ECO BIKE
REVO WHEEL
www.revopower.com
The team at Revo has really re-invented the wheel. This innovative bicycle wheel has a super efficient engine built in and simply replaces the front wheel of your bike. Squeeze the throttle for 20-mph power boosts. The gas can fits into your water-bottle holder.
The 23-cc, two-stoke engine is a little noisy but, at 200 mpg, you are an eco hero, and the birds and bees will forgive you. It is a nice novelty for us lazy riders in Japan, but the best application may be for developing nations as a low-cost, low-fuel alternative to heavy pollution scooters. About $400.
ECO DWELLINGS
TIPI
www.tipi.com
Once in awhile some oldtimer Japanese tells me Native Americans and the Japanese people share the same blood. Looking at his weathered brown face and high nose, it isn’t hard to believe. And now more evidence: tipis are selling well in Japan!
The North American Indians of the Great Plains (Cheyenne, Apache, Crow, Sioux) followed the huge bison herds in their movable tipi villages. The light and spacious interiors have a calming, cathedral-like quality. Portable, durable and build-able in half a day, modern tipis are used for weekend homes, cafes, shops… Dozens of tipi companies in Japan and the U.S. will custom sew your dream tipi for between ¥50,000 and ¥150,000.
ECO HEALTH
FIRST AID KIT
With the scrapes, bruises and bites you will be encountering along the trail this season, a small first aid kit is a must on any expedition. Even if your destination is 5-Star on a beach somewhere, the seasoned traveler should bring a few basics for sunburns and funny stomachs. Try a few of these very effective remedies:
Athlete’s Foot: Lavender
Place a bit of tissue with a dab of lavender oil between toes before putting on your socks. Tissue dries the area, and lavender deters fungal growth.
Upset Stomach: Cloves
Chewing one or two cloves provides immediate relief from stomach cramps. Also soothing for mouth sores and tooth aches.
Scrapes: Lavender Anti-bacterial
A drop of essential oil in your water bottle also aids digestion.
Colds: Garlic & Vitamin C
A few cloves of garlic will last months in your bag, and chewing one with a couple of Vitamin C tablets when you feel a flu coming on will boost your immune system.
Bites & Burns: Aloe Vera
Soothing and all-natural, this is the basic first aid for burns and skin irritation. You’ll find 95 percent pure aloe at most drug stores. It also grows wild all over the world. Pick a big leaf and squeeze out the gel.
ECO ANIMALS
ADOPT A JUNGLE
www.worldwildlife.org (follow links to Adoption Center)
The World Wildlife Fund has long been a leader in major conservation efforts around the globe. You have seen the cute little panda stickers, and now you have a chance to get the panda.
By making an online donation, you can adopt a wild panda, tiger, elephants, sea turtles and more. Your money will be used to minimize habitat loss and poaching of these endangered species. The adoption is symbolic, but the results are real. Great gift idea.
