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/.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Daily Greenz #115

Furniture, we knew, but homes?  IKEA, the international home products giant, has recently announced that it’s now building eco-friendly apartments, replete with flat pack furniture and other economically-priced home accessories.  The concept behind BoKlok (literally, “live smart” in Swedish) was created based on customers’ top priorities: safety, spaciousness, and accessibility to green spaces.  Therefore, all BoKlok homes have been designed with an open layout, high ceilings, and large windows to give homes a modern, spacious look and feel.  Like all things IKEA-efficient, they can be built in 16 weeks and are currently priced at $260,000.  The first block is scheduled to be completed in England very soon.  If they’re a hit, they may very well be the next big export to the U.S.  If you love all things IKEA and dream about buying an eco-friendly house, stay tuned for more BoKlok news.

Daily Greenz #114

Are you one of those people who’re eternally prepared for all things in life, even death?  Well, if you’re an environmentalist through and through, you’ll be happy to know that you don’t have to give up the cause, even in death.  Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve,located in upstate New York, offers a completely eco-friendly burial with no toxic embalming involved. They work in partnership with local businesses to provide coffins made from locally harvested timber, grasses and herbs for your plot to feed the ecosystem, and fieldstone markers that are engraved by local artisans.  Best of all, their burial grounds don’t look like a cemetery at all, but rather a beautiful scene straight out of a movie, with lush green meadows and rolling hills that blend in naturally with the neighboring state park.  You, too, can rest in eco-peace by visiting naturalburial.org.

Daily Greenz #113

For all you beer-lovin’ people out there, we’ve found the perfect piece to compliment your home and personality.  Why toss out all those beer bottles after a Sunday game when you can create a chandelier out of them?  The two-tiered pool table chandelier by Tejas Home holds 52 beer bottles and eight light bulbs in a scrolled steel frame, creating a rugged fixture that’s sure to spark a conversation or two when you have guests over for drinks.  The eco-friendly spin is that Tejas Home doesn’t use new beer bottles to create these pieces; it asks buyers to send in their own, so you can customize your chandelier with your favorite drinks.  It’s a tad pricey for $1,250 at tabbyinc.com, but now, you can immortalize your days of youth and fun-loving on your ceiling forever.

Daily Greenz #112

Crate&Barrel has finally acknowledged the direction in which furniture design is headed and launched a huge campaign to greenify its entire collection of home products.  From the top down, it has revamped its manufacturing process to produce more eco-friendly furniture in an environment that uses less energy and resources.  Its Jardin Chair, for example, was constructed using certified sustainable hardwood and upholstery made of soy- and plant-based polyfoam (away, petroleum-based foam!).  It’s FSC-certified and packaged in eco-friendly renewable fiber that contains post-consumer recyclable material.

In a nutshell, C&B lovers now have eco-options at no extra cost.  And if you’re an eco-consumer who has kept your love for C&B a secret all these years, you can proudly talk about its green campaign in the open now.  With mainstream companies like C&B going green, it’s only a matter of time before they all jump on the bandwagon!  If the ‘40s-style Jardin Chair tickles your fancy, order it for $799 at www.crateandbarrel.com/environment/

Daily Greenz #111

If you’ve been racking your brains over what to get your child for his or her birthday, My Paper Crane offers a slew of fun and creative plush toys that will bring a smile to your little one’s face.  Heck, you may even be tempted to buy one for yourself!  Creator Heidi Kennedy recreates the world out of fleece and polyfil (polyester wool), anthropomorphizing everyday objects like doughnuts, roller skates, and toilets.  They all don silly expressions (who can resist a smiling doughnut or a toilet that seems to invite you to sit on it?) and are made with such loving detail that you’d swear they were alive.  What began as a fun hobby has become a full-blown business for Heidi, and you can benefit from her creativity by visiting her website at www.mypapercrane.com.  Toys are available for $10 and up.