Dreaming of planting a summer garden, but don’t have the tools? Or maybe you’ve been meaning to start composting but just don’t know how. Well get ready to flex your green thumbs because you could win some sweet gardening and composting schwag in our Green Summer Giveaway! We’ve teamed up with Naturemill to give ONE lucky Inhabi-reader a brand new electric composter worth $400! We’re also giving away some sweet runner-up prizes to another three readers, including a fab Naturemill Stainless Steel EZ-Grip Compost Pail (retail $70); a LadyBagsSF Large Garden Tote with Tools (retail $50); and this beautiful LadyBagsSF Garden Bag (retail $125). Want to call one of these fantastic prizes your own? Find out how to enter our summer giveaway below!

HOW TO ENTER:

1. SIGN UP FOR THE INHABITAT NEWSLETTER HERE > We’ll be announcing the winners in our weekly newsletter, so if you want to find out who won, you’ll need to receive it!

2. LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW telling us what you plan to do to make your summer your greenest yet. The deadline for this giveaway is Friday, June 21. We’ll pick the comments we like best and announce the winners in our June 27 newsletter, so make sure you’re signed up!

DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, JUNE 21st

Read the rest of INHABITAT GIVEAWAY: Win an Electric Composter from Naturemill (Worth $400!)

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Post tags: composter, composting, composting pail, garden bags, gardening kit, inhabitat contest, inhabitat giveaway, kitchen composter, Lady Bags SF, Lady Bags SF Gardening Bag, Lady Bags SF Gardening Bag with Tools, Lady Bags SF giveaway, naturemill, Naturemill EZ Grip Stainless Steel Compost Pail, Naturemill giveaway, Naturemill ULTRA Kitchen Composter, spring gardening, summer gardening

Read the rest of Product Review: The BioLite Campstove Charges Your Gadgets as You Cook a Meal

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Post tags: backpacking, BioLite, BioLite Campstove, camping, camping gadgets, cellphone charging, energy generating stove, green gadgets, renewable energy, stove, thermal energy, thermoelectric, thermoelectric energy, wood stove

Who hasn’t experienced the frustration of picking a piece of fruit out of a bowl only to toss it out because it’s covered in a nasty layer of mold? Student designer Jagjit Chodha hopes to put an end to wasted fruit with a new bowl that can actually alert you that your fruit is going bad before it starts to happen.

Read the rest of Brilliant Mold-Detecting Fruit Bowl Alerts You to Rotting Fruit Before it Goes Bad

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Post tags: Bowl monitors rotting fruits, Brunel University, Brunel University London, food innovations, food testing, food waste, Jagjit Chodha, Made in Brunel, Made In Brunel Design and Engineering Show, Molding Fruit Alert, produce waste, reducing food waste, reducing produce waste

Back in March, Inhabitat reported that One Earth Designs (OED) enlisted Google Glass creator Tom Chi to perfect the design of their parabolic solar cooker, the SolSource. Readers wanted to know where they could get one, but at the time, it was only being tested in developing nations where affordable cooking fuel is hard to come by. Well, at long last, the opportunity is here! OED recently announced the launch of a Kickstarter campaign that will bring the SolSource to U.S. customers. Only 24 hours in, the crowdfunding project has already raised almost $9,000.

Read the rest of SolSource Sun-Powered Grill Coming to the US via Sizzling Kickstarter Campaign

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Post tags: barbecue, green grills, grills, kickstarter, One Earth Designs, solar cooking, solar stove, SolSource Pro, summer

Since its invention, the standard electrical outlet has changed little in function or appearance. The INLET by LivingPlug seeks to not only change the aesthetics of the standard wall socket, but to increase efficiency and improve child safety. Their flagship product can be inserted into a normal duplex unit and includes a high capacity 2.1v USB charger that powers three tamper resistant outlets.

Read the rest of The INLET Wall Socket Conserves Energy While Increasing Child Safety

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Post tags: "energy efficiency", California, child safety, china, face plate, forest lake, inlet, kickstarter, livingplug, Minnesota, outlet, Sacramento, usb charger, vampire charge, wall socket

Technology has brought bike accessories way past the classic bell-and-handlebar-streamer setup. Monkey Light Pro enables you download and display your own LED animations. The kit consists of four pieces for each wheel that can be bolted to the spokes. The waterproof, full-color display is already loaded with artwork and is able to be customized with personal playlists via Bluetooth. Good for eight hours of run time, the built-in lithium-ion battery is able to be recharged via USB cable. The lights are stabilized for speeds ranging from 10-40mph and are double-sided so that everyone has the chance to see you ride in style.

Read the rest of Monkey Light Pro Lets You Download and Animate Your Own Bike Wheel Display

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Post tags: animation, bicycle, bluetooth, California, cycloscreen, fukushima wheel project, interbike, kickstarter, LED, maker faire, monkey light pro, monkeylectric, old bond, rohs compliant, siggraph, sxsw, university of brisbane

Due to investigations into working conditions at manufacturing companies such as Foxconn, smartphone producers have been under pressure to provide products without sacrificing human health or basic rights. Last Wednesday, Dennis Woodside, the head of Motorola, announced at the All Things D conference that his company is teaming up with Google to build the first smartphone made in the US. Not only will the plan allow Motorola to “iterate and innovate much faster,” but it will provide 2,000 new jobs at a factory located just outside Fort Worth, Texas.

Read the rest of Google and Motorola Team Up to Build the First Smartphone Made in the USA

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Post tags: all things d, dennis woodside, flextronics, fort worth, foxconn, Google, moto x, motorola, Nokia, smartphone, south korea, Taiwan, texas, tom linton, united states

Engineers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have developed a wedge-shaped cradle that turns any iPhone into a sophisticated biosensor that can detect and analyze bacteria, toxins, proteins, viruses, and other molecules using the phone’s built-in camera and processing capabilities. The iPhone’s GPS can even help to map the spread of pathogens and provide on-site evaluations of environmental conditions.

Read the rest of Cradle Turns iPhone into Incredible Biosensor that Detects Pathogens and Environmental Toxins

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Post tags: analysis, Android, biosensor, cradle, gps, iPhone, nsf, pathogen, photonic crystal, portable, scanadu, spectrophotometer, star trek, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

When riding a stationary bicycle, it easy to feel as though you aren’t getting anywhere or doing much of anything other than managing a quick workout. The cardio is great, but what if you could capture the energy generated by all that pedaling? Instructables member KlockworkKevin has created an ingenious bike-powered generator hidden inside his patio furniture. When not in use, it is a colorful porch appointment that can be easily transformed into a power-making machine. As an added bonus to being unassuming and out-of-the-way, the generator is quieter than the previous models he built using noisy cordless drills.

Read the rest of Patio Furniture Transforms into DIY Bike-Powered Generator

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Post tags: "wind turbine", battery, bicycle, bike, deep cycle marine battery, e-waste, generator, instructables, instructables green design contest, inverter, klockworkkevin, patio furniture, solar panels, voltage regulator

Apple just announced new details regarding its plans to produce its next line of Macs stateside. In a Senate hearing last week, Chief Exec Tim Cook said that Apple has invested $100 million to build a new Mac factory deep in the heart of Texas. The announcement signals the fulfillment of Apple’s promise to the US government to build at least one line of Macs on American shores by the end of this year.

Read the rest of Apple Announces Plans to Produce New Line of Macs in Texas

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Post tags: apple, Apple tax fraud, eco design, foxconn, green design, Made in the USA Mac, sustainable design

In preparation for Star Trek: Into Darkness, we have been rewatching all of the old Next Generation episodes. One of the series’ most memorable moments is when a crew member casually walks over to a replicator and orders up dinner. Pudding, Klingon delicacies, and yes, even Picard’s “tea, Earl Grey, hot” is just a millisecond away. Now, NASA has announced that it will provide a $125,000 grant to a young mechanical engineer who’s working on a 3D printer that could (almost) do the same thing.

Read the rest of NASA Backs Star Trek-Style Replicator That Could 3D Print Pizza In Space!

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Post tags: 3d printed, 3d printed food, 3D printing, Anjan Contractor, nasa, nutrition, replicator, space travel, star trek, Technology

Digital cameras have revolutionized the art of photography. Gone are hours in a darkroom, film, and treasured cameras passed down from one shutterbug to another. Slovenian industrial designer and artist Elvis Halilović has created a series of six wooden pinhole cameras in an attempt to bring photography back to its roots. Working to create a simple, attractive, and affordable camera, Halilović recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for the production of his ONDU Pinhole camera.

Read the rest of ONDU Wooden Pinhole Cameras Bring Craftsmanship Back to Photography

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Post tags: digital camera, elivs halilovic, Film, heirloom, kickstarter, Leica, magnets, ondu, Photography, pinhole camera, Slovenia, Wood

It’s hard enough being tied to your cell phone without having to worry about getting the “Low Battery Icon of Death” right in the middle of an important task – and charging up via wall outlets takes forever. Eesha Khare of Saratoga, California has invented a device that could wipe away battery bothers with a supercapacitor that can charge your phone in 20 seconds. Her research won her a $50,000 prize in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

Read the rest of Eighteen-Year-Old Invents Device That Can Charge Your Cell Phone in 20 Seconds

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Post tags: Arizona, battery, California, cell phone, charger, eesha khare, intel international science and engineering fair, led light, phoenix, saratoga, supercapacitor, tesla, young scientist award

The Window Socket is an idea so fabulously simple, it’s slightly amazing that we haven’t seen one before. Designed by Kyuho Song & Boa Oh, the charger sticks to a window and draws solar power to an internal battery, which enables one to either plug in small devices to the outlet right there and then, or save the stored power for use during night time hours.

Read the rest of Window Socket: Portable Solar-Powered Outlet Sticks to Windows, Charges Small Electronics

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Post tags: Boa Oh, green energy, Kyuho Song, off grid charger, off grid living, portable outlet, portable socket, portable solar, solar battery, solar charger, solar devices, window socket

Out in the wilderness, there are few places to charge electronic devices. Those who are looking to slim down their packs and consolidate their GPS, maps, books, and radios into  one rugged machine may want to check out Earl, the world’s first backcountry survival tablet. Solar powered and able to withstand dust, mud, and shock, this hearty companion is currently looking for some crowdsourcing support to get it out onto the trail.

Read the rest of Earl: The World’s First Solar-Powered Backcountry Survival Tablet

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Post tags: android application, backcountry, bluetooth, crowdsourcing, e-ink touchscreen, earl, epub, frs, gmrs, gps, mobi, murs, NOAA, pdf, radio, same, survival tablet, wilderness

Read the rest of 13 Things We Learned from Some of the World’s Smartest People at Fortune Brainstorm Green 2013

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Post tags: adam lashinsky, andy ruben, andy serwer, aron cramer, Bea Perez, Beyond Meat, brian dumaine, brightfarms, Clarence Otis, Coca Cola, coca cola Chief Sustainability Officer, Cynthia Warner, dan akerson, Darden Restaurants, dean kamen, ebay, Fortune, Fortune Brainstorm Green, fortune green, Fortune Magazine, General Mills, geoff colvin, GM, hannah jones, harrison ford conservation international, Harrison Ford harrison ford green, ikea, iPod inventor, jib ellison, Joe Taylor, John Donahoe, Ken Powell, leigh gallagher, linda greer, marc gunther, natalie allen, nest, Nike, NRG, panasonic north america, Patagonia, Peter Seligmann, pk clean, priyanka bakaya, Procter & Gamble, rick ridgeway, Robert McDonald, Rosalind Brewer, Sam's Club, Sapphire Energy, Steve Howard, surepure, teresa law, Tony Fadell, will sarni, Will.i.am, Yerdle

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Post tags: eco technology, energy-efficient homes, green home, green technology, green your home, healthy homes, home solar panels, LED bulbs, solar panels, ways to cut your energy bill, ways to green you home, ways to reduce energy use

Where there’s smoke there’s heat, and Point Source Power has figured out a way to harness that heat to charge your cell phone. The company’s new VOTO charger converts the heat generated from a fire to create power. It’s an amazing solution that could provide a power source for those who live in areas without power and backcountry campers alike.

Read the rest of The VOTO Charger Uses Fire to Charge Your Cell Phone

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Post tags: camping cell phone charger, camping fire charger, camping light charger, fire cell phone charger, fire charger, fire light charger, heat charger, Point Source Power, Point Source Power VOLO, Point Source Power Voto, renewable energy charger, VOLO charger, VOTO, VOTO charger

From genetically-engineered glowing plants and 3D-printed food, it often seems that our technological reality had finally entered the realm of science fiction. But the way we interact with our computers and mobile devices hasn’t changed radically. Anew device from Thalmic Labs aims to change that. Meet the Myo, an armband that uses the body’s natural movements to manipulate electronics.

Read the rest of Myo is a Wearable Computer that Converts Movement into Digital Commands

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Post tags: 3d printed food, armband, digital command, Electricity, forearm, gesture, glowing plants, Google Glass, haptic feedback, microvolt, movement, muscle, myo, stephen lake, thalmic labs

If you prefer to keep your phone on silent but end up with a bunch of missed calls and unread messages, you will love this bendable smartphone! Designed by researchers at Queen’s University Human Media Lab in Canada, the MorePhone is a paper-thin smartphone that flexes when it receives a text or call. It is based on thin-film, flexible display technologies and organic user interfaces that allow computers to take any shape or form.

Read the rest of MorePhone: Paper-Thin, Flexible Smartphone Curls When it Receives a Call

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Post tags: flexible display technologies, flexible displays, flexible smartphone, green gadgets, human-computer interaction, MorePhone, organic user interfaces, Queen’s University Human Media Lab, smartphone technology, ultra thin smartphone