RAIN BOOT CELL CHARGERS ... European telecom firm Orange has developed a pair of iconic waterproof Wellington boots that are able to keep the wearer's cell phone charged. The "Power Wellies" have been launched just in time for the huge Glastonbury Festival at the end of June, because Orange is a top sponsor, naturally. It will take about 12 hours of stomping around to get an hour's charge, so the boots are more of a novelty item than one of real function, but the concept is indeed interesting. The boots work by capturing the heat of the wearer's feet, not by kinetic energy, like other walking-power concepts that have been introduced. The technology is pretty cool, read more and check out a pic of the boots.

ICE ROAD TRUCKERS ... On the heels of co-presenting at an Alaska SmartWay meeting, Carlile Transportation will be changing gears to add to the weekend’s 4th of July festivities - especially for Ice Road Trucker fans. Two of the show's most popular drivers, Jack Jesse and Lisa Kelly, will be hanging out at the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum's annual salmon bake and vintage aircraft fly-by, signing autographs and taking photos. More info on the museum's site. And for those who care about the environmental footprint their goods leave en route, SmartWay is a brand/program started by the EPA to represent and promote environmentally cleaner, more fuel efficient transportation options. See if your carrier is a SmartWay partner, and if like Carlile, it’s received a Top SmartWay Score. Hint: look for the leaf.

ELECTRIC MOTOCROSS ... US Highland, manufacturer of high performance Motocross, Supermoto, Quad and Enduro motorcycles, has come out with an electric motor, and it's ready for commercial application. The motor requires as much as 70% less battery usage for the same run time and most importantly, weighs 40% less than the existing competition. Creators say it's a "game changer" for power sports.

SOLAR POWERED COAL ... Minneapolis based Xcel Energy is testing a hybrid solar-coal project this year. If it's successful, it would mean a coal-fired power plant could use energy from the sun to reduce how much coal it needs to generate electricity. The solar partition would produce steam, which in turn would be used in a steam powered generator to produce electricity. Ideally, enough steam would be produced to reduce the amount of coal needed, which will reduce emissions. We’ll be keeping an eye on the results.

FOODIES WANTED ... For our gourmet readers, and even more so, those of you with a growing 'green' conscience, Ecorazzi's released its picks for the Top 10 Fancy Food Products of 2010. Everything from fair trade tea to vegetable-based pasta, vegan calamari, you read correct, to the best after dinner dessert spots in NYC, the slide show is definitely a culinary inspiration. And to the serious foodies, you should consider attending the annual New York Fancy Food Show, which set the stage for Ecorazzi's list.

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My email is mac@greeningofoil.com.