By Audrey van Petegem, Contributing Editor
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 [...]

I wrote about Kickstarter this past August. It’s a crowdfunding vehicle that matches creative projects/dreams with the individuals – people like you and me – who are willing to fund them. You can find all sorts of fascinating projects on Kickstarter; lots of film makers, musicians, writers and artists of all kinds have projects listed. I’m backing four of them at this moment and wanted to give a shout out to this particular one: Lumi Co.. because I’m quite certain that they will be revolutionizing the textile industry.
Indeed, take a look at Lumi Co. This brand new start up company [...]

By Audrey van Petegem, Contributing Editor

Just before Christmas I went to Chicago to visit my friend Anne-Marie.  She took me to the One-of-a-Kind show, which features artists from all over the States and Canada.  It was quite a show and discovered all sorts of neat things and met some very interesting people. One of the people I met was  Annie Duggan. She and her sister, Mary, started a company called the  DugganSisters that helps people transform their lives.
After both women recovered from various illnesses and injuries, they decided to share their amazing transformation stories and to dedicate themselves to helping [...]

School and routine are starting again. Time to educate our children on new environmental practices too. Some stats to get us motivated from WasteFreeLunches.org: “it has been estimated that on average a school-age child using a disposable lunch generates 67 pounds of waste per school year. That equates to 18,760 pounds of lunch waste for just one elementary school”.
This guide brings cool ideas to help us convert to easy & convenient litter-free meals:

I have been joyfully soaking in the advent of summer by listening to the birds sing. And, I love watching hummingbirds flutter nearby. Quite the perfect portrait of summer. If you wanted to catch the fever and welcome these delightful tiny creatures into your backyard, here are some beautiful hummingbird feeders for  you to consider.

The Parasol Garden Company makes some of the prettiest hummingbird feeders to be found anywhere. The company was started in 1997 when founders Alfredo García-Lucio and Jim McKeever could not find a birdfeeder to satisfy their sense of aesthetics. Thank goodness, because then Alfredo, [...]

A little something to underscore Earth Day today and to celebrate a back-to-basics idea of sending someone a handwritten note. And one that will grow at that! Here are some great makers of plantable papers:
Botanical Paperworks is a classic. They’ve been making plantable papers since 1995. We particularly love the Yummy Cards set that will grow basil, chive, parsley, dill, sage and mint. Each card includes a recipe (mint tea) for the featured herb. $19.95 per box of 6 cards.
While you are on their site, you will want to take a look at their books & journals.

By Audrey van Petegem, Contributing Editor
With summer right around the corner, I’m happy to have just discovered the handiest little skin protector that offers SPF 30 sun protection that not only blocks harmful UV rays, but also moisturizes and heals dry skin.   The product in question is Face Stick by Eco Lips.
I have always struggled to find the right sunscreen for my 5 year old daughter, Thea.  She has had eczema since birth and tends to flare up with most over-the-counter skin products.  Finding the right sunscreen for her is always a challenge.  The Face Stick contains 82% certified organic [...]

Bamboo Charcoal? No, nothing like those charcoal briquettes. Bamboo charcoal is an extremely powerful form of charcoal revered for its ability to absorb and help eliminate odors and all kinds of indoor air pollutants including allergens, bacteria, viruses and mold. It’s been used for centuries in Asian cultures to purify air and water and to enhance overall health. Traditionally, charcoal was derived from oak and pine but, since 1996 the BoRim Company in South Korea has developed a process to create charcoal out of bamboo. We like that since bamboo is a fast growing and favorite renewable resource. And that’s [...]

You are NOT still using the store’s plastic or paper bags, ARE YOU? We didn’t think so. We also thought that you might actually need MORE reusable shopping bags because, now, you take them with you everywhere, right? Guilt trip aside, we all know how damaging plastic bags are for our environment and that paper bags deplete precious resources. Just in case you need more info, some great articles on the subject are listed at the end of the article.

Patricia Lee is the creator of the luscious BOBO wrapping scarves. She discovered the traditional “Bojabi” wrapping scarf on a visit to her native Korea. The use of the Bojabi wrapping scarf originated centuries ago in Korea and Japan, as a way to wrap and transport items. This gorgeous tradition of wrapping has been in decline for many years as the use disposable wrapping products took precedence. Today, Patricia’s timing could not be more sweet in looking to revive this wonderful practice.
This reusable gift wrap is a gorgeous eco-friendly solution of wrapping and carrying. The BOBO uses from the plentiful [...]

I just learned of this a term – Wrap Rage – that is so perfectly fitting to a situation that we’ve all experienced: trying to pry our way into that clamshell plastic package while not damaging the item (can you feel the scissors’ handles dig into your fingers? The box cutter flying away, dangerously close to your skin?). Or worse, trying to keep a small child at bay (because of the dangerous shard of ripped clamshell parts in the area, and the deadly artillery collection lying about to help open the darn thing)as you desperately look for that last invisible [...]

So brilliantly simple. The perfect way to re-use and re-purpose those otherwise wasteful and environmentally-hazardous plastic bags. Unfortunately, we are not sure when the Flexibin will become available.

Via notcot