Green Product Spot Light – Michigan Made Solar Lantern

Those last minute Christmas presents you’re thinking about aren’t like this one.  A team of Michiganders is manufacturing and selling a solar powered lantern. It can also function as a flashlight.  It costs $50 and lasts 10 years. Michigan Now’s Chris McCarus has their story.

They’re green and clear plastic, about 8 inches long.  They come with a thin solar panel, about 6 inches long.  Herman Moffett is packing them in boxes.  They’re called K-lights.

“This lantern is changing lives.  That’s a good thing.  This lantern is changing my life as well.  It’s allowed me to be employed.  It works out nice on both ends.”

The two ends are the basement of an old furniture warehouse in Grand Rapids where Moffett is working.  And the other is East Africa.  The K-Light lantern is made and sold there as well as here.  Just 1 out of 4 homes in Sub-Saharan Africa has electricity.  People walk miles to chop down fragile forests so they can cook and heat and light their homes.

Product pictures and more info can be seen by clicking on the link below.

http://www.michigannow.org/2009/12/23/michigan-made-solar-lamp-sold-here-and-abroad/

The Solar Powered Airplane, How Close Are We?

(From Globe-Net) – A prototype solar-powered airplane completed several important tests last Thursday and Friday.

Solar Impulse’s HB-SIA, which was finished this past summer, taxied down a runway using power from the 11,000 solar cells covering its wings and did a series of acceleration and braking tests. The next test will be revving up the plane to its 35km/hour take-off speed.

Founder of Solar Impulse, Bertrand Piccard, a former astronaut and the first man to circle the world nonstop in a balloon, hopes to perform the same feet in a solar-powered plane derived from on the HB-SIA design. Solar Impulse aims to test the prototype in flight next year and to achieve a 36-hour flight without fuel shortly after that. Results from these tests will be used to build a solar-powered plane to will attempt a transcontinental flight sometime after 2012.

A photo of the plane can be seen here http://www.globe-net.com/articles/2009/november/30/solar-airplane-a-step-closer.aspx

Greening Your Gift Giving

Great ideas from Choose Renewables’ Holiday Gift Guide can be found here http://tinyurl.com/yhd8pp9

10 Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas

(from Earth 911) – Still haven’t found the perfect present for those hard-to-shop-for recipients? We have compiled 10 must-have gifts for every person on your list.

From recycled materials to fair trade practices, you can be sure that your gifts will bring smiles without compromising your earth-friendly aspirations for a green holiday season.

1. The Philanthropist

Supporting a favorite charity or cause is a truly thoughtful alternative to trinkets and trifles. If you’re new to giving, groups such as Charity Navigator or the American Institute of Philanthropy can help you make informed decisions.

We like Trees for a Change, a program that offers “Tree Gift Cards.” Once you present the gift cards, send Trees for a Change one of the included postcards with the name of the person for whom the tree will be planted.

Trees for a Change is also a green business certified by Green America and is committed to sustainable business practices, including using only 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper for its tree gift certificates and cards, as well as planting extra trees to offset its carbon emissions.

2. The Gadget Geek

We love the portable solar electronics charger from Gaiam for the electronics aficionado on your list. No matter what you need to charge – an iPod, cell phone or rechargeable batteries – all you need is a little sun.

A rugged, hardcover-book-sized plastic case stores a 20-inch USB cable, various adapter jacks and a 4.4-watt solar module. It also includes a AA/AAA battery charger, so you can juice up even more electronics while you’re working off the grid.

3. The Little One

What’s a holiday season without a new, stuffed friend? For the little people in your life, Sweater Critters are adorable. Made from clean, recycled wool sweaters and stuffed with shredded recycled polyester, the animals come in all shapes and sizes from piglets and penguins to elephants and goslings.

To top it off, due to the recycled nature of their fabric, no two animals are alike, lending a unique and homemade feel to these soft little guys.

4. The Intellectual

We love Libuse Binder’s take on all things that plague people facing their “quarter life crisis.”A modern road map for those looking to make a difference in the world – no matter where you fall on the scale of “casually concerned” to “deeply passionate” – “10 Ways to Change the World in Your Twenties” is sure to give even the greenest thinkers something new to ponder over the holidays.

No worries if the recipient is no longer in his or her “Roaring Twenties,” the book works for people of any age or gender looking to shift their professional goals to a more sustainable focus.

5. The Fashionista

First World Trash is a great little New York-based company. It makes incredible duffel bags, laptop sleeves, makeup bags and more all from recycled materials ranging from billboards and seat belts to old bank and grain bags. We love the catch-all signature tote with its heavy-duty seatbelt straps and durable billboard panels.

The bags are really sturdy, and we can confirm it functions well as both a grocery and gym bag. Also, no two are alike, ensuring a signature gift to any couturier on your list.

6. The Dude

We love ties and shirts made from organic materials, but what about the bling? Eco-artware uses authentic parts from mid-20th century watches to create vintage recycled cuff links.

Artist Ward Wallau’s idea to create vintage cuffs came from New York’s discontinued “Y” cutout subway tokens. After 11 years of petitioning the New York Transit Authority, Wallau was granted an exclusive license to incorporate discontinued tokens in his jewelry.

Beyond watch parts and transit tokens, he also recycles outdated coins, circuit boards and Scrabble tiles in his jewelry and accessories.

7. The Traveler

U.S. travel spikes an average of 23 percent during the holidays. And because a globetrotter’s footprint is significantly higher than the average U.S. consumer, consider adding a green touch to your traveler’s luggage. British designers Elvis & Kreese created convenient travel bags made from recycled fire hoses.

The toiletry kit, tote bag or unisex saddle bag is ideal for that jet-setting college grad or the frequent business traveler.

8. The Outdoor Enthusiast

Nothing says “woodsman” like an oversize deer trophy above the fireplace mantle. But if hunting (or displaying the booty) just isn’t your cup of tea, we found a decoration that’s equally brag-worthy. Cardboard Safari uses recycled paper to create large animal trophies, from deer heads to full-body moose.

The pictures just don’t do these creations justice. Take our word for it – one of our co-workers is quite fond of his cardboard rhino!

9. The Student

While money is often the go-to gift for the struggling college student, we suggest scoring some serious eco-cred for the spring semester instead. We love the Re-News Portfolio from Ten Thousand Villages. Made by artisans of Biborton Handmade Paper Project in Agailjhara, Bangladesh, the portfolio is made from woven recycled newsprint, handmade paper and decorative jute rope binding.

10. The Animal Lover

Some of the best gifts come in an envelope. From your uncle that spends all day on the farm to your co-worker that has an apartment full of adopted cats, donating money in your recipient’s name to an animal-based charity is sure to be a memorable gift.

Check out Farm Sanctuary or the World Wildlife Fund – organizations with solid reputations known to use their funding thoughtfully. For a more personalized gift, research charities dedicated to your recipient’s favorite animal.

If you’re just hankering to wrap a present, we found cute, nifty beaded owl figures from Wow Imports. The beaded wire art collectibles are fair-trade and made in Africa.

“Green” Labeled Products, Which Ones Should You Look For

(From Earth911) – Do you find yourself checking the green labels on products before purchasing them?

They validate social and environmental concerns for both businesses and consumers, promising everything from healthier food to better stewardship of the land.  With nearly 400 certifications worldwide, it can be difficult to understand what each one means and distinguish between legitimate seals of approval and marketing schemes.

BBMG, a branding and integrated marketing agency, recently released a Conscious Consumer Report.  They tested 13 of the seals to see how 2,000 adults responded, in terms of recognition and alliance.  Here are the 10 most recognizable labels, according to that study:

http://tinyurl.com/yhofcns

Kicking the Disposable Battery Habit

Americans buy about three billion household batteries (about 10 per person) annually, according to the Environmental Protection Agency—and nearly all of them end up in landfills. The next time you need to power up your gadgets, choose rechargeable batteries instead. Unlike disposable alkaline batteries, rechargeable batteries can be reused hundreds of times, which not only saves money and resources, but also reduces global warming pollution associated with battery manufacturing and transport. An independent study conducted for battery manufacturer UNIROSS estimates that using a disposable battery to create 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity has a global warming impact equivalent to driving a car 283 miles; using a rechargeable battery is equivalent to driving 10 miles.

Rechargeable battery technology continues to evolve, but there are only a few types widely available today.

http://www.ucsusa.org/publications/greentips/

Finding a “Green” Computer

(GLOBE-Net) – Companies and individuals looking to buy green IT products can now use an easy search tool developed by the US Green Electronics Council.

The council has announced the launch of the global Electronic Product Assessment Tool (EPEAT), –  a comprehensive assessment of computers, monitors, and notebooks available across 40 countries including Canada, China, UK, Brazil, Mexico, and Japan.

http://www.globe-net.com/other_news/listing.cfm?type=2&newsID=4527

White Roofs-Saving Energy & the Planet

SAN FRANCISCO — Returning to their ranch-style house in Sacramento after a long summer workday, Jon and Kim Waldrep were routinely met by a wall of heat.

“We’d come home in the summer, and the house would be 115 degrees, stifling,” said Mr. Waldrep, a regional manager for a national company.

He or his wife would race to the thermostat and turn on the air-conditioning as their four small children, just picked up from day care, awaited relief.

All that changed last month. “Now we come home on days when it’s over 100 degrees outside, and the house is at 80 degrees,” Mr. Waldrep said.

Their solution was a new roof: a shiny plasticized white covering that experts say is not only an energy saver but also a way to help cool the planet.  The rest of this article can be read here http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/30/science/earth/30degrees.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Solar Leaves Add Style to Renewable Energy Generation

These are pretty cool looking, not sure about their reliability and efficiency, but a cool idea.

Brooklyn-based Sustainably Minded Interactive Technologies have released a system of aesthetically pleasing, fluttering photovoltaic leaves that generate electricity using solar and wind energy.

These solar leaves can easily be installed on any vertical wall due to their light weight.  The system is also not static which allows the leaves to move around and catch sun from many different directions.

To read more click the following link:

http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/07/02/solar-ivy-photovoltaic-leaves-climb-to-new-heights/