THIS HUMMER'S A STUNNERBack in December, nine car makers took on the Design Challenge set by the Los Angeles Auto Show.
The brief was to design a car for a time when all vehicles will allow their owners to explore the environment without harming it. The sensational result was that a version of General Motors's Hummer won the award. A green Hummer? Surely the ultimate oxymoron? Powered by a fuel cell, the Hummer O2 "breathes" through algae-filled body panels which transform harmful CO2 into pure oxygen while you drive. All the parts in the vehicle are constructed from "post-consumer" materials. Toyota's entry, the Renewable Lifestyle Vehicle, is perhaps the ultimate hybrid; the car uses pedal power while stuck in traffic and an electric mode for faster travel. These are concept cars, so don't expect to see them powering along the M50 anytime soon. Entries can be viewed at www.laautoshow.com. Michael Kelly
TO HAVE AND TO FOLDCan a bicycle be both geeky and chic? Oh yes. The hand-built Brompton folding bike, once seen only in the company of gangly men, serious travellers and a small band of other devotees has become - much to the bemusement of the aforementioned - a fashion item. American Vogue featured it last summer, Katie Melua has one, and so does Woody Harrelson. But never mind that, the London-made bicycle is not just the best-made "folder" available, it also delivers a ride that rivals that of its large-wheeled, non-folding competitors. It is not a cheap machine, but every part is specially-designed and extra-durable - allowing the bike to be compressed into a neat and portable bundle of engineering (weighing 9 to 13 kilos) in the space of a minute. The basic model costs €675, but they go all the way up to €2,500. The larger figure will get you titanium components; custom colour; six-speed in-hub gears; an internal hub dynamo; and "eazy-wheels". These last are little tyres with industrial bearings that allow you to proudly roll your folded Brompton along station platforms and DART carriages. Bromptons are custom made, and have a 14-week delivery time. Available from Cycleways, 185-186 Parnell Street, Dublin 1; 01-8734748; www.cycleways.com. Jane Powers
WATTS UP?We all know that switching off a 100 watt light bulb saves 100 watts. Well that's obvious. But how how much electricity are we wasting by leaving the TV on in the living room, the radio burbling to itself in the kitchen and the home computer whirring away in the bedroom?
The Electrisave monitor has the answer: just clip the sensor next to your electricity meter and it transmits your usage details to a small, portable, wireless monitor. Turn appliances off, and instantly see how much power they've been consuming. Once you've programmed the device, it will tell you how much money you've been sending down the drain and how much CO2 all this activity was pumping into the environment. The display also shows temperature and humidity, and includes an alarm that users can set when usage reaches a certain level. The Electrisave runs on batteries - sustainably minded folks will make sure theirs are rechargeable, of course. It costs €120 from Cultivate, Essex Street West, Temple Bar, Dublin 8 and from www.theenergyrevolution.ie. More information from www.electrisave.co.uk. Jane Powers
TOP OF THE CHARTSLists are de rigueur these days and late last year the UK's Environment's Agency got in on the act by releasing a list of the 100 Greatest eco-heroes of all time. Top of the list is Pennsylvanian writer and scientist Rachel Carson who is seen by many as the patron saint of the green movement. Her 1962 book Silent Spring exposed the risks of unrestrained use of chemical pesticides and introduced the concept of the environment as a system that sustains us.
BBC luminary Sir David Attenborough is in at number four, cited for doing "more than any other broadcaster to unravel the mysteries of the planet". At number six is Wangari Maathai, Kenya's environment minister and Nobel Peace Prize recipient in 2004, who is credited with planting 30 million trees across Kenya.
Prince Charles makes it in at number seven, ostensibly for his promotion of locally produced organic food. His recent announcement that he has abandoned helicopters and private jets for scheduled train journeys will help enhance his eco-reputation.
Controversially, given his record while he was US vice-president, Al Gore is at number nine. Gore's movie An Inconvenient Truth was one of the most talked about movies in 2006. There is space in the list for some quirkier entries: St Francis of Assisi , patron saint of animals, is at number 47; good old Tom and Barbara from The Good Life make it in at number 91; and Santa Claus is hailed at number 100 for his carbon-free deliveries. See www.environment-agency.gov.uk for the full list. Michael Kelly
SMELLS LIKE WIND POWERNow there's recycling and recycling. Pangea Organics is an ecological bodycare range that includes unisex bar soaps, shower gels, hand and body lotions and facial skincare products. Sophisticated fragrance blends, such as Italian Red Mandarin, Egyptian Calendula and Malagasy Ylang Ylang gives this range an exotic edge. This company has a serious environmental mission. Its factory is 100 per cent wind-powered, and the award-winning funky packaging has a hidden extra. Boxes are made using a new process with seeds such as sweet basil and amaranth. Simply soak the box for a minute in water and then plant. Soaps cost €9.90, skin care products about €33. Available at Avoca branches, Select Store, Dalkey, and selected health stores nationwide. www.trueorganics.ie. Phyl Clarke
BIODEGRADABLE BURIALIf you've lived a sustainable life, is it all over when you die? Not at all, according to Judith Hoad, who buried her husband on their own land, wrapped in a blanket made of wool from his own sheep - "the ultimate in organic composting". In a traditional burial, environmentally harmful chemicals are used in the wood of the coffin and also during the embalming. Cremation isn't a green option either, as it releases toxic fumes into the atmosphere. The eco-alternative is to be buried in an ecopod instead of a coffin and, eventually, fertilising the earth. Ecopods resemble a cocoon and come in a variety of beautiful designs (or white for painting at home). Made from environmentally friendly materials, externally finished with mulberry and silk paper and lined with natural fibre, they biodegrade fairly rapidly. More information on ecopods is available from Judith Hoad at Living Earth, 074-9736406. Sarah Marriott
RETAIL THERAPY FOR THE PLANET The Ecoshop run by Jane Hall in Glen of the Downs, Co Wicklow, appeals more to my inner consumer than my outer ecologist. What a lot of natty gadgets they have: a foot-operated crusher for plastic bottles, sleeping bags for babies, wood briquettes, cool birdhouses, children's musical instruments. I never knew until I entered this store that I wanted a whistle that sounds like a duck's quack, but I did, and I had to stop myself buying a cobweb catcher that looked like a latter-day chimney sweep's brush. Bottle of organic wine? Why not. Book on evil supermarkets? Throw it in the trolley. Buying a lot of stuff is not ecological, I suppose, so this orgy of consumption may have done more harm than good, but somehow it felt like the right thing to do. Quack! Conor Goodman