May 6, 2013 

Paradigm Hub’s Fridge Friend

fridge_friend2What is it? The idea for Fridge Friend came out of a recent brainstorm we did with the folks at Paradigm Hub. It combines a refrigerator that senses when food is starting to go off, and an app that tells you when and how to use that food before it spoils.

What makes it susty? Customised for your shopping habits, the fridge would be filled with modular compartments for different kinds of food—fruit, veg, meat, dairy, eggs—each fitted with industrial food safety technology, scaled down for consumer use. Using a colour signal to tell you when items are starting to turn (rather than just relying on often inaccurate sell-by dates) the Fridge Friend could significantly reduce food spoilage, a major source of household waste. By optimising the temperature of each compartment for its specific food type, energy and money would be saved along with food.

What makes it sexy? The fridge itself would compete with Smeg on looks (who knows, maybe Smeg could make it). The accompanying app would notify you anywhere, most helpfully at the grocery store, of items in danger of spoiling. Recipe suggestions including those items might encourage a little more creativity in the kitchen.

My verdict: Neither the idea nor the name are totally original (see here and here), but this goes further than the current app-centric thinking out there. We loved the new take on the fridge itself—an essential, overlooked and energy-guzzling appliance that hasn’t seen any real innovation in decades.

Worthy of a post here, we think it’s BOTH sexy and susty. (Thanks to Paradigm Hub for inviting us, and for being full of energy and ideas!) 

April 15, 2013 

Is it hot enough in here?

hot_in_hereNothing like a kitten in a teapot to celebrate a one-year anniversary. Ours is this week, and we thought we’d mark it not just with kittens, but with a round-up of this years’ best-performing products, plus a little opinion poll about the site itself.

Over the past year, we’ve brought you a host of green product innovations and asked you to cast your vote: is it more SUSTY (i.e. sustainable) than it is sexy, more SEXY than susty, or (the ideal) a nice balance of BOTH desirable and green? The top ten products (with the most ‘BOTH’ votes) have been:

#10. A tie (71% ‘BOTH’ votes) between locally-sourced fast food chain Burgerville and ‘diaper service to the stars’ The Honest Company.

#9. With 75% BOTH votes, biodegradable Dizolve laundry sheets. Sorry USA…available in lots of other countries, but they haven’t reached you yet.

#8. Plumen, the beautifully designed fluorescent bulb (76% voted BOTH).

#7. An idea I came up with that doesn’t exist (yet!) got 77% BOTH votes: a campaign by Nike to get people running their commute.

#6. Nest, the self-adjusting energy-saving ‘iPad of thermostats’ (81% BOTH).

#5. Cool bags made by Elvis & Kresse from salvaged fire hoses (84% BOTH).

#4. Organic lubricant brand Yes (85% BOTH).

#3. Inconspicuously sustainable English brewer Adnams (86% BOTH).

#2. Tripp Trapp, the life-long high chair (90% BOTH).

#1. And finally, the most coveted sustainable products on the site: Method, the pretty, eco-friendly, non-toxic cleaning brand (92% BOTH).

That’s what you said about the products. Now whaddya say about this site?

Are we too SUSTY…a bit overly granola in flavour? Are we too SEXY…not treating sustainability as seriously as it deserves? Or are we BOTH sexy and susty…sufficiently informative and fun to read in about equal measure?

We’ll sit this one out, as we’re a little biased. Thanks for reading and voting! 

March 22, 2013 

Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me”

mercy_mercy_me

Something a little different this week…

What is it? Kids, this is a record. Back in 1971, this was how people listened to music. That was the year “Mercy Mercy Me”, one of Marvin Gaye’s most famous songs, was released. You can listen to it here.

What makes it susty? It was only recently I realised this song is about environmental degradation. Am I the only one that hadn’t noticed? The lyrics lament over air, soil and water pollution, and end with a poignant line asking of the planet, “How much more abuse from man can she stand?”

What makes it sexy? There are few songs as smooth as this one. With its easy rhythm and crooning melody, you could be mistaken for thinking it’s meant to get one in the mood. I mean, Marvin Gaye also sang “Let’s Get it On“ right?

My verdict: There are so many awful songs about the environment. I was stunned when my ears finally dug under this sexy tune to pick up its message. Like all things we love most on this site, it gets its green point across by appealing first to your heart, not banging you over the head.

That’s exactly what we call BOTH sexy and susty. 

March 8, 2013 

SodaStream

sodastreamWhat is it? SodaStream lets you make carbonated water and soft drinks at home. The system includes a countertop machine, plastic one-litre bottle, carbonation canister and flavoured-syrup container.

What makes it susty? The obvious benefit is reducing packaging waste. The reusable bottle cuts down on the billion cans and bottles that end up as landfill or litter each day. It also saves energy by reducing the need to manufacture, fill and transport so many drink containers all over the world. It doesn’t even use batteries or electricity, just the power of compressed gas.

What makes it sexy? Convenience, for one thing: it saves you from lugging, storing and binning bulky bottles and cans. Customisation, for another: with 100 flavours—including diet, fruity, tea and energy varieties—you can mix, match and bubble to your heart’s content.

My verdict: There’s nothing healthier about SodaStream’s fizzy sugar water than anyone else’s, and it turns out it probably won’t save you much money. Then there’s the whole issue of their West Bank manufacturing plant.

Tough call, but overall I’m gonna go with SEXY on this one. 

February 22, 2013 

Tripp Trapp chair

tripp_trappWhat is it? Sold by Norwegian furniture maker Stokke, the Tripp Trapp has been seating kids of all ages since 1972.

What makes it susty? A system of grooves and adjustable plates means it can be used as a highchair for infants, a booster seat for toddlers and even a regular chair for the young at heart. There’s nothing more sustainable than a product that lasts a lifetime or more, except one that also biodegrades at the end of its life. Given it’s made of beech wood instead of plastics, that’s exactly what Tripp Trapp does.

What makes it sexy? Its timeless design is the antithesis of those bulky, tacky things you see in most new parents’ kitchens. But more importantly, it lets kids comfortably sit at the table with everyone else, rather than having to eat off a tray like some sort of uninvited cafeteria monkey.

My verdict: Constantly outgrowing everything, kids leave a trail of unwanted junk in their wake. It’s lovely to see a children’s product with designed-in longevity. Yes, it’d be even better if it was made of FSC-certified wood, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting one, even without a kid.

Proof, I’d say, that it’s BOTH sexy and susty. 

February 1, 2013 

Nest thermostat

What is it? Nest is a new kind of thermostat. Trust me, it’s a lot cooler than it sounds. Read on.

What makes it susty? It senses when you’re asleep or away from home and adjusts the temperature to conserve energy. A bit like Nike+ for your home, it uploads data onto the web where you can track energy use over time and get tips on how to heat and cool your home more efficiently.

What makes it sexy? If Apple made thermostats, they’d be like this. But since it doesn’t, two guys left Apple and started Nest. You can control it from your mobile device, and over time it learns when you like it warmer or cooler and adjusts itself automatically. This can lower heating and cooling bills by up to 20%.

My verdict: It’s this kind of beautiful, smart, user- and eco-friendly technology that offers a glimpse into a better, brighter future. And I’m not the only one raving. Nest was valued at $800 million last week. If I have a complaint, it’s the little green leaf that’s displayed when the device is adjusted in a way that saves energy. Très cliché. I’d prefer a smile.

Still, if ever there was something BOTH sexy and susty, this is it. 

January 18, 2013 

Chilote house shoes

What is it? These Chilean hand-crafted slippers are made of Patagonian sheep’s wool and up-cycled salmon skin.

What makes it susty? Both the materials and labour are locally sourced in Chile. The salmon leather is a by-product of the commercial fishing industry, which would otherwise be thrown out. The slippers are made by groups of women in local knitting clubs. This promotes independence, self-organization and leadership within a familiar social structure.

What makes it sexy? Salmon leather. It’s awesome. It has the exotic look of snake skin and the soft feel of suede. Each pair includes some extra wool and salmon leather to personalise or repair your slippers, as well as a QR code that shows where, and by whom, your slippers were made.

My verdict: Much as I love salmon leather, at a glance these evoke that granola-eating aesthetic that set the environmental movement back decades. And at $50 a pop (for slippers!), they reinforce the unfortunate green stereotype of less style for more money.

Strictly SUSTY for me. 

January 11, 2013 

New year, good beer: Adnams

What is it? Adnams has been brewing beer in Southwold, England, since 1872.

What makes it susty? You wouldn’t know it looking at their bottles or pumps at the pub, but Adnams is steeped in sustainability. They recycle steam in their brewery, capture rain at their distribution centre, and turn their waste into energy. Locally grown and malted barley, pest-resistant hops and a lightweight bottle help make their East Green golden ale carbon neutral. Did you know it typically takes six pints of water to make one pint of beer? At Adnams it only takes 3.2.

What makes it sexy? It tastes good…really, really good. And they have a lovely backstory that just makes you feel happy. And that’s what beer’s all about, isn’t it?

My verdict: Maybe you’re staying away from beer as part of a new year detox. But, when you get bored of being good, at least you can enjoy a beer that does good.

This pint’s BOTH sexy and susty. 

December 15, 2012 

Have a sexy, susty Christmas

Gifting isn’t as joyful as we’re led to believe. Before the smile on the recipient’s face comes the worry about what to get them, the exhaustion of shopping, the angst over holidays’ commercialisation.

With Christmas around the corner (and with apologies for having just missed Hanukkah), it’s time to bring a little merriment to these proceedings. To help with your gifter’s block, and to ease your conscience, here’s a round-up of some of the products you’ve voted both sexy and sustainable these past few months.

For the coffee drinker: KeepCup, a fully-customisable ‘barista-standard’ reusable coffee cup

For the chocoholic: Gru Grococo, an artisanal, carbon-neutral chocolate bar

For the style hound: Elvis & Kresse, bags and accessories that substitute recycled fire hoses for leather

For the new parents: Honest Company, a diaper service that respects mom’s time and baby’s health

For the hipster that has everything: Plumen, a compact fluorescent light bulb they’ll want to show off

For your special someone: Yes Lubricant, a certified-organic bedroom aide

For the grease monkey: Valvoline NextGen, a recycled motor oil that passes the NASCAR test

For granny’s stocking: Lipton Yellow Label, a tea that’s as comforting to you as it is to the rainforest

It won’t satisfy kids’ insatiable appetite for plastic junk, but it’s a lovely list with something for pretty much everyone. Or, and perhaps even better, you could just bake them a cake.

Thanks for visiting and voting this year, and see you in 2013!

December 1, 2012 

Voting results: Method

A while back, we brought you a post on Method, one of our favourite brands. After about six months of voting, we’re pleased to see you share our enthusiasm. Method currently leads the pack on balancing sustainability and desirability, with a full 92% of readers deeming it BOTH sexy and susty.

We think the main reason people like Method is that their non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning products are as easy on the eye and on your health as they are on the planet. For those ‘in-the-know’, Method is a B Corp with Cradle to Cradle certification. For the rest of us, they simply make nice-looking, straight-talking, dependable products. My ylang-ylang shower spray keeps the glass door from going all spotty and doesn’t make me run out of the bathroom gasping for air.

Only 5% of you think that Method, while decidedly green, isn’t quite appealing enough. If you find yourself agreeing, speak out and let us know why. Does it seem less effective than other brands? Do you prefer the extra-cleverness of something like Replenish?

3% of readers think Method’s not as green as it could be. Some commentators, like Smartkleen, question Method’s use of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. Perhaps, for some, vinegar and baking soda is all you need. But for those who don’t want their windows smelling like a side salad, you might be glad to hear what Tim Smith, team skipper (aka general manager) of Method Europe, told us about all of this:

We’re really pleased to see that method is seen as having both style and substance – and we’ve got more exciting developments for 2013 in both design and sustainability which we’re hoping will emphasise this even more.

Older Entries »