Archive for February, 2008

Another device discovered on my obsessive pursuit of all things solar. The lovely, ultra-light PowerMonkey-eXplorer will keep your cellphone, iPod, Blackberry, PDA, digital camera and other small devices humming happily without sucking juice from the local power grid.
The Solar PowerMonkey-eXplorer is a rechargeable battery storage pack and solar panel combo.
One nice feature is an [...]

Another Friday post from Seamus, The Eco friendly Dog.

It’s Friday and I’m a little anxious about seeing Matilda the maltese up the street when I take my 5:30 walk. I think I’ll have my main man Max, spray me with a shot of my Chill Dog Anxiety Spray and maybe a hit of Peppermint [...]

Thanks to the inspiration and artistic whimsy of young children, iconic fashion designer Vivienne Westwood launched one of the most original, nature-loving collections to hit the Paris catwalks, stilts included.
See the video
wonderful photos
via: telegraph.uk

If you’ve ever sat on your darkened, post-party patio, fumbling in the dark for that last goblet of sangria, you might want to consider investing in this outdoor accessory. This 9′ umbrella has a solar panel that screws into the top to power 8 hub mounted LED’s and 18 LED’s mounted on the umbrella’s [...]

If you’re not familiar with nau (if you’re a steady altCon reader, you are), now’s the time to get up to speed. Nau’s high-performance fall/winter collection will be available @ 40-75% less than usual at this 4 day event in nyc. A great time to pickup a stylish, naturally wicking top - (the [...]

I don’t believe it. I guess $4 a gallon had an impact. (audio) House Votes to Tax Big Oil, Fund Renewable Energy - npr
It’s rough on tomatoes. Study: Bacteria Common in Snow - usa today
Lighter cars will burn less fuel. Mitsubishi Chem. Plans Carbon Fiber Auto Parts - reuters
The Bush Interior Dept. is the enemy [...]

Chicago-based Lauri Apple is a modern day trashionista. She’s a collector of discarded clothing & such - and posts about these treasures on her blog, FoundClothing. Her site features contributions from other “finders.” Above (pix) are examples of “saved” threads from Scotland. There’s a flickr pool where anyone [...]

I know some of the trees involved. ‘Cloning’ Comes to Trees in Preservation Push -cs monitor
Wind Farms May Threaten Whooping Cranes - myway
The upside to warmer weather. Record Warm Winter in Finland May Boost Crops - reuters
Top 5 Alternative Uses of Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch - ecorazzi
Scientists Advance ‘Drought Crop’ - bbc
I needed a large [...]

Small urban and residential windpower installations are eventually going to be a common, happening thing. The Helix system from New Earth is just one of many designs for low wind speed residential and commercial applications. The avian friendly design catches wind from all directions creating torque to spin an electric generator. Mounted up to [...]

Andre Kovel and Justin Parker of Esque Studio create these eye-catching vases from recycled glass in their electric, wind powered furnace.
Sustainably produced.
these one-of-a-kind art objects start at $314 @ branchhome.com
(via: cleansingblog.com)

No, No, No…don’t have a hairdo that is taller than 47% of the people in Asia. Amy Winehouse has taken high hair to another level. Rumor has it that it takes a minimum of 4 cans of Extra Hold Hairspray to maintain the structural integrity of this hairdo - enough aerosol propellant [...]

States rights anyone? EPA Chief Pressed On Calif. Waiver - msnbc
Mainstream Adopts Greenpeace Colors - reuters
Now this is a good use of military resources. Troops Sent to Stem Amazon Loss - bbc
The jet stream blows west to east, or as in my case, here comes some crap from Ohio…Study: Contaminant Levels High in Western Parks [...]

While cleaning the kids’ playroom for what must be the umpteenth time today I spied the bag of Tree Blocks that our entire family loves to build with. These unusual building blocks are cut from tree branches and make the most beautiful sculptures, keeping little hands busy for at least long enough for me [...]

An eco clothing designer for the fashion-forward, Nicole Bridger’s creations exude “a breath of fresh air” — her spring-summer line conveys a simple, carefree attitude that’s positively sexy. Vancouver-based, Nicole aims to bring out the best in everyone.
Get ready to shed winter’s wear when you take a look-see @ NBD collections. Her locally-made eco [...]

They say it’s your birthday. Ross and I wanna give a big shout out to everyone, especially Jamie, Jessica, Zach, Kyla, Molly, Lori, Michael, Kim, Susan, Megan, CariLu, Eileen and Jared for helping us launch The Alternative Consumer. What began as a meandering side trip, has turned into a full time adventure.
We’ve learned much, [...]