I first saw the KOR One when a fellow bootcamper (Linda, that’s you!) brought hers to our 5:30am workouts. The prettiness of the bottle, uh, vessel, is what first caught my eye, but I also noticed the  convenient incorporated handle and the large hinged opening that allows to fit ice cubes. Other details on the KOR site will reveal that the bottle is BPA free and that the company donates 1% to 5% of its sales to various water advocacy groups.

I love the idea of the KOR Stones that come with every bottle. The motivational tokens carry simple reminders (“Never settle”, “Laugh Often”…) that slip into the cap to be seen and “integrated” every time a sip is taken.

The KOR One retails from $29.95 to $35.00. You can buy it directly from Kor Water, Amazon.com or find them at a retailer near you (and support local shopping!).

Yes, in case you were wondering, this is the bottle that is prominently featured in Iron Man 2. Now, you know where to get yours!

Indeed. Coconut Charcoal is made from the inner hard shell of a coconut.  When carbonized coconut shell is burned as charcoal, it achieves high heat and maintains that temperature for up to two and a half hours. The condensed fiber of coconut shells creates hotter, longer and cleaner burning charcoal with minimal ashes. There is no sulfur (sulfur dioxide emissions contribute to acid rain) or dust content.

Need more convincing? Coconut shells are a sustainable source. No trees are cut down or coals dug out to make this fuel.  It is 100% all natural coconut shell that is considered a biomass fuel. No fillers or petroleum products are added so it will not emit harmful chemicals or change the taste of food.

Of course, to be consistent, it’s best to use a non-petroleum starter such as the aFirepuck Starter. Both products are sold through Amazon.com or dierectly from the aFire website.

All around outdoor grilling eco perfection.

This is where VerveCards.com comes in: colorfully designed and clever with a great choice of very “appropriate” ecards when that is required. Nancy, co-founder of VerveCards, apparently as appalled as I by the dismal choice of reasonably decent ecards ( I know, it’s just totally outreageous!), actually did something about it. Her moment of truth came upon choosing a pre-Verve ecard: “This one doesn’t totally suck” she muttered, as she pressed SEND on a cartoon snail trailing a “Sorry I’m Late” banner. But she’d compromised and was mortified to be sending something so lame. The search had been arduous, and the outcome was a bust — Nancy saw a need. Thank goodness.

Clever, quick, inexpensive, green and never late (b/c you can schedule your cards in advance). Those are some of the great things that can be said about VerveCards. There is a $14.95/year membership, which is a drop in the bucket when you take into account that you no longer have to buy paper cards ($3.95 on average?), stamps. AND, now you get to fix/preserve/grow relationships by being the one that always remembers those special occasions… Now that is some great ROI (marketing speak). And with Mother’s Day, graduations, Father’s Day, the inevitable birthdays and congrats! coming up, you’ll be ahead of the game by week 6 at the very latest.

Or, enter this giveaway and see if you can save yourself the fee for a year. For you and a friend.

Update: This giveaway CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED but do subscribe via RSS or email to get updates on new giveaways as they get posted. Thank you all for playing!

All you need to do to enter is to let us know, by posting a comment here below, which Verve card you would be sending first. Visit this page and let us know. This giveaway is open until May 28 @ 11:59am CST. Winner wins TWO VerveCards.com year long memberships, one for you and another to pass along to a friend. Total value is $29.90. Usual giveaway rules are: One entry per person. The winner will be chosen at random using a random integer generator. Your information is confidential and used for this giveaway only. Multiple entries will be deleted. Valid in US & Canada only.

Where, in the past, I have been less than enthused by effectiveness of natural/earth-friendly cleaning products, I am actually thrilled with the Sun & Earth brand. The cost of these natural cleaning products is just about the same as the regular megabrands products. The Sun & Earth fabric softener actually leaves fabrics… soft, really soft. The detergent is doing its job splendidly and doesn’t leave soap residue on darks, as it happens to me so often with other brands. As for the dish soap, the product does not vanish in seconds from the sponge as it does with other natural dish soap brands.

I haven’t seen the Sun & Earth brand in grocery stores near me, but since I always place my orders on Alice.com (great prices and no shipping when you buy 6 items), I may not have been looking hard enough. In any case, you can also order on Alice or visit the Sun & Earth website, where they also have great value packs.

Our Commitment to You after many years of watching advertisements claiming that petro-chemicals with mysterious names were the best way to clean house, we set out to prove that non-toxic cleaners can clean as well or better than more well-known national brands. We knew people wanted products made with non-toxic ingredients that didn’t sacrifice performance. After extensive research, we developed cleaners made from coconut and orange oils that clean and shine beautifully and have an appealing fresh citrus scent.

Now, you’ll love this brand too. Let us know if you’re already a fan!

I write a lot about companies that do good things for our earth. I’m always thrilled to find a new one and am comforted by the idea of “good” companies, big and small, actively engaged in making Earth a better, safer, greener place.  As individuals we can also make small changes for the good of our planet. Here are a few ideas…

One of the easiest things is that I change my font style on the computer when I need to print a document. I have switched my font from Arial to Century Gothic and my ink cartridges now last 30% longer. Here‘s a story on that. Garamond is another True Type font that does well as saving on ink.

I recently discovered that Fuji has a line of environmentally respectful batteries. They are cadmium-free, mercury-free and PVC-free meaning that there is nothing inside the Fuji Enviromax batteries that will harm the environment if it is disposed with other household garbage. The power and longevity is not compromised and they cost about the same as other batteries. This one is really a no-brainer. They can be bought online on Amazon.com for $11.37  for a 4 pack.

I see almost everyone these days bring their own bags to the grocery store. It is great how we have all embraced this pratice. However, I still had an issue with produce bags. I seldom use them for apples, tomatoes or oranges but when I buy grapes or beans, well, I need to use one. I’ve recently discovered two products that remedied the issue.

First is the Veggie Bed from EarthWise Bag Company. I saw these at a show and learned that this bag system is designed by a mom. It will easily go from the store to your kitchen. The individual Veggie Beds are great for all your produce. They are made of sturdy canvas with mesh windows. Each has a special bar code that subtracts the weight of the bag during checkout. They are easily cleaned by hand or the dishwasher and are extremely durable. They are not yet available (coming soon!) but continue checking their website to find out when the Veggie Bed will be available.

For the farmers market I use reusable mesh bags from3BBags. These were created by 3 mom-friends who wanted to make a difference. I love the bags because they are virtually weightless, machine washable and see-through. People are always stopping me at the market and asking me where I got them. They can be purchased right from the 3BBags website where a 3-pack can be purchased for $7.50 or order 3 of the 3-packs and get a 4th one free.

My other pet peeve was all the plastic sandwich bags that I was using when preparing the kids lunches. I tried to reuse them as many times as I could but usually the girls would just through them out. I then started using Tupperware- style containers but found their lunches were just too bulky. Solution: Ecoditty,  another product inspired by a mom who created these fun & cute reusable sandwich and snack bags made from 100% organic cotton. At first I was not too sure about the cleanliness factor but they actually clean up very well; either hand wash, dishwasher or machine wash. My girls loved to choose from the fun patterns. Plus, now they enjoy helping me pack their lunches for school. Go to their website to see the list of online stores that carry their products. And, if waste-free lunch packing is your thing, you’ll also want to check out our enviro-friendly lunch supply guide.

Having two dogs and seeing all the plastic bags that I go through to pick up their doodoo, I often wondered if leaving “it” there wouldn’t be more eco-friendly!  Of course I would NOT EVER do this (since I am a conscientious dog owner) – because of obvious health issues, among other things. The traditional plastic bags fill up our landfill sites and, as we all know, take thousands of years to disintegrate (see all the dirty facts here) . I discovered Flush Puppies on Amazon. First of all, I love the name! Secondly, Flush Puppies are water soluble, biodegradable pet waste baggies that I can be flush down the toilet. How easy is that! I am always walking to and from a park or down at the beach, so a public bathroom is always near. If not, the bags are sturdy enough for the ride home in your car to dispose of there.

I remember the days, not so so long ago, when I had to beg my son to take a shower. Ahhh, those were the days.  Now my teenage son has discovered the simple joys of taking a shower. A loooong shower. Up to 3 times a day! Now granted, he is an athlete and he has a girlfriend, but 3 times in one day? I needed something better than me yelling at him that his showers were way too long. I found this great shower timer that has worked like a charm. In fairness to him he had no idea how long his showers were, so this waterproof timer made it very easy for him. No more mom yelling that he needs to get out! You can buy them on Amazon for $13.25.

With these simple, small simple changes, I feel like I am contributing and participating in “doing my part”. I would love to hear how you are also making a difference.

BTW, for other ideas on the subject, search under our ECO tags & Going Green category to find out about other great green companies, products and other resources.

Inevitably my girls will rub their eyes right after I apply sunscreen on them. With this product line, there are no more screams from sunscreen in their eyes. My son no longer complains that his hands are too greasy to play sports.

KINeSYS uses no parabens, preservatives, nanoparticles, nuts, nut oil, gluten, dairy, egg, soy, sulphites or colorants. And as if it could not be any more perfect, KINeSYS also uses the highest quality recyclable materials for their packaging and a non-aerosol pump for the sprayer. KINeSYS products are also never animal tested. The company does its part to help the environment by using renewable power generation to help fight climate change.

All their products can be purchased on the KINeSYS website, Amazon or at various online retail spots.

Summer, blast off. We are armed and ready.

At last we are waking up to the facts. We have Fast Food Nation, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Meet Your Meat, Food, Inc., Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution and now Animal Factory among some of the great books, films and series to thank for enlightening us on the true provenance of our food.

The latest book, and the subject of this post, is Animal Factory by David Kirby,  author and investigative reporter. This book is an outstanding, voluminous piece of research into the inhumanity (in every sense of the word) of agribusiness. Its focus is not so much on the aberrant treatment of farm animals as much as a look into the actual cost of CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations) on human health, air, water and ground pollution.

Here’s an excerpt of the book that peels the cover on the dirty “little” secret of the huge impact that animal factories and animal waste has on humans, wildlife and communities. Consider this:

• Each year, the United States produces more than one ton of “dry matter” (the portion remaining after water is removed) animal waste for every resident, and animal feeding operations yield one hundred times more waste than all U.S. human sewage treatment plants.
• While human sewage is treated to kill pathogens, animal waste is not. Hog manure has ten to one hundred times more concentrated pathogens than human waste, yet the law would never permit untreated human waste to be kept in vast “lagoons,” or sprayed onto fields, as is the case with manure.
• Manure can contain pathogens, antibiotics, drug-resistant bacteria, hormones, heavy metals, and other compounds that can seriously impact human health, aquatic life, and wildlife when introduced into the environment, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
• The eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay produces one million tons of manure a year, enough to fill a football stadium “to the top row, including all the concourses, locker rooms, and concession areas.”
• Agricultural waste is the number-one form of well-water contaminants in the United States, where at least 4.5 million people are exposed to dangerously high nitrate levels in their drinking water.
• A Centers for Disease Control (CDC) study of well water in nine Midwestern states showed that 13 percent of the supply had nitrate levels above the EPA standard of ten milligrams per liter.
• Feedlot odors contain some 170 separate chemicals, many of them known to cause respiratory ailments, diarrhea, depression, violent behavior, and other health problems.Rearing cattle produces more greenhouse gases than cars, a UN report warns.

Kirby states:

What I see happening is a slow-burn consumer revolt — one that is already under way and profiled in my book — in which big producers are obliged to make more and more concessions in terms of animal welfare, antibiotic use, environmental controls, fair labor practices, and so on. Public pressure comes in many forms: at the ballot box, the statehouse, the courthouse, the White House, and the supermarket. Consumers have more power than they realize. If they demand an even playing field that allows smaller, independent local producers to enter the food supply chain, it will happen, and those farms will flourish.

Let’s spread the word. As Kirby mentions, the following clichés work: As consumers, we get a say, a vote with every dollar that we spend. Time to tell Big Agra how we feel about all this. READ THE BOOK(S) & PASS IT ON!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Tammy trained in graphic design but went on a tangent after she realized that she couldn’t shake the dumpster-diving bug she inherited from her mom, also a recycle-based artist. She learned how to weld the reclaimed metal treasures that she found (metal disks, rebar and machinery parts from salvage yard and various waste from steel manufacturers) to design these wonderful and functional objects.

I’m seriously eyeing her Steel Pebble Holder to use indoors or out. I love the multiple possible uses for this piece: as a carrier for drinking glasses, vases for centerpiece arrangements, to place silverware for a buffet style gathering or to hold votive candles.

And, who’s not infatuated with that very modern birdhouse and bowl and door entry organizer? I especially love that these pieces are equally viable in a masculine and girly setting. Great gift idea for the guys who are consistently hard to buy for.

This is upcycling at its most stylish, wouldn’t you say? Oh, and so is the selected music that you will hear immediately as you land on the website. I ended up buying the Louis Prima CD with the Buona Sera track. I imagine I’ll be playing that in my backyard while the candles are glowing in my One Eighty votive holder.

Don’t you just hate those reusable water bottles that have such a small opening on top that makes them so hard to clean? Plus, when you drink from it there is a nasty metallic taste to the water. Well! I just discovered these stainless steel water bottles from Good Life Gear that I just love! The reason that they are so great is that you can screw off the entire top to effectively clean the bottle. Plus you can actually put ice in it (it’s the little things, you know…)!!! The bottles also have a cover for the mouthpiece that keeps it protected from dirt and germs.

I must add that I feel a little turned off by my SIGG bottle ever since the company disclosed that the inside epoxy lining contained BPA.  Although they have changed the lining to be BPA-free, the company was not terribly forthcoming.  You could send in your old bottle (you had to pay for the postage) to get a new one, but still…

So now, I am thrilled to have found a better bottle where both the top and the spout are made from BPA free, food grade quality, FDA specified polypropylene, so when you drink from it you not only know that they are safe but you don’t get the metallic taste.

The Good Life Gear bottles come in various sizes, including kids’ sizes with great designs and colors.  They cost between $12.95 to $15.95 and you can find them at your local Home Depot store (not sold online but do let us know if you them them on the web).

Indeed, take a look at Lumi Co. This brand new start up company is up to BIG (huge) things. It is headed by the very young (22 year olds) but incredibly brilliant and determined product design students, the team of Jesse and Stéphan.

What’s Lumi? It’s a totally unique, groundbreaking printing technology. Why is it so special? Lumi’s process isn’t derived from any other existing printing technology. It enables printing with photo-realistic qualities, on any NATURAL material (even over texture). This has been previously impossible. Sure, there are ways to print on textiles, but the only known process are screen printing for natural textiles (which limits the quality & authenticity of the printed image) or sublimation which can only be done on synthetic materials, with a whole lot of harmful chemicals. Natural materials cannot be printed using the sublimation technique because it would burn and destroy them.

In contrast, Lumi can print the exact, unaltered image in an eco-friendly way on ANY natural material. This is truly ground-breaking. The image is permanent, wash-fast and eco-safe.

How do 22 year olds come up with something like this? Well, you need one very passionate young lady who doesn’t understand nor accept the meaning of “No, this can’t be done.” This was the standard response that Jesse got for a numbers of years as she was asking herself why, oh why, were there no methods of reproducing, i.e. printing, full-color/full-tonal gradation images on natural fabrics, cotton, linen, leather, etc… She took a year off of school to explore this very question. Her investigation took her to talk to print experts all over the world, who all told her the same thing: it can’t be done.

From her Kickstarter interview, Jesse says:  “I conceived of the idea back in high school when I was operating a fashion company and began to question why my creativity had to be limited by the materials and technologies that I could find in the yellow pages. Choosing textile imaging as a focus, I began an in-depth quest to learn every way that people in every culture have applied imagery to fabrics through the ages. What resulted was a deep knowledge of why we’ve come to use the technologies that are currently available, but also exactly where their limitations lie. Still unsatisfied and looking for solutions I began to study types of printing that weren’t textile related, that is when I uncovered the building blocks to the Lumi Process.”

That’s when the detail-oriented, problem-solving partner, Stéphan, came in to assist Jesse on developing the mechanics of the new technology. The funding that they are looking to receive through Kickstarter will finance the last of the R & D stage and enable them to start collaborating with photographers and fashion brands to test the creative capabilities of their product.

Just so you know, Kickstarter projects only get financed once they have reached 100% of their goal, within the assigned timeline. Otherwise, they get… nothing. Ouch. Which is why I want to encourage you to become a Kickstarter backer for Lumi. There are 20 days left for them to achieve their goal and they are still – at the time of this writing – at 48% of their $12,000 goal. You can become a backer with as little as $5 all the way to… well, however much you’d like. BTW, you get a gift with your pledge over $15 and the gifts become better and better with each pledge amount.

You WANT to be a part of this. The textile, fashion and home décor industries have NO idea what’s about to hit them. Yeah, you want to say “I was there”. Go to Lumi’s Kickstarter page and pledge here.

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UPDATE: Lumi Co. was successfully funded on February 22 and the project is moving ahead, full steam. I can’t wait to see how it develops. I am so incredibly impressed with these two amazing young minds. Bravo!