1. A pinch of Elton John

    Last we knew, there were two recipes in England: fish ‘n’ chips and spotted dick. But there must be more, if a new celeb cookbook is any indication. A Fair Feast, whose proceeds support sustainable agriculture, includes contributions from Minnie Driver, Nigella Lawson, and Sir Elton John. Who we hear makes really good … fish ‘n’ chips.

  2. Earth to Toyota, come in Toyota

    The much-ballyhooed World Expo in Japan (which we neglected to ballyhoo — our bad) wraps up this month. One of the most-hyped innovations there: Toyota’s “i-unit” personal mobility vehicle. Inspired by leaves and made partly from kenaf, the i-unit “seeks to express the power of the unknown.” Yessir.

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    Photo: Toyota

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  3. Getting off … the grid

    Like you, we read Maxim for the educational articles. This month, tucked somewhere between the niblets on sex and, well, the long features on sex, we spied an upstanding eco-column: “How To: Live Off the Grid.” Yeah — we hear the sex is way better there.

  4. Charge it!

    Chuck the Prada and check out the new must-haves: a solar “power purse” that recharges batteries while you shop; Johnny Applesandals, which release seeds as the soles wear thin; and a power-generating backpack that can use your movements to run portable electronic gizmos.

    Photo: Joe Hynek

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  5. Welcome back, cougher

    Good news for kids heading back to school (suckas!): Maine’s Clean School Bus Project is retrofitting diesel buses to protect wee lungs, while a new eco-school in Chicago proves you don’t have to be “in some small town or tree-hugging city” to go green. Now that’s class.