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Composting may be the right thing to do for the environment, but it can be hard to get around the smell and the mess—particularly for urbanites without expansive yards. Much like the Daily Dump in India—which, by the way, looks to be thriving since our 2007 coverage—Compost Cab is a new service about to launch in Washington, DC, that can be called upon to handle all the dirty details. DC-area consumers begin by signing up online. Once it launches, Compost Cab will then provide them with a standardized bin equipped with a sturdy, compostable bag liner. Each day clients will fill the bin with their organic material, and once a week—on a reliable, fuel-efficient schedule—Compost Cab will pick up the bag, leaving behind only a clean bin with a new liner. The cost is simply USD 8 per week per bin; no long-term commitments are required. Compost Cab's primary composting partner is Engaged Community Offshoots (ECO), a seed-stage urban farm in College Park, Md., that uses finished compost to grow natural, nutritious food for local kids. At least as interesting is that clients who have been with Compost Cab for nine months or longer can claim some finished soil in return. Specifically, for every 50 pounds of organics the company collects from them, they can receive five pounds of fresh compost and one pound of worm castings in exchange. Those who choose not to claim their share, meanwhile, can ask Compost Cab to donate it on their behalf to ECO. Compost Cab is a production of Agricity LLC, a Washington, DC-based company focused on sustainability. The average American family produces more than 500 pounds of leftover organic material every year; composting not only keeps that waste out of methane-generating landfills, it also produces nutrient-rich, fertile, natural soil. Looks like another win-win-win—for eco-minded consumers, the environment, and companies like Compost Cab that make it all happen. Time to make some of that eco-bounty your own...? (Related: Indoor composting made easy — Garbage into gold, via worm poop.) Website: www.compostcab.com Spotted by: Candice J. |
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It may be easy to create an account on Facebook or Twitter, but finding a flattering photo to go along with it can be another matter. That's why Estée Lauder pitched in with its free makeovers and profile photos earlier this year, and it's also why Minnesota photographer Noah Wolf has launched an ongoing series of low-cost photo sessions for people in search of a really good shot. Aiming to bring a professional photography shoot within reach for more consumers, Wolf offers his “Avatar” sessions for just USD 79. In exchange, consumers get a creative consultation with Wolf on the day of their session as well as a post-session portrait consultation to help choose the best image. That same day, they leave with at least one completely mastered, retouched and enhanced digital file that they can use at will online. Launched at the start of the year, Wolf's Avatar sessions have proven so popular that they are now offered on a weekly basis. So that's one cosmetics company and one photographer targeting the same need; who will be first in your area to combine those functions for a complete, start-to-finish profile photo service...? (Related: Niche photography business shoots bottles only, at easy prices.) Website: noahwolf.typepad.com/noah_wolf_photography/avatars/ Spotted by: Lara McCulloch |
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Insurance companies, courts and lawyers all require detailed depictions of traffic accidents to successfully resolve claims for compensation. Currently in public beta, AccidentSketch is a free online tool that allows users to graphically document car accidents with ease. Using a simple drag and drop template system, recreating the circumstances of a collision using AccidentSketch is much like putting together pieces of a puzzle. First, road 'pieces' are added to a grid to create an accurate depiction of the road, including curves, intersections and more. Next, vehicles are placed on the road map, with specification of vehicle colours and inputting of license plate numbers optional. Final details are then added, such as bicycles, pedestrians, traffic signs, lights, arrows and braking marks. AccidentSketch also allows users to create a text report explaining the details of the accident. The finished sketch can be printed out or downloaded as a PDF file. Developed by German claim management services provider ClaimMS, AccidentSketch makes consumers' lives easier at a time when they need it most. Insurance companies: one to partner with? (Related: Smartphone app serves as video "black box" for cars — iPhone app helps State Farm users submit a claim.) Website: www.accidentsketch.com Spotted by: R. Stein |
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By virtue of the sheer numbers of students typically involved, most school yearbooks don't include more than one or two shots of each individual child. Aiming to make school yearbooks more about the student and less about the school, TreeRing is a platform that lets schools create yearbooks that can be customized. By combining the efficiency of just-in-time digital printing, the collaborative power of online social networks and an array of DIY customization features, California-based TreeRing strives to create personalized yearbooks for each child while also reducing the financial burden for schools. Toward that end, it has built a solution that allows schools to create a traditional "core" yearbook that includes the entire school, but to also invite parents and students to customize their own yearbook pages. Customization can be achieved via templates and drag-and-drop functionality using a combination of personal and shared photos and information captured about each student's stage in life—best friends, favorite activities, future aspirations, etc.—making the end result a record of each student’s entire year, both in and out of the classroom. Once a student's yearbook is complete, TreeRing's state-of-the-art digital printing technology then prints that custom version. Pricing is between USD 10 and USD 25, Examiner.com reports, including four free customizable pages. By allowing families to order online directly, TreeRing eliminates all yearbook costs for schools, including burdensome yearbook deposits. The company also offers a greener alternative to the traditional yearbook by planting a tree for every yearbook sold, thanks to its partnership with Trees for the Future. Could this be the next model for yearbook publishing? (Related: Personalised newspaper targets young readers — Customised magazine from Lexus, Time & Amex — Personalised music mag — Customised cookbooks stir in online recipes.) Website: www.treering.com Spotted by: Cecilia Biemann |
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Urban farming is a trend we've been following for years, but between the recession and the recent focus on sustainability, it's showing no sign of slowing down. The latest spotting? French Bacsac, which offers a line of geotextile bags that can be used to transform any space into a growing, living garden. The Bacsac is a lightweight and portable bag that can be used indoors or out, on terraces, balconies, rooftops and yards. Users simply fill the permeable bags with soil—there are versions in round pot shapes as well as divided squares for larger, modular gardens—and plant to their heart's content. The bags are made of double-walled and fully recyclable geotextile fabric that maintains the necessary balance between air, soil and water; it's also resistant to sun, frost and tears. Pot-sized Bacsacs range from 3- to 150-litre sizes, with hanging and window-box styles also available. Bacsquares range in size from two to 16 interior compartments. Custom sizes are also available. With prices starting at about EUR 15 for a 3-litre pot, Bacsac products are available at a variety of retailers worldwide. Kitchen gardening, organic gardening, urban farming and container gardening are all among the top 10 global gardening trends for 2010, according to a recent report commissioned by Husqvarna. Gardening retailers around the world: Better stock up! (Related: Boosting suburban farming — More homegrown vegetables, without the sweat — Remote-controlled farming for city dwellers.) Website: www.bacsac.fr |
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The market for prescription eyewear has traditionally been dominated by high prices, little innovation and a few large competitors. That's why we've seen online discounters emerge, and it's also why a young new startup has set its sights on the industry—so to speak—with a paradigm-busting model that aims to combine independent design, “buy one, give one” generosity and some long-overdue pricing transparency. Whereas prescription glasses from most high-end optical shops tend to be USD 300 and up, Philadelphia-based Warby Parker offers its own, in-house designs through the mail for USD 95 including delivery. Eliminating the licensing fees charged by designer brands and manufacturing houses is how Warby Parker cuts out much of that cost differential; instead, it creates its own boutique-quality designs. Its first, vintage-inspired collection includes 27 limited-run glasses styles plus—intriguingly—one monocle. Then, too, there are the anti-scratch and anti-reflective coatings, for which most optical shops charge extra; at Warby Parker, those features come standard—as does UV protection. Rather than maintain a physical store, meanwhile, Warby Parker gives consumers two ways to try its frames on: with its virtual try-on feature using an uploaded photo, or via its free, 7-day home trial of up to five styles at a time. All shipping, try-ons and even returns are free. Perhaps best of all, however, is that for each pair of glasses it sells, Warby Parker donates to nonprofit Restoring Vision, which then donates a pair of glasses to someone in need. Currently, Warby Parker sells only single vision lenses. It also serves only the United States. Time to strike a little independent-minded transparency terror into the high-end optical shops in *your* part of the world...? (Related: Reading glasses for baby boomers — Buy a tie, give a child a school uniform.) Website: www.warbyparker.com Spotted by: Alejandro Chouza |
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It's no secret that vehicles are an excellent medium for advertising, as evidenced by all the carvertising initiatives we've seen in recent years. Now targeting small business owners, Ford has kicked off an effort of its own to help turn its Transit Connect trucks into billboards on wheels. Inspired by a site Ford launched last November to help consumers customize their cars, the new effort aims to bring similar capabilities to those in the commercial realm. Specifically, Ford's new online program lets owners of the business-focused Transit Connect truck create their own custom graphic wraps. Users can tap an online library of shapes, lettering and colors that can be manipulated in a number of ways; they also can upload their own images and incorporate them into the design. Nine different graphic sizes are available, all made of 3M vinyl and installed by the Ford dealer or a specially trained installer. Costs range from about USD 100 for a small panel logo to USD 3,500 for a full vehicle wrap. Len Deluca, director of Ford Commercial Vehicles, explains: “There may be no bigger investment a business owner makes than a first impression. This site provides a great way for a business owner to try out a ‘look’ before making that investment.” Indeed, whether it's individual consumers or small business owners, anything that makes it easier to spend wisely could only be a good thing. One to try out on your own Transit Connect—or, to help emulate for other small trucks, vans and delivery vehicles...? (Related: Marketplace for consumers willing to wrap their cars in ads for cash — Sticky car art with a crowdsourcing twist — Web simulator for 'trying on' real tattoos.) Website: www.fordtransitconnectgraphics.com Spotted by: Judy McRae |
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There's something undeniably appealing about the immediacy of giving and receiving gifts by text message, and we've already seen a few examples—most notably, Dutch cadeaucode.nl and Boston-focused KangoGift. Recently we came across one more: LA-based Giiv, which offers a similar service for U.S. users nationwide. Now in beta, Giiv lets users surprise each other with real-time tokens of affection anywhere, anytime. Gift-givers simply browse through the site's gallery of gift options—currently, available selections include flowers, Amazon gift cards, movie tickets and spa services, among others. Once they find something suitable, they enter the recipient's mobile number along with a little note, fill out their payment information and then send. Giiv then sends that person a text message including a Giiv code that can be redeemed at a participating store or online retailer. Giiv adds a USD 0.99 processing fee for the service; a free iPhone app is also available. Though Giiv doesn't currently accept international orders, it plans to do so in the future. Time to bring a little nowism to gift-giving in your part of the world...? (Related: Buy a (real) beer for a Facebook friend.) Website: www.giiv.com Spotted by: Murray Orange |
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Much the way Shokay aims to create markets for Tibetan herders' yak down, so Nature Bags hopes to benefit the ancient Khmu culture on Laos's steep mountainsides. Using a design that's been perfected over thousands of years, members of one of Southeast Asia’s poorest minorities make Nature Bags using wild-growing JungleVine, also known as tropical kudzu. The result is a reusable and sustainable organic bag that's compact, lightweight, minimalistic and highly durable. Eight variations on the Nature Bag are available, varying in both style and size—prices begin at USD 15 for a small bag in the Pahk style. Iowa-based Hawkflight has purchased some 10,000 Nature Bags from Khmu families, and is running the operation with the help of a 22 year-old Laotian student. Of course, social entrepreneurship with a side serving of product life stories and (still) made here appeal is all very well, as we noted in our story about Shokay. But a heaping helping of traceability would go a long way toward playing up those virtues, much the way Icebreaker does. Time to help introduce the world to the individual Khmu craftsmen involved in making each bag...? (Related: Furniture with a story, crafted from salvaged dhows — Tracking & tracing fashion brands' product stories — Coffee life stories.) Website: www.naturebag.org |
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Now that Starbucks has turned to the crowds for help redesigning its paper coffee cups and Pepsi has asked for guidance on its community giving, it seems only natural that Volkswagen should crowdsource ideas for its next in-car entertainment system. Indeed, Volkswagen just launched a new contest—dubbed App My Ride—to invite designers, programmers, developers and interested users to help develop applications for its future in-car infotainment systems. Volkswagen has already begun developing a prototype for its new system—involving, specifically, a touch-screen integrated in a vehicle's center console—and it hopes to research as many potential apps as possible. Toward that end, it has launched an innovation community through which consumers can contribute their own apps and ideas. To develop an app, participants must have not just an idea but also a graphic design of the user interface and the ability to program in Adobe Flash or Flex. They can then submit their compiled app as a SWF file; in fact, the contest's software development kit even includes an AppPlayer for testing those applications. Those without full-fledged apps, meanwhile, are welcome to submit their ideas for consideration as well. Participants can submit as many apps and ideas as they want by the contest's June 30 deadline. In August, the most innovative application will be chosen by the App My Ride community and a jury consisting of Volkswagen managers and external experts. The first-place winner will receive EUR 3,000 as well as a trip to take part in an international vehicle presentation, including flight and hotel. Second- and third-prize winners will receive EUR 2,000 and EUR 1,000, respectively. Other prizes for apps, ideas and participation will include non-cash awards such as a Volkswagen car for a weekend; a special prize for students, meanwhile, involves a 6-month internship within Volkswagen Group Research. By launching this contest, Volkswagen is the first car manufacturer to crowdsource product development, it says. Given the growing ranks of major companies that have already taken that route in other industries, however, it seems safe to say it won't be the last. Which auto brand will be next to tap the awe-inspiring power of the global brain...? (Related: Crowdsourced dream cars inspired by destinations — Open source eco-car, designed by wiki.) Website: www.app-my-ride.com |
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Creating new products from waste materials or used items has three distinct benefits for manufacturers: it gives them access to free or inexpensive materials, it lends their products an aura of sustainability, and it provides embedded stories that sellers can share with consumers, and that consumers can share with their friends. Five examples of upcycling we recently spotted: 1. NARWAHL — Neckties have long been used to add individuality to menswear. California's Narwahl Co. is repurposing those distinctive designs by turning vintage ties into new accessories: wallets, business card holders, passport covers and wristwear, all priced in the USD 10 to USD 25 range. Each item is one of a kind, and can be bought from Narwhal's online store or at a growing number of retail outlets in the United States. 2. HELLO REWIND — Another company taking old garments and turning them into something new is Hello Rewind. Observing that it can be hard to discard an cherished old t-shirt even when it's worked its way to the back of the closet, Hello Rewind invites customers to send in their old tee and have it returned in the form of a custom laptop sleeve. The business supports RestoreNYC, an organisation helping sex trafficking survivors reintegrate into society. 3. RECYCLING ZYCHAL — Clothes aren't the only household items that are ripe for repurposing. Philadelphia's Recycling Zychal takes the city's discarded umbrellas and fashions them into rain hoods, dog raincoats and cat toys stuffed with organic catnip. The dog coats are made to order after clients specify their umbrella choice and dog's size. Recycling Zychal invites people to donate broken umbrellas, and will make a donation to an animal refuge for each brolly they receive. 4. ESCAMA STUDIO — Staff in California and Brazil collaborate to make Escama's modern fashion accessories using traditional techniques. The flagship product line is a collection of bags, purses, accessories and jewellery made by crocheting together hundreds of aluminium ring-pull tabs. Each item features a tag signed by the person who made it; the website features bios of the artisans and invites customers to send them a message. 5. EMECO — Chairmaker Emeco builds chairs from 80% recycled aluminium. In collaboration with Coca-Cola the company has branched out to a new material: each of their 111 Navy Chairs is made from 111 recycled plastic bottles. Emeco hopes to encourage domestic recycling by showing that trash can be used to make stylish and functional products. Spotters: Cecilia Biemann, Andrew Sargent, Andrew Krumholz |
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There are countless companies that let consumers create photo books or magazines online, but they involve uploading photos and deciding which one goes where; a time consuming process. Launched in 2009, Palo Alto-based Photozini offers consumers a more convenient alternative in the form of a personal photo magazine layout service in a box. Customers order a kit from the Photozini website which is shipped to them the next day. When it arrives they copy up to 150 photos onto the enclosed USB card and mail it back in the pre-paid envelope. Three weeks later their photos arrive as a magazine. Kits are priced at USD 40, and additional copies of the magazine can be ordered for USD 20 by referencing the number printed on the back page. (On a side note: while it may have advantages for in-store presentation, the boxed kit creates a lot of superfluous packaging. A 'light' version could have a much smaller carbon footprint.) Less choice can be an appealing offering for consumers, especially those who are time-poor or tech-challenged. How can your brand reduce choice to provide a more convenient service? (Related: Mini web-to-print photo albums — Free photo books for Facebook and Bebo users.) Website: www.photozini.com Spotted by: Joelle Cruz |
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We've seen laundromats pop up at music festivals, serving as a kind of brand butler for festival-goers with dirty duds. Not until recently, however, had we heard of a pop-up laundromat used to facilitate generosity as well. Sure enough, though, starting next Thursday, cleaning-products maker Method will be touring the streets of New York with its “Wash Smart, Give Smart” truck to encourage people to donate clothing. Through a partnership with Goodwill, San Francisco-based Method has equipped a glass-walled truck with a mobile laundry room that will be used to wash donated clothes. Consumers need only drop off their new or gently used items, and the mobile laundry team will take care of washing and drying them before delivering them to New York Goodwill locations to be resold. The truck will visit a different spot on each of the effort's three days, operating there between 10 am and 6 pm. Passers-by will be encouraged to spontaneously donate an item of clothing off their bodies as well; the first 200 people who donate each day will receive a free 25-load bottle of Method laundry detergent. As part of Method's new “laundry smarts” campaign, there will also be a photo station, samples, games and prizes, plus a few special guest appearances. What's better than a brand butler that helps consumers get their clothes clean? One that helps them do good as well. Brand helps consumers, consumers help charity, consumers feel good about themselves—and the brand. It's a veritable love-fest, the likes of which will surely please legions of generosity-minded consumers. How could *your* brand emulate something like this...? Website: www.methodhome.com |
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That something needs to be done about the ubiquitous but wasteful paper coffee cup seems to be a matter of fairly widespread agreement. We've seen the development of myriad reusable replacements and—more recently—reusable lids, but now a new effort is tapping the crowds for further ideas. With sponsorship from none other than Starbucks itself, the mission driving the Betacup project is to find the best ideas to eliminate paper cup consumption and then help bring these ideas to life. It's not just another reusable cup design that's being sought, however—rather, “think beyond just the vessel for carrying coffee, and develop a way to cause behavior change at a massive scale,” the effort's creators urge. Toward that end, Betacup launched an international contest on April 1 by which creative thinkers all over the world can submit and rate new ideas for a sustainable and convenient alternative. Submissions can be made in the form of image, audio or video files, as long as they're posted on the Jovoto-based collaborative platform by June 1. Participants can also collect karma for ratings and comments during the rating period, which extends through June 15. Entries will be judged on a variety of qualities, including how they reduce waste, what resources they require, new or existing capabilities required for implementation, and the overall user experience. A total of USD 20,000 in prizes will be awarded to the developers of the winning ideas, including USD 10,000 for the top choice of Betacup's board of advisors; the remainder will be split evenly among the top 5 community favourites. Some 58 billion paper coffee cups get thrown out each year in North America alone, according to Betacup, wasting the 20 million trees and 12 billion gallons of water required to make them. If the crowds can help design and name new products, resolve disputes and brainstorm national economic solutions, to name just a few, who better to solve this—or any other—prickly problem...? Website: www.thebetacup.com Spotted by: Katherine Noyes |
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If there was any doubt that peer-to-peer car-sharing is an idea whose time has come, surely those fears can now be put to rest. After reporting on the emergence of such services in the United States and then Australia, we were interested to note recently that a similar offering has just launched in the UK. Much like the other contenders we've seen, WhipCar enables London car owners to rent out their cars while they're not using them. There is no registration fee to use the site's online booking system, and owners set their own prices. WhipCar notifies owners by text and email when there is an approved driver in their area who wants to use their car; both cars and drivers are screened by WhipCar before a booking is completed. Every trip, meanwhile, is fully insured through a comprehensive insurance package that temporarily replaces the owner's existing insurance for the duration of hire. Following the end of a rental, both owners and drivers have the chance to rate each other. By matching up car-owning sellsumers with transumers and others who don't have their own, peer-to-peer car-sharing services seem to be creating a win-win for everyone involved. Entrepreneurs in other parts of the world: how about you...? Website: www.whipcar.com Spotted by: Adam Garrett |
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