Gifts That Keep On Giving
Managing Editor Jan Hughes

Everyone loves getting shiny new toys for the holidays, but the ones that melt my butter are the ones that help prevent more important things from melting. And, while everyone around here gets excited about each new iProduct, I get especially excited when I hear about new feats of technical engineering that will steer us toward a healthier planet. My ultimate holiday wish list includes gifts that can help my loved ones reduce their carbon footprints and still have fun. From solar powered to responsibly manufactured, I have picked out some of my fave eco-friendly gadgets to share with my loved ones this holiday season.

Jan's gifts for giving...

The juice-while–you-ride Voltaic solar backpack is perfect for my bike-loving husband.

Why use electricity when you have the sun? I love the idea of my husband charging his iPod in a Voltaic solar-panel-powered messenger bag ($250, www.voltaicsystems.com, see review) while he’s riding his bike to work. The bag comes with an assortment of connector tips to plug in myriad devices, and one hour of sunlight yields three hours of iPod listening enjoyment. The company will soon release a solar bag powerful enough to charge a laptop, which will undoubtedly take telecommuting to a whole new level.

The Iqua BHS-603 SUN ($99.99, www.iqua.com; see review) is the first solar-powered Bluetooth headset that converts light into power, and ultimately means freedom from the grid—not to mention clunky chargers. (Special thanks to Credo, the greenest phone company in the United States, which sent us the Iqua to review.) There are a host of new alternative energy-powered chargers that I’m keen to share with friends. 

With Solio’s Magnesium Edition, we can beam the sun’s rays directly into our son’s ever-depleting Game Boy.

The Solio Magnesium Edition ($199.95, www.solio.com/charger, 4 out of 5 stars, Sep/08) is a heavy-duty solar-powered charger that radiates its delicate “leaves” so they can soak up the sun, and it charges most handheld devices with ease. With an internal rechargeable battery, you can leave the charger wherever it can catch the most rays, and it will be charged and at the ready. It’s a little on the pricey side, but my friends—and the planet—are worth it. I’m completely in love with Freeplay’s FreeCharge 12V ($32, www.freeplayenergy.com/product/freecharge12v), which not only can charge just about any gadget with the power generated from its hand crank, but also, because it contains no internal batteries, is completely independent of conventional power sources, which makes it a great gadget to add to an emergency kit. And, if my heart weren’t singing already, the Freeplay Foundation (www.freeplayfoundation.org/index.html) shares its wealth with vulnerable communities in Africa and India.

Jan's gifts for getting...

The Vers 2X is stylish and eco-friendly.

I’ve been looking for an iPod dock for the house, so I’d be supremely happy to find a Vers 2X ($179.99, versaudio.com) with my name on it under the tree. Made from sustainable wood veneer, the Vers 2X is 100 percent RoHS (Reduction of Hazardous Substances)-compliant. Even the plastic components are PVC- and BFR-free. Rock on.

In 2009, Jan resolves to...

Lose weight. Not much, just a smidge. And to do that, I am going to delve into Nutrition For You ($15 to $100 per month, depending on services chosen; www.nu4you.net), which is a science-based, nutrition-focused antidote to my cubicle-based, seat-laden reality.