There are plenty of innovative green products out there that can make your life easier while helping the environment at the same time. Here are some interesting items worth considering.
NatureMill Kitchen Composter
The NatureMill Composter takes recycling to the next level by turning your organic kitchen waste into rich compost without having to haul it to a compost pile. It fits right in your kitchen—either freestanding or in a cabinet—is fully automatic, and odor free.
The process is simple—just take your old coffee grounds, vegetable peelings, egg shells, meat scraps, etc, and put them in the composter’s upper chamber. The composter automatically mixes the material every four hours and adds air and heat while a carbon filter removes any odors. Once it’s through being processed, it’s transferred to a lower chamber for further decomposition. An indicator light lets you know when the compost tray is ready to be removed.
The NatureMill Composter sells for $299 to $399. It can process up to 120 pounds of waste a month and produces compost every two weeks with a 70% reduction in volume. Power requirements are minimal—about the same as a night light—with an average operating cost of only 50 cents a month. The Pro Edition even comes in a choice of six colors.
Solio Magnesium Hybrid Charger
So you’re hiking in the woods, out on a boat, or maybe just taking a walk in your neighborhood and the battery on your cell phone or MP3 player goes dead. How to get a quick charge? Try the Solio Magnesium Hybrid Charger.
The lightweight six ounce unit can be used to power most portable electronic devices and is recharged either by harnessing the power of the sun or plugging it into the wall. The unit captures the sun’s energy using photovoltaic solar panels then stores the power in a high capacity lithium ion battery until your electronic device needs charging.
The battery retains its charge for up to one year and it has enough power to charge your cell phone twice before needing to be recharged. One hour of sunshine will give 25 minutes of talking time or power an iPod for an hour.
The Solio comes with a charging cable, USB cable, and wall adapter. The durable magnesium case measures approximately 1¾” x 2½” x 4¾” and is priced at $199.
Java Log
An eco-friendly fire log? You bet! Meet the Java Log, the first all-natural fire log made from recycled coffee grounds.
The Java Log produces seven times less creosote than firewood, which results in a cleaner chimney and fewer emissions. Since the log is made of recycled coffee grounds and renewable vegetable wax, no tree are cut to make it, and over 20 million pounds of coffee grounds are kept out of landfills every year. Even the wrapper is made from 100% recycled paper.
Java Logs are perfect for the fireplace or campground. They’re easy to light, burns for 2 to 3 hours, and produce 25% more energy than wood, resulting in a brighter flame. They come in 3 and 5 pound logs priced from $1.99 to $3.49 and are available at grocery and other stores. See their website to find a dealer in your area.
