Eco Speakers

This is a review that I think will be of some interest to those of you that, like me, have to spend a certain amount of time in front of their computer and for whom the little things that live on the desk are a source of interest and possibly even entertainment.

In a bid to further ‘green up’ my personal life I took an extraordinary amount of time in choosing a pair of desk speakers. I wondered whether anyone had bothered to think ecologically when designing this seemingly unimportant object and, just like that, I came across the people at Merkury Innovations. A short time later I am the proud owner of a pair of Cardboard DIY speakers complete with a set of pencils to really make them my own.

I was pleased with the simple design, the easy set-up and the creative imagination that must have gone into making something as simple as a small cardboard box into a pretty effective rudimentary amplification system for small speakers. I wondered how I would do them justice with my infantile colouring skills and whether I would draw a scene or a person or maybe an animal on them. In the end I liked them so much ‘au naturelle’ that they sit there in the same way they arrived: clean pure natural cardboard with a hint of eco chic. If you are of a more artistic disposition, there are six pencils in the box to get you in the mood.

What about the sound? Ok, they are not going to win competitions, they are not going to compete with B&O or with a set of Harman Kardon speakers, but for a pair of inexpensive, unpowered, computer speakers they do remarkably well. They are much better than any of the free pairs I have so often received with a new computer and even slightly better than a cheap pair of plastic ones people sometimes buy at computer shops. In an office with little surround noise they do really quite well.

I love the unexpected portability aspect, they can easily be clasped down and taken on the road, they can plug into anything with a standard 3.5 mm jack. They do perform best in an office though, where they wouldn’t have to compete with the sounds of the sea or traffic or people in general.

All in all this is a great little desk addition, they do the job they are supposed to do and do it very well indeed and you can rest assured in the knowledge that the components are as ecologically minded as possible. They are reasonably priced at 14.99 USD and are available from the Mercury Innovations website

Some technical specification:
• Made from 70% post consumer recycled material
• Runs off your device power supply
• No batteries required
• Frequency response: 400 Hz
• Speaker: 57mm speaker, 8 Ohms
• Rated impedance: 1 W
• Max power input: 2 W
• Plug: Stereo 3.5 mm

The Enchanted Islands

I think I have finally found the ultimate natural travel destination and the unexpected result is that my conscience is now fighting a theoretical ‘tug-of-war’ between the little voice that says ‘tell the world about it’ and the other that thinks ‘they’ll only go there and spoil it’. So what to do… part of me is so delighted at finding one of the true final frontiers of natural wonder and the other is worried that over time it might become little more than the latest mass-tourism destination. All things considered I think that if people have made it as far as this blog, they must also be the right ‘sort’ to make this decision by themselves.

This destination is far away, it is undoubtedly expensive to get there as well as physically tasking. Interminable hours spent on planes, days in constant motion, and crossing a whole bunch of time-zones means that reaching these small land spots in the ocean is not going to be for everyone. The name of the islands evoke stories of whalers, explorers, sailors and one of the most famous naturalists to ever live. Their appearance is like nothing else on earth, a jumble of volcanic geology, sharp black rocks and white sandy beaches with areas so lush they could easily be mistaken for the jungles of South America. Yet, none of the above attractions are even close to the real reason why people come here; they come here to see the animals. If you haven’t guessed it yet the islands are the Galapagos, one of the most incredible examples of natural diversity known to man. Hundreds of species seemingly working in unison and carrying no preconception - and therefore no fear - of humans allows for some incredibly close contact with specimens that appear too docile to be described as wild animals.



A trip to Galapagos is a ‘once in a lifetime’ affair, or at least this is what it should be. Already now, the feeling that there are too many visitors is felt from the moment you land and you start to meet groups waiting for transport to their nearby boats. The national park has imposed limits to incoming visitors and immigration is strictly controlled ensuring that the islands are not destroyed by humans, but whether that limit is already a little too high is another matter. Official figures put visitor numbers at 180,000 in 2009 which is a huge increase when compared to the 5000 or so people that would come here in the 70’s. Of course the income produced by visitors is plowed back into the local economy and park conservation efforts, and the array of strict park rules imposed by officials should ensure that a balance is kept. In some respects this is a great place to see tourism and conservation in action together. Despite the fact that there is still a lot more that could be done, there are strong underpinnings to make it work. For some, these islands and their continued protection are a parable for our entire planet and our administration of it.

Anyway, back to the animals… Nowhere else on earth can you sit quietly on the beach and enjoy the playful dance of sea lions, the majestic flight of huge colonies of sea birds and then stroll inland to see some of the most incredible creatures that live here: the giant tortoises. It is the closest you will ever come to being in a National Geographic documentary!

All trips here have to be part of an organized cruise. Each boat is different in size and style but the smaller ones are preferable for environmental as well as qualitative reasons, there are even sailing ships going around the islands. When you pick your provider make sure you carefully research and pick the one you feel has the strongest commitment to the environment and the local population. A full list can be found on the International Galapagos Tour Operators Association website.



Once you are on a cruise the captain will have a detailed plan, imposed by the park rangers. Each boat is told exactly where to go and when. This system is devised to avoid island crowding and to play into the strengths of each vessel, yet another reason why a smaller boat is a good choice (they can get into places larger ones cannot reach).

Each day is filled with organized land excursions lead by expert local naturalists and with some time to snorkel and swim with anything from sharks and manta rays to penguins and sea lions. The time in between is usually spent on a beach walking and thinking about life in general. The meals on board give you a chance to chat about the day’s event with your fellow adventurers and to compare photos – which will inevitably feature hundreds of sea lions and blue-footed boobies!



As a lifetime trip it really checks all the boxes: incredible scenery, wonderful local culture, unforgettable wildlife and a general feeling of seclusion that only islands this far away from civilization can give. My advice though is to always ensure that your trip is making the smallest possible environmental impact, no other destination is so capable of feeling it!

Eco Libris

Founded in 2007, Eco-Libris is a green company working to green up the book industry by promoting the adoption of green practices, balancing out books by planting trees, and supporting green books. More than 30 Million trees are cut down annually for virgin paper used for the production of books sold in the U.S. alone. Eco-Libris aims to raise awareness to the environmental impacts of using paper for the production of books and provide readers with an affordable and easy way to do something about it: plant one tree for every book they read.

Customers also receive a sticker made of recycled paper for every book they balance out saying “One tree planted for this book” and can later display these stickers on their books' sleeves.

Eco-Libris partners with three highly respected US and UK based non-profit organizations that work in collaboration with local communities in developing countries to plant these trees. These trees are planted in high ecological and sustainable standards in Latin America (Nicaragua, Guatemala, Panama, Belize, Honduras) and Africa (Malawi), where deforestation is a crucial problem. Planting trees in these places not only helps to fight climate change and conserve soil and water, but also benefits many local people, for whom these trees offer many benefits, such as improvement of crops and additional food and income, and an opportunity for a better future.

So far Eco-Libris balanced out over 130,000 books, which results in more than 143,000 new trees.

And now they have a special giveaway that reward customers with green gifts that promote green reading, from gift cards for Strand Book Store and BookSwim to free “green” books that were printed on recycled or FSC-certified paper. They wanted to show their customers their appreciation by providing them a greater value for their actions and they thought it would be a win-win solution to give them gifts that not only are good for the environment, but are actually great examples of “green” reading, from books that are printed responsibly to gift cards at a great independent bookstore and a Netflix-style book rental service.

With the new gifts, greening up your reading with Eco-Libris is more rewarding than ever! More information can be found on the campaign’s webpage – www.ecolibris.net/gifts.asp

Product Review: Aquapac Waterproof SLR case

This is our second Aquapac product on review and our very first underwater camera case. As you know we love the Aquapac product range; we love their philosophy and their attention to detail and when the need arose for an underwater camera shoot, they were the first people I thought of contacting.

We did a small underwater photographic piece in the Galapagos Islands. The main shoot was carried out with some pretty expensive professional equipment, stuff that really is outside most casual user’s budget. Somewhere in the vicinity I wanted to take an average person’s perspective, one that would eventually lead to me purchasing the Aquapac SLR waterproof case. Let me tell you how it all came about… I wanted to bring my Canon 50D to the shoot and use it for some background stuff. The camera produces some excellent shots and does not weigh or cost the earth. However, that reasonable cost is still a little too much to risk when shooting close to the sea. The result was the need for an underwater case, a need that was quickly abated by the large investment one of these things inevitably entails.



Other choices could’ve been a throwaway camera, which produces some pretty average results and has a fairly high failure rate (normally not detected until print); or a purposely bought underwater digital camera which can be expensive and is probably not the way to go for the very casual user, although there are some great ones out there now.

Having decided to opt for the inexpensive waterproof ‘bag’ case I opted for the Aquapac version as they produce a perfectly sized one for my SLR camera. You can look on their site to get the exact dimensions and see if your SLR and lens combination fits.

Once you receive it you will wonder whether it will safely keep your camera dry. No matter how well it is put together, this product will still give you the plastic bag feel and you will likely wonder if you’re doing the right thing. Fear not, you are. I tested the ‘bag’ on a number of occasions at home to check for leaks and to see if there would be any chance for any of the components to fails. By the end of it, I was happy that I could trust it with the camera.



One thing you immediately notice is that you will have to remove the camera straps as they get in the way, once in the bag. Thankfully the case comes with its own strap. On the beach and by the water this is a very nice way to keep your camera safe and dry, also protected from sand and dust. With my feet in the water, this is where the case seriously excelled, I felt safe that the camera would stay dry.

Underwater it does not do so well. Firstly it should be pointed out that it is not a professional camera case, it cannot replace one of those very expensive units that professional photographers drag around on special Discovery Channel type expeditions. It will however provide some nice shots from the surface, for snorkeling you will get some great shots in shallow water where lighting is not an issue and where the camera is only being held a metre or so under water. Any deeper and we noticed a tightening of the bag (due to the surrounding pressure) that was making the mechanical operation of our lens fail, it also made it a little harder to push buttons and change settings. In any case it is guaranteed submersible to 15 feet (5 metres) so it is unlikely to be taken out diving. Our pro photographer took it out for a spin and liked the general concept, he had some trouble getting the shots he wanted at depth due to the aforementioned issue, but he did get some interesting photos from the surface. At that stage you also have a lack of lighting issue.



All in all this is a very good product for a very specific job, it is an admirable way to protect your camera in and around water, a pretty great accessory for taking snorkeling photos but not so great when you are a few feet under water, at least not for this trip. The overall build quality is great, we thought the hotshoe mount would eventually damage it, but the plastic seems very durable so all in all, no problems there.

Test results at a glance

Pros: Fantastic waterproof system, perfect for keeping your SLR camera safe in and around water, durable, well-priced and well-designed

Cons: Difficult to use at depth, care must be taken when choosing the case to ensure your camera will fit correctly.

Product details:
Details:
- It'll float with your camera in it.
- It's guaranteed submersible to 15 feet (5 metres).
- The UV-stabilized TPU material won't be broken down or discoloured by sunlight.
- It keeps out dust and sand too.

See www.aquapac.net for more details

A bio-dynamic winery

The Domaine Chandon de Briailles has been owned and managed by the same family for 7 generations and now it is François de Nicolay’s turn, assisted by his sister Claude. The vineyard is located amidst three different villages in the heart of the Cote de Beaune: Savigny les Beaune, Pernand Vergelesses and Aloxe Corton. It has a total of 13 hectares, almost all Premier crus and Grands crus.

Here at the Domaine there has always been a great respect for the environment, especially within the two last generations. François’s mother, Nadine de Nicolay - who trained the vineyard from 1984 to 2001 - had decided to stop the weed-killers in the 1990’s and re-start ploughing the soil. Since 1995, the wish to use more and more organic products and techniques against diseases has become an integral part of their philosophy.

The big decision was taken in 2005 to work all 13 hectares in the bio-dynamic method and even some horse ploughing was introduced. “Life has come back in our subsoil and we don’t fight against the diseases anymore, we cope with them…” Every year, new experiments are carried out, knowing that it will take 10 years to completely establish the method.

Today, the Domaine is in process of certification for both Ecocert and Demeter and, in 2011, they’ll be able to say it on their back label!

For more information contact :

Mme de NICOLAY Claude
Domaine Chandon de Briailles
1 rue Sœur Goby
21420 Savigny les Beaune
Tel: +33 380 21 52 31
Fax: +33 380 21 59 15
contact@chandondebriailles.com
www.chandondebriailles.com

Contemporary Garden Accessories in the UK Allow You to Create Your Very Own Green Wall.

By Felicity Waters, Director and Landscape Architect, Garden Beet



Garden accessories have been quietly evolving over the last couple of years. Many gardening products are now addressing people’s desire to grow their own plants in cramped urban spaces with super eco- chic style. Move over terracotta pots space age planting is here.

You may have stumbled across a green wall on one of your travels around London. The Athenaeum Hotel has one and so does Anthropologie on Regent Street. Or maybe you saw one in Paris, Tokyo or Melbourne?

Green Walls are the new black and uber architecture requires plants to almost morph with the building (green walls are also referred to as living walls or vertical gardens). Plants are being applied to interior and exterior facades like living wallpaper however the application is a tad more complicated.




Large scale green walls are very expensive to install and also require specialist knowledge to ensure their success. Corporations wanting to project a green ethos are certainly willing to shell out the costs to install these dazzling rock ‘n’ roll gardening installations. Many big businesses have engaged, Patric Blanc the French botanist and artist. He is the founder of the vertical gardening movement and he is certainly pushing the traditional gardening envelope with his amazing designs.
Thanks to artist Miguel Nelson and his Woolly Wally Pockets it is now possible for most people to create their very own green wall with only the most basic gardening skills.

Nelson has created a clever wall planter (a Woolly Pocket) that can be used on its own or in groups to cover most walls. They can also be used indoors and outdoors. They promote healthy plants whilst conserving water and are easy to install.
Each pocket is made from recycled plastics and holds approximately 10 litres of soil. The material is like a felted fabric and is made to military standards. The concept is simple, beautiful and it works.



Garden Beet in London, UK stocks the Woolly Pockets and many other contemporary garden accessories made from recycled materials.
Garden Beet is 100% on-line and ships worldwide. They can be found at http://www.gardenbeet.com.

Be sure to check out their range of hand crafted recycled planters made from old tyres and their garden clocks made from recycled coffee cups.

Product Review: TrekPod Go! PRO

Trekpod in use

From time to time a new product is launched with the aim of ‘converging’ two or more devices into one in the hope that it will make our life a little easier. More often than not these efforts result in disappointment as, in the style of the classic ‘jack of all trades’, the product will end up being ‘master of none’. This is not one of those cases. An inventive new company, Trek Technologies LLC, has taken two crucial products for the outdoor aficionado – the walking/hiking staff and the photographic tripod - and turned them into the TrekPod. Wow, they certainly knew what they were doing!

We planned a photo trip to test the Trekpod and we made it as complex as possible, we introduced long hikes, varied and difficult terrain, a difficult travel component and tricky photographs in which a sturdy tripod would be essential. We packed it in our suitcase, we carried it, we walked with it, we used every feature and possible adjustment on it and we were never disappointed.

The day it arrived we noticed immediately the incredible attention to detail put-in at the design stages. The TrekPod Go! PRO was presented in a clever carry case where each piece had a small sleeve that protected the product in transit and ensured it would not scratch. The strap made the travel case very easy to carry and the whole thing was small enough to fit in our hand-luggage. We inspected each item, put it together half a dozen times and, once familiar with the ‘ins’ and ‘outs’ of the TrekPod we then packed it for its long journey to the Pacific Ocean.

During this trip we used a Canon 50D with a 18-200 mm Canon lens. We knew it would be a heavy rig to mount and that only a sturdy tripod would cope. Once on location I went about preparing the camera with the enclosed mounts, the instructions were easy to follow and it was in doing this that I really started to appreciate one of the key features of this whole product, the MagMount PRO. This clever design feature will have you amazed; it will connect and disconnect the camera from the Trekpod quickly, efficiently and with the greatest of ease. After using it for 2 weeks I am still completely stunned at how well designed this is and at how sturdy a connection it makes. I would be comfortable connecting any size DSLR (up to 13.5 pounds in the literature) and it coped fantastically with our Canon. The whole operation can be done one-handed too.

Shot taken on Trekpod in tripod mode

Once on site we decided to test the capabilities of the TrekPod on the difficult Galapagos terrain. We organized a long hike with varied rocky paths; a walking staff was pretty much necessary, or at least advisable. The TrekPod was sturdy, it did not develop any annoying noises and did not wobble or bend, each connection was tight and the padded handle offered a good grip. I will say that as a trekking staff it does feel rather heavy but, with a little practice, you will easily get used to the extra weight. The rubber-tipped pole gripped well and continued to do so in shallow rock-pools as well as on dusty trails.

On our first photo opportunity I quickly released the tripod section at the bottom (kept together by a very fine Velcro system) and mounted the camera. I was up and running within 15 seconds. The camera felt safe and well positioned and I began taking a few landscape shots. With the wind increasing we decided to take a leap of faith and set up the TrekPod for a timed group shot, we trusted that it would hold well and it did. In essence it made a great tripod, sturdy and quickly adaptable, it beat the windy condition and, when positioned carefully, it gave a very agreeable shooting position. I also used it as a monopod support when in ‘staff mode’ which was great for quick wildlife photography using a large lens and no image stabilization.

Wildlife shot taken using Trekpod as Monopod

All in all the TrekPod Go! PRO gave a wonderful performance on the road; my only slight concern is the weight as a walking staff which takes some getting used to. The good news is that for those that find it too much to carry, the top designers at Tech-Trek have an XL version available made entirely of Carbon fiber and weighing-in at only 17 ounces (vs. the 30 ounces for our tested product). Genius!

We wish this product well and we feel that it is an essential item for those of you interested in the beauty of the outdoors; this is indispensable on your next eco holiday!

For more information see: www.trek-tech.com

Specifications for TrekPod Go! PRO:
Price - $229.99 US MSRP (including travel case)
Warranty – Limited Lifetime
Weight - 30 ounces / .794 kg
(including MagMount)
Height range in tripod mode - 39" to 57.5" / 99 to 146 cm
Height range in Hiking staff/
monopod mode - 42.5" to 62.5" / 106.7 cm to 158.8 cm
Materials - Various aircraft grade aluminum alloys, high strength polymers, stainless steel, nylon webbing (wrist strap), expanded foam (grip) and inject-molded polymer (palm rest).

Pros:
- An absolute triumph of convergence, excellent as a tripod and great as a walking staff
- Easy to pack
- Excellent use of high-quality materials, should last a lifetime
- Brilliant fast camera mount

Cons:
- A little pricey for occasional use
- A touch heavy as a walking staff