Mornings are getting darker. Need a pick me up? Tick tock: try an eco clock.
Israel daylight savings already sent summertime packing, but the rest of us in the Middle East will be switching in the weeks ahead from Daylight Savings to standard winter time. Blast yourself out of that darkened bedroom with the help of one of these innovative clocks that give a nod to sustainability, or at least to Zen-like calm.
1.Bedol Water Alarm Clock ($29.00)
Bedol’s Drop Water Clock keeps perfect time without batteries or electrical plug-in: you juice this timepiece with tap water. Shaped like a fat waterdrop, it’s also an alarm. Simply unscrew the base and fill with H2O, the clock converts ions in the water into clean energy. A built-in memory chip remembers the time so, unless your cross time zones, you don’t ever have to reset it. Water won’t need to be replaced for several months.
2. Timex’s T065S Solar Powered Atomic Alarm Clock ($19.99)
The large liquid crystal display on this solar-powered, radio-controlled atomic alarm clock shows time, month, date, day and temperature.
It sets itself automatically to the time signal from the US atomic clock at Fort Collins, Colorado for space age accuracy.
A built-in solar cell powers the clock from sunlight or ambient room light.
3. Philips HF3520/60 Wake-Up Light With Colored Sunrise Simulation ($149.99 on Amazon.USA)
This clock has you covered on both ends of the snore spectrum: colored sunrise simulation wakes you naturally while dimming light and softening sounds gently send you off to sleep.
Choose from five different soundtracks to find your favorite daily call-to-consciousness.
4.EZ Wake SunRise Clock ($89.95)
The EZ Wake SunRise Clock is another dawn simulator with a fixed 30-minute fade-up sunrise and sunset and an optional backup alarm. The globe includes a 60-watt bulb that’s bright enough to read by.
This unit’s smaller and has fewer features than its “big brother” SunRise Clocks, but its low price puts it in greater reach of sleepy customers.
5.Woodstation Weather Display ($100)
This beautifully carved timepiece displays a weather forecast icon, indoor temperature and humidity, as well as time and date.
When the LED display is off, it looks like a desktop sculpture, available in a variety of woods.
6. Digital Zen Alarm Clock (starting at $119.95)
Weary of waking to your mobile phone alarm?
Try this wooden clock that wakes you with a long-resonating chime progression inviting you to start the day off on tranquil footing.
The piece can also be used to time yoga and meditation sessions.
7.Eco-Clock by Bor-Ru Huang (not yet on the market)
My favorite is not yet on the market: the Eco Clock is a brilliant way to extract every bit of power from discarded AA batteries. Twelve slots on the clock’s face host used batteries which collectively power the device. The design also includes a really fun feature where the different levels of juice in each battery are represented by color. Totally cool, this Lite-On award winner is something I’d like to see on the market soon.
Purchasing a clock with an alternative power source, or one that wakes you in closer alignment with nature, is a simple way to remind ourselves of our sustainable commitment to the planet. Time doesn’t have to run out for the planet.
And we’ll never need to worry about oversleeping due to a bum battery or power outage.
All images via respective product sites. Top image of leafy clock from Shutterstock.
This is an interesting article, I like all ideas of green clocks. When you wake up next to such alarm clock, you will not forget the commitment to a sustainable planet.