Ok, so I’m a bit of an organization freak. I mean, I can’t stand clutter all around me when I’m trying to work at my desk or in my closet when I’m trying to figure out what to wear. And don’t think that just because you decide to clean up your scattered belongings that it’s going to be an easy job. Take your extensive CD collection as an example. Sure, you could probably find some boring old bookcase or some generic shelving unit to shove them into, but where’s the fun in that? Is that aesthetically pleasing? No. It’s boring and lame. And is that the impression you want your home to give off when someone is visiting it for the first time? I didn’t think so.
If you had the 3d Wall Mount CD Rack (Design Public, $99.00) then you could tidy up your place with style and ingenuity. This CD rack holds 90 CDs, so it can fit a decent sized music collection and still have room for growth. If you happen to have more than 90 CDs, you could always buy a second rack and maybe mount one on each side of your entertainment center. You know, if you like that whole orderly symmetrical look. These racks are pretty cool though because they ship flat, and you make them 3d by folding the perforations on the powdercoated steel. So the structure is durable, yet flexible, which is pretty hard to find. I like this rack because it’s not your standard left to right shelving. I mean, just about everyone and their mother buys a bookcase from IKEA and throws their CDs up there. This could be your way to branch out without actually having to move too far out of your comfort zone. You have three choices when it comes to colors: white, fire engine red, or gun metal. So if you want to make a statement with your decor, maybe you go with fire engine red. Or maybe you like understated elegance and quirkiness, so you’ll probably want to get the white or gun metal. Whatever floats your boat.
Just think of all the interesting conversations you’ll be having with your friends, all centered around your eclectic music collection. I mean, it would never have happened if it wasn’t so prominently cascading down the wall of your living room. Basically, if you want to be suave (as in Rico), you need this.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 8″ x 43″ x 5″
-Holds 90 CDs
-Made of powdercoated steel
-Available in white, fire engine red, and gun metal
Who doesn’t like the fresh, crisp taste of expertly filtered bottled water? Whether it’s a sweltering afternoon laying in the sand or just another day at the office, you gotta admit that water hits the rehydration spot. But you know what’s the problem with constantly drinking bottled water, as spectacular as it may be? Thousands and thousands of disposable plastic water bottles that aren’t being recycled, that’s what. I mean, you can try to do your part when you’re at home by using the same cup throughout the day. Even better, you could use a home water filtration system, like one that fits right onto the tap of your kitchen sink. Now, that’s all very well and good, but what are you supposed to do once you set foot outside your plastic eco-friendly bubble?
Well all you have to do is set yourself up with the Guyot Designs TapGuard Filter (Amazon, $16.50) and you can have clean water in mere moments. What’s the deal, you ask? This contraption is basically a portable filtration system for your water bottle. It uses the same technology as your home water filtration system, but it’s more compact to make it ultra convenient. Each carbon pouch within the unit provides about 200 liters of filtered water, removing up to 95% of chlorine, iodine, and other chemicals. The filter system is available in slate, tangerine, and tahoe blue, so you can pick which color best suits your personality. This package includes the unit itself, as well as two replacement carbon pouches. It fits most wide mouth bottles, but probably works best with Camelback or Nalgene bottles. So not only does this solve the problem of filtered water on the go, but if you’re using a durable hard plastic bottle over and over, you’re also saving the environment from all those disposable water bottles in the landfills. Not to mention, you’re probably saving a bundle by not having to continuously buy price-gouging bottled water from the store.
So to recap: you’re getting deliciously pure water for pennies and contributing to a green lifestyle, with basically no real effort on your part. That’s pretty decent of you. I mean, you probably don’t have to do anything for the rest of the day. You should just call in sick. Better yet, call and tell them that you’re too busy saving the planet. I mean, it’s kinda true.
5 out of 5 environmentalist stars.
Specs:
-Includes TapGuard unit and two replacement carbon pouches
-Provides 200 liters of filtered water
-Removes up to 95% of chlorine, iodine, and other chemicals
-Fits Camelback, Nalgene, and most wide mouth bottles
-Available in slate, tangerine, and tahoe blue
Gone gambling!
Stay tuned for all new posts next week!
Sometimes it’s nice to just have a quiet evening at home, curled up on the couch with a rented movie and some popcorn. And if you’re like me, when you decide to be a hermit on a Friday night, you don’t half-ass it. I mean, why go all the way out to the video store when you can catch something on cable, or better yet, sign up for Netflix and get movies delivered to your door with the option of streaming them live on your computer. Ok, so now that we’ve got the movie scenario covered, what about snacks? Chances are, you want some delicious movie theater style popcorn to go with your choice of flicks. But it seems like you can never find anything from your local grocery store that even compares to the $6.75 small popcorn from the movie theater. So it seems like if you want something done right, you’re gonna have to do it yourself.
With the Microwave Popcorn Popper (Sur La Table, $20.00), you can create freshly made popcorn masterpieces within the comforts of your own home. Sure, anyone can have a standard popcorn popper, and while the results may be healthier than buying it prepackaged at the store, it usually takes like cardboard. So how is this popcorn popper different? Well, for starters, it’s a microwaveable container. That’s right, it fits right in your microwave to create homemade popcorn in the same amount of time it would take to heat up a prepackaged bag of popcorn. This popcorn is better for you though, because it doesn’t need oil to make the kernels pop. But we all know that you need some grease to make popcorn taste delicious, so it comes with a butter lid that fits over the popper. You just cover the bottom of the popper with kernels, put the desired amount of butter in the strainer lid, and then toss it in the microwave for a little less than three minutes. The butter slowly melts onto the kernels as they pop, making yummy popcorn just the way you like it.
So not only does this popcorn popper make it incredibly easy to be a lazy shut-in, but it’s also cheaper than buying popcorn by the bag. I mean, popcorn kernels sell for like pennies, but prepackaged popcorn is about $1 a bag. What’s up with that? Why is the popcorn industry trying to keep us down? If only Orville Redenbacher was still alive…
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Capacity: 2.5 quarts
-Makes popcorn without oil
-Ready in under 3 minutes
-Butter lid has strainer to melt butter over popped corn
-Handle for easy transport to and from microwave
-Dishwasher and microwave safe up to 675°F
-Borosilicate glass, silicone, and stainless steel
Now that the weather is starting to change from gross and unfriendly to slightly more inviting, you should really start thinking about some fun outdoor activities. One thing you could do is have a picnic. Whether it’s at the park or in your own backyard, it’s a nice way to get out of the house and enjoy nature. And a picnic is fairly low maintenance when it comes to being outdoorsy – a lot less than say, camping or gardening. I mean, let’s face it, a picnic sounds tons more fun than camping because you get to just sit around and eat. And those are two of my favorite pastimes. So what materials do you need to prepare yourself for such a feast?
Just pick yourself up some of the Biodegradable Picnic Ware (Firebox, $29.95) before you plan your outing. Not only does this set come with a tablecloth, plates, cups, bowls, and cutlery for four people, but it’s ecofriendly. What does that mean? Basically everything in this set is biodegradable, with the exception of the tablecloth (which is reusable). The plates, cups, and bowls are made from cassava fibre, which comes from the perennial plant that makes tapioca. So once you’re done with your picnic, you can do one of three things:
1) You can promptly wash and dry the picnic ware to
be reused at a later date.
2) You can give it back to the earth because it will
decompose in one week if left in standing water or in
three weeks if left in a compost heap.
3) You can eat it – since it comes from the same plant
that makes tapioca, it’s totally edible.
Now, the cutlery is wooden, so please don’t eat that. But it is totally biodegradable as well, so you can reuse it or toss it in the woods. And as if all these green ideas weren’t already enough to blow your mind, it all comes packaged in a biodegradable bag. That’s right, you can basically single-handedly save the planet just by buying this picnic ware set. Ok, well not really, but it’s a relatively painless step towards saving the planet, and that’s got to make you feel a little better about yourself.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions:
-Plate: 7″ x 1″
-Cup: 4″ x 4″
-Bowl: 6″ x 3″
-Cutlery: .6″ x 7″
-Tablecloth: 43″ x 43″
-Includes: 4 plates, 4 cups, 4 bowls, wooden cutlery set, and tablecloth
-Picnic ware made of cassava fibre
-Cassava fibre is edible
-Cutlery made of wood
-Picnic ware can be reused if washed and dried promptly
-Picnic ware can be composted
-Tablecloth available in camo or gingham
-Packaged in biodegradable bag
