The first ecoATM was installed in Omaha, Nebraska, and collected 23 cell phones on its first day of operation. Word has it that soon consumers will be able to recycle MP3 players, digital cameras and even computers and printers via the ecoATM. Sounds like a success story to me.

So what do you think? Should we install one at HGTV Green Home this year? Would you like one in your home town?

Eight finalists have been chosen from over 900 entries submitted from students in more than 50 countries. My favorite? Le Petit Prince by Martin Miklica from Brno University of Technology in the Czech Republic. His robotic greenhouse carries (and cares for) a plant as it travels and explores the planet Mars in search of nutrients to feed its host. It also reports its movements and progress to its fellow greenhouse robots via wireless communication.

Take a few moments to review the finalists, vote for your favorite design and stop back here to chat about the contest. Got a green home appliance idea you think’s a winner? Post your thoughts below.

Eco-Friendly Finds for Less
Green and organic products can be hard on the wallet. EcoSteal solves your budget troubles by offering up items one at a time and at a 40- to 80-percent discount off the retail price. Simply sign up for the e-mail alerts to find out each day’s special and then get thee to your nearest computer when the ordering starts. There’s a three-item purchase limit per household, so you better jump if you see something you simply can’t live without.

Green Think Tank
Got a great green idea you think will save the planet? (Simple tips that everyone can incorporate into their daily lives are welcome too.) Post them on GreenGlobeIdeas and watch as your idea gets rated by other users and rises (hopefully) to the top of the list. You can search by user, country, popularity and most discussed. And who knows – maybe some important person (Steven Chu?) will stumble upon your post and be impressed enough to invite you to Washington for a spell.

The Perfect Sun Spot
Going into the alternative-energy business? FirstLook provides solar and wind assessments, so you can make smart business decisions before you launch a full-scale project. And even if you’re not about to erect a wind farm, you can still have fun with this tool – type in your home address and see if your backyard would be the perfect spot to install a small wind turbine or solar panel.

Completely obsessed with HGTV Green Home and have no desire to roam? Then get inspired by touring the beautiful rooms from our 2008 home, while you wait and anticipate the launch of our ‘09 online tour (Pssst – mark your calendar for April 1, 2009).

Clockwise from top left: Carved Wood Serving Bowl, Target.com, crafted from stumpage left behind by logging operations in the mountains of Central China; Teakwood Root Stool, UrbanOutfitters.com, handcrafted from salvaged teak tree roots by skilled villagers in Java; Natural Edge Bench, WildflowerOrganics.com; handcrafted from kiln-dried, sustainable monkey pod wood.

How about you? If you were tasked with decorating the HGTV Green Home 2009, what eco essentials would find their way into your design scheme – recycled glassware, organic fabrics, furniture fashioned from old barn wood or water hyacinths? Tell me about your latest green decor obsessions.

Flat roof solar-power systems: Easy to install on your rooftop (requires only one simple hand tool), with all electrical components incorporated inside the sleek panel, the Andalay solar panel brings solar energy to the masses. It looks like a sunroof and saves you loads of moolah. How could you lose?

Synthetic turf: You may soon notice your neighbors ditching the fescue for fake grass. No lawn mower, no nasty fertilizer, no wasted water and grass stays in a state of perpetual greenness. Take a look – can you honestly tell the difference?

Metal roofing: I’m not sure roofing materials could get much greener. The covering, crafted of recycled material, is 100-percent recyclable and lasts for decades – I’m talking 40 to 60 years. Traditional roofing materials last 10 to 20 years and end up in a landfill – certainly not good for the environment.

Backyard turbines: Electricity bill going through the roof? Some folks are taking matters into their own hands and turning to small wind energy. Although there’s a large upfront fee to build a turbine, you earn brownie points for becoming energy independent and reducing air pollution (turbines produce none).