Kickoff Summer With a Solio Solar Charger

Photo via Solio

Summer’s officially here! And the sunshine it brings with it means good news for outdoor concerts, backyard dance parties, and powering up your iPod or iPhone with a free source of energy.

Solio may look like a prop from the latest Star Trek movie, but it’s actually a solar-powered charger. Spread out the blades to expose the photovoltaic cells and soak up the sun – whether outside or through a window.

Even if you live in a place like…Portland, for example, where the sun can be so scarce that you sometimes doubt its very existence, Solio can still be a practical choice. It only takes one hour of sunshine to produce enough power to talk for 20 minutes or listen to music for 50 minutes.

When the clouds roll in, you can charge Solio by conventional means (i.e. plugging it into a wall socket or computer USB port). As an added bonus, it can charge multiple gadgets at once, including iPods/mp3 players, iPhones/cell phones, and cameras.

Better Energy Systems, the creators of Solio, put a lot of thought into how to design their product as eco-friendly as possible at each stage of its lifecycle. Besides using solar power, these chargers contain recycled plastics, are RoHS compliant, and have a long-life replaceable lithium ion battery.

The battery, as well as the entire device itself, can be sent back to the company for recycling. Better Energy Systems also plants trees to offset the carbon emissions produced by the manufacturing process, making Solio a green standout.

Get it here: Solio (H1000 $80, Classic $100, Magnesium $200)

Stylish and Sustainable Vers iPod Sound Systems

Photo via Vers

I have grown tired of dragging my laptop around or fumbling with my iPod and headphones whenever I want to rock out somewhere that is not within earshot of my home stereo. After taking a look at Vers’ portable, stylish, and sustainable sound systems, I may have found my solution.

Vers has two models: the 2x, pictured here, and the 1.5R, which doubles as a radio alarm clock. Each system is hand-crafted and is encased in your choice of wood veneers: Cherry, Natural Walnut, Dark Walnut, or Bamboo. The 1.5R is also available in a glossy Piano White. And don’t fear – the wood comes from locally-sourced plantations (no old growth here).

What’s on the inside is just as impressive. Vers sound systems are compliant with the European Union’s RoHS (Restriction on Hazardous Substances) Directive, which means they are free of toxics like lead, cadmium, and hexavalent chromium as well as the nastiest of flame retardants such as polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Thanks to an efficient Class D amplifier, they also run on significantly less energy than traditional amplifiers.

As if I needed another reason to be in love with this product, it all comes minimally packaged in 100% postconsumer recycled materials.

Get it here: Vers (2V $180-$200; 1.5R $200-$220)

Protect Your iPod With EcoShield

Photo via Agent18

Although mp3 players have many advantages over the personal music players of yore (I sure don’t miss having to lug around tapes or CDs), durability isn’t among them. One too many drops on the floor and it’s your $300 iPod Touch’s funeral.

The best thing to do – for our wallets as well as the environment – is to take good care of these devices so they last their longest.

You can protect your iPod or iPhone the eco-friendly way with Agent18’s EcoShield line of cases made from recycled postconsumer plastic bottles.

The packaging is also recyclable, unlike that awful rigid plastic packaging many consumer electronics and accessories use. Opening a box should not require a crowbar and 45 minutes of my precious time. This alone is worth choosing Agent18!

Get it here: Agent 18 ($13-$30)