• Getting back to nature…For The Mega Rich: A Refrigerated Beach – cs monitor
• I know this was a tough call for the guy…Pope Says Saving Gays Just as Important as Saving the Rainforest – ecorazzi
• If you can see the illuminated Santa on your roof on Google Maps you’ve got too many lights…Efficient Holiday Lighting Gains More Converts – msnbc
• Did someone say “I hope this doesn’t cost anything”…Obama Team Primed to Push Climate Change Agenda – reuters
• Recycling Industry Slows as Consumers Shop Less – npr
• I’m sure he was welcomed with open arms…Lonely Man Jumps into Polar Bear’s Cage in Berlin – myway

It’s the dead of winter as I type away steadfastly – snow and ice hanging off my every appendage…which I guess explains my fixation on all things solar, warm and tropical…

The consuming public’s hunger for anything iPhone-related has spawned another gadget for outdoorsy mountain climbers, wood nymphs, hikers and nomads – another solar iPhone charger.

This one’s marketed by Solar Arcadia and actually looks like it might hold together for more than a couple of weeks. Sports a lithium ion polymer battery and LED charge level indicators, SideFlip and Flip models.  Says it’s made of eco-friendly ABS sheepskin, maybe we should ask the sheep about that…

@ solararcadia.com

via: tuaw

This week’s roundup of eco chic happenings brought to you by a select group of hopelessly green gal pals.

• Green Grechen serves up a nice array of organic cotton t-shirts and poses the question:  Does Going Green Mean Going Broke?
• Check out eco bride to be, Victoria E’s must-see review of great favors and supplies for the green bride.
• Fig + Sage exclusively interviews Rona Berg, the Editor in Chief of a brand spanking new glossy, Organic Beauty.
• Give a Brighter Planet Gift, Green Cotton shows how you and your friends can Be Carbon Neutral for a Day without spending a dime!
• And in case you missed it — whether you’ve been naughty or nice, we feature a fine selection of sustainably sexy eco undies.

Oregon-based Eleek makes some great looking, sustainable building parts and fixtures.  We previously took a look at their recycled aluminum countertops and tiles.

The lighting fixtures above are made from recycle aluminum or bronze (optional on the Spoon Pendant) and are intended for Halogen or LED bulbs.  Left to right are the Spoon, Normandy and Starlight Pendants. More designs and details on their lighting fixtures @ eleekinc.com

• Climate Change Could One Day Doom White Christmas – reuters
• This is also a problem in upstate NY…Plea for Help Spotting Bat Killer – bbc
• A Greener Alternative to Plastics: Liquid Wood – msnbc
• Any chimp who’s watched the Discovery Channel would be an improvement…Obama Signals Break With Bush in New Science Team – yahoo! news
• Sir Robert Redford speaks out…Stop Bush’s Destruction of the Environment – huffington post
• Anyone concur? U.S. Teens Portrayed as Violent, Unethical – livescience
• In sports…Man Eats 7 Pounds of Latkes to Win NY Contest – myway

More solar-powered gadgets are hitting the market every day. Singapore-based Shiro, has recently unveiled its SQ-S solar media player that will soon be available to the media obsessed masses.  The SQ-S stores up to 38 hours of music or 10 hours of video and charges via a solar panel on the back of the player or via USB connection.  Four hours of direct sunlight is said to fully charge the 16GB player.

Features: Recordable FM tuner, MP3, WMA, WAV, FLAC, APE, M4A and OGG codecs support, JPG, BMP and GIF picture and SMV video, with conversion from AVI, MPG, WMV, Real Player, QuickTime, MP4 and DVD files. Built-in microphone and voice record, lyric display while listening and a bunch of other features.  The screen is a 1.8″ 65k color LCD.

Available ‘soon’.

via: avreveiw.co.uk

Eco fashion for the wee ones.

Animal prints are all the rage. Designer Ross Meneuz and his Fauna brand have taken sepia toned images of nature and interjected them into our wardrobe. This squirrel print strikes my fancy – except when one of these furry nutcrackers is scoffing down all the sunflower seeds from my birdfeeder.

on sale for $19 @ designpublic.com

Who says you have to bundle up and go out when it’s cold out there?
Don your favorite under-frocks, max out on eco-style and comfort,
and make an indoor play date.

(L to R, above)

Kaight’s boutique stocks it to us with this super soft organic cotton
PI thong. Either in natural or luscious raspberry with black lace trim, ($16).

Mix and match polka dots, turkish rose or navy blue eco body cami and hipster shorts at People Tree. Camis sold separately ($8.81/ea) and shorts sold in mixed 3-packs ($11.74).

Why not Be Cheeky with Cache Coeru Bra and Panty with lace trim by Ciel-Organic, 95% organic cotton, 5% Spandex, ($88/set, also available as separates).

(L to R, above)
Enamore’s new Sophia Ruched Chemise made from 95% soft bamboo jersey with a touch of Spandex. A made to order pretty little ditty so allow up to 21 days for delivery, (75).

Open The Oko Box and take a peek at the Tie Tank Set with lots of ruffles and ties made from vintage cotton with organic cotton panty liner, ($44).

BTC Elements serves up a green undies staple, the tagless little thong in breathable organic cotton and a dose of stretchable Spandex; in white, natural or black, ($12).
A few fun ways to stay warm and cozy with Santa, baby.

Boot those plastic Barbies out of the dollhouse, kick your Cabbage Patch collection to the curb, show Elmo the exit – Hanno the Gorilla is in the house!

Created out of sustainably harvested, new-growth beech by designer David Weeks, Hanno’s pose can be transformed by his elastic-band muscles.  Sculpture or toy?

a robust 14″ tall and $75 @ a+r store