Can you see a plastic box soundsystem on your shelf or desktop from where you are sitting now?  Does it appear from this accessory as if you enjoy plastic packaging more than the quality furniture in your home or office?  Does it actually jar you out of peacefully enjoying Mozart when you look at this piece of plastic crap cranking out your beloved tunes?

Next time you need to replace your broken stereo, consider this Vers system instead.  The design idea was inspired by a classic 1955 Zenith radio that co-founder David Laituri has owned since he was 12.  He and partner Tim Trzepacz worked together at Brookstone before they started Vers as an alternative to plastic-encased sound systems.  They wanted a high-quality sound system that would look smart and also be sustainable (each Vers 1.5R system replaces 80% of what could be plastic with wood).

Ever been confronted with a not-so-pleasant smell in your home or other indoor environment, particularly the gym, the laundry room or the bathroom?  Here's a great little product that's all-natural to fix it in no time!

Ever Bamboo is made from bamboo charcoal, which is porous enough to address areas that hold onto moisture and humidity, like basements, pet beds, closets and lockers.  You can even use it instead of baking soda to soak up odors in your fridge or freezer.  It's made from a completely natural product, so you're not putting more chemicals into your environment or your body like with traditional deodorizors.  Plus, bamboo is a rapidly-renewable resource, so it's preserving other resources.  The moso bamboo plant can grow more than 2 feet in a single day!

The charcoal packs are long-lasting - up to a year - but here's a handy trick for recharging them:  put them out in the sun for a couple of hours and they release their stored odors and are ready to use again.  Wow, sun-power to the rescue!  Plus, the packs are completely recyclable once their useful life is up.

     Brave Space is a company made up of three Brooklyn based designers.  The goal of the brand is to create modular minimalistic furniture that is eco-conscious.  The pieces are made from either scrap wood, 100% recycled MDF, or bamboo.  The finished surfaces are treated with organic herbal oil, and non toxic water based paints.  By creating modular pieces, the furniture gains longevity as it can constantly be rearranged and grouped to fit your changing needs.

     The Tetrad is a great example of modern furniture that can be used as storage, and a room divider.  The piece shown below comes flat packed for smaller shipping.  It is also available in Walnut and Bamboo.

 

These wall coverings have been out from Inhabitat Living a while and I wonder how they look in person.  Has anyone seen an installation?  I really love a 3d or textured wall or painting so these are right up my alley.  

 

While researching alternative counter tops for a kitchen remodel, I came accross a great product called Eco Top by Klip Tech.  The surface is made from a blend of bamboo fiber, and FSC certified post consumer recycled paper.  It is also bound with a 100% water based system.  Along with being sustainable, Eco Top is very durable.  It can take heat up to 360 degrees, and it can be sanded or cut without breaking or cracking.

Although it will last as long as your home, if you ever decided to replace it, it can be used for bio fuel production.  Eco Top won the 2009 Bloom award for innovative materials, and was named by Sustainable Industries Magazine one of the top ten Green building products of 2008.  Eco Top comes in a variety of colors that can make it easily blend with many design styles.  Below are some installation examples.  For more information go to www.kliptech.com/ecotop.html