Many of us have already switched to using compact fluorescent light bulbs, both for their money-saving and energy-saving qualities.  But if you have a light fixture that reveals the bulb... well, it didn't exactly become the high point of your interior designs.  Hide it under a bushel?  No!  Now you can let your eco-friendly bulbs shine proudly, with a fabulous new design called the Plumen 001!

This designer bulb uses 80% less energy and lasts 8 times longer than standard incandescent bulbs.  It has an estimated life of 8 full years - wow!  Realized by the product design firm Hulger, with assistance from British designer Samuel Wilkinson, the Plumen 001's name is derived from the word “plume,” which describes a bird’s large and showy feather.  We think you'll definitely want to show this one off.  The bulb is artistic in nature, appearing in a variety of organic shapes and sculptural outlines when viewed from different angles.

     Lundberg Design has won a competition put on by Clear Channel, and MTA to create a new bus shelter model for the city of San Francisco.  The original design called for photovoltaic cells that were housed in a glass canopy.  3-Form, agreed to create the wave like roof panels that were designed to replicate the hills of the city.  Instead of glass, the company created a polycarbonate that was made up of 40% pre consumer recycled material.  3-Form will be manufacturing 1,100 of the shelters for the city within the next five years.

The US Department of Energy has a helpful guide to buying energy efficient home appliances on their website here.  "This easy-to-read guide may help you understand how appliances are rated for efficiency, what the ratings mean, and what to look for while shopping for new appliances."

For example, advice on buying clothes washers:  "[l]ook for the EnergyGuide label that tells how much electricity, in kWh, the clothes washer will use in one year. The smaller the number, the less energy is uses. ENERGY STAR clothes washers use less than 50% of the energy used by standard washers."