Price: $435.00 at the Living Echo.com Other designs and colors available
This gorgeous wall-art fixture from Fire and Water features dimmable compact fluorescent bulbs which when turned down increases the energy savings of the CFL as well as setting the right light for your mood. The shade is made from Environ ( a soy flour and recycled paper mixture) and recycled glass the base is also treated with low-VOC finish.
They have 2 other versions, just as exciting as the one shown here. The size of the one we show here is 4″ Long x 12″ Wide x 9″ High

Think Chair designed by Glen Oliver Low for Steelcase $769.00 (varies options and pricing)
from Unica home.com

If you want the absolute best Green office/work chair then consider not buying anything and just go to the thrift store or fix up an older chair. They won’t result in any new pollution from manufacture, probably won’t off-gas any toxic crap and will keep one more thing out of the landfill a little while longer. The more people get serious about reusing stuff the better. However, you might be in the position to want your business and/or persona to put out a more “professional, stylish, successful and contemporary” aura as well as being a comfy chair that is also eco-friendly. If so, then you might want to consider the “Think” chair by Steelcase.

An ergonomically design-based chair that is also has some serious green cred. This “Think” chair has up to 37% recycled content and is 99% recyclable. Weighs 32 pounds which saves energy in shipping and the energy used in manufacturing this chair is reported to be much less than as similar chairs. Also the chair is shipped fully assembled to reduce packaging and they manufacture these chairs closer to their markets in Europe and North America to reduce shipping and energy use. While this chair is designed to make recycling simple, I doubt you’ll need to anytime soon due to it being built exceptionally well and generally cool and comfortable chair to keep around. The chair has won varies certifications, labels and declarations on its green design, see Steelcase’s website for more info.

Phonophone II from CharlesandMarie.com $500.00

The Phonophone II is not only a wonderfully designed object but also a great device that can transform your iPod’s earplugs into a mini-amplified speaker – without having to plug it in, insert batteries or sit waiting for the sun. All you have to do is hook up your iPod earphones to the adapter, and natural science will do the rest. The horned shape of the ceramic phonophone will capture and emit the music throughout the room (as long as the room is pretty small and no other competing sounds anyway)

We applaud the desire to save electricity but in this case the amount of power it takes to run an amplifier and speaker is extremely low, so the real appeal is its novelty and coolness factor. For me, at $500 there are quite a few items higher up on my coolness generating gadget wish list. But for the person who has everything or for rich iPod fanatics this might be a great addition to their desk. Then you can start looking for a tiny ceramic Jack Russell dog to sit listening next to it.

Looking for an earth friendly way to divide a room? Check out the rollable Bamboo Screen made from eco-friendly bamboo that contains no pesticides or harmful chemicals. Like any good homeowner, you are concerned about what you bring into your house and don’t want something filled with pesticides. This handy screen can partition off part of a room or even hide a computer, wires or something else that you want to keep out of everyone’s eyesight. The earth friendly Bamboo Screen is very sturdy and measures 8 feet in width and 6 feet in height so is perfect for just about every room in your house! Get some privacy in an eco-friendly way with the Bamboo Screen!

$269.00 at Real Goods

These new designer-style LED lamps from Yves Behar and EcoCentric, the Leaf Lamp, are touch sensitive for turning on the light as well as the brightness level and color temperature. You can adjust the angle of the light to provide accent lighting and mood settings. Made from 95% recycled materials and use very low energy. Needless to say its a bit pricey but if you must have the ultimate in eco-friendly fashion gadget statements in your office, this might be something to look into.

Available in five colors – polished aluminum, black, white, nickel and red.
From ecocentric.co.uk for £349.00 ($688.00)

Presenting…the Bag Snagger!!, a new tool designed specifically for removing unsightly plastic bags and other litter from trees. There was a great story in the New Yorker a few years ago about a band of guys who would get together on weekends and remove trash from trees. What a great way to spend time with friends, be out in nature and help save the planet!! The basic Bag Snagger has a 12 ft. telescoping fiberglass pole with Snagger attachment allowing you to reach approximately 20 ft. up. There are also extension poles for sale which can increase your reach up to nearly 40 feet.
$250.00 at Reusable Bags

Check out the powerful and masterful imagery by the world renowned photographer, Yann Arthus-Bertrand. This famous French photographer’s work often speaks to environmental issues in a artful manner. His official website has an extensive selection of his works, especially interesting is his Earth from the Air Series. Good Planet.org is another site that features his work and ecological activist goals, check out the Alive Exhibition featured on the site as well. There is also a shopping area where you can buy posters and the like.
I would post an image of his work but I hesitate to post any art images without permission.

Where are the Green Early Warning Systems?

I was a kid in the 50’s when air raid drills and “duck and cover” were the norm. There was something about air raid sirens that continues to invade my nightmares. This isn’t just a test of the early warning system, we need ear piercing air raid sirens to blast suburbia awake over the coming global warming disasters.

Victor Mobilae

There are a few artists and designers who put out their global warming early warning devices, like this one by Designer Rene van Corven from the Netherlands. Called the “Victor Mobilae” which is a mobile garden that moves 65 inches north each day, apparently representing the speed to which global warming might cause vegetation to adapt northwards as the climate shifts. No doubt this art piece is well intentioned but it seems a bit benign, almost celebrating the happy gardens the frozen north will soon be blessed with. Those chilly Eskimos will be soon able to add some peas and carrots with their walrus blubber.
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