Earth Friendly

With rising energy prices and greater ‘green awareness’ an increasing number of consumers would like to keep track of their home electricity usage. A meter reading once a year from your supplier isn’t going to help much if you’re concerned about day to day consumption, and it certainly doesn’t help you keep costs down! The clever Energy Aware Clock, from a team of Swedish designers, allows people to monitor their consumption daily thanks to a funky visual display.

The clock works by collecting data about energy usage in the house and logs it on its face as the day goes by. The more energy being used the higher the spikes in the pattern. A simple glance at the clock lets you see how much energy you used at any time in the day - 10am, 4.15pm, 7.30pm, and so on. The clock’s design blends comfortably into the home - unlike a lot of other energy consumption gadgets that…well, look like energy consumption gadgets!

The idea behind the clock was to make it as subtle and visual as possible, so ordinary people are encouraged to think about their energy use. A quick look each day and you could soon be saving money on your bill, not to mention helping the environment! 

This was a guest post from WasteCare Waste Management.

Almost everyone has a cell phone (to those of you who refuse to be controlled by your electronic devices, I commend you but I’m addicted). So have you ever considered how much electricity you use to charge your cell phone, iPod and digital camera? Well, if you want to reduce your dependency on electricity for these items, you can invest in the Brunton SolarRoll , which can charge these devices with the sun’s energy. It can even charge a car battery! This solar gadget can keep you twittering, texting, jamming and chatting in an eco-friendly way.

Rechargeable batteries are handy to have around, but whenever I need to use them, I can never find the charger. Then I end up having to buy batteries again. If this happens to you too, you may be happy to know that there are now USBCELL AA rechargeable batteries. All you do is pop off the bottom and plug it into your computer to charge them…it’s similar to how you would use your jump drive. There are quite a few products that are battery operated (remote controls, wireless gaming controllers, digital cameras, flashlights, MP3 players, etc.), and you probably own them. For $18.85, you can have two AA rechargeable batteries. Check them out: USBCELL AA Rechargeable Batteries.

Gas Jobs
Gas and Oil job vacancies from the Energy Institute. 

As you’re running out the door in the morning, do you grab a bottled water or a reusable water bottle? While choosing bottled water may seem more convenient and safer than your tap water, think again.

Regulations on bottled water vary, because the U.S. Pharmacopeia standards for purified and sterile water do not apply to carbonated, seltzer, sparkling, soda or tonic waters. So even though you’re drinking bottled water, you still need to be aware of where it came from and who certified the water’s quality. Instead of paying for potentially impure water, you can use a simple gadget that fits into your reusable water bottle, which filters out those bad tasting chemicals.

Guyot Designs created the TapGuard, which can serve as an alternative to bottled water. All you have to do is run the carbon pouch under water for one minute, slide it into the TapGuard, place the unit into your water bottle and drink clean, fresh water throughout the day. John Steed who is in charge of the environmental programs and logistics at Guyot Designs says, “It’s a pretty easy step for people to take if they want to be green.”

The TapGuard comes in three different colors: Tahoe Blue, Tangerine and Black. The unit comes with two replacement carbon filters, which is enough to filter 200 liters of water. The activated carbon is made in the U.S., and it is derived from coconut husks from the Philippines, which are heated up to over 1,000 degrees. The heat creates an oxygen deficient area, and tiny holes emerge on the carbon, which attract negative ions. Steed says, “[the carbon] is activated so something happens chemically and it reacts with chlorine to absorb the smell.”

On average, you will need to replace a 100-liter carbon cartridge every two to three months. The TapGuard removes 95 percent of chlorine, which is commonly used by water treatment plants. In addition, the unit also filters out iodine and other organic chemicals. So when you’re traveling in airports, heading to the gym or rushing to work, you can take your refillable water bottle with TapGuard along with you.

Using the TapGuard can save you money, but it can save the environment from being polluted with more plastic and carbon dioxide. Also, Steed says, “We try to make the packaging as minimal as possible.” This is done with 100 percent post-consumer recycled cardstock and soy-based inks. An added plus is that you can even send the product back to the company to be recycled, because Steed says, “our products are made in a way that’s easy to strip down.”

Guyot Designs have created many innovative products to make your life convenient and eco-friendly. The collapsible Squishy Bowls, which can be used for hot and cold foods, make an excellent companion to the TapGuard , especially if you have plans to go camping or hiking this summer.