Home renovation gifts probably seem a little dull, but trust me - the person on the receiving end will thank you! Tackling a project with sustainability in mind is easier when you have the right tools and gear for the job - check out our list of tried and true gift options after the jump! More

It's that time of year where one of the few everyday comforts is sitting by a warm, roaring fireplace. While fireplaces were originally incorporated into homes as a primary source of heat, in recent years they've gotten a bad reputation for being heat suckers and only good for decoration. There are actually a few great types of fireplaces that can be used, for anyone from apartment dwellers to home owners, that are sure to keep you cozy and warm, and maybe even reduce your heating bill. More

With all this talk about the iPhone battery issues we sometimes forget that all this mobile power is supplied by the power in our homes. What if we ran out of juice at home? Or we needed a backup boost? Or simply wan to get off the grid and supply our own energy from alternative sources? We highlight some great alternative energy sources that Unplggd has covered, ranging from solar to wind to even using your car as an emergency generator. More

One heat source cooks three different dishes! That's energy efficient cooking. Preparing food using three tier steamers is quick and simple. Simply load up the different levels, turn on the heat and walk away, all on one burner. It's also extremely versatile, so cooking for one is as easy as cooking for a small group. Because it uses only one burner, this is also a great tip for small kitchens. More

It's the sexiest little thermostat to ever hit the market. Meet Nest, available mid-November. It works a little (well, a LOT) differently than a regular thermostat. Curious? See a video below: More

It's getting cold outside and we've been discovering some interesting cold weather tech accessories, like these touch screen friendly gloves by MUJI. Another new product has also caught our eye - Nest, a very pretty thermostat. Here's what Nest is about and our critique on whether its control of energy consumption compensates for its price tag.

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Most of us who rent can only daydream about bathroom renovations like installing low-flow toilets and bamboo flooring, or swapping out our 80's-style chipped ceramic sink for one that looks like it was plucked from a Zen garden. However, there are lots of ways to make a rental bathroom brighter, greener, and more modern. Here are 10 tips to help move your rental bathroom out of The Flinstones and into The Jetsons. More

It's been very well documented that visual feedback is enough to help consumers decrease their energy use by as much as 15%. By understanding their own energy use, people can make better decisions regarding consumption, saving money and reducing demands on the energy grid during peak periods. So wouldn't it be great if we could control and view our resource consumption, anywhere at anytime, even with our smart phones? More

A little more than a year ago we reviewed the Pharox60 6 Watt Dimmable LED Bulb, a bulb that's still working fine in our apartment hallway (meaning it's almost always on) and sipping power where once an incandescent burned through more watts and had to be replaced often. And now it looks like the very same manufacturer will be supplying IKEA with their bulbs, making this one of the most notable pushes toward an LED bulb future for the masses... More

With fall already here and winter on the way, it is a perfect time to consider a smarter thermostat for your home if you don't have one already. Programmable thermostats have been around for years, but the latest iterations of this everyday fixture has gotten quite a makeover, as you can see in the example above. Take a look at several heating control options allowing homeowners to control their HVAC systems remotely and with more control than ever... More