TripAdvisor named the Hutton one of the ten trendiest hotels in America for 2010. Contemporary design touches are evident throughout. So too are the green design features. Below are pics of three of my favorites.

1) A digital shower heating system. It’s fun to play with and enhances the shower experience by enabling you to instantly control the exact temperature of the water. It also saves energy by not having to heat water higher than necessary.

2) A slot for the room key card which activates the lighting system. When you take your key with you upon exiting the room the lights automatically shut off. Why every hotel in America doesn’t have this system in place is a mystery to me since it not only saves energy but also saves money just like a good green solution should.

3) Bamboo furniture. This is the first hotel I’ve seen that utilizes bamboo as the principal furniture material for many pieces throughout the hotel room. Bamboo offers a terrific aesthetic and is considered one of the best materials for furniture because it grows and replenishes so quickly without the need for pesticides and insecticides. It’s often a great alternative to wood or synthetic materials.

When he’s ready to start digging in, these are the beach toys he’ll have by his side:

There’s nothing like a classic bucket and shovel to get you (I mean, your kid) inspired to become a sandy architect. Green Toys’ Sand Play Set ($15.78 on Amazon) revamps the classic with a super cool bucket, shovel, rake and castle mold made entirely from recycled plastic milk containers. This set get points from me not only for its environmental awareness, but also because it looks good in action. I’m not ashamed to admit that I want my beach toys to look sharp, to become one with the aesthetic experience that is my beach field trip. These toys are light green and blue—a welcome break from the primary color assault that is the average toy store—and the tools are a minimalist shade of brown. Simplicity is chic.

Imagining the ultimate sand community is one thing, but having the means to transport all that sand is another. Everyone knows that you can’t build a sand building next to the water or all of the sand inhabitants will lose their homes as soon as the tide comes in. Sprig Toys Hollow DuneBug’s Sand Truck Playset ($17.99 Amazon) comes with a roomy dump truck equipped with a bucket, shovel and rake as well as a “Heliscooper” that has powerful scooping abilities—all made from recycled wood and reclaimed plastic. Your little builder will have everything it takes to construct a sand village that will last forever, or until someone steps on it.

All this beach gear is bulky. Streamline your child’s sandy activities with the SandSac ($11.95), a foldable cotton bucket—and accompanying bamboo shovel—that’s compact enough to slide into your carry-on as you take off on your next Caribbean vacation. You can also slip it into your handbag or under the stroller for the next visit to the sandbox. The bucket can be customized with fabric markers or paints and is machine washable (woohoo!).

If the VX-1′s $11,000 suggested retail price is a bit more than you’re looking to spend, check out the VX-1E, a more affordable version that skimps a bit on performance in favor of an $8,500 price tag. And if that’s still too much, you might consider taking a glance at the VX-2, which goes for a bit over $5,000 while still retaining enough range and speed for day-to-day urban cruising.

Here are a few of my favorite two-wheeled rides:

Aprilia Scarabeo
Aprilia’s line of Scarabeo motor scooters traces its heritage back to the post-WWII era and to the town of Noale in the Italian province of Venice. Renowned for its success on motorcycle racing circuits around the globe, Aprilia brings the same attention to detail and unique styling to the Scarabeo line. The Scarabeo 200 is a superbly crafted urban commuter that tops out near 80 mph and a delivers a whopping 70 mpg. Its large 16-inch wheels provide stability and a sense of overall safety and at $3,399 it truly combines performance and affordability.

Honda Metropolitan
Enjoy the classic retro styling of Honda’s Metropolitan 49cc motor scooter, which puts the fun back in commuting and running errands. With a top speed of 35 mph, fuel economy of around 80 mpg, and a sticker price of $2,049, the eco-savvy Metropolitan will put a smile on your face and leave some cash in your pocket.

Kymco People
Kymco offers several motor scooter brands, but it’s the company’s People line that really turns heads with its modern styling, big wheels and funky color combinations. The People 150 is priced right at $2,799 and will deliver a top speed of 65 mph and about 70 mpg.

Piaggio Fly
The parent company of such illustrious Italian motorcycle and motor scooter brands like Moto Guzzi, Gilera, Derbi, Vespa and Aprilia, Piaggio also offers its own brand of affordable, stylish motor scooters. The Fly 50 ($1,899) and 150 ($2,899) are reliable and affordable machines that deliver solid performance.

Veken Hybrid
A newcomer to the motor scooter scene, Veken elevates fuel efficiency to new levels with the Veken Hybrid VK-M50, a combination gas and electric hybrid scooter capable of achieving 212 mpg. The lithium-ion battery charges automatically while you ride it, but you can also recharge it on your own by plugging the scooter into any outlet. The price tag is $2,799, and the scooter can go up to 35 mph.

Vespa LX
Famous for their exceptional quality and iconic Italian design, Vespa motor scooters are available through a broad dealership network throughout the United States. Vespas retain their market exceptionally well over time because they’re made with the finest parts, including a solid stainless steel frame. At $3,299, the Vespa LX is the most affordable model and delivers around 70 mpg.

Yamaha Vino
For a high-quality ride with retro flair and an affordable price point, check out the Yamaha Vino. The Vino 125 sells for $2,899 and averages 96 miles per gallon. The four-stroke engine delivers plenty of pep and a top speed of around 55 miles per hour. Or quench your thirst for the open road and the feel of wind (or maybe a light breeze) pressing against your face with the Vino Classic, an entry-level 49cc scooter that sells for $2,049 and delivers 112 miles per gallon. Its maximum speed of 35 miles per hour will, in many cases, get you comfortably to work, class or the grocery store.

Zero Motorcycles
Go from zero to 30 mph in just two seconds on the Zero X off-road electric motorcycle. The battery pack delivers about 40 miles per charge and a top speed of just below 60 miles per hour. The standard model costs $7,450, and long-term savings are guaranteed since plugging into the power grid only takes two hours and costs about a penny per mile. Zero Motorcycles also recently introduced the Zero S, a street-legal electric motorcycle that makes the commute a whole lot more fun.

*****
Excerpted from the transportation chapter of my new book, The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget.

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… Rank: wait… Traffic: wait… Price: wait… C: wait…

A hundred years after being overtaken in popularity by its gas-powered counterpart, the once-ubiquitous electric car looks set for a comeback as auto firms in China, India, and the U.S. demonstrate new, more practical models for release over the next few years. Less noticeable but similarly swell are the parallel advances that have been made in recent years within the realm of the electric motorcycle, which is quickly coming into its own as a viable option for urban transportation sans the gasoline.

In this case, the company to watch may very well be Zero Motorcycles, a California firm that’s shattering industry barriers with its Zero S model. Whereas many electric vehicles are still widely knocked for their less-than-ideal performance in terms of speed and acceleration, the Zero S goes from zero to 30 in less than two seconds, which is great for those occasions when you’ve just got to be going 30 miles an hour within two seconds of a given moment. The model’s atypical speed advantages derive in part from its equally atypical design; incorporating aircraft-grade aluminum frames and such things as cylindrical swingarm cross tubes, the Zero S weighs in at a relatively light 225 pounds. Nonetheless, it also features full torque across the board and exceptional throttle response.

Even as the bike manages a performance comparable to its gas-guzzling cousins, the Zero S is an electric through and through, capable of powering up at any standard outlet and making use of a lithium ion battery. As such, the bike produces less than one-eighth of the pollution per mile and only a hundredth of the nitrous oxide than does a standard chopper. It’s also extraordinarily quiet, which may upset purists of the sort who live to rev their engines and do whatever it is that makes the engine sound like a .243 going off next to one’s eardrum, but to hell with those people anyway.

Price-wise, the Zero S clocks in at just under $10,000. Zero plans to have demo models available in dozens of cities across the U.S. and Europe in the near future and is already shipping to buyers across the globe.

Whether or not you have a car, sharing rides is becoming easier and easier thanks to a little Zip and Zim. The world’s largest carsharing service Zipcar and leading online social rideshare network Zimride have recently partnered to give students at Stanford an affordable way to get around. Zipcar is known for parking convenient when-you-need-‘em vehicles for non-car owners to use on demand while Zimride connects riders using the Facebook platform.

The Lazy Environmentalist’s Margaret caught up with Zimride CFO John Zimmer for a little car talk:

1. So your service hooks ride sharers up with one another, even if they might not be friends. How can you be sure you won’t have to share the car with a psycho?

We made Zimride so that friends, classmates and coworkers could share the ride. We knew that trust was the key element to building a successful system, so we build the service social profiles, facebook integration and anonymous feedback. Our focus is on leveraging communities that already exist such as universities, colleges and companies.

2. Who is the kookiest person you’ve shared a car with?

I would have to say you Margaret. Logan has a great story of carpooling with politician, Dennis Kucinich. He needed a ride home from a Presidential campaign stop.

3. Josh just finished his second book, The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget. Like most folks, we’re all about saving money. Have you run the numbers on exactly how much money can be saved by sharing rides?

Yes and it pretty incredible. In total vehicle operating costs, zimriders can save $0.25 every mile they carpool. This can result in $100′s of dollars each month in savings and be a great way to reduce individual costs in these tough economic times.

4. Zipcar, eh? They are a pretty big deal. How did they find out about you and does it have to do with the ease of co-branding (zip/zim zip/zim, etc?)

We are very excited about the partnership with Zipcar. When starting Zimride, we looked up to Zipcar as they had already been successful in changing people’s transportation behavior. We looked at their model and realized that it was a complementary transportation option for our uses and theirs. I reached out to their CEO, Scott Griffith. Scott is great and had already known about Zimride and was very interested in meeting up to discuss ways in which our models could mutually benefit each of our users.

5. Are you working on any sort of iPhone application? How about any other cell phone collaborations?

We think that mobile applications definitely have a strong and favorable future for the rideshare space. We have developed an API that was used by android app developer Ecorio. An iPhone app is in our plans but likely not for a little while.

6. Is there a polite way to tell someone to stop singing along with the radio, American Idol style? Suppose it’s their car and you’re hitching a ride?

It’s best to discuss music and other habits before getting into the car (these are elements in our profile). To be completely honest I can sometimes be the singer. Logan once called me and told me to “save it for the choir.” Other option is to do your best Simon Cowell imitation, “that is self-indulgent rubbish” …that “joke” will usually get them to stop.

The Lazy E loves fast cars. Sleek sexy gas-less cars. That’s why electric cars get us so charged; hello Tesla, Th!nk, Aptera. But, if you are like us and still waiting in line for one of those mean muscle mobiles, consider converting your current car engine over to electric power by consulting the new book Build Your Own Electric Vehicle. In this exclusive interview, the author, Seth Leitman, gives us the clean details about electric engine conversions.

MARGARET: The first edition of ‘Build Your Own Electric Car’ was written by Bob Brant in 1994. What are the major differences between the two books?

SETH: The first and most glaring difference is that when I submitted the manuscript for the book oil had reached over $140 a barrel (when Bob Brant’s estimates for change were at $100).

Oil prices, climate change, “Who Killed The Electric Car?,” economic crisis and “Pimp My Ride.” MTV’s “Pimp My Ride” was a successful TV show about converting cars and good mechanical jobs. This lead me to the question could a car shop “pimp” and “e” my ride at the same time.

The American Spirit is partially based on our automobile. It is part of our essence and our freedom of expression and that is what makes the electric car conversion so cool and green at the same time. Take, for instance, an old 1957 Chevy or a Porsche 911 as your second car. Get a mechanic to trick out the inside interior and make it all electric. Good for your pocket and the environment at the same time.

The other great part about electric cars is all the job possibility: the industry needs more mechanics! Local mechanics could be getting more work to create electric cars; thereby creating a whole diverse economic platform for mechanics. Not to mention most of the better motors and controllers are made right here in the USA.

With predominantly US companies leading the way, we are only further propelling an economic opportunity to reduce energy costs, provide a sustainable car for th environment and still enjoy driving. We have had the technology needed revolutionize the electric vehicle industry. Only now, we really need it! Like the old adage goes, Crisis Creates Change.

As the holiday gifting season approaches, the Lazy E appreciates presents that are easy-to-find, easy to use, and require little to no assembly. If that gift happens to be inspiring like Sebastian Copeland’s “Antarctica: A Call To Action”, well that’s just an added bonus.

Copeland has made a name for himself as a documentary-maker and photographer capturing beautiful images ranging from nudes and nature, to celebrities. Copeland says, “Something like the Burning Man Festival celebrates humanity in a natural environment, and the photos I have taken reflect that. Antarctica on the other hand thrives outside the reach of humans, yet is an ecosystem most effected by them. It is like a Ground Zero of Climate change.”

If someone on your list loves breathtakingly beautiful photos, this book is a great choice for them. Or, for another type of coffee table photo book of super-cute babies strategically positioned in flowers and watering cans, there is always Anne Geddes.

In this video, Sebastian talks about the mission of the book, some of his favorite photos, and man-handling penguins to get the good shots.

One of our favorite hotels, Kimpton, has created a catalog that allows you to re-create the luxury hotel experience in your own home. The new site, Kimpton Style, features an eco-friendly product section in which 100% of the profits go to the Parks for People Campaign of the Trust for Public Land.