Daily Greenz #119

The Tear Drop Bike looks like it belongs in a museum - pretty to look at, but not much good for anything besides aesthetic beauty.  What if we were to tell you that this baby actually works, that this cross between a bicycle and motorbike is a veritable work of aerodynamic genius?  Engineer Josh Hadar uses a range of strong materials, such as hand-spun aluminum, metal, and glass to create his designs from scratch.  The sleek and simple lines aren’t just for show – they take into account the way aerodynamics work with body mechanics for the best performance.  Far from being a gas-guzzling nightmare, this cruiser has a small, hand-blown glass fuel tank that only kicks in when you get tired of pedaling.  It can only be engaged for a short while, as this bike relies mostly on human power to operate.  His custom creations take three months to complete and cost between $12,000 to $35,000, depending on the features you choose.  It may be a sizeable investment, but if you’re a committed bicyclist who wants to ride around in eco-style, you may want to check out his designs at hadarmetaldesign.com/.

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Daily Greenz #118

If you’re someone who loves nature and longs to bring it inside the house with you, Show offers you some stylish alternatives.  A natural lifestyle store located in Los Angeles, Show carries an array of international designs in furniture, houseware, and accessories that are slightly off-beat but beautiful.  Their designers hail from all over, but we particularly love Canadian Doha Chebib’s log bowls, which are created from salvaged logs and stained with colorful acrylics on the inside.  They give the feel of a tame Thoreau-esque experience right in your own kitchen.  Available for $50 at www.showlifestyle.com.

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Daily Greenz #117

Body Glove understands that, if you’re a surfer, your wetsuit needs to fit you like a second skin and be just as natural.  As someone who spends a lot of time in the water, you want to know that your wetsuit is safe for both you and the environment.  To that end, their new Body Glove Eco is one of the most eco-friendly wetsuits in the market, boasting cutting-edge designs made of non-petroleum-based, natural and recycled materials.  Largely made of Eco-Flex (limestone-derived) and Bio-Stretch (aka natural rubber), this wetsuit consumes only one-tenth the amount of energy used to produce a typical petroleum-based counterpart.  Still concerned about the performance of an eco-friendly wetsuit?  Its Vapor lock seams keep water seepage to a minimum and the additional interior floodgate is guaranteed to keep the surfer as dry as if he or she were on land.  In addition to the super-flexibility of the natural materials, its flex kneepads will help you maneuver those crazy moves in the water.  Available for $324.95 at www.bodyglove.com.

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Daily Greenz #116

When it comes to traveling, whether it’s a weekend getaway or a weeks-long foray into another country, it’s reassuring to bring along a travel book or two to help us navigate unfamiliar territory.  That being said, it’d be nice if these travel books were slim and tailored to our interests, so we wouldn’t have to lug around all 300 pages, as these travel guides tend to be.  Fortunately, Lonely Planet has heard our cry and has come up with a travel- and eco-friendly way to do just that.  You can now download and print any chapter from over 100 of their books, allowing you to custom-create your own travel book and saving you tons of paper and money.  Start planning your next vacation at just $2 – $4 a chapter at shop.lonelyplanet.com.

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Daily Greenz #116

Gone are the days of hideous, shapeless footwear made for those with an eco-conscience.  These days, shoe designers like Cri de Coeur prove that you don’t need to trade in fashion to ease your consumer guilt over unrecyclable shoes.  Their collection, which includes stylish slingbacks and ankle boots, are made from eco-friendly materials like canvas and rubber composite, and are completely PVC- and animal-free.  They’re also hand-crafted by fair-trade workers in Europe and shipped in boxes made of 100% recycled cardboard.  Cri de Coeur’s commitment to the environment doesn’t end there: they’ve partnered with thecarbonfund.org to off-set any carbon emissions they can’t avoid and have plans to incorporate organic fabrics in their future collections.  Turn your shoe collection into an eco-friendly one for $120 and up at www.ravinstyle.com.

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