Bamboo

In the effort to go green, I'm focusing on small changes that add up to big wins. I've owned up to the fact that I'm not going to give up using my dryer, for example, but I have stopped buying paper towels. Napkins are up next. I'm also encouraging my children to use real plates and silverware when we're at home, and to save the disposable things for picnics and school lunches.

However, with the beautiful summer weather upon us, I love eating outdoors. I love the mess-free kitchen after a meal eaten outside, and … Read more

Devore Fidelity, founded by president and chief designer John DeVore in 2000, builds state-of-the-art speakers in the Brooklyn borough of New York.

DeVore is one of the few speaker designers I've met who worked as a high-end audio salesman, so he can draw upon first-hand knowledge of what buyers really want. He's also listened to the very best stuff out there, and learned that components that measure well and sound impressive at first don't always sound great over the long run.

I've known John for a long time, and when he first decided to get into … Read more

Cutting boards are an essential item in any kitchen. There is no denying any cook needs a good place to safely cut meats and vegetables. Anybody who is doing any amount of cooking will have to be doing some cutting too. Cooking and cutting simply go hand in hand. The problem is not only finding the perfect spot to set up your prep station, but finding the perfect cutting board too. I know when I prep foods, often more than what should ends up on the floor. When it comes time to carve things that are a bit trickier, say … Read more

We first heard about this bamboo-covered laptop from Asus several months ago, and with that company's history of leather wrist rests and automotive-branded lids, it certainly fits right in with the creative Asus designs we're used to seeing. Now, at long last, we've finally gotten a chance to get a look in person, as Asus was in New York last week, showing off a handful of new systems (including the N10 "high-end" Netbook).

The bamboo laptops are built around two existing Asus models, the 12-inch U6S (which we reviewed very positively earlier in the year), and the 11-inch U2E. … Read more

I've recently seen quite a few devices with an environmentally conscientious design. These devices generally consume less power and are made of recycled, non-toxic materials. Today, though, I got introduced a device that put "green" in a different light.

SimpleTech has gone far and long to make their its new (Re)Drive external hard drive as eco-friendly as possible. The device comes in a package that contains just the essentials: the drive plus its power and USB cables. The cables are are taped to a side of the box. There's no other paper or plastic or … Read more

Bamboo is so yesterday. While the eco-quotient of that reputedly sustainable material remains the subject of some debate, a few manufacturers are headed for other forested regions to make their wares with finishings of the wood-grass variety.

Fujitsu went with cedar in a laptop showcased earlier this month in Milan, and now Cowon is gracing the Korean market with a new version of its N3 all-in-one gadget in what appears to be burl walnut, as Akihabara News reports. Other than the sylvan exterior, this portable navigation device is pretty much the same as the original model with a 7-inch touch … Read more

Just after Michael Dell unveiled a bamboo PC as his Earth Day gift, Asus is reportedly making plans to release its own laptops made with the sustainable material this summer. The first models from the Taiwanese company will be notebooks with 12- and 11-inch screens for about $1,650, according to Boing Boing, citing reports from publications in Asia.

We have just one thing to say: Finally. We've been teased by photos of these computers for more than a year, only to see their models multiply with no word of ever coming to market. In fact, the company has … Read more

Recent concerns over "greenwashing" probably had nothing to do with it, but Fujitsu has apparently decided to skip the ever-popular bamboo in its version of the wooden laptop. Instead the Japanese company has gone with cedar, the lumber known around the world for saunas and mothballs.

Bearing the inspired name of "WoodShell," Fujitsu's laptop was displayed at the Salone Internazionale Del Mobile furniture exhibition in Milan, according to Gizmodo. There are no details on specs, however, or whether it responds to Pledge. We'll take a wild guess that this is a novelty item more … Read more

Bamboo buyer beware, says Kelly LaPlante.

"This is one of the biggest areas for greenwashing," she told me during a tour of a suite she redesigned on behalf of Lexus at San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel. (As part of a marketing campaign, Lexus is sprucing up hotel suites in San Francisco and Washington, D.C, The Fairmont one costs $869 a night, but you get to use a Lexus hybrid V8 while you're there.)

A lot of companies offer bamboo flooring and panel so they can sell a green product, but many of them also use toxic … Read more