If you’re looking at America’s future, you’re probably seeing green. At the center of this eco-friendly movement are innovative and exciting new technologies. Here’s a look at the some of the green gadgets that are making waves among eco-friendly techies.
MacBook Air
Apple Inc. edged out the competition with this sleek eco-friendly notebook. Introduced in 2008, the Air is encased in aluminum, which means it’s easy to recycle, and its glass display is mercury and arsenic-free. Managing to outdo its own product line, the laptop uses 56% less packaging than a regular MacBook.
Retailer: Apple.com
Cost: $1,799
(Source: Apple.com)
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Biorecyclable USB Drive
(Source: earthdrive.atpinc.com)
Introduced in 2008 by ATP Electronics Inc., this USB is made of biodegradable polyester derived from renewable resources, such as corn. The EarthDrive, which ATP claims is the first of its kind, ranges in storage sizes from 1 gigabyte to 8 gigabytes. ATP partnered with American Forest Foundation for the project and will donate some of the revenues to the planting of trees.
Retailers: Costco.com and Walmart
Cost: $20 to $100
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Ultra Thin OLED TV
(Source: SonyStyle.com)
The Sony Corp. Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) TV emits less light per area than other inorganic LEDs, which are made from arsenic and other compounds harmful to the environment. This first-of-its-kind technology eliminates the need for a backlight and consumes up to 40% less power than conventional 20-inch LCD panels.
Retailer: SonyStyle.com
Cost: $2,499.99
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All-in-One Home Recycling Center
(Source: Brookstone.com)
Made by Mode Products, this nifty gadget stores all recyclable material, including plastic, metal and glass, and comes with a built-in crusher. The two-bin sorting system and built-in compaction chamber allows the center to hold three times more waste than typical storage units. The five-gallon paper bin features a junk-mail divider. It’s great for those lacking extra space to store recycling bins.
Retailer: Brookstone
Cost: $249.99
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Universal Portable Solar Charger
(Source: store.solio.com)
Forget traditional chargers, the Solio Universal Hybrid Charger will recharge your cell phone, MP3 player, or digital camera using natural rays. Made by Better Energy Systems Ltd., this hybrid device will plug into any socket and store that energy within its internal rechargeable lithium ion battery. It also limits your need to purchase multiple chargers for your gadgets. One hour of sun will give you 40 minutes worth of energy for your MP3 player, or 15 minutes of talk time on your cell phone. Each Solio charger comes with an MP3 connector cable, global A/C travel adapter and Nokia, Motorola, and Samsung adapter tips.
Retailer: Solio
Cost: $99.95
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Solar Powered Air Conditioning System
(Source: Rotartica.com)
This solar-powered air conditioning unit by Spanish technology firm Rotartica is made
of evacuated tube thermal collectors with a water-heated absorption chiller and packaged in a small box that produces a 4.5 kilowat cooling power. Simply put, it takes in hot water and produces cold water. Attach this to your air conditioner’s fancoil — you know, the contraption that actually lets the cool air into your home — and voila, you have a green air conditioner. Though it made its U.S. début at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January, it is only available in Spain.#####
Water Usage Monitor
(Source: GreenerGadgets.com)
Made by Ariel Drach, an Israeli design firm, the self-powered device shows a real-time display of how much water you are using on an integrated LED display screen. Since conserving water is one of the best ways to save the environment, users can monitor their own consumption by attaching this little device to your shower or kitchen tap to measure the amount of water you are using. The Bware water usage monitoring meter has yet to hit the market.
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