Consumer Products Archives - Page 3 of 18

Is This the World’s Fastest Solar Charger?

May 12, 2014

by Derek Markham

It’s really exciting to see the advancements being made in solar power over the last few years, especially in the small scale and personal solar charger industry, as they seem to keep getting smaller, more efficient, and more affordable. But how small can solar chargers go, while still being powerful enough to handle our mobile device charging needs? I’m no stranger to solar chargers, as I own and use several of them regularly, from the tiny Waka Waka solar light…

Don’t Buy Your Next Suit, Rent It by the Month with This Suit Subscription Service

April 25, 2014

by Derek Markham

The stereotype of the entrepreneur or startup founder as someone who lives in jeans and flip-flops might be enticing to those who have to dress up all the time, but the truth of the matter is, if you show up to a dressy event clothed too casually, you might come across as someone who’s not worth listening to, so spending some money on a nice looking suit may be worth a lot more than the cost. Sooner or later, you’ll…

Fred Water Elevates Refilling Water Bottles with Stylish Water Tower Dispenser

April 23, 2014

by Derek Markham

Bottled water isn’t exactly a green product, because most of the time it’s not any better for you than tap water (and in fact the water inside the bottle is usually just municipal tap water), and because single-use products that generate more plastic waste is an idea that really needs to be rethought. So it’s encouraging when a bottled water brand encourages its customers to refill their bottles with tap water instead of buying another new one, and makes it…

Switch to this Socially Responsible Mobile Network and Save 25% on Your Data Plan

April 22, 2014

by Derek Markham

For most of us, what our mobile network does with the profits it makes from us is kind of a mystery. But for something like our mobile phone network, which is so essential to our work and our personal lives, and which we pay on month after month, year after year, wouldn’t it be better to know that we’re contributing to a better world with our money, and not just an extra vacation home or huge bonus for the CEO?…

PaperBoy Wines Chooses Ecologic to Supply Its Paper Wine Bottles

April 16, 2014

by Derek Markham

For wine lovers, the glass bottles that deliver their favorite beverage can be a bit of an environmental boondoggle, as they’re not only heavy to transport, which adds to the carbon footprint of the product, but they’re also breakable, which means that they can’t be brought to places where glass containers are prohibited. Glass is recyclable, so there is some redeeming eco-quality to it, but it takes quite a bit of energy to recycle glass, a greener option would be…

Small Batch Custom Snowboards from Responsibly Managed Forest: Empire Grown

April 11, 2014

by Derek Markham

For the ultimate in small batch custom snowboards, the Empire Grown project uses wood cores from poplar and birch trees that have been harvested right near their shop from family-owned, responsibly managed forest land in upstate New York. What began as a simple text message, “We should build a snowboard,” several years ago, has now grown into a small custom snowboard shop located in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, and Ben Beisler and Zhenya Grinshteyn are turning to Kickstarter…

Adbusters’ Fair Trade Shoes Feature Organic Hemp and Recycled Tire Soles

April 10, 2014

by Derek Markham

If you’re looking for a new pair of Earth-friendly, socially conscious, Fair Trade shoes, free from corporate logos and built to last, the Adbusters Blackspot Unswoosher might be the kicks for you. These fair trade shoes feature 100% organic hemp uppers, soles made from recycled tires, a logo made from recycled inner tubes, and include a red spot on the toe “for kicking corporate ass.” The Unswoosher, which were designed by independent footwear designer John Fluevog, are made in a…

TerraCycle and Timbuktu Upcycle Vintage US Postal Service Bags into Messenger Bags

April 8, 2014

by Derek Markham

Vintage is in. Upcycled is in. Messenger bags are in. What happens when you combine all three? Timbuktu, in partnership with TerraCycle, has done so, and the resulting product is not only practical and beautiful, but it’s also highly practical. The company’s new bag design uses vintage US Postal Service mail bags, sourced by TerraCycle, for the raw material, which then get turned into a high quality messenger bag capable of hauling all of your work and play gear comfortably.…