Going green.....smart gadgets

CENT-A-METER

An electronic gauge that tells you how much you are spending on electricity. It also displays your power consumption and the equivalent greenhouse gas your power usage is responsible for, along with the ambient temperature and humidity.

So when you walk out the door and leave the TV blaring or the iron plugged in, this handy wall-mounted gizmo will tell you not only how much your profligacy is costing you but also its toll on the environment.

How much: $180

Where: This Australian invention isn't on store shelves yet, but is available here through the Canadian distributor Eco-Response Technologies Inc. at www.eco-response.ca.

WATTSTOPPER

If left-on lights are driving you crazy and running up your lighting costs, you can retrofit your switches with WattStopper's Vacancy Sensor. It turns the light on when you enter a room, and after a short delay to ensure you're really gone -- turns them off when you leave. At approximately $70 each and currently available only through wholesalers, they are just starting to catch on in the residential market here, particularly with Vancouver's sustainable designers.

How much: About $70

Where: Check out www.wattstopper.com; find them at your local lighting wholesaler or e-mail the manufacturer's representative in B.C., Doug Webber at doug.webber@wattstopper.com.

EFFICIENT WASHING MACHINE

If you're in the market for a new washing machine, consider switching from a power-hungry water hog to one of the more efficient ones on the market. A front-loading washer uses about 40-per-cent less water per load and 50- per-cent less energy than its top-loading counterpart with about the same capacity. It also uses less detergent and spins more water out of the load, making for shorter drying times.

Where: To check for energy efficiency in appliances, go to Natural Resources Canada, Office of Energy Efficiency's website at http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca. Click through to residential housing, appliances and equipment.

How much: Not cheap, particularly when compared to the top-loading models. But just as we weren't too concerned about our gas-guzzling SUVs until we started to feel a definite financial pinch at the pump, these will look more economical when we're facing metered water systems and higher hydro rates.

SOLAR OVEN

When the endless rainy days of Vancouver winter set in, this certainly won't replace your microwave. But for brighter days, to save propane at the cottage or when you truly want to be off the grid, consider the Solar Oven Society's Sport Solar Oven. Weighing less than five kilograms, it can be pointed toward the sun and reach temperatures of 210-265 F [99-129 C] without reflectors and up to 350 F [177 C] with reflectors.

How much: $124.97 US (or $147.94 with a reflector) plus shipping.

Where: www.solarovens.org. For Canadian orders, phone 612-623-4700 for shipping costs.

SIDEWINDER CHARGER

Billed as the world's smallest, lightest and most powerful cellphone charger, this gizmo weighs 2 1/2 ounces (71 grams). Two minutes of hand cranking gives you more than six minutes of chat time and more in standby mode. Crank the handle as you chat and you can keep talking as long as you like.

The creation of a Montana company, IST Designs, it also gives you a miniature flashlight capability through an LED on the top of the unit. That will glow for a couple of minutes with a 30-second charge, with enough light to get a key in the door or other quick task.

How much: $24.95 plus shipping from the company's website and $39 Cdn locally.

Where: www.istdesigns.com. The U.S.-based IST is planning to expand availability with Canadian retailers and the product is currently available locally at Mountain Equipment Co-op. Comes with five adapter tips to make it compatible with a number of cellphones. Check the compatibility list on the website.

LED LIGHTS

Switch your holiday lights to LED strings this Christmas, and they'll use up to 95-per-cent less energy and last at least 10 times longer. For other lighting efficiency, switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs that last about eight times as long as regular incandescent bulbs and only need to be replaced every five to six years. The tiniest portable LED gadget light is another offering from IST Designs, which is a distributor for the Pak-Lite nine-volt LED light. Built to military specs, this clips onto the top of a nine-volt battery which will power it up to 600 hours on low and 75 hours on high. Snap it on to a lithium battery and that run time increases to 250 hours on bright and 2,500 hours on low. Also available is an adapter that lets you clip the light onto your lapel, your hat, your tent or anywhere else you need some illumination.

How much: $23.99 US for the Pak-Lite; $4.99 US for the swivel adapter that goes with it.

Where: order through istdesigns.com.

AUTOMATIC FAUCETS

Dual flush or low-flow toilets are a must for any eco-friendly bathroom, along with water-saving showerheads. If lessening your impact on the environment around you isn't enough to convince you to switch, the advent of metered water systems in your neighbourhood may prompt you to turn to water-saving devices.

Automatic faucets are also available for retrofitting home sinks, with infra-red sensors that turn the tap on automatically when you put your hands in front of it.

Different brands are available.

We found the EZ Faucet on eBay, Amazon.com and other online vendors.

How much: $49.99 plus shipping at Amazon.com; we saw it as low as $24.99 US on some eBay sites.

Where: online vendors include www.amazon.com and www.ebay.com

(provided by Gillian Shaw/Vancouver Sun)