You know we love upcycling around here, so when the folks at MINIWIZ offered to send me their case for the iPhone 4 that's made from trash, I knew I had to take them up on it.

The case is made out of an architectural grade plastic called POLLI-BER, that the company developed. Polli-ber is a trash composite made with processed organic rice husk and post-consumer thermoplastics from used car bumpers, CD containers, bottle caps, etc. Pretty cool, right? Keeping plastic out of the landfill and replacing something that people buy with a more sustainable alternative!

The case fit my phone nicely, though I wish that it also protected the phone's face. I drop my phone a lot, and my last iPhone bit the dust when the screen shattered.

One really cool feature about the RE-Case is that it seems to be geared towards folks who use mass transit. There's room in the case to insert your refillable transit card, though I guess if you have one of those tap and spend credit cards, you could use that, too. They provide an EM shield that you stick between the card and your phone, so the phone won't demagnetize your card.

The case is cute, and I like that it's multi purpose. One thing that sort of bothered me was the packaging. Here's what the press release says about the packaging: "RE-case is packaged in recycled cardboard." What they don't mention is that the recycled cardboard is then wrapped in plastic film. Since they don't mention anything about it, I'm assuming this isn't made from trash or recycled. Plastic of this quality also isn't recyclable, so each case comes with a bit of trash that's headed for the landfill. Here's everything that came with my RE-Case

Don't get me wrong: I love that they're diverting waste from the landfill to make a product that people are buying already. If you're in the market for an iPhone 4 case and the screen thing isn't a concern for you--lots of iPhone cases don't have screen protection--this is a great way to buy a case with a lot less waste. It certainly has fewer disposable bits than most of the cases out there.

The rep from MINIWIZ who sent me the case to review commented via email on the plastic wrap issue. Here's what she had to say:

Our distributors demanded that we sealed the entire packaging with plastic (anti-theft, anti-dust, whatever) and you have no idea how peeved we were. But alas, it was a hard battle to convince retailers to carry them in the first place, when all they wanted were rhinestones and crazy colors.

Interesting, right? I think that's a side of production that you don't normally see. Companies need a good relationship with distributors, because that's how you get your product into stores.

What's really revolutionary to me is the POLLI-BER material. As you know, I hate petroleum-based plastic products, and this material seems like an economical, sturdy replacement for some virgin plastics. It's architectural grade, which means it's pretty sturdy, too. I could see benches, picnic tables, picture frames, and all sorts of other housewares made with this stuff. Since the composite does contain a mish mash of plastics, it's probably not a good idea to use this stuff to make dishware or food storage, but for other types of housewares it seems like a great option.

What started as a small operation to rescue blown bike inner tubes from the landfill has bloomed into a a company that upcycles all kinds of gear into bags and accessories.

Green Guru is all about taking materials that are landfill-bound and finding ways to upcycle them into durable products for active peeps. They make bags from bike inner tubes, laptop sleeves from old wetsuits, and even turn old advertising banners into usable products. The folks at Green Guru were kind enough to answer a few of our questions about what they do and why the do it. Check it!

greenUPGRADER: Can you tell me a little bit about the company founders and how Green Guru got started?

Green Guru: The company founder, Davidson Lewis, grew up working in bike shops, and his first job was fixing flat tires all day. At the end of each day he had to take all the tubes out to the trash where it struck him how much waste there was from the bicycle industry. He tried to rescue as many tubes as he could to patch and reuse or to use for other things like tie downs and rubber bands, but it wasn’t enough to keep up with all the tubes that were destined for the landfill.

Being the son of artists that were also stewards of the environment, Davidson decided to take a creative angle to solving this problem. After graduating with a product design degree, he developed a line of bags and accessories that was able to use these discarded materials. Over time other gear waste materials were added to the upcycling mix. Now we upcycle bike tubes, wetsuits, climbing ropes, banners, tents, garments and more into eco-friendly gear that promotes environmental stewardship.

gUP: Why bike inner tubes?

GG: We have a passion for the outdoors and love our outdoor sports. The avid bicyclist can go through 2-3 or more bike inner tubes a year, and because the cost of getting a new tube is similar to taking the time to patch an old one many people will opt for a new reliable tube. We don't want the eco-friendly sport that we love to add all of this waste to our world so we are diverting this waste and turning it into a durable solution.

gUP: Can you tell me a little bit about how you source your materials?

GG: We partner with bike shops and set up a collection site right there in their shop so when someone comes in to buy a new tube they can toss their old one to us for reuse. We also partner with large manufacturing companies to take unusable tubes, and small personal donations as well.

gUP: Where do you manufacture your products?

GG: Boulder, CO, USA.

gUP: What really stands out to me about your gear is that not only do you repurpose your materials but you deliberately create a durable product. Can you speak about why durability is important to you?

GG: Being green or sustainable is not only about recycling it also includes using products that are going to last, this cuts down on waste. Our products are built to be durable, many have water resistant qualities, and we believe they are tough enough for everyday bumping around for years.

Just last week we showed you how to turn a Mason jar into a to go cup for hot drinks, but what about when you're toting plain old water? Obviously, you don't want to buy bottled water when you're on the go, because it's crazily overpriced and comes with all sorts of environmental and ethical issues. So, what's the busy eco-ista to do?

Reusable plastic water bottles definitely have their benefits. They're lightweight, usually easy to clean, and they can take a beating at the bottom of your purse. The problem with plastic bottles is that they're made from plastic. Not only does that mean they're a petroleum product, but chances are they're leaching some nasty stuff into your water. Even if your bottle is BPA free, plastic contains a host of other chemicals, and there are suspicions that the plasticizers companies are using to replace BPA aren't much better from a health standpoint.

Metal bottles can be a pain to clean, but at least you're avoiding the plastic in contact with your water, right? Not really. To keep your metal bottles from giving you water a metallic taste, companies tend to coat them with - you guessed it! - plastic.

That's where the glass water bottle comes in. Glass doesn't leach into your drink, and there are no coatings to worry about. You can stick glass bottles right in the dishwasher. Heck, you don't even have to go out and buy a fancy one like in my photo at the top there. In fact, reusing something is way greener than my store-bought glass bottle that's encased for some reason in plastic. Here are a couple of ideas for how to get a glass water bottle without shelling out the bucks:

• Next time you get a single-serving glass bottle of juice or sodapop at the store, just stick it in the dishwasher. Voila!
• You can also use a straight up Mason jar to tote you water.

No need to buy anything special or spend $10-$15 on a fancy pants bottle. You probably have a jar in your pantry that you can start toting water in right this moment, if you want. Do any of you guys use a glass water bottle? Is it store bought, or did you repurpose it?

Remember those super nice gals at Greyslater who gave away a shampoo and conditioner bar set? Well, they are at it again with another awesome no-waste idea: the mason jar to go cup for your coffee or tea!

By now I'm sure you've seen the Cuppow. It's a special lid for a Mason jar that instantly turns it into a sippy cup. The trouble with toting your hot coffee in a glass jar is that the steamy liquid is going to turn the glass awfully hot. The super savvy ladies at Greyslater have a genius solution: add a cozy to keep your hands cool and help your coffee stay warmer for longer. You can find all the supplies you need to make a Mason jar coffee cup over at Greyslater! Already have a stash of Mason jars? You can just pick up the Cuppow and the cozy, but they carry glass Mason jars, if you need one.

Have you guys seen any cool to go cups lately? As you have probably figured out, I'm a little bit obsessed with to go mugs.

The typical surfboard is far from eco-friendly, but a small company on the Oregon coast creates a greener surfboard by using lower impact materials and reclaimed wood.

To understand what makes a surfboard greener, you have to understand how to make a surfboard. The board has a few different parts:

• The Blank - This is the core of the board. When you're building a board, you carve your shape out of your blank, which is typically polyurethane.
• Fins - These are the pieces mounted on the back of the board. These are normally made from fiberglass, which isn't too bad from an environmental standpoint. Fiberglass becomes problematic when it breaks down, because those fibers are no good for your lungs, eyes, and skin.
• Deck and Glass - This isn't actually glass. Conventional boards use polyester resin, which is a high VOC material. Board makers cover the blank with a layer of fiberglass, then seal the whole deal with lots of polyester resin.

So, how do you make a greener board? We've covered some green surfboards in the paste. Check out these wooden boards from Rayskin or Gary Linden's board made from agave. There's a new company on the scene specializing in a greener board: Tilley. Here's owner Jason Tilley shared a bit about how he makes his boards:

• The core is EPS, rather than polyurethane. I did a little bit of research on EPS, and it gets mixed reviews from an environmental standpoint. It's hard to find places to recycle it, and EPS is a type of Styrofoam. What makes it better than polyurethane is that it doesn't contains CFCs or HCFCs, which are harmful to our atmosphere. Some even say that it improves landfill stability. While EPS doesn't strike me as a green material, it's got polyurethane beat.
• Reclaimed wood. Instead of fiberglass to cover the board and make the fins, Tilley uses reclaimed local wood. This one's a no-brainer, right? Reclaimed wood for the win!
• Epoxy. Since the boards are wood, they require less fiberglass over the deck than standard boards, and he seals his boards with epoxy which is lower-VOC than polyester resin. There's still an impact there, but it's definitely an improvement.

What really makes Tilley's boards a greener option is their durability. As Jason explains:

One of the main reasons in my mind that they are more eco-friendly is durability. They will not easily snap or ding like standard boards (because of the wood and the way it is used in a composite sandwich). They are gorgeous so they are very likely to end up hanging on a wall or re-purposed into a shelf or coffee table, not in a landfill. I wish I could tell you how many Polyester surfboards snap and end up in a landfill, some less than a year old.  I got into building these boards because my own backyard was filling up with old polyester boards, and I was frustrated with the endless ding repairs and disappointed when a board I liked was a soggy dead mess after a few years.

You can check out Tilley's boards on their website. He's got some standard boards that you can order, or he'll do custom work to make a board that's just right for your style.

Have you guys checked out our pals over at EcoStiletto? We talk a lot around here about eco-friendly products and DIY ways to reduce your footprint, and EcoStiletto has some great resources for doing just that!

They focus on eco-centric fashion, beauty, health and celebrity advice, and there's also a column devoted to vegan style. Think lipstick without lead, conflict-free jewelry, and the hottest sustainable styles.

Because everyone wants to make a difference, but no one wants to give up the little things that they love.

EcoStilletto also has a free bi-weekly newsletter with green living tips, and new subscribers get entered to win more than $350 in sustainable swag each month. This week, they're giving away this awesome biodegradable (yes, really) watch--sign up, already!

Editor's Note: This is a guest post by Lorna Li.

Want to have some fun while also conserving energy and reducing your carbon footprint? These unusual power-generating systems are sure to make your friends and neighbors take notice.

Everyone knows that you can put solar panels on your roof, use a dual-flush toilet, or install a tankless water heater if you want to conserve resources in your home, but there's nothing exciting or unique about these green upgrades. The key to making conservation a regular part of home life is designing technologies that can be integrated seamlessly into the structure and decoration of the building.

Here are 3 unique ways that you can generate power, and an interest in sustainable living, just by making your home more beautiful!

Solar Ivy

Inspired by the ivy that decorates the exterior walls of older brick homes and reflects the organic essence of nature, Solar Ivy (also pictured at top) was designed by siblings Samuel and Teresita Cochran for a thesis on Sustainably Minded Interactive Technology in 2005. Lightweight and flexible, this "ivy" can  be mounted on to a vertical wall, not only creating a pleasing aesthetic but also expanding the area of power generation. Each "leaf" features a thin photovoltaic panel, and 500 of them on a sunny wall can generate close to 250 watts of power.

R2B2

German designer Christoph Thetard has created a set of human-powered kitchen gadgets entitled R2B2.  The complete set includes a hand blender, coffee grinder and food processor all tucked into a single wooden case outfitted with a pedal-powered drive mechanism. The appliances are powered by a manual pedal attached to a fly wheel and can reach speeds up to 400 rpm. Watch the video above to learn how you can help bring this brilliant design to market!

Power Pot

Did you know that most of the energy used to boil a pot of water on your stove is wasted in the form of excess heat? Earlier this year, a Japanese company called TES NewEnergyCorporation released a new product that can capture this wasted heat and use it to charge your portable electronics instead. The Hitochaja HC-5 USB power pot can generate up to 400mAh of juice -- enough to charge your iPhone in three to five hours, but with a price tag of around $280, this is probably one idea that's more unique than practical.

About the author: Lorna Li is the editor-in-chief of GreenMarketing.TV, where she regularly reports on renewable technologies and entrepreneurs in the solar financing industry.