Green Somethings: The Blog

Organic Cotton Tees & Bags - Bollywood Ishtyle

There's cool stuff and then there's COOL stuff. Indigreen, a Mumbai based start up by two young entrepreneurs recently launched a special, limited edition of organic cotton tees and bags, with funky Bollywood art on each.

In a country where the only religions that remain dispute free are cricket and Bollywood, Nidhi S. and Gaurav G. have managed to capture the pulse of the nation by not only getting some real cool Bollywood designs on their tees and bags but ensuring these are done with minimal environmental impact. 

Started with the basic idea of making eco friendly fashion easily available to more and more people, Indigreen's tees and bags are a perfect choice for those who care about issues like climate change, global warming and feel the need to make conscious green choices when they are out shopping.

The theme of Indigreen tees is Go Green Bollywood Style! Nidhi and Gaurav believe that if reaching out to people with a cause, capture their imagination with a strong visual message. Most of us don't want to watch a boring documentary on global warming and climate change. And infact not many really care to save the planet - but most people do care to look hot !

Their tees and bags have trendy Bollywood art hand painted by erstwhile artists who painted big Bollywood movie posters before the digital print invasion. 

Pick up any of their tees and it is sure to tickle your funny bone! A perfect blend of humor and entertainment that is certain to catch some real attention. Small hand painted patches that look like Bollywood film posters carry quirky ‘go green’ messages that are incorporated into the original theme of the poster or film.

I am sorry for my non-Indian readers, these are as Indian as it gets...

 As Indians, we all have a weak spot for Bollywood and by mixing global warming, climate change, pollution and environmental degradation with Bollywood to create a quirky yet extremely effective mix for their eco friendly merchandise Indigreen has hit the mark for what I call smart & sustainable entrepreneurship.  

The t-shirts are made of 100% organic cotton and the dyes used are low impact or vegetable dyes. The paints used for the Bollywood art are non toxic, eco friendly and child safe. Even the painted patches stitched on to the t-shirts and bags are done by women who are paid almost four times the usual market rates. 

The eco-friendly bags are made of organic cotton and organic Khadi (one of the most eco pure fabrics on this planet!!).

Purchasing an Indigreen t-shirt or bag will damage your pocket anywhere between Rs. 2400 to Rs. 3000 (US$ 50-70); but keep in mind how much this will drive down your eco-footprint and drive up your 'oomph' factor!!

 Visit Indigreen.co.in for more information.

Environ-Mental

The steering wheel is made from Carrots, powered by Waste Chocolate and Vegetable Oil,with Potatoes used to produce the bodywork,and it goes 125mph round corners!

Following the recent turmoil in Formula 1 arising from the high costs of running competitive motor racing teams, and doubts in sponsors’ minds over the commercial value of their involvement, the viability of motor racing is being critically questioned. With this in mind the Warwick Innovative Manufacturing Research Centre (WIMRC), part the of the University of Warwick, are seeking to prove to the motor industry that it is possible to build a competitive racing car using environmentally sustainable components.

  

 

The new WorldFirst racecar is a clever piece of lateral thinking. It is the first Formula 3 racing car designed and made from sustainable and renewable materials, putting the world first by effectively managing the planet’s resources. The project truly is a World First as the team have examined all the components of the vehicle and attempted to introduce a green and sustainable element into each aspect of the car. Components made from plants form the mainstay of the car’s make up, including a race spec steering wheel derived from carrots and other root vegetables, a flax fibre and soybean oil foam racing seat, a woven flax fibre bib, plant oil based lubricants and a bio diesel engine configured to run on fuel derived from waste chocolate and vegetable oil. It also incorporates a radiator coated in a ground‐breaking emission destroying catalyst.

 

 

 

The WorldFirst project expels the myth that performance needs to be compromised when developing the sustainable motor vehicles of the future!

Clean+Green

 SeaYu® Enterprises recently launched Clean+Green®, the only eco-friendly aerosol pet cleaning products on the planet.

Unlike most other cleaning products that can be harmful, require multiple applications and/or only temporarily mask odors, Clean + Green delivers instant results in a non-toxic, eco-friendly solution. Clean+Green permanently cleans pet stains and eradicates odors. It is safe for pets, people (kids too!), and the planet.
 
Each Clean+Green product is individually formulated to address a specific odor/stain problem and can be used on carpet and area rugs, wood floors, tile, cement and all fabrics – even litter boxes! Clean+Green uses a patented Advanced Encapsulation Technology™ and an Advanced Eliminator3 Formula™, developed by scientists to take care of the planet while cleaning up massive environmental problems like oil spills. The products naturally encapsulate and eliminate stain and odor on contact – even skunk odor! – by naturally biodegrading the stain/odor source. 
 
Clean+Green is made with ingredients and materials that are all-natural, 100% biodegradable, and recyclable. The products are non-toxic, non-flammable, non-carcinogenic and will not damage the ozone layer – with no harsh chemicals or perfumes. The eco-friendly aerosol applicator ensures easy and quick application with maximum performance. To learn more about the safe use of aerosols, go to www.aboutaerosol.com
 
Clean+Green is available at PETCO®, PetSmart®, Pet Supplies Plus® and other retailers that sell pet specialty products in the US and Canada, as well as through the Clean+Green site - www.sea-yu.com. 

REVA - India's First Electric Car

I am sure quite a few of us in India and some parts of Europe must have spotted the REVA (GWiz in UK) once at least. This cute dinky wheeled out by Bangalore based Maini group did not do too well commercially when it was first launched in 2001; but on returning to my beloved New Delhi last week, I noticed a neat, exclusive REVA showroom in Lajpat Nagar in south Delhi. On checking out their website, it appears they already have over 10 established REVA dealers in the Indian states of Andhra, Delhi, Karnataka, Goa,  Maharashtra and West Bengal

So I hope that this year is the REVA year - the world, India at least should finally wake up to the necessity of driving ethically!

From the looks of it this little bugger, oops buggy is making waves across Europe having been showcased and awarded at various auto shows in places like London, Brussels and Madrid. It is also hurtling the roads in Japan.

What I found quite endearing about the makers of REVA - their website has a cute feature where you can make your own REVA - select the color you want for your REVA's body, wheels, bumper and interiors and order online! How's that for keeping little things in mind?!?

The Next Gen REVA

 

Bamboozled with Bamboo

I recently learnt about a Hydrabad based social enterprise, Bamboo House India (BHI). Looking at the range of products and eco-solutions that this enterprise has come to offer in only one year of its existence, sure did bamboozle me!

BHI promotes the use of bamboo as an economic driver for rural and tribal artisans. It is involved in the production of bamboo products, handcrafted by rural artisans and enabling linkages with several market channels for the sale of bamboo products thereby generating 'green livelihood' opportunities for these rural and tribal craftsmen.

Triple bottom line

From being involved in the bamboo plantations, training the craftsmen to marketing of finished products BHI leaves no stone unturned in ensuring excellent product quality and aesthetics. Set up by Aruna and Prashant Lingam in 2007, BHI is working to create a chain of bamboo retail outlets across the country (and in due time internationally as well) which will house all sorts of bamboo products like home decor, accessories, cutlery, frames & stands and furniture under one roof.

Their sustainable business model they say, will help the rural and tribal artisans and use bamboo to develop
contemporary life style products to suit market tastes and demand rather than age old basketry items and play an active role in promoting bamboo an eco-friendly substitute to other raw materials.

BHI is also providing bamboo solutions for low cost housing structres especially across rural India. To ensure continuous demand, they are tying up with government agencies to build resorts and bus shelters. The tie ups include National Mission on Bamboo Applications (NMBA), Indian
Institute of Technology (IIT-D), Confederation of Indian Indsutry (CII), Cane & Bamboo Technology Center (CBTC), Andhra Pradesh Forest Dept (APFD), Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL &FS), Tripura Bamboo Mission (TBM) and A P Technology Promotion & Development Center (APTDC).

View all BHI products at http://greenlivelihoods.org/