When a hybrid looks and performs like the Porsche 918 Spyder, it makes you wonder why more automotive companies don’t integrate hybrid technology into their high-performance engineering process.  Then again, it’s not that often you find a hybrid with a 500 hp V8 engine capable of propelling said hybrid up to 199 mph, which may also explain why Porsche is considering pricing this prototype (if put into production) at approximately $630,000.  Though its price tag may be exorbitant, the 918 Spyder’s aesthetic is so absurdly fluid and gorgeous (as all supercars should be in our minds) from the Ferrari-esque front fascia to detailed accents such as its exhaust pipes, that one look simply sets the price aside in that other compartment of your brain that doesn’t understand how math works.

Sure, we used to drink from public water fountains all the time when we were kids, but these days, we just get a little uneasy with the quality of the water (and that metallic taste certainly never helps the situation either).  Good thing for those of us who are always on the move and like to stay hydrated, there’s the bobble Filtered Water Bottle (available at bobble for $10).  Made in the US (with a minimal carbon footprint), the bobble Filtered Water Bottle is certified BPA-free and made from recycled plastic (and is in turn fully recyclable).  Simply fill up bobble with water and as you squeeze it for a drink, the activated carbon filter’s electro-positive charge draws in impurities, organic contaminants and chemicals.  With its simple transparent design and six colorways (filters only), bobble is the one water bottle that ensures clean tasting, odorless drinking water pretty much wherever you are (although we’d suggest filling it up with water from the tap, not straight out of the East River).

Falling asleep behind the wheel may result in something that we’d consider less than desirable (i.e. death), and so when it comes to your personal well-being, staying alert and wearing a seat belt is generally recommended.  The Sling by Inghua Ting (available at Branch for $744), which is made entirely out of unused and reclaimed nylon seat belt webbing, also provides you with security (while being suspended in mid air), except in this case, being relaxed and drowsy is highly encouraged, with the end result likely being an al fresco nap.  Designed with the environment and outdoor elements in mind, the Sling is an eco-conscious and weather-resistant hammock that comes in an array of five bright colors—it’s a welcome addition to any backyard and you can rest easy knowing that it’s barely leaving behind a carbon footprint.

Designed for versatility, the COCO Chair by Loll (available at Loll for $350) is as much at home on your outdoor deck as it is inside the house (or wherever you think it belongs).  Made from 160 recycled milk jugs, the COCO Chair is a year-round weatherproof lounger that you can leave outside without any thought to loss of color or the need for refinishing.  And with its contoured slats, compact design, and availability in six colors, the COCO is also the ideal indoor side chair.  Wherever it goes, there’s no doubt it will look the part with modern style and an eco-friendly disposition.

While we can’t imagine our lives without purified water, the one thing we can live without is the constant filter replacement that’s necessary every few months (and the plastic waste from the filters themselves certainly doesn’t help matters either).  With the Charcoal Water Pitcher (available at Design Within Reach for $85), water is purified using Iouseki stones (from the mountains of Kanazawa on the coast of the Sea of Japan) and Binchotan charcoal that’s been adapted for potable water use.  The result is an environmentally-friendly water filtration system with an appealingly sleek aesthetic that not only purifies water, but also leaves it odor-free and enriched with minerals.  And as the charcoal and stones themselves last approximately six months, you won’t have to replace them as often as traditional filters, and when disposed of, won’t languish in landfills taking eons to decompose.

Growing up, we totally believed it when our parents told us it took about seven years for chewing gum to pass through the digestive system.  If only our ever-increasing trash problem was more of an urban legend that we didn’t have to worry about (vs. an environmental fact we’d rather not face today).  With landfills full of plastic trash bags that generally don’t decompose, here are two products that can help change the way you dispose of your garbage and waste one bag/bin at at time.

Item A.
Green Genius Biodegradable Trash Bags (available at Green Home starting from $14):  made of 40% recycled plastic, these Green Genius trash bags undergo a special process that allows the plastic to be consumed by microbes found in landfills, completely breaking down the bags into organic matter such as sugars and amino acids.  These trash bags not only meet ASTM D5511 (the standard for biodegradability), but also feature the same level of durability and reliability as their non-biodegradable competitors.

Item B.
NatureMill Compost Bin (available at NatureMill starting from $299): capable of accepting vegetables, meat, fish and dairy (as well as pet waste), this highly capable compost bin can be used indoors as well as outdoors.  With automatic mixing (every four hours), continuous air flow, and a strong carbon filter, the NatureMill Compost Bin ensures complete odor elimination while allowing you to add food waste at any time during the composting process.  After two weeks, a red light informs you when to empty the bin, and with energy costs limited to approximately 50 cents a month, it’s a small price to pay to divert over two tons of waste over the life of the compost bin that would otherwise have gone to a landfill.

We’re not sure what this says about us, but when it comes to the water we use on a daily basis, it almost exclusively has to be filtered.  At the office, we drink filtered water.  At home, we cook with it, and given that our shower head has a built-in filtration system, we even bathe in it.  That said, the AQUAOVO OVOPUR (available at Green Depot for $650) shatters every preconceived notion we’ve ever had about water filtration systems with an aesthetic that’s organic and yet deliberate, with each curve designed to ensure the natural filtration and revitalization of water.  As a gravitational filter, the OVOPUR’s ovoid shape and porcelain composition (which has inherently thermal properties) promotes the biotic movement of water and prevents water stagnation and bacteria build-up.  The OVOPUR also has a unique four-stage filtration process that leverages KDF 55 (a powder made of copper alloy and pure zinc), activated carbon, microporous bioceramics, and quartz crystal to neutralize up to 99% of the chlorine, lead, mercury, nickel, and other heavy metals found in your tap water.  In addition, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and traces of organic, chemical, and pharmaceutical residues (as well as any other general impurities) are also absorbed through the filtration layers, leaving you with water that’s so naturally filtered, you’ll be benefiting both yourself and the environment at the same time.

Between all the activity that takes place in your kitchen and bathroom, there are generally any number of odors that can permeate your living space.  The Hakutan Coal Air Purifier (available at Design Within Reach for $130) is a natural and simple way to purify the air within your home without the use of technology or chemical agents.  White charcoal (though black in appearance) is the end result of a complex process that transforms wood (in this case, Korean oak) into a hard, glass-like substance that absorbs odor and indoor air pollution, as well as helps mitigate the effects of electromagnetic waves generated from electronics such as your computer.  And when it comes time to replace the charcoal, you can crush it into a powder form to mix with soil so that plants can benefit from its nutrients, making this one air purifier whose life cycle benefits both you and the environment from beginning to end.

At first glance, the Coarse Kitchen Scrub by Hiroki Hayashi (available at The Shop at Cooper-Hewitt for $11) may appear to be a compact pile of organic pasta (or maybe we’ve been craving carbs a bit much lately).  Either way, you wouldn’t be too far off from guessing its natural origins.  Made from either recycled corn cobs (yellow scrub) or recycled peach pits (red scrub), this scrubbing cloth has natural abrasives which enable its use even without dishwashing liquid (though a little bit may be needed for exceptionally greasy jobs).  And over time, the Coarse Kitchen Scrub actually becomes softer with use, while resisting odor and bacteria at the same time.  It’s the perfect “green” excuse for replacing that old, musty sponge you’ve been using for far too long.

The editors at DS pride themselves on knowing their way around the kitchen (we’re all about the one-pot cooking technique).  That said, we try to use organic and locally sourced produce whenever we cook, so it only makes sense for us to be just as conscientious of our cookware as we are about our ingredients.  And we can’t imagine a more ideal (and environmentally conscious) line of cookware that we’d want to use than Greencookingpots Cookware (available at Greencookingpots starting from $33).  The result of founding partners (and twin sisters) Cafe and Mica’s lifelong passion and upbringing steeped in the pursuit of cooking real food for family and friends, the full line of Greencookingpots cookware is naturally energy efficient, being made of enameled cast iron that absorbs and distributes heat evenly, as well as entirely free of chemicals, ensuring that whatever you end up cooking, the last thing you’ll worry about is anything toxic influencing the purity of your meal.  Now as to how it’s going to taste, well that’s all on you.