Best Buy has put up this really cool billboard in New York City’s Times Square promoting their recycling program where they will “e-cycle” many of your old electronic items you bring to the store. The great thing about the billboard, besides the green earth-friendly message, is that the letters on the sign are actually made up of recycled electronics:

That’s some really great creative advertising right there. Kudos.

via scouting nyc (great site if you’re into nyc photography, movies and location scouting)

Energy. Kids seems to have an endless supply of it and adults are looking for it to power their devices for living. Those are not exactly the same types of energy but with an invention called the sOccket, one can be converted to the other. The device is a soccer ball (football) that stores the energy it gets from rolling around while being kicked by kids (or adults) in much the same way a shake-to-charge flashlight works. That energy is stored inside the ball and then can be used to power devices.

The ball is intended for use in lesser developed areas where electricity is usually created from dirty burning and expensive generators (if at all). Kicking the ball around for 15 minutes can generate enough power to run an LED light for up to 3 hours. And it’s free off the grid clean energy! The ball is regulation size but it slightly heavier to account for the electronics inside so it does have a slightly different feel.

(oh gizmo)

Are you tired of taking out the trash? Sick of having to stick your hand or foot in your garbage pail to push the trash down to make more room? The Reduce 40-Liter/10.5-Gallon Compactor Trash Can is here to help. The trash can is specially designed to compact your trash as you put it in. A series of easy to clean rings near the lid, smush your garbage. Use half as many garbage bags as you normally do (good for the environment!) Stop taking out garbage bags half filled with air- compact your trash first and only take out full bags.

Tired of feeling like you need to purchase carbon offsets to make up for your Slinky’s environmental cost of production? Yeah me too. Finally there’s a product that will make you feel good about the earth and walk down stairs like an elongated spring- it’s Flexy, a cardboard Slinky. Made of recycled, biodegradable materials, the Flexy can do all of the exciting things a Slinky can do like fling, sunrise, high fall, big dipper, rainbow, rippling rainbow, hand walk / stair walk and sculpture. If you know what all of those moves are, you’re complete Slinky nerd. $18 for this cardboard toy, fun Slinky theme song not included.

How green is your mouse? Not as green as this one! It’s covered in grass. Made by a Japanese artist Hanaoka (JP) who specializes in covering things with grass. From big things like cars to little things like a computer mouse. I don’t have much more information on this other than it’s a grass mouse. I’m inventing the world’s smallest lawnmower to keep this mouse in check.

big thanks to tobako for the tip/photo

A New Jersey Burger King has installed “MotionPower Energy Harvesters” or energy generating speed bumps. The idea is to transfer kinetic energy from the weight of the slow moving car to the speed bump. The bump (which is actually pretty flat) can generate 2,000 watts of electricity from a car moving at five miles per hour. However this energy must be used immediately so engineers are trying to find ways to store the power for later use via flywheels and other technologies. If all goes well, we could see this technology used at shopping malls, toll plazas and other areas where drivers go slowly and power is needed nearby.

via inhabitat

The Growing Ring puts a little bit of nature on your finger. Designed by Haffsteinn Juliusson, these molded silver rings have a tiny plant growing inside them to give you a mix of jewelry and plant, couture and organism. Available in both rectangular and round:

The description doesn’t specify exactly what type of plant is growing in the rings although it looks to be some type of moss or grass. Either way, you will have to water is on occasion, although this is easily accomplished by just shifting your ring under the faucet anytime you go to wash your hands. The plant should actually grow pretty well since most people spend a good part of their day in the light, whether it’s artificial or natural and the watering part is easily done. I like the idea of wearing nature and that each ring will be unique thanks to the individuality of the plant growth.

Growing Ring

Growing plants indoors is always a bit tricky trying to get the right combination of light and water and finding well lit spaces to fit everything you want to grow. Many people instead opt for an artificially lit hydroponic growing setup where the light source is entirely controlled by you enabling you to grow plants even in the darkest of rooms.

These circular wheeled gardens are all in one units containing everything needed to grow your own herbs or veggies indoors. These units use just one bulb for a large number of plants, rotating the plants around the light. You can fit up to 80 plants with a 3″ root medium. The chain driven cylinder rotates a constant 24 hours a day, taking approximately 45 min. to complete one full rotation. This super efficient set up has a tray underneath to catch any errant water since the plants are grown hydroponically (without soil, only water).

This type of plant growing system is claimed to be significantly more efficient than a conventional flat or tiered garden; it should yield 3-5 times the comparable weight per watt average per harvest in only 1/3 of the space. It can accommodate various light sizes and wattages to fit your grow garden needs. Plus it looks really cool.

Omega Garden via make