Who: LBL Lighting

What: Mini-Mason Pendants

Where: Lumens.com – $220-$340

Why We Love ‘Em: For those who appreciate the traditional, and love the modern these seemingly liquid glass pendants are the perfect blend of both. Taking cues from the iconic mason jar, the outer glass shade is rich in color that is only enhanced by the light-diffusing opal glass cylinder that shields the light bulb within. The combination of cool colors, soft light, and organic glass will provide a sense of calm to any room.

Handcrafted in Illinois, these pendants are available in a variety of assembly options–track ligthing, ceiling mount, etc.–to suit your space. Of course, we’d recommend the LED bulb option to maximize energy savings!

Who: Deger Cengiz – New York, NY

What: Dino Desk Lamp

Where: Voos – $220

Why We Love It: Created by architect and industrial designer Deger Cengiz, this quirky lamp is certainly a one of a kind and definitely the only lamp we’ve ever seen covered in all natural wool felt. Swoon. It’s the perfect blend of fun and function.

It makes our desk lamp seem so one dimensional. With the Dino, it’s like having a comforating pet in the office, one that can nurture a plant or protect your pens and hidden snacks, all while providing light where you need it most courtesy of a flexible neck. And it’s not needy like most pets; a single, long-lasting LED bulb will keep this little guy happy. (Yes, we’ve turned a desk lamp into a pet, but come on, how can you not?)

Available in grey, red, or green.

Who: Hulger – London, U.K.

What: PLUMEN Light Bulb

Where: GENERATE – $29

Why We Love It: Rarely can a lightbulb stand on its own as a thing of pure beauty, but this trio of uber cool lightbulbs from Holger certainly need not be hidden behind a shade, globe or Swavorski crystal (of course, you can if you want to). As the CFL bulb was bemoaned for its curly cue shape the PLUMENS light plumes are meant to be celebrated! By simply reconfiguring the glass tubes of the standard CFL, designer Samuel Wilkinson created a work of art.

And it’s a low energy light bulb to boot! Holger says their stylish bulb could save you up to 80% on your energy bills and that it will last 8 times longer than a standard incandescent bulb. Fits in standard light fixtures.

Who: Presso – U.K.

What: Presso Espresso Machine

Where: Amazon.com – $150 w/free shipping

Why We Love It: So, it’s Monday and we are feeling like we need an extra pick me up and a little indulgence this morning. And what better way to start off the day on track then with a perfectly brewed espresso, or latte, or cappuccino – nothing like a cup of handcrafted, cafe quality coffee from your own kitchen.

The Presso’s n and the simple manual mechanics give it an old world feel, but it’s actually a brand new design that goes back to the basics of crafting the perfect cup of coffee. Dubbed the ‘eco-friendly coffee machine’ the Presso relies on a little elbow grease instead of electricity (which is a lot less scary than our pressurized espresso machine that’s covered in explosion warnings…) The only electricity used is that to heat up a cup of water. An added ‘perk’ of the Presso is that it’s quite portable which means you won’t have to give up your espresso on your next camping trip. Click to continue »

Who: Cerno – Laguna Beach, California

What: Silva Table Lamp

Where: YLighting – $382.50

Why We Love It: Lately we’ve been obsessed with LED lighting especially with the scheduled retirement of the incandescent in 2012 and our love/hate of the CFL. LEDs are clearly superior in terms of energy efficiency and flexibility of design, but since its such a young market the options have been limited so we were excited to learn about the Silva Table Lamp from Cerno.

Cerno’s LED lights balance innovative technology, traditional materials, and contemporary design. The Silva is blends art and science with a wood combination of a wood and metal base bringing a warmth to it feeling less overtly futuristic than most of the LEDs on the market. The base is made of CNC cut wood which cuts down on waste during the manufacturing process and has a unique tri-leg base. The heat sink detail on the top combines form and function allowing heat to dissipate more efficiently while adding a visually appealing and unexpected element.

Available in lacquered Baltic birch plywood, oiled walnut, or black lacquer with choice of white polymer, beech wood veneer, ebony wood veneer or white linen shade.

Made in California.

Who: Modern Fan Company – Ashland, OR

What: Ball Ceiling Fan

Where: Y-Lighting- $540 $288

Why We Love It: This minimalist design captures the modern industrial aesthetic without feeling cold. We first saw it a few years ago and just loved how it looked – when it’s running it looks like a floating orb -  such a simple design, it begs the question why are there so many ugly, fussy fans out there when they can look this good? (We  just saw one that somehow had a glove, a ball and a home plate, seriously.)

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Who: ECO-heater; Alexandria, VA

What: ECO-heater Electric Panel

Where: Amazon – $120 w/free shipping in the US – Eco-heater 602 High-Efficiency Electric Panel Whole-Room Heater

Why We Love It: So, yes, when January rolls around in New England, we become completely obsessed with island escapes and trying to remember just what it feels like to be warm…

So we were excited to learn about ECO-heater’s slim wall-mounted heater. It is super energy efficient employing a natural convection technology and using 73% less electricity than standard space heaters, about 400 watts, 3.5 cents/hour.

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Who: Trillium Artisans (Emily Baker); Portland, OR

What: Fox Earrings

Where: World of Good – $35

Why: Walking into artist Emily Baker’s studio is like walking into another world, filled with the most unlikely of treasures – cast off car parts, bits of recycled glass, sea urchin spikes… all of the inspiration for her unique jewelry. Love the way that she manages to transforms every day objects into something extraordinary. These Fox Earrings are crafted from old car parts and salvaged vintage brass chains for a lightweight pair of mod hoops.

Not only are these earrings sustainable, made from 50% post-consumer waste and without the use of toxic materials, but they are also people positive. Emily is a member of Trillium Artisans, a nonprofit economic development organization that supports low-income crafters in Portland, Oregon. Trillium Artisans is just one of hundreds of sellers featured on World of Good, a multi-seller marketplace that promotes people positive and eco-positive products from around the world. Visit World of Good to shop for gifts with meaning and check the Goodprint label to learn about the positive impact your purchases make.

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Who: PlanToys; Palo Alto, CA

What: Green Dollhouse

Where: Amazon.com – $218.08 w/furniture &  free shipping

Why: Goodbye plastic Malibu Barbie Dream House,  hello eco-dream home! PlanToys modern masterpiece comes complete with solar panels, a wind turbine, a passive solar shade, a rain barrel, a recycling center, and furniture made of recycled, natural rubber wood dyed with vegetable and soy dyes. The perfect platform for teaching your children about the beauty of green living. Click to continue »

Timberland has made a name for itself as a maker of quality, long lasting footwear, but over the years they have become well known for their commitment to the environment as well. Transitioning their packaging to 100% post-consumer recycled content cardboard printed with soy-based inks complete with their signature environmental “nutritional label.”  Launching their Earthkeepers line,  a collection of  eco-friendly footwear made of  natural and sustainable materials like recycled rubber treads, biodegradable Smart wool liners, organically tanned leathers and recycled PET to name a few. And refining their manufacturing process to reduce energy and material waste. Click to continue »