Green Daily

I'd estimate I've owned several thousand umbrellas in my life, none of which I currently have in my possession and none of which I have any idea what happened to them. And while I've resigned myself to a future of racing from bus shelters to awnings holding a newspaper over my head, I do feel a pang of guilt thinking of all my old brollies clogging up landfills around the world.

Well, umbrella losers, salvation is at hand. The Brelli, from New York entrepreneur Pam Zonsius, is an umbrella made entirely of biodegradable materials. The handle, or stem, whatever you call that part of an umbrella, is bamboo, and the covery party (wait - it's called the "canopy") is made of a bioplastic that the manufacturer says will degrade within five years when placed in a landfill.

I didn't test drive this bad boy so can't speak directly to its utility, but the website claims that "unlike conventional umbrellas, it withstands heavy downpours and high winds"; perfect for the giant typhoons and tornadoes that climate change is bringing us.

The Brelli comes in a small 37" and a larger 52" version. Caution: not suitable for Mary Poppins style use.

via [Inhabitat]