As mentioned previously, one of the perks of having a reasonably well-known eco blog is that we’re occasionally offered the opportunity to test out ‘green’ products.
Back towards the end of September someone approached us to see if we were interested in testing out a new Solio solar gadget charger. I jumped at the opportunity since…well…it just looks like a cool toy! In our defence, it DID take a long time to arrive, although certainly not so long as to warrant a mid-December review!
Anyway…
Now that we are up and rolling once again, I figured I might as well test this puppy out. We only have a limited trial period (unless we feel like buying it), and Steve and I agreed to each spend some time with it and share our thoughts here on the blog.
The unit looks very slick, there is no doubt about it, but alas it does not seem to be quite as “truly universal” as it claims on the box. I’ll admit that I’m not as much of a gadget hound as some, but I tried to use it with four different cell phones and a blackberry, yet still had no luck finding one I could actually charge (two of the cell phones and the blackberry are somewhat older models, likely explaining the issues with them). I am hopeful that Steve, being the hip dude that he is, will save the day and actually find something we can test this out with, since it DOES indeed look like really nice system.
According to the box it works with “most common mobile phones, MP3 players, and GPS units”. I was hoping I could use it to charge my laptop, but I now realize that would be a bit of a stretch given its small size. Interestingly enough, you can however charge it with your laptop - so if you are out and about and there isn’t any sunlight available, you can simply plug it in to your laptop via a USB connector and charge it up so it can then be used to charge your other gadgets.
Anyway, I’ll definitely pass it along to Steve when I see him next (planning for next week) and hopefully we’ll be able to provide everyone with a semi-useful review!
Technorati Tags: solio, h100, solar power, solar panels, solar energy, battery charger
Written by Bentley on December 12th, 2007 with no comments.
Read more articles on Product Reviews.
A little while ago we received an email from Chris Sukornyk, founder of FiveLimes, letting us know that he was going to be launching some exciting new features.
As a bit of an aside - for those of you who are unfamiliar with FiveLimes, essentially it was (and is still) a really cool place to go and find reviews for many different products and services that fall into the realm of ‘green’.
Well it seems with Chris’ latest launch that FiveLimes has decided to tackle the often-challenging issue of finding green businesses in your area, and I certainly commend him for his efforts!
You may or may not recall my post about LimeLocal, an interesting service provided by our friends at the Lime network (no relation to FiveLimes) whereby web surfers can (hopefully) track down some green goods and services close to where they live. While Lime Local does look quite comprehensive for some U.S. cities, sadly they have not yet expanded north of the border.
I was very happy to see that FiveLimes features cities from all over North America (Chris is a fellow Canadian, so I certainly wouldn’t expect anything less!) - I was even able to find some green businesses listed for my area. I have a feeling the FiveLimes local search is only going to get better over time as more and more people get involved.
Aside from the reviews and local listings, another great feature of FiveLimes is the community atmosphere. It definitely has a web 2.0 ’social’ feel about it - thus providing a great way to connect with like-minded greenies. In order to participate you simply have to sign up and create your own profile - it only took me a couple minutes.
If you have not already done so, I highly recommend you check out FiveLimes for yourself and add this one to your favourites - this is definitely a green site with a LOT of promise!
Technorati Tags: fivelimes, 5limes, Lime, green products, product reviews, eco friendly, sustainability
Written by Bentley on April 3rd, 2007 with no comments.
Read more articles on Interesting & Notable and Product Reviews.
Not too long ago we received a friendly e-mail from Anna - ‘Director of Marketing & Press Relations’ for Way Out Wax - asking if we’d be interested in testing out some of their products.
Given the fact that this was our very first testing offer, and also given the fact that I LOVE free stuff, I leapt at the opportunity.
I was a little concerned that being located in Canada might be an issue, but Anna assured me that this was not a problem in the least (direct quote: “We love Canada”). Whoohoo!
So I gave over my mailing address then promptly forgot all about it.
Well, the package arrived in the mail today and I was certainly quite excited to see what sorts of goodies they sent. As I started opening up the box I was greeted by a surprisingly powerful lavender aroma - definitely making a good first impression right off the bat (I love the smell of lavender).
Inside I found three interesting candles, a letter and some associated literature.
I definitely have to commend Anna on her choice of candles. As mentioned, I love lavender so needless to say the ‘lavender soy candle’ (in a cool cobalt blue glass holder) is a big hit. She also sent a ‘Sage Mini-Round Pillar’ candle that smells great as well (although certainly not as potent as the lavender). What makes it even cooler is that it’s wrapped in a biodegradable corn-plastic wrapper. Neato!
Last, but certainly not least is the ‘Clear Head Candle’, which comes in an 8-ounce travel tin. It is aptly named, giving off a refreshing (and addictive) blend of peppermint, eucalyptus and rosemary scents - I can’t stop opening it up for a whiff! Getting a little light-headed, but boy do I ever feel relaxed!
I still have yet to light any of the candles but I’m already very impressed with Way Out Wax and their soy candle line! I guarantee my wife will love them as well since she is much more of a candle hound than I am. I think I’m going to have to buy a separate set for Steve because I just can’t see myself parting with any of these! Maybe I’ll let him have them on weekends.
Having flipped through their little catalogue (and visited their website) I see that Way Out Wax offers a wide range of scented candles, as well as a non-scented collection. They also sell a few other interesting products, including pet shampoo and sprays, and even an all-natural bug repellent.
In case you are interested, here are some of the specs:
- All candles are 100% soy wax - completely biodegradeable (apparently also cleans easily with soap and water)
- Biodegradable plastic packaging
- 100% natural, essential oils
- Wicks made from unbleached cotton or hemp
- No dyes or perfumes used
I also just discovered that they give a percentage of their profits to ‘environmental and social causes’.
All in all I am very impressed and will certainly give Way Out Wax a big EcoSherpa green-thumbs up!
Technorati Tags: candles, wax, biodegradable, non-toxic, aromatherapy, lavender, sage, eucalyptus, rosemary, peppermint, scented, green products
Written by Bentley on December 21st, 2006 with 4 comments.
Read more articles on Product Reviews.
I came across an interesting little gadget via an article at Mother Earth News. It’s called the Pak-Lite, and is a very small but powerful LED flashlight.
Apparently it was originally designed as a ultra-lightweight flashlight for an extended backpacking expedition, but the idea stuck and Pak-Lite has evolved into a successful family-based business.
Clearly the marriage of ingenuity and utter simplicity, the device essentially consists of a small plastic cap with two “super bright” LED bulbs that snaps onto a 9 volt battery! It weighs in at a whopping 1.5 ounces (with battery), and has 3 settings - Off, Low & High.
Aside from the super-compact size, what’s great about this little light is that it lasts for a LONG time. In a test using a lithium battery (which lasts longer than alkaline) the Pak-Lite remained lit (on “Low” setting) for ONE FULL YEAR! I’ve accidentally left my favourite small flashlight on for one night and it had no juice by morning! According to the FAQ, the bulbs themselves are rated for a mere 100,000 hours! 
As for cost - you can get the basic model for just under $13 USD (includes battery), and a more souped-up (ie brighter/longer-lasting) version for about twice that.
I was happy to see that they ship outside the US (for an additional $3, I believe) - I think I’m going to grab a couple of these! I’m sick of my big flashlights that burn through batteries in no time flat.
I will be sure to write another post once they arrive and I’ve had the chance to test one of them out!
Be sure to check out the Official Pak-Lite Website
And here is a link to the Mother Earth News article if you are interested: Bright Light in the Palm of Your Hand
Technorati Tags: pak-lite, flashlight, LED, batteries, gadgets, backpacking
Written by Bentley on November 6th, 2006 with no comments.
Read more articles on Product Reviews.
Recently I was walking through one of my favourite stores and I came across a new line of cleaning products, method. Instantly I was drawn to the display and I found myself picking up each product to learn more. The packaging design is brillant with a clean simple design for the label and stylish curves to their bottles. The method product line stands out amonst the competition not only for branding and packaging but also for efficacy and impact on the environment.
It works!
I couldn’t resist buying one of the new cleaning products. I see the word �new� on a product label and I instantly buy the product. I guess you could say I am an early adopter to new products or perhaps a better way to describe me is a person that is easily fooled by marketing. What can I say, I like to try new things!
I am glad that I went with my instincts and purchased the new all-purpose surface cleaner, pink grapefruit. When I got home I started to clean my kitchen counters and table tops with the new cleaner and to my amazement it worked wonders. I had made a dish of gnocchi with a rich tomato sauce earlier in the evening and my white stove was covered in what appeared to be tomato freckles. Normally I would have reached for one of my industrial strength cleaners to clean the mess, however, I had my new eco-friendly cleaner in hand and was ready to give it a chance. A few sprays on the stovetop and a wipe with a paper towel and once again the stove is looking as good as new. I stood there in amazement, could this be true, a product that cleans well and is eco-friendly? The answer is yes…method cleaning products do work and they leave your house smelling great.
The all purpose spray, pink grapefruit, has a nice fragrant smell that is not overpowering and leaves a nice subtle smell in the air. I have now used the spray on tough to treat tomato stains, soap scum in the bathroom, wood coffee tables and floor tiles and without fail the product works.
I recently did a search on method products to learn more about the company and I found their website, www.methodhome.com. According to their website, their philosophy is:
To provide premium formulations that are safe for the environment, both in formulation, use and disposal. method achieves this in two ways:
1) by carefully choosing the ingredients in its formulations; and
2) by designed environmentally responsible packaging. The ongoing goal is to develop products that leave the smallest footprint possible.
method products are:
* Biodegradable
* Safe in the waste stream
* Derived from natural ingredients, such as soy, coconut and palm oils
method products contain no:
* Propellants, aerosols or other harmful vapors
* Phosphates
* Chlorine bleach
In addition, all of method’s packaging is recyclable, being either PETE 1 or HDPE 2 plastic.
I commend the founders of method, Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry, for starting their company. It is inspiring to see people creating alternative solutions for a category of products we use on a daily basis. This is a great demonstration of high quality eco-friendly products that can easily become a staple in your cleaning cupboard and can replace some of the more toxic brands.
To the skeptics out there, give method products a try and see the results for yourself. My plan is to buy a few more method products this week and I will once again test, review and post the results on the website.
EcoSherpa was not paid to endorse method products. This product review was conducted independently by EcoSherpa.
Written by steve on July 31st, 2006 with 3 comments.
Read more articles on Product Reviews.
