It was an interesting week to say the least. By the time the Lexus pick-up team arrived to retrieve their prototype, I was clear that I would likely measure all hybrid vehicle test drives by this first one. This was not my first hybrid test ride, nor do I hope it is my last, but I found myself more attached than I wanted to be as I saw its sleek yet short silver body reflect brilliantly for the last time. Yes, I am waxing (or waning perhaps) poetic for a car . . .
I come by it naturally as my father had a love for cool cars and gadgets - the Lexus HS 250h hybrid presented a satisfying blend of both.
A few of the ergonomic and gadget-type features that I loved had little to do with the hybrid or eco-factor. However, a couple of things in particular stuck with me and I suspect will be incorporated to some degree in most hybrid cars - or they should be for at least one model generation:
On day 4, I was inspired to actually lift the hood (or bonnet, depending on what type of english you speak) to see if the engine was as new and space-age as the interior of the vehicle and to see what a 187 horsepowered hybrid engine looked like.
Day 3 was painful because I had to go to work and my ability to drive was severely limited for most of the day.
Still loved the ride.
Hooked up my phone to the built-in bluetooth, hands-free system, which was a fairly painless process, but friends on the receiving end of these hands-free calls complained about the volume and my sounding ‘far away’ (which could be attributed to my lack of height – [...]
Sorry about the blue tint . . . even photoshop couldn’t fix this one! Anyway . . .
Day 2 was Sunday. It was a gorgeous day - a good day to have the sunroof open as I found more reasons to drive around and play with this new shiny eco-toy. While cruising on a major interstate bouncing in our seats to the rather good sound system, my daughter noted with alarm we were going 80 mph. Yikes. We gently applied the breaks and discussed how smooth a ride the vehicle was. We also noted that when the music was off or very low, there was not much exterior road noise. You are kind of cocooned in your own little peaceful, sci-fi environment.
I don’t do this ‘green diva’ thing for the financial rewards (slim pickins these days), but there are times when a special event or product review opportunity comes along and I experience a sense of purpose and well, it is just flat out fun!
This week is one of those times when I love being a green diva. The smart PR folks for Lexus found me and decided I should test drive this beautiful not-available-till-2010 HS 250h hybrid sedan. Unfortunately, I’m on lock-down at my office most days and couldn’t get to the event in NY back in June. I whined a little by email with this sweet PR rep about how my man, Wayne drives a Lexus 400h and he rarely shares it.
She indicated that the cars would be back on the East Coast in July and she could hook me up with a ONE WEEK test drive! I asked her to repeat that message and she confirmed that they were offering to drop off a car anywhere I needed them to and let me play with it for a week and then pick it up at my convenience at the end of a week. Hmmmmmm? I played along, but expected a catch, like a huge deposit or ransom to include one of my children or something.
Apparently there are no catches and it’s all real and I aim to give you a daily account of my experience in fostering this car that I will want to adopt at the end of this week . . .
By Lucille Chi •
March 9, 2009
Are you an interior designer that constantly receives calls for organic home furnishings and decor?
Goldiehome is a collection of eco-conscious homewares “inspired by the geometry and tactility of nature. By fusing sophisticated design with environmentally-responsible practices, Goldiehome strives to set a new standard for organic modern luxury.”
- Each piece is made with careful attention to design and form, comfort and softness
- The home collection is entirely SKAL & GOTS certified organic cotton.
- Fibers are custom spun to achieve fine detail in jacquards and higher thread count sheetings.
- The actual products and the packaging and collateral materials all reflect the best environmental choices within the framework of commercial manufacturing.
By mcmilker •
July 30, 2008
My short vacation this year was spent in far Northern California, hiking, trekking through caverns and climbing up and down hilly beaches of the Mt. Shasta region with my son, my best friend and her son. At the end of the day we retired to our eco hotel for a bit of luxury …ahhhh.
While the whole concept of an eco hotel conjures up hefty price tags, The
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By Stancie Wilson •
July 23, 2008
Rocking the world of traditional eco-apparel, Linda Loudermilk forgoes hemp for high fashion. Referred to as the “Green Queen” and self-proclaimed “Earth Warrior”, she leads the high-end “green” fashion movement with her meticulously created runway looks. This year her Fall collection is a mix of rocker chic and refined classics.
With stringent fair trade practices and extensively researched textiles she trademarked the term “Luxury Eco” to describe her line before the concept was known to the masses. Her pieces are created in Los Angeles with fabrics like seacell (seaweed bonded to wood pulp), sasawashi (Japanese leaves), bamboo and organic cotton.
Introducing her denim line last Spring, she was the first to bring sasawashi denim to the fashion marketplace. Linda indicates that it takes one pound of pesticides to make one traditional pair of jeans and she was determined to introduce a better alternative.
