Hot Off the Grid
Innovations for the eco-minded
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENT No, the plastic and foam that protect your noodle aren’t recycled. (Smith is working on it.) However, the Hustle is lined with Cocona, a natural fiber made from coconut husks that regulates temperature and wicks moisture better than a standard synthetic liner. Thirty percent of the packaging is made with post-consumer products. $120; smithoptics.com
Bag of Sunshine
Noon Solar Sawyer Bag
Made of naturally dyed hemp and leather, every inch of Noon Solar’s Sawyer messenger bagmore inconspicuous than it looksis biodegradable. The flexible solar panel charges the Sawyer’s lithium-ion battery in about six hours and will keep your phone or iPod juiced for at least that long. $377; noonsolar.com
Power Trip
Eton FR500 Solarlink Radio
Just shy of two pounds, Etón’s do-it-all FR500 Solarlink radiooutfitted with an AM/FM tuner, shortwave radio with NOAA weather band, emergency beacon and siren, LED flashlight, cell-phone charger, and clockruns itself on built-in solar panels. No sun? It can also be powered by a hand crank, batteries, or AC. $80; etoncorp.com
Mo’ Better
Gas-guzzling mowers account for 5 percent of the country’s air pollution, while most electric varieties restrict you to an outlet. Not the cordless Neuton 6.2. Thanks to the 36-volt battery, this emissions-free clipper allows up to 60 minutes of uninhibited cutting, runs quiet as a hummingbird, and comes with a mulching plug, bagger, and side discharge chute. $499; neutonpower.com