Do You?
If you love your dog and the environment, www.planetdog.com is the place to go.
The nice people at Planet Dog sent some test toys. Reilly loves them!
For example, the Orbee-Tuff RecycleBALL is 3-Toys-in-1.100 percent RECYCLED. The two 2.5" balls are made from "regrind" (1st quality Orbee-Tuff® material that would otherwise be discarded) and are tied together with off-spec rope supplied by Sterling Rope [check them out!].
Planet Dog makes these toys based on what color scraps they have. The color combinations you will see most frequently are Purple, Black, Cream and Green. Check out their website and Planet Dog Foundation. Become a fan on Facebook.
Zebra Eco Pens
Zebra Pen Corp. has introduced a line of high quality, eco-friendly writing instruments with its “Care For Nature” campaign. Zebra Pen’s “Care for Nature” campaign focuses on spreading the word about conserving resources in an effort to show consumers for generations to come that they truly can make a difference. The Zebra Pen Eco Line offers quality products that are not only friendly to the environment, but retain the same level of dependability, style and prestige that come with every Zebra Pen product.
“Right now, consumers are more conscious of the environment than ever before,” said Director of Marketing Chris Farley. “Most people are doing their part to be eco-friendly and Zebra Pen is making it easier for them by offering environmentally-friendly alternatives to products they use everyday.”
The Zebra Pen Eco Line was created as part of the company’s efforts to be proactive in protecting the earth, explained Farley. The Eco Pen mission is to create products that are friendly to the environment by re-using resources that are limited and using existing energy as efficiently as possible. With this in mind, the Zebra Pen Eco Line utilizes everything from discarded cell phones and battery cases to headlights, CD cases and more. All Eco products consist of at least 70 percent post-consumer waste materials and Zebra Pen has even implemented post-consumer waste materials in product packaging. .
For more information: www.zebrapen.com
This Earth Day, go all-natural with Glee! Glee Gum offers a
delectable and fun way to decrease negative impacts on the environment. With a
burst of all-natural, mouthwatering flavors including Tangerine, Peppermint, Cinnamon,
Spearmint, Bubblegum, and Triple Berry, Glee Gum is a yummy treat that everyone
can enjoy. Glee Gum provides a delicious and healthy alternative to
mass-produced, artificially sweetened, name-brand chewing gum. With no
synthetic ingredients, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, Glee Gum
is all-natural and safely sweetened with rice syrup and pure cane sugar.
Every pack of Glee Gum actively helps to conserve the rainforest as it is made
with chicle, a tree sap harvested sustainably from the rainforests of
Glee Gum is proud to provide a sustainable source of income for
chicle-producing communities while simultaneously offering fun, natural,
eco-friendly and socially responsible products. As part of a continued
commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices, Glee
Gum is dedicated to linking world communities and is a member of Green America
and 1 percent for the planet.
Pledge to truly help the planet this Earth Day! It's easy and fun to support
social and environmental responsibility- just by chewing Glee Gum! Please visit www.gleegum.com
Saving the World in One Swell Foop
Independent clothing company Swell Foop sells a
100 percent organic cotton clothing line that promotes a positive,
environmentally aware lifestyle. With their eco-friendly style, the company has
found a way to minimize consumer guilt while capitalizing on the potential for
making a literal fashion statement.
The founder,
Otto Pohl, is an optimistic, environmentally minded former journalist who started
Swell Foop in 2007. He views the environmental challenges as “opportunities in
disguise”.
Free of pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, and
chemical fertilizers, the shirts are safe for adults and babies alike. While the
company began selling a few shirts on a table at a Farmer’s Market in
The witty and optimistic taglines are sure to
inspire and delight. With a playful name and designs that feature rare animals
and taglines that encourage positive environmental awareness, Swell Foop has
created a force for positive thinking about global warming that has resonated
with Americans frustrated by the politicized, negative spin surrounding the
issue.
Swell Foop
donates 10 percent of proceeds to non-profits to support environmental causes such
as the Environmental Island Institute and American WIldlands. Using only
organic cotton, all shirts are made in the USA. On its website, the independently
run company lists a number of “swell foops,” which are small, positive steps
that will make their lifestyle more sustainable.
Their inspiring philosophy: “We live on a wonderful, resilient planet, and by adopting renewable energy technologies and adapting our lifestyles then we can lead a global green revolution (and with our shirts, be stylish too!)”.
Available online and in retail stores in eight states, Swell Foop is quickly expanding their customer base daily. With quirky, colorful designs, an inspiring philosophy and a sustainable mission, they’re truly saving the world, one swell foop at a time.
For more on Swell Foop, visit www.swellfoop.com
Surf’s Up: Sustainable and Ocean Inspired Accessories
Review by Victoria Witchey
Surfer Donna von
Hoesslin has managed to combine her love of the ocean and passion for the environment
into a viable business model. In 2003, she founded Betty Belts and Betty B Accessories,
two lines of ethically produced, fair trade, ocean inspired products that
utilize sustainable and recycled materials. The company supports Balinese
artisans and young women stateside, not to mention contributing overwhelmingly
to the local community.
Whenever
possible, they use sustainable, reused, recycled and organic materials while
keeping waste to a bare minimum. The California Sea Glass necklaces are made
from found sea glass on our beaches in
The jewelry and
belts are whimsical, hip, earthy and playful. The unique, handmade pieces are
designed by Donna and her creative team, and then produced by a mostly female
group of artisans in
Ms. von
Hoesslin, who lives in the beach community of
Donna cites her designs inspiration as her love of the ocean, surfing and the beach lifestyle. With a passion for sustainability and the surf community, she’s parlayed her interests into a profitable and sound business venture. In a veritable ocean of mass-produced, machine made accessories, these pieces stand out for their simplicity, timeless design and carefully constructed elegance.
To learn more about Betty Belts or Betty B. Products, please visit http://www.bettybelts.com_______________________________________________________________
October 13, 2008
Hey Baby: Bamboo Products for Little Ones
Review by Victoria Witchey
For parents with both a social consciousness and a squirming bundle of joy, Satsuma Designs baby gear is a sure win. Satsuma baby products are made with all-natural, bamboo-spun and eco-friendly materials. Most of the adorable yet tastefully elegant items, such as the swaddling blankets and hats, are made from 100 percent bamboo. Other pieces, like the onsies and velour throws, are composed of 80 percent bamboo and 20 percent organic cotton. The clothing boasts quirky, baby-centric designs and witty slogans such as “Small Carbon Footprint” emblazoned across the chest. The company recently debuted the Baby Booty Bamboo Barrier, a naturally antibacterial changing table pad cover made from bamboo fabric designed to keep the dirtiest part of any nursery clean.
Bamboo is a sustainable resource that grows to maturity in two to three years. It also contains naturally antibacterial properties as it grows in the wild. Once harvested and spun into thread and woven into soft fabric, bamboo is odor fighting, soft and three times as absorbent as cotton. Spurring conventional wisdom, bamboo spun materials are surprisingly silky, luxurious and soft to the touch. With these naturally hypoallergenic and machine washable materials, no harsh dyes or chemicals are used.
The Seattle-based Satsuma Designs is the brainchild of co-founder and president, Jennifer Porter. As a mom, she wanted to purchase practical items for her children that were environmentally friendly. Porter realized an opportunity to connect her evolving philosophies with products that are good for her own kids and for all children.
Satsuma only sources eco-friendly and sustainable resources. They choose partners who meet international criteria for earth friendly manufacturing. They work with raw bamboo suppliers who only use sustainable harvesting practices and fabric mills that ensure environmentally friendly production processes that don’t pollute the environment.
Being a parent and a responsible consumer can go hand in hand, noted Porter. With Satsuma’s diverse assortment of infant accessories, outfitting your favorite tyke in sustainable gear is as easy as stealing organic candy from a baby.
For more information on Satsuma Designs, visit www.satsumadesigns.com
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October 6, 2008
Essence of Vali: All-Natural Remedies That Make Scents
Review by Victoria Witchey
Trouble sleeping at night? Its time to step away from the Ambien and
put the Nyquil down. Whether you’re lying awake at night pondering the
principles of advanced physics or simply having a mild bout of
insomnia, there is hope for regaining those coveted Z’s.
The Essence of Vali line consists of massage and bath oils, balms, concentrates and mists. All products are plant derived, ethically made, not tested on animals and created on the premises at the New York shop. Her products aim to rectify a range of wellness issues, from pain to stress, with promising names like Calm, Refresh and Uplift.
The most popular product is Sleep, which comes in several forms. The formula contains essential oils of lavender flowers, cedar wood, marjoram leaves and ylang-ylang petals. It’s available in a 2-ounce spray, perfect for stashing in the nightstand drawer. A few spritzes on your pillowcase promises to lull you to sleep with the calming and floral scent. It also comes in a massage and bath oil, which is a carefully blended combination of plant essences and 100% pure golden Jojoba. Jojoba absorbs easily into the skin because it contains an organic ingredient similar to our skin's restorative fluid.
More than twenty years ago, founder Valerie Bennis developed an interest in natural products for health and well being. She studied herbs, nutrition, and cleansing, but took a particular interest in essential oils. For the past decade, she has focused on essential oils and the ways that they could be uses for beauty, health and wellness. She began making essential oils for friends and local stores, but soon demand increased. So in 2000, she jumped ship at her corporate job at a large advertising firm. She founded Essence of Vali, a line of healing blends created with plant essences for health and well being.
With sound principles of all-natural production and a passion for therapeutic aromatherapy, Ms. Bennis has created a flourishing business. The products have gained loyal followers and a solid reputation in the all-natural personal care industry. Whether you want to naturally ease discomfort, boost mood or rejuvenate your body, Essence of Vali products are sure to deliver as well as give you the peace of mind that accompanies adhering to your ethics and standards. You’ll sleep soundly at night, in more ways than one.
H2go: Batteries Not Required
Review by Victoria Witchey
With more and more consumers setting their sites on responsible and sustainable automobiles, it’s not a surprise that the toy industry would soon follow. H2go is the world’s first remote control toy car powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. The H2go received the Toy Innovation Award at the 2008 Nurenberg Toy Fair. It’s a perfect way to introduce alternative energy sources into the lives of little ones.
An on-board hydrogen fuel cell delivers the H2go power, where sun and water supply renewable, clean energy for unlimited play. This radical innovation doesn’t require batteries, which often contain toxic materials such as cadmium, lead and sulphuric acid, and are harmful to the environment. The H2go’s packaging includes recycled materials to further reduce the carbon footprint. In addition, the car boasts an eye-catching aerodynamic design, sure to please any discerning tyke.
Designed by PopCo Entertainment, the compact toy kit features a refueling station, a solar power plant, a hydrogen fuel cell-powered radio control car and a remote control. Users simply add water to the refueling station to provide power for the car with solar energy. Due to launch later this month, this ecologically friendly toy is sure to be a hit with kids and their sustainably minded parents as well.
For more on the H2go remote control toy car, www.h2-go.net
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Compostable Utensils
These biocompostable utensils are made from 100 percent non-GMO corn starch PLA resin and will completely compost in a commercial composting facility within 90-180 days. Home composting is not advised for this compostable cutlery, as they do require a higher heat to break down, which may not occur in most home composting systems.For more information, www.worldcentric.org
