Be Smart

Fashionation's inexpensive Eco-Speakers are tiny 3.25-inch cubes and made from recycled materials. They are also lightweight, fold flat for portability, come in several colors and patterns, and need no batteries because they draw a bit of power from your iPod or MP3 player.

What's not to love? Well, Eco-Speakers are exceptionally portable because they have no amplifier. And you know what that means: less than wonderful sound.

So are you willing to trade great music sound for speakers that are ecologically sound, also cheap and snazzy? Only you can decide. Fortunately, an experiment won't set you back much. Fashionation's list price is $14.95, but a search will cut that down substantially. I've seen Eco-Speakers for as little as $9.99. They come in several patterns and colors including the inevitable pink (shown), purple, blue, aqua, red, and (of course) green.