ecofriendly gadgets

Bicycle Wine Rack for the Eco-Friendly Wine Lover

July 13, 2011 by Noemi 11 Comments

Bicycle Wine Rack

What’s your favorite mode of getting around? What’s your favorite (alcoholic) beverage? If your idea of relaxation is to take your bicycle out into the countryside (or the park, if you are an urban dweller) and enjoy a nice bottle of wine some time during the day, then you are in luck. I just discovered this little Etsy shop selling a handmade wine rack designed especially for those who like to spin their bike’s wheels. ((Etsy Shop))

Jesse from Montreal, Canada, obviously has a penchant for carrying a bottle of wine while on his bike and has come up with the Bicycle Wine Rack to solve the problem of keeping that bottle intact without getting in the way. The Bicycle Wine Rack is made of leather and some antique brass fasteners.

Those of you who pay particular attention to aesthetics will be interested to know that the leather is oil-treated and vegetable-tanned, meaning that it will become even more beautiful with age and use. And as you continue with your regular forays into the great outdoors on your bike, your Bicycle Wine Rack will only benefit from it.

As for functionality, the image may send across the message that the Bicycle Wine Rack is not a very secure contraption. However, there are hidden clamping mechanisms put in place by the maker, ensuring that your wine bottle has never been more secure! If you need more proof, here is a video showing the Bicycle Wine Rack in action.

I am not so sure about using the frisbee as a wine glass, but whatever floats your boat!

I know the Bicycle Wine Rack is not an electronic gadget, but it is a perfect accessory for someone who is always on his/her bike. With all the accessories that you get for your mp3 players and phones (not to mention tablets and other gadgets you take with you on the go), why not make sure that you always have space for a bottle of wine? After all, you never know when it will come in handy.

Other important details…the Bicycle Wine Rack will only fit bikes that have a 1-inch frame, so if your bike is special, then you might have to get an equally special rack made. Also, the racks have been rather popular so the newer units are taking longer to ship.

Recycled Paper Alloy May Make Future Gadgets Better for the Earth

April 20, 2011 by Noemi 28 Comments

Just because you love gadgets does not mean you throw all caution to the wind when it comes to being environmentally friendly, does it? Indeed, more and more, developments in the realm of technology include Mother Earth in the list of considerations. After all, it is only to our own benefit to do so.

Now take a look at that image again. Hard as it may be to believe, that is not entirely made of plastic! The casing is actually made of recycled paper and polypropylene alloy. True, polypropylene is still considered a plastic, but with the incorporation of recycled paper, the use of plastic is significantly reduced. And you don’t even have to worry all that much about the trees as the paper used is recycled. Can you think of a better way to get rid of the stacks of paper that you have lying around the house?

This technology is the brainchild of PEGA Consulting Group ((PEGA)), which was showcased at the Milan Furniture Fair. More than being environmentally friendly – everyone claims this about their products these days anyway – is there anything else that points to the success of this new material for casings for gadgets?

Definitely. One may think that paper is too fragile, especially for electronic devices that may be exposed to a lot of wear and tear. However, the resulting alloy has properties which allow it to perform as good as – or even better than – the plastics used today. The Paper PP Alloy is strong, sturdy, and yet flexible.

On the consumer side, the development of the Paper PP Alloy means lessening our individual carbon footprint and yet getting value for our money. According to PEGA, the materials and processes used to create the alloy are not expensive, so this might mean savings on our part. I am not too sure about that, though. One thing is for sure – the manufacturers do not have to make major changes in their processes since the current injection molding method can still be used with the alloy.

It does not come as a surprise that the group has already received an award for this development. It should also not come as a surprise to us if we see gadgets using this material for their casing in the near future. Oh, and in case you really are into good – and environment friendly – design, you really ought to browse PEGA’s web site. It is a veritable treasure trove of eye candy!

H2O-Powered Shower Radio

April 5, 2011 by Noemi 10 Comments

Don’t you just love singing to your favorite tunes while you’re in the shower? Come on, admit it – this is one guilty pleasure that most people have. If you live alone, then your secret is safe. Otherwise, you have probably heard some feedback about your musical habits while going about your daily hygiene rituals.

I don’t know about you, but I know that my singing skills would probably improve a hundredfold if I had a music player inside the shower without me having to worry about it going bonkers due to the steam and moisture. Of course, there are a lot of choices for shower radios – hence my strong belief that people do love singing in the shower. Still, don’t you just hate it when the batteries die on you just as you’re belting out the chorus of Bohemian Rhapsody?

Enter the H2O-Powered Shower Radio. ((Get it from Firebox for $56))

This nifty gadget might very well be the practice tool that will help you become the next American Idol (or the Idol of whatever country you are in), but it does more than that! What makes it stand out from your run-of-the-mill shower radio is the fact that it runs purely on water power. You got that right – it does not need batteries with lots of “bad” things for the environment. All that you need to do is to hook it up to the shower hose and the water running through the device will provide the power that it needs to give you all the FM radio goodness that you want.

Shower music + reduced carbon footprint. What more can you ask for?