From the upper corner of the US in Oregon Graham Bergh has repurposed pieces of old bicycle chains to elicit this functional work of art. Resource Revival has a purpose to recycle bicycle parts in inventive ways. The Rebicyclers have been in the biz since 1994 fashioning beautiful pieces from ordinary bike parts. I am an avid cyclist and could see the allure of flaunting around the local watering hole with this eco friendly bottle opener. Also offered is custom laser engraving for larger orders. I could see the whole gang with personalized bottle openers bar hopping next weekend!

If you are reading this I don’t have to tell you that computers have become a huge part of everyday life.  They enrich our lives allowing us to stay up to date on current events, share ideas, stay in touch with loved ones… for some they have become indispensable.  So since they are here to stay, let’s make sure they play nice with mother nature.  Here are 5 easy ways you can Green your computer…

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The HydroPak give you and your tech gear the power boost it needs, when you need it, wherever you are in need. Using fuel cell technology by Horizon this power pack can recharge a laptop, cell phone, and yada yada yada. Why is this a better alternative? Using the Hydropak, which also incorporates technology where just adding a little H20 creates clean power, gives one the option to take an energy source into the outback without a nasty fume belching traditional generator. If your work or lifestyle brings you outside the reaches of a power grid the HydroPak is your green power source. One cycle of the HydroPak can recharge your laptop up to ten times.

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Generally speaking large flat panel TVs, with their high energy consumption, toxic components,  and overly abundant packaging are not very eco-friendly, however, some are friendlier than others.  If you want a killer picture without killing the environment, you should take a look at the Philips Eco TV.  This 42″ full 1080p HD LCD TV is packed with power saving functions, and was manufactured a little more responsibly. 

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Last summer, the HP rp5700 was welcomed with plenty of Green fanfare.  At the time it was the first desktop computer to achieve the Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) Gold rating.  Since then a number of other desktops have stepped up to achieve this rating, however, the rp5700 still holds the highest score (20 out of 24). 

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These eco-friendly speakers are made from recycled material and packaged in recycled packaging.  They are inexpensive and can fold up to slide in a bag or a note book so you can take em with you where every you go.  I can’t speak to their quality, but their website says they sound great.  This is a really cool idea and as soon as we get our hands on a pair I’ll let you know how they sound.

Ambient Devices’ Ambient Orb, which is known for being a visual indicator of the current level of the Dow Jones, can now be tuned into PG&E and give a visual representation of the current load of their power grid.  PG&E customer can simply plug the orb into an outlet and it will automatically start receiving power grid updates over a 900 MHz broadcast network.  When energy demand is low the orb will glow green, but when the energy demand is high, it will turn red.  PG&E is hoping this will help avoid brownouts by alerting consumers that the system is being taxed heavily and reminding them to turn off nonessential appliances.  If you aren’t a PG&E customer and don’t live in CA, you can still buy the Orb and use on a number Ambient’s channels for example, use it to…

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Before I found this site I had an elaborate Task/Info Management system that involved forests worth of yellow sticky notes all over my desk and computer monitor.  ShifD is a simple, convenient and FREE way to go paperless.  ShifD keeps all your bits of info in one place.  It breaks things down to three categories: Notes, Places & Links, but also allows you to apply Tags to any of these for complete control of how your info is stored.  You can post notes to your account via the website, a desktop application or your mobile phone so your notes go where you go.  This really is a great productivity tool that can really help you go paperless.

Greenify your next desktop.  Instead of buying an all plastic computer get a monitor, mouse and keyboard made of bamboo.  Bamboo is a rapidly renewable material, easily recyclable, strong and flexible so it makes a great replacement for plastic. 

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Gibson matched their commitment to legendary quality & sound with their commitment to the environment in their SmartWood line of Guitars.  The Les Paul SmartWood Guitars are made from the worlds most beautiful and desirable wood, all harvested from managed renewable forests and certified by the Rainforest Alliance.  These models are all backed in Mahogany and topped with the following wood (pictured above from left to right): Ambay Guasu, Banara, Curupay, Peroba & Muira Piranga.  The result, killer guitars that are easy on the eyes, ears and planet.  Rock out with your Green side!

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