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10 products to make you feel smug about recycling

By Sean FallonNerd ApprovedLet's face it, for a lot of people owning a hybrid car or buying recycled products is as much about appearances as it isabout saving the environment. If you are the type who likes to feel smug about your environmental efforts, the following products will take you far above and way beyond what everyone else in the neighborhood is doing.Inflatable recycled sofaThe sofa? Ye
Courtesy of Nerd Approved / Today

By Sean Fallon

Nerd Approved

Let's face it, for a lot of people owning a hybrid car or buying recycled products is as much about appearances as it isabout saving the environment. If you are the type who likes to feel smug about your environmental efforts, the following products will take you far above and way beyond what everyone else in the neighborhood is doing.

Courtesy of Nerd Approved / Today

Inflatable recycled sofa

The sofa? Yes, it's made from 100 percent recycled dunnage bags —because I put the environment before practicality and comfort. All I have to do is inflate the bags, prop it up with a metal rack and some plastic straps and try not to puncture it with the keys in my pocket. Plus, the fact that the sofa is collapsible also means that it's easily transportable — so I never have to sit on a non-recycled sofa ever again. Pricing not available — Malafor via Nerd Approved

 

Courtesy of Nerd Approved / Today

Do Box punching bag

I like to keep in shape with a little kickboxing under the tutelage of a three-time Japanese world champion. I use the Do Box punching bag because I can fill it with refuse, then use the tenderized compost to nurture the flowers around my koi pond in the backyard. I'll admit that I love beating up garbage too — I hate it that much. $120 — Droog via Nerd Approved

 

 

 

 

 

Courtesy of Nerd Approved / Today

T-shirt laptop sleeves

When my T-shirts come to the end of their useful lives, I send them on over to Hello Rewind to have them transformed into customized laptop sleeves. The process takes 2-4 weeks, and in the end I have a lovely "Where's the beef" sleeve to tote my computer around in. $49 — Hello Rewind via Fashionably Geek

 

Courtesy of Nerd Approved / Today

Egg carton lamp

I don't eat eggs, but those cartons are perfect material for making recycled desk lamps ... and cute caterpillar figures with some pipe cleaners for antennas and googly eyes! Uh, ahem — but I digress. To make the "Trash Me" desk lamp, designer Victor Vetterlein took four egg cartons, soaked them in water, then poured the remaining pulp over a mold. The mold was smoothed by hand and allowed to dry for several days. Then it's just a matter of adding some recyclable electrical components and an energy-efficent CFL bulb. Victor Vetterlein via CubicleBot

 

 

 

 

 

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Reusable bag

Hey, I didn't say it — the bag did. Did you notice that even the color is green? Granted, I don't use this bag all of the time. Sometimes I like to go shopping with a bag that I fashioned out of fallen twigs and leaves. $6.95 — Archie McPhee via Fashionably Geek

 

 

 

 

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Paper log maker

I eschew modern methods of heating my home for a simple wood burning stove — only I don't burn wood because it's wasteful. I collect newspapers, junk mail and unpaid bills, then form them into dense, burnable bricks with this Paper Log Maker. Yes, the resulting smoke may be harmful to the environment, but I do get some use out of it by sending smoke signals to my neighbors after they shut off my cell phone service. $27 — Gizoo

 

 

 

 

Courtesy of Nerd Approved / Today

Circuit board clock

I see you are admiring my circuit board clock. Yeah, it took dozens of man hours to build since I had to scour junkyards for the right circuit boards and components. But I did have enough leftovers to craft this beautiful recycled jewelry for my wife and a motherboard storage box to put it in. $22 —  Revolve via Nerd Approved

 

 

 

 

Courtesy of Nerd Approved / Today

Recession iPhone case

What happens to all of those phone cases when new models come out ever year? Something tells me that many of them are not being recycled. To combat this problem, I picked up an iPhone Recession Case from Case-Mate. It's made of fully recyclable cardboard and it only costs 99 cents a pop. You can even download the template and make one of your own for free. It's for the 3G and the 3GS, which is fine, because when I do decide to upgrade, I plan to make a sturdier case out of a discarded aluminum can. 99 cents-$14.99 — Case-Mate

 

 

Other craziness from Nerd Approved:

Courtesy of Nerd Approved / Today

 

Recycled keyboard clutch

This is my wife's favorite bag. It's made with recycled computer keyboards, which is perfect because I like to go out wearing this suit on formal occasions. We coordinate perfectly. $39.99 — Perpetual Kid

 

 

Courtesy of Nerd Approved / Today

NoPoPo batteries

I don't let any bodily fluids go to waste. Fortunately, these NoPoPo hydro-electric batteries can be recharged on just about any fluid from water to soda and even urine or blood. My remote control smells a little funny and I'm a bit woozy, but that's a price worth paying for the environment as far as I'm concerned. $38 — Japan Trend Shop

 

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