We know all about eco kettles, but what about that other commonly used kitchen item that gets very hot and comes in handy when you fancy a quick break?

As part of its 'Ecolectric' range, Morphy Richards has brought out the 'eco toaster'; a Carbon Trust-certified gadget that uses 34% less energy than standard toasters. It does this with the help of a special lid that keeps the heat close to the bread without escaping too far outside the unit itself.

£34.99 at Ethical Superstore

Follow the jump for a video of how it works

Related: Video review: eco-friendly kettles | Yay or nay: The Tefal Quick-Cup kettle

Click to enlarge

I don't know if it's because we're listening to Ozzy Osbourne in the office, but this week's eBay picks come with a rock flavour. Take your pick from a bodycon dress, leather skater skirt or gold-buckled pixie boots. A gold chain bracelet is the perfect accessory and nothnig says 'Rawk!' like an old band tee. See after the jump for full product details.

[Via Catwalk Queen]

Keeping tea warm is a serious eco consideration: just think of all that water that you'd otherwise have to re-boil in order to give all your friends a cuppa.

That's why it's a good idea to have a good, insulating tea cosy close at hand, and if you don't want to make your own there are plenty of great looking cosies out there to choose from. This appliquéd 'chicken' cosy from Tearcraft would make a great gift and is made by fairtrade organisation Asha Handicrafts in India (Asha meaning 'hope'). £8.50 at Tearcraft

Related: Hippyshopper's guide to a greener cuppa

Stella's bunny bags for LeSportsac were bizarre, but cute in their own way. I'm not so sure about her latest offer, however, which is a rucksack in the shape of a deer head. The best thing I think I can say about this bag is that it's ethical and animal-free as luggage is likely to get (and having read this article on the leather industry, that's something I'm increasingly inclined to approve of). But would YOU wear one on your back? Yours for $85 if the answer is yes...

[Via The Bag Lady]

Related: Stella McCartney for LeSportsac bunny bag | Eco style on wheels: Stella's LeSportsac travel range

Well, I've made it to Friday without any outbreaks of salmonella or other nasties, so this all points to a definite lifestyle change for me. Today I may have to actually buy some food, since I cooked for half a dozen very hungry people last night who were more than willing to do the honours of 'saving food' for me.

I do have a half-eaten bag of crisps on my desk from last night (which I will attempt to crisp up in the microwave), but with nothing more to keep hunger at bay I think I'll be going to treat myself with some box-fresh sushi or a veggie feast from Food for Thought come lunchtime. I'm planning on a curry later on, mind you, and will be doing my best not to over-order. It's going to be difficult, as it's a farewell trip to my favourite Indian restaurant near my old flat, and the paneer bhajis are beyond compare...

The best, and by far the cheapest way to avoid buying inethically produced clothing is, of course, to make your own. But what's the point in going to all that trouble if the fabrics you use come from dubious sources and are covered in pesticides?

Greenfibres was set up to address this problem, and sells organic and natural fabrics by the metre, as well as a range of gorgeous pre-made eco garments. As well as everday raw materials like hemp and organic wool, you'll also find millet husks, latex flakes and horsehair in this fabulously well stocked shop. A great find for crafty types and ethical fashionistas alike.

If you were wowed by the Firewinder when it launched earlier in the year, you'll be pleased to know that it's now available in the UK at Natural Collection.

You can have your own mini firework display every night with one of these fun decorations, while showing the world just how plentiful and potent a source of power the wind can be. Hell, it just looks really pretty. If you want one, there's a limited range available here.

Related: The Firewinder: sparkly, wind-powered decoration

If it sometimes feels like you can't do diddly squat about pollution in the world at large, here's a simple and attractive way to clean up the air in your own home: house plants.

Once you've got rid of as many other common toxins at home (including 'traditional' cleaning products like bleach and other harsh chemicals, air fresheners and so on) it's a good time to introduce plants, which will keep the air as pollution-free as possible. A new book called 'How to grow fresh air' explains all about how plants purify the air, and even recommends which are the best in terms of removing pollutants from the air. Read on for some suggestions from the book...

[Via Little Green Blog]

I've been trying out a range of products by Africology this week: they're new to the UK, and their sales benefit good causes as well as your skin.

All products in the range contain natural ingredients with anti-aging properties are fragranced using essential oils, not synthetic perfurmes. I was biased towards several of these products alredy, mostly because several of them contain neroli, my absolute favourite essential oil, which is native to Africa. The marula skin conditioning body oil, for example, is absolutely heavenly, and a real treat for skin that's looking a bit tired. Seemed to work a treat on my dreaded mosquito bites, too!

So, the un-chilled, day old lentil dahl I was so worried about turned out to be very tasty (it's true what they say about some foods gaining flavour after being left to sit for a bit) and most importantly, I lived to tell the tale. I won't be nearly so worried about heating up leftovers in future, especially if they're full of garlic and spices.

Today will be far less of a challenge, since I'm now in the habit of boxing and chilling everything before I bring it into work. Being home alone last night, I cooked up a big pot of organic pasta which of course I couldn't finish. So I've brought it in for a tasty lunch today, with the help of the trusty office microwave. I'm starting to notice how much money I'm saving too, having not had to visit the cashpoint more than once this week to get food. I'm liking this!

Over at Tech Digest, they regularly rate and gloat over objects that aren't exactly the height of environmental friendliness, while technology as a sector still hasn't really got its act together on the green front at all: Greenpeace regularly rate a bunch of tech companies on their website and no-one is currently scoring higher than 5.1/10. Some companies score extremely poorly. Nintendo score just 0.8/10.

But their new editorial assistant, Duncan Geere, is big into his green technology, and loves getting his hands on all the latest 'green' gadgets. He studied Meteorology at University, and that came with a bunch of climate change and renewable energy classes which taught him a lot about what we really should be doing with our planet. Read on to find out his verdict on the latest offer from the world of eco computing.

Related: LG unveils 'world's most eco-friendly monitor' | Tokidoki mini laptop from Fujitsu

Friends of the Earth's tip of the day was particularly relevant to me today: it contained recipes for stale bread. Bread is particularly difficult when you're trying not to waste food, as unless you have a family of four, the average loaf will be far too much for you to get through in a week, despite being the cheapest option when you fancy a slice or two of toast.

Of course, one solution is to forget the idea of the bread ever having been edible at all, and turn it into a useful piece of stationery (pictured)

But there are tastier options. Follow the jump for some great ideas!

Dorothy Perkins is not the only clothing company currently doing its bit for the Woodland Trust: Little Blue Dog baby clothes is also turning its customers into tiny treehuggers.

The label's organic cotton, fairly traded long-sleeved tee (pictured) and a matching tote bag for Mums are both being sold to help the Trust's Tree For All campaign which aims to get children into planting and caring for trees. You can buy the top for £14.99 here.

Being so close to the water gives surfers a vested interest in keeping it clean, which is one reason why Surfers Againsts Sewage was formed.

The green surfer dudes recently asked ten of Britain's top artists, including Tracey Emin, Gavin Turk, Damien Hirst and Nick Walker to create exclusive surfboard art to draw attention to their cause, and the results are just stunning.

Related: Surf's up for the eco board | Surf-Aid wave necklace from Betty Belts

One of my favourite eco retail-haunts, the small but perfectly-formed Green Apple Store has just had a shipment of the latest Pants to Poverty undies in: a range of bamboo boy-shorts for the nature loving girl!

Not only are the pants made from soft and lovely organi bamboo, they are also made under fairtrade conditions, giving you the most eco-friendly ass in town. For £9.95 you can order a pair in any colour and get free postage. Go here to check them out!

Related: Global hypercolor-style heat sensitive pants at Green Knickers