Sustainability: Bamboo Cases For Your iPhone Made By Grove

Today's blogpost is a little self-indulgent, but the topic at hand is so clearly awesome that I'm sure most of you won't really mind.

Many of you already have gotten a case for your phone for one of the following reasons:

• Protect your phone from accidental drops (Angry Birds won't protect itself)
• Protect your phone from not-so-accidental throws after a dropped call (Thanks, AT&T!)
• Aesthetic value (These cases can sadly be yours for >$200)
• Disguise your phone to prevent theft (This case may accidentally land your phone in the fridge.)

Historically I have never liked cases because they have always either looked ugly, been too expensive, or made the phone feel clunky. Additionally, I have never liked the idea of purchasing a case that I will most likely not have a use for in 3 years when I get a new phone... at least until now.

I have just received a new case for my phone that is both awesome looking AND sustainable for ~$70!

Unlike most cases which are made from some form of plastic that is typically unrecyclable, this case is made out of bamboo, one of the most versatile and replenishable natural resources available. Bamboo is a member of the grass family, which informs its rapid growth rate (39 inches per day in certain conditions), and because it is a perennial, you do not need to replant seeds after harvesting the bamboo.

These cases are made by Grove in Portland, Oregon where they offer tons of customization to your handmade bamboo case. I went with the tree design because I guess I kind of like nature, but there are tons of other options that you can choose from. Additionally, if none of those preset designs strike your fancy, you have the option to design your own case which they will engrave for a small additional fee.

The only downside is that it took about a month and a half to receive my case, but honestly it was worth the wait. I love the look of this case and it has quickly become apparent that others love it as well.

Thanks to this case, I have already gotten the following comments/questions:

• "Where did you get this case?"
• "What is it made out of?"
• "Are you single?"
• "Why are you in my house?"
• "Stop showing me your case."

Honestly, I just like this product because it serves as another example of how sustainable products do not have to be a burden, and instead can look amazingly nice.

I'll stop patting myself on the back for now, but if you have an iPhone, I really do recommend you get one here.

Sunday Comics

Sorry for only two posts this past week, I'll make it up this week by posting 4.

Anyways, here is your Sunday Comic, or as I like to call it, the day traffic spikes on this blog.

I don't think I ever moved past Stage 1... That or I skipped straight to Stage 7.

Boiling Water: Electric Vs. Stove Kettles

This was supposed to be posted yesterday, but apparently Blogger's posting schedule option still escapes me, so apologies for that. I've been thinking about getting my own domain so I can have more control over the entire site and not have to bend to Blogger's constraints, however that would require money being generated from a job that I am still searching for, but I digress...

I recently bought a French press to really kick my addiction to coffee into high gear. Along with the French press I also had to buy a kettle to boil the water, and this is where I had to make a decision. I could either buy an electric kettle or I could buy the traditional kettle which I would heat with my gas stove.

What the decision boiled down to [editors note: PUN!] was determining the least natural resource intensive kettle. Here is a break down of where Chicago's electricity comes from:

• 53% from Nuclear Power
• 36% from Coal Fired Power
• 7% from Natural Gas
• 3% from Wind, Biomass, or Hydro Power
• 1% Other

It is safe to assume that in the morning when I am making my coffee, most of the electricity I would be using is demand-response, which would mean that my electricity would be coming from coal.

Coal is filthy, and while natural gas still takes a toll on the environment, it is still a cleaner alternative, so I ended up buying the traditional kettle that I will heat with my gas stove.

I know that my one kettle isn't going to save the world, but I do think that the act of thinking these decisions through is good practice. It doesn't take much effort to find out where your energy is coming from, and I hope that on some level you begin to think about these options as well.

Now that I'm done ranting, I'm going to go ahead and enjoy my coffee! Have a great day!

SunShot: Our Generation's Sputnik Moment?

Sometimes I read an article about Steven Chu and it makes me want to be best friends with him in a totally non-creepy way. All I'm saying is I wouldn't mind having him come meet some of my ex-girlfriends just so I can say that we are best pals now.

Nerdiest rap reference EVER.

The most recent example of badassery is him publicly coining the term "SunShot":

Just as President Kennedy pledged in 1961 that the United States would land an astronaut on the moon by the end of that decade — a moonshot — Dr. Chu said the United States should attempt a “sunshot” by aiming to cut the cost of solar power by about three-quarters by the end of this decade, to $1 a watt for utility-scale projects. That would translate to an end-user price of about 6 cents per kilowatt-hour, he said. “That would make solar energy cost competitive with other forms of energy without subsidies of any kind,’’ he said in a conference call with reporters on Friday.

By making solar cost competitive without subsidizing the technology, you are effectively changing the entire energy landscape of the United States along with the rest of the world. People want to have cleaner energy, but cost will always be a constraint to the adoption of cleaner technologies.

Admittedly this is not a terribly long article and the point is fairly straight forward, but it is important to recognize that this was not just some political statement that someone said in passing. Shortly after Chu dropped this statement, the Energy Department pledged $27 million towards solar initiatives - not something that the government would do lightly.

Now sit back, relax, and revel in how awesome my photoshopped picture of Steven Chu is.  I'll be here all week.