bath tub.  Well this speed boat lets the kids construct it themselves and even teaches them about solar energy.

The project is easy to build and will work just fine for kids 8 years of age and over that.  When it’s all put together and outdoors the solar panel will give the boat all the power it needs.  Then when you’re indoors you can pop in 2 AA batteries and it’ll keep on running.  Just make sure to disconnect the solar panel before you put in the batteries, otherwise it’ll damage the solar panel.  You can purchase the Amazing Solar Speed Boat Electronics Kit for £9.99 or about $16 through Maplin.

Source: Envirogadget

Those that got their hands onto an iPhone generally try to protect it from everything possible.  That usually means picking up a case, even if that means covering up your very sleek and attractive iPhone or iPod Touch.  Well if you’re going to pick up a case anyway, you might as well make it an eco-friendly one that gives you a few extra hours of talk time.  Then you’ll never be without a form of back up power.

The case just slips onto your iPhone or iPod Touch like any other case would.  On the back will be the solar panel that could easily be laid on your dashboard or in your window to catch a charge.  After you’ve managed to keep it out of your pocket enough to give it a full charge, it’s able to offer your iPhone 390 hours of standby time and a total of 9.5 hours of actual talk time.  You could also use it to plug into your laptop by just hooking it up through the USB port.  You can purchase the Smart Cover for $139.99.

Source: Ubergizmo

According to David Laituri, designer and co-founder of Vers, “The new Shellcase offers a wood case solution to those who prefer to have their iPod touch or iPhone fully protected AND 100% accessible. We’re big believers in hand-crafted wood; it has a wonderful look and feel – each one is unique. It’s surprisingly tough as well, particularly Bamboo, tougher than plastic. It looks great, offers superior protection and is the most renewable resource on the planet.”

Similar to the Vers 2X and Vers 1.5R, these new Vers cases were specially designed with the same passion for sustainability, where each tree that is used in Vers case production will be replanted by another 100 trees via Vers’ partnership with The Arbor Day Foundation and the U.S. Forestry Service in an effort to re-forest parklands damaged by fire and other natural disasters. This is clearly going miles ahead of the competition, allowing you to purchase each case without feeling guilty but by being able to sleep well instead, knowing you have done your part in helping plant a whole horde of trees in the process. You will have to fork out $39.99 for Vers wood cases for iPhone, iPod touch and iPod classic, while the iPod nano case is going for $39.99. As mentioned earlier, they will come in Cherry, Walnut and Bamboo varieties.

Press Release

Recyclable laptops made of paper could be popular in the future, and good for the environment.

Our friends at Yanko are working overtime again trying to come up with environmentally friendly electronics which won’t pollute our landfills. And this time they’ve come up with a recyclable paper laptop. That’s right. A paper computer which can be thrown away once it’s no longer wanted or needed. Considering Moore’s Law means computing power doubles about every 18 months, a disposable laptop may be a good idea. Here’s the thinking …

Recyclable laptops could benefit from prinatble circuit boards and flexible OLED screens.

OLED screens are getting brighter, with higher resolution, and at a cheaper cost. Soon, they will create “e-ink” electronic paper which is foldable. Couple that with a cardboard case that replaces hard plastic or in Apple’s case titanium, printable circuit boards which actually carry a current, and you have a computer that could be thrown away when it’s no longer needed.

And the argument is that disposable cameras and cellphone have already gained acceptance, so why not a PC? Interesting idea if you upgrade your rig every year or so – which is probably the case for those who travel for a living – or those who don’t want to risk their most expensive computers while they’re on vacation.

Only time will tell if the idea would catch on or the price point would be cheap enough to make it feasible. But there are already $10 laptops being developed in India, and it’s conceivable that said computer can be built almost like a newspaper is printed, so chances are, this could be a winner.

Hat Tip – D’Vice

Any toy that teaches kids about alternative energy in a way that makes it fun for them is definitely okay in my book.  I’ve seen some that are kits and a bit more complicated.  Honestly, I think that this car is one of the best approaches I’ve seen.  It goes for the subtle angle, it’s a fun remote control car and doesn’t need a single battery to run.

Even kids know the joys of searching for batteries in the house so that their treasured battery-operated toys will work.  Explaining to them that this doesn’t need any and why, is a fantastic way to teach them about renewable energy.  The car itself actually runs on zero-emission hydrogen fuel.  It also utilizes solar energy, so it’ll teach them about a couple of different methods.  It can be purchased for $147.95 through Amazon.

Source: GadgetGrid

Source: TreeHugger

A lot of items made out of old gadgets don’t exactly blend in within the real world.  Those cuff links made out of old Xbox buttons aren’t going to impress your boss in the least.  I know it’s difficult when you feel like you’re trapped in a black, white and beige world to find a way to still express yourself.  However, some still have to at least somewhat keep the appearance of a professional.  Well this tie will look great in the work place and never let on that it has a highly geeky twist.

These Sonic Fabric Neckties are made out of 50% recorded audio cassette tape and then 50% colored thread.  Due to being made out of old tapes, these ties can actually be listened to by rigging an old Walkman.  You can watch a tutorial released by the creators of this limited-edition tie if you’d like to listen to your tie.  Sadly these eco-friendly ties do cost quite a bit.  One of them will end up costing you $90 from Supermarket.

Source: OhGizmo

Contrary to popular belief that solar capable items need a heavy battery to go along with it, the Sun-Bags take a different route by tipping the scales at a mere 500 grams (sans your collection of gadgets within, of course) inclusive of the battery, bag structure and solar panel. For folks who have a hard time making decisions, the Sun-Bag is not going to help either since it will come in a whopping 37 colors with optional custom printing for that added level of customization.

Neuber’s Sun-Bags will be available worldwide, where pricing starts from 99 Euros upwards, depending on the design that you choose. It would be interesting to see just how well the Sun-Bags will do on the open market, since the entry level price might be just out of reach for most of the working class, especially in Third World countries where the need for renewable energy devices are even higher so that authorities won’t take short cuts in their industrialization process by dirtying the environment.

Press Release

CFLs have quickly started to show up in just about everyone’s homes.  Yes, they are more expensive, but it’s just so nice not to have to change bulbs out quite so often.  Plus there is the benefit of reducing your energy bill and that whole eco-friendly thing.  However, there is one major downside to them, they contain a small amount of mercury.  Well luckily someone has now created a safety shell to keep that mercury from escaping.

It’d be a serious perk for anyone that is worried about their kids coming in contact with the mercury.  The skin for the bulb will remain on it, even if the bulb inside of the skin manages to shatter.  That’s a lot better than dealing with having to keep kids and pets away from the area where the bulb was broken.  The skins will be out in December and January.  At that time they’ll cost $7.99, but it is questionable how many people will bother paying the extra cash for the cover.

Source: Crave

If you’re looking for a flashlight with renewable energy, you’ll have plenty of options out there.  Firstly there are several different sizes, but then you get to choose between solar, wind-up and shakeable.  Well now you get one more choice to pick from.  This flashlight is actually powered by water, which would make them highly convenient while you’re out camping.

Not only will this light work just like your average flashlight, but it also can be used as a regular lantern by just making some simple adjustments.  It’s probably not going to be as great as the oversized lanterns that many people use.  However, this would be better than nothing, especially if you were to put it within an emergency kit of some kind.  In order to work it, you just have to fill up the battery with water.  It’ll also run on beer, coke and even urine.  You can purchase the NoPoPo Water-Powered Flashlight for $54 from the Japan Trend Shop.

Source: GeekyGadgets

The SolarCharger 906 is a highly portable unit which enables consumers who are always on-the-go the opportunity to charge a variety of their devices including cellphones, PDAs and other handheld mobile devices. Measuring roughly the size of a deck of cards, the SolarCharger 90 is tiny enough to fit into your purse, tote, briefcase or glove compartment, and has a variety of tips to work with just about any device imaginable in the market today. It will have a a highly efficient solar conversion thanks to the incorporation of a high-performance monocrystalline solar panel and special solar chipset. When fully charged, this device can juice up one or more USB devices, as long as the target device’s charge capacity and current charge level are not too much. Apart from that, its internal battery is able to hold its charge for up to a year. In addition, it only needs to be juiced up to 40% of its total capacity to provide a cellphone with enough juice to last for an emergency call.

Since this is a solar-powered charger, it can withstand temperatures of up to 158 degrees Fahrenheit just in case you decide to leave this baking in a car. You can pick up the SolarCharger 906 for $59.99 from Amazon.

Press Release

Buying rechargable batteries is always far better than purchasing the disposable ones.  However, it’s still not a perfect method.  It helps so that you’re throwing away less batteries, but at the same time you’re still plugging something into the wall and using your electricity to charge the batteries.  Instead of plugging a battery charger into the wall, this ReNEW would allow for your rechargable batteries to become even more eco-friendly.

This ReNEW charger allows for you to just drop the batteries through the top slot and once the battery is all charged it will drop out of the bottom.  On the back of the unit is a solar panel that is the resource of the power pumped into your batteries.  The charger can either sit on a tabletop like a picture frame or you could use the suction cup to attach it to a window.  It’s a fantastic design, but sadly it is still a concept.

Source: Ubergizmo

These things always had track that would take up way too much real estate on the floor, and you’d have to take it apart to store it. Then pieces of track would get lost, and you’d have a shorter track, assuming you could get a complete track out of it.

However, the Race in a Case is a terrific alternative to traditional slot car racing, as it packs all the racetrack including the background into one case that folds up very neatly with a handle for carrying.

It also doesn’t require any electric power. Those controllers are hand-powered. This means the faster you crank, the faster the cars go.

Of course, you can’t go too fast around a corner, or the car will go off the track, just like electric slot cars with those trigger controls. Hopefully, they solved that problem with slot cars that just won’t move because they aren’t aligned on the track properly. You’d have to own an electric slot car track to know what I’m talking about.

If you’d like to check out this racing action, head over to the Gizmoo web site and lay down £49.95.

Source

There are quite a few solar gadgets out there and unfortunately a lot of them can get a touch pricey.  Well for once, this lantern is incredibly cheap.  Instead of grabbing the kerosene or battery lantern when you head out into the world, you could grab this eco-friendly solar one.  Surprisingly it’s actually said to shine brighter than your old kerosene lantern would.  Plus it’ll give off light for several hours when it has a full charge stored up.

The lantern is a total of 5 times brighter than a kerosene lantern and will shine light for up to 8 hours on a fully charged battery.  Of course not only can you charge it through the solar panel, but it can be plugged in and charged through the AC charger as well.  It provides 360-degree light and has a handle with multiple-settings to allow for flexible usage.  It has protection for over-charging and has an all around tough design.  In order to get a full charge the lamp needs 8 hours of sun and through the AC it requires 4 hours.  On high that’ll give you 4 hours of light and on low it’ll give 8.  The lamp itself is retailing for only $10.

Source: Ohgizmo

There are a great deal of solar lights that go down with the plants and make your garden look that much better.   Well instead of sprucing up your plants, you can add a little mood lighting to your deck or porch.  This could even be used indoors, you’d just have to make sure it stays close to a window to get the full charge it needs to run.  It’s not your usual solar lamp that you find in someone’s garden, which is exactly what makes it so appealing.

In order for this to cast the pretty scroll design onto your tabletop, it’ll need to soak up the sun through the solar panel located on the top.  After it has reached a full charge though, it’ll give you light for up to 8 hours.  You don’t have to let it stay on all the time either like a lot of other solar lights.  This one comes with an on/off switch, so that you can choose when to use up that charge.  You can purchase the lights individually for £24.99 or about $39.

Source: Envirogadget

Here’s a solar lamp that almost appears to disguise itself as a candle.  If someone were to walk past this lamp without paying attention or see it at night, they’d very likely write it off as a candle without giving it a second thought.  Well this glazed ceramic sphere will keep on giving you eco-friendly light, without you having the same concerns as you would a candle.  Things like looking for a lighter and then attempting to remember to turn it off again.  You get all the soft glow you want and no risk of burning down your front porch.

There’s no need to flip the light on or off either, it will always automatically come on once it’s dark outside.  After the light has a full charge stored up from during the day, it’ll be able to shine for up to 8 hours.  The batteries themselves are the replaceable kind, it uses rechargeable NiMh batteries.  On the up side of things, it seems that buyers have nothing but good things to say about these after they’ve purchased them.  Knowing that ahead of time always makes it easier to purchase things such as this, online.  You can pick them up for £11.99 or about $19.

Source: Envirogadget

It’s not uncommon in some areas for people to be choosy about when they flush.  Well for those of us that are in areas where water hasn’t gotten quite so scarce, such a habit almost seems archaic and just plain gross.  It’s not that we don’t believe it’s necessary, but sometimes old habits are hard to kick.  Well instead of completely converting to flushing less often, you could give this gadget a try.  As far as water conservation goes, it’s kind of a happy medium.  It has two different choices as far as the type of flush you’d like to use.

You can either do a partial flush or a full flush.  Although it may not sound like much, it allows for you to reduce your toilet’s overall water use by anywhere from 30 to 50 percent.  That translates into about an average of $100 per year in water use.  Which means after one year you’ll have paid for the device itself.  The gadget alone costs $99, which isn’t too bad.  It’ll work with your existing toilet too, which means less work for you.

Source: GoodCleanTech

Source: Inhabitat