Cool Green Businesses

More and more renting seems like an easier way to “go green” while cutting costs. While not everything should be rented, (toothbrushes, underwear, etc.) most things can be, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise that you can borrow just about anything without having to leave your home, or office, or coffee shop – basically anywhere you use your computer.Check these rental outlets and see if they fit your needs:There are a number of “Netflix for books” businesses that allow bookworms to read and...Read Full Story

A new shop ‘green-tune’ cars to run cleaner, greener and cheaper while ‘fixing’ the whole bad automotive service experience. It finds proven, sustainable, energy saving automotive maintenance and repair related products. It also keeps you out of stale gas smelling waiting rooms with their bad coffee and old magazines through a convenient consumer valet and corporate mobile on site services.Launched earlier this year, Colorado-based Green Garage specializes in “green-tuning” cars to run...Read Full Story

Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) describes an estimated $209 billion U.S. marketplace for goods and services focused on health, the environment, social justice, personal development and sustainable living. The consumers attracted to this market represent a sizable group in this country.Approximately 19% percent of the adults in the U.S., or 41 million people, are currently considered LOHAS Consumers. This is based on surveys of the U.S. adult population estimated at 215 million...Read Full Story

It used to be that when we saw a bank of brown weeds, it meant an application of pesticide. Now we won’t have to avoid that little patch of death. Not anymore. This new machine kills the weed by applying high-temperature stream directly to the pest. Each machine runs on a couple of gallons of water, a 12-volt battery, and a small propane tank. Apparently the direct application of high-temperature stream “explodes the cells” of the offending plant, killing it down to its roots. Whoa. The...Read Full Story

In these tough economic times many people are looking for ways to shave expenses off their budgets. One tried-and-true method is to rent instead of buy. Environmentalists have long pointed out that we can also significantly reduce our impact on the planet if we borrow the things we only need occasionally.Renting the stuff we need is the new unconsumerist trend. Don't buy if not absolutely needed. This goes not only with houses, cars, tools but also children toys as well as college textbooks...Read Full Story

Approximately 75 percent of all retired cell phones are languishing in sock drawers because it’s too much trouble to dispose of them properly. A startup called ecoATM hopes to change that with a new service. The kiosks automate the trade-in and buy-back process for mobile phones and other used consumer electronics, electronically and visually inspecting devices, administering promotions, and providing real-time incentives. By finally making the resell/recycle process convenient and profitable...Read Full Story

One-third of the world's population today has no access to any form of modern energy, relying instead on highly polluting fuels like wood and kerosene. No single solution can meet our society's future energy needs. The answer lies instead in a family of diverse energy technologies that share a common thread: they do not deplete our natural resources or destroy our environment.Working on the premise that reliable energy is a key to fighting poverty — and that it needs to be clean — Energy in...Read Full Story

Many beekeepers have bee hives in their back yards. Some bees are even kept on city roof-tops. Bees can travel several miles to collect nectar and pollen, so they do not need flowering plants close by. Most suburbs have plenty of flowers, and bees can make a good crop of local honey. The Homestead Hive from Missouri-based Bee Landing is crafted from wood that’s twice as thick as what's used in most hives so as to better stabilize temperature and humidity for the bees’ health and longevity...Read Full Story

Organic foods maker Cascadian Farm, situated in the state of Washington, was once known mainly for its high-quality organic foods in the real world — until it became part of Zynga’s wildly popular game Farmville.The company  is now the brand behind the game’s new organic blueberries crop, which became available in the FarmVille Market on Monday and has already been purchased by more than 1 million players for 20 credits each. In total, 310 million Cascadian Farm organic blueberries have been...Read Full Story

There's no doubt recycling is good, but in many cases, reusing is even better. One great idea is to keep cardboard boxes in use longer, reduce the impacts of shipping products, and encourage people to engage around the concept of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle in a personal way. The new eBay Box is a durable cardboard box designed to withstand the rigors of repeated use. It also features a way for users to keep track of its journey so far: a specially designated space on the box lets each sender...Read Full Story