cool unique eco-friendly products & deals - greenshopaholic

We finally took the plunge and invested in an iPad and so far we love it. After having it for only a week, we can’t believe it took us so long to get one. We’ve been using it non-stop and our dilemma now is how we should go about protecting the magical product from dings and scratches? Our research is your gain. Here’s 5 eco-friendly iPad cases that we’ve found so far:

1. The BoxWave True Bamboo iPad Case ($130) is a form-fitting hardcase that’s made from sustainable bamboo. The case is made up of two interlocking pieces and has cutouts for access to ports and controls.

2. The ColcaSac Hanakapiai iPad Sleeve ($35) is named after Hanakapiai Beach on the island of Kauai. It features heavy duty basketweave natural hemp canvas, snug fit, and exterior pocket to hold your adapters and other knick-knacks. It offers full protection for traveling but leaves the iPad unprotected once you pull it out of the sleeve.

3. Next up is the JAVOedge Corky iPad Back Cover ($30), which is made partly from pressed cork.This ergonomically designed case easily snaps in place and has a soft, comfortable feel. The back is protected 100% of the time but the front is left open for easy access.

4. The Marware Eco-Vue for iPad ($55) has a sophisticated look. It offers eco-leather, which is real leather treated with an environmentally-friendly tanning process that’s RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) compliant. No chlorine, sulfuric acid, or petroleum/chemical based dyes are used. The case opens like a book and can be propped open to create easy hands-free viewing of movies and videos.

5. Last but not least, we have the Tape Cork iPad Sleeve (£20). This iPad sleeve is manufactured in East London and is made of FSC certified fabric backed cork. The iPad easily slides into the top opening of the soft natural cork sleeve.

For those of you who want to express yourself in a more original way than an Apple iPhone bumper, check out the Case-Mate Lisboa Case ($30). It’s has a unique look that fits perfectly with an eco-chic lifestyle.

The Lisboa is a durable plastic case that offers a metallic accent fabric covering with a natural cork overlay. The result is a stylish case that features the unique cork texture and grip. All the ports, buttons, and camera lens are accessible.

For more cork related products, try a search on our friends TheFind.com.

Time is definitely passing you by if haven’t started living a greener life. The Sprout Unisex Eco-Friendly Watch ($39.99) is a watch that definitely fits into our idea of eco-chicness. It has a cute, simple look that has some solid eco-friendly features underneath.

The watch features a natural bamboo dial. Corn-resin makes up the inner ring, bezel, case, and strap buckle. The batteries are also mercury-free. As an added bonus the watch packaging contains grass seeds. This mean that nothing goes to waste — the box can be returned back to the earth and used to grow grass.

For more eco-friendly watches, try a search on our friend TheFind.com.

Now that you’ve gotten your pre-ordered Apple iPhone 4, the question is how are you going to make sure that you get cell phone reception? You could get the rubber/plastic Apple iPhone Bumper to protect your hands from messing with your calls or this eco-friendly Bamboo iPhone case by Grovemade ($49, plain or $69, engraved).

Surprisingly thin (the site says it only adds .07″ to the back of the phone) and extremely unique, the case offers solid FSC certified bamboo, an ultrasuede liner, and the ability to laser engrave a cool design from their artist series or one of your own. As a bonus, the case totally reduces the risk of being held “wrong”, which probably means proper cell phone reception.

Grovemade is 100% designed and made in Portland, Oregon.

For more eco- and non-eco friendly iPhone 4 cases, try a search on our friends TheFind.com.

New Barnes & Noble Promo - Buy a NOOK eBook reader and get a free $50 B&N gift card to start your eBook library. Good while supplies last. Great opportunity to switch from physical to digital book format.

If you’re one of the million iPad owners, you probably have been looking around for a way to protect your new toy. We’ve done a bit of searching and found one of the few eco-friendly solutions with the Brenthaven Bill-Fold iPad Sleeve ($35).

The Bill-Fold is unique in that it is made out of 100% recycled billboard material. This means that no two sleeves will be exactly the same. It prides itself on having great corner protection and the interior is lined with faux-suede.

The price is reasonable when compared to the cost of the iPad and the fact that the sleeve comes with a 100% lifetime guarantee.

For more iPad accessories, try a search on our friends TheFind.com.

Save 50% - Eastern Mountain Sports has the KOR ONE 750ML Hydration Vessel on sale for $14.98. This premium water bottle is BPA-free, offers one-hand operation, and an ergonomic handle. 1% of all sales is donated to a select group of non-profits that focus on water-related issues.

It’s great to see accessories like this Casio Eco Friendly Digital Camera Case ($20) being sold in today’s market. Companies are starting to develop more products that match our “greener” lifestyle.

This camera case is made from Tencel Fiber and has a wooden toggle closure. Tencel,also known as Lyocell,  is a natural regenerated cellulose fiber made from desolving pulp. It’s also 100% biodegradable.

Eco-friendly products can definitely be part of our day to day lives without costing too much. This camera case is a great example.

For more Tencel products, try a search on our friends, TheFind.com.

The Kiwi Driving Behavior Computer ($300) isn’t a Driver’s Ed teacher but rather an innovative tool to help you get more information about the way you drive. The Kiwi offers a “Drive Green” mode to help you learn to maximize fuel efficiency. It effectively measures four categories - drag, acceleration, deceleration, and smoothness. It also shows you MPG info and the amount of gas used per trip. The best feature of all is that the computer is plug and play.

Save 50% - REI Outlet has the Mountainsmith Hiker Recycled Daypack on sale for $43.93. This daypack features post-consumer recycled PET polyester.

Originally $208.40, the Brunton Solaris 6 Foldable Solar Array is on sale for a low $63.93 during REI Outlet’’s 20% One Item promotion. The Solaris converts sunlight into 12V electricity to recharge your portable electronics. It folds up small enough to fit in a glove box, backpack, or jacket.

Never run out of power for your portable electronics with the Solar Focus SolarMio Charger ($130).

With a compact design, the SolarMio folds out to expose 3 solar panels. It can be fully charged after 3 hours of direct sunlight.

The best part is that the SolarMio can store power within its 900mAh power bank so that you can charge your portables even after the sun goes down.

Here’s a new Cyber Monday Promo - Trek Light Gear is offering 30% off EVERYTHING in its store. This includes eco-friendly hammocks, compact reusable shopping bags, and more. Expires 12/03/09.

Save 50% - Amazon.com has the Titleist Pro V1 X AAA Recycled Golf Balls (36 Pack) on sale for $50 and free shipping.

The future of eco-friendly cellphones is definitely the Samsung Blue Earth. This next-gen phone is very “green” thinking. It’s made of recycled water bottles, features an ultra low power DC charger, comes packaged in a recycled paper box, and has solar panels on the back. The solar panels will provide approximately 10 minutes of talk time for an hour under sunlight. There’s also an “eco-walk” function that acts as a pedometer and calculates the amount of CO2 emissions you saved by walking instead of driving.