Green Tech to Help You Relax
By Sarah Parsons (from Inhabitat) on June 17, 2010
It's been a long year, but summer is finally here. For many of us, the warm weather brings the perfect time to rest, kick back, or take a much-needed vacation. Fortunately there's lots of ways to relax while going light on the earth, and we've assembled several green tech goods that are designed to help you unwind. Read on for our picks of the best technologies to help you relax.
The old expression "Music soothes the savage beast" really holds true. To help stress melt away, try using Pandora.com. The online, streaming music site lets users plug in a desired song or artist and it will create a whole music station based on the vibe of that particular tune. The site broadcasts right from a laptop or PC, so you don't need to worry about purchasing extra gizmos like iPods or stereos, which helps cut back on electronic waste. The best part? The site is totally free, and users can create as many stations as they want.
Meditate
Meditating to the soothing sounds of nature helps many folks unwind after a tough day. But if you live in a city or even a crowded home, getting in touch with the sounds of the great outdoors can be tricky. Luckily, there's an app for that. The Whale Song Project app streams live whale songs from November through May via an underwater microphone in Hawaii. During the rest of the year, the app streams recorded whale songs. The accompanying Web site also provides educational information about the whales, so users can learn and relax at the same time -- all thanks to a two-dollar app.
Read a Good Book
Getting lost in someone else's story is a great way to escape the trials of everyday life. Try reading your favorite novel with an e-Reader like the Kindle, Sony Reader, or iPad. These electronic devices can house entire libraries in a lightweight, easy-to-carry device, which can help cut back on clutter and waste. Plus, think about how much paper you'll save by accessing books electronically.
Play Games
A little friendly competition can be a great outlet for stressed-out folks. The Green Thumb app provides hours of entertainment and embraces a pretty environmentally friendly topic -- gardening! The app offers up more than 60 gardening-themed puzzles. You might love it so much you'll want to spend your time planting a real garden.
Get Out of Town
Perhaps the best method of relaxation is to get away and take a vacation. Several green techie goods help travelers do just that. If you're driving to your destination, try using online mapping programs like Google Maps, which provides step-by-step driving instructions for travelers. If you're using a car-share service, try using Zipcar and its accompanying iPhone app, which lets users make an online reservation and remotely unlock car doors. And if you need to fly to your getaway spot, try using Terra Pass' online site to purchase carbon credits. That way, you can be sure you're at least investing in green tech to compensate for all those fuel miles.
So now that you've got the goods to make relaxation possible, how are you planning to unwind this summer?
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By Sarah Parsons of Inhabitat, an online magazine devoted to the future of design, tracking the innovations in technology, practices and materials that are pushing architecture and design towards a smarter and more sustainable future. Written by a young tech-savvy team designers and design journalists, Inhabitat delivers fresh content daily, showcasing emerging work from the cutting-edge of the global design community.
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