The Chevy Volt electric vehicle is getting a lot of attention these days – and if you’re one of the lucky people driving one then there’s a good chance that you are too. That’s why we’re asking Chevy Volt owners to share your stories about how owning an electric vehicle has changed your life – and we’ll be showcasing our favorite stories in an upcoming feature article! Whether it’s a story about what it’s like to charge regularly and fill up rarely, an account of how many times you’ve been stopped at a grocery store or cornered in a parking lot by curious onlookers, or a tale about the furthest you’ve driven on an electric charge, we want to know! Submit your amazing stories here and you could be profiled for a feature on Inhabitat!

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Post tags: are you a chevy volt owner, are you a volt owner, chevrolet, chevy, chevy owner, chevy volt, chevy volt owner, electric car, electric car owner, electric vehicle, electric vehicle owner, ev, EV owner, extended range electric vehicle, gas electric hybrid, GM electric car, green car, hybrid car, inhabitat, volt, volt owner, zero emissions car, zero emissions vehicle

Everyone has been eagerly awaiting the moment OLED technology will make its way into the mainstream, and we’re happy to report that the solid beginnings of this movement are finally starting to show. WAC Lighting has designed the SOL chandelier, an OLED based masterpiece that serves as a precedent for new design concepts for OLED lighting fixtures. Created in WAC Lighting’s zero-landfill manufacturing facility, this chandelier uses OLED technology that is based off of OSRAM’s latest ORBEOS OLED panels. The design moves away from reflector based LED’s and adds an additional 10-40% efficiency to lamps.

+ WAC Lighting

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Post tags: eco lighting, eco-light, green lighting, LED, led light, OLED, OLED light, OLED Lighting, sustainable light, sustainable lighting, WAC, WAC light, WAC lighting

We all love the idea of an electric motorcycle — it’s efficient, quiet and an all around a great option for sustainable mobility. That being said, we have to admit to wondering when they would eventually become cool. Thankfully the Dutch outfit, Orphiro, has come up with an answer to that call. Taking inspiration from classic bobber styling, this bike has been dubbed a wide-body cruiser — a format that works perfectly for an electric motorcycle that needs ample room to place its battery packs.

Read the rest of Orphiro’s Electric Motorcycle Captivates with its Cool and Classic Style

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Post tags: alternative motorcycle, eco bike, eco friendly motorcycle, eco motorcycle, eco transportation, eco-friendly transportation, electric bike, electric motorcycle, green motorcycle, green transportation, orphiro, sustainable bike, sustainable motorcycle, sustainable transportation

When Chevy released the Volt, a lot of drivers questioned how effective the vehicle’s 40 mile all-electric range would be at curbing emissions. Well, today we can sigh a breath of relief – the auto manufacturer has just announced that Volts have driven over 2 million miles, and 66% of the those were silent, efficient, and all-electric.

Read the rest of Chevy Volt Drivers Log 1.3 Million All-Electric Miles!

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Post tags: chevy volt, electric car, electric vehicle, ev, extended range electric vehicle, gas electric hybrid, GM electric car, green car, hybrid car, inhabitat, test drive chevrolet car, volt, zero emissions car, zero emissions vehicle

When Joe Manus, founder of Shiner, was 7 he was punched in the eye. This dark memory stayed with him his entire life, eventually influencing his design work today. Built to look tough, dark and damaged, Manus’ amazing rocking bed aptly embodies his past experience, fusing it with the spirit of his materials — all of which have been sourced from the scrap and garbage piles of industrial manufacturing sites. The Shiner rocking bed is a minimalist construction, and stands at any angle using rubber floor stoppers making it an interesting addition to any home.

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Post tags: "green furniture", "sustainable furniture", eco friendly bed, eco friendly chair, eco-bed, eco-friendly furniture, eco-materials, green bed, green chair, Recycled Materials, shiner, shiner georgia, sustainable bed, sustainable chair

The Fourth of July is right around the corner, and we can’t wait to spend some time outdoors enjoying backyard barbecues, picnics, and other forms of fun in the sun! To celebrate the season, we’ve teamed up with Branch and Room & Board to offer you the chance to win an awesome picnic set (worth $68) and an Emmet eco lounge chair (worth $399) – the perfect package for summer relaxation. The super comfortable Emmet Chair is constructed from 100% recycled HDPE plastic, and the Picnic Set contains everything you need to serve up a fantastic al fresco summer meal. All you have to do to win is tell us your favorite picnic spot, so enter today!

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY:

1. SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE > (If you are not already a subscriber). We’ll be announcing all the winners of our Fourth of July giveaway in our weekly newsletter, so if you want to find out if you won, you’ll need to receive it in order to claim your prize!

2. LIKE US ON FACEBOOK: Just click on the “Like” button on the upper right hand corner of your screen right now.

3. LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW: Tell us your favorite green picnic spot – where would you go to enjoy a beautiful sunny summer day? Whether you prefer a woodland retreat or a get-together at a local lake or beach, submit your response below and make sure to tell us the specific location! Alternately, you can submit a recipe for your favorite vegetarian picnic meal. We’ll pick the comment we like best and announce the winner in our newsletter, so make sure you’re signed up!

This contest is only open to readers located in the United States

Read the rest of Win an Eco Lounge Chair and the Ultimate Green Summer Picnic Set!

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Post tags: branch picnic set, compostable picnic kit, eco chair, eco friendly chair, eco friendly outdoor furniture, eco friendly picnic set, eco lounge chair, eco picnic, eco picnic set, emmet lounge chair, giveaway, green chair, picnic kit, sustainable chair, sustainable lounge chair, sustainable outdoor chair, Sustainable Outdoor Furniture, sustainable picnic, sustainable picnic set

Believe it or not, this amazing dress is comprised of over 2,000 bottles, 6,000 caps, and 13,000 tags! The stunning creation, designed by Michelle Brand, was debuted at the largest inner-city mall in Britain as a reminder to all shoppers to ditch their plastic bags and start using reusable canvas totes instead. Check out the full story over on Ecouterre.

READ MORE >

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Post tags: britain, eco-fashion, eco-friendly wedding dresses, eco-friendly wedding gowns, Ethical Fashion, green fashion, recycled plastic bottles, Sustainable Fashion, sustainable wedding dresses, sustainable wedding gowns, U.K.

Summer’s officially here and it’s finally time to ditch your shoes and sport some sandals. Ranging from flats to heels, these seven options are both stylish and sustainable, making your summer walks just a bit more sartorial and a lot more green. Check out the whole lot here!

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Post tags: eco apparel, eco friendly apparel, eco friendly sandals, eco friendly summer accessories, eco sandals, ethical sandals, fair trade sandals, green sandals, sustainable apparel, sustainable sandals

These towering candles designed by John Housmand are a great way to bring a little 18th century romanticism to any garden. Constructed from acrylic tubes and using a small solar cell, each tower features a two-volt 100 mA solar cell, 800 mAh battery, and three LED bulbs which allows the lights to shine bright for up to 12 hours on a full charge. These lamps come in 3″ or 4″ diameters with a length of either 2 or 4 feet, are stable in the soil.

+ John Housmand

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Post tags: Bright Ideas, bright ideas competition, bright ideas design competition, bright ideas lighting design competition, eco friendly outdoor light, eco friendly outdoor lighting, led light, outdoor led light, outdoor solar light, outdoor solar lighting, philips bright ideas, solar led, solar lighting

It’s summer time and protecting your eyes and skin from the sun is a must, but did you know that you don’t have to be at a horse track or a country club to sport a fantastic sun hat? That’s why we’ve rounded up a bevy of breezy and eco-chic summer hats that are stylish enough to be worn every day. Check them all out here!

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Post tags: eco hat, eco hats, eco-fashion, eco-friendly hats, ethical hat, ethical hats, fair trade hat, fair trade hats, green fashion, summer hat, summer hats, sun hat, sun hats, sustainable hat, sustainable hats

Inspired by cityscapes, this customizable light by Yasser Jamani allows individuals to get a taste of urban planning by letting them choose the shape of their own skyline. Using a perforated aluminum grid-like format, the lamp enables one to cut out the exact shape they’d like to let light shine through, creating an individualistic approach to energy-efficient lighting. LED strips which consume only 6-watts of power are surrounded by a reflective foil that enables light to bounce, dispersing it further and creating a unique visual effect.

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Post tags: aluminum lighting, eco-friendly lighting, energy efficient LED, energy efficient lighting, LED, LED ceiling, LED ceiling fixture, LED lighting, LED lights, LED powered lights, LED strips, LED wall mount, LED wall mounted fixture, steel lighting, sustainable lighting

Started by two childhood friends Loyal and Dean, California based Loyal Dean longboards has built a business with over 25 combined years of master wood craftsmanship. The creative duo, who have dedicated their efforts to building some of the best boards on the market, are well known for their beautiful designs that boasts a unique finish inspired by the wood they’ve reclaimed from larger projects. Each board is hand-crafted in California with a truly local, artisanal, and environmentally conscious approach.

+ Loyal Dean

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Post tags: bottleneck skateboard, eco friendly longboard, eco friendly skateboards, eco longboards, eco-friendly transportation, green longboard, Green Skateboards, loyal dean longboards, loyal dean skateboards, reclaimed longboards, reclaimed wood longboards, reclaimed wood skateboards, sustainable longboard, sustainable transportation

Read the rest of 6 Stylish Green Wearable Gifts for Fathers Day

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Post tags: eco friendly apparel, eco friendly button ups, eco friendly clothing, eco friendly shirts, eco friendly shorts, eco friendly sneakers, eco friendly ties, eco sneakers, eco ties, eco-friendly watches, green apparel, green sneakers, Organic Apparel, organic clothing, organic cotton clothing, organic shirts, organic shoes, organic shorts, sustainable apparel, sustainable clothing, sustainable shirting, sustainable sneakers, sustainable ties, The Hill-Side, the hill-side ties, veja sneakers, wood watches

Pixel Qi, an American-based company who specializes in low-power consumption screens, is currently making plans to replace eInk screens with the solar powered tablet. According to Pixel Qi, they’ve developed a way to power a tablet entirely from the sun by installing a solar panel that generates 1W of energy — this is enough to power both the screen and the motherboard.

Read the rest of Pixel Qi Creates Super-Efficient and Cost-Effective Solar-Powered Tablet

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Post tags: eco friendly tablet, eco friendly tablet pc, low power tablet, Pixel Qi, solar powere tablet pc, solar powered tablet, solar tablet, tablet pc

Taking a cue from nature, Rebecca Asquith’s Nectar Lamp reflects the beauty found in the naturally occurring hexagonal shapes of beehives. The fixture is made from lightweight felted polyester that is composed of 92 percent recycled content and is UV stabilized. The benefit to this recycled material is that any scrap pieces from the manufacturing process are sent back to the manufacturer to be recycled once again into new material. If you dig the warm glow of this beehive-inspired lamp vote for it in our Bright Ideas Lighting Design Competition!

VOTE FOR THE NECTAR LAMP >

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Post tags: beehive inspired lamp, beehive lamp shade, beehive pendant, Bright Ideas, bright ideas competition, bright ideas finalist, diy lighting, eco lights, eco-friendly lighting, green lighting, green lights, nature inspired lights, nectar lamp, nectar lamp shade, philips bright ideas finalist, polyester lamp shade, polyester pendant, recycled polyester

Using simple materials like a fish bowl and plastic tubes, Andrea Carvajal’s “Fugu” is a stunning light fixture inspired by the Japanese for puffer fish (from which it also takes its name). This blowfish-like lamp creates an interesting array of mesmerizing circles when illuminated. A finalist in our fabulous Bright Ideas Competition, if you love Andrea Carvajal’s design, let him know how you feel by voting for it and leaving him some love in our comments section.

VOTE FOR THE FUGU LAMP HERE >

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Post tags: Andrea Carvajal, blowfish lamp, bright ideas competition finalist, bright ideas lighting contest, bright ideas lighting design competition, diy lamps, diy lighting, eco friendly lamps, eco friendly light, eco lamps, eco lighting designs, energy efficient lamps, energy efficient lighting, energy efficient lighting designs, green lamps, green lighting, green lighting competition, green lighting designs, green lighting fixtures, inhabitat and philips bright ideas lighting competition, inhabitat and philips lighting contest, inhabitat bright ideas, inhabitat lighting competition, LED lamps, led lighting contest, led lighting design competition, led lighting design contest, led lighting fixtures, lighting design competition, philips bright ideas, Philips led bulbs, recycled material lamps

This dynamically structured chandelier designed by Sarah Turner is made from the bottoms of 310 plastic bottles collected from coffee shops and homes. Nicknamed “Ella” for its early resemblance to an umbrella, the lamp measures over a meter wide. Its dramatic dome and multifaceted surface adds loads of texture to any space, and the carefully placed bottles create playful shadows within the stunning chandelier itself. To make the Ella, each bottle was cut, cleaned, and then sand blasted to give them the frosted white appearance before being meticulously put together by hand. The cool temperature, low-energy bulbs inside allow for the chandelier to maintain its shape without melting or deforming. A finalist in our Bright Ideas Design Competition, if the Ella catches your eye, show it some love by voting for it here!

VOTE FOR THE ELLA LAMP HERE >

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Post tags: diy lighting, eco friendly lighting solution, eco-friendly lighting, ella by sarah turner, ella light fixture, plastic bottle dome light, plastic bottle fixture, plastic bottle lamp, plastic bottle light, recycled plastic bottles, reused material light, reused plastic bottle light, sarah turner, upcycled plastic bottle, upcycled plastic bottle lamp

Finding their roots in America’s heartland, these elegant limited-edition accent pieces are made from salvaged wood reclaimed from Thomas Edison’s old phonograph factory in New London, Wisconsin. Each piece is individually hand-shaped and finished by master craftsmen, and they can be used as stools or end tables. They’re available from Room&Board in a variety of styles, but as with all limited-edition pieces, quantities won’t last for long.

Read the rest of Salvaged Wood Stools Made From Pieces of Thomas Edison’s Factory

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Post tags: "green furniture", eco friendly stool, eco friendly wood stool, eco-friendly furniture, reclaimed furniture, reclaimed thomas edison, reclaimed thomas edison furniture, reclaimed wood stool, room and board, thomas edison, thomas edison furniture, thomas edison stool, thomas edison wood pieces, upcycled green furniture

When it comes to energy efficiency, the easiest way to start cutting down your monthly bill is through your home’s lighting. By making simple changes to the types of bulbs you’re using, you can be more eco-friendly while saving yourself a pretty penny. Due to all the changes the green lighting industry has undergone in just the last few years, it’s easy to be overwhelmed with all the options that are available. But fear not – if you’re looking for some insight into the wealth of green lighting alternatives available today, this handy guide will give you the basic foundation you need to upgrade your bulbs and reap the financial and environmental benefits of energy-efficient lighting!

Read the rest of Green Lighting 101: Your Guide to Energy Efficient Interior Lighting

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Post tags: ambientled, cfl, ciralight, compact fluorescent, company fluorescent bulbs, daylight, Daylighting, eco lightbulb, eco lighting, eco lights, energy efficient lighting, green design, green lighting, green products, halogen bulbs, heliostat, how to green your lighting, incandescent bulbs, kelvin, LED bulbs, LED light bulb, LED lights, LED replacement, LEDs, lumens, natural day light, OLED lights, OLEDs, parabolic mirror, Parans, Philips, philips 12.5W LED bulb, philips led bulb inhabitat, solar lamps, Solar Tube, Solatube, sunglight transport devices, sunlight lamps, sustainable design, tungsten bulbs, understanding green lighting, watts

As the iPad revolution starts to pick up steam, companies are hopping on the bandwagon with a bevy of cases and accessories — but few as elegant as the DODOcase. Drawing inspiration from the moleskin sketchbooks favored by artists, each case is handmade in San Francisco out of bamboo using traditional book binding techniques. Each piece is carved to perfectly match the curves of the iPad and allows for full functional use of all the buttons/ports located on the sides. In addition the case can be folded to be used as a stand or a lap rest for more comfortable ergonomics. Simple and functional, this understated iPad case is a perfect accessory for any iPad user.

+ DODOcase $49.95

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Post tags: bamboo, DODOcase, eco friendly iPad case, hand made products, iPad, iPad accessories