Flexible water bottles, hand soap derived from biofuel, and a machine that extracts water from air were among the innovations shown at Go Green Expo in Los Angeles this weekend. After scouring the show for the most useful and well-designed goods and services, we thought we'd share these 10 favorites…
TOP ROW
• 1 PeopleTowels – A portable, absorbent, and quick-drying cloth alternative to paper towels. We bet the fun designs make these a great conversation starter.
• 2 Knoend Bean Rockers – Surprisingly comfortable, ergonomic, and lightweight seats made from FSC-certified maple plywood and organic cotton.
• 3 EcoSmart Fire – Modern and contemporary design fireplaces fueled by clean-burning denatured alcohol. (Your take: Hot or Not?)
• 4 The Woven Company Window Shades – A Vietnamese family-owned company makes these beautiful window coverings from rapidly-renewable bamboo and grasses.
• 5 Vapur – Although we're not in love with this reusable bottle's plastic material (it is BPA-free), we really like how flexible it is, allowing it to be rolled, folded, and tucked into a bag or pocket.
BOTTOM ROW
• 6 Cyber Rain – A sprinkler control system that uses weather updates from the Internet to adjust the amount and time your sprinklers water.
• 7 Eco-Me Kits – Kits to help you mix your own cleaning, body, and pet products using vinegar, baking soda, and essential oil.
• 8 Further Hand Soap – The glycerin in this soap is a byproduct of restaurant grease converted into biofuel. It's fragranced with essential oils of bergamot, olive, and grasses.
• 9 Knauf Insulation EcoBatt – Fiberglass insulation made with rapidly-renewable organic materials rather than petroleum-based materials. It also contains a minimum of 30% post-consumer recycled glass and no phenol, formaldehyde, acrylics, or artificial colors.
• 10 Dewpointe – A water generator that extracts and filters moisture from the air, creating clean drinking water. The volume of water collected depends on the humidity of your location; in LA, it's about 2-3 gallons in 24 hours.
Did you attend Go Green Expo? If so, what caught your eye?
The event will travel to New York City, Philadelphia, and Atlanta later this spring. For more information, visit Go Green Expo.
(Images: PeopleTowels, Kari Orvik/Knoend, EcoSmart Fire, The Woven Company, Vapur, Cyber Rain, Eco-Me, Further, EcoBatt, Dewpointe)
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I didn't go this weekend but I've seen most of the products listed. I like the Eco-Me Kits and received it as a gift last year. It has become my primary home cleaning set and I can get every thing needed (baking powder, vinegar, olive oil) at the dollar store.
I went yesterday and I really liked the PeoplesTowels and EcoSmart fire places, too. There were a lot of great products like the ecycled business cards, the Taylors Tonic Chai cola, biobased lubricants from Lubrimatic, and a good selection of pet foods.
How is the dewpointe environmentally friendly at all.
"How is the dewpointe environmentally friendly at all."
I'd imagine in moisture/water deficient areas it might be more energy efficient to convert water than have it shipped from somewhere else. Ideally, a machine like this would be hooked up to a solar panel.
Thanks Emily for including us in your wrap-up. We were very pleased with the turnout at Go Green Expo and found quite a few interesting products there as well.
@Jose A – We aim to help promote and educate the importance of water conservation in the community. With air being an unlimited and renewable source of water, it becomes a new alternative to the nation’s drinking water. While several consumers are aware of the impact bottled water has on the environment, many aren’t aware of the impact several home filtration systems have. These systems often push chemicals and hazardous materials back into our drinking water and environment. With air as a new alternative, this can all be bypassed and people can obtain clean water while not leaving a carbon footprint with bottled water or common home filtration systems.
We published a PeopleTowels review today. We think it's a great product, although it is tricky to remember to use it at first. Although, the same could be said for reusable bags at the grocery store and a lot of people seem to have that down now.