Hot sunny days should be spent outdoors, not staying inside with the air-con on full blast. But sometimes when the heat is unbearable, those lazy summer days on the porch just don’t happen. This outdoor misting fan could be all you need to bring the temperature down enough to enjoy lazing on the porch again. It connects to a standard hose and emits a fine mist as it blows. It effectively cools a wide area by as much as 25 degrees and is very energy efficient. It has three speeds and a one year warranty.

Currently on sale at GaiaM for $81.99

When you need to measure small quantities of ingredients, such as spices or oils, ordinary scales, even digital ones aren’t much use. That is where this little green gadget comes in so handy. Simply spoon up an amount and get a digital reading on the handle, so you know exactly how much you have got. Even better, the measuring spoon is solar powered, so there is no battery to run low and give a dodgy reading. Leave it on a sunny window sill when it is not in use and it will be charged and ready to go whenever you need it.
The TC-11 – solar digital spoon scale currently costs $18.99 from MiniInTheBox

Attractive enough to look almost like lanterns hanging in the yard, these glass wasp catchers work well too. No chemicals are needed. You fill the catcher with lemonade or sugar water and the wasps are lured in and trapped. Great when you are being pestered by wasps and have trouble eating outside without them descending on you. The glass traps come in three colors, green, aqua and orange or you can buy a set of three. They are 8 ½ “ high and weigh about 1lb so can hang from small trees and branches.

Costs $13 for one or $30 for set of three from Gaiam.com

This is a great water saving idea – so simple and ingenious that you wonder nobody invented it before. When you flush the toilet, fresh water from the clean water pipe comes out of the spigot tap automatically for you to wash your hands. The hand-washing water fills the tank as you wash, ready to be recycled for the next flush. This is a plastic molded fitting that will fit onto a standard tank instead of the lid.

Not only is it a great water saving idea, but it also works well as a space saving feature, when there isn’t room for a full size basin in a small toilet or bathroom. I can see it taking off as a feature in public toilets in eco-friendly resorts too. Perhaps the only possible drawback is the danger of the soap slipping into the toilet itself!

It’s not cheap but it is much more affordable than buying and installing a separate sink. There is also a deluxe version for $20 more that aerates the water as it flows, using even less water.

Costs $99 direct from TierraPath

Kids love flashlights, but they often forget to switch them off. Buying batteries week after week gets expensive and is not great for the environment. This Lego flashlight is the perfect solution for Lego fans. It is hand cranked by rotating the arm, so the dynamo powers the flashlight with no need for batteries at all. It’s sturdy enough for younger kids and works well enough for adults to borrow in power outages!

It comes in various colors and there are also other Lego character versions, including a Police officer and a City construction man. This would make a great gift for any child who plays with Lego or who just enjoys gadgets.
Currently costs $ 20.83 from Amazon.com