Now you can recycle and look good doing it. Gone are the days of unsightly blue bins and forgotten piles of plastic bottles. Now, thanks to the creators of the Ecopod e1, with the nearly effortless push of a pedal you can experience the "sweet sound of compaction" as your assorted aluminum cans and water bottles are hidden away, conveniently compressed, and then transferred to a removable storage bin. This chic device, for home or office use, was developed by BMW Designworks to make recycling clean, simple, and worry-free.

Just place cans and bottles in the allotted space and step on the lever, and you can stockpile 50 to 60 crushed recyclables in the inner compartment. Glass, paper items, and plastic bags can be stored in one of two separate containers on top.

"Recyclable materials are oftentimes tossed in the trash simply because recycling is not convenient and creates clutter," according to the Ecopod website. To combat this problem, and to redirect the estimated 134 billion beverage containers that enter U.S. landfills each year, Ecopod has partnered with Williams-Sonoma, Dwell magazine, and even indie crooner Jack Johnson to spread the message that recycling is both sensible and stylish.

Available in black and white, the Ecopod retails for $328 and is available through the Ecopod website and at a number of retail stores, including Target and Hammacher Schlemmer.

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