eco products
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- tparsons0
Organic Sustainable Clothing
http://www.oftheearth.com/Some of the materials being used
http://www.oftheearth.com/index.…
- rafalski0
I'll plug a friend's online store in:
"Charming objects for living made as sustainable as possible"
Each product's description contains its recycling guide.
- joeth0
A massive market failure
"The market is in many ways an incredible institution. It allocates resources with an efficiency that no central planning body can match and it easily balances supply and demand. The market has some fundamental weaknesses, however. It does not incorporate into prices the indirect costs of producing goods. It does not value nature's services properly. And it does not respect the sustainable yield thresholds of natural systems. It also favors the near term over the long term, showing little concern for future generations..."
- Be careful, this is a backdoor to more government control. To taxing, selling co2 quotas and banning harmless technologies.rafalski
- Sorry to get political on this thread. It's an interesting article though. Sustainability is just starting to take off.joeth
- The successful companies right now get it. Walmart, Google, Apple, Toyota.joeth
- bukka0
I think something better than recycling is reduction of consumption. Bottled water is a huge waste and most of the time its tap water in a nice bottle.
I use a Sigg bottle and its great.
http://www.chrisjordan.com/
Nice work in Running By The Numbers
- joeth0
Definitely cutting consumption is the big thing. Basically not buying anything unless you really need it, and when you do shop, look for used or rentals. But there are products that help with energy/water/paper/oil consumption...
- Low-flow shower heads
- Programmable thermostats
- Power strips and devices that track energy consumption
- CFL and LED lighting
- Digital music, movies etc
- Reusable bags
- Reusable water bottles
- Bicycles, trains, car-sharing programs
- Home wind turbines, solar panelsI don't buy the idea that these things don't make a difference. They do make a big difference in personal consumption, and as more people are becoming eco-conscious, they add up and will make a big difference in the kinds of things we demand in our products. You can already see the shift towards greener products at stores.
Of course, a good bargain always wins over the environment. Consumers are very short-term thinkers. That's why eco products are always most successful when they also save money.
- buying into green consumerism gives a warm sense of self righteousness to smug middleclass liberals, ie; the target.max_prophet
- target market.max_prophet
- Exactly. That's why you should know the difference between greenwashing and truly sustainable products.joeth
- it takes effort of research and educating yourself... instead of just going along with thingsbukka
- Meeklo0
The best eco products are the ones you don't have to buy.
Or anything you rent.
Anything you can borrow, or lend.
Products you don't use, but somehow you re-think the way you can start using it again.All these things posted here are very nice and they might help, but don't fool yourself, if you are buying it brand new, it contradicts the idea of "eco" or "green"
- freecycling is where its atmax_prophet
- very true statement.armsbottomer
- Great point. It's a combination of ways to think smarter about the things we use.joeth
- Meeklo0
All these companies are using this new "ecological conscience" adopted by the masses to re-sell the same products that a year ago you bought when you didn't care about landfills or compostable packaging.
The whole idea is to "Consume less" yet, product manufacturers found a way to erase that concept from you, the consumer, tricking you into "get rid of your old non ecological laptop from 2 months ago, and buy one of the new one, that uses 15% less packaging instead".
Ordering online, requires shipping, which uses resources, that means its not ecological anymore.
I'm not saying don't buy anything, because we all do, I'm just saying don't believe a product is eco friendly just because it says on the box that is eco friendly.
- we work in an industry of gorgeous deceit.max_prophet
- amen to that! hahaMeeklo
- joeth0
- I like my Sigg though.joeth
- i have that bottle right now!scarabin_net
- it's awesome, btwscarabin_net
- joeth0
This falls in the category of not helping very much, but there's some nice design-y stuff at http://www.branchhome.com/
- bukka0
Yeah Meeklo brings up a good point.
According to US standards of "natural" and "organic", can be loose in its certification. Most companies are jumping on the band wagon of trying to be eco-friendly when their products are still not.
This is a bigger picture beyond "eco-products" it should become your lifestyle of carrying a responsibility to take care of this earth. Buying local food, reusable bags, bottles, watch what you put down your sink, etc.etc.etc... the list goes on...
Most of the time people don't know these things because they aren't educated in it.
- joeth0
And of course, this video is a must see...
- Corvo20
I feel that responsibility as a citizen (and I have incorporated many eco-friendly practices in my daily life), but I don't think it really makes any difference, except maybe when it comes to water consumption.
Living in the country, you can recycle most of things so it comes naturally and most of the eco-gadgets don't make any sense.
I guess the big difference is on your life-style and especially how big cities are planned. What's the point of trying to save a few watts in your home if the next thing you do is to go downtown and waste it all all over again?
I think good solutions (those who can really make a difference) are up to urban-planners and architects, so that one day we'll have widespread photovoltaic roofing, more intelligent buildings, clever waste disposal on cities, etc.
- do they even turn lights off at night in the US?max_prophet
- I wonder that too.Corvo2
- cities are actually the most efficient forms of human habitation.johndiggity
- How is that so?Corvo2
- Well-planned cities are very efficient. The problem has been in sprawl, endless suburbs, etc.joeth
- They talk a lot about it here...
www.worldchanging.co…...joeth - messed up the link:
www.worldchanging.co…...joeth - ugh, twice... dot COMjoeth
- that's ok!Corvo2