Browsing: Technology

The Dyson Air Multiplier

We are thrilled to introduce our latest gadget – the Dyson Air Multiplier!  Using cutting edge technology, the air-flow experts at Dyson have produced yet another iconic and innovative appliance, the fan without blades.  Set to trump all others in the desktop cooling field, the Air Multiplier creates a smooth, powerful airflow without the buffeting of conventional fans.

Read the rest of Introducing: The Dyson Air Multiplier »

Wattson Home Energy Meter

Calling all eco-gadget fans! The EthicalSuperstore offices have been alive today with talk of last night’s Gadget Show (channel 5).

Read the rest of Eco-Gadgets and Energy Saving »

The original FreeLoader is one of the most popular products here at EthicalSuperstore, and judging by the amount of customer queries we receive about it, you’re all keen to harness the power of the sun for your charging needs. However, with ever changing charging platforms and fancy new gadgets launching every week, it’s hard to keep up with the FreeLoader’s compatibility with your devices (and as I’m a Product Information Assistant it was starting to get to me!).

Well, the answer to all of your questions (and mine!) is here. The FreeLoader Pro is the ultimate, professional solar charger capable of charging your most power hungry, energy sapping gadgets and devices.

With a Multi Voltage switch allowing you to charge anything from your mobile phone and mp3 player right through to a digital SLR and video camera, it’s this years must-have green gadget for any tech-geek, eco-warrior, or light-stepping adventurer.

So, let’s just clarify;

Q: Will the FreeLoader Pro charge my iPhone 3G?

A: Yes!

Q: Can I charge my digital camera battery with the FreeLoader Pro?

A: Yes!

Q: Does the FreeLoader Pro have a battery level indicator?

A: Yes!

Ahhh, result.

Let’s just hope all of the products we stock don’t follow in the FreeLoader’s footsteps; ticking all of the boxes and answering all of your questions right out of the box, otherwise I might find myself out of a job!

Bottled water attracts its fair share of bad press, maybe even more than its fair share.

One such example of this was when a government minister claimed that drinking bottled water should be made as unfashionable as smoking;

“We have to make people think that it’s unfashionable just as we have with smoking. We need a similar campaign to convince people that this is wrong,”

said Tim Lang, the Government’s natural resources commissioner.

And all of this negativity surrounding bottled beverages seems to be having an impact with recent figures from market research company TNS suggesting that last year bottled water sales fell by 9% (this on the back of approx 10 years of year on year increases in sales).

However, is the bottled water industry really so bad?

Read the rest of Bottled Water Doesn’t Have to Cost the Earth »

The founder, designer and director of Fifi Bijoux, Vivien Johnston, is a leading light in the world of ethical jewellery production – she believes in setting a gold standard through her choice of Fairly Trading suppliers and the eco-friendly and sustainable manner of production. What’s all the more significant is that she’s been creating such a stir that in recent months she’s been invited to speak with and spread her wisdom to some of the biggest names in the gold and diamond mining industry. Fifi Bijoux is working on getting the word out on ethical jewellery production; how it should be done and the undeniably beneficial consequences. In this post Vivien writes about her  experiences during 2008 and what’s been happening in the world of ethical jewellery.

“This New Year, my resolution is to find those little spaces in the hectic pace of life. Those moments when you feel nothing but sheer delight and catch precious times with friends from afar or family you wish you could see more of.”

Technorati Profile

Read the rest of A New Year’s Resolution from Vivien Johnston of Fifi Bijoux »

In this current climate of the credit crunch, with fears of a looming recession, and with bills on the increase, it’s easy to see why people have taken to monitoring the amount of energy they use with a view to reducing what they can.

There are various makes and models on the market at the minute, claiming that they can show you all those silent but deadly energy guzzlers, and suggesting that they will help you cut your energy use and electricity bills.

So here are my Armchair Activist Top 5 Energy Monitors – one for every budget!

Read the rest of Armchair Activist: #5 – Energy Monitors on a Budget . . . »

Whilst perusing the interweb for various hints, tips and suggestions on green living, eco-friendly lifestyles, and money/energy saving devices, I came across this great tool for armchair activists from Troika.

In the modern age where text messaging has taken over from note passing, and emails have replaced letters, why shouldn’t the humble megaphone or loudspeaker be subject to such change? Well, a renowned German designer (Moritz Waldemeyer) who describes his work as a fusion of technology, art, fashion and design, (who has previously collaborated with the band OKGO), has teamed up with Troika, a multi-disciplinary art and design practice, to create such a thing.

This nifty creation is “able to receive incoming sms messages and speak them out loud through its powerful megaphone, thus allowing the armchair activist to shout out its rants and protests in the comfort of his sitting room”.

It was made with the support from Arts Council England and I think it’s inspiring in its modern day, thought provoking design and concept.
                                                                                                                                                                                

(Image via Troika)

Check out this video from BBC 2′s The Culture Show highlighting more of Waldemeyer’s work:[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPsmrEmQ_lk&eurl=http://www.waldemeyer.com/pressf.html[/youtube]

My gran used to have a saying (don’t think she made it up, I’ve heard loads of people use it since) that went something like “Learn to crawl before you try to walk!” Normally, this would be rolled out when I had tried to do something, and been pretty rubbish at it. I was reminded of this when I recently sat down to read There’s A Hippo In My Cistern, a great new book from former lads mag journo Pete May.

At the beginning of the book Pete is very open about the lifestyle he used to lead – he would fly everywhere he could, cared little for conservation, and was obsessed with consumerism and the latest toys and gadgets. In essence he was living the life most twenty-something blokes would kill for. This all changes, however, when he meets eco-warrior Nicola, and the course of true love, as another saying goes, never runs smooth.

The central point of the book, though, is that despite all the warnings of our planet killing ways, few of us make any major changes to our lifestyle. There could be many reasons for this, from laziness, to comfort, to unwillingness, but I feel the crucial issue is apathy. People don’t think that anything they do individually will make any difference, and therefore don’t start trying. In the book, May finds that adjusting to a more ethical lifestyle is much more difficult than it appears, but by taking small steps, he eventually transforms his life, and turns away from his consumerist, eco-sinner past. We could all follow his example, and start small. Energy saving lightbulbs, for example, can use around 75% less energy than regular ones. That’s 75% less carbon and 75% less money spent on lighting your house, and 75% more happiness in the world (approx!). That’s just one small step, which really is no effort at all, and does wonders for your eco-karma. You know it makes sense.

I’ll end this post with another saying of my gran’s (and, of course, some Chinese bloke) “The longest journey starts with the smallest step.” Why not take that step today, and see where your journey takes you? More small steps to come.

Well, it’s supposedly summer time which means that the majority of people are off on their holidays sometime soon! And we all know that style and convenience can’t afford to play second fiddle to cumbersome and unsightly ‘travel gadgets’ these days. Luckily, MSN have compiled a Top 8 of 2008’s Coolest Travel Gadgets to take the stress out of choosing the right piece of kit to make your holiday run smoothly.

From camera tripods to motorized luggage cases; there really is something for everyone. Two products in particular caught my eye, though. Yes, Ethical Superstore stocks 2 of the 8 products featured; the Indigo LED Wind Up Lantern, and the Powermonkey eXplorer Portable Solar Charger (pictured) grace both the Cool List and the pages of your favourite one stop ethical shop!

Not only does that mean that Ethical Superstore makes it easier for you to shop by ethics, but also maintains a sense of style, of cool, and of sophistication. Check out the range of travel gadgets available that didn’t quite make the Top 8 this time around . . . . There’s always next year!

After last week’s hypermiling post, I decided to look into other ways of cutting down on the amount you spend (and burn) at the petrol pump. Hypermiling, after all, can get you a long way, but eventually you need to stop off for fuel, and in the vast majority of cases that means money, pollution and a continuation of the endless fuel consumption cycle which everyone is so concerned about right now. There is, however, an alternative, and it needn’t be as pricey as you think.

It may seem too good to be true, but it is perfectly feasible to give up your gas-guzzling car, and still get around town quickly, easily, and without resorting to stuffing your head into the unwashed armpit of a fellow commuter on the morning train. The number of electric vehicles in on the increase, and this is only set to continue as people realise the benefits that are to be gained by going electric. Until now, however, vehicles such as the Toyota Prius(approx. £13,000 and up) and the Vectrix scooter(around £7,000) could be seen to be a little out of most people’s price range. However, there is now an alternative which may just make going electric a much more appealing option.

The Ego StreetScoota, despite its ridiculous name, is a fully electric moped which rocks in at a frankly amazing £999.95… yes, you read that right – a fully functional scooter which will never need a visit to your local petrol station, all for about the same price as a years worth of travelling on the London Underground. If that’s not reason enough to get one, I don’t know what is.

According to the manufacturers, the Scoota can reach a top speed of 30mph, has a range of around 40miles, and costs a teeny, tiny, frankly measly 8p to charge fully… all with the added benefit of not having to pay road tax, getting cheap insurance (normally around £100-£200), and receiving free parking in most cities. I can’t actually think of a reason not to buy one.