Eco-Friendly Firelogs -- Duraflame Stax, TerraCycle Fire Log and Pine Mountain

It's still mid-February and depending on where you live, you may be wondering if winter will ever end.

What can you do in these chilly times?

a) Hibernate

b) Get treatment for S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

c) Book a trip to a warm beach (not a bad option)

d) Curl up in front of a toasty fire

But if you do choose Option D (which sure beats lowering your metabolism and curling up in bed for a few weeks, IOHO), why not try to choose an eco-friendly fire option.

Sure, some of you lucky enough to live in rural or suburban areas may have some wood just lying around from a tree-trimming or fallen log. In which case, we say "Waste not, want not."

But in our apartment, we don't have any spare wood lying around. (Of course, we don't have a fireplace either, but that's a whole 'nother ball of wax.)

If we did have a fireplace, we'd want to use the most eco-friendly firewood substitute available. After all, why cut down a tree for firewood if you can use a Green alternative that burns just as nicely - and probably more easily - with less mess and less fuss?

Here are three options that recently came to our attention:

1) Duraflame Stax -- With its rectangular shape, Duraflame claims that Stax is the first stackable firelog. Indeed, the directions on Stax say that you should start your fire by stacking two Stax on top of each other lighting them both. Duraflame also says that Stax is the first commercial firelog that can safely be burned in a woodstove.

Duraflame says it has recently switched from using petroleum-based wax to using 100% renewable bio-wax. Instead of cutting down trees to make its logs, Duraflame claims to recycle 50,000 tons of commercial wood waste and agricultural biomass (i.e. nut shells, fruit pits) each year in producing its firelogs.

2) TerraCycle Fire Log -- I used to think all cardboard was recyclable, but according to TerraCycle, wax cardboard (which Internet research indicates is used to protect shipments of perishable foods from moisture damage) cannot be recycled and does not readily biodegrade in landfills. Accordingly, TerraCycle has taken that wax cardboard and transformed it into a fire log that it claims will produce little ash or smoke.

3) Pine Mountain Firelogs - Turns out that dust is nothing to sneeze about. Pine Mountain takes the sawdust from furniture and flooring manufacturers, combines it with all-natural wax and recycles it into firelogs. According to Pine Mountain, its firelogs not only burn six-times longer than firewood (pound for pound), they also generate 85% less carbon monoxide and 76% less creosote build-up in the chimney.

ITRW Experience:

Over two days, we tested all fire logs from all three companies.

Ease of lighting - Both TerraCycle and Pine Mountain were a cinch to light. We had a bit more difficulty with the Duraflame log. Ultimately, the Duraflame log ended up catching fire at just one end and then slowly burning down to the other end in a linear fashion. We'd have to say that our experience with the Duraflame log was a bit lopsided.

Burn time - Pine Mountain and Duraflame Stax both burned themselves out in about 2 hours, although they kept glowing for another 30-60 minutes. TerraCycle lasted a bit longer, providing perhaps 3 hours of flickering flames.

Aesthetics - We tended to like the TerraCycle fire best, finding that it generated a nice warm fire and cozy fire for practically its whole run time. Pine Mountain burned a bit strongly and hotly at first, but then settled down to burn away quite nicely. The Stax fire was the smallest and bluest (although in all fairness, the Stax suggestions called for burning two Stax logs at once and we only used one firelog in our test).

3/11/09 update - Duraflame representatives note that Stax "has been specifically formulated so that more than one log may be used at a time....The logs have less energy per pound than traditional firelogs, but because more than one can be burned at a time, Stax logs put out more heat per fire." It's a fair point.

Cautionary suggestions - Read the directions on all the firelogs carefully. Never leave a fire unattended. From what we understand, you should not attempt to toast marshmallows (or engage in any other open-flame cooking) with any manufactured firelogs.

Where to Buy:

Duraflame says that Stax is sold at both Kmart and Target at an MSRP of $9.99 for a three-log pack and $19.99 for a six-log pack. Find other retailers using the Product Locator.

TerraCycle also says you can pick up a 4-pack of its Fire Logs for $15.99 at select Target stores.

Use the Product Locator page on Pine Mountain's website to find a retailer near you where you can pi

ck up the firelogs for an MSRP of $2-3 per log.

Amazon Kindle 2.0

In case you haven't heard, Amazon.com recently announced the upcoming February 24 release of its second-generation e-book reader: Kindle 2.

What makes the Kindle 2 such an eco-friendly product? After all, isn't this just another electronic gadget that place additional demands on the electrical grid?

Well, one general Green principle we endorse is that fewer resources required = a better product (i.e. less is more).

The 10.2-ounce, 1/3-inch thick Kindle 2 can hold more than 1,500 books.

Can you imagine the environmental cost in paper, gasoline and electricity of cutting down trees (or even recycling paper) to produce, print, package and ship 1,500 books?

It's surely much higher than the one-time cost of producing the slender Kindle 2, plus the occasional cost of recharging the device.

On the recharging front, there's good news there too. Amazon says the Kindle 2 battery is now 25% longer - the battery apparently charges in 4 hours and lasts for 4-14 days of reading (depending on whether you have the sophisticated 3G wireless network switched on).

The e-books themselves supposedly only take 60 seconds to download and you can choose from among more than 230,000 options in the Kindle Store. If you think that sounds impressive, Amazon says it's aiming to eventually offer any book ever printed in any language through the Kindle 2.

From what we hear, you can also access newspapers and magazines through the Kindle 2 - again reducing printing and distribution costs associated with hard copies of the same. (The environmental case is even stronger with periodicals since they are usually read once and then trashed or at best recycled.)

We hope to have the chance to test Kindle 2 first-hand in the weeks ahead, but if you can't wait for our review, feel free to get on the pre-order list now.

Like other observers conditioned to falling technology prices, we're slightly disappointed that Amazon didn't make Kindle 2 even more affordable than the previous edition. But even at $359, the idea of an elegant device that puts an entire library at your fingertips (with all the e-books you buy backed up online in a digital Amazon library) makes the Kindle an attractive proposition.

Where to buy:

At Amazon, naturally!

Pharox LED light bulb

Last October, we reviewed the EarthLED EvoLux(TM) bulb and praised it for using just 13-watts of power to deliver the same illumination as a 100-watt incandescent bulb.

As that EarthLED review mentioned, there's lots to like about LED bulbs:

• No mercury (unlike CFLs)
• Very low power consumption for significant luminance
• Very long lasting - approximately 50,000 hours compared to say 750 hours for a 100-watt incandescent bulb.
• Relatively cool to the touch since the energy produces light, not heat. So LED bulbs are great to use in hot climates when you don't want your indoor illumination adding strain to your air conditioner.

The only thing we didn't like about the EarthLED bulb was the cost. A single bulb would put an $80 dent in your wallet.

That's why we were thrilled when Lemnis Lighting, a Dutch company, sent us information on its Pharox LED bulb. This 4-watt LED bulb is designed to replace a 40-watt incandencent.

That's right - Pharox offers 90% energy savings over your old incandescent filament bulb, plus all the other benefits listed above. Pharox has a friendlier sticker price too - only $34.95 through Amazon.com.

Now, $35 is still a lot for a bulb, but if your one Pharox LED bulb lasts as long as 50 incandescent bulbs (which Lemnis claims it should), you'll probably come out ahead financially in the long run while saving tons of energy in the process.

Indeed, Lemnis asserts that if every American household switched four 40-watt incandescent bulbs to Pharox 4-watt lamps, American would save $113 billion in energy costs over the lifetime of the Pharox bulbs.

And now for a few caveats:

• A 40-watt bulb may not be sufficient for your needs. We installed our sample Pharox LED bulb in a small closet/hallway area and found that the bulb casts enough light for us to choose towels and rummage through our medicine bin, but just barely. We're hoping that Pharox comes out with a 6-watt replacement for a 60-watt incandenscent...

• The light is very white. A comment on Amazon describes the light as greenish. I wouldn't go that far. In fact, you might think of the Pharox light as a sort of 'heavenly glow', the sort of light in which seraphim might bathe. Or you might just think, "Gee, that's some darn white light."

• Some folks complain that CFL bulbs take a fraction of a second (or longer) to turn on after the switch is flipped. We didn't have that problem with the Pharox bulb, but strangely it did seem to take a smidgen of time to turn off after we flipped the switch. Either that or our eyes are playing tricks on us, which is totally possible.

Where to buy:

The Lemnis website directs consumers to Amazon.com, as mentioned above, where a 3rd party retailer sells the bulb for $34.95.

P.S. - For what it's worth, EarthLED now apparently offers a ZetaLux 7-watt LED bulb that claims to offer illumination comparable to a 50-60 watt incandescent bulb. The bulb is priced at $49.99 and offered in either cool or warm styles. Bulk pricing lets you lower the per-bulb price if you're willing to buy four or more ZetaLux bulbs at a time.

Mr. Beams Motion Sensor Stair Light

We swear that we are not reviewing the Mr. Beams(TM) Motion Sensor Stair Light ($24.99) simply because the product nearly shares the same name as British comedian Mr. Bean (a.k.a. Rowan Atkinson). 

(With or without lighted stairs, we suspect Mr. Bean would take a pratfall...)

But for the rest of us, Mr. Beams could be a lifesaver or at least quite a handy eco-friendly convenience.

Basically, as the name suggests, the Motion Sensor Stair Light is a safety light intended to provide temporary light when needed to help in navigating stairs or other dark areas.

The product attaches to a wall using either double-sided tape or screws (both included). During the day or when the room is illuminated, the light conserves its battery power by remaining dark. When a light sensor detects that the area is dark, Mr. Beans automatically lights up with a low glow. Then when a motion sensor detects further light is needed, Mr. Beans ramps up the brightness and provides a beacon for up to 20 seconds or 1 minute (depending on the setting chosen).

Generally speaking, we're very impressed with the Mr. Beams Motion Sensor Stair Light, though we do have a few reservations. First the good points:

• In our unit, the light sensor and motion sensor worked splendidly.

• We were very impressed with the brightness of the LED at even the low-glow setting. When the light detects motion and amps up the brightness, the light is practically dazzling. That's mighty impressive for a very small bulb, but Mr. Beams says that it's using the latest LED technology -- 12-times brighter than standard LEDs.

• Mr. Beams does seem very convenient. No wiring is required. The batteries are supposed to last for approximately $1 year. Basically, the light strikes us as a very efficient (and thus eco-friendly) device. It's even supposed to be waterproof if you want to use it outdoors (although the Mr. Beams Spotlight might be better suited for that task).

Still, in the spirit of constructive criticism, we don't think Mr. Beams is quite perfect yet. Here are a few observations we hope that Mr. Beams can take into account for the next edition of its stair light:

• Internal controls aren't very convenient. Maybe it's necessary from a weatherproofing standpoint, but the switch that toggles the Stair Light between 20 seconds and 1 minute of illumination are located inside the device. If you want to change the setting, you have to unscrew the back (easily done with screwdriver or even a coin), remove all three C batteries and then struggle to read the tiny letters around the tiny switch.

• The switch is a little inscrutable. On the 20 second setting, the lamp really did seem to stay bright for 20 seconds when motion activated. On the 1 minute setting, it never wanted to go off. We waited several minutes (without moving) and then turned on the lights so that the light sensor would switch off the light. We would prefer the 20 second setting anyway (it's certainly long enough for most people to go up or down a flight of stairs or even go into the bathroom at night for a drink of water), but if you want to use the 1 minute setting, that's something to be aware of.

• The C batteries are a bit bulky and make the unit a little heavy. Also, we had to go online to make sure that it's possible to buy rechargeable lithium ion C batteries and a C battery charger. (It is.) We wish that Mr. Beams could make a smaller, lighter unit that used AA batteries - the type commonly used in digital cameras and many other electronics. We'd even be willing to recharge the batteries more frequently (every 3-6 months?) if we could have a smaller unit.

Still, overall, we're impressed with Mr. Beams. The company has given us even more enthusiasm about the bright future of LED lighting. Perhaps that's not quite as funny as Mr. Bean, but much more illuminating.

Where to Buy:

Order directly through the Mr. Beams website or via e-tailers like Smarthome and Amazon.com.

KOR ONE Hydration Vessel

Disposable, throwaway plastic bottles filled with water may be terrible for the environment, but we have to admit that the concept of carrying around water or some other nice potable liquid to stay hydrated actually makes quite a bit of sense.

That's why we're so keen on the KOR ONE Hydration Vessel ($29.95) - a slightly grandiose name for a beautifully designed reusable, portable 750-milliliter bottle.

Made from a new type of plastic called Tritan(TM), the KOR ONE claims to offer greater stability and durability than older generation polycarbonate refillable plastic bottles. Created by the Eastman company, Tritan can also supposedly withstand warm, humid environments better than its predecessors - a trait that allows users to place their KOR ONE in the dishwasher for easy cleaning.

(KOR does not come with an instruction booklet, just a little strip of plastic placed around the bottle with information on proper care and usage. We applaud KOR for not printing up a whole information booklet, but we do wish that the info strip was made of paper - preferably recycled paper - rather than #5 plastic. In any case, one of the bullet points on this informative paper strip points out that KOR should only be washed on the top rack of a dishwasher. Given the 11-inch-plus height of the KOR bottle and the fact that the rack of our beneath-the-sink dishwasher is miniscule, we're resigned to washing the Hydration Vessel by hand. Perhaps that's for the best though, since another point on the information strip tells me that handwashing is recommended.)

Beyond the strength/durability/clarity properties of Tritan, KOR really wants to play up the fact that the Hydration Vessel contains no BPA (bisphenol A), a chemical recently designated a "toxic substance" by Canada and placed on a blacklist by Wal-Mart and other retailers. In September, the Washington Post ran a scary story about BPA being linked to mood disorders and brain function problems in monkeys. While some plastic bottle manufacturers have had to scramble to remove BPA from their formulas, KOR ONE can state that its bottles have been BPA-free from the beginning. (Of course, the tradeoff with using a new plastic is that the Tritan formula may itself have risks that are only discovered years in the future...)

KOR has a nice webpage explaining the eco-benefits of switching from disposable plastic bottles to a reusable bottle like the KOR ONE.

KOR apparently made the decision to manufacture its bottles in North America, both to cut down on the environmental costs of shipping the bottles and in order to work with an ISO-14000 certified factory adhering to strict environmental guidelines. (Update - We had originally reported that KOR ONE was made in the States. Apparently it's actually manufactured in Monterrey, Mexico. Apologies for the error.)

Frankly, we're darn proud of the fact that the KOR ONE Hydration Vessel was designed in the States. The pictures don't convey the full beauty of the KOR ONE bottle, but they give some idea of its sculptural qualities. The bottle's beauty may seem a little frivolous at first, but you realize that it makes sense. KOR wants reusable water bottles to seem stylish and sexy - much more appealing than a boring old disposable bottle. That's why KOR ONE fit in perfectly at a NY fashion show.

We dig the details like the rubber base that lets us plant the bottle securely on a table or countertop. The RKS Design team apparently intended to evoke a glacier - pure water surrounded by ice - with their blue-and-white design. But for us, the KOR ONE simply looks sleek, space-age, sculptural and dramatic. The white edges act as a framing device, while simultaneously serving a protective function and providing an integrated carrying handle.

This bottle deserves to win design awards.

Our only concern? Maybe it's so good-looking that people will be reluctant to use it in the real world where it might get scratched or even swiped...

Where to buy:

Order your KOR ONE ($29.95) online today through the company's own website.

You can also find the KOR ONE (for 5 cents less) through Amazon.com.