We all want the latest cars, the grooviest clothes and the shiniest gadgets. But what of the price to the planet? Is it possible to go shopping with a clear conscience? Can environmentally sound products still be objects of desire? The cutting-edge environmental website treehugger.com thinks so. Here, its editor, Michael Richard, shows Josh Sims how a new breed of inventors is coming up with the goods – and they don’t cost the earth THE ECO KETTLE It is estimated that, on average, we boil twice the volume of water needed every time we use our kettles. With a 3kW kettle that’s the same as wasting the energy of around 50 light bulbs. And standard kettles are often highly inefficient – a stove-top kettle, for instance, requires energy to heat the handle and shell in addition to the water. But British designer Brian Hartley’s Eco Kettle solves these problems at a stroke. You fill it up, and then use the measuring button to release the exact amount of water you require – from a single cup to a full jug – into a separate chamber for boiling. It is also insulated to keep the water hot. The result […]