:: Are you a dried fruit fiend? Invest in a fruit dryer to save money, packaging and waste.

:: Impress your study group with your eco-luxe dorm room--inspired by our How to Go Green: Dorm Rooms guide, of course!

:: Tie the knot the eco-way with these tips for greening your bridesmaids.

Recycled Chair from Used Games Consoles
We’re all about finding new life for old goods here at TreeHugger. From jet planes becoming hostels to Worn Again recycled shoes made from parachutes, thrift-store cast offs and even prison blankets, recycling really comes into its own when you can use the story behind the source material to your advantage – it’s kind of neat to know that the product you just bought had a previous life. Hats off then to UK-based Pli Design who should gain the interest of ardent gaming fans with their new Reee Chair, created from plastic recycled from used computer games console casings. What’s even better for sustainability geeks like myself is that the chair is designed for future repair, or further recycling:

Roof of Rolf Disch's Heliotrop House.

Passive solar through windows or active solar though hot water or photovoltaics work best when perpendicular to the sun. So cue up Paul McCartney's "I'll follow the sun" and see seven houses and towers that are designed to do exactly that.

Image source: Public Utilities Commission of Ohio

Many cities and states have a green energy option on their electric bills where consumers can pay a few more dollars and know that their money is going to support renewable energy applications. Residents in Georgia (US) aren't buying it, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. In fact, only 2% of the state is participating in Georgia Power's Green Energy Program, thats 1/10 of the national average for similar programs. Most feel that the additional $4.50 they would have to pay is too much compared with what they actually receive. Georgia Power only gets 1% of its electricity from renewable sources, most of which comes from landfills.

In a survey conducted in 2003, before the start of the program, 35% of respondents said they would pay up to $5 more for green energy. So why the poor results? One reason: the Georgia program is one of the most expensive in the nation, particularly on top of already rising energy costs. Oddly enough, most of the renewable energy comes from the cheapest sources. Another problem: Most people don't know the problem exists. Third reason: The recent dismantling of Florida's Sunshine Energy after investigations determined that 3/4 of the money was used for salaries and marketing materials left neighboring states skeptical. Most of the toughest critics are environmentalists who see the program as not much more than greenwashing. So what can be done?

I was going to wait until Morgan Solar actually opened its demonstration project at the Earth Rangers Center in Ontario sometime later this month, but after seeing some more info on their new concentrating-solar technology in Greentech Media I couldn't wait.

The payoff first: Morgan Solar claims that its new technology will cost one-quarter as much as traditional concentrating-solar. Quite a claim, but how will Morgan Solar's system, which they've dubbed the Sun Simba HCPV (High Concentating Photovoltaic), actually work?

Recent Comment by JSDreyer : "There's lots of great energy producing technologies. They just seem to be coming and c..." [read]

Image source: Getty Images

Cattle ranchers in Nebraska are increasingly turning to goats to get rid of their weed problems. Referred to as "walking weed eaters", the North Platte Telegram reported this morning that cattle will bypass the weeds for the grass, but the goats will go straight for the weeds - eating, trampling and fertilizing the entire pasture. This is important for farmers in a state where it is legally mandated to keep invasive weeds down.

Goat farmers who make cheese and milk are finding that customers are increasingly calling not just for the dairy but for the goats themselves to come clear out their fields. This is great for dairy farmers who get free food, fat/shiny goats and can help keep pesticides out of area land and waterways. The idea is being promoted by the Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition as an alternative to using chemicals and pesticides to control crops. The Nebraska Natural Resources Conservation Service is also getting on board by helping pay area farmers to use goats instead of pesticides.

Recent Comment by JSDreyer : "When I was growing up, we had a goat on our farm for just this purpose. It made a nice..." [read]

Eve Blossom of Lulan

We asked you once already to Vote for Architecture for Humanity and Lulan at Amex Members Project. It is a great project, run by Eve Blossom, where "we currently support over 650 weavers,spinners,dyers and finishers using a holistic approach to produce eco-fabrics in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and India. Our goal is to increase the number of artisans to over 6,000, thus expanding our reach to more weaving families and communities."

Now we learn that enough of you did vote for Architecture for Humanity's submission got into the top 25, with a good chance of being one of the 5 that gets funding. It's time for the vote-off.

But there is a catch- first time around anyone could vote; the final round is only open to cardholders. I don't know how many TreeHuggers carry American Express cards, but if you do, go to membersproject to vote. If you don't but know anyone who does, get them to vote. That prize money will be put to very good use.

Oops, Photos of Production Volt Leaked
Finally, a look at the production version of the GM Volt plug-in hybrid. These are from a media site (explaining the guys in suits standing around - they are engineers who worked on the Volt), and according to the Detroit News, the leak was accidental.

Less Edgy, More Mainstream
As you can see above (and many more photos below), the production Volt is a lot less angular than the concept Volt. It looks a lot more like a normal car, taller and less sporty, but more practical. While some car nuts will mourn the loss of some of the distinctive traits of the concept volt, we're pretty sure that this new look, which is closer to the Mazda 3, will attract more buyers. Read on for more photos.

Recent Comment by Michael Long : "They took a dramatic concept car and filed the edges down to the point where it's simpl..." [read]