If you feel a twinge of eco-guilt every time you fill up the tank, use Pampers coupons, or forget your reusable grocery bags, these products (which are newly released or will be released this year) are right up your alley. 

Nissan Leaf Electric Car – Greenhouse gas emissions laws and the predicted increased availability of electric charging stations, so the Leaf is posed to be for the 2010s what the Prius was for the 2000s.

Wattson Energy Monitoring Device – Monitoring your energy costs? Watching your watts is a breeze with this device, which monitors household electricity use. The device, from DIY Kyoto, even lights up red when energy consumption goes up (say, you turn on the dishwasher) and lights up green when you reduce energy consumption.

SmartGrid Appliances – To save money and the environment, Whirlpool’s SmartGrid enabled appliances can be controlled remotely by the power company, which can lower thermostats, switch to energy-saver mode, and shut down appliances entirely during times of peak demand (hasta la vista, blackouts).

"G" Diapers – Even eco-friendly families have been reluctant to ditch Pampers coupons in favor of cloth diapers, which are a pain in the butt to clean. But no longer will parents have to chose between convenience and their love of the environment, because the G diaper features innovative two-part construction that allows you to flush the soiled inner lining while reusing the stylish outer-pants again and again. 20 billion diapers are dumped in American landflls each year, but this might take a bite out of that troubling figure. 

Biobased Products – The USDA launched a new "USDA Certified Biobased Product" category this year, so you can expect more and more companies to make use of biodegradable, sustainable packaging. Pepsi is already working on an entirely plant-based bottle, and those compostable potato-chip bags are getting less noisy. 

HELLO BABY! A New App For Moms

           There’s an app for everything these days. Now, there’s even an app to help expectant mothers get in touch with a group of people who definitely don’t have cell phone access – their unborn babies! Sure, preparing the nursery, reading baby books, and stocking up on diapers with Pampers coupons in anticipation of baby’s arrival is one way to get excited about adding a new member to the family, but the Pampers app is a way to track your baby’s growth that’s really revolutionary.

         The app is called Hello Baby, and it’s totally free in the Apple App store. When you open the app, you see the picture of a fetus and are prompted to scroll through to the appropriate gestational week. When you select your week, you’ll see the key anatomical features of the fetus during that week.

         Yes, it’s blatant advertising for Pampers – but it’s also a really cool app that helps parents visualize the growth of their baby in a new way. The app is doctor-developed and approved, and some doctors may even begin using it in their practices to help explain the development process to patients and family members. If companies are going to develop promotional apps, they ought to be functional and well-designed, like this one is. Check it out at Pampers.com, where you can also find parenting tips and Pampers coupons.