You can always trust Firebox to come up with groovy gadgets to capture the imagination, and its range of solar powered toys is growing all the time.
Just in time for summer are these funky, Chinese-style LED lanterns, which soak up the sun during the day and give off a gorgeous glow as night descends. Each lantern is equppied with a dusk sensor so you need do nothing more than hang them in an eyecatching position and wait for the evening to begin. Each pack contains three red lanterns and three white ones. But here's the clever bit: the white lanterns contain colour changing LEDS that gently cycle through a kaleidoscope of entrancing colours. Trippy! £29.95 at Firebox
It won't be long before we're all reaching for our beach tennis bats and baguettes, as parks and green spaces everwhere prepare for an onslaught of litter and discarded food...
Firebox has come to their aid, with this fabulous, totally biodegradable picnic kit that will leave minimum impact on the environment if you accidentally drop a knife while diving into the brie. The crockery in the set is made from our old friend cassava (the tapioca plant), with wooden spoons, forks and knives. You can even choose a gingham or camouflage cloth to complete your al fresco dining experience. All for just £14.95
A year ago, the idea of a cardboard tent seemed like a highly unlikely, if not undesirable prospect for your temporary festival home. But following a successful trial, the Myhab is about to make its debut on the festival circuit.
Compared with pitching up your own tent, choosing a Myhab is in many ways a luxury option. They come pre-erected at various festival sites, including Reading, Leeds, Latitude, T in the Park and End of the Road festivals, and are fully waterproof, made from ultra tough recycled plastic and water proof cardboard.
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I have to admit I was a bit flummoxed when I saw this claim being made. Barbeques? Butterflies? Perhaps it's to do with making sure you don't singe their tiny wings as you cook your Linda McCartney bangers al-fresco style.
But no: what's important here is not where you place your barbie, but the charcoal you use on it. It turns out that a lot of the charcoal we burn in the UK comes from abroad, and this is bad for the environment in a nuber of ways. First, there's the carbon cost of transporting the stuff. But less obviously, choosing instead to use homegrown charcoal can also be beneficial to wildlife, as it's sourced from woods that are managed to provide habitat for butterflies and birds.
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Enjoy a 'picnic with a conscience' with this ecofabulous outdoor dining set that helps you reduce your impact on whatever beauty spot you choose to spread you mat on.
The set contains fully biodegradable and compostable plates, cups, glasses, cutlery and napkins, all kept together in a cute, jute bag you can also use for shopping. Every part of the set comes from sustainable plant sources and is ethically produced Choose between a 4-person and 8-person set.
From £16.99 at Nigel's Eco Store
Literally, that is! If you're brave enough to set up camp somewhere so remote that showering the conventional way isn't an option, then this little pouch will provide you with the relative luxury of a hot wash, using the suns rays to warm the water.
Simply fill the pouch with water (it takes a generous 20 litres), leave it in a sunny spot and give it three hours to warm. Once it's ready, the solar shower will let you freshen up in comfort. £8.99 at Ethical Superstore.
Related: Summer Love windup lantern and other eco camping gadgets | Classy Camping: Celia Birtwell Tepee
Into extreme sports? Unfortunately, with the demand for new products, urge to travel to new spots, and need to keep wind, rain, snow and waterproof, surfers, snowboarders and skaters have to admit they've got a pretty high carbon footprint.
But admitting exactly what each of us, as individuals, contribute is the vital first step; Patagonia, already known as a pioneering eco friendly company, started by a passionate surfer, is leading the way with it's latest project - The Footprint Chronicles.
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