It is getting close to that time of year again where children go trick or treating, jack o lanterns and spooky goblins come out at night. During this time of year we can see our out of pocket expenses skyrocket due to having to purchase costumes for our children to wear. Getting costumes can be a pain and a very big expense while also being bad for the environment. The materials that some of the costumes are made of can be very harmful for the environment as this has led many individuals to want to make their own costumes.

Why Make My Own Costumes?

Making your own costumes can save you money, help save the environment and you can reuse the material for something or somebody else in the future. You can also if you do not want to completely home make your child’s Halloween outfit, you can order through one of the retailers that offer homemade Halloween outfits that do not have anything that would harm your child or the environment in them. Doing either option will help you save money and make sure that what your child is wearing is one hundred percent safe.

What Are the Costumes Made Up Of?

If you make the costume yourself or you purchase it from somewhere else you will find that many people use silk. Silk is a one hundred percent natural ingredient. It is renewable and completely natural and is a great durable fabric to use. Make sure that you use all natural dyes. Many dyes that are all natural will be vinegar based and have no toxins. Some people will use different fruit juices to help dye their clothing naturally or use food coloring.

Where to Purchase Materials or Costumes

When trying to figure out where you will purchase the materials for your homemade costume you might think that you will have a hard time. You really will not and can find what you are looking for at just about any craft shop. You can also look online to see if you can find materials there as well. If you want to find a homemade costume you will have to look online to find the best homemade and natural outfits out there. There are many green retailers online that specialize in the sale of green items including green Halloween outfits. Make sure that you check around, it is possible on some of these sites that you may find patterns as well as materials to create your own Halloween costume.

Going green is very important at any time of the year. One may not think about going green during Halloween but it is important. You can go green on Halloween by making your own costume or purchasing one that is green. It will be better for the environment, better for you, and better for your child. Many people are switching to this Halloween tradition not just to save money but to make sure that they protect their environment so that they will get to enjoy many more Halloweens to come.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Homemade Halloween Costumes article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

© 2008 to 2011 EnviroGadget.com. You can now keep up with the latest eco-gadgets on the EnviroGadget Facebook page. Why not help us to spread the word?

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When owning a dog the last thing that generally crosses are mind is making our dogs go green. Making a dog become greener would be a task in itself but there are ways that a pet owner can help their dog go green and help save the environment while being safe as well. In the latest invention of the green world, green dog collars are surfacing.

What Are Green Dog Collars?

Green dog collars are made up out of materials that are safe for the environment and safe for your pet and you. Some of these collars may be made out of recycled materials including plastic made from recycled bottles. Not to worry though, the plastic is deeply woven so that your dog will not get hurt on the plastic. Many dogs seem to not want to chew on recycled collars. Other green collars may be made out of hemp, as well as soy plants. All of these will be great choices in getting green dog collars.

Where Can I Purchase Green Dog Collars?

Green dog collars are starting to pop up everywhere. In many popular locations such as a pet store these collars will have their very own section. The AKC sells their very own version of recycled collars right on their website. If you wish to find a green collar for your pet you can do so by looking online or at your local pet store. There are many locations online that will let you know where you can find a collar for your dog. Many green retailers online will carry green dog collars that will work well for you and your pet and help you save the environment one collar at a time.

Different Green Dog Collars

When dog collar shopping you may be surprised at how many that there will be to choose from. You will have no shortage of green dog collars and will be able to find one very quickly. Here are a few that you may find very interesting.

• Planet Dog Collars This great all natural dog collar is created out of hemp which will make this a great environmentally friendly dog collar.
• Scrappy Pets Collar This collar is made out of recycled leather and is a great buy for anyone wanting their dog to be comfortable and green.
• Earth Collar This unique collar is made by soy fibers that have a natural anti-bacterial fiber with them helping to increase your dog’s health.
• Etta Says Rubber Dog Collar This dog collar is created from recycled rubber from bicycle and car tires. A great way to recycle and a great way to go green for your dog.

Getting a green collar for your dog is easy. There are many of options for you to choose from. Keep in mind what your dog’s neck size is and then you can go from there. Remember to choose different designs if your dog is a heavy chewer or will wear one out quickly. Most of these collars will stand up to the test of time and help you and your dog become greener and better for the environment.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Green Dog Collars article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

© 2008 to 2011 EnviroGadget.com. You can now keep up with the latest eco-gadgets on the EnviroGadget Facebook page. Why not help us to spread the word?

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These Dryer Cubes are a great way to help your clothes to dry faster and softer without the need for chemicals. Simply placing the cubes with your wet laundry into your tumble dryer allows them to help speed up the drying process and soften your clothes without the need for fabric softeners or tumble dryer sheets.

The Dryer Cubes by Ecozone are a great way to cut down your laundry costs and help to lessen the amount of chemicals you use. The cubes have specially designed little nodules over them, these help to agitate the clothing helping to physically break down the stiffness caused by the water drying. This ability means you do not need to use fabric softener with your wash, nor would you need a dryer sheet, this is not only beneficial to the environment, with less chemicals in the water, less production and transport, but is also beneficial to those with asthma, eczema or allergies. The ability to soften the clothes also helps to make the clothes easy to iron helping to reduce a further electric cost.

The Dryer Cubes help the hot air to circulate around the laundry in a more efficient manner. The cubes themselves retain the heat, helping the drying process and separate the items out to increase airflow. It is thought that these effects can help to reduce drying time by 25%, making an obvious saving to your electrical bill. The cubes will last for between 2 – 5 years depending on level of usage, helping you to save money wash after wash. The cubes are a chemical free way to ensure you have soft, easy to iron laundry that drys in less time, benefiting both you, your money and the environment.

The Dryer Cubes are just £10.95 with free delivery.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Energy-Saving and Washing Dryer Cubes article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

© 2008 to 2011 EnviroGadget.com. You can now keep up with the latest eco-gadgets on the EnviroGadget Facebook page. Why not help us to spread the word?

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This lightweight jacket is made from recycled materials. Featuring ‘Tux’ the linux penguin used as the logo for Linux it is bound to appeal to all open source eco enthusiasts.

The Linux logo of ‘Tux’ the penguin is recognisable to all (or at least all that matter to those who know him!) and the ideals of open source software mesh well with being eco-friendly. The jacket comes in sizes ranging from small to large for men (which equates to medium to extra large in women) and is made from a polyester that has been fabricated from 100% recycled materials.

This polyester makes the coat light weight and water resistant, with its partial mesh venting in the upper back of  jacket the coat is suitable in all weathers keeping you dry and warm while preventing you from getting too hot. The black jacket has reflective piping on it both at the front and at the back, which helps reflect light to allow you to been seen at night. The jacket has a zipper closure to it and has pockets located towards the bottom of it. It also has inside port access for portable electronic items such as mobile phones and MP3 players.

Both the Men’s Jacket and the Ladies Jacket are available for $29.99 each.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Recycled Jacket Featuring ‘Tux’ The Linux Penguin article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

© 2008 to 2011 EnviroGadget.com. You can now keep up with the latest eco-gadgets on the EnviroGadget Facebook page. Why not help us to spread the word?

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Today I have the privilege of reviewing a stunning piece of eco-friendly gadgetry, namely the Infinit IV2.1 Solar Charger Backpack.

The backpack features a large 2.4W solar panel, neatly integrated on the front of the bag. The solar panel is used to charge up an internal battery, which can then be used to charge up your mobile phone, GPS navigation gadgets, the iPhone, the iPod, and devices that charge up via a mini USB socket.

Initial Impressions

When I opened the box, my first impression was, “wow, this looks really nice”! I was pleasantly surprised at just how big the solar panel is, which is about the size of a paper-back book. The fabric of the backpack is a high quality and tough material, and you can just tell that the whole product is well made.

What’s Included?

Infinit Rucksack IV2.1 with Accessories

After hunting around the internal pockets in the bag, these are all the accessories that come with the bag.

• The backpack itself
• An elasticated waterproof sack to cover your bag
• A removable rechargeable battery (2200mAh capacity)
• 8 adaptors (for charging different gadgets)
• A retractable USB cable
• An AC adaptor plug (for charging up the battery)
• An instruction booklet

Basic Construction

Straps and Back Support

The bag is roughly the size of a standard rucksack, with padded shoulder straps, a padded handle, padded back support and a reinforced base. With all this padding, the bag is very comfortable to wear for a few hours. There are lots of little pockets within the bag, which are fantastic for organising your stuff. There’s a small pocket on the front of the bag behind the solar panel, which is large enough for a mobile phone or MP3 player.

Main Section - Laptop Pocket (Before)

Laptop Pocket with Laptop Secured

Then there’s a middle section which houses the battery and accessories, covered by a protective red netting. Most of the small pockets are in the middle section of the bag. Finally, there’s the main section of the bag, which is by far the largest area for storing your stuff. There’s a large flexible pocket inside the main section which is perfect for holding your laptop securely. I’d expect the back can handle up to a 15″ display without any difficulty.

At the top of the main section, there’s a small elasticated pocket that’s designed to hold an MP3 player or other music player. You can thread through your headphones using the headphone port and keep your MP3 player out of sight and completely dry.

Since the bottom of the main section of the bag has a reinforced base (a firm bit of padding basically), then you’ll notice that heavy books or laptops don’t poke out of the bottom of the bag. This helps the bag to retain it’s structure and will definitely reduce the strain on your back.

Charging up a gadget

Battery Charging an iPod Touch

The battery is removable from the bag, since the solar panel has a standard mini USB cable that just plugs into the battery when you want to charge it up. Being able to take out the battery is very useful, as it gives you some freedom of where and when you charge up your gadgets.

The battery features some intelligent electronics which handles all of the charging stuff for you. Using the iPod adaptor and the retractable cable, I just plugged the battery into my iPod Touch, and the battery automatically started charging up my iPod for me! The iPod was at around 66% when I started charging it up, and it took about 30 minutes to charge the iPod to 100%. Of course, that will vary from gadget to gadget.

During the charging phase, the four blue LED lights on the battery indicate what charge remains in the battery. Each LED corresponds to roughly 25% of energy remaining in the battery. Once the battery had finished charging my iPod Touch, only 2 LEDs were lighting up, which indicates that battery capacity was between 20% and 50%.

Charging up the battery again

Charging up the battery with the solar panel

Charging up the battery again is very simple. You just connect the battery to the solar panel, and leave the solar panel in direct sunlight. When the battery is flat, it takes up to 10 hours for the battery to charge to full capacity again. Therefore you might want to use the AC charger if you need a full battery quickly. The blue LEDs on the battery will all light up when the battery is fully charged, so there’s no need to guess when the battery is ready.

Conclusions

The bag is very well designed and constructed, and it has clearly been created to be practical as well as desirable. The automatic charger within the battery pack takes all of the hassle out of figuring out how to charge your gadgets, it’s really a matter of just plugging in your gadgets and the battery handles the rest.

My only concern is that the bag looks slightly conspicuous with the solar panel on the front. That means it might get some unwanted attention from opportunistic thieves, who might work out that there are likely to be some valuable gadgets inside. My suggestion is that you don’t let the bag out of your sight!

However, that aside, this is a bag that I am proud to own and one that’s practical from a gadget charging perspective. For me, the real winning feature of the bag is the sturdy construction for carrying a laptop safely. Back strain is not fun, but this bag makes it a real pleasure to carry a laptop.

Thank you to Infinit for giving me the opportunity to review such a top class product!

Product Page: Infinit IV2.1 Backpack, priced at £89.99 including VAT (UK taxes)

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Infinit IV2.1 Solar Charger Backpack Review article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

© 2008 to 2011 EnviroGadget.com. You can now keep up with the latest eco-gadgets on the EnviroGadget Facebook page. Why not help us to spread the word?

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The Sunny Bags are the creations of Stefan Ponsold, who runs a company called SunnyBag based in Austria. The bags are a dark brown or black cowskin-leather, designed as a shoulder-bag for laptops and paperwork. The unique aspect of this bag is that it includes a 3 Watt solar panel with a 1600mAh LI-Ion battery pack. The high power solar panel allows the internal battery to be charged, even with cloudy and overcast days.

The Sunny Bags come with a range of adaptors to charge your portable gadgets, including the iPhone, iPod, most mobile phone models and USB. With the battery, the bag weighs approximately 1.4kg (or 3lb) and measures 42cm x 32cm x 8cm. The Business Pro model of the bags are able to comfortably house a 15.4″ laptop computer.

Prices start at €165.83 plus shipping fees. SunnyBag will happily ship their bags to the EU and internationally.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the SunnyBag Leather Bags with 3 Watt Solar Panel article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

© 2008 to 2011 EnviroGadget.com. You can now keep up with the latest eco-gadgets on the EnviroGadget Facebook page. Why not help us to spread the word?

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The Sun Bags are claimed to be the lightest on the market, weighing only 500 grams (1lb), including the solar panel, battery and all of the charging cables. The bags are available in 37 colors with optional custom printing, which is particularly useful for branding the bags with a company logo.

Prices start at around €120, which is currently around $180 USD due to currency fluctuations.

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Neuber Lightweight Solar Panel Bags article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

© 2008 to 2011 EnviroGadget.com. You can now keep up with the latest eco-gadgets on the EnviroGadget Facebook page. Why not help us to spread the word?

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I recently received a 2C Solar Cap to review, and I must say that I was very impressed with it. You’d expect it to be a silly gadget without any real purpose… but actually, it works perfectly for map reading at night. If you’re out hiking or camping, you usually need both hands free to do something, such as pitching a tent, cooking, or map reading. The 2C Solar Cap perfectly angles the bright white LED lights in front of you, making the cap very practical.

The cap is really well made, using a quality baseball cap, and a robust waterproofing for housing the electronics. There are 2 bright white LEDs, a large solar panel on the top of the cap, and a solid on/off switch to turn the lights on and off. The cap is as comfortable as any other good quality baseball cap. It certainly doesn’t feel like a low quality cap with a solar panel stuck on top.

Now you need to read the instructions for the other light modes, but there is also an SOS attention-getting mode, as well as the ability to adjust the brightness of the lights. For the SOS mode, you just push the on/off button twice. The lights rapidly flash in such a way that would easily grab someone’s attention. For the dimmer mode, you just push and hold the on/off button until the light dims to the brightness you want. Really easy, and really simple.

I really like the 2C Solar Cap, and although it costs $34.99, I can see why it’s worth that much. This is not a cheap or pointless eco gadget. The solar cap has genuine functionality, and I can see that it would be really useful when I’m camping. If you’re in the UK, you can get it for £29.99 from Solar Light Cap directly.

Thank you to Solar Light Cap for sending me one to review! It was a fun gadget to play with!

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the 2C Solar-Powered Baseball Cap article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

© 2008 to 2011 EnviroGadget.com. You can now keep up with the latest eco-gadgets on the EnviroGadget Facebook page. Why not help us to spread the word?

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The Black Hills Solar Charger Rucksack is a spacious and lightweight 25 litre backpack that features a solar powered charger built into it. The Black Hills Solar Backpack uses sunlight to trickle-charge the internal Lithium battery. The charger can then be used to charge all of your gadgets, such as MP3 players, mobile phones, PDAs, etc.

The solar panel on the backpack delivers a maximum output of 6V at 120mA, and the battery delivers a maximum output of 3.7V at 800mA. In strong sunlight, it takes around 10 to 14 hours to fully charge the internal battery. However, if you want to top up the internal battery, you can do so with the provided USB cable or AC adaptor. Using the USB or AC alternative, you can charge the internal battery in just 2 hours.

The backpack will fully charge most devices in around 2-3 hours. The bag comes with 17 essential adaptors, which covers the majority of gadgets. The bag also features a headphone port, presumably so that you can keep your music play in your bag and plug your headphones in from outside the bag.

The Black Hills Solar Charger Rucksack costs around £49, with free delivery in the UK. Looks like this bag is a great combination of quality and features, and it easily beats other solar-charger bags that I’ve seen!

Source: Eco Travel Gadgets

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Black Hills Solar Charger BackPack article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

© 2008 to 2011 EnviroGadget.com. You can now keep up with the latest eco-gadgets on the EnviroGadget Facebook page. Why not help us to spread the word?

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Of all the places to have a solar panel, a jacket is not exactly my first choice. The solar ski jacket features a neoprene collar with solar panels stitched into them. The solar panels can then be used to charge mobile phones, ipods, and any other usb-connected devices.

The jacket has re-inforced shoulder panels ideal for carrying ski equipment, fully taped seams to water-proof the jacket, detachable hood, and a few other fancy features. The solar panels are capable of charging devices needing a 5-6V input voltage.

And here’s the best bit, it costs $1,350. Hmmm, completely negating the benefit of the green gadget angle! I think it’s a premium clothing line so that you look like you’re eco-friendly. If you’re looking for cheap clothes, then forget this jacket.

Source: OhGizmo!

Want to buy this gadget? Check out the Solar Ski Jacket – Eco-Friendly, Stylish and Pricey article on EnviroGadget to see the lowest prices for this gadget.

© 2008 to 2011 EnviroGadget.com. You can now keep up with the latest eco-gadgets on the EnviroGadget Facebook page. Why not help us to spread the word?

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