Top 5 Eco-Products For Sale

Eco-products are leading the way to a more sustainable future. Numerous and incredibly
varied, I review 5 of the most eye-catching and interesting products available on the market.

1. Plantable Xmas Card, Ecohip.com, £4.69

With the Christmas season upon us once again, greeting cards are hitting the shops in
their billions. However come January this huge quantity of paper will become waste, a
troubling thought for any environmentally-conscious mind. But is this a problem that can
be overcome? Perhaps. The Plantable Xmas Card provides an ingenious solution and puts a
delightfully green sheen on the card industry. The concept is simple; plant the used card in a
pot, add water, soak in sunlight, and watch as your card begins to sprout flowers. Seeds are
interwoven into the fabric of this 100% recycled, 100% degradable pulp card out of which
anything from poppys to snap dragons can be expected to emerge. It’s a sure antidote to
paper waste and an exceptionally novel gift, standing head and shoulders above the run-of-
the-mill offering of your local high street store.

2. The Logmaker, thelogmaker.org.uk, £29.95

The Logmaker is a wonderful way to dispose of all that unnecessary household paper while
having yourself a nice log fire while you’re at it. It works by compacting shredded papers,
food wrappings and tissues amongst other things into ready-to-use burnable logs. The product
can double up as an air freshener, the addition of crushed cinnamon sticks or a few spices
to the log will release pleasant aromas into the living room when burnt. Arthur Howell, the
inventor of the Logmaker, says that he has been surprised by its rapid success. Maybe he
shouldn’t be, in promoting self-sustainability by reducing waste and providing fuel, it’s one
of the best eco products out there.

3. Water-powered Can Clock, ethicalsuperstore.com, £9.99

Available in vivid blue, black, green and red, the Water –powered Can Clock is the lava lamp
of the modern day. No plugs or batteries are required for this clever device, just a re-fill of
water every 6 months or so. It works by extracting electrons from the molecules of water (in
fact any electrolytic liquid will do) which provide a constant energy supply to the clock’s
fuel cell. On first glance it may seem like the work of science fiction but it’s very real, very
affordable and is even equipped with a small flower-holder at the back.

4. Bamboo towels, nigelsecostore.com, from £3

Bamboo is a very environmentally-friendly material, yet knowledge of its use is often limited
to the staple foodstuff of a charismatic black-and-white bear. However this situation is
beginning to change, its rapid growth rates without fertilisers and with minimal water make
it easy to grow and cost-effective. Bamboo is also reported to release a whopping 35% more
oxygen than the average tree and 20 times more timber1. Its versatility in a range of industries
has resulted in a bamboo boom over the last few years and made it an increasingly trendy
fabric in the West. What’s really caught my attention has been bamboo’s recent application
in textiles for which its soft and durable properties are ideal. Luxury bamboo towels are
a particularly popular product, as they are ultra-soft, modestly-priced (starting at just £3),
naturally anti-bacterial and guaranteed to last for years. Better still, they aren’t a drain on the
environment.

5. Radiator Booster, nigelsecostore.com, £19.99

First seen on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den, this energy saver is a real gem. By placing the
Radiator Booster onto your radiator, your room will warm up twice as fast and allow the
boiler to shut down earlier. Most households save between £70 to £140 a year on their
heating bills as a result, a substantial reward for investing in this unique gadget. It’s regulated
by an automatic thermostat so no manual turning on and off is required and the product
is adjustable to fit different radiator sizes. On the downside it can’t be used in humid
environments, so using the Booster in bathrooms is a no-go. Also if you have a lot of rooms
you’ll need a lot of Radiator Boosters, thus clawing back that initial investment may take a
little while longer.

http://life.gaiam.com/article/how-eco-friendly-bamboo